"Elder Gong, why did you accept a D-rank mercenary as a disciple…?"
"Elder Gong, no matter what, since your disciple committed a betrayal, she must be punished accordingly."
Many higher-ups piped in.
Elder Gong frowned slightly and turned to Ye Wanwan to ask, "Wanwan, what's going on? Did you betray the academy?"
Ye Wanwan shook her head minutely. "Master, someone is purely trying to frame me on purpose. I didn't defect from the academy at all."
"Hmph, what an enormous joke! Say, why would I, an instructor of Scarlet Flames, frame a tiny D-rank mercenary like you?" Zhang Da glanced at Ye Wanwan derisively.
"Heh…" Ye Wanwan stared at Zhang Da, the corners of her lips turning up in an icy smile. "Since you do know that I'm a D-rank mercenary, please tell me why I, a D-rank mercenary, would defect instead of just immediately dropping out from the academy? At Scarlet Flames Academy, only mercenary students who have been promoted to B-rank and above aren't permitted to drop out and can only defect. If a D-rank mercenary like me wanted to leave, why didn't I drop out? Why did I defect? Do you have a brain?"
"You…" Zhang Da pointed at Ye Wanwan. "Insolence! How could you speak to an instructor like this… It'd be absolutely normal for a person disrespectful of their superiors and possessing strange thinking like you to do something atrocious like defecting!"
"Disrespectful of my superiors?" Ye Wanwan looked astonished. "Are you referring to yourself when you say superiors? Strange—I paid money to come to this academy to study. Yet, a low-ranking instructor like you robs D-rank mercenaries' money but won't properly teach us and frames and admonishes your bread and b.u.t.ter in all sorts of ways instead. Why does Scarlet Flames Academy have vermin like you?"
"You…!"
Zhang Da pointed at Ye Wanwan, his face alternating between red and white. There had never been a D-rank mercenary who dared to speak to him like this!
"What?" Ye Wanwan's eyes swept over the D-rank mercenaries around them. "See for yourself! There are so many senior brothers and sisters here. Some of them have been at Scarlet Flames Academy for four or five years but are still D-rank mercenaries to this day. Aren't you the reason why?"
Many veteran D-rank mercenaries nodded in agreement.
"That's right! I've been a D-rank mercenary for three freaking years now. I haven't learned that much, but I pay so much money every year and can't even rise to C-rank. My family members all say that I'm a martial arts prodigy and learn everything quickly, so it definitely isn't my problem!"
"Hmph, look, I've been here five years already, but I'm still a D-rank mercenary… Some Scarlet Flames instructors only make an effort to teach things after privately accepting some incentives. If you don't give them any incentives, they might even make life hard for you… I think this Junior Sister is completely right."
Although everyone was full of resentment, they didn't dare to loudly discuss it and only whispered amongst themselves.
"Elder Gong, your disciple's tongue is as sharp as a needle. As a student of the academy, she publicly talked back to an instructor and even claimed an instructor framed her. She's a bit too insolent, isn't she?!" an elderly higher-up coldly interjected.
"Heh, the apple seriously doesn't fall far from the tree," Lei He snorted.
"Elder Gong, we know you were very furious after Worriless Nie disappeared and her records were broken by Nie Linglong, but Elder Lei He is truly better than you in teaching his disciples. You really don't need to randomly accept some terrible disciples and let yourself go like this," an elderly woman said while looking at Elder Gong.
