These two guys, one a noble of the Empire and the other a prince from an allied nation, looked as if they had undergone plastic surgery—they were so handsome. Naturally, they were incredibly popular among the female students at Almice Academy. So when these two decided to duel, even going so far as to use crystal-energy swords, it was no wonder the entire female population showed up to watch.
Clearly, Zack had also heard of Zhang Wen, the discipline teacher who had been specially assigned to Almice Academy by the Governor’s Office after saving the Governor’s life. As soon as Zhang Wen stepped forward from the crowd, Zack lightly waved his sword and spoke first, saying, “Mr. Zhang, this is my matter with Cloud. Please don’t interfere.”
As the eldest son of the Shinra Army’s general, Zack naturally didn’t need to worry about saving face for the Governor’s Office. Although his words sounded polite on the surface, a moment’s thought revealed that he actually held Zhang Wen in no regard at all. When he told Zhang Wen not to interfere, what he really implied was, “You can’t stop us anyway.”
“Oh oh! Mr. Zhang, you better step aside quickly! Otherwise, if they start fighting, you might get hurt!”
“Hahaha! That’s right! Crystal-energy swords don’t have eyes. If you get stabbed by accident, no one here will be able to block a sword for you!”
As Zack’s words faded, the surrounding male students began to jeer and laugh out loud in unison. Soon, even many of the girls nearby joined in with mocking sounds. Even among those girls who didn’t actually want to see the two “Campus Princes” duel, many wore expressions of disdain.
In an Empire where strength is valued above all, these aristocratic youths mostly looked down on Zhang Wen, who had entered the academy through the Governor’s favor—what they called a “parachute student.” Seeing that Zack had taken the lead in humiliating Zhang Wen, those students who had long disliked him naturally didn’t want to miss this golden opportunity.
Frankly speaking, Zhang Wen originally had no intention of interfering in Zack and Cloud’s duel. In his own nature, he would rather buy a drink and sit aside cheering for these two “youths gambling their youth for their ideals.”
But now… Zhang Wen smiled as he looked around at the jeering crowd. If he backed down in front of so many people, he would never be able to hold his head high again at Almice Academy. As for ambitions like rising to prominence or achieving success, those would all be fleeting clouds. In an Empire that valued strength and honor above all else, a coward who fled from battle would be despised forever!
Although Zhang Wen usually preferred to be cautious in his dealings, when faced with situations, he had never been afraid. Slowly scanning the crowd, Zhang Wen finally focused his gaze on Zack and Cloud at the center.
Zhang Wen naturally knew the strength of these two well-known students. With their fifth-level martial arts skills, most of the academy’s discipline teachers probably couldn’t even manage their duel. However, the feeling he had when fully activating the Spring Water Technique in the library had filled him with confidence.
Before today’s breakthrough in the Spring Water Technique, he had secretly tested himself and already approached fifth-level strength. And judging from his speed just now, his martial arts power had at least doubled—meaning he now had at least peak fifth-level, nearly sixth-level martial arts strength. Moreover, in the martial arts of the Musso Empire, too much emphasis was placed on “energy” training, while skill mastery lagged far behind the Spring Water Technique.
Since both their techniques and energy were no match for his, if he still couldn’t handle them, Zhang Wen thought he might as well buy a block of tofu and knock his head against it.
Having made up his mind, Zhang Wen smiled faintly and asked Zack, “You two want to duel?”
“That’s right,” Zack replied, assuming Zhang Wen was about to back down, giving a disdainful nod. As he did, the girls who adored Zack erupted into cheers once again. Alongside this, some boys jeered at Zhang Wen. But even more boys inhaled deeply, holding their breath in anticipation of loudly jeering once Zhang Wen said something cowardly.
Zhang Wen scanned the crowd again, then smiled and said slowly, “Then you can fight next time when I’m not around. Today, you definitely won’t be able to do it!”
“Hmph… cough cough!” Zhang Wen’s calm and confident declaration left the students, who had prepared to jeer, only able to get out the beginning of their mockery before being cut off. Immediately, the academy square was filled with choking coughs.
The boys all pounded their chests in frustration, glaring angrily at Zhang Wen. Meanwhile, the girls supporting Zack and Cloud angrily jeered even louder. Zhang Wen’s words were practically pointing at Zack and Cloud and saying, “You won’t get past me.” How could their female fans possibly stay calm after that?
Zhang Wen’s confident response also clearly surprised Zack. He stared at Zhang Wen for a while before solemnly saying, “My duel with him must happen today! Mr. Zhang, this doesn’t concern you. Please step aside!”
“That’s right! We must settle this today,” Cloud also tightened his grip on the crystal-energy sword, echoing Zack’s words to Zhang Wen.
These two individuals, one a noble of the empire and the other a prince from an allied kingdom, both strikingly handsome as if they had undergone cosmetic surgery, naturally enjoyed an absurdly high popularity among the female students of Almisius Academy. It was no wonder that their decision to duel, escalating to the use of energy swords, drew the attention of nearly every female student on campus.
Evidently, Zhang Wen, the discipline teacher who had been parachuted into Almisius Academy by the Governor’s decree after saving the Governor’s life, was also known to Zack. As soon as Zhang Wen emerged from the crowd, Zack lightly swung his sword and preemptively addressed him, “Mr. Zhang, this is between Cloud and me. Please don’t interfere.”
