Old Acquaintance? What a Coincidence, the Debt Will Be Settled Today!

The New Recruit Competition ended abruptly.

Lin Feng carried the D-Rank weapon prize, in a decent mood.

This piece of junk was useless to him, but if he found a Black Market to unload it later, he could get at least a hundred or two hundred thousand.

Add the fifty thousand bonus, and this referee gig was worth it.

He stowed the prize, hung the Mountain Splitter at his waist, and walked out of the camp gate heading west.

The New Recruit Competition had wasted a day; he needed to make up the time quickly.

The numbers on the System Panel were still hanging there.

[Current Martial Path Points: 872]

Not much, needed to grind.

Lin Feng walked along the edge of the wilderness for about half an hour, spotting the entrance to an F-Class Rift in the distance.

Usually, this kind of low-level rift was deserted, the guards dozing off.

Not today.

Outside the rift entrance, a huge crowd had gathered, at least two hundred people, a dark sea of heads.

And judging by their clothes, most were seventeen or eighteen-year-old kids, wearing uniform school styles in various colors.

Students?

Lin Feng quickened his pace and walked over.

The military guards at the entrance spotted him from afar and immediately snapped to attention and saluted.

"Sergeant Major Lin!"

The two guards' voices rang out loud and clear, their backs ramrod straight.

Lin Feng waved a hand: "What's going on here? Why so many people?"

"Reporting, Sergeant Major!" the guard on the left answered quickly. "The Provincial Department of Education and the military are jointly organizing a martial high school combat simulation. This year, it's arranged at an F-Class Rift near the Sixth Defense Line. Graduating classes from various martial high schools across the region have come, letting students get a feel for fighting Exotic Beasts in advance."

"Which martial high schools?"

The guard pulled a list from his pocket and handed it over.

"Six total, all here."

Lin Feng took the list and scanned it.

First line: Qingzhou Martial High School.

Second line: Yuncheng Martial High School.

Third line: Linhai Martial High School.

Fourth line: Beiling Martial High School.

Fifth line.

His finger stopped.

Ping'an Martial High School.

His alma mater.

Lin Feng stared at those five words for two seconds, a buzz ringing in his head.

Ping'an Martial High School.

Academic Affairs Office director, Wang Jianguo.

That line "What can you do to me?" and the embezzled subsidy.

The thought of it made his blood boil.

Lin Feng returned the list to the guard.

"Who's the lead teacher for Ping'an Martial High School?"

The guard flipped through the registration book: "Academic Affairs Office director, Wang Jianguo."

Lin Feng was silent for three seconds.

"Interesting."

He lifted his head and walked toward the crowd.

On the open ground outside the rift entrance, the students from the six martial high schools were divided into six formations.

In front of each formation stood their respective lead teacher, giving final pep talks before entry.

Lin Feng circled halfway around the crowd and quickly found Ping'an Martial High School's formation.

Over thirty students stood in three rows, most at the Martial Disciple third to fifth rank level.

At the very front of the formation, a middle-aged man stood with his back to Lin Feng, hands on his hips, lecturing.

"Listen up, all of you! Once inside, no running around! An F-Class Rift isn't that dangerous, but with your sorry level of skill, even a single Iron-Armored Demon Wolf would be enough to finish you off!"

That voice, that tone—Lin Feng would recognize it even if it turned to ash.

Wang Jianguo.

He'd put on a whole extra layer of fat since last time, and now there was a gold chain around his neck.

Lin Feng remembered that when he'd gone to the Academic Affairs Office last time, Wang Jianguo's neck had been bare.

How long had it been? Already bought himself a big gold chain?

Having a good time spending that subsidy money, huh.

Lin Feng didn't rush over.

He leaned against a rock, arms crossed, sizing up Wang Jianguo.

A few students in the formation looked familiar to Lin Feng.

After finishing his lecture, Wang Jianguo pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, took one out, stuck it in his mouth, and was about to light it.

"Director, open flames are prohibited in the rift zone," a young teacher beside him quietly reminded.

"Less fucking nagging," Wang Jianguo shot back with a glare, but he lit the cigarette anyway.

He took a deep drag, exhaling a puff of white smoke.

Lin Feng watched that smoke and remembered the scene at the Academic Affairs Office last time.

Same exact motion.

Same exact face.

"Sergeant Major, want to go over and take a look?"

A voice came from behind—it was the guard from the entrance who'd followed him over.

Lin Feng nodded and started walking toward Ping'an Martial High School's formation.

