22: I don’t believe in human nature

After the dark-faced man announced that the First High School students could rest freely, Chairman Liu immediately took Yu Xiu to a deserted spot nearby.

“Yu Xiu, I know that some of our Jiangtan City students are very foolish this time, and I wish I could just smack these idiots to death.”

“But this concerns the future of the entire Jiangtan City, so I can only shamelessly come and ask you if you can protect our Jiangtan City students after entering the Training Camp.”

“Of course, I won’t ask you to do something like repaying evil with good; after all, I am also aware of the horrors of human nature.”

“How about this, I’ll contact the Mayor now and let him talk to you, what do you think?”

Yu Xiu nodded.

Just as Chairman Liu said, he would not do something like repaying evil with good.

It was precisely because he understood the horrors of human nature that he had said those words when facing the First High School students earlier.

As the saying goes, a peck of rice brings kindness, but a bushel brings hatred.

As for the future of Jiangtan City, he didn’t understand the specific situation.

However, even if he did know, he probably wouldn’t care too much.

After all, through his predecessor’s memories, the city of Jiangtan had never shown any kindness to Yu Xiu and his family before.

Perhaps this was the fate of the common people and the poor, but now Yu Xiu was not who he used to be, so why should he contribute to a city that showed no kindness to his family?

Moreover, it was for helping a group of trash.

Yu Xiu considered himself not heartless, but definitely not a saint.

“Yu Xiu, it’s me.”

The Mayor’s voice came from the other end of the phone, and Yu Xiu said, “Mayor, I am Yu Xiu.”

Yu Xiu didn’t ask any questions; he simply stated his identity, which was enough to show his attitude.

Chairman Liu next to him also sighed helplessly.

“Yu Xiu, actually, I shouldn’t have called you, but this Genius Training Camp concerns the future of Jiangtan City…”

The Mayor then explained the matter of the ruins and the merging of cities.

“After all, this is our hometown, and I’m sure you wouldn’t want it to be lost to history.”

“I know it’s a bit difficult to ask you to protect the students of Jiangtan City this time.”

“However, this is a contribution to the entire Jiangtan City, a great deed that will determine Jiangtan City’s future, and the city will also compensate you.”

“The city has decided to grant your parents the title of Honorary Citizens, allowing them to enjoy welfare benefits equivalent to the Mayor’s, and as for your sister, Yu Qianqian, all her future martial warrior training needs will be covered by our Jiangtan City, and finally, you will receive an annual reward of one hundred million martial warrior yuan.”

“All the benefits mentioned above are valid for life, and I will list them in Jiangtan City’s internal System; no matter whether I am the Mayor of Jiangtan City in the future or not, these benefits will not expire.”

Upon hearing this, Yu Xiu was also very shocked.

Allowing his parents to enjoy welfare benefits equivalent to the Mayor’s not only included various medical insurances but also resource guarantees for martial warrior training.

Although they wouldn’t have the Mayor’s power, they would already be an existence envied by countless people.

Plus his sister and one hundred million martial warrior yuan.

Especially that last phrase, “valid for life.”

This meant that in the future, both his parents and his sister would be supported by Jiangtan City.

“Yu Xiu!”

Just as he was hesitating, the principal’s voice came from the other end of the phone again.

“I won’t interfere with your decision, but I hope you can consider it. As the ancients said, ‘fallen leaves return to their roots.’ For people like us, the older we get, the more we miss our hometown.”

“Once the cities merge, the name Jiangtan City will also be abolished, and our hometown will lose its name. In the next few decades, our descendants will forget that they were born in a place called Jiangtan City and will also forget that there was a Jiangtan City in Huaxia.”

Hearing this, Yu Xiu fell silent.

The principal’s words were not meant to persuade but were a heartfelt outpouring.

It was precisely this that touched Yu Xiu’s heart.

Although he was an outsider, he also had a hometown, that ancient capital with a long history, that passionate cry of “Qin people rise up.”

If his hometown’s name were abolished, Yu Xiu would certainly not be willing, as this was the dignity defended by his ancestors with blood.

Just like the eight hundred brave warriors who left Sichuan, they defended the dignity of their homeland in the name of the Sichuanese; once they lost their roots, they would be like rootless duckweed.

Moreover, his parents would probably not want to lose their roots; if he didn’t agree, they might even scold him.

“Mayor, I can agree to provide protection, but I will absolutely not agree immediately.”

Yu Xiu said, “I want them to see the cruelty of the Genius Training Camp, to make them embarrassed, and then beg me on their knees for protection.”

“Because I don’t believe in human nature.”

The Mayor didn’t hesitate at all. “No problem, you have your way of doing things, and I will never interfere, as long as you are willing to protect them.”

“You can also rest assured that everything I just promised will be implemented immediately.”

“I heard that your sister’s legs are still recovering. I will also immediately contact the best doctor to provide full care until she stands up and there are no lingering issues.”

Yu Xiu replied, “Thank you, Mayor.”

“No need, this is what you deserve. That’s all for now, I won’t disturb your assessment.”

After hanging up the phone, the principal asked, “You’ve given such generous treatment…”

He didn’t finish his sentence, but the Mayor understood everything.

“Yu Xiu used to be at the bottom, and the city of Jiangtan didn’t show him any kindness.”

“So I morally blackmailed him with a sense of belonging to this city. If I were in Yu Xiu’s previous position, I wouldn’t have any sense of belonging to this city either.”

“Hearts are complementary. The current Yu Xiu is not who he used to be. We need him to contribute to this city, so I will absolutely not be stingy; I will only treat it as an investment.”

“You can think I’m mercenary, but just as Yu Xiu said, he doesn’t believe in human nature, and I believe in human nature even less.”

“And what I can do is exchange sincerity for sincerity, to make Yu Xiu develop a sense of belonging to this city.”

The principal fell silent upon hearing this.

“You’re right, Yu Xiu is different from us. Our original family conditions were not bad from birth; we have been enjoying the city’s support since childhood. Although they also have resource supplies now, children from bottom-tier families enjoy different resources than we do.”

“We are willing to contribute to this city, mostly because the better Jiangtan City is, the more beneficial it is to us.”

The principal then smiled bitterly, “Seventh High School set up a class for struggling students, and Yu Xiu almost entered that class. If he hadn’t revealed his true strength, the outcome would probably have been even worse.”

“Perhaps Yu Xiu had some fortuitous encounters, but our Jiangtan City indeed made no contribution or help to him achieving his current strength.”

The Mayor sighed, “Just this one matter, it seems I need to intervene in Seventh High School’s establishment of a class for struggling students.”

“Originally, I just thought everyone had their own duties. My duty is to manage urban construction, and education is the duty of principals like you.”

“But now it seems that students’ sense of belonging is also a big problem.”

The principal said with a bitter smile, “If you ask me, you really should have stopped Seventh High School from setting up such a class earlier. Schools should ultimately remain pure; teaching without discrimination is the principle.”