45: This recommendation spot is very popular!

Li Dong, alone on his first mission, returned with 330 Merits points in less than a few hours.

This news spread like wildfire, quickly igniting the New Recruit Camp.

330 points! What kind of concept was that?

One had to know that the new recruit squads, who went out in groups, toiled for half a day on the outskirts, and even the most successful ones only harvested a hundred points, while the less fortunate ones only got a few dozen points, which then had to be divided among several people.

Li Dong's efficiency was practically rubbing everyone else's faces in the dirt.

"Did you hear? The guy from Mu Shi County, number C-3, got over 300 points by himself!"

"Really? Is he not a Foundation Establishment Stage - Early Phase? Did he solo the outskirts of Blackwood Forest?"

"More than that! The mission office registered it, he even took down a Body Refining Great Perfection wolf king!"

"Holy cow! A wolf king? Those things are not to be trifled with! How did he do it?"

"Who knows, but the Merits points are real, the Executive at the mission office said so himself, and there was a small pile of Materials."

All sorts of discussions, gazes of envy, jealousy, and hatred, immediately focused on Li Dong.

This feeling was even more intense than when he received the extraordinary rating in Mu Shi County.

After all, this was the Prefecture, a place where Geniuses gathered, and to stand out here, the value was completely different.

The news naturally reached Lin Fan's ears.

At that time, he was resting with Brother Zhao, Brother Sun, and a small group of other Family disciples from the Prefecture at a stone table in a corner of the camp, with spiritual fruits and pastries they had just bought from outside on the table.

Their squad's harvest this time was also quite good, having hunted a black-spotted leopard close to Foundation Establishment Stage - Early Phase, earning nearly 200 Merits points, and they were feeling a bit smug.

"What? 330 points? He did it alone?" When Lin Fan heard the report from his subordinate, the spiritual fruit in his hand was crushed with a "snap," and juice splattered everywhere.

His face instantly became extremely ugly, as if he had swallowed a fly.

That bit of smugness vanished, replaced by disbelief and a surge of offended anger.

How could it be?! A country bumpkin from Mu Shi County, a Foundation Establishment Stage - Early Phase, by what right?! By what right could he be more efficient than us Family disciples, who have been carefully nurtured and piled with resources? This is unreasonable!

Brother Zhao and Brother Sun exchanged glances, both equally stunned.

They had never put Li Dong in their eyes before, thinking he was just a lucky fellow who got a recommendation slot by sheer luck, and would sooner or later be eliminated by cruel reality.

But now, this reality seemed to be a slap in the face.

"Brother Lin, this kid... he's a bit strange," Brother Zhao frowned deeply.

"Hmph! Strange? I think he just got lucky and happened to encounter an injured wolf king!" The young man surnamed Sun said sourly, but his tone clearly lacked confidence.

Lin Fan's face was gloomy, and he said nothing.

Jealousy gnawed at his Heart-Nature like a venomous snake.

He came from the Lin Family of the Prefecture, prided himself as a Genius, and had a smooth sailing life since childhood; how could he ever endure such an insult?

To be utterly crushed in terms of strength (at least in mission efficiency) by a "country bumpkin" in his eyes, this was simply a great humiliation!

This made him feel that his previous disdain and mockery of Li Dong had all turned into a joke.

No, he couldn't swallow this insult!

Just then, Li Dong, having finished his mission, was walking towards the dormitories.

Lin Fan's eyes narrowed, and he suddenly stood up, bringing Brother Zhao and Brother Sun with him, and walked aggressively towards Li Dong, directly blocking his path.

"Li Dong!" Lin Fan's tone was very unfriendly, carrying an accusatory flavor, "You're quite something, kid, getting over 300 Merits points alone. What? You look down on us and don't want to team up with us?"

Li Dong paused, looking at these obviously ill-intentioned guys in front of him, and roughly understood what was going on.

He showed no expression on his face, simply responding calmly: "I'm used to acting alone, no other meaning."

He genuinely thought so; teaming up was troublesome and required considering others, so it wasn't as enjoyable as soloing.

But this indifferent attitude, in Lin Fan's eyes, was naked contempt!

"Used to acting alone? Hmph!" Lin Fan was completely enraged by Li Dong's calmness and no longer pretended, directly tearing off his facade, his voice rising several octaves, drawing the attention of many new recruits around.

"Stop playing innocent with me! Who do you think you are? You're just a good-for-nothing who got lucky and snuck in with a recommendation slot given by who knows who! Do you really think you have some strength now? Let me tell you, in the Prefecture Demon Suppression Division, brute force is useless! Here, it's about background, connections, and true talent and heritage!"

Lin Fan spat, pointing at Li Dong, mocking him to the extreme: "Someone like you, who parachuted in with a broken recommendation slot, doesn't deserve to stand with true Geniuses like us! Don't get complacent too soon, the New Recruit Camp's training and subsequent missions will give you a hard time! I'll make you understand that the Geniuses of the Prefecture are not something a country bumpkin like you can compare to!"

