Chapter 139: Rumors Stop with the Wise

Watching Xiao Li assist the District Chief onto the stage, Qin Sheng curled the corner of her lips, her eyes flashing with a touch of cunning, as if the events that had just transpired had nothing to do with her.

"Sister, what did the District Chief say to you just now?" Xiao Nuo asked, leaning in to whisper in her ear only after the District Chief had walked away.

Qin Sheng smiled and replied softly, "The District Chief promised me a few things."

She did not elaborate further; they would naturally find out once the assembly concluded, and she saw no need to waste energy explaining it again.

Xiao Nuo nodded, only half-understanding, and whispered back, "In that case, the District Chief seems like a pretty good person. He actually promised you things."

Good? Or bad?

Qin Sheng did not know how to define these people; they were merely individuals with mutual needs, each harboring their own agendas. Ultimately, they were no longer children like Xiao Nuo, who still judged everything through the simple lens of good versus evil.

Qin Sheng pursed her lips, turned to look into Xiao Nuo’s eyes, and said, "Xiao Nuo, there is no absolute good or evil in this world. Whether something is good or bad is merely defined by us."

Although Xiao Nuo did not fully grasp the meaning of her words, he knew that his sister was always right. With this thought in mind, he nodded vigorously. As long as his sister said it, it was the truth.

Qin Sheng, unaware of his thoughts, saw how well-behaved he was, smiled gently, and turned her attention back to the stage.

As the District Chief reached the podium, the crowd fell silent, all eyes fixated on him.

"Everyone, I believe you all know the purpose of this assembly. That’s right, our Safe Zone’s Seventh Guard Team is officially established today! Let us give a round of loud applause for these brave warriors!"

As soon as the District Chief finished speaking, a thunderous wave of applause erupted from the crowd. He waved his hand to signal for silence.

"The captain of the Seventh Guard Team will be Qin Sheng, the champion of this tournament! Let’s hear it for her!"

Applause broke out instantly, especially from the members of the guard team and her companions, Jiang Miaomiao and Chu Xingyu, who looked on with immense pride. Qin Sheng stood up, smiled faintly, and gave a slight bow to the crowd in a polite acknowledgement.

The atmosphere of the assembly was excellent—except for the area where Guo Jun sat, where the mood was as uncomfortable as sitting on pins and needles, yet he could not find an excuse to leave. Sitting right next to Guo Jun was Chen Er, who had been defeated by Qin Sheng that morning.

"Are you saying you couldn't beat Qin Sheng?" Guo Jun was utterly shocked. He found it impossible to believe that Chen Er, his right-hand man, had fallen to her.

Chen Er did not want to admit it, but he had no choice; he had indeed lost.

Watching Qin Sheng’s rising influence, Guo Jun was so angry his beard twitched. Previously, he could have dealt with her, but now, he couldn't afford to touch her. She was currently the District Chief’s favorite, and moving against her now would be a case of killing a thousand enemies at the cost of eight hundred of his own. What surprised him most was that Qin Sheng clearly had real skill; being able to defeat Chen Er was no small feat. If she were his own person, he would certainly promote her—but unfortunately, she was Qin Sheng, the woman who had been opposing him all along.

"Captain, give me another chance, and I will definitely beat her." Sensing the crisis, Chen Er rushed forward, desperate to prove himself to Guo Jun.

Guo Jun glanced toward Qin Sheng and shook his head slowly. After a long pause, he said to Chen Er, "From now on, she is Captain Qin. Be sensible and don't give anyone a reason to use you against me."

Chen Er was deeply unwilling, but he could not defy Guo Jun’s order, so he simply nodded and said, "Understood."

"And now, let us invite the captain of our Safe Zone’s Seventh Guard Team, Qin Sheng, to the stage!"

Hearing her name, Qin Sheng stood up, adjusted her uniform, and strode toward the stage. Silence fell wherever she passed; the crowd held their breath in unison, struck by her stunning appearance. They hadn't had a chance to see her face clearly before and were shocked by how beautiful she was.

The guard team consisted mostly of rough men, but upon seeing such a beauty, their previous hostility vanished. Now, they were practically eager to rush up and help her, terrified that she might trip.

Qin Sheng walked onto the stage, nodded at the District Chief with a smile, and he gestured for her to speak into the microphone. She approached the podium and looked out at the audience—the entire membership of the guard team. There were nearly a hundred people, almost every one of them possessing real strength.

She tapped the microphone gently, and finding it working, she spoke: "Hello everyone, I am the Seventh Team Captain, Qin Sheng."

