A World Worth Protecting

1

The expression on the faces of everyone on the viewing platforms underwent a series of changes. What Wang Baole had said had been brilliant. What he had done had been just right—without too much exaggeration or too little justification.

He hadn’t brought himself to the forefront but instead placed the students in the limelight. His request for a name for the student platoon had achieved a similar effect, accentuating his own value.

What was most important was that with the Martian Governor’s conferment, the Dao Mountain Mist Academy would no longer be one of two elites’ academies on Mars but… the only one!

The encouragement and inspiration that the students would receive from this christening would be unprecedented. It would elevate their gratitude for and loyalty towards the Governor to an extreme.

This strategy of Wang Baole not only resolved the potential problem of him overshadowing the students’ glory due to their fanatic devotion to him, but it also served as a devious way to suck up to the Governor.

Once the platoon was conferred a title, Wang Baole’s own reputation would accompany the birth of the name and go down in Martian history. As long as the platoon and its name remained, the mark Wang Baole left on Mars would never be erased.

Such a string of simple words could have been uttered by anyone. However, the meaning and significance hidden within were multilayered… after all, whether one could think of saying something like that, and whether one dared to say something like that in front of such a large audience, and whether one even had the opportunity to say something like that—all these factors culminated in Wang Baole impressing everyone in the stadium!

The Dao Mountain Mist Academy Dean was shaking with excitement and agitation at present. He thought of the glory and honor that he would receive if the Governor did confer the student platoon. It wouldn’t rival that of Wang Baole, but as the dean of the academy, his contributions would also not be easily forgotten!

It meant that once he left his current role and returned to Earth, his new position wouldn’t be as lowly as the one originally planned for him. The thought moved him, and he felt immense gratitude towards Wang Baole.

To the Fire Spirit Academy, though, Wang Baole’s request was a complete nightmare. The faces of the dean and teachers immediately went pale. They looked as if they were on the verge of tears. They were powerless, though. They stared at Li Wuchen with anger, regret, and sorrow.

“Why did you have to offend him!?”

Li Wuchen was equally pale. He felt bitter and couldn’t speak a single word. Since the moment the Dao Mountain Mist Academy students’ fighting spirit had erupted, he had known that he had lost. It had been a complete and utter defeat. He had not only lost to Wang Baole in a one-to-one fight, but he couldn’t even compete against Wang Baole when it came to grooming students.

He was unwilling to admit defeat, however. He thought of his family background and his future. He thought about many, many things. His body shook violently when he heard Wang Baole asking for a christening of the student platoon. He raised his head and stared at Wang Baole, a myriad of emotions and thoughts stirring inside him. Intense envy, a feeling he had never experienced in his entire life, suddenly surged within him.

There were people who were delighted, people who had mixed feelings, people who were excited, and people who fell into despair. The stadium gradually descended into silence. The Fire Spirit Academy students hung their heads in defeat while the Dao Mountain Mist Academy students’ breathing grew uneven from their excitement and anxiety, their eyes shining with anticipation and nervousness. The two teams played out a stark contrast on the public square.

The Martian Governor, dressed in her red robes, looked at the excitement in their eyes, and a smile slowly unfurled on her face. What she had meant by one last step earlier had referred to the admission of defeat. It didn’t matter if they had decimated the Fire Spirit Academy team. This might have given them confidence, but it wouldn’t have instilled the idea of team honor and glory in their minds. That could only be achieved by driving fear into their enemies’ hearts and forcing a complete surrender.

This meant that the Fire Spirit Academy wasn’t admitting defeat to a single person… but to the entire team!

After she heard Wang Baole’s request, she gave him a deep and meaningful look. Her gaze shifted and swept across the excited students, and she pondered for a while. Then, with encouragement in her eyes, she rose from her seat.

“Those with great ambitions will travel the skies and reach for the stars. Their achievements will soar through the clouds and be sung throughout the lands!”

“I name you—the Soaring Cloud Student Platoon!”

As soon as the Governor spoke, cheers exploded in the entire stadium. Members of the Martian administration who were present were all visibly affected. What the Governor had said meant the world to the students.

The atmosphere in the stadium reached its climax following the Governor’s proclamation. Everyone from the Dao Mountain Mist Academy was overwhelmed with excitement and happiness, and the students started cheering uncontrollably. The dean and the teachers from the Fire Spirit Academy, on the other hand, hung their heads in bitter defeat.

Wang Baole witnessed the scene before him and was immeasurably pleased. He extended a deep bow towards the Governor.

