News that MCMAU was raising funds from its alumni had sparked a huge reaction.
News that CEO Zhang of the Jade Bow Corporation had added on another 100 million after his first donation of 12 million had also spread like wildfire.
Initially, CEO Zhang had only promised to add on another 50 million.
When the news was out, though, 50 million became 100 million. The affected party showed no hesitation, not even to clarify with MCMAU if they had circulated the wrong figure by mistake.
All these people were smart; they certainly were nobody’s fool.
In the Martial Arts Society, more than ten Rank-2 and 3 martial artists had been informed that they need not participate in the championships nor operate martial arts dojos anymore. They were to prepare themselves in the upcoming days to go into the Catacombs to carry out missions individually with no instructors to safeguard them. This was compulsory!
Anyone with eyes to see understood MCMAU’s motive—or rather, Fang Ping’s motive.
...
Vice-chancellor’s office.
Although Grandmasters Wu Kuishan and Huang Jing both had a lot going on, they still made time to meet together.
Fang Ping stood before then, straight-backed.
“Vice-chancellor, dean, fundraising this time has been a tremendous success. There are altogether 1668 graduate students from all social circles who have shown the greatest support.
“After adding everything up, we have already collected 3.680 billion so far...”
Huang Jing sighed softly, saying, “I was in full support previously when you sent people out to raise funds. But later on when you...already plenty of graduate students and universities are giving us feedback. Fang Ping, forcing certain people to enter the Catacombs is not something that conforms to the rules...”
“Rules?”
Fang Ping chuckled, “When in MCMAU, MCMAU sets the rules! We’re constantly saying that the situation in the Catacombs is intensifying. If others can enter the Catacombs, why can’t they?”
Huang Jing shook his head once more but said nothing.
Wu Kuishan did not continue with this topic. Instead, he asked solemnly, “You want to expand the MCMAU pill and weapons production scale?”
“Yes, there are altogether 6580 students currently enrolled in MCMAU. Among them are nearly 2000 aspiring martial artists, almost 4000 Rank-1 martial artists, and more than 500 Rank-2 martial artists.
“If we calculate using the most basic criteria, aspiring martial artists will consume a Normal Vitality Pill monthly to fulfill the most basic cultivation requirement.
“Rank-1 martial artists will consume a Rank-1 Vitality Pill monthly at the very least to meet the lowest possible criteria.
“In other words, every month, MCMAU needs to produce 2000 Normal Vitality Pills, 4000 Rank-1 pills, and more than 500 Rank-2 pills to meet the university’s demands.
“In reality, this is far from sufficient!”
Fang Ping shook his head and continued, “Why are MCMAU students progressing quickly? Pills are the only way to speed up cultivation in the three lower ranks. They can’t absorb energy particles on their own and are unable to convert energy into Vitality. Therefore, pills have become a necessity.
“From what I can see, for maximum efficiency and results, everyone should take a pill of the same rank as a supplement once every 10 days. This will ensure no wastage, and that absorption is complete.
“This means that MCMAU needs to supply the students with 6000 Normal Vitality Pills, 12000 Rank-1 Vitality Pills, and 2000 Rank-2 Vitality Pills monthly for it to be sufficient.”
Both Vice-chancellors were already stressed out by this point.
What
was the significance of this?
Retail prices outside the university were 100 thousand, 300 thousand and 700 thousand for Normal Vitality Pills, Rank-1 pills, and Rank-2 pills respectively.
Of course, this was the retail price for the public.
If calculations were based on this price, then MCMAU needed to supply 5.6 billion worth of pills monthly. This was actually far from enough. There were still Rank-3 and 4 martial artists and instructors who needed to cultivate.
Those in the middle ranks did not actually use that many pills. At this stage, Vitality pills were no longer the main goal for middle-rank martial artists.
The Vitality limit for Rank-4 martial artists could reach up to 2000cal.
The Vitality limit for Rank-5 martial artists was at least 4000cal.
At Rank-6, the Vitality limit would be even higher, up to tens of thousands.
At this time, insufficient Vitality was no longer a consideration. When powerhouses fought, their speed was blinding. It was almost impossible to deplete one’s vitality completely; one might kill others or be killed instead.
Nobody would waste any Vitality on an opponent at that point unless said opponent was evenly-matched with them, or an equal in a fight.
Apart from Vitality Pills, there were also Viscera-shielding Pills, Bone-honing Pills, and so on.
Based on what Fang Ping was requesting, MCMAU needed to supply the university with more than 8 billion worth of pills, at least, with the annual supply sitting at a staggering cost of hundreds of billions.
Both Grandmasters had strong Mentalities and quick, sharp minds. Wu Kuishan said, “So you’re saying that every year, MCMAU needs to produce pills that are hundreds of billions at market price, but more than 30 billion at cost.
