Chapter 258: Chapter 258: Can’t You Afford to Lose?

“So when I found out that the school has never recovered from its defeat to my husband ten years ago,” she began, “I wasn’t worried, because I knew that you all would neither bear a grudge nor see Fu Xing as an enemy.”

Her words stirred many in the crowd.

“Ten years ago, Fu Xing won fair and square, and although we lost, we lost with honor. There was nothing shameful about it, and we certainly could bear losing.”

“Can’t you bear to lose?” she asked loudly.

“We can lose!” came a roaring chorus from the countless people below.

“Good, I thought the same,” she continued. “We can bear to lose, and one day we will be able to win back what we’ve lost. If we avoid admitting defeat and simply harbor resentment toward those who have bested us, that would be truly pitiful. Such a school would indeed be looked down upon, and I wouldn’t stay in a place like that.”

Her words received widespread agreement, for it was the inherent pride and spirit in Elbert’s very bones that drew so many young people to press on.

Lin Fu turned towards the middle-aged woman, her tone biting. “You simply don’t understand Elbert. You aren’t even a qualified soldier, you lack the traits that have been passed down through our lineage. I’m really curious, how did you manage to become one of the elders?”

Her question cast the middle-aged woman into an abyss.

***

The square in front of the venue was now filled with people, many who had gathered to await the outcome of the hearing, all hoping that Lin Fu would be unscathed.

Because of the tension, there was not a single person speaking on the square. The silence was so profound among the tens of thousands present that one could hear a pin drop.

The atmosphere was tense and uneasy.

“Whoosh!”

The majestic, seven-meter-high doors flew open, and thousands of eyes snapped toward them to see the first person who stepped out—Lin Fu—followed by a multitude of student representatives.

Seeing the smiles on everyone’s faces, those waiting outside immediately knew the outcome.

“Oh!”

Everyone cheered together, the sound thunderous and earth-shaking.

Applause followed, as loud as thunder and long-lasting.

Lin Fu smiled too, a genuine smile blooming on her face, confidently beautiful, radiant, and incredibly captivating.

“Thank you,” she shouted, but the sound of the applause was too loud, and no one could hear her. So she gestured for them to quiet down, and those in the front quickly ceased clapping. Then, like dominoes, the clapping stopped from front to back, layer by layer.

Such a scene was deeply moving, and the observers and some school elders who followed her out were stunned by this display.

Such influence—neither Mervin nor Lance had ever achieved it.

How long had it been?

Ten years.

Elbert had not seen a figure capable of causing such a stir with a mere gesture nor one with many followers for a full decade.

Even the teachers from various institutions got slightly teary-eyed.

Some choked up, remembering the last person in the school who had such a powerful presence and couldn’t help but tear up.

Lin Fu looked at the now-quiet square, beneath the eager gazes of countless people, feeling the weight upon her, yet willing to bear it. The loneliness of not fitting into this era had vanished, and she knew she was part of Elbert.

A part of all these people.

She was immensely grateful for her choice to come back, to stand shoulder to shoulder with her peers.

“Thank you!” Lin Fu bowed deeply. “Thank you all for your trust and support. In the future, I will not let down the expectations of the dean and the teachers. Now, we are one, and in the future, we will be comrades who can trust each other with our lives.”