Chapter Fifty-One: The Speech Begins

The members of the Xia Corporation finally settled in row eleven.

Fatty understood Fang Nian’s intentions, knowing he would never swallow his pride and would certainly find a chance to retaliate. Yet the researchers from Xia Corporation thought otherwise; they assumed Fang Nian had simply admitted defeat and slunk away from the battlefield. For a while, murmurs drifted through their group.

"Coming to the forum today was truly humiliating. Not only did we fail to secure good seats, we’ve become the laughingstock. If there had been a crack in the ground, I’d have wished to crawl right in."

"Exactly. That son-in-law just isn’t up to the task. He looks respectable beside President Xia, but when it counts, he’s nothing but a coward."

"Yes, yes, if President Xia finds out about this, won’t she send him packing? This time, shame has reached new heights. Our prestigious Xia Hunting Grounds lost to the Xiao family’s Hunter Camp at the forum—what a joke."

"The hero from a fairy tale enters reality and becomes nothing. I bet those supposed achievements in clearing hunting grounds were all lies. How could someone so lacking in spirit ever win?"

Fang Nian, whose hearing now surpassed ordinary people, caught all these whispered remarks clearly, even though their voices were low. He felt a twinge of embarrassment, but managed to control his emotions.

Once everyone was seated, Fang Nian spotted several familiar faces among the crowd. Among them were Xiao Xuefeng’s younger brother, Xiao Xueluan; the three Xu brothers—Xu Fan, Xu Lang, and Xu Zhuo; Jin Jindao from the Jin family; and a woman with somewhat androgynous features.

Wei Jianjian was Jin Jindao’s sister, Jin Jin Hui—a renowned hunter in their circle. She was gifted, though she preferred the pleasures of life to hunting.

In truth, Fang Nian had another reason for letting Xiao Xuefeng have his way: he hoped to recruit Xiao Xueluan for his team. Through observation, Fang Nian believed Xiao Xueluan had the potential to become an outstanding mechanist.

Of course, Fang Nian’s interest was not just in his abilities, but his character. The distance of several meters between Xiao Xueluan and Xiao Xuefeng’s seats spoke volumes about their strained relationship.

Anyone who looked down on Fang Nian’s adversary was, in essence, a friend. Fang Nian was convinced this man would never be the mediocrity that Xiao Xuefeng was.

But just then, the woman in the professional skirt appeared in Fang Nian’s line of sight again, reigniting the anger that had only just subsided.

Wei Jianjian suddenly patted Fang Nian’s shoulder, speaking with earnest gravity: "President Fang, don’t get too upset. Our Xia family really can’t afford to offend this woman."

Fang Nian paused, then asked, "Does she have powerful connections?"

Wei Jianjian nodded. "Yes, maybe you don’t remember, but she was at the last Hunting Convention as one of the three judges."

Hearing this, Fang Nian recalled seeing her at the Hunting Convention—she was the woman in the black trench coat standing beside Zhou Xingcheng and Guo Ji, one of the three judges. She hadn’t spoken much then, and Fang Nian had assumed she was Zhou Lao’s secretary, paying her no mind. Now it seemed she was anything but simple.

Seeing Fang Nian remember, Wei Jianjian continued, "She’s quite a figure. Her name is Duan Rui. Her grandfather is District Head Duan Lenghan of District 16, and her father is Duan Feng, founder of this Hunting Forum. Despite her young age, Duan Rui is formidable in this field. Among the younger generation of hunters in District 16, she ranks in the top five. She’s also the best codebreaker among them—a true prodigy. That’s why she could serve as a judge at the Hunting Convention, even among so many experts."

Fang Nian was surprised by her background. He had never expected Duan Feng, the founder of the forum, to be her father. Compared to her, his status as a son-in-law felt trivial.

"A prodigy’s identity breeds this aloofness—I can understand that. But to be arrogant before someone equally so? She needs to be taught a lesson."

With that thought, Fang Nian noticed she was preparing in the speakers’ waiting area. He picked up the speech schedule from his seat to check, and confirmed Duan Rui would indeed be giving a talk—placed as the grand finale.

Fang Nian crossed his legs, a faint smile curving his lips.

"I’m rather curious to see what this prodigy is truly capable of."

...

Once preparations were complete, the summit forum commenced. The host was a venerable elder of the Duan family, who, as the ruling house of District 16, naturally wielded much authority in the hunting world.

After an interminably long opening speech, the first speaker stepped onto the stage. Fang Nian knew him all too well—it was Jin Jindao of the Jin family.

Though Jin Jindao was always boastful and somewhat arrogant, he was the epitome of the academic faction: his foundational knowledge was solid, and his presentation was valuable. Whether one was a hunter or a hunting ground designer, there was much to learn from him.

Jin Jindao had already spotted Fang Nian sitting in the back, so he delivered his talk with particular diligence. Once finished, thunderous applause erupted, his presentation winning broad approval.

As usual, Jin Jindao, who regarded Fang Nian as a rival, sought to reclaim his lost pride by shooting Fang Nian a fierce glare. To his chagrin, Fang Nian paid him no mind, absorbed in jotting notes on his laptop.

Of course, Jin Jindao didn’t know Fang Nian was noting some of his key points. For Fang Nian, pride never blinded him; though he had the system as his ally, he still believed in learning wherever possible—after all, knowledge knows no bounds.

Time flew by; four hours passed in a blink. As outstanding representatives of the younger generation, Xiao Xueluan and Xiao Xuefeng shared much about mechanics and traps, captivating the audience. Such forums were invaluable for professional advancement.

After the penultimate speaker left the stage, the host finally announced, "Next, please welcome our final presenter of this forum—Duan Rui."

At Duan Rui’s name, the once subdued hall erupted with excitement; cheers swept across the room as many readied their pens, eager not to miss a single detail.

As Duan Rui stepped onto the podium, Fang Nian was taken aback: her demeanor was a stark contrast to what he’d seen before—almost as if she were a different person entirely.