Ye Liuyun Appears

Wang Sheng was being trampled into the mud. Though the pain made him bare his teeth, his mind was as clear as a mirror.

He couldn't tell them!

Tang San was already down. If they called their boss over too, he would be facing so many people alone, and he would definitely end up just like Tang San!

As long as the green hills remained, there would be no shortage of firewood!

As long as their boss didn't show himself, they wouldn't dare do anything too extreme to them!

Once they recovered and gathered everyone from Seven Dorm, combined with their boss's strength, they would have a chance to turn things around!

If Ye Liuyun were beaten into uselessness now, the Work-Study Students would truly have no hope left.

"I don't know!" Wang Sheng gritted his teeth and shouted defiantly. "If you've got the guts, beat me to death!"

The other Work-Study Students also kept their mouths shut. Although they knew Ye Liuyun often went to the back mountain, they were surprisingly united at this moment. Not one of them gave anything away.

"Still trying to act tough?"

Boss Xiao snorted and turned his gaze toward Tang San on the ground.

"You!"

Boss Xiao kicked Tang San. "Do you know where Ye Liuyun is?"

Tang San had been beaten until his mind was somewhat muddled. Hearing that, he instinctively shook his head.

"I... don't know..."

He truly didn't know!

He had only just returned from the forest and had wanted to find Ye Liuyun. Before he could go anywhere, he had ended up in this fight!

However—

"You don't know?"

Boss Xiao clearly didn't believe him and gave a vicious grin.

"You're quite loyal, aren't you? You'd rather take a beating yourself than protect that Ye Liuyun?"

"Keep hitting him!"

"Beat him until he talks!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Another storm of fists and kicks rained down on him.

Tang San hugged his head and curled up on the ground. He felt more wronged than Dou E, tears mixing with blood as they ran down his face.

I'm innocent!

I wish you'd beat Ye Liuyun to death! Why would I protect him?!

I really don't know!

You bunch of idiots!

Tang San roared madly in his heart, but only painful whimpers escaped his throat.

Seeing Tang San get beaten so badly without giving in, Boss Xiao could not help feeling a little "admiration." He turned and humiliated Wang Sheng instead.

"Look at him. Look at that level of awareness. Now look at you lot. A bunch of poor wretches who think you can turn the world upside down?"

Although Wang Sheng was being beaten, he watched Tang San suffer a brutal thrashing "to protect their boss."

A sense of respect actually rose in his heart, and he gave Tang San a grateful look.

Tang San found that gaze incomparably blinding.

If he knew where Ye Liuyun was, he would have fucking said so already.

No, if he knew where Ye Liuyun was, what the hell did this fight between a bunch of little brats have to do with him?

He would have fought Ye Liuyun long ago.

Boss Xiao's laughter sounded especially grating beneath the setting sun.

Tang San had already completely passed out from his injuries. After all, this body was only six years old and had suffered from long-term malnutrition.

As for the other Work-Study Students, they all lowered their heads, silent as a group of corpses.

They were playing dead.

This was the wisdom of survival at the bottom—resistance would only bring harsher beatings, while silence might spare them some physical suffering.

"A bunch of spineless trash."

Boss Xiao planted his foot on Wang Sheng's head. Looking at the children who did not even dare groan, the contempt in his eyes deepened.

"That Ye Liuyun is a turtle hiding in its shell too. He probably knew we were coming and got so scared he wet himself and hid, didn't he?"

"Innate Full Soul Power with Blue Silver Grass? What a joke."

"Pah!"

Boss Xiao spat a thick gob of phlegm onto the ground.

"No money, no influence, no strength, and you still want to fight this young master?"

"Listen up. Whoever curses Ye Liuyun right now gets a meal from me. The nastier you curse him, the better you eat! From now on, I, Boss Xiao, will protect you in Nuoding Academy!"

The moment he said this, the older students around them burst into laughter, their voices full of mockery.

In their eyes, these poor wretches would fight over half a steamed bun. No one could refuse such temptation.

Yet—

One second, two seconds, three seconds passed.

Not a single person spoke.

