“Duel?” Qian Jin raised his eyebrows. He felt anticipating stares coming from all directions. He glanced at Principal Fick who hadn’t left yet as he gripped his fists and wondered.
“Did I leave some kind of trace? Have I been exposed? Did the principal discover something?” Qian Jin didn’t know what was going on. He looked at Principal Fick as numerous guesses went through his head. Although Fick was only the principal of a novice academy, he was still a principal, after all. Qian Family’s Kun-fighting technique was so famous that even demons could recognize it. Qian Jin couldn’t remember if he had accidentally used the Kun-fighting technique that he was so used to. If he did, then his identity would be exposed.
“Safety first!” Qian Jin quickly made his decision. He looked at the two challengers in their eyes as he stretched his shoulders and arms. The two challengers instantly became cautious and got into the defensive positions.
Qian Jin smiled as he shook his head. “Why are you so cautious?” he thought. Under the perplexed stares of the crowd, he walked towards the two challengers and said quietly, “Do you guys want to challenge me? Sounds good to me. Today after class, we can meet up at the little forest in the back of the academy. Remember, don’t tell anyone. If there are too many people watching, I won’t fight you guys.”
Zelda and Fabio-Carras stared at Qian Jin as they didn’t know his reasoning. “What is the meaning of this? Why do we have to fight at the little forest? Can’t we fight anywhere?” they thought.
The students and instructors who were watching the whole situation stared at Qian Jin who was walking away. They were curious towards what Qian Jin said. What could the new eighth seat of Grade One say to calm the two challengers down?
“Qian Jin, Qian Jin…” Rollin separated the crowd into two with his fat arms and made a path for himself as he chased after Qian Jin. With everyone staring at him, he walked alongside Qian Jin and asked quietly, “What did you tell them?”
“I told them that…” Qian Jin suddenly shut his mouth as he observed Rollin carefully and said in a doubtful manner, “I just remembered that you were born into a merchant family. It’s better for me not to tell you, just in case you sell me out…”
“Buddy…” Rollin wrapped his arm around Qian Jin’s shoulder as he said in a heart-broken tone, “You are hurting my feelings, man! How could you doubt and question our friendship?”
Qian Jin also wrapped his arm around Rollin’s shoulder and said with an unbearable tone, “Buddy, I still remember that you sold my whereabouts to Christine for just three copper coins, and I ended up being chased around by her when she forced me into a fight.”
“Come on buddy, let the past stay in the past.” There was no shame on Rollin’s chubby face. Instead, a holy and pure expression appeared on his face as he said, “Our friendship has become so strong as time passed by. It will last forever, just like the galaxy.”
Qian Jin couldn’t help but laugh on the inside when he saw Rollin’s devoted expression. Other people might not have known Rollin very well, but Qian Jin knew him to the teeth. The more devoted, generous and calm he was, the more ideas and tricks were going through his brain. Other people would have been touched and felt guilty by now, but Qian Jin didn’t buy it.
Qian Jin had been tricked by Rollin many times. After seeing Rollin’s expression, he knew that his friend’s merchant mentality had been activated.
“Buddy, I can tell that you don’t trust me at this point. It really hurts…” Rollin shook his big head and said. “It looks like you can only feel my truthfulness and sincerity after I introduce my sister to you.”
“I have already felt your sincerity. You don’t have to introduce your sister to me.” Qian Jin looked back and saw that the crowd had dispersed. He got close to Rollin’s ear and whispered, “I will give you an opportunity to make some money, but don’t let too many people know. Just tell the students that we are at the top of the fighting ability rankings. Tell them that I will fight the two challengers this afternoon after class at the little forest.”
Rollin’s eyes immediately shined, and his ears twitched as if they had already heard the noise of coins clanking against each other. His merchant instincts told him that he could earn a lot of money.
After the announcement made by Principal Fick in the morning, the challenges proposed by the sixth and seventh seats in Grade One and the treatment towards the most popular girl in the academy, almost everyone’s eyes were on Qian Jin, including the seniors in Grade Two and Three. Everyone wanted to see why Principal Fick was paying more attention to this warrior student. They wanted to know how he was different compared to other students.
“Remember,” Just like how Rollin usually wrapped his arm around Qian Jin, Qian Jin tightened his arm and wrapped them around Rollin like a rope as he said, “Buddy, if too many people show up, I won’t come. If that happens, I guess that you will get your ass kicked and money taken back by the people who you sell this information to.”
“No problem. No problem at all!” Rollin patted Qian Jin on the back as he said confidently, “You have to trust my business expertise! If I can’t even do this little errand properly, how can I become the wealthiest merchant on the continent? We will evenly split the money I make this time!”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s all yours, as long as you don’t mention the idea of me becoming your brother-in-law again.”
“Buddy, I’m a man with ethics and standards! Making money is making money, and becoming a family is becoming a family. I won’t sacrifice the romance and love between you and my sister for a few coins.”
Rollin’s firm look told Qian Jin that he was looking forward to it; Qian Jin couldn’t do anything but sigh conservatively. “Is it that depressing that no one wants to date this fatty’s little sister, so he has to promote his sister to me?” Qian Jin wondered.
During breakfast, Qian Jin experienced the feeling of being famous again in the spacious cafeteria. Because of what happened this morning, people were looking and peeking at him all the time.
Breakfast, rest and then class.
Qian Jin rested his chin on one hand and tried very hard to keep his eyes open during the lecture. As a warrior, he couldn’t be someone who didn’t know anything aside from fighting and battling. Even though he probably wouldn’t participate in any kind of strategic planning or governing, he had to know the basics of being a soldier.
Warrior and Mage Academies were different from other types of academies. The main purpose of these academies was to train students properly so that they could enter the military and go into the frontlines on the battlefield. They were the backbones of the military structure in the empire!
The war between demons and humans had lasted many years. As time passed by, humans had realized one thing: the strength and power of individual warriors and mages weren’t immediately at their peak when they first arrived at military bases.
The empire’s military was a special entity. They had their own laws and rules known as military law. There was also knowledge pertaining to soldiers such as cooperation, adaptation to the environment, and secret languages that they had to learn.
The wise individuals realized that rather than teaching the new recruits when they arrived at the military bases, it was easier if they learnt the basic knowledge in the academies. That way, they wouldn’t be a bunch of newbies who knew nothing. They would be able to merge into the military system and become units who could utilize their full potential.