I'm a School Board Member, I'm Laying My Cards on the Table [Seeking Follow-up Reads]

Dull, booming roars erupted in succession as Black-Grade Mechas landed, steadily shielding Xiao Mu in the center.

The mecha bodies shimmered with a cold, standardized metallic luster, their presence disciplined and imposing; these were the regular mecha troops of the East Sea Legion.

They had arrived under orders, their sole mission to ensure Xiao Mu's safety throughout the ordeal.

One of the lead mechas stepped slowly out of the formation, its sensors activating instantly to scan and verify Xiao Mu's status, confirming he was completely unharmed.

"Target's vital signs are normal."

As the mechanical voice faded, the officer inside the mecha let out a sigh of relief; it was a good thing this little ancestor was fine.

The hull materials for the navy's submarines relied entirely on Xiao Mu, saving them a massive fortune.

Indeed, Xiao Mu's work in materials science made the Federation love and hate him in equal measure; what they hated was that Xiao Mu truly feared no one.

As for the love, one only needed to add this metal in the correct proportions, and it was genuinely cost-effective.

"The East Sea Federation Mecha Legion is here to enforce the law. Guang Biao, you have gathered a mob with prohibited weapons to blockade the Public Spirit Master Academy, intentionally provoked a brawl, and endangered public safety, all in violation of the Federation Joint Defense Regulations. We are now officially issuing an arrest warrant for you; surrender immediately!"

The sudden arrival of military force completely crushed the remaining hostility at the scene.

The two hundred or so burly men on the perimeter instantly lost their nerve. Looking at the rows of grim, standardized mechas, they no longer possessed their previous arrogance and subconsciously retreated.

"It was all Guang Biao's order! We were forced into this!"

"That's right, we were all forced!"

These people were quick to shift with the wind, desperate to distance themselves from Guang Biao.

The mecha pilot's voice remained devoid of emotion, each word ringing with authority: "Federal law supersedes local jurisdiction. No one has the privilege of exemption for violating the regulations. Those who resist arrest will be dealt with by force on the spot."

Guang Biao's face turned ashen; he knew he was finished, completely and utterly doomed.

He was going to be wiped out in East Sea City. He felt regret—why hadn't he disciplined his younger brother properly?

Why had he indulged him?

Alas, regret was useless now.

At the front of the formation, an officer in military uniform stepped down from his mecha. With a tall, upright posture and steady gait, he walked straight up to Xiao Mu.

He asked with a respectful attitude, "Student Xiao Mu, are you alright?"

Xiao Mu shook his head lightly. "I'm fine. You arrived just in time. Any later, and I would have opened fire; it wouldn't have been good to accidentally injure the civilians."

Hearing this, the officer's heart trembled. How did this child possess such weapons? And the higher-ups actually allowed him to hold them personally? He was still just a child—was this reasonable?

They really weren't afraid of this kid causing chaos.

"It is our lack of protection that nearly put you in danger. We will handle the scene immediately, arrest the involved personnel according to regulations, and thoroughly clear up this incident."

"Your words are nice, but I prefer you to speak with actions," Xiao Mu said with a smile.

The military's actions were always crisp and efficient. Not long after his words fell, the mecha soldiers moved rapidly, quickly securing everyone involved in the incident.

Guang Biao, Guang Long, and the crowd of burly men who had blockaded the school gate were all handcuffed and taken away; no one could escape their fate.

What awaited Guang Biao would not be a simple reprimand, but the harsh judgment of a military tribunal. The status and power he had spent his life accumulating were now completely void.

The noisy school gate quickly returned to calm. The onlookers dispersed, leaving only the chaotic mess on the ground to bear witness to the confrontation that had just occurred.

Long Hengxu walked quickly across the empty space in front of the gate and approached Xiao Mu, looking at the child with utter confusion. "Xiao Mu, what exactly is your identity? To act so recklessly and cause such a stir—won't the Academy and the Dean hold you accountable?"

Xiao Mu raised his eyes to look at him, his expression calm and devoid of panic. "I was merely defending myself; what wrong have I committed? Why would the Dean hold me accountable?"

"Even if he wanted to, I could just withdraw my funding!"

"I am a school board member; I'm laying my cards on the table."

Long Hengxu didn't understand much else, but he understood that last sentence. This kid was from the family of a school board member, so that was that.

Just indulge him.

This one was a master.

Xiao Mu stepped forward and glanced at Long Hengxu. "The Dean didn't even show up for a scene like this. You should work hard; you might still have a chance."

Long Hengxu was clearly choked by this empty promise and immediately began to disperse the crowd.

The noisy crowd gradually settled down. At the school gate, where the dust had finally settled, everyone remained immersed in the struggle that had just taken place.

Gu Yue, who was mixed in among the students, had been quietly observing the entire incident from start to finish. She saw it clearly: a two-ring Great Spirit Master, relying on spirit tools, had managed to firmly suppress a six-ring Spirit Emperor in a very short amount of time.

Xiao Mu, however, felt he was quite weak. Back in the day, someone had fought a Spirit Saint as a two-ring and even managed to injure them.

He still had a long way to go.

Within the subsiding crowd, a figure walked out slowly. Dressed in elegant white with cold blue hair, he carried an aloof air that kept others at a distance—it was Wu Zhangkong.

The surrounding noisy discussions subconsciously quieted the moment he appeared.

"Good strength," Wu Zhangkong said, devoid of extra emotion. "Your spirit skills should all be highly compatible with spirit tools."

Xiao Mu met his gaze steadily. "Then do you think your Class Five students could beat me?"

"I have confidence in my students," Wu Zhangkong said.

"I have a lot of confidence in my own strength as well."

Xiao Mu's lips curled slightly, his smile faint. He did not linger, turning to walk away slowly as he prepared to find Na'er.

The entire confrontation concluded, and the clamor dissipated. Long Hengxu had persuaded everyone to leave; what a scene this had caused.

Tang Wulin stood in the crowd, nothing but a heavy sensation remaining in his heart.

He had witnessed Xiao Mu's methods with his own eyes and truly felt the insurmountable gap in strength between them.

In the Class Promotion Tournament, could he really defeat his opponent?

He remained silent, bowing his head. He clenched his fists; his teammates were all so powerful, yet his own strength was far inferior to theirs. Whether to survive or to become stronger, he had to obtain those so-called Ice Crystal Fruits and Red Flame Fruits as soon as possible.

To break whatever the first layer of the seal was.

That very day, he chose to go and promote to a third-rank Blacksmith.

After Tang Wulin left, he heard the cafeteria broadcast chime.

"Attention, teachers and students. Attention, teachers and students. We are broadcasting an emergency announcement. We have received notice from the meteorological department that a strong tropical storm will strike tonight. This severe typhoon is expected to last for over a week. Therefore, for the coming week, students are requested not to leave the academy lightly. All classes are suspended; please wait in your dormitories. The Class Promotion Tournament is suspended and will resume after the typhoon passes."

Hearing this, Xiao Mu felt as if someone were orchestrating the world; how could such a coincidence exist?

However, even with a week, it was impossible for him to rise from level twenty-nine to level thirty.

He wasn't Gu Yue, who could just add points as she pleased.

"A free week of vacation," Xiao Mu whispered to himself.

"Oh, wow!" Na'er was very excited. No classes for a week—how refreshing, a holiday!

"You just keep enjoying yourself," Xiao Mu said. "Look forward to the promotion tournament in a week."

On the other side, Tang Wulin, who was just about to head to the Blacksmith Association, stopped in his tracks, a glimmer of luck rising in his heart.

"One week... I still have a chance."