Righteous betrayal?
Was Xian Lin'er really going to "betray her own"?
If Qian Ran were appointed as the deputy dean of the Soul Engineering Department, the person in the most awkward position would undoubtedly be Qian Duoduo. As the current deputy dean, how would it look for someone as young as Qian Ran to suddenly be his equal?
However, the Soul Engineering Department operated differently from the Martial Soul Department. Here, contributions were valued above raw strength. Even if someone as powerful as a ninth-level Soul Engineer led the department, it wouldn't necessarily guarantee progress.
Qian Duoduo, an eighth-level Soul Engineer whose strength ranked nowhere near the top at Shrek Academy, had earned his position as deputy dean entirely due to his contributions to the department.
But now?
The mere fact that Qian Ran had brought out several ninth-level soul tools already demonstrated that his contributions far exceeded Qian Duoduo's.
The Sun Moon Empire's Mingde Hall had always guarded their ninth-level soul tools fiercely. Forget the tools themselves—even high-end experimental equipment was off-limits to outsiders. As a result, the best soul tools at Shrek Academy had always been eighth-level.
Now, all the ninth-level soul tools at Shrek came from Qian Ran.
Even though Qian Ran was technically still Xian Lin'er's disciple and previously unknown in the Soul Engineering Department, what did that matter?
Thanks to Qian Ran's contributions, they could confidently announce that Shrek's Soul Engineering Department had entered a new era. This advancement was second only to the founding of the department itself.
Moreover, Qian Ran's talent and potential far surpassed Qian Duoduo's.
While Qian Ran hadn't yet crafted an eighth-level soul tool under their supervision, none of them doubted his ability to do so. His talents had never been in question.
Most individuals Qian Ran's age couldn't even produce a sixth-level soul tool, so wasn't it perfectly reasonable for him to craft an eighth-level one?
Who would dare question his talent now?
Anyone who tried would end up slapped in the face.
Before leaving for Mingdu, Qian Ran had already been capable of crafting seventh-level soul tools. Considering his rapid growth, advancing from a seventh-level to an eighth-level Soul Engineer in just over a year was entirely plausible.
If Qian Ran received his eighth-level Soul Engineer badge, he and Qian Duoduo would officially be on the same level. Moreover, Qian Ran's recent spar with Yan Shaozhe had demonstrated his formidable combat prowess.
In every aspect—strength, contribution, and potential—Qian Ran either matched or exceeded Qian Duoduo. If someone had to step down, who else could it be?
If anyone else had made this suggestion, it might have seemed like a personal grudge against Qian Duoduo. But coming from Xian Lin'er, it was seen as a righteous act, prioritizing the department's welfare over personal relationships.
"Lin'er has a good point. I think we should seriously consider it," Cai Meier immediately supported Xian Lin'er.
Though the two often competed in private, they both acted in Qian Ran's best interests.
Now was the perfect opportunity to elevate Qian Ran into Shrek Academy's leadership, and Cai Meier wasn't about to miss it.
"What do you think, Duoduo?" Both Yan Shaozhe and Cai Meier turned to the "designated scapegoat."
Even Yan Shaozhe found Xian Lin'er's reasoning persuasive.
During his earlier spar with Qian Ran, Yan Shaozhe had found the young man to be a handful. Qian Duoduo's martial soul was inherently average—otherwise, he wouldn't have gone into the Soul Engineering Department. As a Titled Douluo, Qian Duoduo's combat abilities were subpar. Even if Qian Ran couldn't defeat him yet, it would only be a matter of one or two years before Qian Duoduo was soundly outclassed.
For most people Qian Ran's age, staying in Shrek's outer court would be normal. But Qian Ran wasn't a typical person. His talent, strength, and contributions made him a perfect candidate for the deputy dean position.
With both Xian Lin'er and Cai Meier voicing their support, Yan Shaozhe couldn't object either.
"I think it's a great idea. Qian Ran surpasses me in every way. His innovative approach and the soul tools he creates are far more refined. He's the perfect choice for deputy dean," Qian Duoduo said with a forced smile, though inwardly he was cursing the situation.
Damn it! This backstabbing dog, Yan Shaozhe! Pushing all the pressure onto me!
With those high-quality ninth-level soul tools laid out on the table, what could he say?
Even if he didn't want to step down, he couldn't refuse Qian Ran under these circumstances.
The fact that this proposal came from Xian Lin'er only made Qian Duoduo feel even more betrayed.
"I knew you had a big heart, Duoduo. I didn't expect you to agree so readily," Xian Lin'er said, surprisingly offering Qian Duoduo some praise.
"Of course. Do you think I'd care about something so trivial? If stepping down as deputy dean benefits the department's growth, then I'm willing to become a senior researcher instead!" Qian Duoduo declared, though his chest tightened with bitterness.
Fine! Take the damn position!
If he refused now, Xian Lin'er would think he was petty. Perhaps, by giving up the role, she might even see his other virtues. Who knows? Maybe she'd feel guilty and compensate him in other ways.
"I didn't think you were this open-minded, Duoduo. I may have underestimated you," Yan Shaozhe remarked, genuinely surprised.
Being a deputy dean of Shrek Academy was a prestigious role. The title alone commanded respect wherever one went. Did Qian Duoduo not care about such honors?
Qian Duoduo forced a smile, but seeing Yan Shaozhe's smug expression made him want to punch him in the face. Couldn't you have stepped in to defend me earlier? And now you're acting all surprised?
Yan Shaozhe finally noticed Qian Duoduo's murderous glare and quickly reined in his amusement.
Suddenly, Yan Shaozhe felt a pang of empathy for Qian Duoduo.
After all...
Hadn't the same thing happened to him?
His own position as dean had been quietly downgraded to vice dean after Cai Meier and Xian Lin'er returned from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well with their cultivation boosted to Rank 97. At that time, he had ceded the Martial Soul Department's leadership to Cai Meier.
He had thought that stepping down would earn Cai Meier's affection, but the opposite occurred. He had lost both his title and her favor.
He had not only lost the woman but also the authority that came with his position.
Suddenly, Yan Shaozhe's smile faded. He could no longer find any humor in the situation.
Looking at Qian Duoduo's current predicament, he even felt the urge to console him.
It struck him that they had quite a few things in common: both had been demoted, both had been cornered into stepping down, and both had lost face in similar circumstances.
Next time, let's just not invite Qian Ran to dinner.
(End of Chapter)