"Tactics of the Blade?" Ma Xiaoru asked in disbelief.
She had practiced the Tactics of the Blade as well before she used the Tactics of the Enchantress. It was a very ordinary, but popular tactics due to its slow but safe progression. Most tier one METAL fighters in the military practiced it as they did not have a chance to receive training in more advanced tactics
However, judging by Wang Tong's moves and the weight they carried, Ma Xiaoru found it hard to believe that these seemingly ordinary tactics were what Wang Tong had used.
Having sensed her doubt, Wang Tong finished a round of the eight node version of the Tactics of the Blade to prove his point.
What Ma Xiaoru saw shocked her as she had never thought anyone would be able to draw so much power out of the most common tactics. She would like to try it out herself, but since she had already been practicing the Tactics of the Enchantress, she could no longer practice the Tactics of the Blade.
"I was surprised as well. It all started with me being chased by a Zerg. Perhaps it was a result of fear, but my soul power increased a little which helped to improve the strength of the Tactics of the Blade."
"It was indeed amazing, how fast is your soul energy increasing now? If it’s at a fast pace, you should not learn any other tactics; otherwise, it would make you very susceptible to becoming deranged."
"Hehe, yea, I’ve hesitated about it as well. Perhaps not now, anyways, thank you for the reminder." Wang Tong nodded and felt relieved that even Ma Xiaoru didn't suspect that he knew anything stronger than the eight node version of the tactics. He would not reveal the sixteen node version so easily unless it was a moment of life and death.
"Are we friends now?" Ma Xiaoru asked.
"Hmm… perhaps?" feeling like he had just made a deal with Ma Xiaoru, Wang Tong hesitated, unsure of Ma Xiaoru’s intention.
"Are you still paranoid about me? Although it was Samantha who sent me, don't you think that you would have met someone else if I had refused to come?" Ma Xiaoru asked as her bright wide eyes stared at Wang Tong.
Her questions embarrassed Wang Tong. He did feel Ma Xiaoru's feelings towards him, and he was also eager to respond, but should his feelings have deceived him, it might leave her with the impression that Wang Tong was obsessed with her.
"Um..." Wang Tong still hesitated.
"Am I not worthy of being your friend?" Ma Xiaoru pushed him further.
Wang Tong gave up his struggle as he let out a smile, "Fine, we’re friends now."
"Perfect, why don't you take your seat back tomorrow? I don't want Hu Yangxuan to disturb me. Would you be able to do that for me?"
"That shouldn't be a problem. I didn't want to be the showstopper while you two caught up, but since you didn't want to talk to him, I will just take my seat back then."
Ma Xiaoru watched Wang Tong in silence; she could sense his confidence. Clearly, Hu Yangxuan did not pose any threat to him.
"Urgh... I’m so hungry." Ma Xiaoru blinked a pair of innocent looking eyes at Wang Tong.
Wang Tong had quickly registered the cue. She had given him a precious opportunity to ask her out for dinner, but Wang Tong faltered.
He remembered that he still needed to save money for another friend, Charcoal, who was more important than Ma Xiaoru.
Ma Xiaoru was stunned, as it was the first time in her life that anyone had ever hesitated when given an opportunity to butter her up. "He is so... frugal," Ma Xiaoru thought.
Ma Xiaoru's conscience returned after she remembered Wang Tong's hapless financial situation. "To celebrate our friendship, I will help pay the bill, do I have the honor of your accompany?"
Wang Tong nodded, anything was okay as long as he wouldn't have to pay. His priority right now was not to impress Ma Xiaoru but to save enough money to bring Charcoal back to life, even if it meant being cheap in front of a girl.
To Wang Tong's surprise, Ma Xiaoru didn't go after the expensive, luxurious restaurants which cost thousands per meal, an astronomical cost to Wang Tong but ordinary to Ma Xiaoru. Instead, she led Wang Tong to the cheap street food vendors outside of the school. After they were done eating, they spent under fifty credits, which Wang Tong gladly paid.
Watching the smile on Ma Xiaoru's while she enjoyed her snack gave Wang Tong more pleasure even than the surprisingly low cost. Wang Tong had even forgotten about the unbridgeable divide between them. Instead, he felt a bond forming between them, pulling them closer to each other by the degree.
On the boulevard outside of Ayrlarng Academy, two young hearts felt the inescapable gravity of each other, as they helplessly tumbled and spiraled into a sweet collide.
Wang Tong had trouble sleeping that night, as his mind was all over what had happened a few hours before. An image kept re-emerging: a cascade of dark silky tendrils flowing from Ma Xiaoru's head to her shoulders.
On the following morning, the F class entrance was jam packed with not only the boys here for Ma Xiaoru but also throngs of girls coming to see Hu Yangxuan, who had set up a grand piano at the front of the classroom.
It went without saying that he did this for Ma Xiaoru, in order to win her heart.
The other boys of the F class sat in agony as they took Hu Yangxuan's action as an assault. But most of them felt helpless since they knew they wouldn't be able to stop him. He indeed had the talent and showing off was his prerogative.
However, much to Hu Yangxuan's dismay, Ma Xiaoru walked into the classroom without paying any attention to him which made the rest of the boys lit up with joy. Even though his target didn't care for his performance, Hu Yangxuan still had to finish the music.
Wang Tong walked in a while later chewing a mouthful of stale bread when a bento box appeared in front of him. "You need proper nutrition every day, stop eating that garbage."
Ma Xiaoru smiled at him; Wang Tong prayed that he would be greeted with this charming smile every morning.
"I appreciate—"
"Save it."
"Haha, I feel like the happiest person in the world, with your bento, and listening to Hu Yangxuan's music, things can't get any better."
Ma Xiaoru couldn’t hold in her laughter either, "Don't make fun of other people."
"I learned from the best."
"How dare you make fun of me, haven't you heard that girls are the most vengeful? Aren't you afraid that I’ll mix some poison into your bento next time?"