Bar No. 19.
Abyssal Black Eyes, Unquenchable Heart??
Zhang Fusheng was greatly surprised and shook his head honestly.
"I really don't know that. I don't even know what a special physique is."
The bartender explained with a smile.
"It's what we usually call innate constitution. Well, one part of innate constitution—the most important part."
"Most people think innate constitution means whether one's meridians are unobstructed, how efficiently one absorbs Mysterious Factor, and so on. In truth, those are merely the most basic and ordinary things. I'd even say they don't count as [innate constitution]."
He spoke with great assurance.
"Some people are born with special physiques. It could be their eyes, a particular organ, a bone, or even part of their blood. These special things possess marvelous, unimaginable abilities."
"Of course, special physiques are not entirely innate. They can also be cultivated after birth. For example, practicing a special Visualization Method to the Great Accomplishment level can often slowly grant one a special physique."
Zhang Fusheng suddenly understood. Was it like the first bodily manifestation after [Dense White Bone Contemplation] reached Great Accomplishment—the Luminous Form?
According to his master, once one's bones gave birth to light, they could slowly transform into [Dead Man's Bones].
He said sincerely.
"So that's how it is. I've learned something."
"You're too polite." The bartender named Black Eyes looked at Chen Nuanyu. "Miss Chen, are you here for a drink?"
"Yes."
Chen Nuanyu nodded slightly, her tone softening.
"With him. I want a private room, a truly private one."
"Understood."
The bartender snapped his fingers. A waiter silently stepped forward and extended a hand in invitation.
They went up to the second floor and entered a room. It looked entirely ordinary inside: a sofa, a coffee table, dim lighting.
But the door was made from a single solid slab of metal.
Zhang Fusheng reached out and knocked on the wall—it was made of some kind of metal as well.
The waiter brought two cocktails and some desserts. After leaving, he gently shut the door. With the sound of the lock engaging, only the two of them remained in the room.
"Sit."
Under the dim lighting, Chen Nuanyu leaned against the sofa, lifted her wineglass, and said lightly.
"I still don't know your name."
"Zhang Fusheng." Zhang Fusheng plopped down, clearly intrigued. "Classmate Chen, why did you bring me here?"
Chen Nuanyu took a sip of the crimson liquor, as red as her long hair. Her gaze was clear and cold.
"That bartender was an important figure. Rather than a bar, this place is more like a special Black Market—or a one-stop agency."
"Every kind of service is available here, and anything can be bought: transporting special items, human trafficking, hiring assassins, and disposing of corpses."
She spoke airily as she stared at Zhang Fusheng.
"I originally thought I would never see you or your father again. That matter needs absolute secrecy."
Zhang Fusheng gave an "oh" and asked curiously.
"Is Classmate Chen planning to silence me here? Surely that doesn't need to be so troublesome?"
Chen Nuanyu remained expressionless.
"I considered it, but it hasn't come to that yet."
She put down her wineglass and examined Zhang Fusheng from head to toe.
"Bar No. 19 can also 'witness contracts.' In a moment, you'll sign a confidentiality contract with me. Naturally, in exchange—"
After pondering for a moment, Chen Nuanyu continued evenly.
"I can have you transferred to the Martial Arts Department and apply to the school for more than three months of preferential resource allocation. Naturally, within Jiang University, you will also have to listen to me."
"Listen to you?" Zhang Fusheng was keenly interested. "What exactly does that mean?"
Chen Nuanyu frowned. Why was this boy's reaction... so strange?
She said coldly.
"Jiang University is a university, but it is not merely a university. There are only so many cultivation resources within the school, and they must be fought over. Among the upperclassmen, factions stand like forests. The leaders of those factions can obtain the best resources."
Zhang Fusheng came to a realization.
"So Classmate Chen wants to huddle together for warmth and become a leader too? Then would I count as your first trusted subordinate?"
Chen Nuanyu was even more confused and merely gave a nasal "Mm."
Zhang Fusheng smiled broadly.