As the eldest son of the Shinra military commander, Zack had no need to consider the Governor’s face. Although Zack’s words sounded polite, a deeper thought would reveal his disregard for Zhang Wen. His suggestion for Zhang Wen to “not interfere” subtly implied, “Even if you want to stop us, it’s useless.”
“Oh, Mr. Zhang, you better step aside! Otherwise, if they start fighting and you get hurt, it won’t be good!”
“Hahaha! Exactly! Energy swords don’t have eyes! If you accidentally get stabbed, no one here can block it for you!”
Following Zack’s words, the surrounding male students began to laugh and jeer in unison. Soon, even many female students joined in with their boos. Even among those who didn’t wish to see the two “campus princes” duel, many showed disdainful expressions.
In an empire where strength is paramount, these noble children mostly looked down upon Zhang Wen, who they saw as a “parachute” relying on the Governor’s connections to enter the academy. Seeing Zack leading the charge to embarrass Zhang Wen, those students who had long disliked him naturally wouldn’t miss this opportunity to humiliate him.
Honestly, Zhang Wen initially had no intention of intervening in the duel between Zack and Cloud. Given his nature, he would have been happy to buy a drink, sit aside, and cheer for these two passionate youths “staking their youth for their ideals.”
But now… Zhang Wen smiled as he looked around at the booing crowd. In front of so many people, if he were to back down, he would never be able to hold his head high in Almisius Academy again. As for achieving success and prosperity, that would all be a pipe dream. In an empire that values strength and honor above all, a coward who retreats at the first sign of trouble would be forever looked down upon!
Although Zhang Wen usually preferred to act cautiously, he had never been afraid when it came to facing challenges. Slowly scanning the faces in the crowd, Zhang Wen finally focused his gaze on Zack and Cloud standing at the center.
Zhang Wen was well aware of the capabilities of these two renowned students. With their martial arts at level five, most discipline teachers in the academy probably couldn’t handle their duel. However, the sensation of fully activating the Spring Water Technique in the library earlier had filled Zhang Wen with confidence.
Before his breakthrough in the Spring Water Technique today, he had secretly tested himself and found his strength close to level five. Judging by his speed earlier, his martial arts power had at least doubled, meaning he was now at least at the peak of level five, approaching level six. Moreover, the martial arts of the Mosuo Empire overly emphasized “energy” training, far less than the mastery of techniques in the Spring Water Technique.
Since neither their techniques nor their energy could match his, if he still couldn’t control them, Zhang Wen felt he might as well buy a block of tofu and crash into it.
Having made up his mind, Zhang Wen smiled faintly and asked Zack, “You two want to duel?”
“Exactly,” Zack nodded dismissively, thinking Zhang Wen was about to back down. As he did, the girls who admired Zack cheered again, while some boys booed Zhang Wen. However, more boys excitedly held their breath, ready to jeer Zhang Wen when he backed down.
Zhang Wen looked around the crowd again and then said slowly with a smile, “Wait until next time when I’m not around. Today, you definitely won’t be able to duel!”
“Boo… cough cough!” Zhang Wen’s confident declaration caught the students off guard, who had prepared to boo, and they all choked back their jeers. Instantly, the academy square was filled with coughing sounds.
The boys all pounded their chests, glaring furiously at Zhang Wen. Meanwhile, the girls supporting Zack and Cloud angrily booed. Zhang Wen’s last statement was essentially pointing at Zack and Cloud’s noses, saying, “You can’t get past me.” How could their female fans remain calm after that?
Zhang Wen’s confident response clearly surprised Zack as well. He stared at Zhang Wen for a while before saying gravely, “Our duel must proceed today! Mr. Zhang, this has nothing to do with you, please step aside!”
“Exactly! We must settle this today,” Cloud also tightened his grip on his energy sword, echoing Zack’s words to Zhang Wen.
“Haha! How amusing! You’re violating school rules by dueling without permission, and you’re telling me, the discipline teacher, that it’s none of my business? I say, you two ignoring the school rules should have some limits,” Zhang Wen looked at the two angry boys and smiled again, “But I think talking to you is a waste of breath. If everything could be resolved by reasoning, then the academy wouldn’t need discipline teachers…”
Zhang Wen suddenly stopped speaking. At the edge of the crowd, he saw the tall figure of Rinoa. Moreover, he noticed that Rinoa’s gaze was fixed on him.
This woman is here for me. She must have seen my uniform when I slipped out of the library. If she sees my movements after using the Spring Water Technique, she’ll recognize me. Zhang Wen quickly changed his mind about immediately subduing Zack and Cloud.
Zhang Wen didn’t act immediately, but his words had already angered Zack. Zack also sneered and raised the corner of his mouth, “Oh? What does Mr. Zhang plan to do then?”
As the eldest son of the Shinra military commander, Zack, though not exactly arrogant, certainly had a high opinion of himself. His slight respect for Zhang Wen was only due to the title of discipline teacher. As for combat, Zack didn’t even consider Zhang Wen a worthy opponent.
