"Senior, I don't quite understand you," Mo said, his brow furrowed.
"What I'm trying to say is, once your abilities come to light, many nations will do anything to win you over. We don't want someone born in this country to end up opposing it by joining another. If that were to happen, the younger generation would face a nightmare. Few could restrain you. This country cannot afford to have you as an enemy," explained Chu, his tone serious.
Mo looked thoughtful for a moment before replying, "Rest assured, Senior, I am loyal to this country. I will not turn against it unless I am forced to."
Feng, another elder in the room, gave a knowing nod but added, "Kid, it's not about trust. Nobody can predict the extreme measures other nations might take to ensure you join their side. You need to be prepared for anything."
Mo tilted his head slightly and frowned. "Old man, what do you want me to do so you can trust me?" He asked, frustrated by what he felt was an unnecessary complication.
Feng's expression grew more stern. "It's simple. You need to join us officially and take up a position."
"Join you?" Mo repeated, clearly confused. "I can't be an elder—I'm too young, and I'm not strong enough. What position are you offering me?"
Feng turned to Chu, as if passing the responsibility of explanation to him. Chu, sensing the need for clarity, sighed. "Old Chu here has been wanting to retire for a long time, but no one wants to take over his role. How about we give it to the kid?"
"That's a good idea," Feng agreed. "If he takes the position, we won't have to worry about him being poached by others."
The rest of the old men in the room nodded in agreement. "Then it's settled," Feng declared. "The position is yours now."
Mo's eyes flickered with uncertainty as he looked at the elders, unsure what role they were talking about. He turned back to Chu, waiting for a clearer explanation.
"Kid, as an elder, I hold another important position: I'm the governor of this military county," Chu began, watching Mo closely. "Given my age, I should have retired years ago, but no one here has been willing to take over the role, so I've been stuck with it. Now, I'm handing it over to you, and in doing so, we trust you will not betray this country."
Mo's mouth opened slightly in astonishment. "You're the governor of the military county?" he asked, incredulous.
Chu nodded. "Yes, but as of now, you are the governor, and there's no turning it down."
Mo shook his head in disbelief. "I'm still a child! How can I be the governor? Are you serious?" He couldn't help but feel that if these old men were leading the country, then the nation was headed for disaster. Their carelessness in making such critical decisions worried him deeply.
"Don't underestimate the position, kid," Chu said with a chuckle. "The governor holds nearly absolute authority here, and keep in mind, 90% of the population in this county are soldiers. With such a force at your command, no one will dare cross you."
Mo was silent for a moment, weighing the gravity of the situation. Finally, he spoke up, "I don't have a problem with it, but you know I'm still young. I can't stay here indefinitely. I need to continue my studies."
"Don't worry about that," Chu reassured him. "Charles will help manage the county when you're away, and once you've completed your studies, you can take over fully."
Mo nodded, but he wasn't finished. "Although I've agreed to be the governor, I need to make a few things clear," he said, his voice firm. "I despise conflict. As long as I'm not attacked, I won't provoke anyone—even under your orders. If a day comes when you can't handle the pressure, I expect you to sever ties with me immediately."
Feng, who had been listening intently, nodded approvingly. "The first condition is acceptable. You'll only need to defend the country if it's attacked. As for the second condition," Feng hesitated slightly before continuing, "I can't promise you that. We'll handle it as the situation dictates." He knew full well that letting go of Mo would be close to impossible.
The conversation lightened as Mo continued to chat with the elders, learning more about their roles and responsibilities. After a while, he asked, "How many elders does the country have?"
"There are eight of us," Chu responded.
"Eight?" Mo looked around. "But I only see seven of you here. Did you lie about being the guardian?" he teased lightly.
Feng shook his head. "The last elder isn't here. She despises spending time with us and only shows up when something serious happens."
Mo raised an eyebrow. "She?" he asked, surprised.
"What, a woman can't be an elder?" Feng snapped, narrowing his eyes.
"No, no, that's not what I meant," Mo quickly clarified. "I just didn't expect it."
Deep down, Mo was intrigued. A female elder who could dodge bullets? Now that was interesting.
"She's the youngest of us all," Feng continued, his tone now indifferent. "She turned forty-five just three months ago, and she's already an S+ master."
Mo's eyes widened. Forty-five years old? Unbelievable. The youngest elder here, aside from her, was Charles, who was in his fifties. It only reinforced the idea that women could be just as strong, if not stronger, than men.
Mo then turned to Lee, who had been quiet for most of the conversation. "You're an elder too, I assume?" he asked, curious.
Lee smiled wryly but didn't offer an answer. After all, he had once told Mo he was just a simple principal. Yet Mo now knew better—there was no way an ordinary principal would run a military academy, the future of the nation.
A short while later, Mo was stunned when he learned he'd be receiving $20,000 per month for his new position. To a normal teenager like him, this was an astronomical amount. Initially, they had offered $50,000, but Mo had declined, insisting that he didn't need to be paid for holding a title. Yet the elders were adamant, and he eventually agreed to accept $20,000.
After spending some more time with the elders, Mo left to rejoin his classmates. As he departed, Chu turned to the others and said, "That kid is quite secretive. We have to make sure he doesn't fall into the hands of other countries." The rest of the elders nodded grimly in agreement.
"What do you plan on doing now that you're no longer bound by duty?" Feng asked Chu.
Chu stretched and smiled. "I plan to travel the world. It's been far too long since I last stepped outside the country."
None of the elders were surprised by this response, as they had already suspected Chu would choose this path. "I won't stop you, but be careful," Feng said, his tone laced with concern.
Two hours later, only Lee and Feng remained in the office. "Arrange for a team of elites to protect the kid in secret," Feng ordered. "They should remain hidden unless something serious happens, and they mustn't let the kid notice them."
Feng then turned to Lee and mentioned that he was considering having his granddaughter, currently studying at the prestigious International Academy, return to Kenya. Lee was taken aback. The International Academy was far superior to even Harvard, and not just anyone could attend. Only those with ties to the president, guardians, or elders were accepted. To bring her back would be a significant loss.
As the day drew to a close, the students at Mo's school returned to their dorms. However, in the middle of the night, Mo quietly slipped out of the military academy, unnoticed.
The next morning, back at his usual school, students stood in neat lines as the principal delivered his morning speech. Mo, having sneaked back in, waited patiently for the students to be dismissed. As they were finally released to head back to their classes, Mo resumed his walk toward his Grade 11 class.
Upon entering the classroom, his classmates stared at him in shock. The uniform he wore was unlike anything they had ever seen—a violet uniform with a matching violet badge. Mo smiled as he reunited with his friends, muttering softly to himself, "Home sweet home. I'm back."
When his friends bombarded him with questions about his recent adventure, Mo told them what he could, leaving out the details that weren't meant for their ears. After chatting briefly, he made his way to the principal's office.
The principal, upon seeing Mo, heaved a sigh of relief. "You're back. Did they let you return?"
"No," Mo replied nonchalantly. "I escaped."
The principal's jaw dropped. He knew how heavily guarded the military academy was, and for Mo to have escaped was nothing short of remarkable.
Mo assured him there would be no consequences, and when the principal asked why he had hidden his talents for so long, Mo explained, "Wealth makes an innocent man guilty. It breeds greed in the hearts of others. If you lack the strength to protect what you have, it's best to keep it hidden."
With that, Mo resumed his peaceful routine. He played with his friends, attended his classes, and went home each evening. A week passed quietly since