Ch 191: The Cannon Fodder Won’t Play Along Anymore [QT]

Ji Yun was sharp. After chatting with Mu Xing for a bit, she brought up the hot topic online.

“Do you know, right now at least tens of millions are watching this livestream. The thing everyone’s most concerned about is whether you’re connected to the legendary Instructor Mu from the base.” She winked at him.

The livestream chat exploded, all thanking Ji Yun for asking directly.

Mu Xing answered seriously, “There’s only one Instructor Mu at the base, and that’s me. But I’ve seen the rumors online—maybe that so-called devil instructor isn’t the same person as me.”

【???】
【Wait, seriously? Instructor Mu really is Xingxing?】
【How did this rumor even start? Xingxing doesn’t have the slightest resemblance to the brutal, ruthless, cold-blooded figure people talk about.】
【And we’ve seen him plenty in Agricultural Institute videos—he’s always there working!】
【But Mu Xing admitted it himself!】
【But he also said the rumors were exaggerated…】

Even Ji Yun was shocked. Her media unit had worked with the Agricultural Institute for years, but she wasn’t very familiar with ability users. Before seeing the recent rumors, she had never once linked Mu Xing to the infamous “Instructor Mu.”

She asked hesitantly, “You mean your reputation has just been exaggerated, turned into something demonic?”

Mu Xing thought for a moment, then shook his head. “Not exactly. In the eyes of many awakened who trained at the base, I really might be a devil.”

Ji Yun looked at his fair face and gentle demeanor, and couldn’t help laughing. “You? A devil? I don’t believe it.”

【Me neither】
【Reporter sis just said what I was thinking】
【Young man, you might be misunderstanding yourself】

Ji Yun added, “I bet most of the viewers think the same as me.”

Mu Xing spread his hands helplessly. “If you don’t believe me, I can’t help it. The rumors are exaggerated, sure—but the Instructor Mu they talk about is me.”

Ji Yun asked, “Then why were you called the devil instructor?”

Mu Xing thought, uncertain. “Maybe… because I’m kind of fierce?”

“Pfft!”

He glanced over. Ji Yun was covering her mouth, pretending she hadn’t laughed.

【Hahaha the reporter couldn’t hold it in】
【Honestly, when Xingxing said he was fierce, I laughed too】
【This kid really misunderstands himself】
【I can just imagine a chibi Xingxing saying: I’m super fierce! Don’t believe me? I’ll bite you!】

【Stop, I can see it too clearly now!】

Mu Xing immediately knew what everyone was imagining.

“I’m telling the truth,” he said.

Then he explained, “The capital base has a tradition. Before each batch of awakened leaves, they get one night to ‘interact’ with their instructor. Most of the time, what they want is to fight the instructor.”

Ji Yun was curious. “Like a duel?”

Mu Xing paused. “From the instructor’s perspective, yes, it’s a duel.”

Ji Yun caught the detail. “And from the trainees’ perspective?”

Mu Xing replied, “It’s all the trainees ganging up on the instructor.”

Ji Yun: “…”

Remembering certain scenes, Mu Xing looked sympathetic. “I know some instructors who got wrecked badly. I won’t name names, to save them some dignity.”

“Because of this tradition, most instructors go easy on their trainees during training. Leave a line, or else when graduation comes, you’ll get ‘revenge.’”

Ji Yun laughed. “So you mean most instructors. Some don’t?”

Mu Xing pointed at himself. “Like me.”

Ji Yun was surprised. “Doesn’t show—you seem so mild when we interview you. Even Scholar Zhang always praises you. So in private, you’re actually tough?”

Mu Xing smiled. “It’s not because I’m tough.”

Ji Yun looked puzzled.

Mu Xing said, “I don’t hold back at all. Because even if they all come at me together, they still can’t beat me.”

He showed a smug grin, proud. “Let them gang up on me, and they don’t even dare.”

