Strange Noises at the Orphanage

"Ji Boxiao... lost? How... is that possible?"

Li Yanan could not believe this reality, but the facts were right before her eyes, leaving her no choice but to believe it.

Li Zhihao from the back row walked forward with a livid expression and said beside Li Yanan, "I thought he was something special, acting all high and mighty."

"Heh~~ Still better than trash like you!"

"How dare you talk to your brother like that!"

"Brother? Does trash like you deserve the title? Don't forget, the Ji Clan is still around. If you weren't such trash, would I have to let those old geezers manipulate me? I want to..." Li Yanan's emotions nearly broke loose for a moment, but she quickly realized this was not the right setting and hurriedly stopped.

But Class One, not far away, had already erupted.

First, Lin Pangpang howled and cheered, then Qin Ming took the lead in shouting, "Long live the class monitor!"

Qin Ming's voice was especially loud today, as if he were deliberately shouting for certain people to hear.

Yesterday, he had followed Su Wuming's advice and gone to the Li family to call off the engagement himself. Everything had gone smoothly at first, but before he could even say, "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river; do not look down on the poor youth," Ji Boxiao happened to appear and humiliate him mercilessly. It had been unbearably awkward.

With the Ji Clan as it was now, the Qin Family would not catch up even in thirty years...

Seeing Ji Boxiao in such a miserable state now, Qin Ming felt incredibly satisfied, as if he had personally defeated him.

When Ji Boxiao finally spun down from the sky and hit the ground, Qin Ming suddenly felt enlightened. The depression brought on by Su Wuming's earlier blow, along with all the effects of calling off the engagement, were swept away in an instant.

Likewise, Su Wuming was overjoyed. He had already pulled his Beast Card from his torn shirt pocket and called out to Instructor Second Chrysanthemum:

"Cash or card?"

Ji Boxiao was still unconscious and awaiting treatment, so naturally, Su Wuming had to collect the wager from the witness.

The principal stood there watching the scene, unsure whether to laugh or cry.

It was understandable. The kid was an orphan with no one to rely on, so it was only natural for him to care about such things.

At Su Wuming's shout, Instructor Second Chrysanthemum's face immediately darkened.

What, did he think she could not afford a few Beast Crystals? This was a school, and he was a student. Could he at least have some shame? If word got out, people would think she had encouraged students to gamble.

Of course, this debt could not be avoided. The Ji Clan would not dare to renege on a bet she had witnessed.

At the same time, Instructor Mo Lan followed suit, beckoning Rose over and moving her lips to utter two words: "Settle up~"

Instructor Rose and Second Chrysanthemum both darkened their faces...

The principal stepped forward to smooth things over, unwilling to let the instructors' behavior affect the students.

Just as he was about to speak, Su Wuming abruptly toppled headfirst off the side of the arena. With a smack, his face hit the ground first, and then he stopped moving.

"Su Wuming?" the principal called out with concern.

Instructor Mo Lan directly released her psychic power to inspect him. The students of Class One immediately gathered around, all staring at Mo Lan as they waited for her explanation.

"He's fine. He's just severely exhausted both mentally and physically. A good sleep will do."

"Oh~ That's good, that's good. Young people sure can sleep anywhere the moment they lie down."

The principal made a timely joke to ease the atmosphere.

Just as Lin Pangpang and Qin Ming crouched down and reached out to carry Su Wuming back, Su Wuming suddenly sat bolt upright like a corpse rising from the dead.

With one hand stretched forward, holding that Beast Card, he unconsciously said:

"Cash or card?"

After saying that, he lay back down again. Lin Pangpang and Qin Ming were completely dumbfounded, their hands frozen in midair as they had no idea what to do.

"Should we wait a little longer? I feel like he might say it one more time," Lin Pangpang said uncertainly to Qin Ming.

Instructor Second Chrysanthemum's face became even darker.

Even Instructor Mo Lan could not help letting out a soft laugh. It was a rare sight. That smile gave people the feeling of a spring breeze, even making Rose, whose beauty rivaled hers, seem slightly inferior.

In the end, Su Wuming did not sit up like a resurrected corpse again. He was carried back and sent straight to the rental apartment.

As for mental exhaustion, Dry City currently had no Food-Type Spirit Martial Practitioner capable of treating it.

They were simply too rare. Those who could do it had to be high-level Food-Type practitioners.

Naturally, a small place like Dry City would not have one.

Fortunately, Lin Pangpang's Blood Vitality Infusion replenished Su Wuming's physical expenditure. At least he could sleep more comfortably, and his mental strength would recover faster as well.

This opening of the Opening Gate had consumed far more than last night and left him far more overdrawn, especially Front Lotus.

Normally, he would have to advance to Bronze before he could fully master it. Fortunately, with the boost from his Rubber Constitution, he had managed to use it successfully.

When Su Wuming woke again, it was already ten at night. Lin Pangpang had long since returned and was making Blood Vitality chicken legs for Su Wuming.

Just as he was using his ability, Su Wuming's head suddenly poked out. Lin Pangpang's first reaction was to hurl a chicken leg straight at his head.

It scared the hell out of him. Especially in the middle of the night, after experiencing the Snow Demon attack last night, Lin Pangpang's nerves had been taut the entire time.

Su Wuming's move truly startled him, but in the end, the chicken leg did not hit Su Wuming in the face—it landed in his mouth.

The sight gave Lin Pangpang goosebumps.

Wait... this...

Did that count as feeding him?

"Um... ahem... Wuming, next time, could you come out with your whole body? You always just stick your head out like that. It's really easy to scare someone to death."

"It's fine. You'll get used to being scared. It builds courage."

"Why, thank you so much~" Lin Pangpang said speechlessly. After buffing the last chicken leg, he tossed it onto the table and prepared to go to sleep.

But just as he stood up, he suddenly remembered something and sat back down.

"Damn! I almost forgot. Hurry up and eat. Once you're done, come with me to the orphanage."

"What happened?" Su Wuming swallowed the chicken leg, pulled his head back, and walked out of the bedroom.

"The orphanage director called today. One of the kids has recently been hearing digging sounds underground while sleeping. At first, they called the police, but the police took a look around, said there was nothing wrong, and left."

"Could the kid have heard it wrong?" Su Wuming replied instinctively.

"That was what everyone thought at first, and that was what the police said too. But later, the kid woke the director in the middle of the night and brought him to his room. The director heard it too, but it wasn't digging—it was footsteps."

"Wait, when did the director hear it?"

"Last night."

"Damn it! Shouldn't they have contacted the Monster Hunters' Office about this?"

"They called, but the other side could not be bothered and brushed them off. You know how it is—no one really cares about a place like an orphanage." As Lin Pangpang said this, his face carried a trace of indignation.

"Let's go now. This is too much of a coincidence." Su Wuming suddenly realized something. He stuffed all five chicken legs on the table into his mouth at once, put the rest into the System Space, rose to his feet, and headed outside.

"Wait, put on some clothes first." Lin Pangpang reminded him. Su Wuming had burst his shirt apart during the day, and he was still bare-chested now.