Too Cool

In mid-July, under the scorching sun, JoeStar welcomed a young man who was unaware of his own limitations.

Shao Jinghao rushed into the front hall excitedly, not even bothering to greet Red Sister, and went straight upstairs to the office to find the gunsmith teacher.

The benches in the corridor outside the door were full of people. Originally, everyone was queuing up in an orderly manner. People who needed help from Ming De regarded this office as a window to public service. If there were any difficulties that the Metropolitan Police Department could not solve, the nameless man would find a way to help them.

Hao Bro pushed through the long queue and rashly opened the door, only to see Robert Tang Ning with a warm smile, chatting intimately with an elderly woman whose face looked worried.

"Is Gunsmith here?" Hao Bro asked without hesitation.

Tang Ning's expression remained unchanged. He continued to focus intently on the old lady before him, only glancing slightly at the ill-mannered child. With a slight lift of his hand, he handed the warm teacup to the guest, stood up, waved to Hao Bro, and told the unruly boy to hurry up and go to the workshop on the first floor.

Hao Bro didn't understand what was meant—that's how he always was, prone to acting recklessly.

Fortunately, Daniel had been staying close to Hao Bro the whole time. He was just a beat too late when he saw the dorm leader with a gloomy face, tightly hugging Hao Bro's neck, and walking out without saying a word.

As the polite blond young man walked, he pressed Hao Bro's head down and bowed to each of the guests outside the corridor, apologizing in silence without saying a word.

The two returned to the first floor. Daniel wasn't angry; he just stared blankly into Xiao Hao's eyes.

"Can't you read the room and handle things accordingly?"

Hao Bro looked completely innocent. "I'm the gunsmith teacher's student, is there any problem with just pushing the door open and going in?"

Daniel: "The anonymous office is as quiet as an operating room because people come here like patients seeking medical help, wanting to get rid of the root of their problems. How can you compete with patients for the doctor's attention? At least you can't cut in line."

Hao Bro nodded casually, "You're right! Thank you, Daniel! That makes sense!"

"Don't do that again!" Daniel lowered his head, frowned, and emphasized sternly, "If you make the same mistake twice, I'll have to criticize you!"

Hao Bro laughed heartily, "Of course! I'm just stupid! I'm not a bad guy!"

As he said this, Daniel looked at the glass window on one side of the lobby again and again, carefully tidying his hair. His flowing blond hair had become messy after he pulled Xiao Hao to bow and apologize to people. So he thought, "I must be neat and tidy when I go to see the teacher."

Hao Bro followed suit, rubbing his hair beside Daniel and shaving off his beard with a knife.

Upon seeing this, Daniel began to sternly correct him again, "These are tableware, Xiao Hao. You can't use the guests' food to shave."

"I'll only use it for a little while," Hao Bro tried to argue, "I'll wash it clean."

Daniel's gaze grew colder, and he began to pout angrily.

Hao Bro immediately pulled out some change from his pocket. "It's on me! It's on me!"

Daniel then crossed his arms, his worry turning to a smile, "If the knife doesn't scrape it clean, you can use mine."

After saying that, the young man took out a razor from his pocket and handed it to Hao Bro along with some foaming soapy water.

Hao Bro's eyes lit up, and he ran towards the washroom, exclaiming, "Hey! You're the best dorm leader in the world!"

Just then, the patrons in the bar also noticed the two young men.

Their relationship with the gunsmiths seems unusual, and there are many intriguing aspects to it.

Especially in the eyes of the older sister, the two handsome young men were too close together, even sharing the same razor, which led to some meaningful speculation.

A reporter who had been staking out the lobby on the first floor to gather material set out on time.

Do you remember Yun Qing? She once had a column about David Victor and the King of Maddes, talking about the tidbits of underground celebrities.

Just as Daniel lent his razor to Hao Bro, Miss Yun Qing's keen radar went off.

The two young men appeared to be students of the gunsmith; they looked like a perfect couple.

The black-haired young man was enthusiastic and flamboyant, while the blond young man was quiet and elegant.

If we could turn them into material, we could probably capture the gossip-loving souls of many women and gain a bunch of mom fans.

