Eleven at night, second floor of the girls' dormitory.
The dormitory door was shut tight, and the curtains were drawn. A small desk lamp sat on the table, its orange-yellow light illuminating only a little patch in the middle of the room. The four girls sat together, their shadows cast on the wall.
Xiao Wu sat cross-legged on her bed, a pink nightdress hanging loosely over her knees. She had taken out her Scorpion Braid, and her long hair fell over her shoulders.
Ning Rongrong sat on the edge of the opposite bed, wearing a set of light blue pajamas. She was barefoot, her toes resting on her slippers, and her white stockings were folded beside her pillow.
Zhu Zhuqing sat on a chair in the corner. She hadn't changed out of her black leather outfit, its zipper pulled up to her collarbone, revealing a small patch of fair skin. Her short black hair was still damp with sweat, and the warmth of exercise radiated from her.
Bai Chenxiang sat on the floor beside Zhu Zhuqing, knees together. She wore a light green jacket, zipped all the way up, its collar covering her chin. Her hair was tied into two low ponytails that fell over her chest.
Zhu Zhuqing had been the last to return. When she came through the door, her expression had been terrible.
Ning Rongrong handed her a cup of hot water. Zhu Zhuqing took it, gulped down a couple of mouthfuls, set it on the table, and muttered,
"I ran into Dai Mubai again today."
Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong exchanged a glance.
"What did he do this time?" Xiao Wu asked.
Zhu Zhuqing recounted what had happened at the training field. Dai Mubai had said he liked white tigers, that he wanted to ride one and watch the sunrise, and that after graduation, she could only marry him.
"I swiped at him, and he blocked it with one hand." Zhu Zhuqing's voice was flat, with little emotion in it. "He's level 68. I can't beat him."
The room fell silent for a few seconds. Bai Chenxiang curled up in the corner and spoke in a tiny voice. "Ma Hongjun was pestering me today too."
All three girls looked at her.
Bai Chenxiang lowered her head, twisting the drawstring on her jacket zipper between her fingers.
"This afternoon in the cafeteria, Ma Hongjun insisted on sitting across from me. He kept saying all sorts of things while we ate. Stuff like, 'Chenxiang, you look so pretty today,' and 'Want to go stargazing on the hill with me?' I said no. Then he flew into a rage right there and flipped the table over. He was even about to hit me, but luckily some other students came over to help."
Xiao Wu gritted her teeth. "Hmph, that Ma Hongjun really does have a rotten temper. He's a violent brute, plain and simple!"
"These guys are all disgusting, one worse than the next." Zhu Zhuqing clenched her fists. "If I were just a little stronger, I wouldn't have had to put up with that humiliation today."
Bai Chenxiang nodded too, but didn't say anything.
The mood in the room grew heavy.
Xiao Wu glanced at Ning Rongrong, who was already looking at her.
They exchanged a look, and Xiao Wu cleared her throat.
"Zhuqing, Chenxiang, there's something I want to tell you."
Zhu Zhuqing and Bai Chenxiang both looked up.
Xiao Wu pulled the Pink Rabbit Pendant from beneath her pillow and placed it under the desk lamp.
"Do you see this?"
Zhu Zhuqing glanced at it. "A stuffed rabbit?"
"Right, it's a stuffed rabbit. But this rabbit took me from level 62 to level 70."
The room fell silent again. Zhu Zhuqing blinked, and Bai Chenxiang opened her mouth, then closed it.
"What did you say?" Zhu Zhuqing asked, needing to make sure she'd heard correctly.
"I went from level 62 to level 70. Eight levels. It happened this afternoon."
Xiao Wu pointed at Ning Rongrong. "Same for Rongrong. She went from level 59 to level 61. And she got an 8,000-year Soul Bone."
Ning Rongrong took the White Kitten Pendant from her purse and placed it beside the rabbit.
"It's true." Ning Rongrong nodded.
