Chapter 94.2: Archives
Nan Yu smiled.
"Don't worry. It'll definitely be taken care of soon. There's no need for you to stress over it."
Yang Zhou nodded.
"You're right. Something this serious can't just be quietly swept under the rug as though nothing ever happened. I wonder how the academy plans to deal with it."
In fact, Nan Yu had already thought of a solution that would satisfy everyone involved.
The only question was whether Yu Lanfeng would agree with his proposal.
After all, this matter truly required Yu Lanfeng's personal approval.
After dropping Yang Zhou off at home, Nan Yu reminded him not to tell anyone about it and not to overthink things.
The problem would be resolved very soon, so he just needed to be patient.
Before leaving, Nan Yu successfully talked him into logging into the game to run dungeon instances with his older brothers, while he himself hurried back to the hospital lounge to contact Yu Lanfeng.
Almost every time Nan Yu initiated a communication request, Yu Lanfeng answered almost immediately.
Gradually, Nan Yu had become accustomed to contacting him whenever necessary.
Sometimes he didn't even think about whether the timing was appropriate.
As for now...
There naturally wasn't any problem.
School had already ended, so it was technically their free time.
Although that probably wasn't true for Yu Lanfeng.
Still, if he didn't contact him now, waiting until evening would probably be even less appropriate.
Sure enough, Yu Lanfeng answered almost immediately.
The first thing Nan Yu did was examine the background behind him.
When he saw it was Yu Lanfeng's office, he let out a sigh of relief.
"I was worried I'd interrupted another meeting."
Yu Lanfeng's gaze casually swept forward.
Standing in front of his desk were six people reporting their work.
Every single one of them instantly became as quiet as frightened quails, keeping their mouths tightly shut.
Naturally, Nan Yu had no idea what was happening on the other side of the office.
"Marshal?"
He deliberately called out those two words in a teasing tone.
Yu Lanfeng looked at him helplessly.
"Is this about the academy?"
"When there aren't other people around, you don't have to call me that."
Nan Yu hesitated.
"...Brother?"
A faint glimmer flashed across Yu Lanfeng's eyes.
"...Mm. Go ahead."
Nan Yu smiled.
"So... Brother, you're also trying to figure out how to handle this, aren't you?"
Yu Lanfeng sighed.
"I am."
"The Royal Military Academy has caused an enormous scandal this time."
"If it isn't handled properly, it'll easily affect the academy's future development and admissions."
"Especially its reputation."
Someone responsible for safeguarding the archives had actually been able to freely tamper with students' academic records.
If that headline became public...
It would explode across the entire Empire.
Because in the eyes of the Empire's citizens, the Royal Military Academy had always been regarded as the fairest academy of them all.
Its students were also considered the very best.
But now...
Nan Yu nodded.
"Exactly."
"That's why I'm here to discuss how we should deal with this."
"I do have an idea."
"It may require your legion to make a small sacrifice."
"I wonder if that's acceptable?"
Yu Lanfeng answered without hesitation.
"Naturally."
"I graduated from that academy as well."
"If it's something that can be done, I certainly won't refuse."
Nan Yu smiled.
"The academy just sent me some information."
"It's about students whose academic records were altered and what happened to them after graduation."
"You could say..."
"Almost none of them are living good lives."
"Some are even on the verge of complete collapse."
"So I think what we do now could completely change the rest of their lives."
Yu Lanfeng nodded.
"Go on."
Nan Yu continued,
"I calculated it earlier."
"The earliest victim only graduated about five years ago."
"Since then there have been several hundred victims."
"The exact number still isn't completely confirmed."
"The academy is still investigating."
"According to the confession, there were many more victims."
"But they're certain he continued hiding information."
"Based on my estimate, though, the total shouldn't exceed five hundred."
"So..."
"I want to give all of them another chance."
Yu Lanfeng asked,
"What kind of chance?"
Nan Yu explained,
"Restore their academic records to what they were when they first enrolled."
"Then allow them to return to the academy and study again."
"Graduate once more."
Yu Lanfeng looked at him.
"You think they'll obediently sit in classrooms with students who are probably ten years younger than they are?"
Nan Yu shook his head.
"Of course not."
"I don't intend to have them study alongside the current students."
"My idea is to establish a special class specifically for them."
"Give them another opportunity to return to the academy."
"They can stay for at most three years."
"They'll be allowed to graduate at any time during those three years."
"Once they graduate, they'll receive a completely clean academic record."
"And..."
"They'll also receive one special opportunity."
Yu Lanfeng immediately understood.
"The sacrifice you mentioned earlier."
"This is it?"
Nan Yu grinned.
"Exactly."
"I want to give them an opportunity to participate in our legion's recruitment examination."
"Of course, the examination itself—the difficulty, the standards, everything—would remain exactly the same."
"They wouldn't receive any preferential treatment whatsoever."
"We'd simply give them the opportunity."
