Being Thoughtless

Xue Ming sat next to Director Simmons, without moving.

Two minutes passed before Shao Jinghao returned, and no one spoke or left.

The teachers from the other Galahad divisions stared intently at the gunsmith, as if they had secretly conspired to give him this test.

It doesn't matter who hit the person, or who was actually bullied.

The most crucial issue is that, at the dean's behest, the gunsmiths took away some of the power that rightfully belonged to them; this is the main contradiction.

As for what Xiao Hao says, does, or tries to explain, no one cares about this child from the mortal world. In the eyes of the deeply entrenched family forces in the underworld, Shao Jinghao is a congenitally disabled, defective homeless child, a helpless tool that can be used at will. Using him to annoy the gunsmith is just an appetizer.

The thing that teachers and Director Simmons cared about most was the gunsmith's attitude.

If this uninvited guest doesn't handle this matter well and can't even protect a single student, then things will be much easier. They'll have to repeat the same tactic, causing similar violent incidents in Class 78 every few days. They'll send a grievance report to the dean, have the lawyer write a self-criticism report, and then appeal to the parents' grievances, offering money and academic credits.

With a two-pronged approach, both internal and external, they launched an attack with the single point that "knightly combat skills will exacerbate school violence." The gunsmith couldn't defend against it and naturally slunk out of Galahad.

Xue Ming: "Shao Jinghao."

When his name was called, Hao Bro immediately tensed up, just like the routine of military-style management.

"I am here!"

Xue Ming pointed at the classmate who had been beaten and asked Xiao Hao, "You hit him?"

Xiao Hao immediately stammered, "To me."

Simmons winked and said, "Hey! He admitted it himself!"

"Did I ask you?" Xue Ming turned his head, his face almost touching that of Director Simmons.

Director Simmons shut his mouth in dissatisfaction, but upon seeing the Iron Knight in the gunsmith's hand, he immediately became obedient and slick, daring not to utter another word.

As the head of student affairs at Galahad, he was authorized to handle all matters related to student activities, and thus had the right to sit in a chair in the bathhouse while the teachers stood and watched, treating school rules as gospel to make decisions for both sides.

Most of the teachers and professors who come to Galahad to teach have to go through this process. These cultured people are usually reasonable and understanding, and they won't do anything extreme.

Only a few teachers with extreme personalities and volatile tempers cannot integrate into the team and can only be granted the title of visiting professor. These visiting professors only teach, but it is difficult for them to form deep friendships with students. Visiting professors all have their own main jobs and will not stay in Galahad for a long time.

Why is Simmons so wary of the Gunsmith?

--Because this anonymous teacher could actually suddenly start a murder.

Simmons obediently vacated half of his chair, genuinely terrified that the Gunsmith would smash his skull open with Mingde's remains in front of so many teachers. This stick, in the Nameless One's hands, was like a sacred sword bestowed upon him by the Ming De. Even if a few bones in Simmons's body were broken, the BOSS's punishment of the Gunsmith would likely be nothing more than a minor formality.

"How dare you?" Xue Ming looked at Simmons and said this to Xiao Hao.

Xiao Hao was stunned for a moment, seemingly not understanding what the teacher was asking.

Simmons turned his head away, tilted his head back, and refused to meet the gunsmith's gaze or answer the question, displaying an arrogant and haughty demeanor.

"Snort"

Xue Ming finally turned around and asked Xiao Hao in a serious tone.

"How dare you? I'm asking you, Shao Jinghao, how dare you hit someone?"

When Hao Bro heard the teacher's reprimand, he became even more aggrieved and timid, unable to utter a single word.

Xue Ming pressed on, "How dare you act alone? What did I teach you?"

Upon hearing this—

Simmons immediately became breathless, his face flushed red, as if he were extremely angry.

"Um?!"

The way he turned and stared at the gunsmith was exactly like the image accompanying the internet meme with the caption, "[What's wrong with you, little bro?]".

Xue Ming pushed the director's head aside and earnestly explained to Hao Bro what he had to say.

"I've repeatedly taught you, and you've suffered injustice in your life, felt that someone wants to kill you, and you have the motive for a crime of passion. If you also have violent tendencies, then all the conditions for a crime have been met. What should you do?"

Xiao Hao lowered his head and began to recall the contents of his textbook on knight combat techniques.

"If you can gang up on someone, don't fight one-on-one."

Simmons' eyes widened. "Huh?!"

Xue Ming ignored Director Simmons's affected manner and continued to ask Hao Bro questions.

Why the group fight?

