novelraw Chapter 412: It Doesn’t Seem So Bad
Chapter 412: It Doesn’t Seem So Bad
Su Zhan picked up the phone from the bedside table. The screen lit up, showing several unread messages.
He tapped open the chat window pinned at the top, belonging to his teacher Wang Mingyuan, and simply replied: [Teacher, I'm awake, all is well.]
The message had barely been sent for long.
Wang Mingyuan sent back: [Good to hear, get more rest.]
Putting down the phone.
Su Zhan walked over to the huge floor-to-ceiling window.
The morning sunlight bathed the Capital.
Skyscrapers spread out beneath his feet, and in the distance, only the tiny pointed tip of the Lingxiao Pavilion was visible.
A feeling of vast openness, of "seeing all other mountains as small," spontaneously arose.
"Knock, knock, knock—"A gentle knocking at the door interrupted Su Zhan's thoughts.
Su Zhan gathered his focus, walked to the door, and opened it.
Outside stood a female hotel staff member in standard uniform, pushing a silver-colored meal cart.
She looked to be in her early twenties, with delicate and pretty features, wearing appropriate light makeup, indeed deserving the description of above-average looks.
The standard of Liu Ziming's family's hotel was evident in the details.
Unlike the trained, calm demeanor of ordinary service staff.
This young woman's eyes lit up the moment she saw Su Zhan, her cheeks flushed with a rosy hue, and even her breathing seemed to quicken a bit.
She struggled to maintain her professionalism, but her voice still carried an irrepressible excitement:
"Mr... Mr. Su, good morning. This is some hangover tea and a few breakfast items specially ordered for you by a Mr. Wang."
As she spoke, she carefully placed several delicate pastries and a small pot of warm hangover tea from the cart onto the coffee table in the room, her movements gentle.
"Alright, thank you."
Su Zhan gave a slight nod.
After the items were arranged.
The staff member did not, as would be usual, immediately push the cart away. Instead, she stood in place, her hands clasped nervously in front of her, her toes slowly rubbing against the carpet.
Su Zhan felt slightly puzzled and asked, "Is there something else?"
The young woman seemed to have mustered her courage, looked up, her eyes shining brightly at Su Zhan, and spoke rapidly: "Mr. Su, I... I watched the live broadcast of the Grand Competition yesterday, you were truly amazing!
I... I'm your fan! Could... could I please ask for your autograph?"
Su Zhan was slightly taken aback.
After yesterday's world-watched Grand Competition and the subsequent fallout, his fame had likely reached an unprecedented height.
Seeing the pure admiration and nervousness in the other's eyes.
Su Zhan felt this was just a small, effortless favor, so he smiled gently: "Sure, but, I don't have any paper or pen on me right now."
"Ah! I do! I..."
The young woman immediately flustered, wanting to search her person, only to find her uniform pockets empty, her face instantly showing an anxious expression.
Seeing this, Su Zhan found it somewhat amusing and didn't want to put her in an awkward position, so he spoke up: "Never mind, how about a photo together instead?"
"Really? That's wonderful! Thank you! Thank you so much!"
The young woman was overjoyed, hurriedly pulling out her own phone, her fingers trembling slightly as she unlocked it.
She stood next to Su Zhan, maintaining a polite bit of distance, and raised her phone.
Su Zhan cooperatively leaned slightly to the side, offering a faint yet gentle smile to the camera.
Click, click, click.
The young woman took several photos in a row, then looked at her phone screen as if she had obtained a priceless treasure, her excitement barely containable: "Thank you! Mr. Su, you're really... really too handsome! And so incredibly strong! I'll be your die-hard fan from now on! I'll support you for a lifetime!"
Su Zhan maintained his smile and nodded: "Thank you for your support. Go ahead with your work."
"Mhm, mhm! Mr. Su, please enjoy your meal, if you need anything, just call us anytime!"
Only then did the young woman feel satisfied, thanked him once more, pushed the meal cart away, and left with light, quick steps, unable to resist glancing back at Su Zhan one last time before leaving.
Closing the door, the room returned to quiet.
Su Zhan walked to the coffee table, picked up the pot of still-warm hangover tea. The rich aroma of tea, mixed with a faint herbal scent, refreshed his mind.
He took a sip, his gaze once again turning to the vast sky outside the window.
Fame, prestige, the adoration of fans... these byproducts that came with power were already following him like a shadow.
How to maintain his true self amidst these distractions, to walk his own path clearly, was perhaps a matter requiring more wisdom than dealing with powerful enemies.
However, this feeling, it seemed, wasn't so bad either.
After finishing the hangover tea and having some breakfast.
The doorbell rang again.
Su Zhan opened the door. Outside stood a middle-aged man wearing a dark gray executive uniform, his demeanor efficient and capable.
Behind him stood two attendants with restrained auras, quietly positioned on either side of the corridor.
"Mr. Su Zhan, hello, pardon the intrusion."
The middle-aged man gave a slight bow, his tone steady: "I am Li Su from the Special Operations Department directly under the Supreme Council. Authorized by the Council of Elders, effective immediately, I will serve as your dedicated liaison officer.
This is your exclusive encrypted communicator, only one unit, allowing direct single-line communication with me, ensuring absolute security and efficiency of communication."
As he spoke.
He respectfully presented a sleek, minimalist yet technologically advanced-looking black wrist-worn device with both hands.
Su Zhan accepted it. It felt slightly cool to the touch, made of a special material.
He nodded: "I understand. This arrangement is very appropriate."
A powerhouse existing outside the current system indeed needed a direct communication channel accountable to the highest levels.
Seeing Su Zhan accept it, Li Su continued meticulously conveying the higher-ups' intentions: "Mr. Su, your current prestige in Daxia is at its zenith, you could be called a national idol. This, I believe, is clear to you."
"Mhm."
Su Zhan responded calmly. This was within his expectations.
"Please rest assured, the higher-ups have a clear understanding of this. We absolutely will not let endless commercial activities, fan meetings, and similar affairs occupy your precious cultivation time. That would be a tremendous waste of Daxia's strategic resources."
Li Su's tone was firm, stating the official stance.
Su Zhan expressed agreement with this: "That would be best."
"As for cultivation resources..."
Li Su continued: "We will allocate them to you monthly according to the highest domestic standard for Ocean Realm powerhouses. If you have special needs, or if there is a temporary shortage, you can contact me anytime via the communicator. I will immediately coordinate to deliver them to you at the fastest possible speed."
This treatment could not be described as anything less than generous, almost equivalent to the configuration reserved for that tiny, top-tier group of powerhouses in Daxia.
Su Zhan nodded again. He would accept this support.
"Furthermore, regarding some major official events, such as the National Day celebration, the Memorial Ceremony for the Fallen, or the opening ceremony of the All-Army Grand Martial Competition, there are only a handful throughout the year. At those times, you may receive a formal invitation to attend, leveraging your prestige to rally public morale and spirit."
Li Su explained.
Su Zhan expressed understanding: "Acceptable."
As a symbolic figure, making appearances at certain important occasions was a duty he should fulfill, and it was also within his plans.