“Haha! If I were to fight with you and drag you to the detention room, that would mean I also violated the school rule against private duels. But if I don’t compete with you, you probably won’t follow me willingly. So, I think we should change the way we compete,” Zhang Wen smiled and said leisurely.
“What kind of competition do you want to change to?” Zack continued to sneer and retort.
“It’s simple. I’ll stand here without moving, and you and this Cloud student, as long as you can make me move a single step, the discipline committee will no longer interfere with your duel today!” Zhang Wen smiled easily, his expression exuding an unshakable confidence, “As for the number of attacks, you can decide!”
“What? Not moving a single step?” As soon as Zhang Wen finished speaking, the surrounding students couldn’t help but widen their eyes and start discussing.
In the empire’s martial arts and combat training, movement is a very, very important subject. The former Shinra military commander, known as the God of War, Sephiroth Shinra, once said that movement is the foundation of martial arts. A warrior who doesn’t understand movement techniques would be at least two levels less effective in combat.
“So, this Mr. Zhang is confident that his martial arts are at least two levels higher than Zack and Cloud?” a boy said in surprise.
“What? How is that possible? Zack and Cloud have already reached level five in martial arts! If he’s two levels higher, doesn’t that mean he’s at level seven? If he’s that strong, why is he just a discipline teacher? He should be a martial arts instructor!” the boy’s companion immediately shook his head repeatedly.
In an empire that values martial arts, the status of a martial arts teacher is self-evident.
“Hmph! I think he’s just putting on airs. Think about it! He deliberately set the conditions harshly, so even if he loses to my Zack, he can still save face!” a girl who was clearly an admirer of Zack chimed in, proudly showing off her reasoning skills to the two boys.
“Oh! Right, right! That must be it!” the girl’s reasoning quickly gained the agreement of most of the surrounding students. The boos directed at Zhang Wen once again filled the square.
“Alright, if you two have no objections, let’s begin,” the students’ boos had no effect on Zhang Wen. He still smiled and spread his right hand towards Zack and Cloud, who were still looking at each other in confusion.
“Since Mr. Zhang wants to set these terms, then I must apologize in advance! Let’s make it three moves,” Zack, like his female fans, was convinced that Zhang Wen was bluffing. As for why Zack said “three moves,” it wasn’t because he wanted to leave himself any leeway, but simply because “three moves” sounded smooth.
Then, Zack casually glanced at Zhang Wen and slowly raised his energy sword. But just as Zack was about to slash this annoying discipline teacher away, a sharp voice suddenly came from outside the crowd, “Wait!”
Soon, the surrounding students parted like a tide again. Then, Zhang Wen saw Amelie, who had been blocked outside the crowd earlier, accompanied by another girl in a female discipline committee uniform with waist-length hair, pushing through the crowd. As the long-haired girl appeared, the surrounding students all stopped talking and laughing. For a moment, the academy square was so quiet that only the footsteps of the long-haired girl could be heard.
When Zhang Wen first saw the long-haired girl, he thought she looked familiar. As she approached, Zhang Wen suddenly remembered her identity.
This beautiful girl with waist-length hair was the only daughter of Planetary Governor Temiso, and also the student council president of Almisius Academy’s discipline committee—Carriet.
A few months ago, shortly after Zhang Wen had saved Governor Temiso’s life, the Governor had specially invited him to a banquet at the Governor’s mansion. At the banquet, the Governor’s daughter Carriet had met him once.
However, at that time, she was wearing an elegant silver evening gown, always with a pure and beautiful smile, like an angel fallen to earth. Compared to her current appearance in the discipline committee uniform, without a trace of a smile, it was like night and day.
“Mr. Zhang, please come here! I have something to say to you,” Carriet walked up to Zhang Wen, looked at him seriously, and called him aside.
Honestly, whether it was Carriet’s delicate and pure face or her soft and gentle voice, almost anyone could immediately sense the girl’s fragility. However, when she stood up firmly with such a fragile appearance, it made people feel an undeniable courage and seriousness.
But Carriet using her courage and seriousness on him puzzled Zhang Wen. It wasn’t him who was dueling privately, so why was this young lady making a fuss about him? Could it be that she wanted him to let those two guys humiliate him and then watch them duel in disgrace?
Thinking this, Zhang Wen followed Carriet a few steps, stopped at the edge of the crowd, and said indifferently, “President Carriet, what do you want to say?”
“Mr. Zhang, the terms you just set with them are too outrageous!” Carriet’s words finally made Zhang Wen understand why this young lady was making a fuss about him. She wasn’t trying to let Zack and Cloud duel, but was convinced that Zhang Wen was no match for them.
Thinking of this, Zhang Wen couldn’t help but smile, with a hint of sarcasm, and retorted, “Really? I didn’t feel that way. President Carriet, where do you think I’m being outrageous?”
“You… you said you would block their three moves without moving a step, isn’t that outrageous enough? For your own face, you’re using the discipline committee’s duties as a shield?” Carriet continued to question Zhang Wen with a serious expression.
“Oh! So this is Miss Carriet’s opinion of me? A good-for-nothing who talks big and only cares about himself?” Zhang Wen couldn’t help but raise the corner of his mouth, both self-deprecating and sneering.
“I…” Carriet was somewhat embarrassed by Zhang Wen’s question, and her deliberately stern face involuntarily flushed slightly.