Ji Yun: “…”

【???】
【I’m dying at that cocky little smile. It’s like his invisible tail is wagging in pride】
【Help, I just switched from girlfriend-fan to mom-fan. My boy looks so smug, kinda bratty, I must protect him】

【Wait, so is this real or not? I’m confused】
【So ability users play like this? It’s just like us messing with drill instructors after military training lol】
【You’re all laughing, but I’ll be real: he’s telling the truth】
【As someone who’s been disciplined by Instructor Mu, I confirm】

【Don’t be fooled by his soft face! On my first day at the base, I saw several people dangling upside down mid-air. Later I learned that was Instructor Mu’s handiwork】
【Wait—are those commenters real ability users, or just making stuff up?】

Then Li Jin suddenly jumped into the chat, spamming compliments: “Instructor Mu is telling the truth! Who would dare team up against him? His plant powers are the strongest I’ve ever seen among all awakened. Once you witness it, you’ll never forget it. Sometimes I even suspect… maybe what he awakened isn’t the same as us at all…”

“But Instructor Mu is actually a good person. Yes, he punishes people, but only the unruly troublemakers. It’s just like a homeroom teacher disciplining disobedient students. When we first called him Devil Instructor, there wasn’t any deeper meaning—it was simply because he was too strong. So strong it was freakish.”

【???】
【Now I’m even more confused after hearing Li Jin.】
【No matter how you look at it, it’s hard to connect Xingxing with the “freakishly strong” man he’s describing.】
【But Li Jin probably wouldn’t lie, so… Xingxing really is a top-tier powerhouse?】
【Gentle and harmless on the outside, but in reality an ultimate powerhouse with absurd combat strength. This is such a stylish setting, I’m in love!】

Ji Yun glanced at the live chat, then asked Mu Xing uncertainly, “Is what he said true?”

She was curious. “You’re that powerful? You’ve never mentioned it before.”

Mu Xing looked puzzled. “Haven’t I always been powerful? Most of the weird things at the Agricultural Institute are made by me using my ability.”

Ji Yun paused, then clarified, “I don’t mean that kind of powerful.”

Mu Xing realized. “Ah, you mean fighting. But what’s the big deal about that? Most of the time I don’t even need to fight. Besides, fighting isn’t nearly as fun as playing with plants.”

【Yes yes yes, everything you say is right!】
【Xingxing, play with plants all you like! No matter what new product the Institute releases, we’ll support it!】
【Even though Mu Xing says it so casually, I still think he’s incredibly strong. Not just in power, but in mindset. Not everyone, after gaining overwhelming strength, can remain so content with a simple life.】
【Foreign organizations: hey, just say our names already!】
【Hahaha, if foreign groups really had Xingxing’s level of power, they’d have declared “unify the earth” ages ago!】
【At first when I saw his face and heard he was the Devil Instructor, I didn’t believe it. But now, a Devil Instructor who loves farming and hates fighting? That matches this face perfectly. I’m okay with it now!】
【Practical face-fan here: I just want a plant-ability boyfriend. Let him make flowers bloom for me every day, rain petals on me—waaah】

…

That night.

In a bar in Fengyang City, Xu Hui drank himself into a drunken stupor.

Two days earlier, the company had released its promotion list—his name wasn’t on it.

He had thought that after Mu Xing resigned due to “ill health,” he could move up.

But even without Mu Xing, the chance didn’t fall to him—it went instead to a diligent colleague in another team.

His mood was already bad. Seeing the livestream today only made it worse.

He admitted it—he was jealous of Mu Xing.

Clearly just a newcomer, not there long, yet quick to pick up the work, with great performance, liked by leaders, liked by colleagues.

Even the girl he secretly liked had shown interest in Mu Xing.

He’d comforted himself that Mu Xing’s poor health would eventually hold him back, no matter how outstanding he was otherwise.

But now he knew: Mu Xing wasn’t sick. He was awakened.

Noise erupted nearby. Irritated, Xu Hui raised his bottle and smashed it toward them. “Shut the hell up!”

The next morning, Mu Xing got a phone call.

It was from Fengyang City. The polite voice said, “Hello, is this Mr. Mu Xing? This is Fengyang First Hospital. We have a patient here who says you’re his friend…”

It was Xu Hui.