Chapter 169: Chapter 65 Conversation
After Nanming Yan and his companion left, Nanming Huowu turned to Xu Mo and said, “I’ll take you to see Grandfather.”
“All right.”
Xu Mo nodded.
They walked forward without speaking.
They weren’t familiar with each other in the first place.
This was only their first meeting, and neither took the so-called blind date seriously.
Moving through the area, they entered the residential district where Xu Mo’s presence did not stir much commotion.
Here lay the Nanming Family, a centuries-old household, naturally not comparable to those students outside.
For the members of the Nanming Family, they had seen plenty of influential figures.
There were those of ranks S within their family, such as Nanming Huowu herself.
The two arrived at a quiet courtyard.
An elder sat there, and it was none other than Dean Nanming.
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Unlike Dean Tantai, Dean Nanming had a dignified appearance, someone who clearly held long-standing authority, with an extraordinary demeanor. Sitting casually, he emanated an imposing presence without anger.
“Grandfather,” Nanming Huowu called out.
“You’ve arrived,” Dean Nanming lifted his gaze to Xu Mo.
For a moment, Xu Mo wasn’t sure what the appropriate title for addressing him would be.
“Huo Wu, you may leave now,” Dean Nanming said to Nanming Huowu.
Nanming Huowu nodded and left the area.
“Sit,” the elder gestured to the chair opposite him after she walked away.
Xu Mo didn’t put on airs and took a seat directly.
As the meal was served, Dean Nanming began, “Have some food with me.”
“Sure,” Xu Mo nodded. “My teacher sent me here to express my gratitude to you.”
“It’s just a trifle. That old guy makes a fuss over nothing,” Dean Nanming picked up his chopsticks and started eating casually, like a regular elder without strict etiquette, appearing very relaxed.
“Eat. There are no formalities here,” the elder directed Xu Mo.
Xu Mo didn’t stand on ceremony either.
“Han Qing, Source Power Level B, Nanming Yan, also Level B, but ten Han Qings couldn’t defeat a single Nanming Yan,” the elder spoke while eating. “Your Source Power Level is B-minus, and even though you’ve practiced the Breathing Technique to the ninth segment and reached the fourth level of force, you shouldn’t have been able to repel Nanming Yan. There must be other tricks up your sleeve.”
Xu Mo looked up at the elder in slight surprise.
It was not odd that he knew about the incident outside, but the ability to discern what lay behind the battle was indeed sharp.
“To be honest, I’m also skeptical whether your Source Power Fusion Degree is really S. Given my understanding of that old man, his attitude is somewhat unusual. Could it be SS?” Dean Nanming looked at Xu Mo and inquired.
“Hmm?” Xu Mo showed a hint of surprise.
This possibility had never crossed his mind.
His Source Power Level had always been disclosed by Lin Qingze. Whatever Lin Qingze claimed, Xu Mo accepted without further thought, seeing no point in questioning it.
“Never mind, I won’t pry. That old man guards against me as if I’m a rival, and I’m not about to compete with him for disciples,” Dean Nanming said. “It’s not easy for him at his age, finally taking a closed-door disciple, and I don’t lack that much grace.”
Xu Mo listened quietly, without interrupting.
“However, the fact that he would step forward and bow to apologize for your sake speaks volumes. The older a person gets, the more they value face. He hasn’t shown himself in so many years. Don’t think that what he did was a small gesture,” the elder continued, speaking for himself. “He didn’t need to make an appearance; the incident would have blown over, but it wouldn’t have been favorable to you. After all, you indeed killed a man, and such acts of violence in public don’t paint a good picture. Lin Qingze alone couldn’t have influenced the situation, but with him standing there, apologizing, the entire nature of the incident changed. Do you understand?”
“I understand,” Xu Mo nodded. It was not the elder’s nod alone that could have easily swayed public opinion.
The elder stood forward not just for Noah Academy, but also for Xu Mo.
“The members of the Nanming Family tend to be proud, which relates to their upbringing. Whether it’s Huo Wu or Nanming Yan, don’t take it to heart,” the old Dean shifted the subject. “Pride has its advantages: confidence and broader perspective. However, they lack the tempering and are a bit less resilient. You climbed up from the lower ranks, so you’ve got the resilience, but can you withstand temptation?”
“I don’t understand what you mean, Old Dean,” Xu Mo said.
“I’ve seen various students at Nanming Academy. Different individuals possess different qualities. Those who climb up from the bottom tend to be more ruthless and cold-hearted. Are you following?” Dean Nanming said.
“I understand,” Xu Mo nodded. Many who manage to rise from the bottom bear a ruthless streak. They are less prideful and care less about dignity, and once presented with an opportunity, they can be more ruthless.
“You’ve met that person just now. Aren’t you curious about his identity?” the Dean inquired further.
Xu Mo shook his head. “It’s irrelevant to me.”
“It may be irrelevant now, but that might not be the case in the future,” the elder said with a smile. “There are many kinds of people in this world. Some are prominent in public, with great renown. Huo Wu is one of those, and so are you. But just because someone lacks fame doesn’t mean they lack influence. Some operate from the shadows, controlling everything. The recent smear campaign was such an instance—an attack that kills without spilling blood, and you wouldn’t even know who launched it against you.”