“You need to be aware that the university has actually been subsidizing the Rank-1 and 2 martial artists for their missions or any other rewards that they get.
“When they complete their missions, they actually contribute nothing to the university.
Rank-1 and 2 martial artists who carry out missions on the surface world can pursue certain law-breaking martial artists and kill a few cult martial artists.
However, these activities do not generate profit.”
The university actually subsidized a major part of the rewards for these missions, including credit rewards. Departments like the Military Department did not really supply much at all.
As for the seized goods, they belonged to the students.
Even if calculations were based on cost price, MCMAU still needed to subsidize more than 30 billion a year for these martial artists.
That is, of course, provided that MCMAU’s campus production line expansion was approved.
Wu Kuishan continued, “Don’t forget weapons as well. When combined with the pills, we need to subsidize at least 40 billion every year or it won’t be sufficient.
“The profits that the students make for the university...are really low. After all, there are so few Rank-3 and 4 martial artists.
“Not only that, but the university’s annual expenses are staggering as well.
“This includes operating costs for the university, the instructors’ wages, financial support for those who sacrificed their lives, and the support for the families of certain deceased instructors and students who have sacrificed themselves.
“Taken together, every year, our expenses go into tens of billions!
“This has yet to include expenses for things like the Vitality Pool and the Energy Room. There’s also the repair and maintenance for the Pressure Room. The amount for these things alone is sky-high.
“For high-ranked martial artists like us, our wages are actually not paid by the university. We’re paid separately by the government instead.
“However, middle-ranked instructors, as well as certain Rank-5 and 6 instructors are paid extremely well.”
Wu Kuishan shook his head as he finished speaking and resumed, “Based on what you’re saying, the university’s yearly expenses will be at least 60 billion. If this continues, the university may have to close down soon.”
Fang Ping chuckled at this. “That’s not very likely, Vice-chancellor. How much funding does the government allocate to MCMAU every year?”
“The government allocates as much as 300 billion annually to martial arts universities.”
Wu Kuishan quoted a staggering figure!
The funds allocated yearly by the government for martial arts universities were actually as high as hundreds of billions.
One had to be aware that there were not so many students in martial arts universities. Only after continuous recruitment for the past two years had the number of students risen in all 99 martial arts universities nationwide. The current number of existing students in all four recruitment batches stood at 120 thousand, or slightly higher.
Of course, this number did not include the instructors. If they were counted as well, perhaps the figures would exceed 150 thousand.
After being divided up and shared, 2 million per capita did not seem like much. After all, martial artists were big spenders.
Wu Kuishan continued, “Because MCMAU has many students with strong abilities and the university has many heavy expenses, our allocated funding is second after CCMAU. Every year, we receive roughly between 25 billion to 28 billion.
“As for MCMAU’s dividends for the pill and weapons companies...previously that’s all been used as exchange for pills and weapons. Our own production scale isn’t big. Actually, we don’t profit from the pill and weapons companies.
“Some other industries, like the martial arts dojos, are all meager in terms of earnings. Over the course of a year, MCMAU earns about 30 billion in profit.
“As for expenses during previous years, they’ve been at roughly the same amount. As a result, MCMAU just about scrapes by.
“If we do as you propose, the shortfall of money would be too great!”
Fang Ping frowned. “Our shares in the pill and weapons companies can only be exchanged for that measly bit of pills and weapons?”
Huang Jing explained, “Let’s put it this way. According to the market price, we’re currently subsidizing the university with 40 billion worth of pills and weapons every year. The university supplies half while the two big companies supply the other half...”
“You’re talking about market price, so that means that they supply 20 billion worth of pills and weapons at market price. The cost price is only about 5-6 billion. These are the dividends and profits that we’re getting from the two big companies every year?”
Huang Jing nodded very slightly. When he saw that Fang Ping was unsatisfied, he could not help but chuckle. “Boy, do you really think that we’re running the two big companies? For them to be able to give this much is actually pretty good already.
“Your current intention is to set up a campus production line that can bring hundreds of billions worth of annual sales. This means that you’ll be expanding the scale five
-fold!
“In order to achieve this, it also means that everything MCMAU gains, including whatever the instructors get, must be handed over to the university.
“Hundreds of billions of sales signify that at least 20 billion worth of raw materials need to be handed over. Actually, this is roughly how much the university is currently making every year.
“If you do this, the pill and weapons companies will definitely disagree. They certainly won’t give us any more shares, if you know what I mean.”
The few major companies gave MCMAU shares and dividends because almost all MCMAU students and instructors would supply them with what they had gained in the Catacombs.
If MCMAU no longer supplied these companies with raw materials, why should they give MCMAU any shares?
