An Unavoidable Conflict

"Ding-dong—ding-dong—ding-dong—"

Amid the train's broadcast chimes, the train stopped at the special platform slowly closed the doors of each carriage and finally began moving.

It gradually accelerated, following the tracks toward Huaming District. Combined with the solemn atmosphere in each carriage, it truly felt like they were setting out for battle.

Yet in one of the carriages that had become solemn, the atmosphere seemed somewhat strange.

Strange. Quiet.

"."

A heavy silence spread throughout the carriage.

Everyone inside tacitly refrained from speaking, focusing their attention entirely in one direction.

There sat the most eye-catching figure in the entire Demon Hunter Academy.

The Hunter Department's supernova, the Xu Family heiress who had held the title of School Belle for two consecutive years—Xu Qianqian.

The Sorcerer Department's freshman chief, the popular queen beloved by everyone not long after enrolling—An Zijin.

At that moment, the two beautiful girls whom countless students regarded as High Mountain Flowers were seated on either side of a man who had only recently risen to fame, practically surrounding him. There was even a faint sense that they were standing opposed to each other.

This left everyone staring at the man seated between the School Belles with complicated feelings and overwhelming envy, jealousy, and hatred, as though they wanted to bore several holes through him with their gazes. Their eyes were so sharp that one might have suspected they had encountered their mortal enemy.

Su Ming wanted to say that he was suffering inside, but he could not say a word.

He now felt as if he were sitting on a bed of needles.

Yao Beibei and Jiang Wanyu, seated opposite him, did not know whether they were afraid to interrupt or simply did not want to. They watched this side cautiously, as if observing the situation, and kept quiet.

Lei Hao and Ye Bai, seated behind him, were doing something unknown, but he could always feel two gazes that seemed intent on cutting him into a thousand pieces.

That was not even the worst of it.

What truly made Su Ming restless were the two School Belles on either side of him.

Xu Qianqian had not spoken again since sitting down. She merely watched Su Ming.

Su Ming could feel Xu Qianqian's gaze, but he had no way to turn and respond.

The reason was simple. His arm, which had long since gone numb, was being secretly squeezed by An Zijin, who was likewise maintaining her silence, as if warning Su Ming that if he dared speak to Xu Qianqian, he could forget about keeping that arm. Su Ming did not dare make the slightest reckless move.

His heart was clearly filled with bitterness, yet even if he wanted to complain, there was nowhere to do so.

But there was one thing Su Ming could be certain of.

"If this isn't the World Will targeting me, I'll eat my own slippers!"

That was Su Ming's only thought at present.

Whether fortunately or unfortunately, this strange silence was eventually broken.

"You seem to have changed quite a bit."

Xu Qianqian suddenly said this without any apparent reason.

"Huh?"

Su Ming failed to react.

Xu Qianqian continued staring at Su Ming as though confirming something. "It's only a hunch, but you seem a little different from two days ago."

As she said this, Xu Qianqian also subtly twitched her cute nose, as if she were smelling something.

In truth, half of what Xu Qianqian said was a cover.

She had indeed noticed some changes in Su Ming, but not through intuition. She had noticed them based on her body's reaction.

The Xu Family's eldest daughter had already felt an instinctive, restless urge toward Su Ming, making her crave his blood.

Now, Xu Qianqian discovered that this restless feeling seemed to have grown even stronger.

Su Ming, who knew nothing of this, naturally forced out a dry smile.

"I want to keep being the same as before too."

Those words represented Su Ming's silent protest.

He genuinely wanted to remain as he had been before, continuing to be an unnoticed Side Character who quietly developed his strength—at the very least, not being targeted by all these covetous gazes.

But that wish had completely vanished the moment these two goddess-like School Belles appeared beside him.

Xu Qianqian did not even acknowledge Su Ming's protest. Her gaze at him grew somewhat heated, and she even stuck out the tip of her little tongue and unconsciously licked her lips.

That action instantly filled this cold and aloof School Belle with bewitching allure. It also made the many people secretly watching them grow hot inside, nearly causing nosebleeds.

"Lend him to me."

Xu Qianqian still showed no intention of acknowledging anyone else. She reached out and pulled Su Ming's other hand into her arms.

"----"

At that moment, the killing intent filling the carriage swelled several times over.

"Hiss."

Su Ming could not help drawing in a sharp breath.

Xu Qianqian, who had pulled his arm over, directly pressed his palm against her lips and lightly bit it, beginning to suck Su Ming's blood.

Su Ming felt only an extremely faint pain, followed by an electric sensation that made his spine tingle.

"You—"

Su Ming really wanted to give Xu Qianqian a hard knock on the head.

Had this girl forgotten where they were?

Doing something like this under the eyes of so many people—was she not afraid the commotion would get any bigger?

Besides, had she asked for his opinion before sucking his blood?

