Inside the Bai Family

Alarm bells blared all around them, and the noise rose into a clamor as a warning repeated over the loudspeakers.

"Warning! Warning! Cease all activity immediately! Otherwise, you will be charged with treason!"

The dormitories for the Elite Class at Jiangnan First Military Academy were already well equipped, and even during summer vacation, all the necessary security measures remained in place.

When Bai Sheng and the others first arrived, they had verified their identities. Only after confirming they were Bai Yang's relatives had the soldiers on guard let them in.

Ordinary civilians weren't even allowed on campus, let alone in the private dormitory area.

Principal Wei paid especially close attention to Bai Yang's every move and had secretly raised his security level long ago.

So the moment the dorm's smart system detected signs of an abnormal fight, it sounded the alarm.

It took photos as evidence, uploaded the relevant people's information, and notified Principal Wei—all three tasks completed in one smooth sequence.

Bai Zhangting and the other two women went pale. Attacking and killing someone in a restricted military zone could be a minor matter or a serious one.

At the mildest, the authorities might not pursue it if no one filed a complaint.

At the worst, it was a hundred times more serious than starting a fight in a Base City's urban district.

No one could object if they were sentenced to any number of penalties.

The five of them froze in place. The dorm's red, yellow, and blue warning lights washed over their faces in shifting colors.

Bai Yang was all smiles. What did he have to fear on his own turf?

The three women wore grim expressions. Under the lights, they looked as eerie and terrifying as female ghosts.

With a crash, Bai Yang's door was blasted open.

Principal Wei strode inside, followed by a large group of teachers in formal military uniforms, each wearing an angry expression.

They surrounded the entire dorm, leaving no way in or out.

Who had ever seen a scene like this?

The students who had stayed on campus noticed the commotion and immediately gathered around. On the school's internal forum, several new posts began live-streaming the incident.

Principal Wei looked very different from how Bai Yang had seen him before.

The old man, who was usually all smiles, now looked terrifying.

His eyes had none of their usual kindness. Instead, his gaze was as sharp as an eagle's and as watchful as a wolf's, and he radiated the imposing aura of someone who had fought his way out of a mountain of corpses.

"What's going on!? What does the Bai Family think it's doing? How dare you cause trouble here!?"

Principal Wei's words were immediately confrontational. Though old and short, he gave off an immense sense of pressure.

Everyone was instantly cowed. Even Bai Yang felt his mind waver slightly. What powerful mental force!

It could actually affect his state of mind directly!

A War God! Definitely a War God—and at least an Intermediate War God!

The three Bai women fared even worse. Their bodies trembled, and they could barely stay on their feet.

Bai Zhangting bit her tongue to force herself to focus, then pressed her chin up with one hand. At last, she managed to speak, though with difficulty:

"We mean no harm. My aunt is..."

Principal Wei cut her off with disdain. "Here in Jiangnan Base City, even Bai Pianqing herself wouldn't dare act out!

"You think a little Spirit Reader ability lets you look down on everyone? You've come to the wrong place!"

Bai Zhangting was furious, humiliated, resentful, and afraid. She wanted to accuse him of bragging, but she knew there was one thing he'd said that was absolutely true!

They were less than ten meters apart. Even if they put more distance between them, an Intermediate War God could close in an instant and twist her head off.

Afterward, he could still make a grand show of going to Kyoto Base City to confront her aunt and the others, demanding a formal apology from the Bai Family!

She had always gotten her way, and she was still unwilling to accept this. "This is a family matter..."

Bai Yang finally couldn't help laughing. This fairy really had no sense. She couldn't even read the situation.

Curious, he couldn't help asking, "What exactly did you people come here for?"

Bai Zhangting snapped, "We kindly came to take you to Kyoto Base City for treatment! I never expected you to... Hmph!"

Principal Wei thought for a moment, then waved his right hand. "Come with me to the Academic Affairs Office and discuss this in private. Everyone else, move along."

The three Bai women didn't dare resist. They obediently followed under escort behind the Bai brothers as they headed for the three-story building.

Bai Sheng wasn't much of a talker to begin with, and at a time like this, he couldn't get a word out. He simply couldn't make sense of any of it.

Principal Wei's favoritism toward Bai Yang was plain as day. Even a blind man could see it. He had put Bai Yang's privacy ahead of the law.

He had only been away in Kyoto for half a year. Where had his younger cousin earned such influence?

Why did these two seem closer to each other than either of them was to his father, Bai Pianyong?

Bai Yang also wanted to understand what was going on. He knew his older cousin would never reveal the family's private affairs in front of a crowd, so a private discussion was just as well.

They arrived at the Academic Affairs Office and went straight to the meeting room on the third floor that Bai Yang had visited before.

Principal Wei let the five of them inside but stayed by the door himself.

"This room is completely soundproof. Even a Spirit Reader's mental force can't get through. Settle whatever you need to discuss in one go. Don't drag it out. I'll be right outside. Call me if anything happens."

Bai Yang and Bai Sheng thanked the principal earnestly, then the five of them went inside.

As soon as they entered, they naturally split into two groups, the men sitting on one side and the women on the other.

Seeing this, Bai Zhangting sneered. "Bai Sheng, which side are you going to sit on?"

Bai Sheng frowned. "Of course I'm sitting with my family."

Bai Yang gave a dry chuckle. His eyes flicked over her swollen cheeks and chin, and he looked eager to have another go.

Couldn't help being a pain, could she? Was her chin still itching?

When Bai Zhangting saw his expression, her heart lurched. She said resentfully, "So the whole family really are ungrateful wretches! Bai Pianyong deliberately gave you both single-character names, ignoring the naming tradition of 'brilliant chapters, drawing widely on the strengths of others.' My aunt knew you never considered yourselves part of the Bai Family!"

Bai Sheng said nothing, tacitly admitting it. Bai Yang, on the other hand, was taken aback.

So there was a tradition behind it? Neither he nor the original Bai Yang had ever noticed.

His uncle had helped choose his name too. He really hadn't known.

Bai Zhangting looked indignant as she continued, "Bai Sheng! Has the Bai Family ever mistreated you!? My three sisters and I were all willing to marry you. How have we wronged you!?

"You said you wanted to get this kid treated. My aunt even agreed to conditions like a private room at Kyoto First Hospital! What more are you dissatisfied with!?"

Bai Sheng finally spoke. "I remember all the kindness my cousin-aunt has shown us. She hasn't wronged me."

"Then why are you acting like this?"

Bai Sheng spoke slowly. "The Bai Family has the talent to produce Spirit Readers. My cousin-aunt wanted to strengthen the family, so she wanted me to marry a few Spirit Readers within the family. There's nothing wrong with that.

"But you can't force my younger brother! Isn't one of us enough? You want me and him to go along with you... I can't do that! He has to agree for himself!"

"Please! At your height, you're practically a cripple. How dare you say that! If my aunt hadn't thought you might become a War God, why would she have been so generous to you!?"

"Your younger brother became a martial artist, so his genetic optimization must be fine. He's tall and strong. Who else would we choose?"

"You think you're so great? So handsome? If you won't have children, plenty of others will!"

Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! The three Bai women clutched both sides of their faces.

Bai Yang had struck again. He moved like a ghost, and at this distance, he had managed to slap each of them twice.

"If you've got the guts, say what you just said again. I'm listening."