Instead, Fang Ping shook his head. “Dean, that’s not how it’s calculated. When we increase the scale of our production line, the students’ abilities will grow stronger and our gains will increase as well. Given how conditions are worsening currently, maybe even Rank-2 martial artists will need to go into the Catacombs in the future.
“If that happens, our gains will also be boosted.
“If we can double our ability, then we’ll be self-sufficient. We could even supply an equal amount of raw materials to the few major companies.
“There really isn’t a conflict, if you look at it like that.”
Wu Kuishan asked very seriously, “So you insist on expanding the campus production line?”
“No, it’s MCMAU that’s insisting on doing this,” Fang Ping returned calmly, “Everything I’m doing is for MCMAU. I don’t really lack these things myself—I’m not short of money or cultivation pills, and my cultivation speed is really quick as well.
“I’m not an MCMAU Vice-chancellor, only a Rank-4 martial artist. Everything I’m doing today is for the university, for my friends, and the instructors.
“I don’t wish to see anyone sent into the Catacombs to die in vain all because of their lack of ability.
“Both of you have just taken over as Vice-chancellors. Given the old Vice-chancellor sacrificed his life in the Catacombs, this is the perfect time for MCMAU to deal with all these neglected issues.
“If we don’t fight for these things now, then when should we fight for them?
“Must we wait until one day, when the Vice-chancellor or the dean has also traveled into the Catacombs and perished in battle before pleading for a reform?”
Wu Kuishan drummed his fingers on the table softly. After a while, he said slowly, “The government might not approve...”
Huang Jing finished his sentence. “And the big companies might cause trouble.”
Fang Ping looked furious. “Then send them into the Catacombs to fight themselves, better still, let them die! You always tell us students that martial artists shouldn’t be afraid of battle, we must fight!
“Yet, right now, even our cultivation is an issue. Why should we go into battle?
“We claim to be martial artists; we claim to be the privileged class. Actually, we’re just a pathetic gaggle of people who are on the brink of death!
“What do we have to be afraid of if we’re not even afraid of dying?
“What do the big companies take us for? Free labor? Patsies exchanging our lives for a few paltry resources which aren’t even sufficient to sustain our cultivation?
“Is this our reason for our dying in battle?
“Forget about protecting mankind, we can’t even protect ourselves. Who will protect us?
“Don’t we all have our own families and loved ones?
“If these big companies treat us like ants today, then we’ll make them our enemies! We’re not asking for anything more than to keep our own resources. Is it a crime to hand over what we’ve gained to the university?
“When faced with the enemy, martial artists like us at the bottom of the food chain will be the first ones to die. At least when Grandmasters perish in battle, they are killed by peripheral forces!
“If there are no reforms now, then don’t blame us for not fighting for mankind in the future!”
As soon as Fang Ping finished speaking, both High Grandmasters roared in unison, “What nonsense is this!”
Fang Ping let out a muffled snort. “Nonsense maybe, but I’m speaking from my heart. Martial artists put their lives on the line, yet they don’t even receive resources that can assist them in cultivation. Why should that be? The pill and weapons companies have earned so much money. So where’s the money?
“Or perhaps it’s not money. We’ve supplied them with so many resources. They should at least supply us with three times more pills and weapons from what they’ve produced.
“Where have the remaining 60% of pills and weapons gone?”
“Part of it has been distributed to ordinary society...”
Huang Jing began.
Fang Ping cut Huang Jing off, “Not that much of it.”
Huang Jing stared at him. After a while, he asked, “Boy, did you add these figures up all on your own, or are you just spouting them without any basis in facts?”
“This is very basic statistics. I’ve asked a few seniors who are having their internship in the pill and weapons companies as well as some of the people working with the Military Department. Goods seized from the Catacombs are double the amount of cultivation resources supplied to us currently, perhaps even more!”
“The Military Department has hoarded a portion of it as well. They don’t always acquire something whenever they go into battle. They mostly defend the city.
“There’s still a surplus!”
Huang Jing and Wu Kuishan exchanged glances, unsure whether to laugh or to cry. After a while, Huang Jing said, “You’re really good at numbers. This is an open secret, really. The central government has even trained martial artist military teams, but that’s classified under the reserves.
“Do you think that every time a new Catacombs entrance opens, those military martial artists come after being transferred from other places?
“You should be familiar with this too. If you can figure out the surplus in pills and weapons, can’t you figure out how many martial artists are needed to be stationed at new entrances that appear once every few years?”
Wu Kuishan added, “The mission of all four Houses of Guardians is to guard and train the reserve teams. Of course, if you go into a bit deeper, you can see it as a means of checks and balances.
