A Little Trouble

More than half a month has passed since Xue Ming arrived in Galahad.

The course on knight combat skills is also progressing smoothly. Courses like math and book can be completed during the library's self-study period, along with various illustrated supplementary materials on monster science and medicine and chemistry.

As for math and science courses, they are mostly taught by Meteor, who teaches methods for cultivating physical essence, calculating energy intake based on students' bone age and different physiques, and techniques for creating diet plans.

Other mathematical knowledge is almost entirely integrated into the shooting lessons. From slings to bows and arrows, to throwing knives and axes, to throwing canisters and various explosives, all require some mathematical foundations in classical mechanics.

The other major courses—driving, etiquette, music, and archery—will require a gradual approach, especially the theme of music, which will likely be left until the end.

While music and knightly combat skills may seem unrelated, David Victor's first lesson with Xue Ming and Meteor was actually a music theory and dance class.

It can activate the amazing common sense of Homo sapiens, allowing them to convey emotions without language. Dance was often used in ancient rituals for deities, and it is also a powerful physical language for releasing the inner soul. For these thirteen-year-old children, it is also necessary to understand music theory and mathematics.

The teaching progressed steadily according to the timeline specified in the plan. The students in Class 78 were all new students who started learning Knight Combat Skills right after entering school, and they did not show any strange resistance. Compared with other fancy psionic courses, what the gunsmith taught was very "down-to-earth" -- but simple and effective. As long as they followed the teaching assistants to practice and put it into practice, they could get good grades. By the end of the first year, it would be great to have sixteen credits in hand.

Although these children's brains haven't yet realized what the Knight's Combat Techniques will actually bring them, their bodies have already undergone subtle changes.

"What do you think of Shao Jinghao?" Meteor lay on the desk in the teachers' office, using her hands as a pillow on the paperweight, and asked Ming Ge about the child.

Xue Ming didn't answer; he was organizing the class schedule, preparing a monthly summary for February.

Meteor continued, "Ming Ge, I really like this kid!"

"Dating early like you?" Xue Ming interrupted without looking up, "You're quite energetic."

Meteor was a little embarrassed. "Hehe. It's not for the reason you think of it. I just feel that among so many students, he's the most energetic, with a kind of fearless drive."

"Indeed." Xue Ming tidied up the files, put on his non-prescription glasses, and typed a series of sentences into the computer to archive the data. "On my first day teaching here, he flirted with girls right in front of me, and even after I attacked him with chalk, he was still rude. Clever, skillful, and lawless—he's quite a character."

Meteor pouted, speaking up for the bad student, "Didn't you already teach him a lesson?"

Xue Ming immediately said, "I added another point for him."

Meteor asked, "Speaking of this extra credit thing, I don't quite understand. Ming Ge, if you don't like him, why did you give him this opportunity?"

Xue Ming replied, "People need some kind of ritual to prove their worth, A Xing. This is something you see everywhere in life—like when you play MOBA games."

Meteor: "King of Glory!"

"Yes, this game." Xue Ming continued, "It seems like this kind of game only has two options: win or lose, with no other possible outcomes. But you'll find that whether it's your opponent, your teammate, or even yourself, there's a moment when you don't want to win—you don't want to go towards those two options."

The meteor seemed lost in thought, then its eyes lit up. "I want to be happy!~"

Xue Ming: "That's exactly the point. If you were to play against AI, you probably wouldn't be as excited, wouldn't have the same competitive spirit, and wouldn't experience the same joy. You're using this ritual to prove your worth, or to highlight your presence."

Meteor then asked, "What does this presence have to do with Xiao Hao?"

"He has a very strong sense of self-esteem, whether it's the seating arrangement in the classroom or the way he faces me with the chalk." Xue Ming patiently explained, "He's always trying to make himself stand out. I don't know much about Xiao Hao's family or how he spent his childhood. But I can vaguely sense that he's a child who needs a lot of attention and has a lot of energy."

Meteor: "That seems to be the case."

Xue Ming continued, "Powerful energy can not only create a person, but also destroy one. I let him stand out, let him set an example for his classmates, and give him extra credits, simply to use this kind of leader-like behavior to guide him back into my teaching process and stop him from resisting me."

"Hey, Ming Ge, do you want to know about Xiao Hao's family?" Meteor sidled up to Xue Ming, looking at his good brother with anticipation.

Xue Ming: "I would like to hear the details."

"He's a kid from a fourth-tier city in Sichuan." Meteor immediately started reminiscing about his family. "Just like us, he's a peasant—he also came to the station in search of the Universal Elixir."

Xue Ming was slightly surprised when he heard this answer.

Such a young child, yet possessing such a strong will, could generate such psychic energy fluctuations that the train ticket would actively seek him out?

