Chapter 243: Special Operations Personnel Arrive
“Principal, don’t be like this.”
Inside the principal’s office at Qinghui Scientific Research University, a soft, coquettish voice rang out.
There was a trace of refusal mingled with shy compliance, like slender jade fingers scratching lightly at one’s heart, stirring boundless imagination.
If any outsider happened to pass by the principal’s office and heard the waves of bashful sounds drifting from within, they would only quicken their pace and leave in haste.
Because everyone at Qinghui Scientific Research University—both teachers and students—knew one thing: their principal was an old lecher.
As the top research academy in the northern region of the Alliance, the position of principal at Qinghui Scientific Research University was naturally coveted by countless people in secret.
Yet the current principal, Jia Zhengqin, remained firmly seated in his position despite everyone knowing he was an old lecher—naturally, there were reasons.
Although Jia Zhengqin served as principal, he himself possessed the strength of a High-level Phantasmal Tamer.
He had once spent twenty to thirty years on the Western Front where the Alliance fought against the Foreign Races. Due to severe injuries sustained during a mission, his path to advancing to Transcendent Master had been cut off. In the end, he applied for retirement with the rank of Colonel.
Because he was highly valued by the upper echelons of the Alliance military, he had been assigned to Qinghui Scientific Research University in the north after retirement.
Whether in terms of strength, connections, or the meritorious achievements he had rendered to the Alliance, it was extremely difficult for anyone to bring him down.
There was another reason as well—he followed three principles.
First, he never laid a hand on female students of the university, no matter how beautiful they were.
There had once been female students who voluntarily offered themselves. Jia Zhengqin had outwardly displayed the demeanor of a lecher, but after investigating the identity of the student who approached him, he had turned around and deducted an entire semester’s credits for improper conduct.
After such incidents occurred several times, no female student dared to court trouble again.
Second, he never touched teachers or staff members who already had partners. He would absolutely not commit professional misconduct.
Third, he never used force. Instead, he used money and authority to make the other party willingly accept.
Jia Zhengqin’s greatest pleasure was flirting inside the principal’s office. Once the atmosphere was right, he would slowly savor the moment.
Since no one could grasp any concrete evidence against him, critics instead attacked him for “improper conduct,” accusing him of privately hiring women from outside the campus as secretaries and fooling around at school.
Upon hearing such accusations, Jia Zhengqin had directly cursed them.
“I’m not married. I’m a lifelong bachelor. Can’t I find a single woman to be my girlfriend? What, are you discriminating against me because I’m old and think my body doesn’t work anymore?”
After saying that, he would initiate a righteous duel, as if determined to wash away the humiliation cast upon him.
After all, a High-level Phantasmal Tamer who had crawled out from piles of corpses on the Alliance Western Front—aside from Transcendent Beast Tamers, who could confidently claim to be his match?
As for privately hiring a female secretary, that was even less of an issue. Whether in terms of qualifications, merit, personal strength, or his authority as principal, there was nothing technically wrong with what he did.
Instead, those who tried to cause him trouble usually met miserable ends. In time, no one dared to bring up the matter again.
The only issue was that Qinghui Scientific Research University’s principal secretaries changed frequently. Sometimes, the secretary would be replaced in less than a month.
Thus, Jia Zhengqin had earned a resounding nickname at the university: the gentlemanly old lecher.
Rather than being angry about the title given by faculty and students, Jia Zhengqin accepted it with satisfaction.
However, that did not mean he was magnanimous. When the principal’s office door was closed, it was best not to disturb him.
Over a decade ago, a student overflowing with a sense of justice had interrupted his good deed. That student still had not graduated and had been forcibly retained to continue his studies.
At present, that senior—once a student among the many at Qinghui Scientific Research University—had become the most senior counselor on campus.
Judging by the situation, that senior might very well grow old and die at Qinghui Scientific Research University.
Although Jia Zhengqin was already in his seventies or eighties, given the lifespan of a High-level Phantasmal Tamer, living another forty or fifty years posed no problem.
“Knock, knock…”
A crisp knocking sound rang out, interrupting the bashful sounds from behind the door. Immediately, a woman’s startled cry could be heard.
A moment later, a voice finally came from inside the office.
“Enter.”
The voice seemed to sweep in from the depths of the Nine Netherworld, sending a chill down one’s spine.
If the visitor failed to provide a reason that satisfied Jia Zhengqin, the best possible outcome would be ending themselves ahead of time.
“Principal, someone from Alliance Headquarters is here to see you.”
The one who spoke was the somewhat balding Director of Academic Affairs, Liu Zhishan. He opened the door slightly and, after seeing Principal Secretary Xiao Liu already dressed and standing to one side, fully pushed the door open.
Behind Liu Zhishan stood a man and a woman.
The man appeared to be in his thirties. Although he wore a full beard, it was neatly groomed. Combined with his resolute expression, he exuded a certain masculine charm.
The woman wore her hair in a high ponytail. Without excessive makeup, she radiated a sharp and capable aura.
Seated in his office chair, Jia Zhengqin instantly caught the military temperament emanating from the two.
“Xiao Liu, you may leave first.”
Though already over eighty years old, Jia Zhengqin bore no sign of frailty. His appearance resembled that of a middle-aged uncle. In a deeply magnetic voice, he dismissed his secretary.
“Understood.”
Xiao Liu, dressed formally with a faint blush still on her face, responded promptly.
Standing by the office door, Liu Zhishan watched as the principal’s secretary passed by him. The lingering fragrance she left behind filled him with immense envy toward his principal.
The secretary wore a formal uniform without excessive exposure. She looked young and proper, yet there was a subtle charm hidden between her brows.
Where had the principal found such contrast?
As this thought surfaced in Liu Zhishan’s mind, his envy deepened.
Unfortunately, he knew he would never enjoy such treatment in his lifetime.
After all, thinking of the yellow-faced wife at home, a married man like him could never openly indulge in such affairs.
Though distracting thoughts arose one after another, Liu Zhishan did not forget the matter at hand.
He led the personnel sent by Alliance Headquarters into the office and explained their purpose.
“Principal, these are Special Operations personnel from the Alliance Headquarters Security Bureau. They’re here to inquire about information regarding Zhou Ming.”
“Zhou Ming?”
Jia Zhengqin searched his memory for a long time but failed to recall anyone within the school worth his attention by that name. Could there be a talent he had somehow overlooked?
“Academician Lei Yuan’s boyfriend.”
The bearded man from the Security Bureau suddenly spoke up to remind him.
“Lei Yuan? Her boyfriend?”
Naturally, Jia Zhengqin could not forget Lei Yuan. She was the most outstanding student he had cultivated since assuming the position of principal at Qinghui Scientific Research University.
With that achievement alone, his position as principal was as stable as Mount Tai.
What surprised him slightly was that she had still maintained her relationship with Zhou Ming. Originally, he had thought that after Lei Yuan entered the Academy of Sciences, the two would drift apart like most people did. That had also been the reason he had stripped Zhou Ming of his auditing student status back then.
Since Special Operations personnel from the Security Bureau had come to inquire, Jia Zhengqin could only recount everything he knew.