Meteor Fall Master in the 'Starry Abyss'
Chapter 653: Shadow Bubble

Chapter 653: Shadow Bubble

A few minutes later, Li Aozi, who was planning an expedition route in the President’s office, received a case from Trevela University Town.

"The students are holding a sit-in hunger strike to protest against the withdrawal of teacher resources by the Crystal Tower Civilization?"

In front of his subordinates, Li Aozi blurted out:

"Then they should take it up with the Crystal Tower Civilization... What’s the point of staging a hunger strike at me? It wasn’t me who withdrew the teachers."

Li Aozi said irritably:

"Even if they want to protest, they should at least target the embassy of the Crystal Tower Civilization. Starting such an activity on campus—what? Are they trying to rebel? Or do they not recognize me as the new president?"

The nation had just achieved independence, and he didn’t want to fall out with the Crystal Tower; these students were really causing trouble, showing no consideration for him at all, throwing his plans into disarray.

Li Aozi was about to send a few police officers to disperse them and forcibly move them to a hospital for examination and treatment when he suddenly had another thought and stopped this rash action.

No, this wasn’t the way to handle it.

While it might solve the problem immediately, it would be detrimental to the revitalization of the education sector and would severely undermine student confidence.

If he wasn’t careful, the happiness level would drop again.

Li Aozi crossed his legs and pondered.

He had promised to give the Baizhu people hope and protection; as a man of his word, Li Aozi did not want to break his principles.

Moreover, in this case, the students were truly the victims.

Consider this: a country lad, told from a young age that ’studying can change your fate’, then burning the midnight oil and enduring pains to emerge victorious through the cutthroat competition of exams, arriving at a top-tier institution, pulling all-nighters on design projects, actively networking with counselors on campus to secure a recommendation for postgraduate study, then never failing a single class, surviving every exam, about to graduate, with workshops and large companies waiting for you.

And then ’boom’—there’s no more school, and the way of changing your fate through exams and assignments, is completely over.

Thinking about it this way, it wasn’t just a matter of feeling compassion—it was practically leaving no way out for people!

Li Aozi’s dilemma was twofold:

Not to spoil diplomatic relations with the Crystal Tower, yet not wanting to hurt student sentiments either.

This was troublesome.

"The students’ demands, tracing back to the essence of the problem, are due to the Crystal Tower’s rash withdrawal of all Scholarly resources. Given this, the traditional magic education industry can no longer carry on, and the Scholarly Faction system integrating academies with workshops can no longer be sustained,"

Li Aozi pondered for a moment, then lifted his pen and wrote several glowing characters in the air:

Monastery

Assault Team

Military Research Institute

"I can offer these three directions to alleviate their employment pressure."

As for whether the students could accept that, having been studying only to be sent to fight in space... that couldn’t be helped. They would have to seize the right timing to enter the factories.

Right now, the country’s GDP couldn’t even pay the wages, and if this dragged on for another two years, Li Aozi himself would run out of money.

Li Aozi did not want to borrow money from the Crystal Tower or Redd Gold’s people; he had to carve out a future with his own hands.

Thinking and acting quickly, Li Aozi swiftly drafted an employment plan for students and released the news, stirring the media into action and prompting them to cover the story positively.

"President Leoz took a serious attitude towards the ’Baizhu Comprehensive University protest’ incident, immediately convening a meeting and ordering the establishment of a relevant task force."

"President Leoz stressed: Schools educate students to cultivate talents who will serve the nation and its people, and talent can only manifest its capabilities through practical work."

"At 11:29 A.M., Newbie City issued a document, announcing the recruitment of 5-year contract soldiers, giving priority to current students with higher education experience..."

With the cooperation of various media—news broadcasts, short videos, movies—the students of Baizhu Comprehensive University finally started to feel uneasy.

Some students approached the leaders of the Student Union, the initiators of the movement, and said to Orwell Siegert:

"Siegert, look at the government’s document today, military positions will give us priority."

Orwell Siegert was a master’s student in Magic Application, but he also studied some law. He downloaded the document from the internet and, after reading it with a frown, said in a deep voice:

"No, this is not enough. They just want to trick us onto the battlefield. Have you forgotten the flesh grinder of the Eye of the Galaxy? Even the Golden Dragon Monks are now missing in action."

