"Why were you so distant?"
As they were walking home, Chu Zihang curiously interrogated.
Taking a look at him, Lu Chen could tell what he meant by that. Normally, when Chu Zihang asked such questions, it indicated that his nosiness was kicking in.
"Not for me," Lu Chen responded in an ambiguous manner. "What about you?" Knowing Chu Zihang had admirers of his own, he countered with the same question.
"…Not for me either." Having no interest in relationships, Chu Zihang replied with the same answer.
If their conversation were to be overheard by their pursuers, the air would be filled with the sounds of shattering hearts. Having unrequited feelings was one thing, but getting rejected for such a lame excuse was unbearable.
After a moment of silence, both of them burst out laughing. Lu Chen was surprised to see Chu Zihang laughing for the first time. As for the latter, he was surprised to know that they both share the same thoughts.
After finishing their lunch, they headed to the Lionheart Club, which they had been frequenting recently. While Chu Zihang adored the tranquility and quietness of the library in the Lionheart Club, Lu Chen was attracted by his discovery in the club.
Apparently, there were some books from the limited edition section that were deemed quality items by the Origin Space system. Normally, the books would appear as White after getting detected by the system. To his surprise, when he was reading a book on Dragonborn genealogy, it appeared as Green instead.
At that moment, the words Anjou and Schneider had said to him all made sense—how the Lionheart Club would be the best fit for his growth. Remembering that, Lu Chen wondered if there were some sort of confidential documents or invaluable artifacts.
Sadly, he was just an ordinary member of the club without any permission nor access to the archived section of the library. Regardless, that didn't stop him from frequenting the library for some unexpected discoveries. As for the Lionheart Club's archives, Lu Chen believed that he could gain access after returning from a mission.
The third main mission: Immersion
Content: Complete a field mission by the Executive Department and gain a deeper understanding of the world of the Dragonborn.
Difficulty: Easy
Reward: Secret Council's honor +100, unlocking the next main mission.
Penalty: Secret Council's honor -200, forfeiting the main missions.
The honor system is activated. The explorer can now view his/her honor level in the world. Honor may affect each faction's attitude toward the explorer. Certain side missions require specific honor levels to be unlocked.
Current Secret Council's Honor: 50
***
honor levels to be unlocked.
Current Secret Council's Honor:50
***
Snap… Snap…
In the middle of the night, while Lu Chen was lying sideways on his bed with his head on his pillow contemplating the upcoming scrimmage, he suddenly heard the shutters of a camera.
"Finger?" Baffled, he turned his head around to Finger, who was pointing a camera at him, snapping shots.
"Don't mind me, Lu Chen. Just maintain the posture you were in just now. Yes, yes, with a face like you're in deep thought." Like a professional photographer, Finger instructed Lu Chen as he took some shots.
"What are you doing? Why are you shooting me?" Frowningly, Lu Chen questioned. No longer the illiterate he was, he could at least tell the functionalities of a camera.
"Oh, little did you know, my dear junior. This is all for our sustenance!" With an expression so stern and earnest, Finger put down the camera.
"You're making no sense!" Visibly, Lu Chen was puzzled.
"You're one to talk! I'd always thought I was a big eater myself… until I met you. Only then have I opened my eyes, witnessing the abyss that absorbs any food presented before it."
Hearing that, Lu Chen was rendered speechless. Ever since Finger taught him to order takeout, every supper was a chaotic banquet as he could digest at least five times of what Finger could. All those steaks he had been chomping on were merely appetizers.
Sure, spoiling his junior was something to be proud of, but no matter how shameless Finger was, he could never bring himself to be treated every single day like Lu Chen did. If Lu Chen continued to feast every day, he feared that even his scholarship wouldn't be able to support him much longer.
"And how are the photos helping?" Lu Chen tilted his head in confusion. If Finger couldn't explain himself, then he would have to starve for the next day.
"They are to be sold, of course! Don't you know? Your album is selling like hotcakes on the forum!"
As to how Finger discovered this particular road to riches…
Initially, after having one of his subordinates take sneak shots of Lu Chen during class and posting it on the forum, Finger had been receiving messages requesting more quality shots of Lu Chen.
And so, the auctions began.
Earlier that day, he had recorded the footage of Lu Chen sparring with Yoshiyuki and edited it into a B-roll with headbanging music. The video was then uploaded onto the forum and received much attention and commendation. To satisfy the fans, he even decided to create a series of vlogs of Lu Chen, and currently, he was filming "How a Grade S Sleeps".
Of course, he wasn't a heartless businessman as he would share half the profit with his junior, although Lu Chen had never checked his account.
"What? People actually buy these photos?" Thoroughly confused, Lu Chen couldn't figure out why people would purchase those images. It wasn't like they were food.
"Ah, it seems like you're not aware of your own charms, my dear junior. You're a Grade S student with a great figure, and since the spar with Yoshiyuki, people have been idolizing you. Most importantly, you're a single man that belongs to no one! Which young lady in this world wouldn't want to have a taste of you? I've even heard rumors about the girls from your fan club staring at your photographs to sleep!" As Finger spoke, his excitement was all over the place!
"My fan club?" Dumbfounded, Lu Chen was taken aback by the fact that he actually had a fan club!
"There's a Milana from your club who would always call for ten times the original price of your new photos after I've told her that you're running out of money for food, so I, as your senior, had to sell your photos for a living. Ever since then, she hadn't missed out on a single shot. Heck! If it weren't for me, she would have paid a thousandfold the price…"
As Finger proudly narrated, Lu Chen's face turned gloomier.
"Hold it!" Lu Chen couldn't help but interrupt. "You've been doing this behind my back the whole time?"
The God of War and the Grade S of Cassell College… painted as a starving boy?
Now that he found out about this, it was no wonder why Milana had always hinted and offered to treat him to lunch! Before this, he was constantly puzzled by the trace of sympathy and worry in her eyes.
It wasn't like he was sick or disabled, so why would a girl feel pity for him? Not to mention it wasn't only Milana who threw him such a gaze—even other girls in the college would look at him the same way. Now that he was exposed to the truth behind it, he realized it was all Finger!
"Oh, don't be mad, my dear junior! It's all a front, a facade! Besides, you've been relying on your student card for supper. And that's not a lie, isn't it?" As Finger expressed, he smirked and laughed cunningly. After all, since the free counter in the Cassell College's cafeteria would be closed after dinner, they would require the money for supper.