My Sweat Is Redder Than Your Blood!

"You little bastards, get the hell out!"

Old Master Yue's voice was aged but still rang with force.

"Old man, do you know who's behind me? The Gao Family! You can't afford to cross them!" Scarface tried to sound tough, but his bluster couldn't hide his fear.

"Get out, or I'll shoot you!"

"Hiss..."

Scarface sucked in a breath. His legs went weak, and sweat poured down his back.

He was a desperate man who lived by the blade, but he'd never faced someone with a gun!

And the man holding it was an old geezer with one foot in the grave!

"Sir, p-please don't let your hand slip. I'll leave, all right?"

Terrified, Scarface turned and fled with his tail between his legs.

The other thugs and the bulldozer driver scattered too, scrambling away as fast as they could.

"Hahaha!"

Old Master Yue let out a hearty laugh. "Back in my day, I'd have used a cannon to blow those little bastards to bits!"

"Grandpa, where did you get that thing?"

Yue Xiaofei rushed over to support him, unable to keep from asking.

"Xiaofei, you're grown up now. It's time I told you a few things!"

Old Master Yue turned and went inside.

A little while later, he pulled a dusty wooden box from a hidden compartment beneath the bed.

"What's this?"

Curious, Yue Xiaofei opened the box.

Click!

Inside lay more than a dozen medals, each gleaming gold.

They represented extraordinary feats of service—and the highest honor!

"How is that possible?!"

"Even an old war hero couldn't have earned this many medals!"

Yue Xiaofei's pupils contracted. His whole body trembled as shock surged through him.

There was a saying among the people—

You received Third-Class Merit standing up!

You received Second-Class Merit lying down!

Your family received First-Class Merit!

That was no exaggeration.

Yue Xiaofei had long suspected that his grandfather hadn't been an ordinary soldier.

But even a war hero would be lucky to earn one First-Class Merit medal.

There were more than a dozen in this box. That was absurd!

Could these medals belong to my father?

Another thought flashed through Yue Xiaofei's mind.

He barely remembered his father. They had spent little time together while he was growing up.

The last news he'd heard of his father, Yue Changlong, had come five years ago, when someone told him Yue Changlong had been imprisoned.

Since then, there had been no word of him.

But if his father really was a great hero, how had their family ended up like this?

Thud!

Grandpa dragged a long wooden plaque out from under the bed. Four large, gold-embossed characters were written on it—

[Pillar of the Country]!

All four corners had been worn smooth and shiny. It had clearly been around for years.

Finally, Grandpa took a yellowed photograph from inside his coat.

It showed two soldiers posing together.

"Xiaofei, your dad left this photo too!"

"That's your dad, Yue Changlong, on the left. On the right is his closest comrade, Zhao Mengsheng!"

There was a note of nostalgia in Grandpa's voice.

Yue Xiaofei leaned in for a closer look.

Zhao Mengsheng had sharp brows and bright eyes. He looked refined, yet his face carried an air of nobility that marked him as someone important.

Beside him, Yue Changlong wore full military dress and cut a gallant, commanding figure. He even outshone Zhao Mengsheng!

"Xiaofei, look at the back," Grandpa prompted.

Yue Xiaofei turned the photo over.

A line of bold, forceful handwriting covered the back.

[My son Xiaofei, if you ever need help, go to your Uncle Zhao Mengsheng. He's Dad's best friend!]

A phone number was written below it, but the final digit had faded with age and was difficult to make out.

"Xiaofei... Grandpa's old now. I can't do much to help you. This is all I can give you," Old Master Yue said slowly.

Holding the photo, Yue Xiaofei—who had been a special forces War King in his previous life—realized at once—

What kind of medals am I holding?

These things are practically nuclear weapons!

Used properly, they could shake not just Jiangcheng but the entire province!

"Heh."

Gao Zisheng, your father may be a billionaire who can throw his weight around here... but so what?

The sweat I shed is redder than your blood!

Yue Xiaofei's heart surged.

With a background this powerful, who needs a system?

"Ring, ring!"

His phone suddenly rang.

It was a Dami phone worth only two hundred yuan, but its ringtone was deafening.

"This is Principal Li! Yue Xiaofei, come to school immediately!"

Principal Li's tone was forceful, an order that allowed no argument.

"What for?" Yue Xiaofei asked coldly.

"Someone reported that you cheated and improperly obtained the top scholar title! After an investigation by the school and the Education Bureau, we've decided to invalidate your results!"

Principal Li's words came as a bombshell.

"Cheated? Impossible!"

Yue Xiaofei denied it at once. "I earned my results fair and square. Besides, there are cameras in every exam room! You can't invalidate them just because someone filed a report!"

"Hmph. You don't get to decide whether you cheated!"

Principal Li lowered his voice and warned him, "Student Yue, I suggest you take the hint! The Gao Family has already spoken to us. If you give up the Top Scholar Slot to Gao Zisheng, I can offer you a chance to repeat the year for free!"

"You ought to be grateful! Otherwise, you'll go to prison for cheating. Who'll take care of that fool grandfather of yours then?"

Damn it!

Yue Xiaofei burned with anger. His fists clenched until his knuckles cracked.

The Gao Family was obviously behind this!

Principal Li had been bought off too. They were all in it together.

"You're abusing your authority! I'll take this to the city authorities!"

Yue Xiaofei refused to accept it.

"Complain?"

Principal Li sneered. "Student Yue, you're too naive! The Gao Family calls the shots in Jiangcheng. Even a coin falling from the sky would belong to them!"

"Then I'll take it to the province—to Longdu! I refuse to believe there's no justice in this country. I'll get what's rightfully mine!!!"

Yue Xiaofei's voice was firm. He refused to back down.

"You're asking for it!"

Seeing that Yue Xiaofei wouldn't yield, Principal Li's voice turned vicious. "You were lucky to survive that fall from the rooftop. You might not be so lucky next time!"

What?!

Yue Xiaofei was taken aback.

Principal Li knows about the rooftop?

Fine. Just fine!

Since that balding old bastard wants to be the Gao Family's lackey, I'll settle accounts with him too when the time comes!

"Principal Li, I earned my results fair and square! I'm not afraid of the Gao Family. If Gao Zisheng wants to be top scholar, he can try again two lifetimes from now!" Yue Xiaofei replied through gritted teeth.

"An orphan with no parents dares to defy us? Listen closely—the officers are already on their way to your house. Once they lock you up, you'll learn to behave!"

Principal Li hung up viciously.

But his threat only stoked Yue Xiaofei's anger.

Hmph!

The Gao Family thinks it can do whatever it wants? Steal my top scholar title and throw me in prison?

Fine. Then I'll follow the Monkey King's example!

Wreak havoc in the Heavenly Palace!

Shatter Lingxiao beneath my feet!

Give my defiance free rein!

And punch a hole through the sky over Jiangcheng!

Yue Xiaofei lowered his head and looked at the box of medals and the heavy plaque.

If he wanted to turn things around, there seemed to be only one way.

Carry the plaque in and file a complaint?

Not a chance in hell—

I'll do it!

I'm going!