Zhou Yuhu strode toward Shi Feng, brimming with hostility and intent on teaching him a good lesson.
He'd always had other people deal with Shi Feng before, but Shi Feng just wouldn't learn. Today, he was going to make sure the lesson sank deep into his bones.
Everyone present could already see how things would end for Shi Feng.
In a society where everyone exercised, it was perfectly normal for students to spar with one another. Getting hurt was normal too. As long as things didn't go too far, there wouldn't be any trouble.
But judging by Zhou Yuhu's attitude, Shi Feng would be laid up in the hospital for at least a month. He'd have to stand on the stage in a cast to receive his diploma.
"Hold on, Zhou Yuhu! This is our class. What gives you, an outsider, the right to bully one of us?" Zhao Ruoxi's delicate figure suddenly stepped in front of Shi Feng. She wasn't intimidated by Zhou Yuhu's menacing presence in the slightest. Instead, she scolded him.
Zhao Ruoxi's actions left everyone stunned. Normally, she was quiet and graceful, and seemed rather fragile. No one had expected her to stand up for the class's deadweight, much less challenge Zhou Yuhu. She was far stronger inside than she looked.
"Ruoxi, don't make trouble. Brother Hu just wants to give Shi Feng some pointers. It's a blessing for him. People are always picking on Shi Feng, so with Brother Hu's guidance, maybe he'll grow and learn how to behave." Lin Feilong smiled as he explained. Zhao Ruoxi's pretty face and alluring curves had long made him think of her as his possession. He hadn't expected her to stand up for Shi Feng, and his anger toward him flared even hotter.
But he couldn't show it, so he simply took Zhao Ruoxi's fair hand and tried to pull her away, not wanting her to get in the way.
"Lin Feilong, you're the pride of our class. When you see someone from another class bullying one of us, are you just going to stand there and watch?" Zhao Ruoxi shook off Lin Feilong's hand and glared at him angrily. She'd thought Lin Feilong was a decent person, and his excellent performance at the fighting tournament had made him seem like a good choice. She hadn't expected him to be such a hypocrite.
"Ruoxi, how can you say that about me? You've got me all wrong. Shi Feng brought this on himself by not knowing how to behave. You can't blame me. Brother Hu is teaching him how to act, and that'll do him good once he enters society." Lin Feilong spoke righteously, as if everything he was doing was for Shi Feng's own good.
"You!" Zhao Ruoxi was so angry with Lin Feilong that she quickly turned to Shi Feng. "Hurry and leave. I'll hold him off."
This girl's got spirit. She's got quite a temper. I like it. Zhou Yuhu looked Zhao Ruoxi up and down, liking what he saw. A lecherous grin spread across his face, and he reached for her cheek, having all but forgotten about Shi Feng.
But before his grubby hand could touch Zhao Ruoxi, another hand suddenly slapped it away.
"Since you want to spar, Zhou Yuhu, I'll take you on. But a spar by itself is pretty boring. Why don't we put something on the line?" Shi Feng stepped forward, took Zhao Ruoxi by the arm, and pulled her aside. He looked at Zhou Yuhu with a calm smile.
Zhao Ruoxi hadn't reacted at all. Only after Shi Feng had pulled her behind him did she stare at the unassuming young man in shock.
Since when did Shi Feng become so manly?
Still, she thought he was being foolish. How could he agree to spar with Zhou Yuhu? Wasn't he just giving Zhou Yuhu a better excuse to beat him up?
Zhou Yuhu rubbed the back of his hand, which had been slapped red, and glared at Shi Feng in a fury. Then he noticed how calm and composed Shi Feng seemed. He was nothing like the old Shi Feng, who would get worked up and threaten to fight at the slightest provocation. It was as if he'd become a different person. He wasn't agitated at all—in fact, he was smiling.
Did he get hit in the head too hard?
Seeing Shi Feng dare to touch Zhao Ruoxi made Lin Feilong furious. He wanted to attack him right then and there, but held back, planning to deal with Shi Feng properly later.
"You've got some nerve challenging me, kid. This is interesting. I'll put up 1,000 Credit Points. If you win, they're yours. If you lose, you'll kneel and apologize to me, and pay me 1,000 Credit Points in compensation. What do you say? Are you brave enough to accept?" Zhou Yuhu was so furious that he laughed. He hadn't expected Shi Feng to be crazy enough to provoke him.
