Immovable as a Mountain Shi Tiexin (Part 2)

While Principal Liu silently labeled Shi Tiexin as "a man of great courage under heaven," then added a question mark, Shi Tiexin was standing in his new dormitory. If Principal Liu had known what Shi Tiexin was thinking, that label would probably have been ripped to shreds on the spot.

Because right now, he had absolutely nothing to do with the state of "unshaken when faced with danger" or "unangered when provoked."

He was both shocked and furious!

It simply didn't show on his face.

Ignoring Zhou Nan, the guy beside him who was grinding his teeth, just one look at this dormitory was enough to make Shi Tiexin's dissatisfaction nearly ooze out of all seven orifices.

First, the beds. There were also four steel-framed beds in this dormitory, but they were not the kind with a bed above and desk below. They were ancient bunk beds. No one knew how long they had been used; the green paint had peeled away in patches, exposing rust-covered steel pipes underneath. Grab the frame and exert even a little force, and it immediately wobbled precariously, creaking without pause.

Then there was the environment. The wardrobes and cabinets were absurdly narrow, definitely not enough to store anything. Though he had not examined the dorms in the Key Class's Middle Ancient Building too closely, he remembered that every room had a bathroom and washroom. This place had none of that. A broken wooden window marked the boundary. There were nowhere near enough study desks either. An eight-person room had only two desks shoved into it, perhaps because the school figured the students living here would not have much use for them.

And the smell was even worse. The stench of the toilet by the entrance, sweaty feet, dirty clothes piled up for who knew how long without being washed clean, some sort of fermented, moldy reek—it was simply unbearable. Shi Tiexin slightly curled his toes and knew the floor was probably filthy as well. Who knew what had been spilled on it? It was sticky enough that threads might stretch out with every step.

Finally, he looked at his new bunk. It was piled high with all sorts of clutter, clearly having been treated as a communal storage space by the others. His relationship with his roommates was probably going to be a mess too.

A bleak, desolate feeling washed over him like a tide, and Shi Tiexin nearly burst into curses.

Damn it!

Was this really necessary?!

All I did was stand up in class and shout once! I didn't harm heaven or wrong anyone, yet they exiled me to this place like Su San being escorted to her execution!

Just now, he had thought this sacred land of cultivation had strict rules. Since he had fallen into their hands, there was nothing to say. If he did not want to be expelled, he would just have to take things as they came. But that guy beside him had been caught red-handed with six packs of cigarettes, and he might have had another two or three cartons that had not been handed over. No matter how serious his single shout was, it could not possibly be worse than six packs of cigarettes, could it?

So how had that square-headed guy dealt with it?

He had not even left behind a single harsh word!

And those three red armbands—damn it, they had rummaged through my things like bandits, but when they got here, they did not say a word before turning around and leaving. What did that mean? It clearly meant they were serving different dishes to different guests, targeting me!

Holy crap, do they think I'm easy to bully?!

And then there was transferring me to the Trash Class. This... this was fucking cutting off my path to survival!

During the time when the consciousnesses had been mingling together, Shi Tiexin had gradually come to understand what the Trash Class was. It was simply the gathering place for all the scum of Fengming First High School. The other consciousness had been fixated on returning to the Elite Class, yet not only had it failed to return, it had plunged headfirst to the very bottom.

That other consciousness was shocked, furious, heartbroken, and despairing, its grief and indignation beyond all measure.

For a moment, Shi Tiexin did not understand why that consciousness was so grief-stricken and enraged. But all of a sudden, he felt that grief, that unwillingness, that despair, were so familiar.

Were they not exactly the same as the feelings he had experienced today, at death's door, in the midst of unconsciousness?

So that consciousness and I are people of the same fate...

As that thought arose in his heart, his mind suddenly cleared. Bound by that grief and indignation, the conflict between the two great consciousnesses abruptly formed a subtle harmony and unity. The other consciousness, which had been fighting him all along, suddenly quieted down, and Shi Tiexin was struck by the feeling that he could finally take control of this body.

His head no longer spun, his brain no longer swelled, and his consciousness was no longer hazy. The other consciousness lowered its banners and beat its drums, temporarily handing everything over to this consciousness to handle. An itch rose in his throat, and Shi Tiexin suddenly realized that he could speak.

After a whole afternoon of struggling breathlessly until nightfall, he could finally speak!

"Cough, cough..." Shi Tiexin cleared his throat first, raised a hand to rub it, then turned to look at Zhou Nan.

Uh, he still did not have full control of his body. His movements were a little stiff...

Zhou Nan, whose expression had been hostile all along, merely watched from the side, with no intention of stepping in to help.

This guy had suddenly figured it out. Big Head Zheng had come here at this hour for no reason at all—it was entirely because of this bastard in front of him! Fuck, six packs of cigarettes had been confiscated from me, and it was all because of you!

You dog, just wait. If I don't play you until you're begging for death, then I'm not Zhou Nan!

He gritted his teeth at Shi Tiexin's back, his unfriendly gaze sweeping up and down his body. If Shi Tiexin had not been so tall and broad, more than half a head taller than him and built like a fortress, Zhou Nan might already have swaggered over, shoulders shaking and eyes slanted, to start something.

But just as Zhou Nan was about to settle the score over those six packs of cigarettes, the tall, broad fellow abruptly turned around, revealing a cold, terrifying face. The light from the bulb overhead was poor, casting great swathes of shadow across his face and making him look as hideous and terrifying as a demon.

Zhou Nan had a guilty conscience to begin with. Startled violently, he could not help taking a step back.

Shi Tiexin could not help feeling puzzled. Why was this guy running away? Cough, cough, he still did not have very good control over his throat. He could not speak loudly, so he needed to get closer. Shi Tiexin therefore turned fully around, took two steps forward, and said, "Whose things are on this bed?"

Mm, mm. His first attempt at speaking had been a success. He had smoothly said what he wanted to say. Of course, his voice was a little hoarse and his tone a little gloomy, but those were minor issues. Overall, Shi Tiexin was very satisfied.

But Zhou Nan on the other side was frightened.

This guy was closing in!

And he was speaking in the voice of one of those underworld bosses from television dramas, a man with countless lackeys and blood on his hands!

Holy crap, this newcomer was terrifying. His presence was even stronger than Brother Da Long's! That imposing Sha Qi, like he was about to swallow someone alive and skin them whole—the second-year Brother Da Long did not even look this intimidating! Zhou Nan had never been particularly brave, and when crooked thoughts were spinning through his mind, he was even more lacking in nerve. At this moment, he instinctively lost three parts of his courage.

Wait a minute...

The Square-headed Fiend had personally escorted him...

Three great Discipline Committee executioners had accompanied him together...

Could this guy be some big shot from somewhere?!

As for updates, I won't make any grand promises. I'll first work hard to achieve 100 days without taking leave or missing an update. Today was the fourth day, (4/100)