Chapter 178 : Chapter 178
Chapter 178: Will You Take Turns, or Come at Me Together?
However, Li Mu seemed not to care at all.
He raised his hand and checked the time.
“Let us go. It is time for the meeting.”
Lin Yue followed closely behind him, her heart filled with tangled emotions.
Inside the Instructor Department’s office, twelve people were already seated.
When the conference room door opened and Li Mu walked in, everyone hurriedly stood up.
“Sit.”
Li Mu arrived at the main seat and sat down. Sitting to his left, at the lower seat, was Tang Meiying.
At this moment, Tang Meiying kept her eyes straight ahead, focused on the signing pen in front of her.
Among the others, even the youngest was twenty-six or twenty-seven, while the oldest were in their forties. Yet as long as Li Mu did not speak, everyone remained silent as if walking on thin ice.
Li Mu first looked over Tang Meiying, then asked directly, “Deputy Instructor Tang, the Head Instructor position has been vacant for so long, so many matters must have fallen onto you alone. You have worked hard. What urgent problems do we have right now? Bring them up.”
The first half of Li Mu’s words frightened everyone badly.
The Head Instructor position.
If anyone had been most likely to be promoted to the official post, it would not have been those candidates who competed for it. It should have been this Deputy Head Instructor.
Everyone inexplicably felt a hint of gunpowder in the room.
Tang Meiying, however, reported very calmly, “It is not hard work, but there are indeed some problems.”
“First, due to insufficient resources, the average rate of improvement among the Military District soldiers has been declining year after year. The five thousand bottles of High-Grade Spiritual Liquid you introduced to the Wanren Military District have indeed solved an urgent need, and this year will be somewhat better, but only somewhat.”
Li Mu raised his hand.
“That will soon no longer be a problem.”
“Move on to the others.”
Everyone was stunned. Tang Meiying continued, “There is also the current Training Arena training model. Participation has dropped to an extremely low level, so the training programs need to be optimized as soon as possible.”
Actual combat could indeed temper people better, but soldiers could not risk their lives against monsters in the Abyss every moment of every day. Otherwise, the death rate would multiply several times over.
Most of the time, when they were at the base, the soldiers needed effective training to polish their Cultivation Arts and martial techniques. They also needed spaces for exchange so they could gain combat experience, information, and so on.
“Participation is low? Is there no reward mechanism?” Li Mu asked.
Everyone looked at one another.
Boss, what are you talking about? For a reward mechanism, you need rewards.
Tang Meiying said, “There is none. That requires an application to the Quartermaster Department, and the Quartermaster Department is not doing well either...”
Li Mu waved his hand again.
“I will speak with the Military Supply Department. I will solve the reward issue. As for optimizing the training model, I will leave that to all of you. Within three days, each person will submit an optimization plan, and we will discuss them at a meeting.”
Although Li Mu had assigned a task to everyone, none of them objected. Instead, they all became energized.
It was not that they had not wanted to do things before; it was that they had been unable to do them.
Everyone had ideas for optimizing the training model.
And the work Li Mu had taken upon himself was the hardest part!
“Yes!”
Everyone answered in unison.
Tang Meiying could not help reassessing Li Mu.
“What other problems are there?” Li Mu asked.
“Nothing else. The rest is that the College Entrance Examination is approaching, and we need to coordinate with the Ministry of Education to prepare the College Entrance Examination trial area. If I run into problems with that, I will report them to you.”
“Then the meeting is adjourned.”
Li Mu nodded.
Everyone was dumbfounded.
How many minutes had the Head Instructor been inside?
Had it even been five minutes?
And the meeting was already over?
This was the shortest meeting they had ever attended, without exception!
What was the purpose of a meeting?
To solve problems!
Once the problems were solved, the meeting was over!
This was what a leader should be!
Not endless blathering on and on and on!
Li Mu got up and walked out. Everyone stood up as well.
Just then, a clerk knocked on the door.
Coincidentally, Li Mu opened the door at that exact moment.
When the person saw Li Mu, he jolted and hurriedly said, “Head Instructor! People from Thousand Victories Military Academy have arrived. They said they want to see you!”
“Lead the way.”
After Li Mu finished speaking, he followed the man outside.
Everyone behind him hurriedly followed.
Tang Meiying in particular quickened her pace and came to Li Mu’s side to remind him, “Head Instructor, two people from Thousand Victories Military Academy previously competed for your position. Their visit this time may not come with good intentions. I graduated from Thousand Victories, so I can speak with them...”
“No need. Thank you.”
Li Mu smiled.
It seemed he had overthought things. Tang Meiying truly was not the sort of person who envied the virtuous and resented the capable.
Knowing that the visitors from Thousand Victories Military Academy likely came with ill intent, she was still willing to mediate with her alma mater for the sake of him, a newly arrived leader. That was indeed rare.
Outside the Instructor Department stood more than twenty upright middle-aged and young people, both men and women.
All of them wore the shoulder insignia of Thousand Victories Military Academy.
When they saw Li Mu come out, the middle-aged man leading them smiled and stepped forward, taking the initiative to extend his hand.
“Hello, Head Instructor Li. I have long heard of your great reputation, and now that I see you today, you truly are an outstanding talent. Congratulations, congratulations!”
“I am Wu Tailin, the Vice Principal of Thousand Victories Military Academy.”
