Bro, Times Have Changed

"Senior Brother, a big job just came in." Seeing Meng Li walk away, the receptionist could no longer suppress her excitement and hurried into the Forging Room.

"Oh?" The burly man stopped what he was doing and turned to look at his junior sister.

"Just now, someone was willing to pay 1.5 million to forge a long saber. He already paid too. Here are the blueprints."

"Oh, that's good." The burly man smiled.

"Yes, we finally don't have to sell the shop." The woman nodded, tears welling in her eyes.

Meng Li, who was flying toward Eastsea Academy, had no idea that one order from him had saved a shop. Meanwhile, he was considering how to assemble a weapon similar to an RPG.

Now that he had a saber, he naturally needed to prepare some heavy firepower as well. Compared with mechas and battle armor, Meng Li trusted rocket launchers more.

However, he would have to wait a while before assembling a rocket launcher exclusively for himself. He wanted to spend heavily on it and had no intention of making one carelessly.

It was already one in the afternoon when he returned to the dormitory. He diligently meditated according to the technique Wu Changkong had taught him, and before he knew it, night had fallen. After grabbing a casual meal in the cafeteria, he returned to the dormitory and found Xie Xie coming back covered in dust and grime.

"Oh? Who bullied you?" Meng Li asked. They were dormmates, so he should show some concern.

Xie Xie glanced at Tang Wulin, who was standing nearby. "Just a normal PK."

"Oh, him? It's normal that you lost." Meng Li glanced at Tang Wulin, the protagonist. The protagonist was indeed the protagonist. At level eleven, he could challenge someone at level eighteen across such a gap. There was nothing to complain about if Xie Xie lost. Even I, at level forty-five, might not be able to beat him.

"Normal?" Xie Xie felt even more depressed.

"Yeah. You can't compare him to ordinary people. He's a genius. You'll understand someday," Meng Li lectured.

Xie Xie and Tang Wulin both looked confused. It was Tang Wulin's first time being praised by someone who knew nothing of his background, and he felt a little embarrassed.

"No, I don't believe it. Tang Wulin, let's fight again!" Xie Xie gritted his teeth.

"Get lost. Who wants to fight you?"

"A Grade A Meal until you're full!"

"Are you sure?" Tang Wulin's eyes immediately lit up. He had never eaten a Grade A Meal before.

"Of course."

What a waste of money. Meng Li lay on his bed, fiddling with the new game console he had bought. Once he connected to the internet, he started playing and ignored the two of them.

"Give me the lower bunk!" Xie Xie looked at Meng Li, who was ignoring him. He could not beat Tang Wulin and had lost the lower bunk to him, but he refused to believe he could not beat this guy who had often gotten into fights back in junior academy.

"Sure, I can give it to you, but only if you beat Tang Wulin. He and I are from the same place, so we're practically fellow townsmen. You wouldn't let someone from elsewhere bully me, would you?"

What does that have to do with me? Tang Wulin froze, but hearing the words "fellow townsmen" warmed his heart. This place felt less unfamiliar by the moment.

"You'll have to beat me first!" Tang Wulin naturally began to regard Meng Li as one of his own.

"You two!" Xie Xie shouted angrily. "Then I'll beat you tomorrow."

Yet early the next morning, Xie Xie was once again bruised and swollen, clearly having been beaten up again.

Tang Wulin was wolfing down food, and Meng Li also took advantage of the situation. Xie Xie was treating them, and Meng Li was more than happy to eat for free.

After they finished eating, Wu Changkong gathered everyone on the field.

After Wu Changkong arrived, he gave them another round of scolding, not even sparing Meng Li, whose background he knew well.

"Today's first lesson is to show your strength. You will soon engage in direct combat, with me as the referee. Single-elimination. Let me see what you can do." Wu Changkong looked at the group.

A little girl who was a Tool Soul Master stepped forward and said she was a Tool Soul Master and did not need to fight, only to be scolded as well.

How pitiful. Meng Li shook his head. Children were still children—too naive.

"Begin. There are no rules. Defeat your opponent by any means necessary." Wu Changkong stood with his hands behind his back. Those words were clearly aimed at Tool Soul Masters.

Wu Changkong assigned the matches. In the first round, Meng Li faced Zhou Changxi.

Zhou Changxi's eyes widened as he assumed a horse stance, his aura instantly rising. But before he could even finish releasing his martial soul, a fist smashed toward him.

A figure flew across the field and slammed heavily into the soccer goal ten meters away.

"Hmm, I used too much strength." Meng Li looked at his fist. He had thought that someone as big as Zhou Changxi could at least last two rounds.

So shameless—he actually launched a sneak attack. Class Five collectively looked down on Meng Li.

The corner of Wu Changkong's mouth twitched as well, but he still said, "I already said there are no rules. Any method may be used. Meng Li wins!"

Meng Li watched as Xie Xie, Yun Xiao, and Tang Wulin all advanced.

There were eleven people. This round, one person received a bye again, and Meng Li was the lucky one.

After this round, only six people remained. Meng Li faced Yun Xiao.

The result was the same as with Zhou Changxi. Before Yun Xiao could release his martial soul, he was sent flying. He did not fly as far as Zhou Changxi, though, because Meng Li showed mercy for the sake of being dormmates.

Does your mother know how shameless you are? Everyone left felt that Meng Li had no shame at all.

Neither of those two forced him to use his martial soul. I wonder if the remaining two can manage it. Wu Changkong helplessly glanced at Yun Xiao and said, "Meng Li wins!"

"Your speed is still too slow."

"Yes!" Yun Xiao got to his feet and stepped aside.

"You two, have a match." Wu Changkong pointed at Xie Xie and Tang Wulin.

Meng Li watched with great interest. He wanted to know what Tang Wulin was capable of, and how someone with level-eleven Soul Power had repeatedly made a level-eighteen opponent suffer.

The two fought an exciting battle. To his surprise, Xie Xie won.

That's not scientific. The protagonist actually lost, Meng Li muttered.

The final showdown: Meng Li versus Xie Xie! Everyone perked up, and even more people hoped Xie Xie would win.

"I hope you can use your martial soul and fight me properly, fair and square." Xie Xie looked serious.

"Oh, sure." Meng Li answered seriously as well.

This time, Xie Xie had gotten smarter. The two agreed to begin only after separating by fifty meters.

Xie Xie released his martial soul and even used his Twin Martial Souls. He had decided to teach this lucky bastard who had advanced by chance a lesson.

Xie Xie rushed toward Meng Li at high speed.

Meng Li stood still, as if nothing was happening.

Xie Xie is in danger. Wu Changkong noticed Meng Li's state and instinctively sensed it.

When Xie Xie was thirty meters away, Meng Li moved. He lifted the hem of his T-shirt, revealing two double-barreled shotguns at his waist.

Taking out the shotguns, Meng Li quickly loaded the Tranquilizer Darts.

"Don't mess around!" Wu Changkong shouted, his heart jolting. He had never expected Meng Li to defeat his opponent this way.

"Don't worry, they're Tranquilizer Darts!"

Bang! Bang! Two shots rang out, and Xie Xie collapsed ten steps away.

"This kid is so shameless!" Xie Xie fell unwillingly. He had never expected to lose so easily.

"Bro, times have changed." Meng Li blew on the barrels and tucked the guns back into his waistband.