Hao Bro muttered, "Because two fists can't fight four hands, discussing with our companions and planning beforehand will make the execution of the violent attack much smoother. Outnumbering one opponent won't cause us much damage. Since it's a team operation, if the goal is simply to [eliminate the threat, eliminate the enemy's aggression], multiple people acting together can exert psychological pressure, causing the opponent to lose their will to fight. It's very possible to achieve a strategic victory the moment the attack begins."

Xue Ming nodded. "You memorized it well. Hao Bro, now you know why you lost your fighting spirit, right?"

Xiao Hao looked up, glanced at the teachers around the bathhouse, and then saw his roommate's smug, resentful look despite his bruised and swollen face. He finally understood what the teacher meant by "[gang fight]".

"Sorry"

Xue Ming: "There's no need to apologize. It was my fault."

Xiao Hao: "Uh, teacher."

Xue Ming explained, "It means exactly what it says. I wasn't being sarcastic—most of the trouble you've caused here today is because of my poor teaching."

Xiao Hao couldn't understand this now.

He was unaware of the conflict of interest between the gunsmith, Director Simmons, and the other teachers.

Before I could think any further, a sharp shout came from the teachers.

"Gunsmith! From what you're saying, you think this Mudblood is completely innocent? And you're actually encouraging him to call on his companions to kill his roommate?"

Once someone fires the first shot, others immediately follow suit.

You are teaching children to break the law and commit crimes!

"Their parents are still here."

Xue Ming raised the Iron Knight, and the voices in the teachers' ranks fell silent; the scene was extremely eerie.

Director Simmons coughed awkwardly twice, but his mind was perfectly clear.

He set an example by giving up half a seat for the gunsmith. These clever fellows probably understood that continuing to say such things would be impolite in the face of the Senate's leader's rod.

"Hehe. Hahaha, why does it sound like we teachers are the ones bullying others?" Simmons' tone was incredibly convoluted, hugging one knee and dangling half his buttocks, as he found a starting point. "I think the Nameless One has always been a chivalrous knight-errant who helps those in need, the BOSS's favorite character—he bypassed the Lapis Lazuli Guards and came to the bathhouse, he must have felt that someone had been wronged, that something unfair had happened."

He pointed at Hao Bro, then at the student who had been beaten.

"If these two children explain the cause, the course of events, and the final result clearly, wouldn't it be simple and clear?"

Xue Ming clapped softly, applauding Director Simmons.

"Good! That's very well said! But I remember the director didn't say that just now, did he? Director, you just said with absolute certainty that Shao Jinghao attempted murder, is that what you meant?"

Simmons chuckled, a profound terror gripping his heart, as if he were sitting in the same chair as a tiger. He first burst into short, hearty laughter, then turned his attention to the children.

"Hey you, the one who got beaten up, what's your name again?"

The victim, whose name was called, immediately took two steps forward, leaving his parents and coming to Simmons and Xue Ming.

Before the child could even say his name...

Xue Ming immediately took out his logbook and pen.

"Victim, please speak. You don't need to say your name or surname. Who your father is is unimportant."

The victim glanced back at her father, seemingly flustered.

The little brat's father immediately tried to get up for help, Xue Ming followed his father's movement and said, "Sit back down, it's not your turn yet."

Victim: "I got up early this morning."

Xue Ming: "Start from the few minutes before you got hit."

Victim: "He followed me the whole time I got into the bathhouse."

He pointed at Xiao Hao and then began to complain.

"When I was showering, I told him to stay away from me, but he wouldn't listen, so I yelled at him—and he immediately started hitting me."

Xue Ming: "What did you use to hit it?"

Victim: "Hand"

Xue Ming: "That's bare hands."

Victim: "I'm not sure. They must have taken something, otherwise why would my face and chin be cut?"

Xue Ming: "Did anyone else see it?"

Victim: "It was just the two of us."

Xue Ming: "So you think Shao Jinghao tried to kill you? And what did he do to you afterward?"

The victim said, "He grabbed my neck and hit my head hard. My eyes and mouth were cut and bleeding a lot."

Xue Ming: "Why not seek treatment?"

Victim: "Isn't this so you can understand? If you're cured, there will be no evidence."

Director Simmons shouted, "Huh?!"

The victim quickly changed his story. "What I meant was, now that the teachers are here, I have to prove I was beaten."

Xue Ming: "Have you ever considered that Shao Jinghao might actually kill you?"

The victim's expression suddenly changed, and then she looked at Director Simmons, and then at a certain spot in the teaching staff—perhaps exchanging glances with her supervising teacher.

--He really hadn't considered that possibility at all.

