NOVEL WEB Chapter 137 - Convincing
In her previous life, Mai Dongzi became the captain of a special operations team with dozens of team members at her peak.
Thus, she felt somewhat helpless about her current situation of always needing to rely on others’ influence to get things done. Building her own network couldn’t be achieved through mere words; it required careful cultivation.
As an eighteen-year-old student who had spent the last six months in school, she simply didn’t have the time for such endeavors.
Moreover, her suspicion that Zhao Fenni might be a reincarnator, along with the possibility that Prince Arthur had one by his side, made her cautious about acting too boldly, fearing exposure of her own reincarnation.
In fact, since her rebirth, she had likely completely altered the original trajectory of her predecessor’s fate.
However, Zhao Fenni, as a reincarnator, seemed unaware that anything was amiss, which further made Mai Dongzi feel something was off and prevented her from making any significant moves.
So Mai Dongzi considered Uncle Zhuang, which is why she asked bodyguard Su to help her secure a house next to him.
Although she had communicated with Uncle Zhuang several times, she couldn’t sense his true emotions through the messages, so she hadn’t said anything yet.
After meeting Uncle Zhuang this time, she would be able to confirm a few things.
As she pondered these thoughts, the flying car stopped in front of the small villa she had entered.
After getting out of the flying car, Mai Dongzi looked around. The area was filled with similar small villas, and due to the protective shields around them, she couldn’t see the specific conditions inside, only their general appearance.
At the mechanical gate of her small villa, she scanned her light brain and smoothly passed the verification. Although she hadn’t been here before, the security permissions for this villa were controlled remotely by her.
On the first floor, an elderly couple had received the news about Mai Dongzi’s return ten minutes earlier, so when they noticed someone swipe a card, they both came out.
Though they looked only in their fifties or sixties, they were actually over a hundred and twenty years old.
The courtyard walls of these private villas weren’t very high, making them less secure. However, as long as one had money to install a high-quality protective shield, even ordinary missiles couldn’t breach it.
The shield installed for Mai Dongzi was, of course, the best; it provided strong security and prevented prying eyes.
For example, once Mai Dongzi entered the courtyard, people outside could only see a hazy view of the surroundings and couldn’t see anyone inside. Naturally, they couldn’t see the couple they thought were the homeowners, who greeted her with a bow, saying, “Miss.”
This couple, surnamed Mu, were both sixth-level practitioners and were officially retired military officers. The treatment for soldiers in the Blue-Black Empire was excellent; even as low-ranking officers, after serving a hundred years, they could afford to buy a small villa in this area, even if they originally came from civilian backgrounds.
Moreover, only with such identities and not working outside would they avoid drawing others’ attention.
Mai Dongzi’s mental acuity was sharp; she could sense the initial assessment and scrutiny in the eyes of the Mu couple when they first saw her, followed by their acceptance and submission.
She certainly wouldn’t feel discontent over their initial evaluation. After all, they were sixth-level practitioners and had indeed retired from the military. Although they were serving under Major General Su, they had their own sense of pride.
If she couldn’t win them over, while they wouldn’t defy Colonel Su’s orders, following commands and being willing to serve were two different concepts.
They would only follow Major General Su’s orders, acting accordingly and neglecting Mai Dongzi’s intentions, merely fulfilling their duties as guards.
In contrast, while they would also obey Major General Su’s commands, they would share information out of respect for Mai Dongzi, listen to her opinions, and cooperate in their actions.
It was similar to how Su’s bodyguard understood Mai Dongzi better because she had served as her secret guard on Water Blue Star, allowing her to see the hidden strength that others could not. After being assigned to Mai Dongzi by Prince Arthur, she became not just a guard obeying orders but someone who genuinely cared for Mai Dongzi, wishing to stay by her side.
The Mu couple was already aware of this young master’s background and had no objections to being assigned to a talented youth. However, before meeting her in person, they couldn’t determine whether this young prodigy was worthy of following, so they planned to observe and evaluate her carefully once they met.
But when they saw this young genius, they felt a sudden chill in their hearts.
Even if they couldn’t discern the true level of this young master’s cultivation, they could sense the aura and demeanor about her that was far beyond that of an ordinary eighteen-year-old girl.
Such a young genius, as long as she wasn’t hindered along the way, would undoubtedly achieve greatness that could rival Major General Su’s.
They felt fortunate to be able to follow this girl in her formative years.
Mai Dongzi, of course, noticed the change in the couple’s emotions and was pleased by their keen insight and accurate judgment.
For intelligent people, some things don’t need to be stated too clearly. Through a few ordinary exchanges, Mai Dongzi and the elderly couple quickly reached a preliminary consensus.
“Miss, take a look at this house. We’ve arranged it according to your wishes. If you don’t like it, we can have someone come and change it when you return to school,” Aunt Zhang said.
It was clear that the decoration of the house was managed entirely by Aunt Zhang, with little input from Uncle Mu.
Su’s bodyguard had previously asked Mai Dongzi about the villa’s decoration. Mai Dongzi had no particular preference and only said six words: simple, generous, and practical.
Thus, when she walked in, it was no surprise to see that the villa’s color scheme was predominantly green, with a clean and sturdy style that clearly reflected a military aesthetic.
Compared to the decor of the Xi family’s house, Mai Dongzi preferred this style, after all, she had been a soldier in her past life and was now on the verge of becoming one again.
Seeing that she liked the decor style, the couple’s satisfaction grew even more.
“The training room upstairs is state-of-the-art. The Major General can use its projection equipment to teach you and assess your training progress,” Uncle Mu said.
Mai Dongzi nodded; she was aware of this. It was also one of the reasons she wanted her own place—she needed a secure location to receive remote guidance from Major General Su.
After all, she was still a student, and the Imperial Capital University had its own permissions and restrictions. Major General Su, not being an instructor at the university, couldn’t use the school’s training facilities for private instruction.