"Actually, I'm more curious about what this Unquenchable Heart thing is. Oh, right, I also—"
His phone suddenly vibrated.
He nodded apologetically and answered it.
"Hello, Senior Brother Zhang, it's me, Zhou Quan. There was a bit of a misunderstanding yesterday. I want to apologize to you in person."
Hearing the voice on the phone, Zhang Fusheng smiled.
"I was just looking for you. Come directly over. It's a bar, Bar No. 19. You should know where it is. How long until you get here? Ten minutes? Fine, hurry up."
After hanging up, he said gently.
"A friend."
Chen Nuanyu frowned.
"That bald man?"
"No, no. The bald guy is my buddy. His name is Zhu Xiaoming, and he's an incoming student in the Martial Arts Department."
Zhang Fusheng leaned back against the sofa.
"Let's wait a while."
Chen Nuanyu's frown deepened, but she said nothing. She wanted to see what this strange fellow was actually planning to do.
Her head was starting to ache.
Time trickled by, bit by bit.
His phone vibrated.
"Have you arrived? Tell Black Eyes you're looking for the room Miss Chen requested earlier." Zhang Fusheng put down his phone and raised his gaze toward Chen Nuanyu across the coffee table.
Yet at some point, the red-haired girl had already straightened up. She stared at Zhang Fusheng as though she were a starving tiger about to pounce, her chilling killing intent locking onto him!
Zhang Fusheng remained perfectly composed.
"How did you know the bartender's title?" she asked coldly, her gaze fixed firmly on the boy.
But the boy merely smiled shyly.
"A fortunate coincidence."
Unease suddenly welled up in Chen Nuanyu's heart. Then there came a knock at the door and the waiter's polite inquiry.
"Mr. Zhou has arrived. Miss Chen, shall I let him in?"
The waiter knew his surname, which meant he was a regular here.
That thought flashed through Chen Nuanyu's mind as she answered.
"Yes."
The lock clicked. The metal door opened, and a smiling young man walked in.
Chen Nuanyu looked him over twice. Mm, she didn't recognize him.
The metal door shut once more, and the waiter departed.
"Senior Brother Zhang."
Zhou Quan glanced at the red-haired girl on the sofa in the corner. A flash of amazement crossed his eyes before he turned back to Zhang Fusheng, wearing a slightly ingratiating smile as he got straight to the point.
"What happened yesterday really was a misunderstanding. This is my apology gift. There's fourteen million in it."
Chen Nuanyu's eyes widened.
How much??
Zhou Quan bent over, lowered his head, and held the bank card in both hands as he carefully continued.
"It's an anonymous account. Most of the money I earn belongs to the hall. This is all the cash I can mobilize in the short term."
Zhang Fusheng's smile widened.
"Brother Zhou, you're far too polite. It was only a misunderstanding. Calling this an apology gift makes us sound like strangers!"
As he spoke, he took the card and smoothly slipped it into his pocket. Only then did he say with a grin.
"Let me introduce you. This is my friend, Chen Nuanyu. She also got into Jiang University, and she seems to be some kind of Seed-level student?"
Zhou Quan froze for a moment.
"A pleasure, a pleasure."
A Seed-level student at Jiang University was indeed formidable, but more importantly, she was Senior Brother Zhang's friend.
"As for this one." Zhang Fusheng pointed at Zhou Quan. "His name is Zhou Quan. He is the son of Hall Master Zhou Xianmin from Chaimen's Fire Department."
Chen Nuanyu abruptly clenched her fists, nearly unable to suppress her killing intent.
"Alright."
Zhang Fusheng said with a smile.
"Old Zhou, you can go now. I'll accept this gift. What happened before is wiped clean with one stroke."
"Yes, Senior Brother Zhang." Zhou Quan pushed open the door and left.
The room fell into dead silence.
Ignoring Chen Nuanyu's utterly ugly expression, Zhang Fusheng opened his phone and looked at the string of messages Zhu Xiaoming had sent.