[Villain's Action] has begun.

The surrounding new recruits were in an uproar, not expecting Lin Fan to make such a direct attack and speak such harsh words, even bringing up sensitive topics like "recommendation slots."

Facing Lin Fan's roar and threats, Li Dong still had no significant emotional fluctuations.

Fighting? No interest.

Private duels in the New Recruit Camp would deduct Merits points, and getting angry over such a person was not worth it.

This young master only wants to earn Merits points right now.

He even felt a little like laughing; this guy, wearing so many silk brocades on a hot day, was something on his mind?

Such a big temper.

Li Dong merely glanced at Lin Fan, his tone still calm and unruffled: "Strength isn't about words."

He paused, then added a crucial point: "It's proven by Merits points."

After speaking, he ignored Lin Fan, whose face instantly turned ashen, as if he had been punched in the throat and choked, and walked directly past him.

"You!" Lin Fan trembled with rage, wanting to stop him, but found himself choked by that simple sentence, unable to utter a rebuttal.

Yes, in the New Recruit Camp, rules were rules, and Merits points were the hard truth.

No matter how annoyed he was, Li Dong's 330 Merits points were real, and he, indeed, was inferior.

This was practically tearing off his old face and throwing it on the ground, then stomping on it hundreds of times with shoes that had stepped in dog poop!

Watching Li Dong's retreating back, Lin Fan's fists clenched with a cracking sound.

"Good! Good! Good! Li Dong, you just wait!"

This small commotion quickly spread throughout the New Recruit Camp.

Li Dong's phrase, "Strength is proven by Merits points," unexpectedly resonated with many people, especially some new recruits who also came from ordinary backgrounds or had no connections.

They felt that although Li Dong seemed cold, his words made sense, and his ability to remain so calm in the face of Lin Fan's provocation showed an unusual Heart-Nature.

Some new recruits who had been on the fence now looked at Li Dong with a bit more solemnity and recognition.

At least, this one wasn't a bookworm who only knew how to Cultivate silently, nor was he a soft persimmon that anyone could pinch.

In a corner, those few mysterious new recruits with restrained Auras who had always kept to themselves also glanced over from afar, their gaze lingering on Li Dong for a moment, carrying a hint of imperceptible scrutiny, but quickly returning to their previous indifference.

Li Dong naturally noticed these overt and covert gazes, including those few guys who made him secretly vigilant.

He didn't care about it, only becoming more determined to lie low and develop, oh no, to diligently improve his strength and earn Merits.

Just as he was about to reach his dormitory door, the long-awaited System prompt sounded in his mind.

[Ding! Detected strong hostility from new recruit Lin Fan and his faction, threat Rank: Medium. Please be vigilant, Host.]

[Ding! Analyzing target information... Lin Fan, male, 19 years old, Foundation Establishment Stage - Peak, from the Lin Family of the Prefecture (second-rate Cultivation Family). His Family has a close relationship with a certain Deputy Commander within the Prefecture Demon Suppression Division, suspected to be a key junior cultivated by this faction. This faction is dissatisfied and resistant to the Host's entry into the Prefecture Demon Suppression Division through a special recommendation channel and obtaining an extraordinary rating, as it may have occupied a pre-determined slot for their faction.]

Here it comes!

Li Dong's steps paused slightly.

The System's information came at just the right time.

So that's how it is.

Lin Fan's hostility, as expected, wasn't just due to jealousy or looking down on him as an "outsider"; the deeper reason was factional struggle!

His "extraordinary rating" recommendation slot had taken a slice of someone else's pie!

No wonder Executive Chen made things so difficult for him, no wonder Lin Fan was so eager to jump out and cause trouble.

It turned out that he, this "parachuting soldier," had blocked others' paths as soon as he arrived, becoming a thorn in some people's eyes.

This recommendation slot was indeed a hot potato!

It was both an opportunity and a huge trouble.

The Prefecture Demon Suppression Division's waters were deeper and murkier than he had imagined.

He now understood the meaning of Zhang Wu's words before his departure.

Human hearts are unpredictable; a smile might hide a knife.

Lin Fan didn't even bother with a smile, directly baring his fangs.

However, knowing the reason, Li Dong actually felt relieved.

At least, the enemy was out in the open.

Factional struggle? Dissatisfaction? Rejection?

A barely perceptible curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Then let them come.

Want to kick me out? Want to make me understand the "rules" of the Prefecture?

Alright.

Then I'll use my strength, use Merits points, to slap all your faces until they're swollen!

Li Dong pushed open the door to dormitory C-3 and walked in.

Inside, Brother Qian and the other two roommates were present, and the atmosphere was a bit subtle when they saw Li Dong return.

Brother Qian leaned over, lowering his voice: "Brother Li, you and Lin Fan..."

Li Dong waved his hand, indicating there was no need to say more.

He walked to his bunk, sat down, and began to close his eyes and regulate his breathing, as if nothing had just happened.

But the atmosphere in the dormitory, due to the commotion outside, became even more stagnant and tense.