A Chance Encounter

"Move aside! All of you, move aside!"

"What are you all crowding around here for? Get back! You want disciplinary action? You want to be expelled!?"

"Send an ambulance over immediately. There are injured people here..."

As soon as the Guard Division arrived, they quickly began dispersing the crowd.

As for those still unwilling to stop, they rushed in, wielding batons and steel forks alike. Once they had beaten them down, they immediately took them into custody.

Baili Qingfeng and Gule had been on the outermost edge to begin with and retreated quickly, so they were not beaten. Still, they were driven away from the scene.

After returning to school, neither of them spoke for a long while.

That night, Gule, who had gone out to gather information, returned and said indignantly, "Released. They were released! Fourteen students and passersby were injured or crippled, and three were sent into the emergency room and still haven't come out, yet the Guard Division is actually letting those three beasts—Russell, Kafu, and Wilson—go... I really have something to say, but I don't know whether I should say it!"

"You mean what happened during the day?"

Batu asked.

"That's right. We were at the scene."

"Isn't this obvious? Russell and those people drugged someone and caused harm, even led to someone's death. How could they just be released? Someone died."

"Drugged someone and caused harm? Do you know what they said over there? Kafu and the others paid the bill—several dozen dollars, even. This can't be considered forced sexual behavior, only a transaction. As for Lin Na's death... judging by the estimated time of death, Kafu wasn't at the scene and has an alibi! Heh, what a joke. If I stabbed them and let them bleed to death, then wasn't at the scene when they died, would that mean it had nothing to do with me?"

Gule's face was full of fury.

"The current policy is to maintain international relations with Aurora and prevent the conflict between the two countries from worsening further. I heard Russell's family has some influence. If the higher-ups can suppress something like this, naturally they'll suppress it as much as possible."

Momier was silent for a moment before saying this.

"Maintain relations with the Aurora Empire? We in Xia want to maintain good relations with Aurora, but Aurora keeps pressing forward step by step. If this continues, will Xia still have any place to stand on the East Divine Continent? So many women now take pride in finding an Aurora boyfriend. Why? Because Aurora People have privileges in Xia, and can greatly satisfy their vanity."

Batu was also somewhat indignant.

He attributed his inability to find a girlfriend to this.

"Tomorrow, the Sea World Association will hold a march opposing the invisible privileges Aurora People enjoy in Xia. Are you joining?"

"The Sea World Association?"

Momier frowned. "Some time ago, someone revealed that the Sea World Association was supported by Red Flame Country. And word has spread among the organization's upper ranks about carving out Xia Hai Province for autonomy."

"Autonomy? Perfect! Then we can make our own laws, safeguard our own interests, sweep out every last one of those parasites sent down by the royal family, and return clear skies and bright earth to Xia Hai Province."

Gule said.

"The royal family will never agree to Xia Hai Province becoming autonomous... If it truly comes to that, civil war will inevitably erupt, and the situation will grow even worse. Civil war would consume our own country's strength, and the Aurora People would bully us even more."

Momier said.

"No matter what result comes of it, it would still be better than the current stagnant pool of a situation."

"Peace is always better than war."

At that moment, Baili Qingfeng spoke. "For ordinary people like us, a peaceful environment matters more than anything."

"Can peace won through begging even be called peace?"

Gule retorted.

Baili Qingfeng said nothing.

Arguments of words carried no meaning.

"Damn it! Let's go downstairs and eat something to vent. Coming?"

"Let's go. Together."

"Count me in."

Momier and Batu responded.

Baili Qingfeng raised the book in his hand. "I'm not going. I haven't finished reading."

Once the three had left, the dormitory fell quiet, and Baili Qingfeng patiently continued turning the pages.

"Things aren't peaceful. At this rate, it really will turn chaotic."

Baili Qingfeng raised his head and gazed at the tranquil night. Beyond the Black Night lay the direction of the Aurora Empire.

"Is peace not good? Why must there be war in this world?"

He lowered his head and read for a while longer, only to find that the ocean of knowledge could no longer draw in his increasingly unsettled mind.

It was in turmoil.

His heart...

His heart was somewhat unsettled.

"My temperament isn't steady enough."

After quite some time, Baili Qingfeng put down the book.

He couldn't read it, so he stopped reading.

He left the dormitory building.

He wanted to go to the riverside, catch some wind, calm himself down, and restore peace to his heart.

Besides...

The Guard Division was not far from the river.

Though Xia'er was one or two kilometers from the Wu River, the walk did not take Baili Qingfeng much time.

The Wu River had been developed into a riverside scenic belt. Though it was nighttime, quite a few places were brightly lit, but there were not many people around.

Baili Qingfeng had only been there for a moment when a burst of loud laughter came from nearby. He could vaguely see four people walking in this direction with their arms slung over one another's shoulders.

Before they arrived, their voices had already drifted over.

As the four gradually drew near, Baili Qingfeng's gaze fell upon them.

The three Aurora People he had encountered at noon—Kafu, Russell, and Wilson—were all there. There was one more, whose name he did not know.

What a coincidence...

A real coincidence.

As they walked, they discussed their next destination.

"Just got out of the Guard Division. Bad luck clinging all over us. I heard virgin blood wards off evil. How about we find a few more? Wilson, do you still have any drugs?"

"I do. As much as you want. But the ones around Xia'er aren't all that exciting. Let's go take a look over at Hailan. Music students, art students—their temperament should be much better."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go now!"

With their arms around one another's shoulders, they soon burst into a fit of eager laughter and were about to change course toward the nearby Blue Sea Conservatory of Music.

And Baili Qingfeng...

He looked at those four...

He vaguely felt that the things written in books should not be trusted completely.

Ever since the four had appeared, he had been staring at them. By normal logic, shouldn't one of them have said, "What are you looking at?" Then he would reply, "What if I am?" and they would start fighting? Yet unexpectedly...

Those four had actually ignored him?

Baili Qingfeng stared for a moment. His tactic had failed, so he could only step forward.

The moment he stepped forward, he swiftly drew Russell's attention.

"A Xia person?"

Baili Qingfeng looked at Russell. After a moment, he swept his gaze around.

"Kid, I'm talking to you. Are you mute?"

Kafu barked.

"I recognize you. That girl named Lin Na died because of you? Yet looking at you, you don't feel the slightest guilt?"

Baili Qingfeng said.

"Heh?"

Kafu laughed. Not only him—the other three laughed as well.

"Looks like we've got someone trying to play the hero and uphold justice?"

Russell rubbed his fists together. "In broad daylight, with so many watching, it would be hard for us to clean up if we beat someone to death. But here, in the pitch-black dark, if one or two people die and get tossed into the river, who would know? Kafu, Wilson, Willson, since you're learning martial arts under me, remember this: a martial artist's fists aren't trained out—they're fought out. Only a fist technique that can kill is a true fist technique. Tonight, I'll give you a proper demonstration. Watch carefully..."

Bang!

Before Russell could finish, Baili Qingfeng moved.

He took one step forward, and the stone slabs beneath his feet shuddered violently, as if a gigantic elephant had stamped down.

As strength surged beneath his feet, the momentum around his entire body boiled up, like a tranquil volcano abruptly detonating the next second.

Blazing Qi and Blood surged forth from within him, as though the power of a colossal dragon had been born inside his body. On his second step, that strength condensed into a single force, becoming fist power that coursed through his spine and fully stretched his frame open. Then, as he charged forward in great strides to kill, it finally transformed into a punch that pierced through the air.

Thrust!

Like a swordsman hiding his edge within the sheath, sprinting three steps before drawing his sword to kill.