12: Chapter 12 Academician Arrives with Gun to Bail Him Out: Who Dares to Touch Mr. Jiang!

The scent of gunpowder had not yet dissipated when two figures strode into the chaotic principal's office.

Walking on the left was a middle-aged man in military uniform. The three gold stars on his shoulders shone brilliantly in the sunlight; he was the highest Commander of the Southeast Theater Command, General Qin Weiguo. His face, weathered by years of hardship, was etched with sternness, and his gaze was colder than the barrel of the gun in his hand.

The old man on the right was even more outrageous.

Dean Zhong Guodong of the Longke Academy was a national treasure-level scientist whom even top officials treated with deference. At this moment, however, the old man wasn't just standing by; he was brandishing a pistol he had likely swiped from somewhere. Although his grip on the weapon was atrocious, the fierce determination in his eyes—as if to say, "I'll shoot anyone who touches my treasure"—completely overshadowed the surrounding special forces soldiers.

Principal Zhou Weimin's brain completely shut down in that instant.

Of course, he recognized these two. One was a big shot who frequently appeared on the national news, and the other was a titan of the academic world—true deities whom someone of his level would have to wait half a year just to get a glimpse of.

"Commander Qin? Dean Zhong?"

Principal Zhou Weimin's legs went weak, and he slid down the desk to the floor. The arrogance he had displayed a moment ago instantly turned into cold sweat that soaked his back. "You... how did you two come here? Is this a drill? Why didn't you notify me in advance so I could..."

"A drill?"

General Qin Weiguo sneered, strode to the desk, and kicked the trembling solid wood chair, sending it flying three meters away.

"Who the hell is drilling with you! I'm here to save a life!"

He pointed at Principal Zhou Weimin's nose, spraying him with spit. "Principal Zhou Weimin, you've got some nerve! You dare to expel Jiang Chen? Do you have any idea who he is? He is the future of the Dragon Kingdom! He is a goddamn national treasure!"

"If he suffers any grievance today because of your stupidity, or even loses a single hair, believe me, I will tear down this lousy school right now and send you to a military tribunal!"

Principal Zhou Weimin was trembling so violently that his teeth chattered. "I... I didn't know... He's just a student in debt..."

"Shut up!"

General Qin Weiguo roared. "Debt? How much? I'll cover a billion right now! Do you need to be a busybody here?"

Just as General Qin was venting his fury, Dean Zhong Guodong had already discarded the pistol—which hadn't even had its safety disengaged—and rushed to Jiang Chen in two or three steps. His movements were so agile that he didn't look like a seventy-year-old man at all.

"Little Jiang! Mr. Jiang!"

Dean Zhong grabbed Jiang Chen's hand and looked him up and down. His eyes were as anxious as if he were looking at his own grandson just out of an incubator. "How are you? Are you hurt? Did these bastards lay a hand on you? Let me see!"

Jiang Chen was a bit unaccustomed to this sudden display of warmth. He tried to pull his hand away but couldn't.

"Dean Zhong, I'm fine."

Jiang Chen smiled helplessly. "I just had a cup of tea and listened to a lecture, that's all."

"A lecture? He's not worthy!"

Dean Zhong's beard trembled with rage. He turned to look at Principal Zhou Weimin, who was slumped on the floor, his eyes instantly turning ice-cold. "Principal Zhou Weimin, you consider yourself an educated man; was your brain kicked by a donkey? A genius like Mr. Jiang, and you don't treat him with the utmost care, but instead want to expel him? You've disgraced the entire education sector of the Dragon Kingdom!"

Wang Kai, cowering in the corner, was scared out of his wits. Where had he ever seen such a spectacle? Real, live-ammo special forces, and these two big shots who could make Tianhai City tremble with a single step. He desperately tried to shrink into the corner, wishing he could merge with the pile of broken glass, muttering to himself, "Don't see me... don't see me..."

Unfortunately, who was General Qin Weiguo? He was a former scout; his eyes were sharper than an eagle's.

"Who is that?"

General Qin Weiguo squinted, pointing at Wang Kai in the corner. "Is he also a school leader?"

Jiang Chen glanced at the shivering figure and calmly added a final blow: "Oh, that's Young Master Wang, the school board member's son. It was him who said he wanted to kick me, this 'rat dropping,' out, and told me to go back to moving bricks to pay off my debt."

"Moving bricks?"

General Qin Weiguo chuckled, a laugh born of extreme anger. "Alright, since this young master likes moving bricks so much, let's fulfill his wish. Guard!"

"Here!"

"Take this brat away! Send him to the Northwest Base's construction corps and let him move as many bricks as he wants! When he finishes moving all the bricks over there, that's when he can come back!"

"Yes!"

Two fierce special forces soldiers stepped forward immediately and hauled Wang Kai up like a dead dog.

"No! I'm not going! Dad, save me! Uncle Zhou, save me!"

