"I mean exactly what he wants to say." Xie Xie stepped forward and planted himself firmly in front of Tang Wulin.
Tang Wulin stared blankly at the straight-backed figure of the boy before him, momentarily lost in thought.
"Xie Xie! Stop making trouble!"
Long Hengxu felt his blood pressure shoot through the roof.
Xie Xie folded his arms across his chest and lifted his chin, his tone casual but brimming with confidence.
"So what? My father is Xie Feng."
Including today, he had been in this world for a week. The memories belonging to this body had long since been thoroughly absorbed.
Compared to the few scant lines about the Xie family in the original story, Xie Xie could tell that his family was far more powerful than it had been there.
All he could say was, his old man wasn't even forty yet. He was at the perfect age to make a name for himself!
Although the Xie family had been around for less than a thousand years and passed down its legacy to only one heir per generation, every family head had been a remarkable figure.
The most impressive had reached rank 96 as an Agility Type Titled Douluo. Even the least accomplished had secured the position of Soul Emperor-level Mecha Pilot and One-Word Battle Armor Master.
His old man, Xie Feng, was one such example.
He was currently a Seven-Ring Soul Sage, with a Soul Ring Configuration of four purple and three black rings. He was also a Mecha Pilot and a Two-Word Battle Armor Master.
His family had even monopolized the core Mecha-related industries in Eastsea City.
The Xie family owned all the core Mecha businesses in the Eastsea Soul Technology Park. They were the leading family in Eastsea City's Mecha industry, with absolute sway over local Mecha manufacturing, sales, and training.
The Xie Family Main Residence alone was nearly as large as all of Eastsea Academy.
Though the family appeared to have no influence whatsoever in the military or political systems, all you had to do was think about it:
The Federation needed money and troops to implement its policies, and the military needed Mechas and Soul Tools to fight.
As for the paltry amount of funding the Federation approved, it wasn't even enough to count as poverty relief.
So where did all that money and essential military equipment come from? Wow, what a mystery~
What? You say they could just seize it by force?
Did they really think the Xie family's Soul Tool manufacturing capabilities were for show? So what if a Two-Word Battle Armor Master could take on an entire city alone?
If the Xie family were pushed too far, they could simply make their mass-produced Mechas self-destruct all at once.
And even without resorting to self-destruction, were Soul Cannons, Soul Missiles, and Soul-Dou Laser Weapons just for show? With hundreds of fourth-, fifth-, or even sixth-grade Soul Cannons aimed at your forehead, let's see if you can still smile.
Long Hengxu was so furious at Xie Xie's brazen confidence that he trembled all over. He pointed at him, but for a long moment, couldn't get a complete sentence out.
"Xie Xie! You... you're completely unreasonable!"
"Fine, then I'll put it another way." Xie Xie spread his hands again, a sly smile in his eyes.
"My master is Wu Zhangkong."
Long Hengxu: "..."
The academic affairs director nearly choked on his own breath and dropped dead on the spot.
What kind of new student was this? He was clearly a living, breathing copy of Wu Zhangkong!
At that moment, Wu Zhangkong paused just outside the Academic Affairs Office. She had heard Xie Xie's words loud and clear, and the corners of her mouth lifted almost imperceptibly.
The next second, she pushed the door open and walked in.
"Well said!"
The hint of a smile vanished from Wu Zhangkong's face. She strode in, radiating a bone-chilling cold.
"I don't think my students did anything wrong, either."
"Wu Zhangkong! You can't just walk into a room without knocking!" Long Hengxu had barely caught his breath when he blinked and found that Wu Zhangkong, another living nightmare, had arrived too. His head started pounding.
Knock knock—
"Oh." Wu Zhangkong casually rapped twice on the door.
Long Hengxu's mouth twitched violently. He knew perfectly well that Wu Zhangkong's visit could only mean trouble.
"So it was you lot?" Wu Zhangkong's icy gaze swept over the students from Grade Five Class One, led by Mu Xi. "Picking on younger students. You must be very proud of yourselves."
The students lowered their heads even further, not daring to make a sound.