Su Ming was instantly furious.

But in the eyes of everyone else, this scene meant something entirely different.

All they could see was Xu Qianqian suddenly pulling Su Ming's hand over and then "kissing" it.

Su Ming's expression of shock and fury naturally looked, to the others, like his face was twisted from pleasure.

"Ahem!"

Yao Beibei and Jiang Wanyu, seated in front of Su Ming and Xu Qianqian, were startled by this sudden scene. The drinks they were sipping nearly sprayed out as they coughed with their eyes wide, showing just how shocked they were.

"Bang!"

"Riiip!"

"Smack!"

Some of the surrounding spectators crushed the cups in their hands, some tore apart their backpacks, and others angrily slapped their thighs, only to howl in pain afterward.

"Lei Hao! Lei Hao!"

Ye Bai's voice rang out from the seats behind them once again, as if someone needed resuscitation again.

Under these circumstances, An Zijin finally could not endure it any longer and stood up.

"Could you please show a little self-respect, Senior?"

An Zijin challenged Xu Qianqian. Her usually lovely face was now covered in a layer of frost, as if imbued with killing intent, making the surrounding onlookers shudder.

".!"

Xu Qianqian seemed to come to her senses only then, realizing what she had done. A clear look appeared in her eyes.

She reluctantly released Su Ming's hand from her mouth, raised her eyes, and looked at An Zijin, whose face was covered in frost.

Then Xu Qianqian said, "Sorry, he smelled too good. I couldn't help myself."

Xu Qianqian was indeed somewhat apologetic.

In her view, she had truly lost control this time.

No matter what, Su Ming was An Zijin's fiancé. Suddenly behaving like this was indeed inappropriate.

But this also showed how much Su Ming attracted Xu Qianqian. Compared with before, his appeal had risen by more than a notch, making it difficult for Xu Qianqian to suppress the blood stirring restlessly within her.

Of course, to An Zijin, who knew nothing of the truth, Xu Qianqian's words—"he smelled too good"—were nothing short of provocation, carrying exactly the same meaning as "Your husband is amazing."

Thus, An Zijin's expression gradually became impassive.

"Little Zijin?"

Su Ming began to feel terrified.

It was not only Su Ming. Even Yao Beibei and Jiang Wanyu opposite him began trembling in horror.

"It appeared!"

"Inner Zijin Mode!"

The two of them shouted words that were somewhat difficult to understand.

This was not their first time seeing An Zijin like this.

In the past, whenever they had mocked Su Ming too excessively, An Zijin had become expressionless like this more than once.

And whenever An Zijin became this way, she would grow extremely, extremely frightening.

Yao Beibei and Jiang Wanyu therefore called this version of An Zijin "Inner Zijin Mode."

An Zijin truly became somewhat terrifying after entering this mode.

"This is the second time, right?" An Zijin stared coldly at Xu Qianqian. "This is the second time you've declared war on me, Senior, isn't it?"

The chill radiating from An Zijin as she said this was genuinely alarming.

Xu Qianqian immediately furrowed her brows. Facing An Zijin's icy gaze, she stood up.

The last time An Zijin had said this, Xu Qianqian had not responded.

But this time—

"If you think it is, then I suppose it is."

Xu Qianqian responded directly.

The eldest young lady of the Xu Family had never been inferior to anyone in her life.

Therefore, even though An Zijin had misunderstood her intentions, Xu Qianqian had no intention of backing down.

Although she knew that An Zijin might not be a simple person, she did not believe she was inferior to her in any way.

If they were talking about being special, Xu Qianqian likewise possessed qualities no less extraordinary than An Zijin's.

"Very well." An Zijin seemed to accept Xu Qianqian's declaration of war. Her voice was utterly devoid of inflection as she said, "Let's go outside and find somewhere to settle this, Senior."

"Sure." Xu Qianqian replied faintly as well. "I'd also like to know just how capable you are."

As they spoke, the atmosphere between Xu Qianqian and An Zijin instantly filled with the smell of gunpowder.

The conflict was on the verge of erupting.

Just as everyone watched the two School Belles who had suddenly turned against each other in fear, waiting nervously for the violent clash about to come, Su Ming finally exploded as well.

"Enough!"

Su Ming abruptly stood up.

"Huh?"

"Brother Su Ming?"

Xu Qianqian and An Zijin were simultaneously startled.

Su Ming spoke furiously.

"You keep drawing aggro onto me of your own accord, then start fighting each other of your own accord. Do you two think I don't exist?"

"And you want to find somewhere to settle this?"

"Fine!"

"Find somewhere on this train right now and let me settle both of you at once!"

"Come on! Find somewhere for me!"

Su Ming's furious voice stunned the two girls on the spot, leaving them speechless.

Please bookmark! Please recommend! Please support!