“I’m sure you’re aware that humans are unpredictable. The Military Department is very powerful. It is understandable why the central government has divided the martial artists’ powers into a few major systems.”
Fang Ping exhaled, saying, “I understand now. I know that for people like us, what we see isn’t always the full picture. No matter what though, it is imperative to expand the campus production line in MCMAU. What do you both think, Vice-chancellor and dean?
“I’m only a Rank-4 martial artist. I’m not qualified to go and negotiate. If both of you do not support this either, then consider that I never brought up this matter at all.
“Why does a mere small-fry Rank-4 martial artist matter? Whether I am involved or not is of little importance.
“At worst, a few more people will be buried at the southern cemetery, and a few more student cremains will be sent back. I think my chances of becoming cremains aren’t that high. I have no reason to care about the dead and injured!”
Huang Jing looked as if he had a headache. He sighed softly, “There’s no need to vent your frustrations. We understand what you’re saying. The main point is...Rank-7s and 8s...might not have the authority to speak.”
There were more than 30 Rank-9 powerhouses in Sino Nation. Although MCMAU was not weak, it lacked strategic powers like this.
“Guardian Wu, one of the guardians from the south, is from MCMAU. He’s Rank-9.”
“He’s a guardian.”
“He’s also a member of MCMAU. The old Vice-chancellor raised him like his own. He became a High Grandmaster and refused to acknowledge us after the old Vice-chancellor perished in battle. Kick him out from MCMAU then, don’t acknowledge him as an MCMAU student!”
Wu Kuishan was so infuriated that he had to laugh. He scolded, “I think that you, as a Rank-4, are more outrageous than a Rank-9!”
This boy was only Rank-4. Right now, he was already saying things like kicking a Rank-9 out. When he became a Rank-9 himself, was he going to go to unreasonable limits?
Fang Ping did not care at all. He repeated, “Everything I’m doing is for the sake of MCMAU. I’ve offended many seniors and a whole lot of middle and high-ranked powerhouses for the sake of MCMAU. What am I trying to prove?
“That I’m fit to be the Martial Arts Society president?
“Let me say something that might sound ridiculous to both the dean and the Vice-chancellor. I think I might become a Grandmaster very soon. Why should I care whether a bunch of lower-ranked martial artists live or die?
“Perhaps both the dean and the Vice-chancellor have similar thoughts.”
“There’s no need for you to provoke us.”
Wu Kuishan waved his hands, sighed, and said, “I’ll strive for this.”
“Not strive, Vice-chancellor—fight for it as if you have nothing to lose any more. If we don’t treat lower-ranked martial artists as humans, then we shouldn’t be humans ourselves. We should just go into the Catacombs and live and carefree lives!”
“Are you indirectly taking a jab at us?
Wu Kuishan was really pissed off now. Was this boy indicting all high-ranked martial artists?
Did he know what kind of repercussions would fall on his head for saying something like this?
Huang Jing growled as well, “Mind your words!”
Fang Ping fell silent. After a while, he said, “I’ll be on my way then. This kind of MCMAU is not what I wish to see, nor do I wish martial artists to become like this. Maybe it’s because we have different statuses, so the things we consider are different as well. I don’t think as long-range as all of you Grandmasters do.
“All I know is that many students and instructors who shouldn’t have died so early have already perished in a foreign land.
“One day, when I become a Grandmaster, I don’t know how I’ll think. What I do know is right now, I am unwilling to accept our current situation.
“Not everyone is a Fang Ping. Not everyone can be like me, heading off disaster.
“I’m only trying to fight for the things that we’re supposed to have without taking advantage of anyone. Why is that so hard?
“Vice-chancellor, dean, I have been presumptuous today. I appreciate both Grandmasters for lending me your ears.”
With that, Fang Ping turned and left without a further backward glance.
...
A profound silence fell between the two Grandmasters in the office.
After a while, Wu Kuishan sighed softly, “Let’s give it a go.”
Huang Jing said in a low voice, “We can try, but it’ll be extremely challenging. Once MCMAU changes, it’ll not only be MCMAU but other martial arts universities...”
“That’s their problem. It’s every man for himself; we can only take care of MCMAU.”
“Alright. You’ll go to Capital City with me today then?”
“Get Old Liu to come with us and gather a few more MCMAU graduate Grandmasters. Ten High Grandmasters heading to Capital City together...”
Wu Kuishan laughed all of a sudden. “We’re getting old. We’ve lost some of our passion now. Or perhaps we’re used to encountering death, so these things no longer matter to us anymore?”
Huang Jing burst out laughing too. He nodded, and said, “Let’s all go to Capital City, all of us ten High Grandmasters. We can’t just sit around and let our students steal the limelight!”
“Hahaha...”
The office echoed with the sounds of booming laughter.