Absolute Choice
chapter-482

"Another time perhaps. I have something on after this meeting."

The courtesan wiped the charming smile off her face and heartlessly rejected the man.

The man was left startled. He did not understand why the broad would suddenly transform into another person. However, when One-Pun entered the meeting room, he suddenly recalled the terror the pair of eyes had inflicted on him. Immediately, he did not dare to say another word as he lowered his head resentfully.

After One-Pun returned to the meeting room, everyone turned their heads away as well in a bid to deliberately avoid One-Pun's gaze. The suited man noticed that One-Pun did not bring Zhang Meng back and he was about to make an inquiry, but the moment he thought of the terrifying feeling of having countless teeth graze across his skin in the darkness, he immediately felt his scalp tingle. He did not dare to speak a word. Even the biological hardwiring in his intestines had no choice but to forcefully hold back a fart.

One-Pun did not look at the crowd either. He first nodded at the white-browed elder as a gesture before walking toward Yama Minamiya, who was sitting on the ground. Then, he grabbed Yama Minamiya's brawny body and held him firmly by the shoulders before turning around, preparing to leave.

Everyone immediately heaved a sigh of relief when they saw the situation.

"Wait! The meeting isn't over yet!" Yama Minamiya suddenly yelled. "Put me down now!"

Everyone was alarmed, mortally afraid that One-Pun would put Yama Minamiya down.

One-Pun ignored him and continued to walk forward as he said softly, "Treatment first."

Yama Minamiya shouted, "No! Treatment after the meeting!"

One-Pun ignored him and continued walking.

Everyone heaved a sigh of relief once again.

"Pa!"

Suddenly, there was a crisp smacking sound!

The crowd widened their eyes in disbelief!

Yama Minamiya had actually slapped the back of One-Pun's bright and smooth head!?

"Put me down!" Yama Minamiya screamed into One-Pun's ear.

Everyone's mouth immediately turned into an 'O'-shape.

Heavens!

Was Yama Minamiya courting death?

"Pa! Pa! Pa!"

Just as everyone was reeling in astonishment, Yama Minamiya slapped One-Pun's bald head thrice with a solemn expression. Each slap was clear and loud. It even had a rhythm to it.

"Are you putting me down or not!?" Yama Minamiya bellowed in a deep tone.

Everyone was already dumbfounded. They felt as though their brains could not process what was happening. They were only afraid that One-Pun would suddenly rage and implicate them, causing them to shudder in fear.

However, One-Pun wasn't infuriated. Instead, he faltered for a moment before stopping and turning around. He walked to Yama Minamiya's previous seat and gently placed him down.

"Sigh, you should really change that temper of yours."

How did One-Pun's soft grumbling and extremely cordial expression look anything like he had just been given a 'Pa Pa Pa'?

Everyone was shocked but they finally realized something wasn't right. How did Yama Minamiya, a trivial division minister, actually have such an 'intimate' relationship with One-Pun?

The suited man came to a realization that he had made a fatal error. The reason why One-Pun was enraged was not that Zhang Meng was bullying someone from Gaia but because Zhang Meng had injured Yama Minamiya!

The reason why One-Pun was so incensed was that Yama Minamiya was his Achilles' heel?

As everyone was shocked by the relationship between One-Pun and Yama Minamiya, One-Pun suddenly looked up at everyone. Again, he smiled and gave a genial and 'harmless' look. He rapped the meeting desk and said, "Can the meeting...be a little faster? I'm in a rush for time."

Everyone was left too deep for tears. They thought to themselves: Your fist is the biggest so whatever you say is right. But with you standing there, who would dare speak out? Who would dare retort Yama Minamiya?

You can't bully us like that!

The middle-aged woman bit the bullet and said, "The Hero Association is already urging us to submit the final name list so this is already the final meeting. And what should be discussed has more or less been done. It's time to make the final decision. I believe that we should vo...vo...vo..."

The middle-aged woman's body turned stiff. She could not say the words 'vote to decide'. Voting was the most suitable solution to such disagreements but the outcome of the vote during the meeting was obvious. She did not dare to suggest something that was completely unfair to Gaia in front of One-Pun.

The middle-aged woman trembled for a few seconds before redirecting her words. She said, "The final decision will be decided by Chairman Jiang!"

The only person who could ignore One-Pun's inclination was the esteemed senior.

The middle-aged woman believed that despite Chairman Jiang being somewhat stubborn, he was not pedantic. He definitely would not oppose the Hero Association and the wishes of the citizens to help a few Gaia rookies that had nothing to do with him.

