The tall Baghdad stood out among the group. Besides Baghdad, Zhang Tie also saw Barry, Sista, Light, and Doug. Apart from Shavin, almost all the Brotherhood members were gathered.
There were more than thirty people gathered in front of his house, making quite a commotion. Besides a few people from the Brotherhood and the God's Grace Society, Zhang Tie also saw Captain Colin and Jerome, as well as two other teachers from the Provisional Inspection Committee during the trial. Some of the others were just watching the excitement, while others were shouting loudly.
Seeing this scene, Zhang Tie knew that the incident of breaking Zu Haier's neck in the cafeteria during his trial had finally come to light after these past few days.
Thinking about the time, it's about time. Since returning from the trial, from receiving the notification of Zu Haier's death to finding out about his background, if there's anyone in Zu Haier's family who wants to duel him, he's almost ready.
A group of people were making a ruckus in front of his house. Some of them wanted to rush in, while the man stood at the door, trying his best to stop a few troublemakers. He said he wasn't home, but some people in the crowd didn't believe him and insisted on coming to his house to find him.
"Call Zhang Tie out! He killed my brother! Now I'm here to duel him according to the rules of the Norman Empire, so he won't be a coward..." One person jumped the highest and shouted the loudest in front of his older brother.
"Come out, come out! Let the murderer Zhang Tie come out! If he doesn't come out, we're going to go in..." Many people in the crowd started shouting.
" Zhang Tie is definitely not home, everyone wait a minute, don't get excited..." Barry explained from the side.
The teachers on the Provisional Inspection Committee in charge of the trial stood neutrally to the side, their attitude unbiased, in accordance with the rules of the Norman Empire. Their main role at this moment was simply to witness the fair duel between the Zu Haier Lineage and Zhang Tie —which was also part of the cleanup work for this trial. " Zhang Tie is definitely hiding. He's trying to avoid the duel. Everyone, rush in and drag this coward out..." someone in the crowd shouted loudly again.
"Anyone who dares to rush in, I'll make sure they lie here!" the older brother roared, standing guard at the doorway. Without hesitation, he drew his long sword and pointed it at those who tried to enter the house.
Seeing the older man draw his longsword, the man who had jumped the highest in the crowd also drew his own without hesitation, resulting in a flurry of sharp, clanging sounds. Many people drew their swords, and the atmosphere became so tense it seemed like it was about to explode. Several onlookers quickly ran away.
"Who said I was hiding?" At this most dangerous moment, Zhang Tie's voice rang out, and everyone turned to look at Zhang Tie was slowly walking over from the sidewalk.
Upon seeing Zhang Tie, the older brother's eyes showed some anxiety. The Brotherhood, including Barry, looked on with worry, while those who had just been joining in the commotion looked at Zhang Tie with a sense of schadenfreude.
The crowd parted automatically, Zhang Tie calmly walked over.
"You're Zhang Tie?" The man who had just been confronting his older brother turned around and glared at Zhang Tie when he saw Zhang Tie appear.
Looking at the man's face, which bore a resemblance to Zu Haier, Zhang Tie had already guessed who he was. "You're Zu Haier's brother?"
"That's right. You killed Zu Haier during the trial?"
"That's right, he deserved to die, so I took care of him!" Zhang Tie readily admitted.
The man, sword in hand, walked towards Zhang Tie...
Suddenly, a hand appeared in front of the person; Jerome had already stepped in front of him.
"It is your right to duel with Zhang Tie, and he cannot refuse. However, the duel must be held openly and fairly after the agreed time. Private feuds are absolutely prohibited, unless you want to become a murderer and be wanted by the Norman Empire."
The man stopped, stared intently at Zhang Tie, and then fiercely shoved his longsword back into its sheath at his waist.
During this process, Zhang Tie had already greeted several familiar people around him with a smile, including Captain Colin and the teachers from the Provisional Inspection Committee. Zhang Tie's nonchalant attitude made the guys around him who didn't like him even angrier.
" Zhang Tie, during the trial, according to the Savage Trial rules of the Norman Empire, you publicly killed Zu Haier. Also, according to the Norman Empire law, any of Zu Haier's relatives within three generations has the right to challenge you to a duel. You cannot refuse. I must remind you that, just as with killing Zu Haier, if Zu Haier's family kills you in a duel, they will not bear any responsibility!" Jerome solemnly reminded Zhang Tie again.