In fact, from the bottom of her heart, Zhang Wen’s description wasn’t far from Carriet’s impression of him. However, in front of Zhang Wen, how could Carriet admit that she had always found this man, who had saved her father’s life, so detestable?
Zhang Wen paused mid-sentence. At the edge of the crowd, he saw the tall figure of Linoah. Moreover, he noticed that Linoah’s gaze was fixed on him.
She’s here looking for me. When I slipped out of the library earlier, she must have seen my uniform. If she notices my movements after mastering the Spring Water Technique, she’ll recognize me completely. In a flash of thought, Zhang Wen abandoned his original plan to subdue Zack and the others immediately.
Zhang Wen didn’t act immediately, but his words still enraged Zack. Zack also sneered, lifting his lips, “Oh? Then what does Mr. Zhang intend to do?”
As the eldest son of the Shinra Army’s general, Zack wasn’t particularly arrogant, but he did have a high opinion of himself. His slight respect for Zhang Wen was merely due to the discipline teacher’s title. As for fighting, Zack didn’t even consider Zhang Wen an opponent worth battling.
“Haha! If I were to fight you two directly and drag you to detention, I’d be violating the school rule against private duels too. But if I don’t fight you, you two probably won’t follow me quietly. So, how about we change the way we settle this?” Zhang Wen smiled, speaking calmly.
“What kind of contest do you have in mind?” Zack continued, smirking.
“It’s simple. I’ll stand here without moving. If you and Mr. Cloud can make me take even one step back, the discipline committee will no longer interfere with your duel today!” Zhang Wen smiled confidently, his expression exuding unwavering composure, “As for the number of attacks, you can decide that!”
“What? Not move even one step?” As soon as Zhang Wen finished speaking, the surrounding students couldn’t help but widen their eyes, murmuring in astonishment.
In the Empire’s martial arts and combat training, movement was an extremely important subject. The former Shinra Army general of the Empire, known as the “War God,” Saferos Shinra, had once said that movement was the foundation of martial arts. A warrior who didn’t understand movement techniques would be at least two levels weaker in battle.
“So does this mean Mr. Zhang is confident his martial arts are at least two levels higher than Zack’s?” a male student exclaimed in surprise.
“What? How is that possible? Zack and Cloud have already reached fifth-level martial arts! If he’s two levels higher, wouldn’t that make him seventh-level? If he’s that strong, why would he be a discipline teacher? He should be a martial arts instructor!” The boy’s companion immediately shook his head in disbelief.
These two individuals, one a noble of the empire and the other a prince from an allied kingdom, both strikingly handsome as if they had undergone plastic surgery, naturally enjoyed an absurdly high popularity among the female students of Almisius Academy. When these two decided to duel, and it escalated to the point of using energy swords, it was no wonder that the entire female student body came to watch.
Clearly, Zack had heard of Zhang Wen, the discipline teacher who had been parachuted into Almisius Academy by the governor’s office after saving the governor. As soon as Zhang Wen emerged from the crowd, Zack lightly swung his sword and preemptively said, “Teacher Zhang, this is between me and Cloud. Please don’t interfere.”
As the eldest son of the Shinra Army’s commander, Zack naturally didn’t need to worry about the governor’s office’s face. Although Zack’s words sounded polite, a little thought would reveal that he didn’t take Zhang Wen seriously at all. When he told Zhang Wen “not to interfere,” what he implied was, “Even if you want to stop us, it won’t work.”
“Oh, Teacher Zhang, you’d better step aside! Otherwise, if they start fighting and you get hurt, it won’t be good!”
“Hahaha! That’s right! Energy swords don’t have eyes! If you accidentally get stabbed, no one here can block the sword for you!”
As Zack’s words fell, the surrounding male students also began to laugh and jeer in unison. Soon, even many of the female students started to boo. Even among those who didn’t want to see the two “campus princes” duel, many showed disdainful expressions.
In an empire where strength is paramount, these noble children mostly looked down on Zhang Wen, who had entered the academy through the governor’s connections. Seeing Zack take the lead in humiliating Zhang Wen, those students who had long disliked him naturally wouldn’t miss this great opportunity to shame him.
Honestly, Zhang Wen really didn’t want to get involved in Zack and Cloud’s duel. Given his own nature, he would have been happy to buy a drink, sit aside, and cheer for the two passionate youths “betting their youth for their ideals.”
But now… Zhang Wen smiled as he looked at the booing crowd. In front of so many people, if he backed down now, he would never be able to hold his head high in Almisius Academy again. As for achieving success and rising to prominence, that would all be just a pipe dream. In an empire that values strength and honor above all else, a coward who retreats in the face of danger would forever be looked down upon!
Although Zhang Wen usually preferred to be cautious in his dealings, he had never been afraid when it came to facing challenges. His gaze slowly swept over the faces of the surrounding crowd, and finally, he focused on Zack and Cloud standing in the center.
Zhang Wen was well aware of the strength of these two renowned students. With their Level 5 martial arts skills, most of the academy’s discipline teachers probably couldn’t handle their duel. However, the feeling of fully activating the Spring Water Technique in the library earlier had filled Zhang Wen with confidence.
