Chapter 58: The Winds Rise (IV)

The standoff between Dean Dorin and Captain Vaughn put the enforcement team in a difficult position. They neither wanted to pack up and go home nor risk retaliation from Dorin, the old man. The awkward situation finally ended with the arrival of the other academy deans.

Seeing Dorin’s posture, Li Xian felt helpless but stepped forward. “Dorin, you must know this isn’t a minor matter.”

Dorin turned his face away with a snort. “I only know there’s a brat bullying my nephew with the advantage of numbers.”

Vaughn nearly choked with anger. Who was bullying whom? He turned to Dean Li Xian. “Dean, I request authorization to forcibly remove non-academy personnel!”

Li Xian glanced at Dorin, reading a trace of ridicule in his eyes, then looked at the expressionless Yuan Shaolin and nodded. “Agreed.”

Vaughn was instantly delighted, gesturing toward Yuan Shaolin. “Non-academy personnel, remove them!”

Dorin jumped up again. “Brat, which eye told you he’s not academy personnel? He’s my assistant—how is he not part of the academy?”

Anyone hearing this would recognize the excuse as a blatant lie, yet it was precisely this universally known falsehood that rendered Vaughn powerless to act. Dorin, that shameless old man, was the Dean of the Card Master Academy.

Vaughn’s head ached, and so did Li Xian’s, but the matter couldn’t be left unresolved. The incident was far too serious; students had died on academy grounds. There was no way to pretend it hadn’t happened, let alone minimize it. The two deceased students weren’t from minor families, and other factions were arriving. How this was handled would directly affect Dexin’s reputation. To put it bluntly, if Dexin failed to handle this properly, how could major families ever trust the academy with their heirs again? Li Xian had no intention of letting his hard-earned prestige collapse because of a moment’s softness.

Li Xian stopped Vaughn sternly. Vaughn’s heart brightened—this time, the dean wouldn’t show favoritism. Whenever it concerned the academy’s core interests, Li Xian’s attitude was always decisive. He moved closer to Dorin, frowning, as if pondering how best to make his words heard. Dorin, however, seemed to anticipate him, waving a broad hand. “You needn’t say anything. You know where I stand. I only want to ask: will you support me?”

In that moment, Dorin seemed to curb his arrogance and harshness, his eyes revealing the sentiment of speaking with an old friend. He hoped this person, who once admired his brother, would support him for old times’ sake, perhaps even make some decisive change.

But Li Xian’s silence disappointed him. Dorin glanced at Dragon Silver’s dormitory. “Old friend, that child is the equal of the Crown Prince, perhaps even superior in some ways. Are you sure you won’t reconsider?”

Li Xian gave a bitter smile. “Where do you think the Crown Prince came from? And besides…” He shook his head. “The situation is too volatile now. I don’t have the energy to nurture another talent, and most importantly, Dexin can’t afford to wait.”

Dorin narrowed his eyes, a hint of mockery flashing within. “Why not admit that it’s you who can’t afford to wait? You just want to use Dexin as your greatest capital to compete for the Federation presidency, don’t you? You want to challenge that man, yes? You can’t forget the humiliation of losing to him, you simply refuse to accept defeat. And for that position, you’d even cede some of Dexin’s rights to let the Ji family manipulate them. Sometimes I wonder if what you said to my brother was ever true. Can I still trust you?”

Li Xian’s expression didn’t change, but a complex emotion flickered in his eyes. He spoke quietly, “You wouldn’t understand.”

“So you’re determined to make an example of the child this time?”

Li Xian frowned. “He broke the rules.”

Dorin sneered. “His greatest mistake was breaking them at the wrong time—blocking your path as dean.”

As Li Xian started to speak, Dorin stopped him with a cold shake of the head. “No need to say more. If you insist on expelling the child, I’ll use my authority as Dean and stand firm against you.”

Li Xian’s pupils contracted, fearing that matters would indeed escalate as Dorin said, with the entire academy’s powers drawn in. Li Xian shook his head. “I don’t understand. Is such an unknown child really worth all this?”

