18: Chapter 18 Compensation

Sitting below Elder Song was the 95th-rank healing-type Life Douluo, Zhuang Yusen—Elder Zhuang. Clad in a simple green robe with a full head of white hair, he possessed a benevolent expression.

Sensing Elder Mu En's gaze, Elder Zhuang smiled and nodded in agreement.

Yet at that exact moment, Principal Yan Shaozhe lived up to his reputation as an iron rooster. Enduring Elder Mu En's gaze, he pressed on and said, "Teacher, can we discretionarily cut down on this portion?"

"After all, Teacher Zhou Yi has taught for so many years, and the number of students she has expelled or punished is simply too high. If we were to compensate all of them one by one, the resources expended would be immense!"

Elder Mu En looked at his eldest Disciple, sighed, and said with poorly concealed disappointment in his eyes, "Sigh! Oh, Shaozhe!"

"Do not just fixate on these trivial immediate gains. You must understand that the essence of what Teacher Zhou Yi and the others are doing is actually digging up Shrek's Foundations!"

"The students who can step foot into Shrek are either uniquely talented with outstanding potential, or come from extraordinary family backgrounds with deep Foundations. How could these people not harbor resentment after being expelled and threatened for no reason?"

"As this goes on, countless grievances will pile up layer upon layer, accumulating over time. Have you ever considered what the consequences will be?"

"After all, when it comes down to it, Shrek is ultimately just an academy."

Although Elder Mu En had made his words clear enough, how many of those present truly took them to heart?

Looking at the nonchalant expressions on everyone's faces, even Elder Mu En felt a deep sense of powerlessness welling up inside him.

He knew very well that these people did not truly fail to understand the stakes involved; they were simply drowning in the supreme glory of Shrek's ten-thousand-year heritage and simply did not care!

In their view, students who could be expelled inherently represented those who failed to meet Shrek's standard for "monsters".

Since they were not "monsters", they could only be mediocre people.

How could a group of mediocre people possibly shake Shrek's ten-thousand-year Foundation?!!

"So be it! Sigh!"

Elder Mu En let out another soft sigh, his expression suddenly turning stern as his tone grew firm, "The matter of compensation must be implemented; there is no room for negotiation!"

Seeing Elder Mu En fly into a rage, Principal Yan Shaozhe dared not openly object anymore. However, he immediately pointed the spearhead toward the Soul Tool Department, speaking up:

"Teacher, this batch of resources required for compensation shouldn't be borne solely by the Martial Soul Department. As a core member of the Soul Tool Department, Teacher Fan Yu is equally culpable, so the Soul Tool Department should bear at least half of it."

Elder Mu En slowly stood up, walking toward the door as he calmly spoke, "Very well. Discuss the specific sharing ratio amongst yourselves. I am a bit tired, so I will be heading back first."

When Elder Mu En reached the doorway, he suddenly paused, turned his head, and said, "But no matter how you divide it, not a single cent of the compensation for the victimized students can be missing!"

At that moment, the warm sunlight slanted through the half-open door, falling precisely upon Elder Mu En's aged profile. It split his face in two: half bathed in light, half concealed in shadow.

Much like his current anxieties regarding Shrek's future, with the road ahead stretching endlessly, would the light prevail or would darkness take the upper hand?

Even he was not certain!

...

By early evening, Lin Yan was called over by Principal Yan Shaozhe once again.

How should he put it?

Seeing Principal Yan Shaozhe again this time, Lin Yan felt that his attitude toward him had undergone some changes once more.

It felt like he valued him more?

Even with a hint of attentiveness mixed into that value?!!

Something was not right!

Could a Super Douluo like Principal Yan Shaozhe be attentive to a mere Spirit Elder like him?

Even if his talent was truly "a bit" more exceptional than others, Principal Yan Shaozhe shouldn't have had this kind of attitude.

In just this short half-day, could something else he didn't know about have happened?

Or perhaps this fellow Principal Yan Shaozhe was plotting something else regarding him?

Although he harbored vigilance in his heart toward Principal Yan Shaozhe's slightly abnormal attitude, Lin Yan's face remained calm and unruffled, showing not the slightest hint of anomaly.

"Little Lin, regarding the previous matter, the academy has thoroughly investigated it. Teacher Zhou Yi is indeed entirely in the wrong for the whole affair."

"At the same time, the academy has also finalized the resolution regarding her punishment."

