Chapter 43: Boos at the Ceremony
Chapter 43: Boos at the Ceremony
It was two o’clock in the afternoon.
The grand auditorium。
This was the highest-profile and most attention-grabbing Graduation Ceremony in recent years。
This year’s graduating class totaled about three thousand students。
The eighteen students of the Champion Class, as representatives of the graduates, sat in the second row。 They would later need to go on stage to receive their degrees。
Originally, there was supposed to be a representative giving a speech on stage, but after much deliberation, the academy leaders gave that spot to an outstanding girl from another class。
That girl was not from a martial arts class, but she was also very outstanding。
Zhao Tianping and the other academy leaders were genuinely afraid of the people in the Champion Class。
Among the eighteen students in the whole class, they could not find a single one they dared to trust！
The original best candidate was Luo Xue, but after that press conference, anyone with a brain would never let her take the stage。
As for the others… forget it, the others were even worse。
Just coming back to attend the Graduation Ceremony, they directly tracked down everyone who had thrown stones at Ling Yi when he was down, and sent every single one of them to the hospital。
So for Zhao Tianping and the others, letting Champion Class students give a speech on stage would become a disaster。
This Graduation Ceremony would also become a complete joke。
In fact, if possible, they didn’t even want the students from the Champion Class to serve as graduate representatives。
But they couldn’t withstand the fierce public opinion from outside！
Recently, media outlets not from the Academic Faction had been extensively reporting on Zongwu Academy’s Graduation Ceremony。
Countless people online also demanded to see the members of the Champion Class at the Graduation Ceremony。
At the same time, as the group that repeatedly won the International University Martial Arts Competition and brought much honor to Zongwu Academy, if they didn’t go on stage, no one else dared to, and no one else was willing to！
After comprehensive consideration, the academy leadership finally made this decision – they could go on stage, but they couldn’t speak！
The auditorium, which could seat over five thousand people, was now completely packed。
Looking around, there wasn’t a single empty seat。
If it were just the graduates, it certainly wouldn’t be full。 But adding the faculty and staff, some media they couldn’t refuse, and those current students who used all kinds of connections to attend… it was completely full。
Originally, Zhao Tianping and the others, fearing unexpected incidents, didn’t plan to livestream this Graduation Ceremony at first。
But as soon as the news got out, even before any outside reaction, the academy itself exploded。
The strongest class of students in recent years, the senior brothers and sisters of the Champion Class were graduating。 Who wouldn’t want to see such an exciting scene？
The auditorium had limited seats; not everyone could get in。 Everyone was waiting to watch the livestream online, and you said you wouldn’t broadcast it？
Are you feeling guilty？
Public opinion has always been a terrifying thing。
Zhao Tianping and the others, who had been having a hard time lately, couldn’t block this fierce public sentiment。
They also didn’t have the decisive authority that the Old Principal possessed。
In the end, they could only choose to compromise。
Even so, a large number of current students still gathered outside the auditorium。 They would rather stand outside, watching on the big screen there, just to feel the atmosphere up close。
And many who came today weren’t just here to say goodbye to the seniors who were about to leave。 More of them wanted to see if today’s special Graduation Ceremony would have the excitement they imagined！
Based on what had happened recently, they might really get to enjoy some fresh, juicy gossip。
It was three o’clock in the afternoon。
The Graduation Ceremony officially began。
First was the leadership speech segment。
In previous years’ Graduation Ceremonies, it was always Zhang Chenggong, the then-standing Vice Principal, who presided。
Even though Vice Principal Zhang came from a Military background, he was very witty, humorous, and eloquent。
Every year at the Graduation Ceremony, he would come up with some widely circulated golden sayings。
So much so that for many years, what many people looked forward to most was Vice Principal Zhang’s graduation speech segment。
Clever remarks flowed one after another, frequent golden sayings emerged。
It made the graduates feel both warm and moved, and filled them with motivation to face the future。
This year’s host was changed to a trusted follower of Zhao Tianping, a very unfamiliar middle-aged man whose name nobody even cared to know。
His position was also Standing Vice Principal。
Actually, this new Zongwu Standing Vice Principal was also quite witty and humorous, a very talented person。
Unfortunately, nobody bought it。
So much so that when he gave his speech on stage, many people below were playing with their phones, whispering and chatting with each other。
Was this disrespect？
No, this was just another form of protest。
Especially this group of graduates, their behavior was even more obvious。
It wasn’t just the Champion Class that had affection for leaders like the Old Principal and Vice Principal Zhang Chenggong。
This new Standing Vice Principal was also a smart man。 After realizing that almost nobody paid attention to his carefully prepared graduation message, he decisively sped up this segment。
After hurriedly finishing, a beaming Zhao Tianping took the stage。
Before he could even start speaking, someone below – no one knew who started it – suddenly let out a chorus of boos！
Boooo~
The boos echoed through the auditorium。
Honestly, it really wasn’t the people from the Champion Class who started it。
A group of media reporters sitting further back immediately got excited。
Graduates booing the principal？
Oh, and that group of new students were joining in the ruckus too！
This was big news！
This scene was also very faithfully captured by the cameras… and through the livestream, transmitted to all the viewers！
It’s happening！
At that moment, countless people widened their eyes, afraid to miss a single frame。
The smile instantly froze on Zhao Tianping’s face。 Even with the best self-control, it was hard to stay calm when getting booed in such a setting。
But he still tried hard to maintain his composure。
He gave a light cough, and a smile reappeared on his face。 Although somewhat forced, he managed to squeeze it out！
“You all certainly have a special way of welcoming me…”
Whooooo…
The boos grew louder！
Overwhelming, powerful and imposing！
People who had been planted in the crowd earlier to maintain order stood up one after another, glaring angrily at those making the noise。
But it was useless, because even among the attending faculty, some secretly joined in the boos…
It was over.