Before his breakthrough in the Spring Water Technique today, he had secretly tested himself and found that he was close to Level 5 strength. Judging by his speed earlier, his martial arts power had at least doubled, meaning he was now at least at the peak of Level 5, approaching Level 6. Moreover, the martial arts of the Mosso Empire overly emphasized “energy” training, far less skilled than the Spring Water Technique.
Since neither their skills nor their energy could match his, if he still couldn’t handle them, Zhang Wen felt he might as well buy a block of tofu and crash into it.
Having made up his mind, Zhang Wen smiled faintly and asked Zack, “You two want to duel?”
“Exactly.” Zack, thinking Zhang Wen was about to back down, nodded disdainfully. As he did, the girls who admired Zack cheered again, while some boys booed Zhang Wen. However, more boys excitedly took a deep breath, holding it in, ready to jeer Zhang Wen when he backed down.
Zhang Wen looked around the crowd again, then slowly said with a smile, “Wait until next time when I’m not around. Today, you definitely won’t be able to duel!”
“Boo… cough cough!” Zhang Wen’s confident declaration caught the students off guard, and their boos were cut short. Suddenly, the academy square was filled with coughing sounds.
The boys all pounded their chests, glaring at Zhang Wen in frustration. Meanwhile, the girls who supported Zack and Cloud angrily booed. Zhang Wen’s words were like pointing at Zack and Cloud’s noses and saying, “You can’t get past me.” How could their female fans remain calm?
Zhang Wen’s confident response clearly surprised Zack as well. He stared at Zhang Wen for a while before saying in a deep voice, “My duel with him must happen today! Teacher Zhang, this has nothing to do with you. Please step aside!”
“That’s right! We must settle this today.” Cloud also tightened his grip on his energy sword, echoing Zack’s words to Zhang Wen.
“Haha! How ridiculous! You’re violating school rules by dueling without permission, and you’re telling me, the discipline teacher, that it’s none of my business? I say, you two disregarding the school rules should have some limits.” Zhang Wen looked at the two angry boys and smiled again, “But I think talking to you is a waste of breath. If everything could be resolved by reasoning, then the academy wouldn’t need discipline teachers…”
Zhang Wen’s words suddenly stopped. At the edge of the crowd, he saw the tall figure of Rinoa. Moreover, he noticed that Rinoa’s gaze was fixed on him.
This woman is here for me. She must have seen my uniform when I slipped out of the library earlier. If she sees my movements after using the Spring Water Technique, she’ll recognize me for sure. In a flash of thought, Zhang Wen abandoned his original plan to immediately subdue Zack and Cloud.
Zhang Wen didn’t act immediately, but his words still angered Zack. Zack also sneered and raised the corner of his mouth, “Oh? What does Teacher Zhang plan to do then?”
As the eldest son of the Shinra Army’s commander, Zack, though not overly arrogant, certainly had a high opinion of himself. His slight respect for Zhang Wen was only due to the title of discipline teacher. As for combat, Zack didn’t even consider Zhang Wen a worthy opponent.
“Haha! If I fight you and drag you to the detention room, it would mean I also violated the school rule against private duels. But if I don’t compete with you, you probably won’t follow me willingly. So, I think we should change the way we compete.” Zhang Wen smiled and said leisurely.
“What kind of competition do you want to change to?” Zack continued to sneer in response.
“It’s simple. I’ll stand here without moving. You and this Cloud student, as long as you can make me move one step, the discipline committee won’t interfere with your duel today!” Zhang Wen smiled easily, his expression exuding an unshakable confidence, “As for the number of attacks, you can decide!”
“What? Not move a single step?” As soon as Zhang Wen’s words fell, the surrounding students couldn’t help but widen their eyes and start discussing.
In the empire’s martial arts and combat training, movement is a very, very important subject. The former commander of the Shinra Army, known as the God of War, Sephiroth Shinra, once said that movement is the foundation of martial arts. A warrior who doesn’t understand movement techniques would be at least two levels less effective in combat.
“So, this Teacher Zhang is confident that his martial arts are at least two levels higher than Zack and Cloud?” a boy said in surprise.
“What? How is that possible? Zack and Cloud are already at Level 5 martial arts! If he’s two levels higher, doesn’t that mean he’s at Level 7? If he’s that strong, why is he just a discipline teacher? He should be a martial arts instructor!” the boy’s companion immediately shook his head repeatedly.
In an empire that values martial arts, the status of a martial arts teacher is self-evident.
“Hmph! I think he’s just putting on airs. Think about it! He deliberately set the conditions harshly so that even if he loses to my Zack, he can save face!” a girl who was clearly an admirer of Zack chimed in, proudly showing off her reasoning skills to the two boys.
“Oh! Right, right! That must be it!” The girl’s deduction quickly gained the approval of most of the surrounding students. The boos aimed at Zhang Wen once again filled the square.
“Haha, if the two of you have no objections, let’s begin.” The students’ boos had no effect on Zhang Wen. He still smiled and spread his right hand to Zack and Cloud, who were still looking at each other in confusion.
“Since Teacher Zhang has set this condition, then I must apologize in advance! Let’s make it three moves.” Zack, like his female fans, was convinced that Zhang Wen was bluffing. As for why Zack said “three moves,” it wasn’t because he wanted to leave himself any room, but simply because “three moves” rolled off the tongue easily.
