C211 The Confrontation

Old Man Zhen had already whipped out his communicator and began reaching out to Zhen Ye.

At that moment, the atmosphere in the VIP lounge took on an eerie quality.

Zhang Zhongqi's complexion turned grim, his eyes flashing with a ruthless intensity.

Truth be told, Zhang Zhongqi had moved past caring about saving face.

What mattered to him was the significance of this event!

If Chu Yi's claims were true...

Well, Zhang Zhongqi was certain that Chu Yi was speaking the truth.

Then...

It signified that his grip on Adirang Academy had plummeted to rock bottom, to the point where he couldn't even enforce his will in the crucial admissions process.

It might look like a simple act of independence by Old Man Zhen's grandson, but the implications were far-reaching.

Geniuses and formidable prodigies were the real cornerstone.

If they wavered, it would be the very foundation of Adirang Academy that was at stake!

Zhang Zhongqi was well aware of his own predicament. Due to certain events, he had been relegated to Adirang Academy.

Though the role of principal at Adirang Academy was a position of authority, it paled in comparison to his past status.

Zhang Zhongqi was conscious of the fact that he had made too many enemies. Without adequate security, his future would be perilous.

For Zhang Zhongqi, Adirang Academy was his ultimate safeguard, second only to his own invulnerability.

The talents and mavericks who had emerged from Adirang Academy over the years had penetrated every aspect of government. Their current influence might be limited, as the old guard still clung to the reins of power.

However, with time, once those old guards stepped down, his influence would swell to a fearsome level!

That would be his moment to reclaim his stature.

Thus, Adirang Academy was Zhang Zhongqi's bedrock and the beacon for his future aspirations.

Besides, Zhang Zhongqi harbored an obsessive craving for control.

Clearly, this incident struck a chord not just with the foundation of Adirang Academy, but with Zhang Zhongqi's very core!

He had been willing to swallow his pride and apologize to Lee Zi, but it was all in the interests of Adirang Academy.

The foundation of Adirang Academy was now facing issues, and Zhang Zhongqi found it intolerable.

Initially, to ensure smooth student recruitment and to prevent unforeseen circumstances, Zhang Zhongqi had mandated that the specially recruited teachers be selected from three distinct departments. The first would be a student chosen as an inspector from the student union. The other two would come from two separate, unrelated departments. With these individuals hailing from different backgrounds and the school's strict rules and disciplinary measures in place, collusion or unexpected incidents were highly unlikely.

But now, if Old Man Zhen's grandson could pull it off, it indicated that his subordinates had banded together and become corrupt. This was Zhang Zhongqi's most pressing concern. Nevertheless, he would have to wait until Zhen Ye, the student in question, appeared.

Even though Zhang Zhongqi acknowledged the truth in Chu Yi's words, he still harbored a faint glimmer of hope.

It wasn't long before a knock sounded at the door. Old Man Zhen had brought Zhen Ye along to gain some worldly experience, seizing a truly rare opportunity. Barring any unforeseen events, Zhen Ye was set to become the Zhen family's heir, a decision that had essentially been ratified internally. Introducing Zhen Ye to this environment early on seemed prudent.

Yet, who could have predicted such a turn of events? Amidst his panic, Old Man Zhen stole a furtive, resentful glance at Chu Yi, only to be met with Chu Yi's amused smirk. In that moment, Old Man Zhen averted his gaze, flustered.

The Zhen family was among the more formidable clans in Redmarsh, not quite at the pinnacle but not far from it either. However, when compared to the Chu family, they were simply not in the same league. The presence of Chu Tianfeng, the War God, alone justified referring to the Chu family as the preeminent family of the age.

Moreover, the Zhen family had pledged allegiance to the government, becoming its subordinates. Should a conflict with the Chu family arise, none of the other noble houses would intervene on their behalf.

"Greetings, esteemed sirs," came a voice as the door swung open, revealing a strikingly handsome young man stepping inside.

Zhen Ye's appearance was undeniably impressive. Although he didn't quite match up to Chu Yi, he was still among the elite of the younger generation.

Yet, Zhen Ye's most remarkable attribute wasn't his lineage—it was his innate talent!

Yes, his talent!

Despite Chu Yi's low opinion of him, Zhen Ye was far from mediocre.

In fact, he was a prodigy, one of the finest. He had awakened his genetic power, making him a bona fide genetic warrior with astonishing combat abilities. Among his peers, he was recognized as one of the formidable contenders.

Just two months prior, Zhen Ye was ranked as a Silver, but he had since ascended to Gold status.

Chu Yi was unfazed by this development.

