Dog Bites Dog, Though Cliché, Is So Satisfying!

Su Mo looked down at him.

He didn't speak.

Zhang Fugui felt even more panicked, and the frequency of his kowtowing doubled instantly: "Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud—"

The guards nearby watched their brother's display, wanting to laugh but not daring to, their faces turning purple from holding it in.

Zhang Guiren also offered a fawning smile, bowing and scraping as he turned to Su Mo: "Mr. Su Mo, look at this... I have already disciplined this good-for-nothing."

As he spoke, he kicked Zhang Fugui again: "Get lost! Don't be an eyesore to Mr. Su Mo!"

Zhang Fugui acted as if he had been granted amnesty, scrambling up to run away.

"Wait."

A voice rang out, indifferent.

It wasn't Su Mo.

It was Su Yuntao.

He stood where he was, hands behind his back, the Spirit Hall deacon's uniform he wore shimmering slightly in the sunlight. He looked completely composed, as if that remark had been nothing more than a casual comment.

Zhang Guiren's smile froze on his face.

Zhang Fugui's legs also stiffened in mid-air, unsure whether to put them down or keep running.

Su Yuntao's gaze swept over Zhang Fugui and landed on Zhang Guiren, his tone as calm as if he were discussing the pleasant weather:

"Steward Zhang, just now I seemed to hear your cousin say that this job as a college guard was arranged for him by you, using your connections and favors?"

The smile on Zhang Guiren's face solidified completely.

"And something about... half of the kickbacks he raked in being offered to you as a tribute?"

Zhang Guiren's smile shattered.

With a "clatter," it fell to the ground, beyond repair.

Su Yuntao continued, his tone remaining calm: "Spirit Hall has always been on good terms with your esteemed college, so I shouldn't interfere. But since I've run into this today, if I were to pretend I didn't see it, it would make it seem as though the people of Spirit Hall don't follow the rules."

He paused, smiling slightly:

"How about this: another day, I will personally bring people to your college to conduct an inspection. We'll see if there are any other instances of 'abusing power for personal gain' or 'exploiting students.' Steward Zhang, what do you think?"

Zhang Guiren's face turned deathly pale.

An inspection?

An inspection by Spirit Hall?

Wouldn't that dig up every bit of dirty business he'd been involved in over the years?

He opened his mouth to say something, but found his throat felt as if it were stuffed with cotton; not a single word could squeeze out.

Zhang Ergou, watching his cousin's expression from the side, felt his heart sink.

This wasn't right.

His cousin's expression wasn't one of someone planning to protect him; it was—

"Cousin!" Zhang Ergou lunged forward, grabbing Zhang Guiren's sleeve, his voice thick with tears. "Cousin, you have to save me! I'm your own cousin! Say something!"

Zhang Guiren violently shook off his hand, forcing an ugly smile onto his face as he turned to Su Yuntao: "D-Deacon Su, you've misunderstood! This man has nothing to do with me! He's just a temp, this is the first time I've seen him today! I am completely unaware of the things he's done!"

Zhang Ergou froze.

He stared at Zhang Guiren with wide eyes, unable to believe what he had just heard.

"Cousin... what did you say?"

Zhang Guiren didn't look at him, continuing to fawn over Su Yuntao: "Rest assured, I will fire him right now! Our college will never tolerate such a black sheep!"

Zhang Fugui, watching his cousin's behavior from the side, finally felt the string in his brain snap.

"Cousin! Didn't you say you used your connections to get me this position?!" He grew desperate, lunging forward to grab Zhang Guiren's sleeve. "You also said I had to give you half of the kickbacks I made! I gave you fifteen silver soul coins as tribute this month alone! You said once I saved enough, you'd promote me to team leader!"

Zhang Guiren's face turned from white to green, then from green to purple.

"Shut your mouth!"

"Why should I shut my mouth?!" Zhang Fugui had completely given up on holding back. "What are you pretending for at a time like this?! If you don't save me, I'll spill everything you've done! You think I don't know about those dirty dealings with the logistics procurement? How many kickbacks have you taken? You..."

"I told you to shut up!"

