Chapter 78
Chapter 78
“The Divine Gate manifested… It truly manifested!”
“The divine snakes are servants of the gods. There really are still gods inside the Divine Gate…”
“The Ji family wasn’t lying. They truly found a way to contact the Divine Gate!”
Everyone inside Mingjiang No. 7 Special School was overwhelmed with shock.
“Everyone, this was nothing worth mentioning,” Ji Fengming said, a smug smile hanging on his face.
“My son Ji Yun is the most outstanding genius the Ji family has ever produced. As long as he has enough worship, he can truly welcome the gods back into the world!”
“When that happens, none of you will have to flee any longer. Only then will the Divine Gate truly regain its former glory!”
His words stirred the hearts of everyone around him.
“We have wandered from place to place for years. Now that hope is finally before us, what more could we ask for? Brother Ji, we are willing to stand with your family!”
“That’s right! Our clan can provide its worship as well!”
Most of those present spoke up, fervor burning in their eyes.
Ji Fengming smiled leisurely before looking at Yin Rumei.
“What about you, Mrs. Wang?”
Yin Rumei’s face was ashen. She had never expected the Ji family to truly call forth an existence from within the Divine Gate.
Yet she still bit her lower lip and declared, “The Yin family has already pledged its loyalty to the master of this place!”
Ji Fengming’s expression chilled. He looked past Yin Rumei to the old woman with the bamboo basket and the butcher.
“And you? Will you ignore the bright road before you and follow the Yin family to your deaths?”
The old woman shook her head.
“When the Divine Gate collapsed, our families escaped the disaster only because the Yin family fought with everything they had to cover our retreat.”
“Now the Yin family is gone, leaving Miss Yin alone. The Shi family… will not abandon her.”
The butcher also cast a contemptuous look at the crowd.
“Every one of us owes the Yin family our lives. We all swore that if the Yin family ever called upon us, we would answer without hesitation. Others may have forgotten, but I, Tu Dahai, have not!”
The faces of the others burned with shame, but they remained silent.
The Yin family might indeed have saved them, but only the Ji family could offer them hope now.
Ji Fengming suddenly sneered. “Very well.”
“Still, there is no need to be so stubborn. Perhaps the master of this place will be willing to cooperate with the Ji family too.”
Smiling, he turned to Leng Qingyan and Qin Shiyu.
“May I meet the master of this place? I would like to discuss… a business proposition with him.”
Worry filled both women’s faces. They exchanged a glance and finally nodded.
“This way, please.”
Before long, the group entered a conference room. Li Que soon arrived after receiving word.
“Teacher Li, these gentlemen would like to do business with the school, and they want your opinion,” Leng Qingyan explained.
Puzzled, Li Que sat down and asked, “What kind of business do you have in mind?”
Ji Fengming straightened in his seat and studied Li Que intently. Even after several long looks, however, he could not discern the slightest hint of Li Que’s depths.
After weighing his words, he said, “To be frank, Teacher Li, the Ji family consists of merchants from out of town. We are an old and established family in the school business, with considerable experience in operating educational institutions. Therefore, I would like to acquire this school.”
“Naturally, its operating model would remain unchanged. You would continue to manage it, and with the Ji family’s support, you would soon reap substantial rewards.”
“Once the deal is complete, we can share this place’s profits. What do you say?”
The people around him looked surprised.
Why would a man like Ji Fengming suddenly start speaking in circles?
He’s wary too, so he’s playing a role as well, Yin Rumei realized, her heart sinking.
Ji Fengming might appear arrogant and overbearing, but he was never reckless. He hid needles in cotton and understood perfectly when to advance and when to retreat.
Li Que’s expression, however, instantly turned cold.
Acquire the school?
He made it sound so pleasant, but wasn’t this all about money?
Li Que had seen this kind of thing before. Once something created for the public good was bought out by private capital, ordinary people often ended up paying an exorbitant price for it.
At present, attending Mingjiang No. 7 Special School was practically free, and the government even provided a yearly subsidy. Put plainly, the entire point was to give children with special needs somewhere to study and live.
If the Ji family acquired the school and commercialized it, they would certainly start charging tuition-and it would not be cheap.
That might make money, but many children who genuinely needed the school would lose their chance to enroll.
Take Lin Xiaoyu. She came from a remote mountain village on Five Dragons Mountain, and her only family was an aunt who scraped by raising goats. How could they possibly afford tuition?
“I refuse.”
Li Que’s voice was calm but firm.
“The school does not need outsiders interfering in its affairs, and none of us teachers are interested in the benefits you’re offering.”
Ji Fengming’s face immediately darkened.
“Think carefully!”
“The Ji family prefers courtesy before force. You will only receive this offer once!”
He truly coveted the school.
In the past, only his son Ji Yun had been able to make genuine contact with the Divine Gate.
Yet this time, even Ji Fengming had succeeded-and caused the entire Divine Gate to manifest.
There was only one explanation: the school’s occult configuration genuinely provided tremendous assistance when inviting a god to descend.
He was therefore determined to seize this place.
If the school were not so liable to attract attention, and if he could see through Li Que, he would have taken it by far more direct means.
His willingness to share even a fraction of the benefits with Li Que was already a rare show of restraint and compromise from the Ji family.
Leng Qingyan rose directly to her feet and said coldly, “Mr. Ji, this is Mingjiang No. 7 Special School. You are not qualified to speak to Teacher Li that way.”
“You may leave.”
She had the conference-room doors opened and summarily showed them out.
A chill flashed in Ji Fengming’s eyes. But after studying Li Que a few more times, he suppressed his greed for the moment.
He gave several cold laughs, said nothing more, and rose to leave.
Most of the others also stood. They apologized to Yin Rumei, then followed him out.
Yin Rumei’s face was ghastly. She lightly bit her lower lip, but there was nothing she could do.
With a quiet sigh, she stood and looked at Li Que.
“Teacher Li… I’m sorry.”
“I only wanted to use my connections to find more resources for the school. I never imagined the Ji family would harbor such malicious intentions and dare set their sights on it.”
“But the three families with us are willing to do everything in our power to support the school’s development!”
The old woman and tall man beside her also stood and nodded firmly.
“This old woman’s name is Shi Fuluo,” the old woman said. “I’m fairly good at tending flowers and plants. If you agree, we can come tomorrow, take care of the school’s greenery, and plant some more as well.”
The tall man said, “The school walls are getting old. The Tu family can help renovate them.”
They all understood the Old Divine Gate well. They could help refine the school’s occult configuration and make it resemble the old sacred ground more closely.
Li Que’s eyes lit up with pleased relief.
Sure enough, there might be profiteers in the world, but there were also plenty of kindhearted people eager to serve the public good.
“All right. Thank you.”
He agreed immediately.
Yin Rumei instantly relaxed. Not only had Li Que refrained from blaming them for the Ji family’s behavior, he had even given their three families an opportunity. Gratitude welled up in her heart.
…
At that moment, Ji Fengming left the conference room. As he passed Li Que’s classroom, he suddenly cast a long look inside.
Ji Tian, seated in the front row, stiffened slightly.
Ji Fengming sneered but said nothing. He simply turned and walked away.
On his way out of the school, he passed the security booth.
“I saw him,” Ji Fengming said with a sneer, looking at Shen Yuan.
“Do you think hiding him here will save him?”
“I’ll make you watch as I destroy him with my own hands… Open your eyes wide, old thing, and watch carefully!”
He patted Shen Yuan’s shoulder and left.
Shen Yuan sat in his chair, his aged body trembling with rage.
…