Chapter Eighty-One: The Appointment of the Principal

Ye Chong emerged from the modification chamber to find a stranger—a middle-aged man—standing beside Yang An. Instinctively, Ye Chong’s expression grew guarded. He remained utterly unaware that the outside world had already erupted because of him! Every student at Blue Ocean Academy knew, given the school’s traditions, that a talent like his would undoubtedly be kept, and all awaited with bated breath to see if their revered principal would deliver good news.

Ye Chong had just demonstrated prowess that surpassed even that of ordinary instructors. The students of Blue Ocean Academy were renowned for their lofty standards and proud hearts, yet they held genuine skill in high regard, and those who possessed it earned their sincere respect.

Ye Chong had won over this cohort with nothing but his extraordinary strength!

The man before him was clearly accustomed to privilege, his rotund belly encased in formal attire that lent him an air of distinction. But that was not what caught Ye Chong’s attention first. The man’s hands were soft and pale, bearing no sign of training. His physique was unbalanced, his athletic ability poor; Ye Chong was certain he could defeat him completely in under two seconds. The stranger’s eyes were calm, seemingly devoid of hostility.

All these assessments flashed through Ye Chong’s mind in an instant.

He then noticed other details: the middle-aged man’s face was smooth and beardless, his demeanor elegant, always wearing a gentle smile that made him seem approachable. Still, Ye Chong did not lower his guard. Yang An appeared quite respectful in the man's presence.

Ye Chong stared coldly at the stranger, making no move to speak first. The man chuckled, extending his hand. “Hello, I am Lan Youming, Principal of Blue Ocean Academy. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Ye Chong eyed the principal’s outstretched right hand warily. What was this about? He watched Lan Youming with heightened suspicion.

Within Ye Chong’s mind, Shang cursed, “Idiot, it’s a formality! Do you not even know that? Heaven, what did Mu teach you? Did he intend for you to become a beast? Poor Ye!”

“Manners?” Ye Chong asked in his mind, confused. “Isn’t this dangerous? What if the enemy suddenly attacks?”

Shang sounded close to fainting. “Heavens, Ye, you must change your mindset. They're human beings, not beasts! Humans don’t attack others without reason! Hurry up and shake his hand. If someone extends their hand and you ignore it, it's a serious breach of etiquette.”

“Yes, that’s right, just a gentle grip suffices. If you want to show goodwill, apply a bit of force. Heaven! Ye, he’s not a beast! How can you wrestle with him?” Shang was utterly exasperated.

Lan Youming let out a thunderous cry as Ye Chong’s hand clamped down like a vice on his right hand, producing a faint crack. He nearly passed out from the pain! Upon hearing Shang’s advice, Ye Chong swiftly withdrew his hand. The principal could no longer contain himself, clutching his right hand and hissing in agony, his composure shattered.

Ye Chong protested to Shang, somewhat aggrieved, “I didn’t use much force!”

Shang replied weakly, “You’re not human!”

Yang An stared blankly at the scene, his mind short-circuited.

Ye Chong and Yang An watched as Lan Youming danced in pain. Ye Chong was astonished to discover that, despite his corpulence, the principal’s movements were surprisingly agile.

“At this point, you should apologize. When your mistake causes someone else harm, you’re supposed to apologize!” Shang advised earnestly.

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“Apologize? My mistake? But I didn’t do anything wrong!” Ye Chong replied, bewildered, then added, “It seems his strength is too low, and his resistance to impact is poor.” He evaluated the situation with professional detachment.

Shang nearly wanted to die. “No matter what, just apologize first!”

Ye Chong said indifferently, “If you insist, I’ll do it.” He always fulfilled Mu’s requests, but as for Shang, Ye Chong only complied when the request didn’t seem unreasonable—after all, Ye regarded Shang as far less rational than Mu.

Still, apologizing cost him nothing.

Ye Chong offered a stiff apology to the principal. “I’m very sorry. I didn’t realize your strength was so low—I apologize.” His tone was so blunt that it carried not a hint of remorse.

“Is that an apology?” Shang asked.

“Of course!” Ye Chong replied with certainty.

“I think it sounds more like a victor’s declaration!” Shang countered.

“Hmm, is there a difference?” Ye Chong pondered.

Shang fell silent, abandoning his last attempt.

Yang An, seeing the bruises encircling the principal’s hand, shivered inwardly and resolved never to have any physical contact with Ye Chong again.