Meteor continued--

"--He has four siblings and is the third oldest in his family. Like you, Ming Ge, he comes from a poor family in the county. His parents couldn't take care of him, so they sent Xiao Hao to his aunt's house to be fostered, which is close to the school."

"Without his parents' supervision, Xiao Hao secretly spent every day in internet cafes without his aunt and uncle's knowledge. Since he was underage and couldn't turn on the computer, he would give the internet cafe manager cigarettes and borrow his ID card. He also wandered around for two years. When it came time for the high school entrance exam, the school couldn't find him. He went back to his hometown and was almost beaten to death by his own father."

"Xiao Hao's Grandfather passed away early, leaving only his grandmother who doted on her grandchildren. When she saw the father and son fighting, she was so angry that she suffered a heart attack and was hospitalized. Hao's parents had to take turns staying with him at the hospital, and the family was in chaos. Xiao Hao dropped out of school, and seeing his grandmother critically ill made him very regretful. He wanted to leave home as soon as possible to work and earn money to support his family."

"He wanted to cure his grandmother's illness and also to cure his family's poverty—so, relying on his indomitable spirit, he went to an internet cafe and got a job as a cashier, secretly taking turns working the night shift with the manager. His first month's salary was just a train ticket."

Xue Ming: "And then?"

Meteor: "The illness is cured, but not completely."

Xue Ming: "Has the waiter made the arrangements for him?"

"The boss wouldn't do a losing business, but he borrowed money from the waiter to help him cure his beloved grandmother." Meteor continued, "In addition, he borrowed Galahad's tuition fees, asking the waiter to tell his family that he was going to study far away, using Galahad's admission notice as proof—the Shao family didn't really care about this child, letting him go far away."

Xue Ming: "Did his waiter know that he was flirting with female classmates in Galahad?"

The meteor laughed heartily, but did not answer.

Xue Ming: "How old is Hao Bro's waiter?"

Meteor: "Thirty-three years old, that's a twenty-year age difference between them."

Xue Ming: "That's amazing."

After telling the students about their fun, Meteor turned to business.

"There's something that's not too big or too small that I need you to handle, and it's also related to Xiao Hao."

Xue Ming: "Speak plainly."

Meteor pulled Xue Ming along as they walked out of the office building, talking as they went.

"Right in the student dormitory shower room, Xiao Hao beat up his roommate, and the injuries were quite serious. I can't handle this kind of thing. The dormitory supervisor, Director Simmons, and the injured student's parents also came."

When this was mentioned, Xue Ming could sense the nervous and embarrassed pheromones emanating from Liuxing.

Is it serious?

He asked this question verbally--

--Xue Ming had found the answer in her heart.

This matter is probably not directed at Hao Bro. If it were just an ordinary fight, it wouldn't have warranted that Principal Simmons brought parents to demand an explanation. It could have been handled according to school rules and regulations.

Wood Plark is right. There are bad guys messing around in the shadows, their goal being to make things difficult for the students of Class 78, since they are the only ones who have learned knightly combat techniques.

Meteor: "I don't know. I brought lunch for Hao Bro during lunch break—and that kid got cornered in the shower room by several teachers. They were making a lot of noise at first, but then I realized no one was listening to his explanations, so I came to find you right away."

Xue Ming pursed her lips, feeling a mix of amusement and exasperation. "You told me so much about Hao Bro just so I could help him?"

"I'm just afraid you're cold-blooded, indifferent, and ruthless," Meteor muttered. "Duran and Flavia are also misguided kids, tools in the hands of drug dealers. When they were taken away by Teacher Victor, you didn't say a single good word for these teammates."

Xue Ming: "This is different, A Xing, completely different. Xiao Hao isn't a criminal. He's just a child."

"Alright, I understand." Meteor didn't say anything more and quickly led Ming Ge to the dormitory area on the south side of the annex building.

After crossing two green areas, passing through a winding corridor, and walking several hundred meters past the clinic, you can hear a lively and noisy atmosphere. Two Lapis Lazuli Guards stand outside the dormitory building's entrance, as if they were dealing with prisoners, strictly guarding against outsiders from entering.

The curious students could only stand outside, chattering amongst themselves.

"What's going on?"

"I heard it was a fight between first-year students."

"No, no, no! He's going to kill someone!"

"I saw it with my own eyes! There was a lot of blood flowing out of the public bathhouse on the fourth floor. That mud-blooded guy must have been intent on killing me!"

"What kind of grudge could thirteen-year-old kids possibly have?"

"You're saying that guy's a helpless Mudblood? That makes sense then. I wouldn't be surprised if a barbarian from the surface did anything."

"Hopefully, the dean can get rid of this little bastard soon."

