Chapter Thirty-One: Charity and Assistance (Part Two)

Zhao Li finally remembered what he had come to do. He hurriedly saluted once more, then stated his request.

"This matter," the old warden drawled, leisurely blowing smoke rings, "is simple enough—just a phone call will take care of it."

From the way the old warden had treated the lieutenant general just moments before, it was clear this was no difficulty for him. Zhao Li felt a surge of hope.

"If I'm not mistaken, this should be our second meeting, isn't it?" the old warden asked, without confirming whether he would help, instead posing Zhao Li a question.

"Yes, sir!" Zhao Li replied promptly, standing at attention. It was a fact, not a lapse of memory on the old man's part.

"It seems that during our first meeting, you concealed quite a lot from me. If I weren’t so shrewd, perhaps you would have gotten away with it, isn’t that so?" The old warden’s chair began to creak gently as he rocked back and forth, enjoying the motion.

"Yes, sir!" Zhao Li responded again, uncertain of the warden’s intentions.

"We've only met twice, you are my subordinate, yet you bring neither gifts nor flattery. Our acquaintance is hardly deep enough for me to intervene on your behalf, is it?" The old warden's voice remained unhurried, but Zhao Li sensed trouble brewing.

"Moreover, I am under no obligation to assist a subordinate who has deliberately kept things from me." The old man's gaze never once found Zhao Li. "Perhaps you’re still young, unaware of what it means in the military to hide facts from your superior. But I am magnanimous enough not to pursue your deception." He rocked gently, still savoring his pose.

"But then, why should I help you?" The old warden looked up at the ceiling, clamped the cigar between his teeth, took a deep drag, and blew a smoke ring, then exhaled a long stream of smoke that pierced through it. "Give me a reason to help you. Or rather, what benefit is there for me in aiding you?"

Zhao Li was doused in cold water. Did helping someone require a benefit? He was stunned, suddenly recalling that this was no longer school, nor was he facing his close friend Johnny—no one was obliged to help him unconditionally. He was in the military now, and had often heard that the army could be even darker than civilian society. To think, his very first request had been met with such an answer.

"I..." Zhao Li wracked his brain, but found nothing that could move the old warden. Money? A single leisurely lunch for the old man was worth more than what Zhao Li’s entire family could earn in ten years. Power? Even a lieutenant general saluted him, while Zhao Li was just a lowly sergeant—the disparity was vast.

"I can work for you!" At a loss for a better answer, Zhao Li suddenly remembered the deep factional struggles within the military. At the very least, he knew the old warden was not allied with those from the Genius Academy; perhaps this could be a point of leverage.

"You?" The old warden paused, turning to examine Zhao Li from head to toe before asking, "What is your rank?"

"Sergeant, sir!" Zhao Li replied swiftly, though he was puzzled by the question.

"Very well. How much influence do you command?" At that, Zhao Li faltered. He was a recruit, fresh out of training, with an ordinary family background—he had no influence whatsoever.

"Or perhaps you are a martial arts prodigy?" the warden continued. Zhao Li hadn’t yet answered the previous question, and this one left him even more embarrassed.

Though he had enjoyed a brief moment of glory among the recruits, the skills he prided himself on were nothing in the eyes of the old warden. The old man could squash him like an ant with a flick of his finger.

Seeing Zhao Li shake his head once again, the warden withdrew his gaze and stared back at the ceiling. "Work for me? You have neither power nor skill. What can you do for me? You can’t even handle your own minor affairs, and you talk of helping me?"

Though harsh, these words were nothing but the truth. If he couldn’t even sort out his own matters, how could he possibly help the warden? The old man’s words made it clear he had no intention of letting Zhao Li continue.

Growing up, Zhao Li had spent his life at school, never exposed to society’s deceptions, let alone such self-serving logic. He was dumbfounded, realizing his visit to the warden was a naive move.

The old warden was right; they were mere acquaintances, barely more than strangers. Zhao Li had concealed things from his superior, and only the warden’s generosity had let it slide—otherwise, he would not even have the right to serve here. On what grounds could he expect the man’s help?

From the moment Zhao Li discovered the secret of his cultivation level, he had adopted a low-key, go-with-the-flow attitude. As long as he could protect his secret, he would endure even petty disputes. To outsiders, he seemed like a world-weary old man.

Yet he lacked an old man’s resilience—his emotions showed plainly, and he could not always rein in his temper. When pressed, he would still fight back, though such occasions were rare.

He had thought that by keeping his head down, he could safely make it to retirement, then quietly take the university entrance exams, attend his dream school, choose the best major, graduate, find a good job, perhaps even meet his destined other half, and live a happy life.

Unexpectedly, the greatest obstacle he’d ever faced had arisen from a simple matter. In others’ eyes, he was useless—at best, a source of idle amusement. Now, even in his own estimation, he had become a worthless failure.

"However, today I happen to be in a good mood, so I’ve decided to help you unconditionally this once." The old warden’s words were like heavenly music to Zhao Li’s ears. "But don’t misunderstand—this is merely charity, prompted by my mood!"

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From this chapter on, the protagonist’s outlook will shift significantly. Thank you all!

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