Chapter 191: reddit mods
Mo Fan’s slaughter, fueled by international attention and the momentum of the National Institute Competition, generated an astonishing level of publicity.
As more and more people recognized Mo Fan, the previously one sided public opinion began to shift. However, with the full truth not yet released, the public’s concerns about safety and stability exploded, and the debate grew increasingly fierce.
Both sides argued their positions, neither able to dominate.
“A National Team vice captain? Acting so recklessly, he’s probably just some spoiled rich kid. I think he deserves even harsher punishment!”
“Heh, members of the National Institute are this arrogant? All bark at home, useless abroad. No wonder our performance has always been poor. Just a bunch of scum representing us. We demand a full investigation and accountability!”
Soon, the opposing side stood up to refute.
“You don’t understand anything. Mo Fan from Pearl Institute isn’t that kind of person. He’s a hero. He took out the Blue Clothed Deacon in Magic City and dealt with the Black Snake incident in Hangzhou.”
“I’m a student from Pearl Institute. I’ve interacted with Mo Fan before. He’s reckless, sure, but he’s not someone who kills without reason.”
“Exactly! You know nothing yet spout nonsense here. I believe there’s more to the story!”
“Come on, if someone had a bright future like his, why would he throw it all away and ruin himself?”
In Magic City, Hangzhou, the Ancient Capital, and other regions, many who knew Mo Fan spoke out in his defense.
Eventually, once Magic City deemed the timing right, they released the truth through major media and official channels. In an instant, public opinion flipped.
“The Lu Family’s Lu Xin and his son attempted to force National Team vice captain Mo Fan to withdraw by threatening the families of other team members, paving the way for their direct descendant Lu Yilin to take his place. Their methods were insidious, and they deserve severe punishment…”
A few hundred words laid out the sequence of events clearly, fully exposing the vile conduct of Lu Xin’s branch of the Lu Family.
The most brilliant part was how the statement emphasized Mo Fan’s background as an ordinary student from Bo City, aligning him with the common people and resonating deeply with countless citizens.
As for the mage duel and resulting deaths, it was defined as a private dispute within the Lu Family’s personal territory, not encouraged, but not illegal.
Moreover, to protect Mo Fan and those around him, Ding Yumian’s name was withheld and only referred to as a relative. In every way, the public narrative was handled flawlessly.
“Hahaha, I knew Mo Fan couldn’t be the kind of person who disregards human life! Now that the truth is out, what do you losers have to say?”
“Damn the Lu Family! Honestly, if I were in Mo Fan’s shoes, I’d probably go even further.”
“For real. Thankfully, Mo Fan had power. If he were just an ordinary student, powerless and facing this kind of pressure, he wouldn’t even have had the means to fight back. All I can say is well done!”
“These noble families are all parasites! Interfering with national team selection is exactly why our results have been poor. Framing even the vice captain? Outrageous.”
“Huh? Isn’t that user ID the same one who was slamming Mo Fan earlier? You clown, you dropped your ID card!”
The public was furious, rallying behind Mo Fan with overwhelming support. The Lu Family was cursed left and right, their associated industries taking heavy damage and suffering huge losses, forced to cower and remain silent.
This might have been the only gap in the official statement, but the Lu Family had it coming. Those in power simply could not be bothered to defend them.
The wave of public opinion spread rapidly, affecting many noble families. They were forced to scramble and clarify that they had never done anything similar.
Seeing that the moment had arrived, the Five Great Mentors took the opportunity to push through reforms abolishing the old system in which institutes and the military operated separately in national selection. At the same time, a supervisory body was established, and all events involving the National Team would henceforth be documented and released as public records.
The former meant that even if a noble family managed to push their candidate into official membership using connections, that person would still have to compete against military candidates and institute candidates directly. Without strength, they would still be eliminated, ensuring that the team would rather have no one than take someone unqualified.
It must be known that the Army faction had only three spots in the past, making the competition extremely fierce. Many powerful contenders walked away empty handed, while some useless noble scions openly secured spots through connections. This unfairness had long stirred public outrage.
The second reform brought in public oversight, which raised awareness of the National Team and promoted the development of the competition. Of course, the identities and cultivation levels of National Team members remained confidential. Only their daily lives and mentor guidance were filmed.
These two reforms greatly benefited the National Team. The overall strength of future teams was expected to improve.
The national mentors had long wanted to change the old system, which had become a shackle. Now was the perfect time to act.
For a time, the public rejoiced while the noble families were furious, but they did not dare blame the Ministry of Public Security. Instead, they turned their rage on the Lu Family.
Day after day, it had always been them stirring up trouble.
Now, because of them, no one got to play the game anymore.
On the military plane, Mo Fan scrolled through his phone. The reversal in public opinion came as no surprise to him. The few bleeding heart keyboard saints did not even require his rebuttal. Netizens found them and flamed them to death.
Because anti fans who still dared to defend the Lu Family at this point were so rare, they only incited netizens’ excitement. Every time one was spotted, a swarm would pounce.
“I hope when your parents or spouse get killed, you’ll also be able to forgive the murderer.”
Eventually, all the virtue signalers disappeared. The few who remained just stubbornly insisted, “So what? The National Team loses every year anyway. Doesn’t matter who’s on it.”
This sparked widespread discussion. People had wanted to support Mo Fan, but when they remembered the past records, their confidence faltered.
Still, after the sweeping reforms, at least a glimmer of hope appeared. The public quietly prayed that Mo Fan could prove them wrong.
Zhao Manyan, seeing this, said with relief, “Good thing I joined the National Team a year earlier. If I waited until next year, I wouldn’t have gotten in just by spending money.”
Not long after, the team’s plane arrived at their destination. The three disembarked, and all their identification, communicators, and belongings were confiscated. From this point on, they would operate under aliases for National Team training.
In Feiniao City, the group assembled thirteen young men and women, full of spirit and ambition.
Seeing Mo Fan arrive, Ai Jiangtu let out a sigh of relief and asked, “It’s resolved now? Everything okay?”
Jiang Shaoxu looked at him with a teasing smile. “I heard what happened. Very impressive. I like reliable men.”
Mo Fan nodded calmly and swept his gaze over the group. Most of the members already accepted him. Outsiders might only enjoy the drama, but those who knew the inside story understood how powerful the Lu Family was. For Mo Fan to slaughter his way through hundreds and still stand here unharmed, his strength and backing were both terrifying.
He recalled the format of the National Team competition. Over the next year, they would travel to various countries to undergo trials, challenging other nations’ National Halls and earning Challenge Badges.
Only the thirty two countries or regions with the highest badge count would enter the final competition in Venice, serving as a preliminary selection from over two hundred nations and regions.
The format was not just similar to a certain game called Pokémon, where one challenged Gym Leaders.
It was exactly the same.
Coincidentally, the five national mentors had already arranged a round the world route. The first stop was the birthplace of that game, the Country of Living the Comfortable Little Life.
Mo Fan grumbled, “Right now, we’ve got no identity, no money, and we’ve been dumped in a remote coastal fishing village. How the hell are we supposed to get to Yingzhou?”