Xue Ming and Liuxing squeezed into the student line, behaving very politely and courteously, asking these elegant young men in their robes and monastic attire to make way.

Over the many phones held high, Xue Ming heard whispers beside her.

"It's him, it's both of them."

"They were the instructors and teaching assistants for knightly combat techniques; they taught that kid to kill."

"How dare he come here? The victim's parents are still alive."

"Shh, don't talk."

Meteor tilted his head to the side, his hair standing on end in fury, like a lion with its mane bristling into a flock of sheep. There were many older students around seventeen or eighteen years old who were so frightened by A Xing's violent spiritual pressure that their faces turned pale and they involuntarily backed away.

Xue Ming immediately led Liuxing to the door and spoke kindly to his younger brother.

Don't be angry, smile.

A Xing cursed, "What nonsense are these little bastards spouting?!"

Xue Ming rubbed A Xing's face, creating a bright, sunny smile on his younger brother's cheeks, "They just want us to get angry, to lose our temper—this isn't about Xiao Hao, it's about me. A Xing, listen to me, this was my fault. I shouldn't have asked you to be a teaching assistant. You're very capable, you spend so much time with the kids every day, and you even care about their families. I'm really glad you told me all this, because I don't have that much time to get to know them."

After Ming Ge's reassurance, Meteor gradually calmed down.

He caught a glimpse of the two Lapis Lazuli Guards' wary and surprised expressions, then chuckled and greeted the guards. He turned back to discuss the matter with Xue Ming.

"What do we do now, Ming Ge?"

Jiang Xueming told A Xing to calm down.

"--Wait for me to go in and see what's going on. You stay outside and don't cause any trouble."

With that, Xue Ming lowered his head and rushed towards the main entrance of the dormitory.

The moment Xue Ming stepped onto the threshold, the Lapis Lazuli Guards immediately stopped him.

"Excuse me, gunsmith, they're still investigating and collecting evidence inside; you can't go in."

Xue Ming immediately looked up and asked, "Is Director Simmons inside?"

Lapis Lazuli: "Here."

Xue Ming: "Are the students' parents inside?"

Lapis Lazuli: "Yes."

Xue Ming: "Are there a few other teachers inside?"

Qingjin felt a little embarrassed, but could only nod.

"Yes, they're all inside."

Xue Ming kept scratching his head, his expressions were very varied, including winking, making faces, and being sarcastic.

"This beaten child, is he Ming De's illegitimate son? Why does he need so many people to look after him? Is he dead? Was he eaten on the spot by my student? Became nourishment for the Madness Butterfly?"

Lapis Lazuli: "It's not what you think."

Xue Ming: "What's going on? Who's investigating inside? Is my student a criminal?"

Qingjin: "We'll handle it."

"I'm asking you, who's investigating inside? Is my student a criminal?" Xue Ming said, enunciating each word clearly, taking the Iron Knight from Meteor's side. "I'm asking you, who's investigating inside? How you're going to handle this has nothing to do with the question I'm asking."

Upon seeing Mingde's remains, the lapis lazuli immediately turned sour.

"I'm just an employee, gunsmith, please don't make things difficult for me."

Xue Ming immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

He turned to Meteor and said, "Don't worry, it's just a small problem."

As long as these two watchdogs still recognize this stick, they should have no connection with any forces outside the school.

He turned around and spoke kindly to the two lapis lazuli brothers.

"Your job is to guard this door, right?"

The two half-wolf guards immediately understood the gunsmith's meaning and promptly issued a warning.

"The side and back doors are also guarded, Gunsmith. We're just following orders."

Another half-wolf member said respectfully, "My lord, I've heard of your reputation and know about our Big Sister's deeds. She's always been our role model. Patrolling here isn't to oppose you, it's just..."

"Don't go through all that trouble." Xue Ming repeated tirelessly, "I just want to ask, isn't your job to guard this gate?"

The team leader immediately replied, "Yes."

Xue Ming strode to the side wall of the gate and summoned his Soul Power in front of the two Azure Gold beings.

Fragrant Dream followed the gunsmith's powerful punches and pounding, tearing a two-meter-square hole in the wall.

The Lapis Lazuli Guards tried to catch up and stop Xue Ming.

"Keep an eye on the door, and don't let anyone in." Xue Ming turned around, brushed away the dust and dirt, and shook off the mud and plaster from his clothes.

The chilling killing intent in the eyes of the two half-wolf gunsmiths froze them in place, cold sweat the size of soybeans dripping from their thick fur and beards. Finally, they stopped and gave up, no longer caring about such a trivial matter.

Xue Ming walked up the spiral staircase in the dormitory building, listening to the whispers of the paintings and portraits hanging around him.

