Apocalypse Gachapon Chapter 2047: I still have (3)

A burst of laughter escaped Kelan Su, but he quickly stifled it. Standing up, he offered an apology to everyone present, even extending it to Ye Zhongming.

On the surface, his demeanor was flawless. Despite initiating the discourtesy, his subsequent apology made it difficult for anyone to voice further criticism.

However, Ye Zhongming felt a surge of intense disgust welling up within him.

He recognized the individual. The information provided by Jie Su had specifically highlighted this person: Kelan Su, the first heir and publicly acknowledged top genius of the Su Clan.

Previously, any animosity directed towards him had stemmed solely from his efforts to aid Jie Su's ascent. Now, however, Ye Zhongming found himself disliking Kelan Su personally.

"It was deliberate, nothing more. While impolite, it was at least honest. Now, you're not only hypocritical but also putting on an act. Do you truly believe everyone here is a fool, unable to see through it?"

The Cloud Peak King had now considered the situation thoroughly. Since humility wouldn't earn him respect anyway, he decided it was better to speak his mind plainly. What if Kelan Su was the first heir? If you offend me, I will still confront you, he thought.

Of course, in any other circumstance involving a different race, Ye Zhongming would never have acted this way. Provoking the first heir of another race would be tantamount to seeking death.

But within the Su Clan, the situation was distinct. Firstly, he possessed a valid pretext: his presence was for study and to fulfill the Novice First reward. Provided he avoided egregious actions, his safety remained reasonably assured.

Secondly, if his assessment was accurate, the Su Clan leader harbored a inclination towards an alliance with the Star-Eye Clan. It was only due to pressure from the other two factions and the concerns of various elders that he had been compelled to withdraw from such considerations. Ye Zhongming suspected the clan leader might even be contemplating elevating Jie Su to the position of clan leader.

This suspicion was reinforced by later events. After specific formations were introduced among the Su Clan's high-ranking members, Yaohan Su took Jie Su under his wing, instructing him personally as if he were his own direct disciple. His words and actions consistently betrayed a clear favoritism towards Jie Su.

Jie Su was not oblivious and harbored his own suspicions regarding the clan leader's strong preference for him.

While Yaohan Su could not articulate his reasons explicitly, and Jie Su found it difficult to explain to others, he could, however, confide in Ye Zhongming. This shared objective was a point of common understanding among like-minded individuals. Therefore, Ye Zhongming's deductions were entirely logical.

Given this context, it was highly probable that within the Su Clan leader's mind, Kelan Su was perceived as an irritant. Upon hearing Ye Zhongming disparage this troublesome figure, Yaohan Su would naturally feel pleased and inclined to protect Ye Zhongming from repercussions.

Indeed, the members aligned with Yaohan Su's faction secretly rejoiced upon hearing Ye Zhongming's bold declaration.

"Some individuals from minor clans evidently lack basic etiquette; allow me to educate you." The leader of Kelan Su's faction spoke with a sinister tone.

"Wait until I reach your age, then it would be appropriate for you to impart such wisdom," Ye Zhongming retorted without hesitation.

"You and I are of similar age. How about we settle this with a match?" Kelan Su's face had flushed crimson earlier due to the veiled insult. His eyes blazed with anger. Seizing upon the opportunity presented by Ye Zhongming's words, he was determined not to let it pass.

"Uncle, what is your esteemed age this year?"

While Yaohan Su, Huo Zhi, and Cheng Su maintained their composure, Guard Captain Zhou Su could barely contain his laughter at Ye Zhongming's remark. Nevertheless, he stepped forward, subtly closing the distance to Ye Zhongming, ensuring a buffer should these individuals' anger escalate into a sudden attack.

This time, Kelan Su's face contorted, turning not just red, but a deep shade of purple with rage.

Among the cosmic races, his age was certainly not considered old; he had only recently come of age. However, from Ye Zhongming's perspective, it was indeed considered advanced. In terms of Earth's age disparity, referring to Kelan Su as 'uncle' was not entirely inappropriate, as Ye Zhongming was more than twenty years his senior.

"You, you..." Kelan Su was rendered speechless by sheer indignation.

"Enough!"

Yaohan Su's voice boomed suddenly, cutting through the tension. He then addressed Ye Zhongming sternly: "Although you are here under the designation of Novice First to receive my tutelage, you are gravely mistaken if you believe the Su Clan can be easily trifled with because of this. Do not expect leniency if I am forced to discipline you. Now, explain yourself. You stated you came to offer assistance to the Su Clan?"

A quiet applause erupted in Ye Zhongming's heart. At this juncture, his certainty was absolute: the clan leader genuinely intended to forge an alliance with the Star-Eye Clan and wished to groom Jie Su as his successor!

Otherwise, the clan leader would not have uttered those words – words that appeared to be a reprimand but subtly extricated Ye Zhongming from a precarious situation.

Without allowing anyone to interject, Ye Zhongming extended a single finger towards the assembled individuals.

"I believe many here are still unaware of the Su Clan's current standing, clinging to the delusion of being a major super clan. Allow me to first educate you on the present cosmic races."

"Arrogant!"

The same leader scoffed once more.

Typically, Ye Zhongming's actions could be seen as presumptuous. He, a being who had only recently arrived from his home planet, was now poised to lecture members of the Su Clan, who had existed for untold ages, on the history of cosmic races. Such a situation felt inherently discordant.

Ye Zhongming bypassed the interruption and continued, "Currently, among the cosmic races, there are officially four major super clans, but in truth, there are nine super races. Everyone is aware of this; an official announcement is merely pending."

"Apart from the Su Clan and the Taros Red Dwarves, the remaining seven major super clans are distributed as follows: four belong to the Reina Star camp, and three belong to the Huo'er Star camp."

"Beyond the super major clans, there exist major clans. This category is significantly larger, encompassing nearly a thousand major clans. Of these, the Huo'er Star camp accounts for sixty percent, while the Reina Star people hold forty percent, thus balancing the disparity in super major clans between the two."

"Ah, yes, the cosmic races are organized into three primary camps, one of which is the Su Clan's camp. I wonder, does the Su Clan camp possess any super major clans?"

"No."

"Any major clans?"

"Officially, yes. However, in reality, whether they truly qualify as major clans is something you know better than I do!"

Ye Zhongming posed and answered his own questions rapidly. The final statement was delivered with a slightly raised volume. These words carried considerable weight, causing everyone, including Yaohan Su, to shift their gaze elsewhere.

Yet, this was the unvarnished truth.

To maintain a semblance of dignity, the Su Clan consistently asserted the presence of major clans within their allegiance. However, over the course of many years, these clans had languished, falling short of the criteria for major clans; at best, they could be considered slightly superior medium races.

Even with this diminished standard, the number of races meeting this qualification barely reached twenty.