Thinking this, Miss Yun Qing picked up her briefcase, adjusted her glasses, stood up from the soft sofa, straightened her short-sleeved shirt, and came to Daniel.

With a smile in her eyes and a subtle expression, she asked, "Hello."

Daniel saw Yun Qing holding her press pass from afar and immediately replied, "Hello, Miss Reporter, my name is Daniel Fragerak."

Yun Qing was clearly taken aback; the blond young man's observational skills exceeded her expectations.

"Oh, me. I'm a reporter from The Sun. You can just call me Yun Qing. I'm very curious."

Daniel immediately asked, "Will what I'm about to say make the newspapers and become news?"

Yun Qing didn't answer the question directly, but instead changed the subject. "Don't be nervous, I just want to ask you about something."

Daniel still asked, "Will what I'm about to say make the newspapers and become news?"

Just as Yun Qing was about to speak, Daniel immediately interrupted and added his explanation.

"I've asked the same question twice, Ms. Yun Qing. You only said your name once, and I remembered it. It's not difficult for you—besides, your work is related to languages, it's your livelihood. So I ask you to think carefully about how to answer this question."

"If you continue to pretend you can't remember, I'm going to have to criticize you."

"Such strong spiritual pressure!" Yun Qing thought in surprise, and fine beads of sweat gradually appeared on her forehead. When facing this child, she felt that she could hardly speak, and there was a stinging pain in her neck as if a fishbone was stuck in her throat.

In her work experience, there have been a few tough guys who have managed to give her a hard time, and David Victor is one of them.

At this moment, the name Daniel Fragerak was deeply imprinted in her mind. This seemingly delicate and sweet-looking boy, who looked no more than twenty years old, was like a sharp knife.

"Meeting"

Daniel: "So, this counts as a formal interview?"

Yun Qing: "Yes."

Daniel: "Go ahead and ask."

Yun Qing: "Mr. Daniel, I just heard you say that the gunsmith is your teacher."

"Yes, just the instructor," Daniel replied immediately. "We don't have much contact outside of class. It's just a normal teacher-student relationship. Apart from the course content, the gunsmith instructor doesn't want to talk to us about personal matters. I know this, so I've never bothered him in his work or life—I have great respect for this mentor."

Yun Qing: "So that means you and that young man from earlier..."

"His name is Shao Jinghao, and he's two months younger than me," Daniel corrected. "He's not younger at all, and he's not your brother, Ms. Yun Qing."

Yun Qing then asked, "Are you and this Shao Jinghao in a romantic relationship?"

Daniel remained silent for a moment, his expression still as still as a stagnant pool. However, one could see that he had his arms crossed and clasped together, his fingers gripping tightly.

Yun Qing then asked in a low voice, "I know this is a very private question, but..."

"No," Daniel interrupted, "It's not what you think. Xiao Hao and I are just roommates. He seems a bit slow and clumsy, and I feel it's my duty as a friend to help him."

Yun Qing immediately put on an affected "I see" expression.

Daniel felt a chill run down his spine at that expression, wondering what the reporter had interpreted as his own.

He started to feel guilty, so he kept talking.

"No, I misspoke. We're just friends. We came to Galahad together six years ago, we were trained by gunsmiths, grew up in the same class, and lived under the same roof. Nothing more—nothing more than what you described, no special feelings beyond friendship."

Hearing Daniel's answer, Yun Qing became happier and happier. She simply took out paper and pen and began to write and draw.

Daniel couldn't see what the female reporter was writing, and he became increasingly flustered.

"Ms. Yun Qing, what are you writing?"

Yun Qing casually replied, "It's just a work record."

Daniel then asked, "What's there to write about?"

Yun Qing replied with a smile, "Don't be nervous, don't get excited, young man. We need to have eyes that can see the story."

Daniel would like to add some further explanation--

"--I just think that Xiao Hao's family is poor, while my family is well-off. I'm older than him, so it's only right that I help him."

Yun Qing: "Does that include razors?"

Daniel: "Yes."

Yun Qing: "Oh, oh."

Daniel finally couldn't resist any longer. He looked up and leaned forward, and saw a simple sketch on the page of the diary in Yun Qing's hand.