When the dormitory manager on the first floor saw the gunsmith arrive, she immediately stood up from the sofa. This kind and amiable old lady was about to say something when Xue Ming nudged her away with his Iron Knight Cane, not wanting to waste any time or say any nonsense.

He walked quickly and hurried to the fourth-floor boys' dormitory. He ran down the corridor and saw teachers blocking the exit of the bathhouse in the spacious corridor, so he immediately squeezed into the crowd.

Director Simmons sat in a red cotton chair, the head seat which the teachers had moved together. He held a teacup and smiled broadly, as if he had been waiting for a long time and had finally seen the gunsmith arrive.

He calmly looked at the crowd and saw a young man with a cane walking briskly into the warm and humid bathhouse. He thought to himself, "This gunsmith is really handsome, but it's a pity he's chosen the wrong path."

Beside the tea table sat a somber and aloof couple, sitting upright next to Director Simmons on a low, backless chair. The beaten student stood behind his parents, his face stained with blood, his eyes and neck already bandaged with simple stitches, without the use of White Lady's products.

As for the male protagonist of the story—

--Shao Jinghao had no right to stand. He didn't say a word, and he wasn't even dressed. It was as if he had just left the bathhouse and didn't have time to get his personal belongings from the locker. He was only wearing a bath towel around his buttocks and was kneeling in front of Director Simmons.

Xue Ming walked to Hao Bro's side, his eyes fixed on Simmons.

"--You want him to kneel?"

Simmons quickly replied, "I never said that."

Xue Ming then turned to ask the others one by one.

"You want him to kneel down?"

Is that you?

"It's you?"

They asked the same questions repeatedly, but received no answers.

Xiao Hao looked very tired. He seemed to have said a lot, given many reasons, and made many weak explanations, but received no response. He felt a weight on his shoulders and finally realized that the teacher had arrived.

Xue Ming grabbed Hao Bro's arm. "Get up."

For a moment, Xiao Hao didn't seem to have come to his senses and just kept apologizing.

"I'm so sorry, so sorry, so sorry! Please don't expel my teacher, I'm so sorry!"

Xue Ming Xiao Hao to his feet and saw that the child's face had turned red, and he was frantically covering himself with a bath towel.

Director Simmons finally began to feel uneasy.

--Even the parents of the student who was beaten gradually became impatient.

Because the gunsmith was right there, his spiritual pressure was stable, his mind was healthy, and he showed no anger, like a stone—this was definitely not the outcome they wanted to see.

Xue Ming didn't say a word, took the wardrobe key from Hao Bro's wrist, and told Hao Bro to get dressed himself.

Simmons finally couldn't contain his curiosity.

He cares a lot about the Gunsmith's reaction, just like a 0/21 Yasuo on your team trying to make his presence felt; he cares so much about the Gunsmith's signals.

"Your good student, Shao Jinghao, almost killed his roommate just now."

Xue Ming immediately asked, "How did he kill him? Did he succeed?"

Simmons was full of question marks.

This was not the answer he wanted.

"I mean! He used the techniques you taught him to kill his roommate! He almost succeeded! What does it matter how he killed him or whether he succeeded or not? You were quite disappointed that you didn't hear about the death, weren't you?"

Xue Ming persisted, asking further questions.

"How did he do it? I'm really curious. Was there a video recording? I need to share it with my classmates. This is a bad example."

"Gunsmith! Who cares how he did it?" Simmons, panting heavily and abandoning all semblance of civility, interrupted sharply, "Don't you understand what I'm saying?"

"Director Simmons —you said Xiao Hao almost killed this classmate," Xue Ming pointed to the victim present, to the boy who had been beaten. "I understand, but I still want to know the details. After all, you're treating him like a criminal, so follow the proper procedures. You sent the Lapis Lazuli Guards to protect the scene, yet you made so many teachers stand in the bathhouse listening to your lecture. I'm really curious, how did Xiao Hao kill the boy? Did you see it with your own eyes?"

Having said that, Xue Ming didn't hold back at all, squeezing next to Simmons and asking the director to make room for half of his buttocks.

Without any shame, he used brute force to push Simmons away, and the two of them ended up sitting awkwardly on a chair.

Simmons: "Hey! Hey! Watch your step, gunsmith! You've gone too far!"

Xue Ming glanced at the other teachers present. "Why don't you all come and sit down together? Judging from the director's words, this matter is not simple and will take a long time to discuss. We need to talk it out thoroughly and clarify everything before we can leave. What kind of behavior is it for you all to just stand here like this?"

Simmons rolled his eyes, but he was no match for the gunsmith's strong waist and abdomen, so he could only shout curses.

"I only have this one chair! What the hell are you talking nonsense about?"

The tense atmosphere eased.

--A few laughs, the kind that seem to enjoy watching a good show, came from the teachers.