Chapter 4868 — The Contest for Captain
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
"So Young Master Bao means we act as a group?" the others said, exchanging uncertain glances.
They were all Morning Star Academy disciples, and banding together was not unacceptable in itself. The problem was, who would be in charge when the time came? Everyone present was proud and high-spirited, and many harbored old grudges against one another, each eyeing the next with distaste. Without a strong central figure, forget fighting other academies—these very people would tear themselves apart in internal strife.
"Exactly. To advance and retreat as one, we must elect a captain here and now, and he will lead our Morning Star squad. All our actions must follow the captain's orders!" Bao Zuoliang declared at once, while deliberately drawing himself up and planting himself squarely in the middle of the crowd. His intent was plain—all this talk had but one purpose: to make himself that captain!
A collective silence fell. They stared at one another, and no one said a word. Bao Zuoliang's reasoning was sound enough—the Morning Star squad did need a temporary captain—but that did not mean they were willing to step aside for him.
As Bao Zuoliang himself had said, all actions would follow the commander's orders. The value of that temporary captaincy was easy to imagine; once on the Overlord's Road, it would invisibly confer an enormous advantage. So even though Bao Zuoliang's background made them wary, it was not enough to make them bow their heads and call him lord. No one wanted to give up such a golden opportunity.
"The captain must be someone who commands everyone's respect. Given Young Master Bao's background and strength, I say he is the fittest to lead our Morning Star squad—who would dare object!" Su Kesheng sprang forward decisively. Bao Zuoliang could hardly nominate himself outright—that would be far too shameless—so the words had to come from the mouth of this loyal follower.
At those words, strange expressions crept over every face. Of the thirty-odd people present, few if any were truly convinced. But Bao Zuoliang's background and strength were not to be underestimated, and anyone who wished to stand up and oppose him in public would first have to weigh the consequences very carefully indeed.
Still, their own lack of nerve to compete with Bao Zuoliang did not mean no one else had any. When it came down to it, there was no shortage of figures present who could overshadow Bao Zuoliang—at the very least, Wang Xinyan, one of the Three Fairies, was qualified.
The world of cultivation had always revered the strong. Wang Xinyan had not been at the academy many years, but her overwhelming strength was plain for all to see; in several academy grand tournaments she had been invincible among her peers. Now she had reached Nascent Soul Great Perfection, and of everyone present, Bao Zuoliang included, probably not one could match her.
And when it came to popularity, Wang Xinyan was if anything above Bao Zuoliang rather than below; more than a few disciples present secretly adored this Fairy of the Three. The only fault to be picked was this: she was a woman.
This was not the matriarchal society of the Western Isles; in the end, it was still the men who had the final say. Even if Wang Xinyan, one of the Three Fairies, stepped forward to command them, it would always feel a little odd—and if word got out, the other academies would likely laugh. Where would these grown men hide their faces then?
Just then a disciple of peculiar appearance suddenly bounded out. He had a shock of striking red hair, and his features bore a seven-tenths resemblance to Lu Dachang. At the sight, Wei Zhao muttered inwardly: Little Lu? (To be continued)