"This trip to Qijia Town was actually quite rewarding for me.
Maybe I can give you a surprise, Director Zeng."
As the two spoke, Li Yuan voiced his confidence.
Seeing Director Zeng's state, Li Yuan wanted to offer him some reassurance—or rather, give him some confidence as well.
At that, Deputy Director Zeng Chang merely smiled.
"Just show your best side. You don't need to worry about my situation.
Even if Jin Fan hadn't gone to Chishan City, the pressure in this year's Youth Martial Tournament would still be enormous.
The Southeast Region has a special development fund totaling 12 billion yuan.
Every city is going all out to fight for a ranking.
Talents who had been kept hidden in the past have all been sent out this time.
My previous requirement for you—to fight for a place in the top thirty—is already very difficult.
Not to mention that the trouble before us now isn't something a top-thirty finish can solve."
There was more to Director Zeng's words that he left unsaid.
If Li Yuan wanted to give him confidence and resolve the predicament he faced, Li Yuan would have to defeat Jin Fan.
That was more than ten times harder than breaking into the top thirty.
After a brief pause, Director Zeng did not continue on that subject.
Instead, he turned to the situation at Lingshan No.1 High School.
"I heard that you went to Lingshan No.1 High School yesterday to answer the students' questions?"
"I'd been away for so long, and I'm about to take part in the Youth Martial Tournament. I just wanted to clear up some of the students' confusion."
Li Yuan explained, not thinking it was a big deal.
Hearing that, Director Zeng nodded approvingly and patted Li Yuan on the shoulder.
"I've always believed that people in education must have professional ethics.
Many people treat teaching as a stepping stone for climbing higher.
Actual teaching work gets pushed to the back instead.
After the Youth Martial Tournament, I'll most likely be reassigned to serve concurrently as the principal of Lingshan No.2 High School.
If there's a chance, I'd like to bring you with me."
It was clear that Zeng Chang genuinely appreciated Li Yuan.
He bore no resentment toward him over the Youth Martial Tournament and even wanted to recruit him as a subordinate.
For a deputy director of the Municipal Education Bureau to be reassigned as principal of Lingshan No.2 High School was an obvious stripping of authority.
The scope under a deputy director's jurisdiction was far broader than that of Lingshan No.2 High School.
Lingshan No.2 High School itself was small, nearly half the size of the First High School.
The students' average overall caliber was also noticeably worse than that of the First High School.
That was the consequence of losing a power struggle.
"Take this Youth Martial Tournament seriously. Perhaps your students will have the chance to participate someday as well.
The experience you pass on to them then might prove quite helpful."
As the two talked, the other martial artists from Lingshan City who were participating had more or less arrived.
The martial artists from every unit had brought all kinds of equipment and looked highly professional.
Li Yuan had not even brought a weapon for this trip. He would borrow a standard-issue weapon from the organizing committee when the time came.
The martial artists from the other units had not come alone.
Their units had also sent people along to help handle various trivial matters.
When the time was about right, Zeng Chang called everyone together and took attendance.
Lingshan City had twelve participating martial artists this time.
The Youth Martial Tournament only counted the results of ten participants from each city, so the results of two people here would be disregarded.
Those two served as a margin for error. It would not matter if they were eliminated during the tournament.
Soon, the twelve participating martial artists gathered in the middle of the gymnasium.
The twelve lined up, and Director Zeng began calling roll.
"Water Resources Bureau, Ma Qi."
"Here."
"Transportation Bureau, Liang Jin."
"Here."
With only twelve people, roll call did not take long. Very soon, Li Yuan's name was called.
At his response, everyone around him turned to look.
They had all heard Li Yuan's name before.
But it was their first time seeing what he looked like.
"So you're Li Yuan from Lingshan No.1 High School. You really do seem to have a strong mindset.
So many people in Lingshan City have been cursing you, yet you're still participating in the Youth Martial Tournament as usual."
The one speaking was Ma Qi from the Water Resources Bureau.
No one else around them spoke.
Yet the expressions on their faces displayed their attitude clearly enough.
They were obviously on Ma Qi's side.
"The tactics we arranged beforehand have all gone to waste because of your nonsense.
You even forced Jin Fan to go to Chishan City. You clearly never considered Lingshan City.
You only care about personal gain, sacrificing the interests of a million citizens for yourself."
Hearing Ma Qi's words, Li Yuan did not indulge him and immediately fired back.
"If you can consider the interests of a million citizens, then you can give your qualification to Jin Fan.
What?
You only know how to be generous with someone else's property, offering up my qualification?"
Most of the time, adults needed to maintain a measure of decorum.
But with so many people in the world, there would always be some who spoke terribly.
If they did not want that decorum, there was no need to preserve it for them.
Like at this moment, Li Yuan gave Ma Qi no face at all.
Ma Qi had not expected Li Yuan, whom so many people had cursed, to dare retort like that.
"Jin Fan and I aren't even from the same unit. How could transferring the qualification be that easy?"
Ma Qi casually came up with an excuse.
But the excuse he found was far too flimsy.
"Jin Fan doesn't even work in Chishan City, yet he was still able to obtain Chishan City's qualification.
You and he are only from different units.
Could that possibly be harder to arrange than crossing city lines?"
Li Yuan's string of questions left Ma Qi speechless.
Of course, everyone hoped Lingshan City could achieve a good result in the Youth Martial Tournament.
But that good result could not come at the cost of their sacrifices.
Participating in the Youth Martial Tournament would at least earn them thirty bottles of B-grade Nutrient Fluid.
If they achieved some results, they could receive even more rewards.
There was also fame and reputation.
Results in the Youth Martial Tournament served as a basis for martial artists to take part in future training expeditions and assume important positions.
Why should others trust you? Presenting your Youth Martial Tournament results was proof in itself.
Ma Qi was no fool. He had obtained this qualification with great difficulty, so why would he be willing to give it up?
The other participants and helpers around them fell silent for a moment.
Li Yuan's retort had truly left Ma Qi with nothing to say.
He had assumed Li Yuan was the dull, simple-minded sort.
He had not expected Li Yuan to make him so embarrassed in just a few sentences.
At the same time, Director Zeng, the team leader, spoke up.
"The participants have all been finalized. Even if we wanted to make changes now, we couldn't.
There's no point saying more about certain things.
Also, don't bring up the tactics arranged earlier again.
This year's Youth Martial Tournament explicitly forbids cooperating to yield points.
Once you enter the competition area, your final result will depend entirely on yourselves."
After Deputy Director Zeng Chang finished explaining this, he led everyone out toward the Youth Martial Tournament's competition area.
The competition location for the Southeast Region's Youth Martial Tournament was not fixed.
Generally, an area the size of a town would be set aside along the border.
It would be left vacant for one or two months, allowing Fierce Beasts to enter it.
Before the Youth Martial Tournament began, the border would be sealed off, and the participating martial artists would enter the area.
Within that area, the final rankings would be determined by the number and quality of Fierce Beasts killed.
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