Then, Zack casually glanced at Zhang Wen and slowly raised his energy sword. But just as Zack was about to slash this annoying discipline teacher away, a sharp voice suddenly came from outside the crowd, “Wait!”
Soon, the surrounding students parted like a tide again. Then, Zhang Wen saw Amelie, who had been blocked outside the crowd earlier, accompanied by another girl in a female discipline committee uniform with waist-length hair, pushing through the crowd. As the long-haired girl appeared, the surrounding students all stopped talking and laughing. For a moment, the academy square was silent except for the sound of the long-haired girl’s footsteps.
When Zhang Wen first saw the long-haired girl, he thought she looked familiar. As she approached, Zhang Wen suddenly remembered her identity.
This beautiful girl with waist-length hair was the only daughter of Planetary Governor Temiso and the student council president of Almisius Academy’s discipline committee—Carlet.
A few months ago, shortly after Zhang Wen had saved Governor Temiso’s life, the governor had specially invited him to a banquet at the governor’s mansion. At the banquet, the governor’s daughter Carlet had met him once.
However, at that time, she was wearing an elegant silver evening gown, always with a pure and beautiful smile, like an angel descended to earth. Compared to her current appearance in the discipline committee uniform, without a trace of a smile, it was like night and day.
“Teacher Zhang, please come here! I have something to say to you.” Carlet walked up to Zhang Wen, looked at him seriously, and called him aside.
Honestly, whether it was Carlet’s pure and delicate face or her soft and gentle voice, almost anyone could immediately sense the girl’s fragility. However, when she stood up firmly with such a fragile appearance, it made people feel an undeniable courage and seriousness.
But Carlet’s courage and seriousness directed at him puzzled Zhang Wen. He wasn’t the one dueling in private, so why was this young lady making a fuss about him? Could it be that she wanted him to let those two guys humiliate him and then watch them duel in disgrace?
Thinking this, Zhang Wen followed Carlet a few steps, stopping at the edge of the crowd, and said indifferently, “President Carlet, what do you want to say?”
“Teacher Zhang, the condition you just set with them is too outrageous!” Carlet’s words finally made Zhang Wen understand why this young lady was making a fuss about him. She wasn’t trying to let Zack and Cloud duel; she was convinced that Zhang Wen was no match for the two.
Thinking of this, Zhang Wen couldn’t help but smile, with a hint of sarcasm, and retorted, “Really? I didn’t feel that way. President Carlet, where do you think I’m being outrageous?”
“You… you said you would block their three moves without moving a step, isn’t that outrageous enough? For the sake of your own face, are you using the discipline committee’s responsibilities as a shield?” Carlet continued to question Zhang Wen with a serious expression.
“Oh! So that’s Miss Carlet’s opinion of me? A know-nothing who talks big and only cares about himself?” Zhang Wen couldn’t help but raise the corner of his mouth, both self-deprecating and sneering.
“I…” Carlet was somewhat embarrassed by Zhang Wen’s question, and her deliberately stern face involuntarily flushed slightly.
In truth, Zhang Wen’s description wasn’t far from Carlet’s impression of him. However, in front of Zhang Wen, how could Carlet admit that she had always found this man, who had saved her father’s life, so annoying?
“Hmph! I think he’s just putting on a show. Think about it! He deliberately set the conditions so harshly that even if he loses to my Zack later, he can still save face!” A girl obviously infatuated with Zack interrupted smugly, proudly showing off her deductive skills to the two boys.
“Oh! Right! That must be it!” The girl’s deduction quickly gained agreement from most of the onlookers. The jeers directed at Zhang Wen once again echoed across the square.
“Haha, if you two have no objections, let’s begin.” The jeers from the students had no effect on Zhang Wen. He continued smiling, extending his right hand toward Zack and Cloud, who were still exchanging glances.
“Since Mr. Zhang insists on this condition, we’ll have to offend. Let’s say three moves,” Zack clearly shared his female fan’s belief that Zhang Wen was bluffing. As for why Zack said “three moves,” it wasn’t because he wanted to reserve any advantage for himself, but simply because the phrase sounded natural.
Then, Zack casually glanced at Zhang Wen and slowly raised his crystal-energy sword. But just as Zack was about to strike and send the annoying discipline teacher flying, a sudden sharp voice rang out from the crowd’s edge: “Wait!”
Soon, the surrounding students once again parted like a tide. Then, Zhang Wen saw Amelie, who had been blocked outside the crowd, accompany another girl dressed in the female uniform of the discipline committee, her long hair trailing behind her, as they pushed through the crowd. With the appearance of the long-haired girl, all the students around suddenly stopped talking and laughing. In an instant, the academy square was so quiet that only the sound of the long-haired girl’s footsteps could be heard.
When Zhang Wen first saw the long-haired girl, he felt she looked somewhat familiar. As the girl approached, Zhang Wen suddenly remembered her identity.
This beautiful girl with waist-length hair was none other than the only daughter of the planetary governor, Temiso, and also the student president of the Almice Academy discipline committee—Carlyt.