Lan Youming managed to muster a strained smile. “It’s nothing, it’s nothing. I never expected Mr. Ye’s strength to be so formidable! Truly, you are a rare talent, Mr. Ye. To achieve such heights at such a young age is remarkable!”

Ye Chong stared at the principal, saying nothing, leaving Lan Youming awkwardly at a loss.

Unable to hold back, Shang spoke up again. “Ye, when someone finishes speaking, it’s best to say something in return, otherwise the conversation becomes uncomfortable.”

Ye Chong said bluntly, “But everything he said seems pointless.”

“Uh… just ignore me then,” Shang retreated swiftly.

The principal seemed to realize that this manner of speaking did not suit Ye Chong and quickly changed his approach. “Mr. Ye, I would like to invite you to become a teacher at Blue Ocean Academy. What are your thoughts?”

Yang An’s eyes widened, his mouth hanging agape. Was this a mistake? A teacher? At Blue Ocean Academy? Ye Chong might not understand, but Yang An, raised on Blue Ocean Star, knew well the prestige held by teachers at Blue Ocean Academy. Gaining admission meant the possibility of entering the upper echelons of society, and to be a teacher was already to be counted among them. All Academy teachers were renowned, and among those under thirty, only Rui Su held a position—and she was twenty-five. Yet Ye Chong was just twenty! At that age, he’d barely qualify as a junior student, let alone a teacher.

A teacher? This was absurd! Yang An looked at Ye Chong with amazement—this fellow was a true anomaly.

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Principal Lan explained his decision, “Mr. Ye, your optimization of the aerodynamic structure of the Arrow-type mecha demonstrates a profound theoretical foundation. All of our faculty believe you possess ample capability to serve as a teacher here. I also consulted twelve judges, who unanimously agreed you are fully qualified. Your performance, which rivals that of a senior modification specialist, is highly impressive. Naturally, before you assume the position, we require a formal evaluation, but it is merely procedural. I am confident that, given your abilities, there will be no suspense whatsoever.”

Yang An stared at Ye Chong in bewilderment. He hadn’t watched the competition and had stood outside the chamber the entire time, so he had no idea of Ye Chong’s astonishing feats. The principal’s frantic questioning about Ye Chong had already struck him as odd, but he never imagined it would come to this!

“Of course, you can rest assured regarding compensation. Among the top schools in the five star domains, our Academy offers the very best. Not only will you receive a generous salary, but we will also provide maximum support for your research projects. Our Academy boasts numerous master-level mentors, and the academic atmosphere is outstanding, with frequent exchanges among teachers. I believe this will greatly advance your personal development.

If you have any requests, please state them—we will do our utmost to accommodate you. Blue Ocean Academy is sincerely eager to welcome you, Mr. Ye!”

Ye Chong paid little attention to the principal’s words, as he was conversing with Shang.

When the principal first proposed hiring Ye Chong, Shang had burst forth excitedly, “Hey, Ye, say yes! The benefits for teachers at Blue Ocean Academy are top-notch! Tsk tsk, once you’re in, you’ve made it! Who’d have thought that even someone of your level would be selected by the Academy… that’s gold!”

Ye Chong objected, “I can’t go. If I did, who would make noodles at Grandpa Qian’s shop?”

Shang considered. “That’s true, but if you join Blue Ocean Academy, you’ll make far more than a whole month’s earnings at Grandpa Qian’s shop! You could share some with him, so he can retire and enjoy life without running the store.”

Ye Chong disagreed, “I don’t fully understand, but I know Grandpa Qian doesn’t care about money. That’s not the issue.”

“Ah, the noodles—right, isn’t there an automatic noodle machine at Grandpa Qian’s shop?” Shang asked.

“Yes, but its noodles taste terrible,” Ye Chong replied.

Shang became excited. “If we optimize and modify the machine, and input all your noodle-making parameters, I bet we could produce noodles nearly identical to yours!”

Ye Chong considered the idea and became excited himself. “Good thinking, Shang! We must try this when we get back.” He could hardly wait to return immediately.

“But, Ye, we lack equipment and materials, and all of that costs star coins! Without them, we can’t complete the project,” Shang said, sounding troubled.

Ye Chong was stumped. “That’s true—it’s a real problem, and those things aren’t cheap.”

“Right, but there are ways…” Shang said in a strange tone.

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