His parents told him that as long as they could find a way to force Shao Jinghao to take action, shed some blood, and get injured, his academic journey would be smoother and more successful as a freshman.

But he never considered that his roommate might actually kill someone.

Xue Ming: "So you never thought Shao Jinghao would kill you, right?"

"Oh, I..." The victim wanted to say something more, to explain, "No, it's useless to say whether I think it or not. He really almost strangled me to death. So many teachers ran over and saw it."

Xue Ming: "When did they arrive?"

"I couldn't breathe, and I couldn't make a sound," the victim described. "This guy was incredibly strong. If the dorm supervisor hadn't arrived in time, I probably would have died in the shower room."

Xue Ming: "Did the dormitory supervisor come first, and then the teacher?"

Victim: "Yes."

Xue Ming: "Then why was the dorm supervisor on the first floor when I entered the dormitory? Instead, it was this group of teachers surrounding you?"

The victim said, "I couldn't make a sound at the time. It was the dormitory supervisor who shouted 'Murder! Murder!' but she couldn't handle this kid; she wasn't as strong as him. The teacher arrived later. I was just a hair's breadth away from dying."

Xue Ming: "Let's go back."

Simmons breathed a sigh of relief, as if he had just been executed. He regretted not having sent a smarter student to handle this matter.

"Xiao Hao, come to the front." Xue Ming said with a gloomy face, turning to the next page.

Hao Bro's aura was weak, as if he had already recounted his actions many times before, and his spiritual essence was in a state of deep fatigue.

Xue Ming: "What kind of conflict did you have with the victim before?"

Hao Bro mustered his spirits and spoke fluently and clearly.

"He spat into my plate at breakfast on Wednesday."

Xue Ming: "Why?"

Hao Bro: "You'll have to ask him. Maybe he's disgusted that I, a mud-blood, am living in the same dorm as him."

Xue Ming: "Did you make any threats at the time? Was there any physical altercation or verbal abuse between you?"

Hao Bro: "No, I remember what the gunsmith teacher taught me: when you encounter a madman whose behavior is completely illogical, you should run far away, preferably change dorms, and first and foremost, protect yourself."

Xue Ming: "So that's not a reason for you to hit someone, is it?"

Hao Bro: "For a part, I was furious."

Xue Ming: "Well done. Are there any other grudges?"

Hao Bro: "On Wednesday afternoon, he brought my ex-girlfriend."

Xue Ming: "Huh?!"

Simmons: "Huh?!"

Hao Bro awkwardly changed his story. "It was my former deskmate, the one who's been ignoring me now—the two of them went into the boys' dorm and started kissing on the bed opposite mine."

Xue Ming: "What does 'kiss' mean?"

Hao Bro gritted his teeth and said, "It's kissing."

Xue Ming: "Was there any physical altercation or verbal abuse at the time?"

Hao Bro: "He bragged to me that beautiful women are only meant for the strong."

Xue Ming: "So that's not a reason for you to hit someone, is it?"

Hao Bro shook his head, feeling very unwilling.

Director Simmons chimed in at the opportune moment.

"You're such a bad student!"

Without saying a word, Xue Ming snatched the director's teacup and spat into it.

Simmons: "Tsk, gunsmith, isn't this inappropriate?"

"Try to understand this," Xue Ming said with a half-smile. "If you can't understand it, I can go find Minotaur cattle blood donation center and have a sweet extramarital affair with your wife, then tell you in front of you, 'Beauty is only meant for the strong'—and then I'll come back and say a few sarcastic things to you."

Simmons: "I can feel it now! I can feel it!"

Back to the main topic--

Xue Ming then asked Xiao Hao.

What were your reasons for deciding to start a fight in the bathhouse?

Xiao Hao pursed his lips, suddenly becoming extremely angry, and his body began to tremble.

"This guy said he wanted my waiters to leave too. He has close ties with the station's customer service department, so transferring one or two waiters wouldn't be difficult for him."

"I think that waitress was so kind to me, and I still owe her money and so much kindness—she doesn't want me to pay her back, she just wants me to grow up well."

At this point, Hao Bro started to cry; he had broken down.

"I was thinking that before I met the gunsmith, I spent all my time chasing girls. My family told me that bringing a son home would be the greatest act of filial piety. I heard from others that the waitress would be very sad if she knew how useless I was. I feel sorry for her."

Xiao Hao rolled up his sleeves and slowly squatted down, seemingly not wanting others to see him in this tearful and embarrassing state.

"Then... then my mind went completely blank. What that bastard said was incredibly aggressive; it instantly made me forget everything."

"It made me forget everything my gunsmith teacher taught me."