“My utmost gratitude to the Governor!”

The Martian Governor gave Wang Baole another deep, meaningful look before turning away, leaving the arena in the company of the giant tree. The Dao Mountain Mist Academy students on the public square saw the Governor and her people leave and unleashed the full extent of their joy. Their booming cheers rose to the sky as they let loose their youthful joy and excitement without restraint.

Excitement and chaos took over the entire stadium.

The departing Martian Governor heard the deafening ruckus behind her and smiled faintly.

<em>Wang Baole… he’s an interesting fellow.</em>

The Soaring Cloud Student Platoon became famous after the friendly match between the two academies. The name spread across the entire Mars, and the Federation’s live stream of the match resulted in their rising fame in the Federation as well.

Wang Baole’s name once again became a household name in the Federation. He had also firmly established himself on Mars. After the friendly match ended, he gathered all the student contestants and got them to thank their parents for their support. They started chatting happily. Before long, quite a few students from the Fire Spirit Academy submitted their transfer requests to the Dao Mountain Mist Academy.

With Wang Baole’s earlier instructions to Lin Tianhao to broadcast his declaration on the rented spirit screens, the overwhelming victory and recognition from the Governor resulted in Wang Baole gaining two new titles. He wasn’t only a famed educator, but he was also the founder of the Soaring Cloud Student Platoon.

This was a platoon that he had groomed and trained personally. As the Dao Mountain Mist Academy grew stronger, the platoon would increase in numbers as well. Wang Baole looked forward to that with great anticipation. He knew that with his current status, it would be difficult for the giant tree to stir trouble for him.

<em>In terms of self-defense abilities, I’m already many times stronger than I was before! </em>Wang Baole thought proudly. The danger he had felt due to the giant tree’s presence still remained; however, he no longer felt as stressed about it.

<em>If he tried to order me to do something forcibly in the past, I wouldn’t have been able to fight against his orders. Now… with my two sparkling halos, I might not be able to fight him head-on yet, but at least I have the power to not do exactly as he orders! </em>Wang Baole was immensely pleased with himself. He felt he had finally established a firm footing on Mars.

With the Fire Spirit Academy’s defeat, Wang Baole naturally won the bet with Li Wuchen. From now on, whenever Li Wuchen saw him, he would have to address Wang Baole as his grandpa.

Just as Wang Baole was looking forward eagerly to being addressed as grandpa, he found out that Li Wuchen had gone into seclusion. This made Wang Baole really unhappy.

<em>Is he trying to sneak his way out of a bet? It’s just a simple form of address. What’s he got to be such a sore loser for? </em>Wang Baole felt that Li Wuchen was really a petty loser. He pulled out his voice transmission ring and sent a transmission to Xu Zhenjing of the Battle-axe Hotel, instructing the latter to build another five hundred battle-axes. They were all to be placed outside the hotel and facing the Fire Spirit Academy.

The five hundred battle-axes with their malicious aura terrified the wits out of the Fire Spirit Academy Dean. He was of the mind to seek Li Wuchen out for a chat and persuade the latter to give in to Wang Baole. That would easily resolve the matter. He knew that they were college mates and could tell that this was merely a petty dispute between two people who happened to dislike one another.

Li Wuchen immediately refused. He was mad with jealousy at the moment, and there was no way he would give in to Wang Baole. He comforted himself by telling himself that one shouldn’t be superstitious. They were only five hundred battle-axes. They were nothing to be frightened of!

However… there might really be something to the superstition surrounding the Battle-axe Hotel. News about the Governor’s displeasure with the Fire Spirit Academy soon started spreading. She had some comments about their education methodology and especially their performance during the friendly match.

The news made Li Wuchen’s heart shudder. He couldn’t help but recall the stories relating to the Fire Spirit Academy and the Battle-axe Hotel…

He hadn’t yet decided whether to give in to Wang Baole when his transfer orders arrived…

It was the direct orders from the Martian administration. He was to be transferred out from Mars and back to the Federation on Earth.

This had been Li Wuchen’s oversight. The defeat during the friendly match had earned the unhappiness and displeasure of more than a hundred parents who wielded power and authority on Mars. Regardless of what kind of family background Li Wuchen came from, he stood no chance against their unified stand.

This was a complete and utter failure where Li Wuchen was concerned, and he quietly left the planet. All of a sudden, Battle-axe Hotel’s popularity spiked.

Following Li Wuchen’s departure, the next vice dean of the Fire Spirit Academy arrived days later… making an impressive and dramatic appearance on Mars!

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