That sunlit day, the lawn at East Guard Academy, the voice that had reached his ears from behind. It was that very voice that had cleared up his confusion about making One-Star Illusion Cards. Although the mysterious card explained that particular point in greater depth and detail, Chen Mu still remembered this voice with perfect clarity.
His gaze abruptly swung in that direction.
The group around Alagon stood up one after another with swaggering airs, eyeing Man Siying with ill intent.
At that, the classroom, which had already lost half its occupants, was left with only a scattered few.
Just then, someone beside Alagon noticed Zuo Tingyi and Hong Tao in the back row. His expression changed drastically, and he hurriedly tugged at Alagon.
Alagon noticed Zuo Tingyi too, and his expression also changed. He had heard of Zuo Tingyi's fearsome reputation as soon as he entered the academy, so he had always avoided clashing with him. He had never expected to run into him after all.
Snap! A book closed with a sharp, resounding sound.
Zuo Tingyi stood, his face expressionless. "I'm Zuo Tingyi of the Discipline Office. Your conduct has violated articles seventeen, forty-nine, and one hundred forty-two of the School Rules and Regulations, as well as articles one, nine, and thirty-two of the East Guard Academy Interim Management Regulations issued three days ago. These are serious offenses. Please come with me to the Discipline Office."
Everyone's expression changed at once. Zuo Tingyi's fearsome reputation was known throughout East Guard Academy.
Alagon looked rather grim, but intimidated by Zuo Tingyi's reputation, he remained polite. "Brother Zuo, isn't that a little exaggerated? We're bound to keep running into each other. Surely there's no need to be so serious?"
Zuo Tingyi ignored him, his face still expressionless. "Enough nonsense. Come with me to the Discipline Office."
Beside Chen Mu, Lei Zi tugged at his clothes and gave him a meaningful look, signaling that they should leave. Both had seen plenty of scenes like this and naturally knew that protecting their own hides was the safest course at a time like this. Besides, there was no reason for them to wade into these muddy waters. As far as Lei Zi was concerned, neither side was likely to be any good.
Chen Mu remained motionless, like a block of wood, which startled Lei Zi. What had gotten into this fellow today? As far as he knew, Chen Mu was certainly no champion of chivalry. In Lei Zi's view, anyone who still brimmed with chivalrous spirit after spending years living the way they had in childhood was either a fool or an ambitious schemer. Neither he nor Chen Mu was either. Yet Chen Mu's uncharacteristic behavior today left Lei Zi baffled. Still, since Chen Mu would not move, Lei Zi would naturally stand or fall with him. That required no thought at all. Either of them would have done the same.
Alagon's expression turned truly ugly. He had never imagined Zuo Tingyi would refuse to give him even this much face. Moreover, Zuo Tingyi was clearly targeting him. Accustomed to throwing his weight around at school, Alagon had already shown Zuo Tingyi considerable respect by yielding this far.
"So, fellow student Zuo, you're refusing to give me any face?" Alagon's expression turned cold, and his tone grew menacing. Almost before he finished speaking, the lackeys gathered around him rose to their feet, their expressions hostile.
"Well, well. Seems there are still bold souls these days who aren't afraid to die. Heh." Hong Tao rose leisurely, his teasing tone dripping with sarcasm. His left hand brushed his right wrist's Wrist Device with apparent nonchalance. Then he made sure to poke fun at Zuo Tingyi. "Say, Tingyi, he isn't giving you the time of day. Have you really become such a failure?"
Hong Tao was also a well-known figure at the academy. Of course, his reputation could not compare with that of a freak like Zuo Tingyi, and his fame came from his strength. As the leading figure in East Guard Academy's Card Adept Department, his strength was unfathomable. Rumor had it that he could already stand shoulder to shoulder with some Professional Card Adepts.
Now it seemed the rumors were indeed true.
A Card Adept beside Alagon noticed the position of Hong Tao's left hand. His expression shifted slightly, then grew grave. The man was at least thirty and clearly no student. Most likely, Alagon's father knew perfectly well how easily his precious son stirred up trouble outside, so he had assigned a capable bodyguard to protect him. Such arrangements were commonplace around wealthy young masters and young ladies, and the academy generally kept silent about them.
Hong Tao regarded the Card Adept with a half-smile. Between the fingers of his left hand, two tiny, fiery-red dragons swam merrily about. Each was only as thick as a thumb, with every scale clearly visible.
The Card Adept was plainly wary of those two little dragons, looking as though he faced a formidable enemy. Seven fluorescent-green points of light rose beside him, hovering like seven fireflies.
This was Chen Mu's first time truly witnessing a battle between Card Adepts, and he was intensely curious. The little dragons on Hong Tao's hand were probably miniature versions of the Flame Dragon he himself had made. As for the fluorescent-green lights beside the other Card Adept, there were only seven, nowhere near the blind man in the advertisement, who could summon a whole shower of multicolored meteors with a wave of his hand.
Suddenly, Hong Tao's eyes flashed. He curled the index finger of his left hand and flicked it, sending one little dragon shooting out like lightning.
So fast! Chen Mu's heart jolted as he watched. Practicing the Body-Strengthening Exercise had made his reactions much faster than before, but faced with that speed, he knew he could never dodge it.
The other Card Adept was no weakling either. Three points of light shot toward the little dragon, trailing long tails through the air and leaving three dazzling streaks across Chen Mu's vision.
Crack! An exceptionally sharp blast suddenly stabbed everyone's ears with pain. Where the two attacks collided, the annihilating energy released a powerful shock wave.
Chen Mu felt as though someone had shoved him, and he nearly lost his footing. The others in the classroom fared even worse, staggering every which way.
Neither combatant seemed inclined to continue, however, and the situation settled back into a standoff.
Watching this battle he did not understand, Chen Mu's eyes flashed with a trace of envy.
Quite apart from the standoff between the two men, Chen Mu and Lei Zi stood out glaringly in the nearly empty classroom.
"You two friends seem rather unfamiliar. May I ask which department you experts belong to?" Alagon suddenly turned toward Chen Mu and Lei Zi with a smile. Although he had no idea how capable these two fellows were, one fewer enemy at a time like this meant a better chance of winning.
Chen Mu said nothing, as though he had not heard him. Lei Zi kept his mouth firmly shut as well.
The smile immediately vanished from Alagon's face. Now he was truly furious. If Zuo Tingyi and Hong Tao refused to acknowledge him, he could accept that as perfectly normal. It was no great matter; their fearsome reputations spoke for themselves. But these two fellows, whose clothes alone showed that their families had no influence, actually dared to play the hero in front of him. How could he not be enraged?
He gave two of his underlings beside him a meaningful look.
(End of chapter)