Some of the Work-Study Students began to sob softly, their shoulders shaking violently, but they clenched their lips shut and refused to utter even one word.

They had not cried when they were surrounded and attacked. They had not cried when they were beaten. Even when they had been battered black and blue, they had not cried.

But now, faced with the humiliation of that one meal, they cried.

Because it was their bottom line, the only thing they still had left in this academy filled with discrimination—dignity.

A faint yet exceptionally clear laugh rang out.

Wang Sheng, beneath Boss Xiao's foot, found strength from somewhere. He suddenly thrust upward, knocking Boss Xiao's foot away, then crawled to his feet with a face covered in blood.

He stood there swaying, as if a gust of wind could knock him over, yet a flame burned in his swollen eyes.

"Don't look down on people..."

Wang Sheng bared his bloodstained teeth. His smile looked even uglier than crying.

Boss Xiao froze for a moment, then frowned.

"Why are trash like you getting back up? Haven't you been beaten enough?"

"I don't understand."

Boss Xiao looked at Wang Sheng.

"You're so poor that you can't even afford food. Why are you still forcing yourselves to hold onto that laughable bit of dignity?"

"Can dignity feed you? Can it make you stronger?"

Wang Sheng shook his head. His voice was hoarse, but every word rang firm and clear.

"I am poor. When you say I'm poor, I can't deny it."

"But remember this."

Wang Sheng suddenly straightened his back.

"Poor people have dignity too!"

"We acknowledged Ye Liuyun as our boss, so we will never betray him! You want to humiliate us? Dream on!"

That roar was like a clap of thunder exploding beside every Work-Study Student's ears.

The children who had been weeping with their heads lowered all looked up, light rekindling in their eyes.

Boss Xiao's expression darkened, and a flash of murderous rage born of humiliation passed through his eyes.

"You fool who doesn't know his place."

"Since you want to die, I'll grant you your dignity! Beat him!"

Several older students rushed forward with vicious grins.

Bang!

Just then—

A pink figure descended from the sky. With a crisp, clean flying kick, she sent the person charging at the front flying.

Xiao Wu landed, her long Scorpion Braid swishing behind her, fury on her pretty face.

"Who dares touch my underling?"

Boss Xiao glanced at the subordinate she had kicked away, and his expression turned even uglier.

"Another tough one? Are six-year-old brats these days all this good at fighting?"

"If that's the case... everyone, get her! Cripple this girl too!"

Whoosh!

Nearly a hundred people surrounded them again. This time, even the Spirit Masters had unleashed their Martial Spirits, their momentum fierce and menacing.

Xiao Wu's expression changed instantly.

Though she had extensive combat experience, this body was far too weak.

Facing a siege on this scale, especially with Spirit Masters among them, there was no way she could win.

"Hey, big guy!"

Xiao Wu grabbed Wang Sheng and spoke in a low voice.

"Don't be stupid! A wise man doesn't fight when the odds are against him. While you still have strength, run!"

"I'm not running."

Wang Sheng broke free from Xiao Wu's grasp and once again assumed that less-than-standard fighting stance, his gaze terrifyingly resolute.

"If I run now, I'll truly have no dignity left."

"Sister Xiao Wu, take Tang San and leave first. They won't dare beat me to death. At most... they'll cripple me again."

Xiao Wu stamped her foot anxiously.

"Are you stupid?"

Just then—

A warm hand gently rested on Wang Sheng's bloodstained shoulder.

A calm voice sounded behind him.

"You've got guts. You didn't disgrace yourself."

Wang Sheng shuddered and turned around. Ye Liuyun was standing behind him, though no one knew when he had arrived.

"Boss!" Wang Sheng's eyes reddened.

Ye Liuyun stepped in front of the two of them.

"Leave the rest to me."

"But, Boss... there are too many of them..." Wang Sheng said worriedly.

Ye Liuyun glanced at the densely packed crowd opposite them and still found the mood to joke.

"Should we surrender?"

Seeing Ye Liuyun's obvious smile, Wang Sheng was amused as well.

"Definitely not."

The two exchanged smiles. Even if they were beaten to death, they would not surrender.

Then what else could they do? Fight.