The Seventh Base

Chapter 181: Chapter 75 Advance and Retreat Together_2
 

“It’s okay, I’m not tired,” said Ye Qingdie.

“Sister Butterfly, your standards are getting lower and lower,” Xiao Qi said gloomily.

“What are you guys doing?” the Elder asked as he watched Xiao Qi and the others carrying packages over.

“Of course, we’re moving. We’re no longer students of the academy, so we can’t just stay here. It wouldn’t be appropriate,” Xiao Qi replied. “It’s just a shame for those pretty sisters; they won’t get to see my genius anymore.”

Alas.

I feel kind of reluctant to leave.

“You’re all thinking of dropping out together?” the Elder glared at these few.

“Old Dean, look at how they’re using us to make a statement. We need to have some backbone,” Xiao Qi said. “Besides, everything we have today, didn’t we rely on you? You’re being subjected to this mistreatment here, how could we stay?”

The Elder glanced at Xiao Qi and Ye Qingdie, seeing these young people looking at him calmly, as if the situation wasn’t much of a big deal to them.

Seeing this scene, the Elder actually felt a sourness in his heart.

At his age, he had no children of his own.

He never expected to be moved by a few younger people he wasn’t even familiar with.

Among this group, the only ones he’d had more contact with were Xu Mo and Elsa. He had overlooked the other three including Xiao Qi.

Unexpectedly, they were all people of principle.

No wonder they could stick together.

Especially knowing their past, having run up from the Underworld, having been through a lot of darkness. Now that they finally had everything the academy offered, they should have felt unwilling to part with it.

But they were unhesitatingly giving it all up.

He was flooded with emotion.

“Teacher, the academy gave us houses before, why don’t you come and live with us? I’ll take care of you,” Elsa said from behind the Elder.

“I’m already an old man, don’t think about making me shed tears,” the Elder replied.

Elsa giggled. She liked the academy as well and hoped that Xu Mo and the others could study well at the academy.

But if the Old Dean was humiliated and decided to leave, it was certain they wouldn’t stay either.

“Dean.”

“Old Dean.”

“Teacher.”

Suddenly, many voices came from outside, along with the sound of numerous footsteps.

Soon, a line of people walked into the courtyard, a large crowd of them.

Lin Qingze was leading them.

The Elder stood up and asked the crowd, “Lin Qingze, what is this about?”

“Old Dean, we resign. We’re not doing this anymore,” Lin Qingze declared.

“Right, we resign.”

People behind him spoke up one after another. The teachers and leadership of Extraordinary Academy were not ordinary people; where couldn’t they find enough to eat?

Many of them weren’t lacking in funds.

“Nonsense…” the Elder scolded, then shouted to the crowd, “If you all quit, are you just going to hand over the academy to others?”

Once their positions were vacant, they would belong to someone else.

“Let them be,” said Lin Qingze, clearly disappointed. As one of the most hardworking people at the academy over the years, this outcome was especially hard for him to accept.

“Lin Qingze,” the Elder raised his voice, “the academy isn’t mine, nor is it yours. The academy bears responsibility. I’m already of the age to retire. After I leave, you guys should take good care of the academy even more and not allow corruption to flourish.”

Even if he left, his influence at Noah Academy still remained. Plus, with Lin Qingze and others around, it wouldn’t be easy for anyone sent to take control of Noah Academy. They thought by forcing him out they could take over the academy?

It wasn’t that simple.

However, if Lin Qingze and the others resigned themselves, it would be tantamount to handing everything over on a silver platter.

“Do you hear me?” the elder scolded, and Lin Qingze and the others all bowed their heads.

“Dean, but…”

“No buts, get back where you came from,” the elder snapped, suddenly overflowing with authoritative presence. A powerful aura exploded, pressing down on everyone so they dared not look up.

“Get back to your posts and do your jobs, Noah Academy needs you to stand guard.” Seeing that no one moved, the elder continued, “Lin Qingze, don’t think that I don’t know it’s you behind this. Whether you like it or not is beside the point, take them away.”

Lin Qingze felt wronged when he saw the elder’s anger flaring up, and he sighed silently in his heart.

The Old Dean’s temperament hadn’t changed at all; Lin Qingze had already left in a huff, yet he was still considering the academy.

But he found himself slandered and his reputation tarnished.

He had brought them here in an attempt to persuade the elder not to retire, but he understood that given the situation from above, the elder had his pride and wouldn’t cling to his position.

“Go on then, if they won’t let me be comfortable, don’t you make it any easier for them. The academy still needs you.” The elder’s voice softened a little, and Lin Qingze finally nodded and turned to the group.

The crowd still looked unwillingly at the elder.

“Go on, it’s just retirement, not death. Are you in such a hurry to attend my funeral?” the elder berated, leaving everyone with no choice but to leave.

After the crowd dispersed, Leng Qiu was still there.

She looked at Xu Mo and the others packing their belongings and then turned to the elder, “I quit.”

“You dare,” the elder glared at her.

Leng Qiu defiantly met the elder’s gaze.

“What are they doing?” Leng Qiu looked at Xu Mo and the others.

The elder also looked at Xu Mo and said, “You all should stay as well. Even if I leave, the academy remains the academy, and you won’t be mistreated.”

“Teacher, I am first and foremost your disciple, then a student of Noah Academy,” Xu Mo spoke up. “If you were still the dean of Noah Academy, there would be no question of precedence, but since you are not, the order matters. If you’ve been wronged, so have I. There’s no sense in students staying once the teacher has left.”

“Exactly,” Leng Qiu agreed, Xu Mo’s attitude suited her character perfectly. If Xu Mo were a bit older, she would have taken him under her wing.

“What kind of twisted logic is that?” the elder asked.

“The whole reason to join the academy was to obtain an identity card. Now that goal is reached, and I even got a mecha for free. Profit. If I don’t leave now, what if the academy regrets it one day and takes it back?” Xu Mo said.

He was speaking the truth; he never intended to join the academy in the first place. When testing for Source Power Fusion Degree, his only goal was to have Lin Xi help him get an identity card.

How unpredictable life is, he had thought just a short while ago that he would always be tied to Noah Academy, but change came so quickly.

The elder glared at him.

“Brother Mo is right,” Xiao Qi said. “It’s just a pity I didn’t manage to trick myself a girlfriend. Maybe I should stay a few more days? I still need to ask for a few female classmates’ communicator numbers.”

Leng Qiu was taken aback, feeling the urge to smack the guy.

This bunch was up to no good.

At that moment, the elder’s communicator vibrated.

He answered the call.

“Old man, you’ve come to gloat too,” the elder said.

“Bullshit,” Dean Nanming on the other side cursed. “Do you really intend to let them have their way? You don’t have to step down, no one would dare to pressure you, we could just fight it out.”

“Old man, I’m of age now and tired, it’s time to retire. Nonetheless, keep an eye on whoever comes to fill the position, they won’t take over the academy that easily,” the elder said.

There was silence on the other end for a moment before the voice said, “How about coming over here? Pick any position you like, Dean is good too.”

“Beat it!” the elder cursed. “You just want to slack off and have me do the work. I’m about to enjoy retirement life, sipping tea every day, teaching disciples, how comfortable.”

“Xu Mo is retiring too?” the voice asked.

“Yes,” the elder nodded. “What do you think of my disciple?”

“Old brother, let’s discuss a matter,” Dean Nanming suggested.

“Goodbye!” The elder hung up immediately, no room for negotiations!

If Xu Mo dropped out, there would likely be a contest over him.