A World Worth Protecting

1

Wang Baole placed great import on the upcoming friendly match. At first, he had simply accepted Li Wuchen’s proposal out of sheer arrogance. He had fought Li Wuchen and won, clearly establishing his authority and strength.

The match had arisen from a petty dispute. However, after he realized the true value of an elites’ academy, the gears in his head started spinning furiously. He had a feeling that this… could be his chance!

This was his chance to weaken the giant tree’s power over him so that he need not fear him as much in the future!

<em>What I need to do is to establish myself on Mars. Make myself well known amongst the Martian public. If I manage to achieve that, even if the giant tree wants to harm me, he’ll find many obstacles in his way.</em>

<em>Simply put, the more attention I attract on Mars, the more famous I am, the safer I will be. In fact, if I can get to know the Governor and gain her favor… I’ll have nothing to fear from the giant tree! </em>Wang Baole had organized his thoughts during the three-month-long intensive cultivation for the students and come to this eventual understanding.

That was why he was so fixated on a clean, clear victory. He didn’t want to simply win the friendly match; he wanted to win by a large margin. He wanted his students to prove themselves before their parents, the Governor, and the entire Martian City. This was how he would firmly establish himself and make his mark on Mars.

With this victory, he would gain sufficient recognition. A halo would be placed upon his crown, and he would be known as… the famous educator!

To achieve his goals, Wang Baole included himself in the advertisements promoting the friendly match. The advertisements were shown on the spirit screens across the entire Martian Colony, which had been rented by Lin Tianhao. The advertisements listed Wang Baole’s past achievements and accolades, with the aim of spreading one message. Wang Baole wasn’t only an exemplary figure; he was an educator as well. His disciples were as excellent as he was. It was as the idiom said, “an excellent teacher begets excellent students.”

After Lin Tianhao made all the necessary preparations, Wang Baole immediately sought out the dean. He tactfully presented his request and got a nod of approval from the smiling dean. He agreed to Wang Baole’s proposal. They penned the invitation together and sent it to the Martian Colony Governor’s residence.

Wang Baole had sought the dean out instead of acting unilaterally. This was because, despite Wang Baole’s authority over the entire academy, the dean was still the main person in charge in name.

Wang Baole had risen through the ranks of the Ethereal Dao College, from an ordinary student to a Deputy Pavilion Head. He knew how such matters were handled. His approach gave the dean great comfort, and the latter allowed him greater free rein in the management of the academy.

As everything fell into place, Martian Day finally arrived.

The entire Martian City bustled with life that day. It was rowdier than the past Martian Days because every Dao Mountain Mist Academy student had beseeched their parents to support and view the friendly match. That was the mission that Wang Baole had tasked them with, and they had to do everything in their power to get it done.

Wang Baole’s current status and reputation in the Dao Mountain Mist Academy ensured that the students followed his every command. The Fire Spirit Academy had also done the same, with students from said academy also requesting their parents’ presence at the match. On Martian Day, countless cruisers could be seen speeding through the air across all thirty-odd city zones. They were all headed for the Zone Twelve arena, crowding the skies with their sheer numbers. There were also plenty who journeyed to the arena on foot.

Some parents still had work despite it being a public holiday, but they still tried their best to accede to their children’s request. During the festive period, the spirit screens that Lin Tianhao had rented throughout the entire Martian Colony City continuously broadcasted about the friendly match. The public’s interest was stirred as well.

There were also some families who mutually disliked each other to the extent of disallowing their children from attending the same academy. They were the most enthusiastic of the lot, eagerly hoping for their children’s school to emerge victorious in the match.

The most passionate were the parents of the student participants. They were the earliest to arrive at the stadium with almost all parents of all the participants being present. Those with grandparents also saw their grandparents being dragged to watch the match.

The venue of the friendly match… a stadium in Zone Twelve that could sit a hundred thousand spectators, was rapidly filled with people and soon packed to the brim. The rowdy voices of spectators filled the air.

They were all familiar faces who gathered there, and sounds of discussions and laughter rose in the air. The stadium bustled with life.

“Old Zhang, you’re here too? What a rare sight.”

“That rascal of mine dragged me here. Fine, let’s see how well they perform in a fight as a whole.”

As the stadium grew more packed with spectators, the student participants from the Dao Mountain Mist Academy gathered and boarded the cruiser. They headed towards the Zone Twelve stadium. This was an important match for the academy, so the dean and all teachers were present and on board the cruiser.