"Thank you for the reminder, teacher. I accept the duel challenge from Zu Haier's family. Time and place are up to you!" Zhang Tie said calmly, his expression unchanged. Zhang Tie had been waiting for this day ever since he killed Zu Haier.
Zhang Tie's composure surprised both Jerome and Captain Colin, who had been watching him. Including Jerome and Captain Colin, everyone present, except for Zhang Tie's older brother, was unaware that a lot had happened to Zhang Tie in just two days at home. At this moment, Zhang Tie was no longer the same Zhang Tie as before.
"In the dueling rules of the Norman Empire, the use of bows and arrows, Flying Spear, hidden weapons, and crossbows and other projectile weapons is prohibited. Other items such as pets, mounts, and poisonous items are also prohibited from being brought to the dueling arena. Each person can carry a maximum of two weapons. I must remind you of this first, as this was specifically requested by Zu Haier's family!" A teacher next to Zhang Tie reminded him again.
"I understand!" Zhang Tie nodded.
"In that case, here is the duel document. You two can sign it. According to the laws of the Norman Empire, the duel will be held seven days after this document is signed. The duel will take place at your school, Black Flame City No. 7 National Middle School. You two have one week to prepare for everything. During this period, according to the laws of the Norman Empire, if either of you tries to escape to avoid this duel, that person will be wanted throughout the entire Norman Empire. Once caught, they will be immediately demoted to Criminal Slave, and their family will also be affected."
As one of the teachers spoke, he took out a draft duel document from his pocket and asked Zhang Tie and Haier's brother to sign it.
Zu Haier's brother glared at Zhang Tie, picked up the pen, and signed his name on it without hesitation in front of everyone.
As Zhang Tie took the pen, Zhang Tie older brother rushed over, declaring, "I will represent my brother in this duel!"
"No, this duel can only be participated in by Zhang Tie himself; no one can participate in his place!" Captain Colin stretched out his hand, shook his head, and stopped the somewhat agitated Zhang Yang.
" Big Head..." Barry and the others called out from the side.
Zhang Tie simply smiled at those who cared about him, and then signed his name on the duel document without hesitation. While signing, Zhang Tie glanced at it and noticed that Zu Haier's brother was named Sode.
Zhang Tie had just finished signing when Sode burst into laughter, glaring menacingly at Zhang Tie. "Kid, you have seven days left. Pray well. In seven days, I'll crush your bones piece by piece, and finally sever your head to avenge Zu Haier!"
"Idiot!" Zhang Tie rolled his eyes, too lazy to even acknowledge him. What level was this guy Sode? Level four, five, or six? Even Malong in the Black Prison seemed much stronger than him. Did he really need to worry about a duel with him?
Seeing that their goal had been achieved, Sode and his gang left. At this point, they no longer needed to worry about Zhang Tie escaping. In fact, they would be even happier if Zhang Tie truly dared not challenge them to a duel; life wasn't easy for Criminal Slave and families who had been Criminal Slave in the Norman Empire.
Sode and his men left, and Captain Colin, who was the witness and arranger of the duel, also left to avoid suspicion.
Just as Captain Colin was leaving, Zhang Tie called out to Captain Colin.
" Captain Colin!"
"I'm not a captain anymore, just call me Instructor Colin!" One-Eyed Dragon smiled helplessly. The Black Flame City Guard, which originally belonged to the Andaman Alliance, was now a mere shell of its former self. One-Eyed Dragon was embarrassed to let people call him captain anymore; the title he used to like now sounded rather grating.
"Thank you!" Zhang Tie bowed sincerely to the One-Eyed Dragon. If it weren't for the Iron-Blood Divine Fist manual that the One-Eyed Dragon gave him, Zhang Tie might not be dead now, but he would definitely not have this opportunity.
The One-Eyed Dragon scratched his head, somewhat bewildered. "Why are you thanking me?"
"Do you still remember what you said to me that night when I was recuperating at Wild Wolf Castle during the trial? Because of some reasons, I've now become that one percent!"
Zhang Tie believed that the One-Eyed Dragon could understand what he was saying.
Sure enough, the One-Eyed Dragon was stunned for a moment after hearing Zhang Tie's words. He thought about it for a moment, and then his eyes widened as if he had seen Zhang Tie.
Finally, One-Eyed Dragon took a deep breath to calm himself down. "Perhaps that's the best decision I've ever made in my life. I look forward to your performance in seven days!"
After saying this, the One-Eyed Dragon glanced at Zhang Tie again and left, and most of the onlookers dispersed.
