Greasy Jiang Yunlu

The Goat City branch of the Yanhuang Awakening organization.

Liu Zheng's slender fingers tapped twice on the desk as he slid a document across to the opposite side.

"Lin Mo, orphaned. These are his academic and athletic records from C Middle School, and these are his current grades and physical performance at Guangba. Notice anything?"

Old Bai casually picked up the file and skimmed through it. After just two glances, he couldn't help but click his tongue and slap the papers back onto the table.

"There's definitely something off here. After transferring to Guangba, his grades have been steadily improving, and his physical abilities have also seen a boost. All of this started around that summer break."

Liu Zheng nodded. "Exactly. I also looked into it—the Crane City incident happened not too far from Lin Mo's grandmother's place. So, unless I'm mistaken, that kid Lin Mo is probably the disciple of the North Profound Sage. The Sage himself stays in the shadows while pushing his apprentice into the spotlight."

Shouzhen couldn't help but agree. "I see. Just like our Grandmaster back then."

These scattered clues quickly fell into place, forming a convincing narrative.

At the very least, this was the version the Yanhuang Awakening organization internally believed.

And this was precisely the result Lin Mo had deliberately orchestrated.

A powerful background paired with a verifiable past made the story all the more believable.

Most importantly, Lin Mo did have plenty of minor inconsistencies that couldn't be scrutinized too deeply.

But now, with his identity as the North Profound Sage's disciple, many of those loose ends could be conveniently brushed aside.

Then, shifting the topic, Old Bai turned to Liu Zheng.

"Pengcheng's in big trouble—heavy casualties. The higher-ups will probably send someone down soon. But before that, we need to ensure the safety of Xia Zhi and that girl from the Ning family."

Liu Zheng waved a hand dismissively.

"I know, but it's not a major concern. Goat City isn't a leaky sieve like Pengcheng. Besides, the military's already setting up checkpoints for strict inspections. They share a good chunk of the blame for this mess too."

Old Bai, however, kept a stern expression. "What I mean is, with just the three of us, a squad of mercenaries with knives could easily take us out."

"What's there to fear?" Liu Zheng tilted his head slightly.

"We’ve got the North Profound Sage on our side, don’t we? Let’s arrange to stay near Lin Mo’s rented place. That way, we’ll have security covered!"

At this suggestion, Old Bai and Shouzhen both froze for a moment.

Old Bai gave a thumbs-up, but Shouzhen hesitantly asked, "What if the North Profound Sage gets upset?"

Liu Zheng slowly shook his head. "No, no. The fact that he allowed Lin Mo to appear before us means he wants the kid to gain experience. So, all we need to do is establish a connection with Lin Mo."

When it came to the psychology of powerful figures, Liu Zheng felt he could at least make an educated guess.

Whether it was correct or not, only practice would tell.

—System: Poor souls, dancing in the palm of someone else’s hand—

The next day, the gymnasium buzzed with excitement.

Today’s matches were open to the public, so the stands were packed.

Lin Mo sat in the audience, his gaze fixed on the agile figure on the court.

In the final play, Jiang Yunlu focused intently, her wrist snapping as the shuttlecock sliced through the air in a sharp arc, landing perfectly in an unreachable corner of her opponent’s side.

"Match over! Champion—Guangba’s Jiang Yunlu!"

The referee’s announcement ignited thunderous applause and cheers across the venue.

Jiang Yunlu leaped in exhilaration, fists clenched tight.

She’d done it—completely on her own merit, she’d secured the prestigious women’s singles title at the G1 level.

This meant the title of national second-grade athlete was now hers.

A faint smile tugged at Lin Mo’s lips, his eyes filled with pure admiration.

Throughout the match, he hadn’t provided any external assistance.

This victory belonged entirely to Jiang Yunlu.

On the other hand, the men’s singles event ended in slight disappointment, with Guangba only managing a silver medal.

After the award ceremony, Xu Congjun stood with the silver hanging around his neck, his expression calm, showing little frustration. Coach Wang Yiping patted his shoulder reassuringly.

"Your rhythm fell apart in the last set, and your stamina distribution was off. We’ll review it thoroughly later.

Don’t dwell on it too much. A silver this year means gold next year—and there are plenty more competitions ahead."

Xu Congjun didn’t seem particularly disheartened. Instead, he turned his head toward Lin Mo, who was seated in the coaches’ section.

"Coach… if it were him, he’d have won, right?"

Wang Yiping followed his gaze and let out a heavy sigh, admitting bluntly:

"As much as I hate to say it, yes. But don’t let that pressure you. Whether he competes or not, you’re still the school’s top prospect."

"That’s not what I’m worried about," Xu Congjun replied, his eyes burning with stubborn determination. "What I want is to surpass him."

Wang Yiping fell silent for a moment, studying his most talented player before delivering a brutally honest dose of reality:

"Let’s be real—you might as well give up on that dream."

Xu Congjun: "Huh?"

Meanwhile, Jiang Yunlu, like an exuberant fawn, weaved through her congratulating classmates before darting straight to Lin Mo.

Beaming, she pulled off the still-warm gold medal and unceremoniously shoved it into his hands.

"For you."

The medal was weighty, its metallic texture unmistakable. Lin Mo blinked at her in surprise.

"Something this important—you’re just giving it to me?"

"Of course. Important things should go to important people." Jiang Yunlu tilted her head up, her bright eyes sparkling as she spoke with unfiltered boldness.

This direct strike sent shockwaves through the eavesdropping classmates nearby, and even Lin Mo was momentarily stunned. This girl was becoming increasingly shameless.

Still, he recovered quickly.

"Alright, I’ll take it. But you’ve been giving me so much lately—I don’t even know how to repay you."

Jiang Yunlu’s eyes twinkled mischievously as she leaned in slightly, her breath warm as she whispered:

"Then how about offering yourself?"

Lin Mo froze completely before bursting into laughter.

Looking at the girl’s now-crimson face, he couldn’t resist flicking her forehead lightly.

"How does someone with such a pretty face say something so cheesy?"

His teasing only deepened Jiang Yunlu’s blush. She lowered her head, fingers nervously twisting the hem of her shirt.

Her voice was barely audible:

"My aunt taught me that..."

Then, as if remembering something, she stomped her foot in frustration.

Echoing in her mind was her aunt’s confident declaration: "Trust me! No man in this world can resist the Jiang family’s secret technique!"