"I just wanted to kill him. I used the rear-naked choke technique my teacher had taught me, leaving a little space at the back of his neck. I was really scared at the time."

"If I kill him, I won't survive either, will I?"

"I really couldn't control myself, I'm sorry, teacher."

Even if he curses at me, bullies me, or spits in my breakfast, I just think he's unreasonable and has some mental issues. I just need to avoid him—I'll just move to a different dorm.

"But when he told me about the waitress, I was really scared, what if what he said was true?"

Xiao Hao crouched in the crowd, head down, but his eyes were raised, looking at the victim not far away.

"I can't go on. I can't."

Xue Ming: "So you wanted to kill your roommate with a rear-naked chokehold, right?"

Xiao Hao nodded.

Xue Ming stood up and walked behind Director Simmons.

"Like this?"

With a strong right hand, he hooked Simmons' neck, while the other hand pressed down on the back of the director's neck, aiming to completely cut off blood circulation to the major blood vessels in the neck.

Simmons screamed, "No, no, no! No, no, don't use me as an example!"

But Xue Ming completed the lock-on maneuver before the scream was even halfway through.

Xiao Hao immediately shook his head. "No! I didn't press down on the back of your neck."

Xue Ming released his left hand, lifted half of Director Simmons's body, and freed the old man's blood circulation.

The other teachers tensed up, but when they saw the gunsmith's body language as if he were holding a hostage, none of them dared to step forward to stop him.

Xue Ming: "Why didn't you press down on the back of the neck? You can't subdue the enemy like that."

Xiao Hao wiped away his tears, his big eyes still red and swollen.

"I think, what if I really killed that little bastard?"

Thinking of this, Hao Bro burst out laughing in anger.

"How am I supposed to pay off my debts? There are more important things waiting for me to do."

"Oh, you should have said so earlier." Xue Ming immediately let go.

Simmons nearly fainted from the shock, his body hunched over and panting like a defeated old dog, pointing at Xue Ming but daring not to say anything.

Xue Ming patted Hao Bro on the shoulder and led Xiao Hao to walk around in front of all the teachers.

"Any further questions?"

No one answered.

Xue Ming then asked.

"Any further questions? If so, I'll demonstrate the rear naked choke again?"

Xue Ming pointed to one of the teachers--

"--This gentleman seems to harbor a lot of resentment. How about we give it a try? Let's see if I can kill you using this childish method?"

Then all the resentment dissipated, turning into awkward laughter.

Xue Ming emphasized to Xiao Hao again, and went to the victim's parents to speak earnestly and patiently.

"Remember this next time: if you can ambush someone, don't arrange a fight; if you can gang up on someone, don't fight one-on-one; if you can use a tool, don't use your bare hands; if you can escape punishment, don't take the blame yourself—Epitaph"

Hao Bro immediately nodded. "The epitaph cannot state that the other party is fully responsible."

"All you ever do is recite from memory—" Xue Ming rolled her eyes, then turned to the victims and said to the two parents, "—Did you hear that?"

These two parents were tools Simmons used to pressure Hao Bro, and they just nodded blankly.

Xue Ming shouted loudly, instantly transforming into an erupting volcano.

"Did you hear that? Your son almost died! Did you hear that?"

He took Hao Bro's hand and shook it in front of his parents.

"These hands can kill! If he just puts his left hand on the back of your son's neck and presses down hard for thirty seconds, he will die."

He grabbed the victim's hair and pulled his head close to explain.

"You really are going to die, so why aren't you afraid at all? Why? Animals in nature all know that life is precious—they will protect themselves."

Pointing at Xiao Hao's face, Xue Ming was almost bursting with anger as she spoke to the family of three.

"How much do you guys earn a month? A few thousand? Tens of thousands? Why are you risking your lives to accompany Director Simmons?"

Simmons immediately shouted, "Hey?! Don't make false accusations!"

Xue Ming finally suppressed his anger. Looking at the victim's family, who were almost in a daze and terrified, he immediately pulled Hao Bro back to the director.

What are the school rules regarding fighting?

Simmons scoffed. "A demerit, solitary confinement, fourteen days."

Xue Ming: "Spitting into classmates' plates, wasting food, engaging in actual early romantic relationships, bringing female students into male dormitories, and verbally abusing, threatening, or provoking them under the guise of being a waiter—how are these counted?"

Simmons: "That's just Shao Jinghao's side of the story."

"Do you want me to call over one of my female classmates and make things clear face to face? This beauty, who only belongs to the strong, is my student, not yours." Xue Ming said, enunciating each word clearly, then turned to the teachers and said, "Should we all talk a little longer? Talk for a few more hours? Make everything clear?"

