Gu Bing had specially ntioned him yesterday, and Zhang Yunqing had confird it: this was the guy who had invited him to a banquet.
And today, he was here in person.
His profession was said to be unusual, causing his eyes to turn one black and one white. He was currently a Tier Three Professional, and extrely close to reaching Tier Four.
"Brother Su..." Ming Lin said amicably, holding a bottle of grayish-yellow wine. "Forgive for showing up unannounced. I hope I’m not disturbing you."
"Not at all. Please, co in." Su Chen stepped aside, saying politely, "I wasn’t expecting you, so I haven’t prepared anything."
"This isn’t any fine wine." Ming Lin sat at the dining table with a chuckle. He glanced at the large at buns on a plate and remarked in surprise, "Cyan Python Pork? What a coincidence. It’s the perfect pairing for this wine..."
"This wine is smooth and delicate, perfect for the morning. It really gets the mind going."
’Tsk... So he knew what I was eating for breakfast before he even arrived. Impressive.’
Su Chen understood perfectly. The man was flexing. He didn’t mind, though. He took the wine and had No. Zero pour two glasses.
The two exchanged a few pleasantries. Seeing that Su Chen never asked why he was there, Ming Lin inwardly revised his assessnt of him. ’This man is very patient.’
He couldn’t be bothered with any more small talk, so he got straight to the point. "That said, you two certainly caused a commotion yesterday. The number of Core Seeds suddenly increased by two. The powers within the Judicial Court are probably in for a reshuffle."
"I’ve heard whispers," Su Chen said with a helpless air. "I tried my best to refuse, but the Chief Judge is... decisive. There was nothing I could do."
’So shaless.’ Ming Lin almost lost his composure. His own teacher had been there; how could he not know the details?
He could only play along. "Outstanding individuals deserve better resources. It’s only natural."
Perhaps feeling a bit disgusted by his own words, Ming Lin quickly changed the subject, lowering his voice. "The Core Seeds went from four to six. Those other three old-tirs are furious. They’re already riling up their subordinates, trying to stir up conflict."
"But whatever you do, don’t get involved."
A glint in his eye, Su Chen gave a cryptic smile. "They’re unhappy about it. Are you?"
"They beca Core Seeds a long ti ago, and their Talents are rely Red Gold. Naturally, they feel threatened. But you, , and that Zhu Xuan... we’re all Mo Cui. We’re in a different league," Ming Lin said with a confident smile.
"Competition breeds progress."
"What a noble sentint," Su Chen said, his tone full of false admiration. "I’d say the Chief Judge’s seat has your na on it."
’What a load of crap.’ Ming Lin waved his hands dismissively, once again adjusting his assessnt of Su Chen. He was starting to think this guy was going to be a handful.
"That Zhu Xuan... even before officially joining the Judicial Court, he’s already amassed a huge following. He seems powerful, but he’s also made himself the primary target," Ming Lin said, shaking his head. "A lot of his people are already involved, stirring up public opinion and protesting."
"Caught in a dilemma," Su Chen stated succinctly.
’And smart, too...’ Ming Lin’s eyes narrowed. He nodded. "Exactly. His followers are all new recruits from this year. They don’t have the foundation. The mont they clash with the veterans, if he can’t resolve it, he’ll lose all credibility."
Being a leader isn’t just about the perks; it’s about responsibility.
If you can’t handle things for your people, who’s going to stick their neck out for you?
Ming Lin offered a probing complint. "You’re the smart one, though. Staying solo, watching the drama from the sidelines. No one can touch you."
"I wasn’t thinking that far ahead," Su Chen said with a laugh. "I just can’t be bothered with all the social maneuvering."
For a mont, Ming Lin couldn’t read Su Chen’s intentions. Was he genuinely too lazy to recruit anyone, or was he just biding his ti?
He had co with the intention of recruiting him, but Su Chen was so smooth and deflective that he didn’t know how to broach the subject.
Still, he hadn’t expected to win him over with just a few words. Subduing a talent like this would take ti.
The stars had to align—the right ti, the right place, the right people.
So, he decided to use this eting to show as much goodwill as possible.
"You and I think alike, Younger Brother Su. A pity... I can no longer afford to just look out for myself," Ming Lin said with a wry smile, then continued:
"The four-Core-Seed structure has been in place for a long ti. It had its flaws, but for the most part, it was functional."
"But with the rollout of the Do Light System, the population exploded, and more and more talented individuals began to erge."
"In recent years, the number of Red Gold Level Professionals who have gathered in the Inner Courtyard alone has surpassed thirty."
Su Chen grew thoughtful. ’Back when the population was smaller, a Red Gold Level Talent was treated like a priceless, fragile treasure.’
But now, new Red Gold Talents appeared every year. Having three of the four Core Seeds be only Red Gold Level... it had beco hard for people to accept.
Ming Lin continued, "But those guys have the advantage of an early start. They beca Core Seeds long ago and have already gathered powerful factions around themselves."
"Even the Chief Judge couldn’t just strip them of their status. His only choice was to make an exception and add more Core Seed positions."
Su Chen understood what he ant. Ti was their advantage. Even if others were also Red Gold Level, the incumbents were older, stronger, and had larger factions, leaving no room for anyone else to rise.
Ming Lin sighed. "The structure had beco stagnant, but beneath the still water, the currents were churning. The Chief Judge has been looking for a better way to shake things up."
"It seems he’s found a way, and you two are the catalyst. All you have to do is wait for the outco."
This wasn’t a hint; it was an outright declaration. The internal structure of the Judicial Court was about to undergo a massive transformation, and for the ti being, the best course of action was to do nothing.
Su Chen pondered for a mont before replying with genuine sincerity, "Thank you for the advice. I understand."
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