Several months ago, shortly after Zhang Wen had saved Governor Temiso’s life, the governor had specially invited him to a banquet at the governor’s mansion. At that banquet, the governor’s daughter, Carlyt, had met him briefly.
However, at that time, she had worn an elegant silver evening gown, always smiling sweetly, like an angel fallen to earth. Compared to her current appearance—dressed in the discipline committee uniform with no trace of a smile—she was like a completely different person.
“Mr. Zhang, please come here for a moment! I need to speak with you.” Carlyt walked up to Zhang Wen, looked at him seriously, and called him aside.
Frankly speaking, whether it was Carlyt’s delicate and pure face or her gentle and quiet voice, almost anyone could immediately sense the girl’s gentleness. However, when she stood out with such a gentle appearance, it conveyed an even stronger sense of courage and determination that could not be ignored.
However, Carlyt directing her courage and determination at Zhang Wen left him quite puzzled. It wasn’t him who had arranged the private duel—why was this young lady so determined to confront him? Could it be that she wanted him to allow those two to humiliate him first, and then let them duel while he slunk away?
Thinking this, Zhang Wen followed Carlyt for a few steps, stopping at the edge of the crowd, and said indifferently, “President Carlyt, what do you want to say?”
“Mr. Zhang Wen, the agreement you made with them just now is simply outrageous!” Carlyt’s words finally clarified the reason for the young lady’s challenge. She wasn’t trying to let Zack and Cloud duel—she firmly believed that Zhang Wen was no match for the two.
Thinking this, Zhang Wen couldn’t help smiling, sarcastically asking, “Is that so? I didn’t really feel that way. President Carlyt, where exactly do you think I went too far?”
“You… saying you can withstand three moves without taking a single step back, isn’t that outrageous enough? Just to save your own face, are you using the discipline committee’s responsibilities as a shield?” Carlyt continued to question Zhang Wen sternly.
“Oh! So that’s your opinion of me, Miss Carlyt? A selfish, ignorant braggart who only cares about himself?” Zhang Wen couldn’t help but lift the corner of his mouth, both mocking himself and sneering.
“I…” Carlyt was momentarily at a loss for words, her deliberately stern face involuntarily blushing slightly.
In her heart, Zhang Wen’s description was indeed almost exactly how Carlyt viewed him. However, how could she possibly admit to Zhang Wen’s face that she had always seen him, the man who had saved her father’s life, as such an annoying person?
Carrie’s silence only made Zhang Wen’s smile widen further. He hadn’t expected that, despite saving the Governor’s life, the Governor’s daughter would hold such a poor opinion of him.
Zhang Wen’s grin made Carrie even more flustered. She bit her lip hard and quickly changed the subject, “Alright! Now isn’t the time to discuss my opinion of you! Teacher Zhang, I hope you immediately cancel your bet with them. As for their personal duel, I’ll find a way to resolve it.”
“Cancel the bet? Miss Carrie, are you giving me orders? Although you’re the student council president of the Disciplinary Committee, you still can’t boss me, an advisor teacher, around, can you? Besides, if I cancel the bet, wouldn’t I really become a petty person who goes back on their word?” Zhang Wen glanced at Carrie and smiled lightly.
As Zhang Wen and Carrie began speaking, many of the onlookers had already turned their attention toward this pair from the Disciplinary Committee. When they heard the words “cancel the bet” come from Zhang Wen’s mouth, the crowd’s murmurs quickly filled the entire plaza once again.
“Did you hear that, Miss Carrie?” Zhang Wen shook his head and continued speaking in a tone that made Carrie increasingly frustrated. “I’m a teacher of the Disciplinary Committee. If the promises I make can be disregarded, then what credibility will the Disciplinary Committee have in the future? For the Disciplinary Committee, isn’t the resulting loss far more serious than a private duel between students? Furthermore, if I admit to being someone who breaks promises, wouldn’t I drag down the Governor who recommended me for this position? What do you think, Miss Carrie?”
“This… this…” Zhang Wen’s reasoning caught Carrie somewhat off guard.
Her only argument for persuading Zhang Wen not to compete with Zack and the others had been that he was treating the Disciplinary Committee’s duties as a joke. However, the points Zhang Wen made about the Disciplinary Committee’s and the Governor’s reputations seemed to hold some validity as well. Although Carrie still felt something was off, she couldn’t immediately think of a rebuttal.
Seeing Carrie hesitate, Zhang Wen smiled again and pressed his advantage: “Ultimately, you still don’t trust my abilities. In that case, Miss Carrie, how about we make a bet too?”
“A bet? What kind of bet do you want to make?” Carrie eyed Zhang Wen warily.
“What else could it be? Naturally, whether I can defeat the two of them!” Zhang Wen smirked and glanced at Carrie.
The mocking expression on Zhang Wen’s face was precisely what fiercely competitive Carrie found most intolerable. “You… how could you possibly defeat them?” The angry girl glared at Zhang Wen, her flushed face growing even more enchanting.
“Haha! Isn’t it better if he loses? Carrie, why do you care? Bet with him! Bet with him!” A few female fans of Zack and Cloud who had overheard Carrie and Zhang Wen’s conversation began excitedly shouting at Carrie.
“Yeah yeah! Carrie, don’t be a coward! Zack and the others are definitely going to win!”