Zhang Guiren slapped him, and the two began to brawl right there.

One cursed "you ungrateful wretch," while the other shouted "you black-hearted devil."

The guards nearby looked at each other, unsure whether to break up the fight or run for their lives.

Su Mo watched the scene, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.

Dogs biting dogs.

Truly, dogs biting dogs.

A mess of fur everywhere.

Su Yuntao didn't even glance at them, turning instead toward Su Mo, his demeanor reverting to that of a respectful junior:

"Sir, please."

Su Mo nodded.

He looked down at himself—his two-meter-twenty frame, corded with bulging muscles, his clothes long since shredded, leaving only a few strips of fabric clinging to his body.

"About that..." He felt a rare moment of awkwardness, "Could I trouble you for some clothes first?"

Su Yuntao was stunned for a moment before chuckling: "It was this student's oversight. Steward Zhang—"

He called out, and Zhang Guiren and Zhang Fugui, who were currently brawling, froze mid-tussle, maintaining their hair-pulling posture as they looked over.

"Go fetch a suitable garment."

Zhang Guiren looked as if he had been granted a pardon; he took off running, his speed belying his middle age.

Before long, he returned clutching a wide robe, handing it to Su Mo with both hands while bowing and scraping: "Mr. Su Mo, this is the largest spare uniform in the academy. Would you like to see if it fits?"

Su Mo took it and draped it over his shoulders.

It was alright; it barely covered him.

He rolled his shoulders and turned to look behind him.

Old Jack stood there, his mouth agape wide enough to fit an egg, his entire body frozen as if struck by a paralysis spell.

Tang San stood beside him, his eyes shining like two little lanterns, his face practically plastered with the words, "My master is truly awesome."

Big Black Ox strolled over slowly and looked up at Su Mo.

"Moo." (Not bad, didn't lose face for the ox.)

Su Mo: "..."

You're an ox, what face do you have to lose?

He took a deep breath and walked toward the academy gate.

As he passed Zhang Fugui, the man curled into a ball, wishing he could bury himself in the dirt.

Su Mo paused his steps.

He looked down at the guy who had been so arrogant just moments ago, calling him a "poor wretch" and a "useless mother."

Zhang Fugui trembled all over, not daring to lift his head.

Su Mo suddenly smiled.

It wasn't a cold sneer or a mocking laugh, but the smile of someone who had finally "understood."

He remembered his past life, that summer when he couldn't even land a job as a security guard.

A world where those with connections rose to the top, and those without a background were discarded.

Now, this world was the same.

But the difference was—

He was the one with the background now.

Even if that background was something Su Yuntao had imagined for him.

But who cared?

It felt good, and that was enough.

Su Mo withdrew his gaze and stepped over the threshold.

Behind him, Tang San and Big Black Ox followed.

Old Jack stood stunned for a long time before hurriedly driving the carriage inside.

Su Yuntao took one last look at Zhang Guiren and Zhang Fugui, who were still brawling, shook his head, and followed them in.

The sunlight was perfect.

The gates of Notting Academy slowly closed behind them.

From inside the gates came Tang San's excited voice: "Master! You were so cool just now! You sent that guard flying with a single punch! And Deacon Su even bowed to you! You have no idea how excited I was at that moment..."

Su Mo: "Shut up."

Tang San: "Yes, Master. Master, are you thirsty? I brought water. Master, are you hungry? I brought dry rations. Master, are you..."

Su Mo: "..."

He suddenly missed the cunning, devious Tang San who would constantly mutter about "having a path to death."

At least that Tang San talked less.

Big Black Ox let out a leisurely "Moo" from the side.

(You'll get used to it.)

Su Mo sighed.

He looked up at the sky over Notting Academy.

Blue skies, white clouds, and bright, beautiful sunshine.

He looked around at the teaching buildings, the playground, and the students coming and going.

The plot might be cliché.

But—

It felt damn good!

"Can someone tell me what happened here?"

"This isn't how it was in my past-life memories!"

By the time Yu Xiaogang arrived at the academy gates, the battle had been over for a long time.

He stood at the entrance, gazing at the scene before him, lost in deep thought.