"After all, recruitment examinations for our legion have never followed a fixed schedule, have they?"
Or rather...
Only people specifically selected by the legion were usually given the chance to take the examination.
Not just anyone could apply.
"I know everyone who joins our legion must be exceptionally outstanding."
"So although these people deserve sympathy, they absolutely shouldn't receive any special treatment."
"What do you think?"
Yu Lanfeng nodded.
"This is an excellent solution."
"Once the matter becomes public, it should reduce the negative impact to the lowest possible level."
With his legion's name attached to the proposal...
The entire incident would almost cease to be a scandal.
It had to be said...
Nan Yu's idea truly was the perfect solution.
Nan Yu smiled brightly.
"Then it's settled."
"I'll discuss the implementation details with the academy afterward."
"Oh, right."
"It would be best if the legion also sent someone over."
"Otherwise, no one will believe it."
Yu Lanfeng nodded.
"Agreed."
The two of them chatted and joked for another few minutes.
Eventually, Nan Yu realized Yu Lanfeng probably still had plenty of work waiting for him.
"So when you have time later, let's have a proper chat."
"I'll hang up for now?"
Yu Lanfeng nodded.
"All right."
After ending the communication, Yu Lanfeng's expression immediately turned cold as he looked toward the people standing before his desk.
"What do you think?"
"Compared to all the proposals you just discussed..."
"How does Nan Yu's solution measure up?"
They exchanged awkward glances.
Truthfully...
It was an outstanding idea.
Every one of them had felt their eyes light up after hearing it.
Especially the final reward—
The chance to take their legion's recruitment examination after graduation.
It was merely an opportunity.
The examination itself remained exactly as difficult as before.
There would be no special treatment because of their past suffering.
This way...
Everyone would feel those former students had been incredibly fortunate.
At the same time, no one could complain that it was unfair.
Because everyone would face exactly the same examination.
Anyone who passed had proven their own ability.
No one could object.
Yu Lanfeng gave the order.
"Since we've found a solution..."
"Go carry it out."
"Follow exactly what Nan Yu proposed."
"Send someone to coordinate with both the academy and the Imperial Family."
"Handle this matter properly."
"Do everything possible to minimize the academy's negative publicity."
"Understood?"
"Yes, Marshal!"
The legion moved with remarkable efficiency.
The plan was immediately put into motion.
The academy also began taking action.
Nan Yu himself even joined the communication team.
Their task...
was to personally contact every graduate involved and inform them of the situation.
Naturally, everything was conducted in absolute secrecy.
As for the media...
The truth would inevitably become public sooner or later.
The academy simply intended to wait until everyone had returned before making an official announcement.
There was, however, another hidden problem.
Once the news became public...
Many students whose disciplinary records were actually genuine would likely step forward as well.
They would insist that their own records had also been altered and demand to know why they had never received notification from the academy.
There would undoubtedly be countless similar complications.
Fortunately...
The Royal Military Academy truly lived up to its name.
Practically every disciplinary action had complete supporting evidence.
Surveillance footage.
Witness testimony.
Physical evidence.
Investigation reports.
Since this was a military academy, many procedures were handled according to military standards.
Therefore...
Anyone hoping to muddy the waters and take advantage of the situation would most likely end up with a very miserable fate.
Looking at the list assigned to him, Nan Yu raised an eyebrow slightly.
He was currently sitting alone in a private room.
Sometimes absolute silence was necessary.
Meanwhile, Yang Zhou was lying on the sofa in the lounge outside, happily playing games while waiting for him.
Nan Yu recalled the number the teacher had mentioned earlier.
Including Yang Zhou...
A total of three hundred and sixty-six students had their records altered.
Of those...
Three hundred and fifty had already graduated.
The remaining sixteen—including Yang Zhou—were still enrolled.
Aside from Yang Zhou...
The other fifteen still had no idea their records had been tampered with.
The academy had no intention of informing them.
They would simply restore their records and pretend nothing had ever happened.
That meant...
The truly difficult cases were the three hundred and fifty graduates.
Nan Yu carefully examined the list assigned to him.
There were only five names.
As he looked through them one by one...
He was surprised to discover that he recognized three of them.
Not from this life.
From his previous life.
It wasn't accurate to say he personally knew them.
Rather...
He had occasionally seen them mentioned in the news.
The first two names meant nothing to him.
But the last three were extremely famous.
Because they had become criminals.
Their crimes had been exceptionally heinous.
In the end, each had been sentenced to permanent exile.
In other words...
They would spend the rest of their lives working under brutal conditions in the border regions until the day they died.
Nan Yu decided to contact the last person on the list first.
The first name...
Zi Zhoulin.
After placing the communication request, no one answered.
Yet the connection wasn't rejected either.
Perhaps the other party was trying to determine who was calling.
Nan Yu waited for about two minutes.
Just as he was beginning to think no one would answer...
The communication was finally accepted.