"You're really going to offer such a measly stake?" Shi Feng shook his head in disdain.
"Your guts have gotten bigger since the last time I saw you. What do you want to put up?" Zhou Yuhu was so amused he nearly laughed. He knew what Shi Feng's family was like. The kid couldn't even afford 1,000 Credit Points, yet he dared to raise the stakes. Was he in a hurry to get himself killed? He really must have gotten his brain caught in a door.
"You won the membership card for the Beidou Fitness Center at the School Fighting Tournament, didn't you? Put that up. If I lose, I'll pay you 10,000 Credit Points in a month. Unless you're afraid?" Shi Feng taunted him. In his previous life, Zhou Yuhu had bragged about the card in front of the others. It would be perfect for getting in shape. The Beidou Fitness Center was famous in Jinhai City. It had an elegant environment and a full range of exercise equipment, but ordinary people weren't allowed in. Even VIP memberships were hard to get, and one card was worth around 8,000 or 9,000 Credit Points.
"Even if I put up the card, I still doubt a poor loser like you has that much money. I'm not taking your word for it," Zhou Yuhu sneered.
Just as Zhou Yuhu said, Shi Feng didn't have a single Credit Point to his name, let alone 10,000. That was why he'd said he'd pay in a month. But Zhou Yuhu clearly wasn't buying it and was mocking him instead. It looked like the deal was going nowhere.
"Shi Feng, I know your situation. You're so broke you can't even afford a decent meal, yet you're pretending to be rich." Qin Shuyu shot Shi Feng a contemptuous glance.
"I'll put up the 10,000 Credit Points," Zhao Ruoxi suddenly said.
Seeing Zhao Ruoxi step forward once again made Lin Feilong's eyes redden. He wanted to kill Shi Feng right then and there.
Shi Feng was also taken aback, and looked at Zhao Ruoxi in surprise. He didn't understand where she'd gotten so much money. Still, he didn't know much about her family's finances; he only knew that she wasn't badly off. But Zhao Ruoxi trusted him enough to bet her money on him. They weren't even that close, were they? He couldn't make sense of it.
Zhao Ruoxi glanced at Shi Feng and realized why he was surprised. So he wouldn't misunderstand, she quietly explained, "I can't stand Zhou Yuhu's arrogance, so I'm lending you the money. You can lose the match, but don't lose your spirit. I believe in you."
"Thanks. I'll pay you back double, for sure," Shi Feng said gratefully.
That money was important. Zhou Yuhu would definitely accept the bet now, and once Shi Feng got the membership card, he'd be able to train properly.
The sooner he started training, the better it would be for his body in the long run. Zhao Ruoxi had helped him enormously. Once he earned money in God's Domain, he'd pay her back an extra 10,000. Even that didn't feel like enough.
But Zhao Ruoxi clearly didn't take Shi Feng's words seriously. She just smiled and nodded, not believing he'd be able to repay her, much less double the amount.
"Hahaha, this is interesting. Let's go to the Fighting Arena and draw up a contract." Zhou Yuhu licked his lips, even more interested in Zhao Ruoxi now. His luck in God's Domain might have been bad today, but his luck in real life was great. Not only had he found a pretty girl, but he'd also get to teach Shi Feng a lesson and pocket 10,000 Credit Points. As the saying went, a setback could turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
The group then headed to the school's Fighting Arena. Under the Mainframe's surveillance, they signed a contract. Any contract recognized by the Mainframe would also be recognized by the law.
There was also a referee at the Fighting Arena to witness the match. Referees were usually teachers who taught combat at the school. They were skilled fighters and could intervene in time to prevent anyone from getting seriously injured.
The students in the class stood beneath the ring, laughing at Shi Feng for being an idiot. Wouldn't it have been better to stay unnoticed like usual? Now he'd gone crazy—not only picking a fight with Lin Feilong, but also provoking the even more terrifying Zhou Yuhu. His days were probably numbered.
Watching Shi Feng stand calmly and composedly on the ring, Qin Shuyu felt that he was completely different from before. He gave her an inexplicable sense of security. She even thought the slender Shi Feng seemed taller. Then she shook her head and mocked him. "A weakling who's never even learned a fighting technique can't possibly be strong. And now he dares to challenge Brother Hu? He really doesn't know when to quit."