"But that was the battle between the Night Butterfly People and the Crystal Tower, wasn’t it!"

Some questioned:

"But, haven’t we all declared independence? Why should we still take part in their battles?"

"Nonsense! Do you really want to join the Layer Abyss civilization backwater that is the Baizhu Autonomous State?"

Siegert angrily retorted:

"Let’s be honest with ourselves, who here doesn’t go to university with the hopes of going abroad? If we don’t intend to stay in the prosperous and developed Crystal Tower Civilization, then why bother with all these years of arduous study?"

"But the government is already willing to listen to us, we need jobs—"

"We don’t need jobs, what we want is a foreign green card! We want the permanent residency and student status of the Crystal Tower! As for the Baizhu Autonomous State, whoever wants to stay can stay, but I refuse to waste my life on Baizhu Star, trapped in this cocoon!"

Siegert assertively said:

"We spent money and labored for ten years to get into this school; it’s the government’s fault! It’s because the new President bought this planet that the teachers from the Crystal Tower are so disappointed and decided to leave. If it weren’t for the new President, we would all be foreigners now!"

"... Is being a foreigner such a glorious thing?"

"If a foreigner can’t strut proudly on foreign lands, it means their motherland must be a cowardly wasteland!"

Siegert, with his chin held high, confidently asserted:

"It’s the same the other way around! The autonomous state should simply remain a compliant, gold-spitting welfare machine. That new President just had to talk about independence and self-strengthening, wanting to develop industries. Look now—as the people from the Crystal Tower leave, without the Crystal Tower’s educational resources, this planet is worthless!"

"But... this is our home after all." Some students’ convictions began to waver: "President Leoz has announced plans to revitalize the school, and we students might be arranged for teacher qualification training, then dispatched to major cities like Water Moon Fortress, Guduns, or even the capital to become teachers. That’s a coveted position..."

"It’s because of such thinking that you deserve the suffering you endure!" Siegert said irritably: "As humans, we should seek out more comfortable places to live, even if it means enlisting in the military, serving the interstellar civilization as dogs, it’s still better than being an officer for the Baizhu Autonomous State!"

"So what are you suggesting, Siegert? Do you have any ideas?"

"Continue protesting, put pressure on the government, and make them send us to the Crystal Tower Civilization to complete our student registration."

Siegert confidently said:

"We are talents cultivated by the Crystal Tower; we cannot end our journey in such a place."

"Let’s all persevere a little longer; if we give up now, all our previous hardships will have been for nothing."

Siegert’s words calmed the previously agitated students, but when he looked at them, their eyes no longer held the same conviction.

’Just hold on a little longer, as long as we hold on, we will surely prevail... As long as we reach the Crystal Tower, even if we enlist in the military, it’s still a success!’

Siegert’s whisper was carefully picked up by the police monitoring equipment, and even directly relayed to the President’s office.

"These people..."

Li Aozi was speechless.

He knew full well what they were thinking; even though the media hype had shaken many, it couldn’t change the allure of the Crystal Tower Civilization.

So what to do?

They were young university students; Li Aozi really did not want to resort to force against them.

"It seems we still need them to face the reality of the situation."

Li Aozi rubbed his head and stood up, ready to use his status as a senior and elder to persuade them.

He didn’t mind lowering himself from his presidential status; after all, he promised to revitalize Baizhu Star, and Li Aozi could not break his word.

However, just as he was halfway there, the Crystal Tower sent him a message.

Upon a brief check, Li Aozi discovered that the Crystal Tower was looking to discuss military cooperation, hoping that Li Aozi would undertake the task of patrolling the Starfield, keeping the Night Butterfly People at bay. In return, the Crystal Tower was willing to offer some port stopovers and free supplies as compensation.

This message suddenly gave Li Aozi an idea.

"These people wish to go to the Crystal Tower even if it means enlisting..."

Li Aozi touched his chin where the Implant Gear was:

"Then let’s take them for a tour around the Eye of the Galaxy to see what War is truly like."

Having heard the recent battles were brutal, with even the Golden Dragon Monks gone missing, Li Aozi was also curious.