Chapter 89: Only Mediocre People Avoid Trouble

Hearing this, the surrounding spectators couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.

Which power would dare to make such a bold statement in an international setting like this? Probably only Shrek Academy.

They just openly slapped Star Luo Empire's top academy in the face—right in front of their own dignitaries.

"Haha~"

A light chuckle escaped Pan Wen's lips. As expected of a seasoned politician, he quickly transitioned the conversation with a different tone.

"Indeed."

"Previously, your academy didn't have time, but now, with this long voyage, both academies can engage in a friendly and meaningful exchange."

"Hmm."

This time, Cai Yue'er simply gave a lukewarm nod without saying more.

This alone made Pan Wen let out a deep sigh of relief.

"Alright then, Elder Cai, this way please."

"Let me personally escort you and the talented students of Shrek Academy onto the ship."

Having the Secretary-General of the Federation personally leading the way—this was a show of great respect.

Once on board and completely separated from Pan Wen, Cai Yue'er finally spoke.

"Are you all wondering why I made such a negative statement in an international setting like this?"

The eight young students exchanged glances, hesitant to respond.

After all, the woman before them was not to be trifled with—Cai Yue'er was a ruthless person.

Last time, when a misunderstanding led to a conflict between Yuanen Yehui and the others, Cai Yue'er treated it as a full-on fight and handed out harsh punishments.

And the time before that…

It wasn't until Wu Zhangkong, who had been standing silently like a block of wood, signaled them to respond, that the eight students mumbled a few vague replies—careful not to say anything wrong.

"Hmph!"

A cold snort. It was clear that Cai Yue'er was dissatisfied with their weak response.

"None of you are getting to the point."

"I did all of this to train you."

Her old but sharp eyes gleamed with wisdom as she explained to the confused group.

"Only mediocre people avoid trouble!"

"Just now, I deliberately belittled the Star Luo Royal Academy in front of everyone."

"This kind of remark will spread to their students in no time. Young people are hot-tempered, and they will definitely come looking for trouble."

"Unforeseen trouble like this is the best way to train your adaptability."

"If you can't even handle this small challenge, then I might as well report to the Sea God Pavilion right now and have the academy replace you with someone else—so we don't embarrass ourselves in a foreign country."

With that, Cai Yue'er turned and walked away without giving them a chance to respond.

Left behind, Tang Wulin and the others still felt that something was off about her reasoning, but they couldn't figure out exactly what.

And her last words—whether they were mocking or provoking—completely ignited their youthful defiance.

Suddenly, Cai Yue'er's philosophy of "only mediocre people avoid trouble" seemed very reasonable.

At the Boarding Entrance

Pan Wen stood at the gangway, watching Shrek Academy's group disappear into the ship. His expression remained unchanged, but inside, his thoughts churned.

Honestly, he felt helpless.

He understood all too well what kind of power Shrek Academy held on the continent.

For years, the Federation Parliament had struggled with two major challenges: Shrek Academy and Spirit Pagoda.

The dream of every Federation official was to bring these two organizations under control.

But that was wishful thinking.

Both Shrek Academy and Spirit Pagoda held tremendous influence, but more importantly, they possessed the strongest combat forces on the continent.

The Spirit Pagoda was at least somewhat manageable—they understood how to compromise when necessary. The Federation even had some seats in their internal council, allowing them to influence Spirit Pagoda's operations to some degree.

But Shrek Academy? That was a completely different beast.

It was like a rock in the middle of the ocean—immovable, unshakable.

Or perhaps like a brick in a latrine—both disgusting and unbreakable.

Yet, the Federation could do nothing about it.

The only silver lining was that Shrek Academy had never shown any ambition for expansion. They operated like a military camp—students came and went, but the institution itself remained unchanged.

With no desire to hoard power, Shrek Academy remained independent.

In the face of absolute power, the Federation had no choice but to compromise and begrudgingly acknowledge Shrek Academy's autonomy.

As Pan Wen, the aspiring next Speaker of the Federation, pondered all this, a wild thought suddenly flashed through his mind:

"If only someone could just… blow up Shrek Academy."

He immediately shook his head and laughed at himself.

"Wishful thinking. Absolute nonsense."

The Expected Confrontation

As Cai Yue'er predicted, it didn't take long after boarding before Star Luo Royal Academy's students came looking for trouble.

A sarcastic voice rang out:

"Shrek Academy's uniforms are so ugly—green and disgusting. How do you guys even stand it?"

The voice belonged to a group of twelve students from Star Luo Royal Academy.

Eight men, four women—all dressed in pristine white uniforms.

The speaker was a short but muscular young man, his frame packed with solid muscle despite his height.

Yue Zhengyu suddenly tilted his head, as if searching for something, and mumbled:

"Who's talking? Who's talking?"

The short student clearly wasn't so short that he was invisible.

Yet, Yue Zhengyu's deliberate act, paired with his words, instantly infuriated the entire group.

"You brat! What did you just say?!"

The short student was the first to explode. He lunged forward, chest out, trying to bump into Yue Zhengyu.

But Yue Zhengyu stood firm.

"Oh! So you were down there. My bad."

"I have a bit of a neck issue, you see. I'm not used to looking down."

He paused, then added with a mocking smirk:

"But you know, your… development… does seem a little off."

"BANG—"

Their chests collided.

The short student had jumped up to slam into Yue Zhengyu, but instead, it felt like hitting a steel wall.

He staggered backward two steps.

The difference in strength was immediately clear.

"Is this how you guys greet each other on Star Luo Continent? So weird!"

"Wait, is this a cultural thing? Do your girls do this too?"

As he spoke, he glanced over at the four female students from Star Luo Royal Academy.

Some looked shy, some furious—but all of them were flustered.

Clearly, Yue Zhengyu had perfected Cai Yue'er's "only mediocre people avoid trouble" philosophy.

(End of Chapter)