At twenty, Zhen Ye had outgrown the need for foundational training. With increased physical vitality, it's typical for one's power to surge at this age.

With ample resources and the right aptitude, advancing significantly within a year is entirely expected!

Of course, this assumes that one's talent permits such growth; without it, even an abundance of resources would only yield marginal improvements.

Clearly, Zhen Ye had hit his stride, entering a period of rapid advancement in strength.

Considering his abilities and genetic power, there's no doubt that Zhen Ye is on track to become a prominent figure within the Terran Federation.

Zhen Ye's smile was flawless, exuding an aristocratic charm.

However, upon noticing Chu Yi, his smile briefly stiffened.

Was Zhen Ye intelligent? Absolutely.

If he had been foolish, he wouldn't have been able to manipulate Chu Yi so cunningly.

After all, by doing so, he not only owed Lee Zi a favor but also effectively dashed Chu Yi's future prospects, allowing Lee Zi to dismiss Chu Yi as worthless without any repercussions for himself.

To say he killed three birds with one stone would be an understatement.

A fool certainly couldn't have devised such a strategy.

But Zhen Ye had managed it with remarkable ease.

Zhen Ye's intelligence was evident.

Upon his first encounter with Chu Yi, Zhen Ye seemed to grasp something immediately.

Then, as he looked at his grandfather and noticed his pallid complexion, his understanding deepened.

Admittedly, Zhen Ye was somewhat flustered.

Despite his intelligence and worldly experience, he was, after all, still a young man.

Nevertheless, Zhen Ye's mental resilience was commendable.

Even in such a moment, he managed to keep his composure. Aside from a brief initial stiffness, his demeanor remained steady.

His poise impressed Chu Yi, who silently gave him a nod of approval.

Such composure was rare among other prodigies or scions of prestigious families.

Zhang Zhongqi was no longer in the mood to assess Zhen Ye. He quickly approached Zhen Ye and asked, "Did you previously administer a special recruitment assessment to Chu Yi?"

Zhen Ye's smile faded, replaced by a look of utmost seriousness.

"Yes, Principal," he replied.

Zhang Zhongqi's gaze turned icier as he demanded, "Explain the details of what happened during that assessment."

Without any reservation, Zhen Ye recounted the entire process, including his personal involvement in the examination.

After listening, Zhang Zhongqi was silent.

Though not a supreme expert, Zhang Zhongqi could distinguish truth from falsehood, a skill necessary for the principal of Adirang Academy.

Zhang Zhongqi was convinced of the truth in Zhen Ye's words, yet he sensed an underlying issue.

However, it wasn't the right time to expose any problems.

If he could, Zhang Zhongqi would prefer to handle the matter privately, where it could be resolved without further complication.

But for now...

Despite having already lost considerable face, Zhang Zhongqi was not ready to forfeit his dignity entirely.

He addressed Chu Yi, "Is there an issue with this account?"

Zhang Zhongqi expected an immediate rebuttal from Chu Yi.

To his surprise, Chu Yi maintained a smile, seemingly indicating that Zhen Ye's account worked in his favor.

"Indeed..."

The process was flawless.

Because that's exactly how the assessment unfolded.

"I have a question..."

Chu Tianfeng spoke up from the side, his gaze fixed on Zhen Ye and Zhang Zhongqi with a hint of curiosity. "When did it become customary for a student at Adirang Academy to conduct the examinations?"

"I've always known that your academy's students serve as inspectors, but as examiners? This is a first for me..."

It was indeed unusual.

The very nature of the examination was being called into question.

Zhang Zhongqi remained silent.

Truth be told, everyone was aware of the answer. Zhen Ye was doing exactly as Chu Yi had previously suggested, all for Lee Zi!

But knowing was one thing; without an admission, there was little anyone could do.

With a feigned grimace, Zhen Ye explained, "It's quite straightforward. Lee Zi was the one who invited me."

"I assumed that Chu Yi must be someone of great importance to her."

"With that in mind, I intended to offer as much assistance to Chu Yi as I could during the examination..."

As he finished, a hint of embarrassment tinged Zhen Ye's expression.

"I apologize, Principal. I violated the rules this time. I will certainly seek appropriate punishment upon my return."

His explanation seemed impeccable. Although the truth was known, this face-saving version of events posed no issues, so naturally, no further comments were made.

Zhang Zhongqi felt the same, as his own reputation mattered to him.

Chu Tianfeng simply nodded, choosing not to add anything more.

He might not have known Chu Yi's exact intentions, but Chu Tianfeng was confident that Chu Yi had his reasons for acting when he did.

"Do you have any other questions?"

"If not, we shall take our leave..."