Volume Two: The Youth of a Thousand Faces, Where False Seems True Chapter 112: The Burning Mountain Fire Meeting

Eddie was once again buried in mountains of paperwork in his office. He was doing his absolute best to organize everything, as for a long time to come, he would be unable to devote himself fully to his duties as the commander, save for his responsibilities to the Hunter Corps.

The door pushed open, and a beautiful woman entered. Her platinum-blonde hair was styled into an elegant updo, and though she wore the crisp uniform of the Hunter Corps, it could not hide her stunning figure. Her sapphire-blue eyes seemed to hold the vastness of the stars and the sea. This was Vivian Halls, Eddie’s wife.

"Honey~ it's not like these few days will make a difference. Don't exhaust yourself," Vivian said, leaning over to wrap her arms around Eddie’s neck, her voice honeyed and sweet. Vivian was a ravishing woman; in her youth, she had been a vibrant, spirited girl and the undisputed campus beauty of Bancroft. Many back then had said that Vivian must have been blind to chase after Eddie, that such a beautiful flower had been wasted on a pile of cow dung. Yet, time had proven that Vivian’s eye for men was peerless.

Eddie, however, had no heart for idle chatter. He said seriously, "I still need to coordinate with Jenos afterward, and I have to discuss the matter of our son with Old Ke. There is so much to do. If you really care about me, help me process these."

Vivian did not play coy. She grabbed half of the documents and sat on the sofa.

***

In the following days, just as Huo Ye had anticipated, he was surrounded by crowds whenever he stepped onto the street, receiving treatment akin to a celebrity. Ke Zhen’s classes were fine, as they were held in a secluded garage, but university life involved more than just his mentor’s course; there were other subjects to attend.

Whenever Huo Ye entered a packed lecture hall, he would inevitably be swarmed before the bell rang, leaving the entire room impassable.

Those without classes usually spent their time at the club. With the club in its early stages of development, there was plenty to handle, and since everyone considered themselves founding members, they naturally wanted to contribute.

If there were no immediate tasks, the members would head to various simulated training environments for combat practice or engage in competitions via VRF. After getting a taste of the benefits from his duel with Scorching Fire, Huo Ye realized how lucrative betting could be. He held a small meeting to convey his vision: although the club’s current resources were enough for everyone to squander, they could not simply rest on their laurels; they had to actively generate income. Furthermore, they needed to establish their reputation at the academy and show the large clubs that "Constellation" was not to be underestimated!

After Alice’s concise and blunt "speak like a human," Huo Ye finally clarified: "Pick fights, and keep raiding the supplies of the big clubs!"

Well, it was certainly aggressive. According to Ke Zhen, that was exactly how the Dark Temple had risen to power back in the day.

***

In the conference room of the Scorching Fire club, a group of officers sat around the table, led by their president, Yan Motang, with his vice president, Xiao Linghuo, at his side. Recently, they had lost 5% of Scorching Fire’s revenue for the coming year, which was no small matter. Although Thunderous Lightning, Truth’s Interval, and Frost Domain had helped shoulder some of the loss, as the ones who lost the match, they were responsible for the lion's share. Consequently, the other clubs each contributed 1% of their annual revenue as compensation, while Scorching Fire bore the remaining 2% on their own—still a significant sum.

"If you ask me, the president was too impulsive to agree to that proposal. 2%... looking at Scorching Fire’s historical revenue records, if converted into usage rights for top-tier fire-element training grounds, we’ve lost at least 2,000 hours in a single year. In terms of manpower, nearly 30 of our grassroots members will go an entire year without any income, and even the president won't receive any club-issued resources for a year. I believe everyone knows what kind of predicament we’re in, so please, while all the key members are here, let’s come up with a plan that won’t make me, the accountant, go bald. That is all."

The accountant’s description was vivid and simple, making it clear to everyone just how deep the hole was that they needed to fill. Academy clubs generally operated on a contribution system—the more you contributed, the more resources you received. The mention of the president going a year without resources was clearly pointed, but everyone tacitly understood. The club had suffered a financial blow, and the accountant was under pressure no one his age should have to bear. It was normal for him to be a bit erratic, and letting him vent was fine, but no one else could speak up, lest it affect unity.

"It is indeed my error. I will accept the club’s penalty without a word of excuse," Yan Motang said, revealing a demeanor completely different from his usual outward persona. He was cautious, meticulous, and capable of considering the club's future—a true leader’s temperament.

