[Little Iron Hammer: ...How is that the same?! I'm the trump card! The trump card comes out last, don't you understand?! If they use up all their shock now, won't my entrance lose its impact?!]
[Little Blue: Oh.]
[Little Iron Hammer: What do you mean, "oh"?! Are you being sarcastic again?!]
[Little Blue: No, I was just thinking how amazing Master is. He can frighten a Soul Douluo without even playing his trump card.]
[Little Iron Hammer discovered that she was actually starting to lose an argument to this lousy grass!]
Bai Baoshan opened his mouth and asked hoarsely:
"...Say that again. What level?"
"Level thirty-five," Qin Ming repeated. "I confirmed it with my own eyes. There's no mistake."
Bai Baoshan fell silent.
He looked down at the tea in his cup, already cold, and the scene from half a month ago rose unbidden in his mind.
He had been reviewing official documents in his study that day when a servant brought him a letter.
He opened it to find that it came from Old Man Zhang, an old classmate he hadn't heard from in years.
The letter was short and scrawled in sloppy handwriting-just like that old fellow.
It began with a few pleasantries asking after his health and the academy, then got straight to the point.
Three students were going to Heaven Dou City, he said, and he hoped his old classmate could give them a chance at an interview.
What had he thought at the time?
Oh, right. He had thought: Old Man Zhang had spent his whole life without changing a bit. Honest and softhearted, he was willing to lend anyone a hand.
They were probably children from some poor family who wanted to see the imperial capital. Old Zhang hadn't had the heart to refuse,