Zhu Zhuqing stared at the two palm-sized stuffed toys on the table: a pink rabbit and a white kitten.
They were well made, with soft plush, but they looked just like ordinary pendants sold at street stalls.
In truth, they were just ordinary toys. Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong wanted to use them to broach something else.
"That's impossible," Zhu Zhuqing said.
"I know it sounds impossible." Xiao Wu stood up. "If you don't believe me, try punching me. Go ahead and hit me as hard as you like. You can't hurt me anyway."
Zhu Zhuqing hesitated, then stood up.
She channeled thirty percent of her Soul Power into her right fist and shoved it against Xiao Wu's shoulder.
Her fist landed on Xiao Wu's shoulder, but Xiao Wu didn't budge.
Zhu Zhuqing furrowed her brow. She'd used thirty percent of her strength. It wasn't strange that a level 62 Soul Emperor could take it, but Xiao Wu hadn't even swayed. Her physique had to be at least level 63 or higher.
"Hit me harder," Xiao Wu said.
Zhu Zhuqing raised it to ninety percent and struck with a bang. Xiao Wu's body moved back half a step, then steadied.
"What do you think? Am I stronger than I was during the day?"
Zhu Zhuqing drew her fist back. The recoil had left the web between her thumb and forefinger numb.
She'd hit Xiao Wu with ninety percent of her strength, and Xiao Wu had barely moved. Her ability to take a hit had to be at least level 65.
Zhu Zhuqing's breathing quickened. "What's going on? How did you do it?"
Xiao Wu lowered her voice as much as she could and told them everything about the Happy Claw Machine on West Street by the school gate.
From the first time she entered the shop, to the Crystal Ball's telepathic message, to the terms of the Confidentiality Agreement, to her Soul Power surging by eight levels after she caught the rabbit.
Ning Rongrong added her own experience: two levels of Soul Power, plus an 8,000-year Medusa Head Spirit Bone.
After the two of them finished, Zhu Zhuqing and Bai Chenxiang didn't say a word for a long while.
Bai Chenxiang was the first to speak.
"It... really only costs one Gold Soul Coin?"
"One Gold Soul Coin gets you three tries." Xiao Wu held up three fingers.
Zhu Zhuqing's expression changed.
It wasn't that she didn't believe them. The way the punch at ninety percent had felt when it hit Xiao Wu couldn't lie.
"Where's the shop?"
"West Street by the school gate."
Zhu Zhuqing stood up. "Is it still open? I'll go right now."
"At this hour, the school gates are already closed. The shop's open from nine in the morning until six in the evening. I'll take you tomorrow," Xiao Wu said.
Zhu Zhuqing didn't answer, but her lips pressed into a thin line. The light in her eyes had changed completely.
Bai Chenxiang slowly stood up too, both hands gripping the hem of her jacket tightly.
"I'll go too."
"Great!" Xiao Wu clapped her hands. "Tomorrow at nine in the morning, all four of us will go together!"
"But," Ning Rongrong cut in suddenly, "there's one thing you have to remember."
Zhu Zhuqing and Bai Chenxiang both looked at her.
"The Confidentiality Agreement says we can't reveal any information to any men. Not directly, not indirectly, not in any way. If we violate it, all the rewards will be taken back, and our Soul Power will drop to level 1."
Bai Chenxiang shuddered.
Zhu Zhuqing nodded. "I won't tell anyone."
The four of them came to an agreement. The desk lamp went out, and darkness filled the room.
They each lay down in their own beds, but none of them fell asleep right away.
Zhu Zhuqing lay staring at the ceiling, Dai Mubai's arrogant face filling her thoughts.
Level 62, six levels below him. She couldn't beat him.
If that shop really worked the way Xiao Wu said, all she needed was a little luck to grow stronger quickly.
Then the next time she faced Dai Mubai, she wouldn't have to hold back anymore.
Zhu Zhuqing rolled over, pulled the covers up to her chin, and closed her eyes.
Tomorrow morning at nine.