As the cruiser flew ahead, Wang Baole inspected the students inside the cruiser happily. There were students snacking, or drinking Ice Spirit Water, or gazing into the mirrors, all of them little chubby fatties…

<em>These students shall be the future pillars of the Federation. </em>Wang Baole sighed inwardly. He was about to make a rousing speech when one of the more sharp-eyed students saw, outside the cruiser, a gigantic spirit screen erected in Zone Twelve. His eyes flashed, and he hurriedly pointed at the screen.

“Quick, look over there. It’s the dean!”

The people in the cruiser looked over as his voice rang out. They immediately saw an enormous spirit screen that spanned hundreds of yards wide. Wang Baole appeared on the screen.

He was dressed in formal attire and had a stern expression on his face and a resolute look in his bright eyes. His right palm was placed on his chest, his head raised towards the sky. A deep voice emerged from his lips.

“I’m not an educator. I’m but a ray of candlelight, who will happily exhaust this flame of life so that I may shine a light on the students of Mars and light the way towards the future!

“I hereby swear that I will devote myself to the Martian education field. I will fulfill my duties to teach and educate. I will groom and cultivate our students. I will transform them into the future pillars of the Spirit Inception Era. They will have dreams, ideals, morals, the spirit to strive, and compassion. They will give their all for the development and prosperity of Mars. They will fight for Mars’ honor and glory!

“I, Wang Baole, submit the above declaration!”

His voice swelled with emotion, but his gaze remained serious and resolute. In his eyes burned a passionate and fervent light. It seemed to reflect his hopes towards and resolution for the future and his students.

Due to the angling of the camera, he even seemed slimmer than usual. He appeared almost handsome, and exuded a unique charm that spoke of great determination and passion!

He didn’t mention the Federation and only spoke of Mars. This resonated deeply with the native Martians. The upper levels of the Martian administration were slightly stirred when they saw this broadcast.

As everyone stood stunned and affected by the broadcast, dramatic music started blasting from the spirit screen and resounded in the air. This was not isolated to Zone Twelve. At present, every zone in the city was screening Wang Baole’s rousing declaration and broadcasting his image. It was a rousing moment for everyone who saw it.

Not only were the common pedestrians stunned, but parents heading for the stadium were equally taken aback. Though, their reactions couldn’t compare to the reactions of the students on board the cruiser with Wang Baole.

They adored Wang Baole to the degree of fanaticism. When they saw the spirit screen broadcast and heard what Wang Baole said, they became immensely agitated. The fanatical passion in their eyes intensified.

Even the teachers from the Dao Mountain Mist Academy turned and stared at Wang Baole with shock in their eyes. Lin Tianhao was the exception, instead, sighing secretly. Wang Baole had proposed filming and adding that part into the video. It hadn’t been broadcast earlier. This was the first time it was being shown on the screens. He hadn’t thought much of it when they had been filming. In fact, he had found it quite melodramatic. Now, having witnessed everyone’s reaction to it, he couldn’t help but be convinced of how brilliant the move had been.

<em>As long as he wins the match, Wang Baole will not only establish a strong presence on Mars, he’ll make a mark on the planet. </em>The definition of result and accomplishment might overlap, but they held vastly different weight and meant completely different things. That was the true reason for Lin Tianhao’s sighing.

Happiness blossomed in Wang Baole’s heart as he observed the expressions on everyone’s faces. He coughed. He thought that he shouldn’t say anything at the moment. He placed his hands behind his back and gazed ahead, a stern expression on his face and a deep, unfathomable look in his eyes…

The Zone Twelve arena soon appeared before Wang Baole.

They could hear the roaring commotion from the stadium even before the cruiser drew near. From afar, the stadium appeared like a bird in mid-flight, its two outstretched wings filled to the brim with spectators. The main body was the central public square, which was where the two academies would have their friendly match.

On the two sides of the central square were the parking bays for large cruisers, and they were slightly sunken in. Students alighted from the cruisers, hidden from public view. There were pathways specially built that led to the central public square.

<em>We’re here! </em>Anticipation flashed in Wang Baole’s eyes. The cruiser landed in the parking bay left of the central square, amidst the students’ excitement. They could no longer see what was outside. As they got out, Wang Baole turned and looked at the students who would be participating in the match.

“Your parents are all watching outside. Let’s have… a quick battle. Let’s show them what we from the Dao Mountain Mist Academy are made of. And don’t forget the special present we’ve prepared for our opponents!”

“Victory!” Jin Duozhi and the others shouted, battle lust and fervor coursing in their blood.

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