Chapter 318: Warm Reminder: Don

As more and more people recognized Lin Mo.

The murmurs inside the council chamber gradually grew louder.

"It really is Lin Mo."

"But… how is he sitting in the main seat next to Chairman Yan?"

"Isn't today supposed to be the election for the new chairman?"

"Could it be…"

"No way!"

One member lowered his voice, his face filled with disbelief.

"Lin Mo may be impressive, but how old is he?"

"A first-year freshman, becoming our Youth Association's chairman?"

"Does he even have the qualifications?"

Hearing this,

someone beside him immediately rebutted.

"Why not?"

"He single-handedly killed one hundred and forty prodigies—his record speaks for itself!"

"With that record, why can't he be chairman?"

"You don't know shit!"

The member who had questioned earlier snorted.

"Talent and potential are one thing; actual combat power is another!"

"Our Youth Association's chairman has never been chosen based on talent."

"It's only about who has the strongest fists!"

He pointed toward the front row where the senior Youth Association officials had already arrived.

"The chairman's appointment requires approval by a vote of all senior officials and council members."

"As long as one person objects and votes no,"

"you can't just take office directly."

"There's only one way: make everyone accept you."

The member continued.

"Look at our Youth Association's senior officials."

"Lu Chen from East China, Fang Wen from North China, Chen Feng from South China…"

"Which one isn't a top-level expert over level 60?"

"Do you think these top-level experts would willingly let a level-40 newcomer ride over their heads?"

After hearing this,

everyone around fell silent.

Indeed.

Lin Mo could slaughter his way through the Ten Thousand Nations Battlefield because it was a beginner-level battlefield, filled mostly with newly transmigrated players.

But here,

he'd be facing seasoned veterans, battle-hardened for years, all of whom wield high-grade skills—the core young combatants of Dragon Nation.

At that moment,

several young female members whispered among themselves.

"To be fair, Lin Mo is seriously good-looking."

Another girl, hearing this, agreed.

"Yeah."

"I used to think Chairman Yan was handsome."

"But now that Lin Mo's sitting there, Chairman Yan looks completely overshadowed…"

"Indeed, no comparison means no hurt."

"Exactly, exactly!"

The girl beside her nodded vigorously.

Hearing these words,

the male members nearby were visibly exasperated.

"Hey, hey, hey."

"Is the Mage Association a place where looks matter?"

"We're talking about strength here!"

"Superficial!"

The female member rolled her eyes at him.

"So what if he's strong?"

"He wiped out a seven-nation alliance—isn't that strength?"

"Good-looking and strong—you're just jealous?"

The male member was left speechless.

He could only shut his mouth.

He sulked, staring toward the stage.

…

Meanwhile,

Fang Wen had arrived.

His broad, muscular frame stood out sharply in the crowd.

Zhao Peng walked behind him, chest puffed out.

As if the man ahead of him weren't his cousin, but himself.

Zhang Han kept his head down, looking uneasy.

Fang Wen immediately spotted Lu Chen sitting in the front row and walked over, plopping himself into the empty seat beside him.

Zhao Peng and Zhang Han followed, taking the seats directly behind them.

Lu Chen turned to look at Fang Wen, smiling.

"Well?"

"Was my inside info accurate?"

Fang Wen's face remained expressionless.

"Fine, I guess."

Hearing this, Lu Chen chuckled and warned:

"But I'll remind you."

"When you fight, watch your limits."

"Don't go too hard."

"Lin Mo is Dragon Nation's future."

"If you seriously injure him, I doubt you'll even need Nie Lao to act—Feng Lao will peel your skin off first."

Hearing Lu Chen's warning,

Fang Wen snorted.

"You think I need reminding?"

"Do I seem like someone who doesn't know his own strength?"

Fang Wen turned his gaze toward Lin Mo, his tone growing more serious.

"Lin Mo took down that group of foreigners single-handedly and brought honor to Dragon Nation."

"He's a real man."

"I admire him."

Fang Wen paused, then shifted tone.

"But."

"One thing at a time."