Wang Kai was so scared he lost control of his bladder on the spot, and a foul, pungent odor filled the office. He struggled, wailing for his parents, "I was wrong! Jiang Chen... no, Grandpa Jiang! I was wrong! Please spare me!"

"Plug his mouth and drag him away." General Qin Weiguo waved his hand in disgust.

The world was finally quiet.

Principal Zhou Weimin watched this scene, feeling utterly hopeless. He knew his career was over, and he might even end up in prison for a few years.

After dealing with the small fry, the gazes of General Qin Weiguo and Dean Zhong Guodong focused back on Jiang Chen. Their expressions were eager, respectful, and even carried a hint of fawning.

"Mr. Jiang," General Qin Weiguo rubbed his calloused hands together, his tone becoming extremely gentle. "It's too chaotic here, and the air isn't good. How about we go somewhere else to talk?"

Jiang Chen nodded and stood up. He glanced at the school where he had stayed for three years and suddenly felt a sense of indifference. He used to think getting a diploma was important, but now it seemed his perspective had been too small.

"Dean Zhong, General Qin."

Jiang Chen brushed the dust off his body, his tone calm. "Actually, Principal Zhou Weimin was right earlier. I've skipped too many classes, so it's really not suitable for me to stay in school. I'm quitting."

As soon as these words were spoken, Principal Zhou Weimin's eyes nearly popped out. Ancestor! I'm already in this state, and you still want to drop out? Isn't this going to be the death of me?

"Don't, Mr. Jiang!" Principal Zhou Weimin, with a miserable face, tried to crawl over to hug his leg. "Please don't drop out! I'll guarantee your admission to a master's program! A direct Ph.D.! You can study however you want! You don't even have to attend classes!"

"Get lost!"

Dean Zhong kicked Principal Zhou Weimin away and then turned to look at Jiang Chen, his eyes shining like two large light bulbs. "Not going to school is good! Not going to school is great!"

Dean Zhong slapped his thigh in excitement. "What's the point of attending this lousy school? It's just a waste of your talent! Those professors don't know a damn thing about a Lithography Machine! Teach you? They aren't even fit to carry your shoes!"

He tightly gripped Jiang Chen's hand, his tone sincere to the point of begging: "Mr. Jiang, come to the Longke Academy! I'll clear out an independent laboratory for you! No, I'll build you a research institute! You can research whatever you want, wake up whenever you want! The funding will have no cap, and you can pick your own personnel!"

"Even if you just want to play games in the laboratory every day, I'll equip you with the best graphics card! As long as you're happy!"

Jiang Chen was stunned for a moment. This treatment... it sounded a bit familiar. Isn't this the NEET lifestyle he had always dreamed of? Moreover, with the state's backing, it would be easier to explain any future black technology he brought back from the Wasteland.

"Alright."

Jiang Chen nodded readily. "Then I'll trouble you to arrange it, Dean Zhong. But I have one condition: I'm a lazy person, I don't like being managed, and I don't like attending meetings or writing reports."

"No problem! Absolutely no problem!"

Dean Zhong smiled so widely that the wrinkles on his face bloomed like flowers. "Who would dare to manage you? In the future at the Longke Academy, apart from me and Old Qin, if anyone speaks loudly to you, you can just slap them!"

With the main business settled, the atmosphere instantly became harmonious. At this moment, General Qin Weiguo, who had been holding back, could finally no longer contain himself. He rubbed his hands, his eyes darting toward Jiang Chen's worn-out backpack, looking like a child who wanted to see a new toy but was too embarrassed to ask.

"Um... Mr. Jiang."

General Qin Weiguo swallowed his saliva, lowering his voice a few notches as if afraid of disturbing something. "I heard... besides those few drawings from Academician Sun, in your bag... you have the complete set?"

Jiang Chen looked at this iron-blooded general's cautious appearance and couldn't help but laugh. He reached out, unzipped the bag, pulled out the silver-white liquid metal USB drive, and shook it in his hand. "The blueprints are all here."

At this moment, the breathing of General Qin Weiguo and Dean Zhong Guodong simultaneously stopped. Dozens of gazes, including the peripheral vision of the special forces soldiers at the door, were all firmly fixed on that small USB drive. That was no USB drive. That was the backbone of the Dragon Kingdom! It was the thruster that would make the Eastern Dragon soar!

General Qin Weiguo took a deep breath, snapped to attention, and gave Jiang Chen the most standard military salute of his life. "Attention, everyone!" "Form Level 1 combat formation!" "Escort Mr. Jiang and the national treasure... home!"

Jiang Chen casually handed the USB drive to Dean Zhong, then stuffed his hands into his pockets and, surrounded by a group of fully armed special forces, strode out of the office that had been filled with farce.

Passing by the door, he stopped, looked back at Principal Zhou Weimin who was still slumped on the floor, and calmly left behind one sentence: "Principal Zhou Weimin, don't easily say that the road has narrowed in the future." "Sometimes, the road is wide enough to drive a tank."