--It's a portrait of him and Hao Bro, the two passionately embracing and kissing.

Yun Qing's penmanship is superb; her nimble fingers manipulate the pencil with precision, producing sharp lines.

The use of shading and light variations created two lifelike faces, whose sharply defined features appeared terrifying to Daniel.

When he saw the painting, he was completely disoriented, as if under a curse, unsure how to cope with the torment from society.

"What are you doing, Ms. Yun Qing?! What are you doing?!"

Yun Qing turned to the next page, covered the painting with a blank sheet of paper, and looked smug.

"David Victor once humiliated me, and I said, 'Is there any possibility that he is?'"

"His students should be, and his students' students certainly are too."

"Daniel Fragerak."

"Your story is wonderful! It's about childhood sweethearts!"

"And plenty of people come to hear stories of friendship turning into love!"

Don't worry.

Before the words had even finished --

--The golden pen tip touched the back of this unscrupulous reporter, and a pungent smell of acrid sulfur filled Daniel's nostrils.

He awoke in terror to find Ms. Yun Qing fast asleep, and a graceful, alluring figure walking from behind. The person had messy, curly blond hair, was carrying a doctor's bag, and had just put away their pen, heading towards the Council of Five Kings through the back door.

Green eyes peeked through the disheveled hair; the man had thick lips and white teeth. He turned and shouted.

Jiang Xueming is waiting for you.

Daniel snapped out of his daze and saw a fiery red tail flash by, disappearing into the revolving door along with the alluring man.

At this moment, Hao Bro Teacher San San, his clothes soaked with water.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!"

Daniel remained silent, still immersed in the unique spiritual pressure experience.

He had heard of David Victor's name, but this was his first time meeting him up close.

Xiao Hao took out the razor and explained, "I washed it! Super clean! This razor is so sharp! I was being very careful, but I still got completely soaked!"

Daniel took the razor and finally looked at Hao Bro properly. "Let's go see the teacher."

Yun Qing remained slumped over the table, in a deep coma and delirious state.

Xiao Hao immediately became curious. "Why is this lady asleep in my seat?"

Daniel: "He's a reporter."

Xiao Hao: "Oh! I thought she was your girlfriend! She's quite pretty!"

Daniel: "Next time you get close to a sow, I'll call her your girlfriend too."

Xiao Hao: "Hey! Why are you swearing?"

Daniel: "Because this girl just did something really outrageous—she's going to use me as fodder, turn me into news, turn me into her achievements. I don't know what she'll write, but it's definitely not going to be anything good."

"Huh?" Xiao Hao bent down, looked Yun Qing up and down, and after a while finally said, "Everyone says she's beautiful inside and out. She's still a young girl, how could she do bad things?"

Daniel pursed his lips and looked at Hao Bro seriously.

"A person's desire to do bad things has nothing to do with gender, appearance, or age. If you hold this prejudice again, I will definitely criticize you!"

"Okay, okay!" Hao Bro nodded repeatedly, then curiously bent down to look at Yun Qing's diary.

"Stop looking, let's go." Daniel grabbed Xiao Hao and led him towards the workshop.

"I'll just take a look! I'm curious!" In the end, Xiao Hao still couldn't see what was drawn on the log.

The two brothers gave the girls at the front desk a ride. Xiao Min and Kaycee were still chatting with Red Sister when they immediately followed the two boys to the workshop to see the gunsmith teacher.

Head to the right of the club, and you'll see three buildings, all of which have been expanded; they are gunsmith workshops.

At this moment, Jiang Xueming already knew the students' purpose in coming. He had prepared the workshop's orders early and had been waiting for a long time.

Hao Bro strode in and Bu Liuxing saw a large vehicle parked in the warehouse. It was the gunsmith teacher's prized possession, used to travel between KH and the Nine Realms. It could run on the ring highway, and the teacher liked to sit on its steel ladder, just like today.

"Teacher! I want to participate in the Moon God Cup! I already mentioned this to the Boss!"

Xue Ming nodded. "Mm."

Seeing the gunsmith nod in agreement, Hao Bro became increasingly excited. "Hey! Do you have some time?"