“There’s much you don’t understand. Do you think anyone my nephew protects is mediocre? As for Shaolin, you know well—aside from his temperament, he surpasses my brother in every respect! If he’s willing to shield someone, I believe that child will bring me surprises—and will make you regret choosing the Ji family!” Dorin’s expression was now more pride than anger.

“The Crown Prince’s methods are not to be underestimated, and you know better than I the Ji family’s tactics. I’m sure you’re aware of the mysterious factions flooding into Texas. The Ji family is beyond your ability to stop, and neither is that other power something your brother’s legacy can withstand!”

“What of it? My brother’s influence may not be enough to block that power, but it can change some realities!” Dorin’s eyes gleamed with a certain light, his smile tinged with malice. “Your dissatisfaction comes from my brother, and because of his legacy, you can never truly escape.”

Li Xian’s body trembled, staring at Dorin in disbelief. Dorin, however, turned to Yuan Shaolin, speaking softly, “Shaolin has taken over the Spirit Fox Squad!”

Li Xian pressed his lips together, shaken to his core. Was the Spirit Fox Squad finally about to surface? What kind of impact could it achieve?

Li Xian took a deep breath, seemingly stirred and saddened, his voice changed, pronouncing each word carefully. “I’ll wait.”

Dorin’s muddy old eyes narrowed slightly, saying no more. Their conversation didn’t reach anyone else, but those nearby sensed the shift in atmosphere.

The student representatives arrived, but the Crown Prince was absent. The Bai and Ni families came as well, but surprisingly, both family heads turned back halfway, sending only their spouses. The two family heads were eager to kill Dragon Silver, but unfortunately, this was Dexin, and Dorin stood in their way. Many people were dismissed outright by Dorin, and some factions aligned with the Crown Prince, upon spotting a certain familiar figure, withdrew in alarm.

Those who wanted to escalate the situation found themselves unable to do so. Despite the uproar, those who should have been punished emerged unscathed. Many could not accept this outcome, and as a result, Li Xian and Dorin decided to handle the matter with the academy’s fairest voting system. This decision immediately calmed the angry factions, as many presumed the result was already set—the arrogant child in the dorm would soon be expelled from Dexin. From the moment he arrived, he had caused nothing but trouble, and many disliked him, especially the upperclassmen, the Crown Prince’s loyal followers, who found him utterly intolerable.

When Yuan Shaolin entered, Dragon Silver greeted him with a grin. “Your Highness, it’s a miracle you weren’t swept away by the crowd! So many people came just now, I was startled!” He patted his chest, feigning fright.

Yuan Shaolin was speechless. Did he really look frightened?

Dorin entered next, looking irritable. “Just now, my old bones were nearly shredded by the Bai and Ni family heads. If not for their status as patriarchs, I wouldn’t have let it go so easily!”

Dragon Silver, noticing the fresh scratches on Dorin’s face, felt guilty. “Dean Dorin, it’s all my fault you suffered this undeserved calamity.”

Dorin waved it off. “By choosing to support you, I was destined to become mortal enemies with the Bai and Ni families. As for those two brats…” Dorin fell silent, looking at Dragon Silver. “Many people deserve death more than they do.”

Dragon Silver raised an eyebrow—was Dorin implying he’d been too harsh? He shook his head. “Those who deserve death find their own way to it. The ones who deserve it most aren’t so easily killed. Those two simply met me.”

Dragon Silver smiled, his eyes flashing with dominance and ferocity. “They died because they deserved it. No other reason. That’s all there is to it. I won’t discuss ideals or persistence with you, Dorin. You just need to know their deaths were not without cause.”

Dorin shook his head. “I told Dean Li Xian you were more talented than the Crown Prince, but your actions this time disappointed me. This move was a blunder—many factions serving you will be destabilized. Do you think you’re being rational?”

Dragon Silver was silent, turning to the prince. “Your Highness, are you disappointed too?”

Yuan Shaolin merely shook his head. “No.”