Vice President Xiao Linghuo spoke at the right moment: "She’s right. We need to prioritize. After a major defeat, we must anticipate many things, especially the three major clubs that didn't participate in this operation. Their leanings are either neutral or friendly toward Constellation. We must be wary that Constellation might use this momentum to grow and that those other clubs might rise in their wake."

Another officer added, "Those are secondary. The key is that those resources are going to Constellation. In that elite-style club, every single member could receive resource support on the level of a large club. In the upcoming club wars, we might be facing a group of terrifying opponents."

The accountant, whose mouth was already raw from the stress, interrupted: "Everyone, forget about the Dark Temple or Constellation! Those are external threats. We are currently facing a significant internal crisis. We need to prioritize loss mitigation—stop the bleeding, stop the bleeding, please!"

"What is there to say? When you have a major loss, there are only two solutions: increase revenue or cut costs. The situation is unclear, and there’s no stable way to ensure resource intake. Besides, we didn't set a fixed amount; we agreed on a percentage. The more we earn, the more we end up giving away, only strengthening others. Forget about increasing revenue. We can only tighten our belts and survive this most difficult year; after that, we can talk about everything else," said a second-year officer.

A fourth-year officer scoffed at this. He sneered, "That’s easy for you to say. You second-years aren't in a hurry, but I’m a fourth-year. In a year, I have to pass the Disaster Hunter Corps assessment. In this year—the year I need to sprint the most—you’re telling me that I and other fourth-years have to have our resources cut? Do you want half the members to quit the club and find their own way?"

The officer who proposed cutting costs retorted, striking at the heart of the matter: "What? Are you planning a mutiny?"

"Mutiny or not, let’s put that aside. Brother Ge, acting like an elder isn't a good look. Yes, you’re a fourth-year and a veteran of Scorching Fire, but don’t forget the president and vice president are still here," another second-year officer said, clearly taking issue with the senior’s remarks.

Yan Motang, who had been silent, finally couldn't take it anymore. He slammed his hand onto the table, sending sparks flying. "How are you talking to each other?" he roared. "If you have fire, take it to the dueling arena! Why are you yelling at your own people here?"

Yan Motang scanned the room. Except for Xiao Linghuo, no one dared to meet his gaze. Only then did he speak: "Qiao Baier, the fourth-year seniors have been in the club longer and have contributed more; it is only right that they receive more. You should respect your elders; that is a rule that applies everywhere. As for 'cutting costs,' forget it."

"Old Ge, you too—speak properly. Stop being so sarcastic. We’re all on the same side. If we were outsiders, you’d likely have been beaten up by now."

"I..."

The officer named Ge was about to speak, but Yan Motang waved him off.

Yan Motang looked around again to ensure everyone was quiet before saying, "Actually, before everyone arrived today, I had already decided. This defeat was caused by my own hubris, and I should bear full responsibility. Didn't you say the deficit is equivalent to my resources for one year? Fine. As my punishment, I will forgo my resources for this year. Scorching Fire will continue to operate as usual. Meeting adjourned!"

With that, Yan Motang grabbed his uniform jacket from the back of his chair and turned to leave the conference room, leaving the officers stunned. Forgoing all club resources for an entire year—was he crazy?

Yan Motang was able to become president precisely because of his immense strength and bright future. Forgoing resources for fifteen months meant choosing to stagnate during his most critical years of growth. It was practically self-destruction!

But at this moment, Xiao Linghuo faced the silent officers and spoke sternly: "I have known Che Dou for ten years. I know exactly what kind of person he is. Even if he seems impulsive, he never does business at a loss. Yes, Scorching Fire has suffered a major loss, and many clubs think they can take advantage of us. In such a situation, our income might drop. But as Qiao Baier said, the more we earn, the more we give to Huo Ye. Conversely, the less we earn, the less Huo Ye gets. You can tell from his fighting and racing that he is a shrewd person; he won't let his own benefits diminish for nothing."

"When the time comes, he will be forced to do something beneficial for Scorching Fire. When Che Dou made the bet, he had already thought it through. By not setting a fixed amount and using a percentage instead, if he won, everything would be great. If he lost, he could use it as an opportunity to build a partnership between Huo Ye and Scorching Fire, turning a powerful rival who could defeat him into an asset for Scorching Fire. In the end, even if he lost face, it was only his face; Scorching Fire’s foundation would never suffer. Now, he has shouldered the deficit himself, and Scorching Fire will only grow stronger in the future. Does anyone here still feel they have the standing to criticize our president?"

No one answered.

"No one? Good. Accountant, add me to the list along with the president. We will shoulder this responsibility together. Everyone, leave."

With that, Xiao Linghuo left the room, leaving the others staring at each other in silence.