The guards and teachers behind Mr. Grong, along with the students, parted to either side, opening up a wide path down the middle of the corridor.
A sturdy young man strode in, clad in a black short cape, a breastplate over his left chest, and a sword at his waist. He wore a pair of high riding boots, with two pure-gold spurs on their heels. Every so often, the spurs clinked together with a clear ring.
The young man was quite handsome, and his long, pale-gold hair was especially eye-catching. Unfortunately, a slash had cut across his left eye, leaving a vicious scar that ran from his left temple all the way to his chin and utterly marred his appearance. His eyeball had presumably been slashed as well; a black eyepatch was tied tightly over his face, concealing the left eye beneath its leather.
Mr. Grong frowned. He seemed to have some recollection of this young man. Lin Qi frowned too. The young man looked seven or eight parts like Black Horse House, but his bearing was far more mature and composed. Most striking was the emblem on the breastplate over his chest: a rooster crowing skyward within a shield crossed by a sword, its claws gripping the neck of a dying venomous serpent. That emblem represented the Imperial Royal Legion.
Lin Qi's face fell. Black Horse House's family, then? He had heard that Black Horse House had inherited the Round Table Knights from his elder brother. His brother had graduated first in his class from the Imperial Army Academy, and was said to have earned plenty of merit after joining the army.
Black Horse House had once boasted drunkenly that his own elder brother had led a company of the Empire's finest knights on a daring raid into the northern Five Great Linked Islands, where they sacked a werewolf tribe and returned in triumph. From the aura around this young man, he was clearly a veteran who had survived deadly battles, just like the gang of desperadoes under Lin Qi's father.
Six soldiers in light armor followed close behind the young man. Their chins were raised at a forty-five-degree angle, their faces full of arrogance and conceit. Proud troops and fierce generals—there were none more fitting. Their haughty air made Mr. Grong and Father Balin frown.
The young man stopped beside Lin Qi. His single eye fixed on Lin Qi as he slowly held out his hand with a smile. "Student Lin Qi? I'm terribly sorry. I made a small mistake this time. I shouldn't have listened to Haosi's nonsense. He'd only just sobered up and hadn't even figured out what had happened."
Looking at the hand held out in front of him, Lin Qi stuck out his chest and calmly clasped both hands behind his back. Shake this young man's hand? Lin Qi wasn't that foolish. The man was plainly a military elite who had faced death countless times; Lin Qi wasn't stupid enough to test his strength against him. Though Lin Qi had been trained by his father and a bunch of odd uncles since childhood, and had started hardening his body and building his strength at the age of three, he saw no reason to fight him just to decide a winner.
What would winning get him? And what would losing get him? Lin Qi was now a student of accounting at the Fifth University, and he had to act like an exemplary student, both in character and in academics. He had to remember that he was a university student who used his head, not a warrior who went around bare-chested, swinging a weapon and hacking people apart.
The young man's face darkened slightly. As a man of noble birth, he could take Lin Qi's reaction as disrespect toward his entire family. With a cold snort, he withdrew his hand and bowed slightly to Mr. Grong and Father Balin. "I'm Haolin of the Bavier Family. I'm very sorry about what happened today. My family will cover all the losses."
After a brief pause, Haolin said calmly, "But I ask that the dean of academic affairs and the Father refrain from pursuing their responsibility. They are all respectable men who were only doing their duty. Surely you wouldn't hold one innocent mistake against them and refuse to let it go?"
Haolin had revealed his family's background. The Bavier Family had risen to prominence through military merit during the century-long Continental-Island War, and almost every man in the family held a military post. Their title was not especially high, but their hidden influence was not to be underestimated. Having named his family, Haolin left Mr. Grong and Father Balin little choice but to drop the matter, unless they wanted to fall out with the Bavier Family.
After all, Lin Qi hadn't been hurt. After all, the Dragon Cavalry and the Copper Hats had already been punished. And after all, the Empire's aristocratic circle had its own unspoken rules. Even though Father Balin was a servant of God, even though he stood apart from worldly authority, he wouldn't dare casually offend a hereditary noble with great potential.
Especially since Lin Qi had nearly chopped him into eighteen pieces with an axe just yesterday!
Father Balin was only Lin Qi's drinking buddy, not a brother who would lay down his life for him. So Father Balin puffed out his plump chest and said solemnly, "Since they have already atoned for their sins, God is merciful."
He blinked, then stepped aside, putting on the air of a man with nothing to do with the matter.
Mr. Grong took out his white handkerchief and wiped his nose again, then casually felt the smooth little medicine bottle in his pocket. He returned the handkerchief to his pocket and said gravely, "I hope nothing like this happens again. Lord Haolin, this is the campus of the Fifth University."
Haolin bowed slightly and apologized with great sincerity. "My family will cover all the losses. This was my mistake; my family will cover everything. And I must apologize to Mr. Lin Qi as well. He's innocent. My good-for-nothing younger brother got drunk and talked nonsense."
Haolin had handled things beautifully. Lin Qi had already prepared irrefutable evidence: an exemplary university student, helping Father Balin copy prayer scriptures. How could anyone link him to the tavern attack and arson? Haolin simply chose not to pursue the matter. Even if the case were brought before the King, with an assistant priest as a witness, Lin Qi would surely be safe and sound.
Father Balin and Mr. Grong left the dormitory, satisfied. They knew Haolin would want to speak with Lin Qi privately. The dejected Dragon Cavalry and Copper Hats gave Lin Qi a long look, took a purse Haolin handed them, and quickly left as well.
Lin Qi leaned against the doorframe, smiling at Haolin, who was smiling too. "Is there something you'd like to say to me, sir?"
Haolin ordered the six soldiers behind him to clear away the students watching in the corridor, then stood before Lin Qi with his hands clasped behind his back. He sighed softly and shook his head. "Haosi is a waste of space. He couldn't even beat you. He was born into a military family, yet couldn't deal with an ordinary student from a commoner background, either through strategy or strength. The family will punish him severely."
Lin Qi nodded slowly. He stared straight into Haolin's single eye and sneered. "And then?"
Haolin turned and unhurriedly headed for the stairs.
As he walked, he said coldly, "The family will remember you. Lin Qi, you've successfully earned the hatred of the Bavier Family. But the family won't stoop to your level. We'll have Haosi defeat you fair and square—and defeat the family you belong to!"
Lin Qi laughed happily and shook his head.
"The family I belong to? Hah. Go to hell!"
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