Only a few members of the Airplane Brotherhood remained outside Zhang Tie's house.
Barry and the others rushed over after hearing that Sode was coming to challenge Zhang Tie to a duel. In the past two days, news of Zhang Tie killing Zu Haier had spread far and wide, not only at Zhang Tie's school but also at other schools. This had become the biggest news among the Black Flame City trainees this year. The Brotherhood members had been following the developments closely. Originally, their gathering was scheduled for tomorrow, but Zu Haier's Sode, launched his attack today. To prevent Zhang Tie Zhang Tie from being at a disadvantage when the two sides met, the members came along to bolster his morale.
Knowing that Zhang Tie must have something to say to his family at this time, Barry and the others did not go to Zhang Tie's house. Instead, they said a few words to Zhang Tie and then left.
As they were leaving, Zhang Tie pulled Barry aside and whispered a few words in Barry ear. After hearing Zhang Tie's cryptic words, Barry's eyes nearly bulged out when he looked at Zhang Tie again.
Zhang Tie told Barry two things: one was that he was now at level four and had mastered the Iron-Blood Dark Force; the other was that he was now a second lieutenant in the 39th Division of the Iron Horn Legion of the Norman Empire.
Even after leaving Zhang Tie's house for several hundred meters, Barry still felt his head buzzing and his feet felt light and unsteady, as if he were walking on cotton. His companions, including Sista and Baghdad, were worried and discussing Zhang Tie's duel in seven days. Only Light noticed that Barry seemed distracted.
" Barry, what did Big Head just say to you? You look a bit off." Light finally asked this question when they reached a less crowded area.
Light's question snapped Barry out of his shock. Barry shook his head, looked around, and realized they were quite a distance away from Zhang Tie's house.
"It wasn't convenient to talk over there, so Big Head told me two things he wanted me to tell you, so you don't need to worry about his duel!"
"What's the matter?" Everyone looked at Barry with curiosity.
Barry made a gesture, and the five men huddled together again. Barry then repeated the two things Zhang Tie had told him, and all the livestock were stunned...
When Zhang Tie returned home, he saw his mother's worried and sorrowful eyes. Without saying a Zhang Tie, he knelt down in front of his mother as soon as he entered the house.
"Mom, compared to before, I've made you worry again..."
When Sode and the others were making a scene outside, challenging Zhang Tie to a duel, Zhang Tie's mother overheard many of their conversations, including the fact that Zhang Tie had killed someone during the trial. Zhang Tie's mother touched Zhang Tie's face, looked at Zhang Tie kneeling before her, and tears streamed down her face.
In Zhang Tie's words, this Survival Trial was as simple and fun as a field trip, but who knows how much hardship and danger Zhang Tie went through? Today's incident simply exposed the white lie Zhang Tie had created in front of his parents, letting his family know the perils Zhang Tie had experienced during the trial.
"Tell your mother, did you suffer a lot during this trial? Did you encounter many dangers? Did you almost not come back? Your mother knows your character. You wouldn't do something like killing someone unless you were forced into it." Zhang Tie's mother said, tears streaming down her face.
Zhang Tie simply nodded, tears streaming down his face. "They didn't want me to come back alive. I didn't want to live in constant fear of being assassinated, or for Mom to hold my ashes and cry again someday. So I killed someone. Mom, will you blame me?"
"It's all my fault, I couldn't protect my brother, and he got bullied outside..." Zhang Yang, tears streaming down his face, knelt down in front of his mother along with Zhang Tie. "Mom, blame me if you must!"
"It's not your fault, Zhang Tie, you did well, you did well..." Zhang Tie's mother, though tears streaming down her face as she touched her two sons' faces, spoke with a voice as firm as steel. "Remember this: from now on, anyone who wants your brothers' lives, no matter who they are, even if it's the emperor himself, kill them without hesitation. Your father and I have lived to this age, and having you two brothers is enough. As long as you two brothers can live, your father and I have lived a worthwhile life. If anything happens to you, your father and I don't want to live either. So, if anything happens, don't worry about us. Just take care of yourselves, just survive. That's what your father and I are happiest about. Remember, your surname is Hua Clan. The Hua Clan is the head of the human race, the most honorable race in the world, the embodiment of the Way of Heaven. The Zhang surname is a major surname of the Hua Clan, one of the most noble surnames in the entire world. The Zhang clan of the Hua Clan, whether in heaven or on earth, would rather die fighting than live kneeling. No one in the world can bully them..."
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