Zhu Xiaoming: Holy shit, Old Zhang, that's badass! Zhu Xiaoming: When the hell did you get to know Genius Chen? And you're this close too? Zhu Xiaoming: This is going to be fun. If Wang Cheng finds out, his eyes will turn red with rage! Heh, there'll be a show to watch at the Jiang University Banquet!
Wang Cheng was also a student from Linshu Middle School and had likewise gotten into Jiang University's Martial Arts Department. He had previously been Zhang Fusheng and Zhu Xiaoming's middle school classmate.
In high school, they had gone their separate ways. Wang Cheng had entered the Elite Class—Chen Nuanyu's class.
Mm, ever since middle school, he had never gotten along particularly well with Zhang Fusheng and Zhu Xiaoming.
After casually replying to a few messages,
Zhang Fusheng put down his phone and looked at the red-haired girl.
Her expression had turned cold to the extreme.
"Who exactly are you?"
The killing intent around her could no longer be restrained. At some point, a dagger had appeared in her hand.
Then—
Chen Nuanyu saw the boy extend two fingers, press them together, and lightly tap the coffee table.
The glass coffee table cracked.
He then curled his five fingers into a fist and struck the cracked coffee table a second time.
Bang!!
The glass coffee table exploded into countless tiny, crystalline fragments. In that instant, they surged violently between them like a mist!
The next moment, before the countless fragments could fall,
Chen Nuanyu saw through the mist formed by the hazy fragments that the handsome boy shook his fist and palm. His fist wind swept up the fragments, rolling them into a ferocious tiger's head that hovered at his side.
One second, two seconds.
By the third second, the fist wind faded, the tiger's head collapsed, and the fragments rained densely to the floor, scattering everywhere.
The room fell into dead silence.
"Classmate Chen."
Zhang Fusheng said sincerely.
"You probably can't silence me, so put those thoughts away. There's no need for us to tear our faces apart."
Chen Nuanyu's eyelids twitched, and the coldness on her face grew ever heavier.
After a long while, she loosened her grip on the dagger and let it fall to the ground.
"A Tiger Roar Fist nearly at the Perfection of fist intent? Very impressive."
The girl placed a hand over her heart, stared at him, and said each word distinctly.
"If I want to kill you, it will take less than a hundred moves."
"Really?"
Zhang Fusheng asked curiously.
"Is it because of that... Unquenchable Heart?"
After a pause,
He shook his head.
"Mm, that isn't important. What I'm actually more curious about is why Classmate Chen borrowed so much money to buy Mental Potions. Is a shortcut to false Great Accomplishment really necessary?"
Chen Nuanyu's expression froze, and she abruptly stood up.
Zhang Fusheng said with a grin.
"Oh, right, I forgot to mention it. Second Senior Sister handed your accounts over to me, and I'm responsible for them now. If I remember correctly... you have four days until you're overdue, right?"
Chen Nuanyu stood rooted to the spot.
After a long silence,
She stepped forward and approached him. Zhang Fusheng instantly became wary, silently gathering strength. Yet the next second—
The girl crouched before him, lowered her head, and bowed her exquisite, demonically beautiful face.
"Could you grant me an extension?"
She asked in a trembling voice. Sweat slid from her forehead and down her flawless, fair cheeks, as though all her pride and self-respect had been utterly shattered before the words "overdue."
Zhang Fusheng fell silent.
So, what exactly would happen if she became overdue?
This girl had dared to rob even Chaimen and was so proud. What had frightened her to this extent, even...
He watched the red-haired girl shift from a crouch to her knees.
Chen Nuanyu knelt before the boy and gently raised her head. Her crystal-clear eyes were filled with panic.
"Please."
She spoke with difficulty.
Zhang Fusheng did not answer. He reached out, gently stroked the girl's delicate cheek, then gave it a firm pinch.
"First, tell me why you insisted on taking a shortcut?"
The girl's tender cheek reddened slightly from the pinch.
Before you continue