Her voice was cold yet powerful. The moment she finished, the crowd erupted into cheers and applause. Qin Sheng smiled and signaled for silence before continuing. "Thank you all for your support. From this day forward, I will lead the Seventh Team to even greater heights."

After she finished, she stepped away from the microphone. The crowd was clearly still reeling from her brief introduction, and even the District Chief looked slightly taken aback.

"That’s all? You don't want to say anything else?" the District Chief asked her in a low, smiling voice.

Qin Sheng shook her head and signaled for him to step forward, while she walked over to Xiao Li to watch the District Chief continue his speech. She stood in the back, daydreaming about visiting Shen Mei and A-Di at the Safe Zone hospital later. She estimated that both of them should have recovered well, and it was a good time to discuss the guard team with them. Since the District Chief had promised her favors, her original intention was to bring Lin Xing in, but pulling everyone around her into the fold wasn't a bad idea either. The District Chief couldn't say anything against it, and it would serve as a form of protection for them.

"The District Chief might ask you to perform a talent later," Xiao Li said suddenly, pulling Qin Sheng out of her thoughts.

"A talent performance?" Qin Sheng felt as if she were back in a childhood speech competition, where leaders would make speeches and the participants had to perform to liven up the atmosphere. She couldn't help but twitch her lips in silent annoyance.

"It’s the usual custom. Previous captains would usually show off some martial arts or something similar. You could try that," Xiao Li suggested.

Qin Sheng nodded, whispered something to Xiao Li, and slipped off the back of the stage.

"Alright, I have finished covering the main points. Now, let us welcome our new captain to perform a talent for everyone."

Just as Xiao Li had predicted, the District Chief wanted Qin Sheng to perform to ease the atmosphere and build rapport with the guard team. But when he turned around, he found that Qin Sheng had vanished.

"Where is Captain Qin?" the District Chief asked Xiao Li.

Xiao Li glanced toward the direction Qin Sheng had left and explained, "Captain, she heard about the performance and went to prepare some props. It looks like she’ll be back in a moment."

In the past, captains would simply perform martial arts or taekwondo on the spot; Qin Sheng was the first to actually prepare props. Comparing this, the District Chief was even more satisfied with her meticulous attitude. Sometimes, he had to admit, women were just more detail-oriented.

"Captain Qin has gone to prepare her props. Everyone, please wait patiently; I'm sure she will be back shortly." The District Chief’s brief explanation only heightened the crowd's enthusiasm. Regardless of the performance, they were eager to see the beautiful Captain Qin again.

Less than two minutes later, Qin Sheng returned, carrying her Tang sword on her back. Those who knew she carried the blade immediately understood what she intended to perform. Those who hadn't seen it before stretched their necks, trying to see what was strapped to her back.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Qin Sheng said with a polite smile to the District Chief.

He stepped aside and signaled for her to begin. Qin Sheng walked forward and glanced at the scabbard. In the next second, she tossed both the scabbard and the sword into the air, leaped, and caught the blade as it slid out. Under the sunlight, the Tang sword shimmered with a rippling glow, sending a shiver through the audience, who couldn't help but admire that the weapon was clearly no ordinary item.

Qin Sheng didn't know a formal "performance" routine, so she practiced the sword techniques she performed every morning. Daily practice had made her movements fluid and precise; the angle and direction of every strike were identical, and sometimes she could execute the next move with her eyes closed.

The blade whistled through the air as the girl in the light blue uniform moved as if dancing. Every time she swung the sword, the audience found themselves holding their breath. The skill and proficiency required for such techniques could not have been mastered in a day or two, and the crowd began to truly believe the rumors about her.

As the dance ended, Qin Sheng landed steadily, the sword spinning back into its scabbard with a sharp click. She strapped the sword to her back once more and gave a slight bow to conclude her performance. The audience remained stunned for a moment, only beginning to cheer and applaud once the members of the Seventh Team, who had seen her skill before, led the way. Some even stood up to cheer for her.

Regardless of the circumstances, those who respected martial prowess would always admire the truly strong, especially those who dealt in combat themselves. Many had been won over, their hands subconsciously mimicking the movements she had just displayed.

With her own strength, Qin Sheng had successfully pushed the rumors aside. The District Chief and Xiao Li joined in the applause. Qin Sheng smiled faintly and quietly returned to her previous position.

"Captain Qin’s performance was truly eye-opening. I believe you are all as unable to stop applauding as I am."