Hearing the girls shout, the boys joined in the teasing as well.
“Hehe, well then, since Miss Carrie hasn’t said anything, I’ll take that as your agreement.” Amid the crowd’s uproar, Zhang Wen calmly smiled and nodded at Carrie once more. “If I lose, it means I neglected my duties and allowed students to fight among themselves. Then I will naturally accept the school’s punishment. But if I win, Miss Carrie, what then?”
Agreement? When did I agree?! Carrie was nearly furious enough to grind her teeth at Zhang Wen’s audacity. Since birth, the Governor’s daughter had never encountered such an impolite person!
“What do you want?” Carrie clenched her teeth tightly, her beautiful eyes glaring at Zhang Wen as if they might shoot sparks. She swore that if Zhang Wen dared utter a single indecent word, she’d make sure he regretted it.
“Huh? Miss Carrie, isn’t that question meant for me to ask you?” The smile on Zhang Wen’s face at that moment made Carrie feel like her lungs would explode.
“Haha! Isn’t it simple? According to our academy’s old tradition, if he wins, you just wash his socks for a month!” Seeing Carrie’s expression, the boys nearby began teasing her again with wicked grins.
“Wha… what?” As soon as those words left their mouths, Carrie’s pretty face turned bright red from both shame and anger.
Carrie’s furious yet enchanting expression made Zhang Wen smile involuntarily. He generously shrugged his shoulders and said with a chuckle, “Hehe, if you’re really afraid of losing, Miss Carrie, you don’t have to put up any bet at all.”
“Are you insulting me?!” Zhang Wen’s magnanimity only enraged Carrie further, and she shouted furiously at him.
“Exactly! Carrie, bet with him! What are you afraid of? No matter what the condition, he’s definitely going to lose!” The girls who supported Zack and Cloud began cheering Carrie on again.
“Who’s afraid?!” Carrie couldn’t help but shout back at the teasing crowd. Since birth, Carrie had never encountered anything so infuriating.
Every word Zhang Wen spoke twisted her meaning, yet she couldn’t pinpoint where she had gone wrong, leaving her no choice but to be led around by this annoying man.
No! She needed to take control! Carrie’s fury sharpened her mind. Although the teasing crowd around her was despicable, one of their points was correct: Zhang Wen was definitely no match for Zack and Cloud! In that case, she might as well let Zhang Wen compete. Once he lost, he would have no choice but to comply obediently. If she continued arguing with this guy, she might end up getting angry enough to fall for his tricks!
Right! Exactly! That’s the way!
Coming to this realization, Carrie felt she had completely regained control of the situation. Thus, although she was so angry she wanted to bite Zhang Wen on the spot, she instead lifted her beautiful face with a smile and extended her hand. “Fine! Since Teacher Zhang is so confident, I’ll accept the crowd’s suggestion and make this bet with you!”
“No problem.” Zhang Wen slapped Carrie’s hand, and the two once again pushed through the crowd, returning to the center of the plaza.
After all, Zhang Wen was no match for Zack and Cloud. Let him enjoy his moment of triumph now. Once he lost the match later, she would definitely deal with this shameless, despicable, vulgar, and universally detestable bastard properly! Standing at the inner edge of the crowd, Carrie glared at Zhang Wen walking toward Cloud and thought bitterly to herself.
At this moment, Cloud and Zack were lightly swinging their crystal energy swords, clearly growing impatient. Meanwhile, Amyris, who had summoned Carrie earlier, stood between the two, standing on tiptoe and peering through the crowd. As soon as she saw Zhang Wen and Carrie re-entering the crowd together, Amyris immediately relaxed. However, when she noticed Carrie standing among the onlookers while Zhang Wen walked alone toward them, her brows furrowed instantly.
“Alright, I’ll handle things here. You go stand with Carrie first.” Zhang Wen reached Amyris’s side and smiled as he pointed toward Carrie, who was waiting with a cold expression nearby.
“Um…” Zhang Wen’s decisive tone left Amyris unable to voice any objection. She could only obediently move to stand beside Carrie, though still puzzled.
“Carrie, what did you and Teacher Zhang just talk about?” Only after settling beside Carrie did Amyris suddenly realize and quickly ask her companion.
In fact, it was precisely because Amyris had overheard from outside the crowd that Zhang Wen seemed to be clashing with Zack and the others that she had hurriedly fetched Carrie! But how had things returned to the previous state after Carrie spoke with Zhang Wen for so long?
“You don’t need to worry about it! Anyway, he’s just asking for trouble. After he loses, you take him to the detention room first. I’ll stop Zack and Cloud’s duel here.” Naturally, Carrie was too embarrassed to tell Amyris about her bet with Zhang Wen, so she vaguely shook her head and whispered a few instructions into Amyris’s ear.
“Lose? Detention room? Carrie, what exactly…” Amyris’s surprised gaze swept over Carrie, but before she could finish speaking, she noticed Zhang Wen and Zack already preparing themselves at the center of the arena.
“Alright, the troublemaker has been convinced. We can continue with our previous arrangement now.” Zhang Wen smiled, proudly walking to the center of the arena and standing there. He raised his hand toward Zack in a gesture indicating he was ready to begin at any moment.
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