"No matter how high his talent or how great his achievements,"

"if he wants to ride over my head as Youth Association chairman,"

Fang Wen sneered.

"He'll have to prove it with real skill."

Hearing Fang Wen's reply,

Lu Chen burst out laughing.

"Good."

"Just make sure you know your own limits."

With that,

Lu Chen leaned back in his chair, looking ready to enjoy the show.

Behind them.

At that moment, Zhao Peng also leaned close to Zhang Han's ear, beaming with smug triumph.

"Did you hear that?"

"Let me tell you."

"Lin Mo is definitely going to lose face big time."

Zhao Peng sneered.

"Chairman Yan Lie is just too proud to admit defeat, lowering his own status."

"My cousin won't coddle him."

"This is the Youth Association, not the Junior International Arena."

"To be blunt, in the Junior International Arena, even my cousin could take on the entire arena alone."

Listening to Zhao Peng's endless nonsense,

Zhang Han couldn't help but frown, a flicker of revulsion crossing her eyes again.

She simply couldn't stand this person.

"No one thinks you're mute if you don't speak."

Zhang Han said coldly.

Zhao Peng froze.

"What?"

"Did I say something wrong?"

Zhang Han didn't look at him; her gaze remained fixed on Lin Mo at the main seat.

"Chairman Lin Mo is certainly not as simple as you think."

"Can you think of something Chairman Yan Lie hasn't already considered?"

"Chairman Yan Lie is upright and honorable—do you really believe he'd deliberately humiliate Lin Mo just because he lost to him?"

Hearing Zhang Han's retort,

Zhao Peng first blinked in surprise.

Then his face flushed red as he retorted:

"Why not?"

"Chairman Yan Lie is the Youth Association's chairman—he lost to a freshman in front of everyone at Jingda!"

"If it were you, would you be okay with it?"

"If it were me, I couldn't swallow this humiliation."

Hearing Zhao Peng's confident rebuttal,

Zhang Han looked at him as if he were a clown.

"Do you think Chairman Yan Lie is like you?"

Zhang Han's tone dripped with contempt.

"You judge a gentleman by the standards of a petty man."

"Chairman Yan Lie once single-handedly crushed the entire Youth Association Council—not through scheming, but through sheer, undeniable strength and integrity!"

"Do you think everyone is like you?"

"Full of jealousy, calculation, and underhanded tricks?"

Hearing Zhang Han's merciless scolding,

Zhao Peng's face turned crimson; he stuck out his neck and stubbornly replied:

"How am I being petty?"

"I'm just making reasonable assumptions!"

"We're all young—doesn't anyone have pride? Doesn't anyone care about face?"

Zhang Han was utterly speechless.

She turned her head and fixed her gaze on Lin Mo.

She completely ignored Zhao Peng.

Ah, seeing Chairman Lin Mo made her feel at ease again.

…

Inside the hall.

Yan Lie saw that nearly all seats were filled, and all senior members and councilors had arrived.

Then,

he picked up the microphone on the table.

"Quiet."

As Yan Lie's voice fell,

the noisy hall instantly fell silent.

All eyes turned to Yan Lie.

Yan Lie looked at the crowd and spoke slowly:

"I've called you all here today."

"Only for one thing."

"That is, to elect a new Youth Association chairman."

Although many had already heard rumors,

when Yan Lie said it aloud, a faint stir rippled through the room.

Yan Lie ignored the murmurs and continued:

"The reason is simple."

"I feel my strength no longer qualifies me to remain in the position of Youth Association chairman."

Yan Lie spoke with complete candor.

"Therefore,"

"I have decided to step down, and I nominate Lin Mo to succeed me as chairman of the Dragon Nation Youth Mage Association."

As he spoke, Yan Lie gestured toward Lin Mo beside him.

He continued:

"According to Youth Association rules,

the appointment of a new chairman requires a vote by all senior members."

"Now,"

"let's begin voting."

"Who is in favor? Who is opposed?"

After saying this,

Yan Lie paused, then added:

"Friendly reminder: don't ask for trouble."