The two guards automatically fell in behind him, one on each side.

It wasn't a big show, but it was enough to draw attention.

Students around them turned their heads to look.

A few of the martial high school's lead teachers also noticed, their reactions varying.

Some nodded in greeting, others actively stepped aside.

The Sergeant Major insignia pinned to his chest gleamed with a copper sheen in the sunlight.

On the Sixth Defense Line, a Sergeant Major carried serious weight.

Especially after the Beast Tide—the story of Lin Feng holding the front line alone had spread across the entire defense line.

Even if these martial high school teachers didn't necessarily know who he was, the title "Sergeant Major" alone was enough to make them show full respect.

Lin Feng walked to the front of Ping'an Martial High School's formation and stopped.

Wang Jianguo had his back to him, still puffing away on his cigarette.

"Uh, Director Wang," the young teacher beside him said, nudging Wang Jianguo's arm and jerking his chin toward Lin Feng.

Wang Jianguo turned around, cigarette still dangling from his mouth.

He swept a glance over Lin Feng, and the cigarette nearly fell.

"Sir! I'm Wang Jianguo, Director of the Academic Affairs Office at Ping'an Martial High School, in charge of leading the team this time..."

He froze mid-sentence.

Staring at Lin Feng's face, his smile slowly stiffened.

"You!"

"Long time no see, Director Wang."

Lin Feng's voice was flat, without a trace of fluctuation.

The cigarette slipped from Wang Jianguo's hand.

"Lin... Lin Feng?"

"Not bad memory."

Wang Jianguo took half a step back.

His mind raced, matching the face before him to the poor kid in his memory.

Lin Feng.

That broke bastard who'd gotten into a martial arts undergraduate program and come to him asking for his subsidy.

The same broke bastard who'd beaten him up in the Academic Affairs Office.

How the hell did he end up in a military uniform?

A flicker of panic crossed Wang Jianguo's face, but it was quickly buried by another emotion.

He brushed off his clothes and straightened his chest.

"Oh, Lin Feng." His tone shifted, carrying a deliberate sneer. "Aren't you supposed to be in martial arts undergrad? What are you doing out here in the Northern Territory playing soldier?"

He curled the corner of his mouth.

"Tsk tsk, couldn't afford tuition, huh? I told you, with your background, even passing the exam was a waste."

The surrounding Ping'an Martial High School students all pricked up their ears.

Wang Jianguo was on a roll, his mouth running wild.

"But hey, being a soldier is still a way out, even if it's tough. That sister of yours—what was her name? Xiao Yu? Is she still in school? Can you afford her tuition?"

He clicked his tongue twice, shook his head, and put on a pitying expression.

"Ah, what a shame. If you'd listened to me and accepted your lot, you wouldn't have ended up here."

Smack!

A crisp sound rang out.

Wang Jianguo's face snapped to one side, half of it instantly swelling red.

He was stunned.

The one who hit him was a guard behind Lin Feng.

That guard was in his early twenties, a Martial Artist at the third rank, with arms thicker than Wang Jianguo's thighs.

One slap from him, and Wang Jianguo nearly lost his footing.

"What the hell are you doing?" Wang Jianguo shrieked, clutching his face.

The guard stepped forward, his face full of fury.

"Sergeant Major Lin is an officer of the Sixth Defense Line! He held the front during the Beast Tide and saved thousands of our lives!"

"And you, a school director, dare to insult a commanding officer in front of so many people?"

"Believe me, I can have you detained right now?"

Wang Jianguo was completely dumbfounded. After a few seconds, it finally hit him.

Lin Feng was no longer the poor student he remembered, clutching three thousand yuan and begging meekly in the Academic Affairs Office.

Sergeant Major.

Northern Territory officer.

Beast Tide hero.

Wang Jianguo's lips trembled twice, unable to utter a single word for a long time.

Lin Feng raised a hand to stop the guard.

"Forget it."

The guard stepped back, but the glare he fixed on Wang Jianguo didn't let up.

Lin Feng walked up to Wang Jianguo and looked down at him.

"Director Wang, it's been a while since you last hit me, hasn't it?"

Wang Jianguo's legs were shaking.

"This practical simulation—it's going into the Rift, right?"

Wang Jianguo nodded mechanically.

Lin Feng patted his shoulder, not hard, but Wang Jianguo's whole frame sagged a few inches.

"Perfect. I've got nothing on today."

He glanced back toward the entrance.

"This Rift—I'll go in with you all."