The seven organizations had jointly protested, while the people of the nation had denounced the matter. The Hero Association had secretly been exerting pressure, so no one could withstand the three-pronged pressure. Even Azure Emperor Jiang Tianyou would find it difficult to withstand it. Furthermore, the two rascals from Gaia had no relationship with Chairman Jiang. It wasn't worth it for Chairman Jiang to pay such a heavy price.

The rest of the organization's upper echelons naturally shared the same conclusion that the middle-aged woman could think of. They believed that they had it in the bag from the beginning, believing that this meeting was just going through the unimportant process. In the end, they believed that Chairman Jiang would not commit such a low-level mistake as well.

After all, the white-browed elder was also an old sly fox!

The members of the upper echelons echoed the sentiment as they pleaded for Chairman Jiang to make the final decision.

The genial white-browed elder chuckled and surveyed the crowd. He gently said, "Are all of you really letting me make the decision?"

The middle-aged woman said with a nod, "Chairman Jiang, please make the final decision!"

The white-browed elder turned to look at One-Pun and asked, "My young friend, One-Pun, do you mind if I make the final decision?"

One-Pun shook his head and said, "I do not mind."

The white-browed elder nodded and finally looked at Yama Minamiya. He said solemnly, "Division Minister Minamiya, do you agree to leave the decision to me?"

Yama Minamiya fell silent for a moment before sighing. He said softly, "Elder Jiang, please think about it carefully. If you believe that the rule should be changed, I...I will not oppose it."

It might be sufficient to force everyone to accept an outcome which was beneficial to Gaia through the use of One-Pun's strength. However, Yama Minamiya did not wish to do so, nor could he do so.

That was because the act of doing so would not only tarnish One-Pun's reputation, it would also tarnish Gaia's reputation. And most important of all, the 'righteousness' and 'honesty' that he advocated would no longer exist.

He had done all that he could do. Now, he placed the two rascals' fate in the hands of the peerless hero, Azure Emperor Jiang, who had saved countless lives.

"Then I'll be the bad guy."

The white-browed elder gave Yama Minamiya a deep, meaningful look before turning to the crowd and met the eager eyes of the members of the upper echelons. He said with a solemn voice, "I have decided that the rule...shall not be changed!"

The smile that was just about to bloom on the members of the upper echelons froze.

Yama Minamiya looked at the old man with a pleasant surprise.

A gentle smile suffused across the white-browed elder's mouth as he said, "Why should I change a rule I set?"

The middle-aged woman drew a gasp. At that moment, she ignored her fear and said solemnly, "The rule Chairman Jiang set isn't wrong, but it is not the most correct rule. The seven major organizations, the Hero Association, and all the people of the country believe that holding a tournament is the fairest way to choose the talents that truly possess the strength! Chairman Jiang, please think twice about it!"

The white-browed elder said with a chuckle, "I only know that a decided rule will not be changed or it will be unfair. What has the seven major organizations, the Hero Association, and the views of every citizen in the country got to do with me? The rule I set is the greatest form of justice to me!"

The middle-aged woman nearly spat out blood from her anger as she said with a trembling voice, "By...by doing so, who is to bear the responsibility if Wen Hezheng and Kevin disgrace the organization faction at the collective training?"

"A trivial farce by a group of rookies will make the organization faction lose their dignity? Why do I not know that the organization faction is so fragile to setbacks?"

The white-browed elder scoffed and said, "Since you believe that someone has to be responsible, I'll bear the responsibility! You can tell the seven major organizations, the Hero Association, and every citizen in the country that this matter was especially decided by me. All the responsibility shall be mine! After all, the rule was determined by me. If the talent chosen through my rule does not meet the mark, it is only right for me to be responsible."

The white-browed elder's strong sense of righteousness inspired Yama Minamiya. He clenched his fists and felt his chest surging with burning hot blood. He was extremely agitated.

The suited man suddenly laughed dryly and said, "So Chairman Jiang had long made up your mind. All the previous meetings were just to drag it out?"

The white-browed elder did not deny it as he nodded his head calmly and said, "The rule set by me cannot be changed by anyone. This is my 'justice'. No one can destroy my 'justice'! The meeting was only to go through the necessary processes that are unimportant. It was just to deal with a few irritating old fogies."

The members of the upper echelons could not help but smile wryly. The ones that had to go through the process was not Yama Minamiya but them!

...

In the following ten minutes, Chairman Jiang made the members of the upper echelons understand fully what 'Stubborn temper' was. He made the decision of not changing the rule and that Wen Hezheng and Kevin would become the last two candidates for the collective training. Regardless of what the crowd said, it was useless.

Under One-Pun's 'kind' gaze, none of them dared to waste time by putting up a meaningless struggle. Finally, this series of undulating twists and turns ended with a 'crappy ending'. Chairman Jiang had used ten minutes to determine the final decision.