Dorin frowned. Dragon Silver, however, laughed—a clear, joyful sound. Then, as if satisfied, he addressed Dorin. “Dean Dorin, I absolutely won’t admit I was wrong.” He stood, walked up to Dorin, and raised his chin. “In the face of such matters, if I didn’t follow my instincts, the factions serving me would only be more disappointed. They may face difficulties, but they’re willing to see things clearly. This makes them trust me more, not blame me. They’ll only feel fortunate. As for all your worries, it’s just because you’ve been at the helm too long—you’ve forgotten those things that once moved you in a group: trust, cooperation, progress… Even if you’re disappointed, I’ll say it again—I’m not wrong.”

Suddenly, applause sounded from the side—not loud, with a simple rhythm, somewhat scattered, but it reached the ears of all three present. They turned simultaneously toward the source, and a middle-aged man stepped out.

Yuan Shaolin’s eyes flashed with surprise. “Uncle Ke!”

Ke Yifei first bowed slightly to Yuan Shaolin, then smiled at Dorin. “Brother Lin, it’s been too long!”

Dorin nodded dazedly, then slapped Ke Yifei on the shoulder. “Too long, my foot! I’m extremely annoyed, really annoyed! You only show up now, and you still look so young—it makes me feel terrible!”

Ke Yifei simply smiled, not dodging the slap. In truth, Dorin’s force was not painful at all, and the excitement on his face made Ke Yifei smile from the heart. “This child’s words just now truly reflect the style of a true leader. When subordinates face trouble, regardless of inconvenience, as long as their leader stands up for them, their loyalty follows. I’d say he’s not wrong. At least for us, it’s gratifying.”

“Fine, fine…” Dorin rubbed his nose. “He’s not wrong, right? You get to be the good guy, I’ll be the villain. You, with your pancake face pretending to be young and kind, go handle it. I’m done, hmph!”

Pancake face—Ke Yifei laughed heartily. It had been ages since he’d heard that nickname. His face did resemble a pancake, quite distinctive. When he became captain of the Spirit Fox Squad, no one dared call him that except those present. It was a nostalgic nickname.

“Sure, I’ll take care of it! The leader’s connections have never faltered. Many say ‘out of sight, out of mind,’ but tonight, let them see what it truly means!” Ke Yifei’s heroic tone made Dorin turn away to hide his moist eyes. Dorin waved him off. “I’m leaving.”

“Brother Lin…” Ke Yifei called, but Dorin stopped, saying, “Pancake face, tonight, let me see everything clearly!”

Ke Yifei’s expression became solemn. He stood at attention and saluted. “Understood!”

That night, the vote under the scrutiny of all drew the academy’s attention—and even shook Texas. The boy who challenged the Crown Prince and caused such chaos emerged unscathed, winning the vote by a landslide. What had happened? Cheating? Was it possible? The vote was held in plain sight—how could anyone cheat?

How did he do it? Were those who stirred up trouble actually his planted agents? It defied logic.

It was simply unbelievable. Many sought answers, but those involved shared a tacit understanding.

The Crown Prince hung up the phone, his brows knitting. His deceased uncle was truly formidable—Ji Shaoqing, the most outstanding and rebellious member in Ji family history, full of legend. He’d met him only a few times as a child, but the impression was deep. Back then, he admired his uncle more than his own father, modeling himself after him, copying his manner nine parts out of ten, yet always missing something. He couldn’t understand… what was lacking…

Now he did. That missing piece was personal charisma, so potent it lingered even after death, compelling eighty percent of his own followers to change their votes, nearly subverting his entire force. What kind of skill was this? Ji Yin’s face showed unwillingness—he couldn’t outmaneuver a dead man.

Those calls of apology were repeated humiliations. The Crown Prince’s handsome features were frosted with coldness, and he sneered. Now that his uncle’s faction supported the boy, the child must die!

“I’ll let you dance a few more days!”

…

Because of this overwhelming victory, the Spirit Fox Squad made a perfect debut. This hidden force, dormant for years, finally reappeared—openly supporting an unknown child. What will become of Dexin? What will become of Texas?