"I wouldn't pick on those weaker than me. But if you ever dare bully my students again, I'll beat your class teach—"
"No need for that!!"
A middle-aged man in a teacher's uniform came skidding into the room on his knees.
"Teacher Wu, please calm down! Please calm down! I didn't teach them properly. This is my fault!"
Wiping away cold sweat, he glared fiercely at Mu Xi and the others behind him. "Hurry up and apologize to the younger students!"
Mu Xi and the others shuddered in fright. They wouldn't dare show the slightest hint of defiance now, and quickly lowered their heads to apologize over and over.
Leaning to one side with his arms crossed, Xie Xie looked like a smug little cat.
I told you, my master is Wu Zhangkong. Were your ears full of wax?
Long Hengxu watched from the side, the corner of his eye twitching.
"Don't let it happen again."
Wu Zhangkong gave the middle-aged teacher a cold glance, then reached up and ruffled Xie Xie's hair with one hand. With the other, she took Tang Wulin's hand and led them both out of the Academic Affairs Office.
Long Hengxu could only watch as Wu Zhangkong led the two away. He still didn't have the courage to stop her.
"All of you will each receive one disciplinary warning!"
"And you! You can't even teach a student properly! I'm docking your pay for the month!"
Furious, Long Hengxu took out his temper on the middle-aged teacher and the fifth-year troublemakers.
After leaving the Academic Affairs Office, Wu Zhangkong released Tang Wulin's hand, but kept her right hand on Xie Xie's head, ruffling his hair with just the right amount of force.
"Ow, Teacher Wu, take it easy. You're messing up my hair."
Xie Xie hurriedly raised a hand to protect his head, then grabbed Wu Zhangkong's hand and gave it a playful shake.
Wu Zhangkong withdrew her hand. A trace of helplessness showed in her cool eyes, and though her voice remained cold, it softened slightly. "You used my name to throw your weight around in the Academic Affairs Office. Feeling pleased with yourself?"
Xie Xie chuckled and scratched his head.
But he wasn't embarrassed in the slightest at being found out. Instead, he answered with complete justification. "They were picking on someone. If I've got a teacher to back me up, why not make use of it?"
Wu Zhangkong looked at Xie Xie's cheeky grin, her lips pressed into a thin line.
After a few seconds of silence, she said no more. She merely glanced at him, and the chill around her eased considerably.
"Don't let it happen again."
"Got it!" Xie Xie snapped to attention and saluted.
Tang Wulin hurried over beside them. "Thank you, Teacher Wu."
Wu Zhangkong looked straight ahead. "You didn't do anything wrong. There's nothing to thank me for. I just don't like people keeping me from class."
"Xie Xie!" Tang Wulin tugged at him. "Thanks to you, too."
Xie Xie gave Tang Wulin a light tap on the chest. "Let's just say I'm a model student. I'm firmly against bullying on campus!"
Tang Wulin gazed into his bright eyes, and his heart gave a gentle flutter.
A warmth unlike anything he had ever felt slowly spread through him, as if something had quietly taken root in his heart.
Without thinking, he tightened his grip around Xie Xie's wrist.
"We're..." Tang Wulin's Adam's apple bobbed, and the tips of his ears slowly reddened. His gaze, however, was unusually earnest and determined.
"Good friends now!"
Xie Xie stared at Tang Wulin's sincere, clear-eyed smile. He froze for a moment, then suddenly clutched his chest in exaggerated anguish. "So that's it. We weren't good friends before?"
"Huh?" Tang Wulin was stunned.
Xie Xie put on a wounded air and trudged ahead, his shoulders slumped, his voice mournful. "It's fine. I guess I was the only one who cared..."
Tang Wulin hurried after him, flustered. His voice even sounded a little strained. "I-I didn't mean that... I just..."
"I'm teasing you~"
Xie Xie straightened up, snapped his fingers in front of Tang Wulin, then turned and took off running.
"Xie Xie!"
Tang Wulin was both exasperated and amused.
Watching Xie Xie run off, Tang Wulin could only hurry after him, muttering under his breath, "...You just love picking on me."
Before you continue