Zhao Tianping’s loyal subordinates looked as if they were in mourning.
Earlier, some of them had suggested simply not holding the Graduation Ceremony this year.
Or keeping it small-scale would be enough.
But Zhao Tianping ultimately did not adopt their suggestions. He believed that if he didn’t hold it, wouldn’t that be admitting he was inferior to the Old Principal?
Or was he afraid of those young people?
So not only would he hold it, he would hold it with confidence!
Make it grand!
Make it lively!
He wanted everyone to see that without Shen Xiaowu, Zongwu Academy would only become better!
Only become more glorious!
And this scene was completely beyond these people’s expectations.
These young people…
What did they want to do?
Did they know what they were doing?
Were they all crazy?
You may have graduated, but you haven’t received your diplomas yet!
You are still students of Zongwu Academy!
When Ling Yi was expelled, none of you reacted. Why are you doing this now?
On the stage, Zhao Tianping’s head buzzed.
A large-scale disaster, happening too suddenly to react.
The speech he had prepared was completely drowned out by the boos from the crowd!
The forced smile on Zhao Tianping’s face finally cracked. His expression turned grim as he looked out at the thousands of people below.
Wherever his eyes fell, he saw young, energetic faces, but now those faces were filled with disdain for him.
What did I do to you?
Zhao Tianping knew that if he didn’t control the situation immediately, today’s Graduation Ceremony would become an utter joke!
Their plans were almost successful, but he was about to fall right before the finish line… He couldn’t accept it.
“Now, let’s welcome our Champion Class students to the stage for the degree conferment ceremony!”
Zhao Tianping made a quick decision. With a dark expression, he spoke loudly.
Strangely enough, upon hearing the words “Champion Class,” the boos below finally stopped!
At the same time, exciting background music started playing from the backstage.
The music was very loud, making many people frown.
If booing started again now, it definitely wouldn’t overpower the background music unless everyone shouted at the top of their lungs…
Luo Xue first glanced at Ling Yi. Ling Yi gave a slight nod.
In Ling Yi’s eyes, Luo Xue didn’t see any gloating, but instead a trace of faint sorrow.
She understood that Ling Yi actually didn’t want to see this happen.
He had his grievances with Zhao Tianping, but after today’s events, Zongwu Academy’s reputation would also plummet.
This was definitely not something Ling Yi, who had considered Zongwu his home since childhood, wanted to see.
The music was too loud. She leaned close to Ling Yi’s ear and said, “He has lost the people’s support. He deserves this!”
Ling Yi nodded and said, “He brought it on himself. But if Zongwu declines from now on, the ones who will suffer the most are our juniors…”
Luo Xue sighed. She didn’t want to see this situation either, but who could change it?
After the Champion Class group mounted the stage, the background music was finally turned down a bit.
The thousands of people sitting below were silent for a moment, and then, a wave of applause instantly erupted!
The enthusiastic applause lasted for over a full minute!
Luo Xue looked at Ling Yi.
Ling Yi understood what she meant—See? This is the will of the people! This is public sentiment!
Why did these people hold the Champion Class in such high regard?
Just because they were geniuses?
No!
Everyone who could enter Zongwu Academy was a genius!
Was it because their combat abilities were strong?
No, either.
A group of youths in their early twenties, in terms of combat power, definitely couldn’t compare to martial arts masters who had trained for many years.
The reason these people were so revered and willingly given such enthusiastic applause was, at its root, because their existence had brought Zongwu, and even the entire Great Qin, honors higher than anyone had dared to dream of in the past!
It was because they had repeatedly defeated foreign opponents, especially those from Great Chu, in various international competitions!
The praise they received today was earned through their own hard work!
It was earned by Ling Yi, whom everyone knew was lazy, spending several consecutive years guiding many juniors and even classmates of the same year, greatly improving their martial skills!
They deserved this enthusiastic applause!
Zhao Tianping and the new executive vice principal separately awarded diplomas and placed academic caps on these Champion Class students from both sides of the stage.
Perhaps knowing these young people disliked them, neither chose to shake hands. Instead, they both deliberately sped up, wanting to finish this segment as quickly as possible.
There were eighteen students in total, each handling nine.
Zhao Tianping deliberately avoided Ling Yi, choosing to start from the other side.
But under everyone’s watchful eyes, Ling Yi and Luo Xue instantly swapped positions.
A slight stir immediately rose from below.
People watching the Graduation Ceremony live through the broadcast also suddenly became excited again.
Trouble!
This was definitely going to cause trouble!