One did not strike a smiling face. Li Mu smiled and shook hands with him.
“Principal Wu praises me too much.”
Wu Tailin released his hand with a smile, looked Li Mu over, and praised him. “Head Instructor Li has achieved illustrious military exploits. You rose to become a Tiger Marquis at such a young age, rendered meritorious service in guarding the border, and commanded the Tiger Roar Army to kill until Divine Elephant Nation bowed its head in submission. No amount of praise would be excessive!”
“After learning that you had been parachuted into our Wanren Military District as Head Instructor, I specially brought the most outstanding group of people from Thousand Victories Military Academy to congratulate you!”
As Wu Tailin spoke, he spread his hand backward in introduction.
Li Mu smiled faintly.
Wu Tailin’s words did indeed carry hidden meaning.
He emphasized that Li Mu had commanded the Tiger Roar Army to guard the border, rather than led them, and also mentioned that Li Mu had been parachuted in. Clearly, he had some thoughts about the matter.
Looking at the people behind him made it even more interesting.
There were more than twenty of them, yet not a single one was below the Ninth Grade. Every student was at least Ninth Grade, and there was even one student at the Profound Rank First Grade.
Several teachers were at the Profound Rank First or Second Grade, while Wu Tailin should be at the Profound Rank Third Grade.
This was clearly aimed straight at him.
“The Military Academy and the Military District are originally one body and closely connected. To tell you the truth, these two from our academy also competed for the Head Instructor position this time.”
“After all, the Instructor position is one that wins people over with combat strength. After learning that you had come, these martial fanatics of ours could not sit still. They have all been waiting for you to give them a few pointers.”
Wu Tailin spoke generously and naturally, without the slightest hint of provocation.
It was as if challenging the Head Instructor was a tradition known to everyone.
The key point was that what he said actually made sense.
The Head Instructor’s job was to teach people how to fight.
If competitors for the same position challenged you, then in the army, where martial strength was revered, it would not be considered out of line no matter how far the matter was argued.
The people from Thousand Victories Military Academy were also holding back a breath of frustration.
Martial Artists had to compete. Thousand Victories Military Academy had competed for so long.
Your Military District dragged its feet, and in the end, you parachuted in some child soldier.
Then we will challenge him and forcibly go through the martial combat selection process!
Let us see whether your parachuted Yellow Rank Ninth Grade Head Instructor is worthy of sitting in this position.
As for Li Mu being a Tiger Marquis, they did not think much of it.
It was not as if Thousand Victories Military Academy had never produced a Tiger Marquis! It was not as if they had never produced an Upper Tiger Marquis either!
Li Mu smiled. “How could my Instructor Department refuse a martial exchange? Welcome! There is no better day than today. Let us do it today.”
“Hahaha, I did not expect Head Instructor Li to be a martial fanatic as well. I truly can do nothing about all of you.”
Wu Tailin laughed loudly.
In his heart, however, he sneered to himself. As long as you agree, this will be easy. I was only afraid you would refuse!
Li Mu directly gestured with his chin toward the plaza in front of Base One Hall.
“Let us do it at the plaza in front of Base One Hall. It is spacious there.”
Wu Tailin’s smile froze slightly.
His original intention had been to expose Li Mu’s strength before the eyes of everyone, so naturally, the more spectators there were, the better.
He had originally thought that if Li Mu fought here, then even if Li Mu embarrassed himself, it would be enough for him to lose face in front of these subordinates.
He had not expected Li Mu to take the initiative and choose the place with the most people in the entire Military District!
It seemed this fellow was very confident in his own strength!
“Good. We will follow Head Instructor Li’s arrangement! Please!”
Wu Tailin also agreed readily.
Both sides headed toward Base One Plaza at the same time.
Before they even arrived, quite a few people had already noticed the two groups and retreated into the distance to watch.
When they reached the plaza, Li Mu did not waste words. He smiled at Wu Tailin and said, “Which of you will go first? Or will all of you come together?”
The expressions of everyone from Thousand Victories Military Academy changed.
This Tiger Marquis Li was simply arrogant beyond measure!
Wu Tailin’s expression also darkened.
He had not even said who would challenge him yet, but Li Mu had directly skipped the option of a one-on-one duel for him!
He had directly asked whether they wanted to take turns or come at him together!
Among them were at least five Profound Rank experts and more than ten Yellow Rank Ninth Grade Martial Artists!
For a Yellow Rank Ninth Grade Martial Artist like you to say something like that meant you simply did not take us seriously at all.
“Head Instructor Li truly is bold because of your skill. We would never bully you.”
“In truth, the two who most wish to experience your strength are this teacher and student who competed for the position.”
Wu Tailin was still trying to smooth things over.
“I will go first!”
A short-haired young man stepped out and looked at Li Mu indifferently.
He seemed too lazy to waste another word and only wanted to begin as soon as possible.
At this moment, the crowd not far away had already exploded into discussion.
“Tiger Marquis Li is going to compete in martial combat with people from Thousand Victories Military Academy?”
“That short-haired one is... Thousand Victories Military Academy’s prodigy, Luan Ziye, an SS-Grade Talent at the Profound Rank First Grade!”
“I heard he knows Shadow Clones!!”
“Damn! Hurry and call people over! There is a major scene to watch!”