Xue Ming nodded. "Mm."

Hao Bro: "Are you coming with us?"

Xue Ming nodded. "Mm."

Hao Bro: "Would you like to be our coach?"

Xue Ming: "No."

The first few sentences had raised the children's expectations to the max, but the last bucket of ice water poured on them thoroughly, Hao Bro's face immediately fell.

Why?!

Xue Ming shrugged indifferently, his expression a mixture of amusement and exasperation.

"I don't have coaching qualifications, so I can only work as your support staff."

According to the boss, Jiang Xueming did indeed obtain many certifications, but he lacked the coaching qualification for knightly combat because he felt it was unnecessary and he couldn't pass the exam anyway.

This is unnecessary. It means that Gunsmith didn't have the opportunity to coach the teams in the Best Moon God Cup. He was not only a referee for the Sage's Cup, but also for the Moon God Cup. No one would question his professionalism as a referee.

As for failing the exam, the reason is quite simple --

--The Moon God Cup is a sporting event, and the coach's responsibility is to protect the athletes, guide them, and develop tactics for them.

Gunsmiths mostly focus their skills on [Gate of Death], so they're fine as instructors, guiding students to kill. But when it comes to subduing and overcoming various rules and restrictions to achieve victory, they don't think they're capable enough.

In Xue Ming's view, if someone hasn't taught you, then they don't know how to teach you.

"I can't do it."

Upon hearing this answer, Hao Bro immediately wilted like a frostbitten eggplant.

"However," Xue Ming opened the overhead door and helped another candidate down, "I have better candidates to recommend to you—and more than one."

"Yes! It's me!" Shasha spread his arms, stepped on the gunsmith's shoulders, and shouted to the students, "I! Have rich combat experience! I'm a hero of the Shark Clan! I participated in the battle to retake Eureka Volcano City! And I'm a hybrid monster!"

"I have successfully obtained my coaching certification! I have two and a half years of experience in the field! My hobbies are singing, dancing, rapping, and basketball!"

"And there are two Homo sapiens as teaching assistants! Their exam scores aren't even as good as mine!"

Fuyanni and Billy the Kid emerged from under the truck, their faces covered in grease and grime from the maintenance work they had just been doing. Now they were technicians at JoeStar's workshop.

Hao Bro and Daniel were both utterly shocked. Seeing the talking little shark, they couldn't believe it for a moment—this was their coach.

Jiang Xueming pointed at Shasha: "Don't underestimate it."

Shasha pointed to his nose. "Don't underestimate me!"

Jiang Xueming added, "It's very powerful."

Shasha emphasized, "I'm very powerful!"

Jiang Xueming continued, "I can accompany you to the competition, but only as a repairman."

Shasha continued, "I'm your head coach, no need for bribes! I heard Adulis is really hot! If you see I'm not feeling well, just hand me a couple of bottles of water!"

"As for the other two," Jiang Xueming tilted his head to look at the two mechanics, "This pair of hidden dragons and phoenix chicks..."

Shasha emphasized, "Don't have high expectations for them. These two guys only think about three things when they go to work: whether they can avoid doing it, whether they can do it tomorrow, and whether they can delegate it to someone else."

Kaycee's eyes lit up. "Me too!"

Xiao Min whispered to Daniel, "Where does this girl get her sense of pride from?"

Daniel replied seriously, "I have no clue either."

As his teammates took their turns on stage, Xiao Hao finally perked up. They were about to set off, and he needed to find out one last thing.

"Teacher! How about we use [JoeStar] for our team flag?"

Xue Ming: "No."

Hao Bro: "JoeStar is a club! Why can't it be?"

Daniel followed up, "The teacher wants to keep a low profile, right? If we form teams using anonymous names, it will put more pressure on us."

"No, it's because you guys are too bad," Xue Ming said bluntly. "I just don't want to lose face."

For a moment, everyone felt quite awkward.

Only Shasha remained energetic. It carefully observed the elemental composition of the students, looking confident, and rode on Jiang Xueming's neck, cheering.

"Let's go now! Let's find our last teammate! If he's as good as you guys... then all I can say is—"

"--So cool!"