The crowd left the meeting room helplessly. They secretly thought to themselves that they had to embellish the situation with the 'high-handed' One-Pun and the 'overbearing' Jiang Tianyou to their organization regardless of the consequences. Although they could not fix the two 'monsters' that seized authority with their fists, it did not mean that the seven major organizations and the Hero Association would forget it. Furthermore, One-Pun had especially violated the hero law which stated that 'professional heroes at the Psionic Imperial Realm could not fight privately'. He had even seriously injured Thor's Zhang Meng. It was no trivial matter!

After Yama Minamiya expressed his thanks to Chairman Jiang, he was quickly carried out of the meeting room by One-Pun.

Finally, there was only Jiang Tianyou and the uniformed beauty left in the meeting room.

Jiang Tianyou changed the composed demeanor from before as he scratched his head with a wry smile and said, "Damn it, damn it. I'm going to be irritated to death by those old bastards!"

The uniformed beauty rolled her eyes and thought to herself: Were you acting just now?

The uniformed beauty hesitated for a moment before she said suddenly, "Grandpa, why did you...do that?"

The uniformed beauty was really not just an insignificant secretary. She was Azure Emperor Jiang Tianyou's granddaughter!

Although her grandfather's smacking of the ugly faces of those members of the upper echelon had allowed her to vent, was it worth it to oppose the seven major organizations, the Hero Association and all the citizens of the country for some so-called 'justice'?

The uniformed beauty was somewhat worried for her grandfather.

Jiang Tianyou turned to glance at his granddaughter as an affectionate smile suffused across his face. He said gently, "Weiwei, Grandpa recalls that you previously worked as an assistant to the general manager of the Battle Arena Corporation branch?"

The uniformed beauty... Oh, she should be called 'Yang Weiwei' instead.

Yang Weiwei faltered for a moment before gently nodding her head.

Life was always filled with surprises, both good or bad. Just a month ago, she was a pathetic assistant that was forced by the general manager to 'solicit' others. When she met with the tragic outcome of being fired, Jiang Tianyou had found her!

She was Jiang Tianyou's long lost granddaughter!

Well, Yang Weiwei had initially rejected the treatment that was akin to being a female protagonist in a novel.

However, Jiang Tianyou had done several things. After convincing her adoptive parents and not hesitating to take her brother, Yang Yang, as a disciple, she finally accepted this sudden appearance of a grandfather.

Soon, with Jiang Tianyou's direction that was vigorous and effective, she quickly became the private assistant to the Hero Association's Vice Chairman-cum-Senate Chairman, Jiang Tianyou. She had gone from an ordinary white-collared worker to an important member that dealt with important matters of the hero faction.

This drastic change in stature would have been difficult for anyone to adapt but Yang Weiwei had understood the gist of it in a few short days. Furthermore, she was like a fish in water with extremely high proficiency.

That was because...there was nothing that could not be completed through deceit. If once wasn't enough, twice would do.

Yang Weiwei's Soul of Deception was gradually turning mature.

Yang Weiwei asked, "Grandpa, why do you raise it up?"

Jiang Tianyou said, "Grandpa remembers that the Battle Arena Corporation branch you were in is in Steel City, which is also Gaia's headquarters, isn't it?"

Yang Weiwei found it somewhat odd but she nodded. She said, "It's indeed the Gaia branch."

Jiang Tianyou said with a nod, "Isn't it obvious already?"

"What's obvious?"

Yang Weiwei was somewhat dumbfounded but she immediately realized something. She said in disbelief, "Grandpa, because of that, you actually..."

Jiang Tianyou grinned and said, "Of course. If not for my darling granddaughter having lived in Gaia headquarters for a period of time, why would I have helped them?"

"Ah?"

Yang Weiwei exclaimed, "Grandpa, didn't you do it for 'justice'?"

"Does your Grandpa look like an idiot?" Jiang Tianyou rolled his eyes and said with a petulant laugh. "How does changing a rule have anything to do with justice? If we want to talk about justice, between a bunch of retards who are unrelated to me and a dull idiot that is somewhat related to my darling granddaughter, helping that dull idiot is my justice!"

"Oh..."

Yang Weiwei was left unable to respond. She thought to herself: Grandpa, your justice is so unjust.

But, your granddaughter likes it a lot. IChooseDogLeading (我选择狗带) when read in Chinese sounds like I Choose Go Die. It was a meme that resulted from a former member of famous Korean boygroup, EXO, TAO (Huang Zitao). At a concert, there was a part in a rap that where he said "", but due to a mispronunciation, it sounded like he will not easily choose to be led by dogs. This phrase now means 'I'd rather die/I choose death'.