The next morning, Ye Rui took a high-speed train to Donghai to report to the Donghai Sub-division of the Eastern Theater Command.
Originally, he had arranged for his former unit to provide a car, but Ye Wentao had told him to take up his post discreetly and drive himself.
This made him a little dejected, but he eventually followed Ye Wentao's advice, gave up the special car, and didn't drive himself.
Because he felt it would be too tiring.
As for a car, the Wang family, to which Ye Rui's mother belonged, was one of the most powerful families in Donghai. With just one phone call, he could get any car he desired, even a limited edition global sports car or luxury vehicle.
At nine o'clock in the morning, Wang Zhisheng was waiting early at the exit of Donghai High-Speed Railway Station to pick up Ye Rui.
At ten past ten, Ye Rui walked out of the exit pulling his suitcase. Wang Zhisheng quickly stepped forward, "Cousin."
As he spoke, Wang Zhisheng proactively took the suitcase from Ye Rui's hand, acting like a fawning subordinate.
Although the Wang family was powerful in Donghai, they were only considered a first-tier family in the entire Dragon Country. They were not a true aristocratic clan and could not be compared to the Ye family, which was the pillar of the military.
As for himself…
He was once one of the most notorious prodigal sons in Donghai, uneducated and lacking any other accomplishments besides the Wang family's prestige.
His admission to the Donghai Martial Arts Academy was due to the Wang family investing heavily in him, forcing him to become a two-star martial artist, and also pulling strings.
This was because, under normal circumstances, becoming a three-star martial artist before the age of twenty was the minimum requirement for admission to the Donghai Martial Arts Academy!
Because he was so incompetent, Wang Zhisheng naturally had to curry favor with Ye Rui, who was a focus of the Ye family, in preparation for relying on him in the future.
This was also why he had faithfully executed Ye Rui's orders to spread information about Jiang Wuming's background.
"Cousin, should I take you directly to your unit to report, or to your accommodation first?" Wang Zhisheng asked after ten minutes, as he drove Ye Rui to the underground parking lot and got into a Mercedes-Benz G63.
"To my accommodation first. I'll go to the unit in the afternoon," Ye Rui said after thinking for a moment.
"Okay, Cousin. I'll take you there in the afternoon then," Wang Zhisheng volunteered.
"The Donghai Martial Arts Academy starts today. Aren't you going to report?" Ye Rui asked.
"Cousin, reporting isn't as important as taking you. Besides, I was specially admitted, so I don't need to report like ordinary martial artists," Wang Zhisheng said.
Wang Zhisheng started the car and then suddenly said mysteriously, "Cousin, I heard some gossip about that Jiang Wuming."
"What?"
"After Jiang Wuming's background was revealed, Li Lianyi of the Li family left Donghai directly. It's said she was afraid Jiang Wuming would look for her," Wang Zhisheng said.
"Heh... Li Lianyi is quite smart. Worried that Jiang Wuming would come for her, she directly avoided him," Ye Rui chuckled.
"Yes, Li Lianyi is the most accomplished successor of the Li family's medical skills. Her medical abilities are divine. All the wealthy heirs and martial arts prodigies in the Dragon Country are infatuated with her. How could she possibly take a liking to that Jiang Wuming? If I were Jiang Wuming, I'd proactively break off the engagement to avoid embarrassing myself!" Wang Zhisheng said righteously.
"Heh... You probably don't know how thick-skinned my cousin is. He's never entered our Ye family's door since he was born, nor has he met anyone from our Ye family. But for the sake of his adoptive father, he shamelessly went to my father and asked him to step in for him! Do you think a person like that would proactively break off his engagement with someone like Li Lianyi, who is like a fairy? He wishes he could cling to Li Lianyi and the Li family all the time, like a licking toad! It's just a pity he doesn't understand how proud that Miss Li is. He's destined to fail in his vulgar ambitions!" Ye Rui said with a sneer, openly expressing his admiration, even infatuation, for Li Lianyi, and his contempt for Jiang Wuming. To him, Jiang Wuming was like a piece of cow dung, an insult to step on!
...
At eleven o'clock noon, Jiang Wuming and Su Qiang arrived at the entrance of the Donghai Martial Arts Academy in a car from the Jiangnan Military Region, but they did not let the driver drive into the campus.
The Donghai Martial Arts Academy was located on a mountain in the suburbs of Donghai, remote and hidden. Not only did it lack imposing teaching buildings and libraries, but even the main gate was dilapidated, with only a sign reading "Donghai Martial Arts Academy."
Even though it was the day for new students to report to the Donghai Martial Arts Academy, the school entrance was deserted. An old man sat by the gate, enjoying the shade.
"What are you two doing here?" the old man asked, blocking Jiang Wuming and Su Qiang as they entered.
"Grandpa, I'm a new student at the Donghai Martial Arts Academy, here to report today. My Brother Wuming is a visiting professor and is looking for Dean Ren," Su Qiang replied first.
"Alas, young man, you don't even need to draft when you lie. The Donghai Martial Arts Academy only admits three-star martial artists under twenty. You only have the aura of a two-star martial artist. How can you be a new student at the Donghai Martial Arts Academy? As for him, that's even more ridiculous. He doesn't have any martial artist aura on him. How can he be a visiting professor?" The old man gently fanned himself, looking at Jiang Wuming and Su Qiang askance, as if to say, "Act, keep acting."
Su Qiang trembled with anger, his face flushing red. He was about to argue with the old man, but Jiang Wuming stopped him with a look. "Qiangzi, show the old man your admission notice."
"Okay, Brother Wuming." Su Qiang swallowed the words that were about to come out, took out his admission notice from his backpack, and handed it to the old man, his nose and eyes glaring. "Grandpa, do you still doubt it now?"
"Hmm... it's actually true. You're specially admitted. Could you have something special about you?" The old man looked at the admission notice and found it wasn't fake, showing some surprise. He then looked at Jiang Wuming again and suddenly felt something was wrong. "No, this young man looks very familiar. Is it that statue—who are you related to Jiang Zhan?"
"Grandpa, I am Jiang Zhan's son," Jiang Wuming replied politely, then asked, "Grandpa, what's this statue you're talking about?"
"So you're Jiang Zhan's son. Then it's fine," the old man said with a slight start, then smiled. "The statue is in front of the training ground. You can go and see it yourself."
"Thank you, Grandpa," Jiang Wuming said. He then said to Su Qiang, "Qiangzi, you go find the place to report yourself. I'll go find Dean Ren."
"Okay, Brother Wuming." Although Su Qiang really wanted to see the demeanor of the Dean of Donghai Martial Arts Academy, he nodded immediately upon hearing Jiang Wuming's words.
Jiang Wuming and Su Qiang entered the campus and parted ways. The former went to the training ground to find the statue, while the latter went to the teaching building to report. Although Jiang Wuming was curious about the statue mentioned by the old man, he didn't rush to the training ground immediately. Instead, as he walked, he looked at the academy, which was regarded as a holy place of martial arts by foreign martial artists.
A moment later, Jiang Wuming arrived at the training ground and saw the statue. He was instantly stunned!
Under the scorching sun, the statue was clad in armor, holding a spear in one hand, with a solemn expression, sharp eyes, and a body full of killing intent, like an undefeated god of war, standing proudly between heaven and earth!
Jiang Zhan.
The God of War of the Dragon Country!
...