"So fast!"

Lin Yan was slightly surprised. He originally thought this matter would be delayed for at least a few days before a conclusion was reached.

"Naturally, the academy has always attached high importance to the vicious acts of bullying and persecuting students, so after the incident occurred, we launched a thorough investigation at the very first moment."

Watching Principal Yan Shaozhe, who wore a righteous and lofty expression as if he had even deceived himself, Lin Yan simply regarded him as talking nonsense.

What Shrek looked like nowadays, how could he possibly not know?

Had his own potential and value not been sufficiently astonishing, how could Shrek possibly have been so easy to talk to?

On this point, those students who were once arbitrarily expelled by Teacher Zhou Yi and left filled with resentment had the most say.

Without exposing Principal Yan Shaozhe's self-glorifying behavior, Lin Yan smoothly followed up by asking, "Then what is the academy's final disciplinary decision?"

"Teacher Zhou Yi is directly stripped of her position, expelled from the roster, and will never be hired again."

"Her husband, Teacher Fan Yu, committed the offense of shielding and condoning her, as well as dereliction of supervision. He has likewise been stripped of all positions, but the academy has discretionarily given him a chance to redeem himself through meritorious service."

"At the same time, Little Lin, you can rest assured that the academy has explicitly forbidden Teacher Zhou Yi from stepping half a step outside of Shrek from now on. Furthermore, both husband and wife will be monitored by designated personnel going forward, and they will absolutely never threaten your safety again!"

Huh?!!

This time Lin Yan was genuinely a bit surprised. Shrek expelling Teacher Zhou Yi to appease and win him over was within expectations, but even Teacher Fan Yu receiving a heavy punishment caught him somewhat off guard.

Teacher Fan Yu was one of Shrek's only two level-8 Soul Engineers, and moreover a powerhouse at the Spirit Douluo rank. Yet now, merely because of such "trivial matters" as shielding and dereliction of supervision, he had been directly stripped of everything all at once.

It seemed it truly wasn't his illusion. Although he didn't know what had specifically happened, Shrek's level of regard for him had indeed risen once again.

Otherwise, to win him over, Teacher Fan Yu being demoted by a few ranks might have been possible, but they would never have been so merciless.

After all, no matter what, Douluo Continent was still a Xuanhuan World where "personal might reigned supreme". In such a World, the strong always possessed privileges. Besides, regardless of the future, Lin Yan was currently only a Spirit Elder.

As for saying they should cripple Teacher Zhou Yi or even kill her directly?

That was impossible; from start to finish, Lin Yan knew it was impossible.

Because the act of abusing power and expelling students was never something only Teacher Zhou Yi had been doing. The people and profit chains implicated behind this matter were intricate, intertwined, and far too vast.

You must know that most of the students who could come to Shrek were either wealthy or noble. If those teachers who wielded the direct power to expel were to say something like:

"Madam, you wouldn't want your son (or daughter) to be expelled, would you?"

Tell me, under the condition that Shrek turned a blind eye, how many parents could withstand the threat without compromising?

Therefore, given the "long history" and numerous entanglements, directly crippling or executing Teacher Zhou Yi was unrealistic.

Because if they were to hound Teacher Zhou Yi to a dead end today, it would be equivalent to setting a precedent for liquidation. Those of Teacher Zhou Yi's "accomplices" who had done the same things in the past, fearing that the butcher's knife would fall upon their own heads in the future, would inevitably obstruct it with all their might.

Hence, for the sake of the academy's stability, this matter could only end here!

While Lin Yan was pondering inwardly, Principal Yan Shaozhe mistakenly thought that he was still dissatisfied with the disciplinary result, and hurriedly added, "Little Lin, not only that, the academy has resolved to completely retract the outer courtyard teachers' power to directly expel students, preventing such incidents from happening again in the future."

"At the same time, for all those students who were suppressed and persecuted by Teacher Zhou Yi in the past, the academy will also provide a certain amount of compensation as restitution."

Hearing this, Lin Yan instantly understood. These must have been Elder Mu En's decisions—throughout the entire academy, probably only Elder Mu En possessed this foresight and boldness.

Although Lin Yan was indeed quite satisfied with Shrek's resolution this time.

However, where was his compensation?

Why did this Principal Yan Shaozhe only pick the "unimportant" things to talk about, while staying completely silent about his own compensation matter?!!