“So, he is one of those people?” Xu Mo asked.
“He is from the Li family. The ordinary citizens of Steel Dome City might not know much about the Li family, as they are out of reach, but the Li family controls Byron Star’s energy resources. Both the government and military of Byron Star rely on them to a certain extent. Moreover, they invest in talent across various domains, such as high-ranking officials in the Federation Government and sponsorships for major academies,” explained the Dean.
Dean Nanming’s words profoundly shook Xu Mo’s inner world.
He was reminded of some super-wealthy conglomerates from his previous life.
They remained unseen by the general populace, but their power had grown so great that they could influence the operation of entire nations.
These people are completely unknown to ordinary folks.
Famous figures in public, in their presence, count for nothing, and indeed, many are just white gloves and puppets they’ve raised themselves.
“So, the news of the matchmaking was deliberately released by you, Old Dean,” Xu Mo looked at the elder who was eating.
The Old Dean Nanming, doesn’t seem to like him very much?
That’s why he deliberately released the news of his matchmaking with Nanming Huowu and made him come today?
But if that’s the case, why let Nanming Huowu interact with him?
The elder didn’t answer directly but continued, “The Federation has been established for over three hundred years, and the Extraordinary Academy has always been a target that financial tycoons have wanted to infiltrate. They’re everywhere, not just in the academy, but also in the Federation Government. The current level of corruption within the whole Federation is worrying.”
“Corruption?” Xu Mo said.
“Yes,” the elder nodded, “If this continues, I’m afraid that during the next invasion, we might be taken down without a fight, or there might not even need to be an invasion at all. Once alien forces control all the lifeblood of Byron Star, unbeknownst to us, the people of Byron Star will have become the absolute lower class, and this is not scaremongering.”
Xu Mo felt somewhat shaken inside.
“You mean, Byron Star has always been eroding?” Xu Mo asked.
“In Steel Dome City, you don’t have much exposure so you might not feel it, but in the core cities of the Federation, you would feel it much more intensely. Nowadays, in many places, those alien races have a higher status than the natives of Byron Star. Many people willingly serve as their lapdogs, and for people higher up, they have the option to relocate to other planets. But what about ordinary people?”
Xu Mo’s understanding of Byron Star’s background became clearer after hearing the Old Dean’s words.
Although Byron Star currently faces no war-like invasions,
in reality, it is constantly undergoing a soft invasion.
“So, if one day you face temptation and choices, what will you choose?” The elder put down his bowl and chopsticks, looked up at Xu Mo, and his gaze suddenly became sharp.
To the elder, some things are more important than talent.
Xu Mo looked at the Old Dean.
He didn’t feel a strong sense of belonging to Byron Star since he was not a local and hadn’t been influenced by all aspects since childhood.
All thoughts of a person are the product of their environment.
Asking him this question now, he was unable to provide an answer.
“I don’t know,” Xu Mo replied.
The elder was momentarily stunned, then said with a laugh, “That’s very honest.”
“However, without having experienced it firsthand, if you had sworn to it, it would have seemed hypocritical,” the elder continued, “Hasn’t that old guy ever talked to you about this?”
Xu Mo shook his head.
“That old guy is worried I’ll steal his student. Consider this a lesson on his behalf,” the elder said, “Eat up.”
Xu Mo nodded and quietly continued eating.
The Old Dean said nothing more; he ate cleanly, leaving no leftovers.
Xu Mo finished as well.
“Now that you’re done, go back, hanging around us old men is boring. Life at the academy is happier, so many girls around, enjoy your life there, because once it’s gone, it won’t come back,” Dean Nanming joked, which was a rarity.
In such an era, joy is easier to come by for ordinary people; they are content with simple happiness.
But Xu Mo was destined not to be ordinary.
Whether it was S or SS, as soon as he left the academy, no matter where he went or which path he took, he was bound to encounter many things.
Then there would be forces to drive him, whether he desired it or not, without choice.
Xu Mo stood up and said, “Thank you, Old Dean.”
“Go ahead,” Dean Nanming nodded.
Xu Mo turned and left the place.
After he had gone, a middle-aged man walked into the courtyard, it was Nan Mingyuan, the father of Nanming Huowu.
He was holding a photo, which was just taken, of Xu Mo dining with him.
“Send it out,” the Old Dean glanced at the photo and ordered.
He naturally understood Dean Tantai’s intentions for having Xu Mo come here.
He wanted to add another layer of protection for Xu Mo.
The old man, he didn’t spare praise for Xu Mo.
He was already paving the way for Xu Mo.
The old fellow was advanced in years, with no offspring of his own, always on the lookout for a successor, but those of ordinary talent didn’t catch his eye.
Now, with the appearance of Xu Mo, he had found a successor in his later years, naturally treating him like a treasure, apparently considering him his heir.
Today, Xu Mo learnt quite a bit from his visit here.
Each S could potentially be the future of humanity.
Some things, one must be aware of.
And sooner or later, one will also face a choice.