Simmons wanted to say something more--

"--The victim was indeed wrong, but did your student really intend to kill him?"

Xue Ming rolled up his sleeves, ready to loosen up Simmons' muscles again.

"You're still talking about murder, huh? Then let's get back to that topic."

Simmons pursed his lips and finally gave up.

"That's all for now, everyone. We still have classes this afternoon. Let's all leave."

Xue Ming patted Hao Bro's butt, pushed the student out of the bathhouse, and gave him one more instruction.

"Do as the director says! Go to the student affairs office to sign a self-criticism, bring your bedding and blankets, and report to the detention room."

Hao Bro: "Yes!"

After everyone left.

Xue Ming tidied up the two low chairs and then reached for Simmons's armchair.

Simmons: "You don't want to be friends with us, nor do you want to return our credits. Are you determined to fight to the bitter end?"

Xue Ming: "How do you make friends? Just say what you mean."

Simmons: "We also have student-faculty associations here, with different academic schools of thought. Mr. Gunsmith, this welcoming ceremony was specially prepared for you, but I didn't expect you to be so uncooperative."

Xue Ming: "I just want to teach one course and a few groups of students. Is it really necessary to have so many people serving me?"

Simmons: "That's all?"

Xue Ming: "You've complicated things. Do I look like someone with a lot of free time? Do I have the time to come to Galahad to teach all the time?"

Simmons finally stood up and re-examined the gunsmith.

"It's not that I'm deliberately making things difficult for you, Mr. Gunsmith. Someone asked me to compete with you—I can't avoid these social obligations. I've received favors from others in the past, so I have no choice but to come and challenge you."

Xue Ming understood perfectly. The dean personally wrote him the letter of appointment, and the BOSS wanted him to teach in Galahad. He had no popular support and was parachuted in directly. It was normal for him to experience culture shock when he arrived.

As for the course on knightly combat, he couldn't stay in Galahad forever. In the future, he would probably only be able to take a sinecure as a visiting professor like Wood Plark. But this course must not be canceled. One day, Tang Ning and Hasben graduate and grow up, and they will have to come back to teach.

As for Director Simmons, he was entrusted with this task.

Xue Ming cut to the chase. "Who asked you to deal with me?"

"I can't say that," Simmons said with a sly grin. "I can only tell you my last name."

Xue Ming: "Yellowstone People?"

Simmons closed his eyes and slowly nodded. "Van Persie."

The last time they killed the governor and his wife of Forty-Eight District, it was Van Persie's daughter and son-in-law.

After saying this, Director Simmons helped Xue Ming with a chair. He didn't care about saving face in private, showing himself to be a very shrewd socialite.

Simmons: "Don't tell anyone about what happened today."

Xue Ming, however, found the old man rather endearing.

"What is it? Which matter?"

Simmons retorted, "Of course it's about the chair! I can't help you carry the chair! You're so inconsiderate!"

After assembling two low chairs and a reclining chair in the storeroom, Xue Ming's expression was strange, a mixture of amusement and exasperation. Seeing Director Simmons hurrying towards the principal's office with a guilty look on his face, he resembled a frightened rabbit.

In the Dean's laboratory, Lord Lupin was still captivated by the wondrous psionic energy fluctuations of the sapphire and the Magic Wand.

Simmons burst through the door and heard the dean curating and shouting.

"Can't you fucking knock?!"

"Sorry, old buddy." Simmons pursed his lips and finally said shyly and politely, "I can't handle this kid, and I can't accept the favor from the Van Persie family."

Lupin gathered up the overturned lab equipment and said with a smile, "You were the one who wanted to try it, so why not?"

Simmons leaned closer to the dean and spat out a few words through gritted teeth, his voice weak. "It seems our school will have to offer this course from now on?"

Lupin scoffed, unconcerned.

"That's the boss's idea. Who does Van Persie think he is? I heard that you promised to cause trouble for the gunsmith—you're the most irresponsible one."

Simmons muttered aggrievedly--

"--I come from Golden Township, and it was they who promoted and recommended me to the academy. I should always repay their kindness."

Lupin: "You touched it?"

Simmons: "It was touched."

Lupin clasped his hands together in a high-five gesture, then split them in two according to the chiral molecular principle, a gesture that seemed rather mocking and sarcastic.

"And then what happened?"

Simmons still wanted to deny it.

"The students these teachers hired are unreliable; whatever they say, they all fall into traps."

Lupin clapped again, repeating his taunts, his beard twitching along with the applause.

"The reaction process isn't important, what about the experimental results?"

Simmons finally spoke.

It breaks at the slightest touch.