The veterans' camp

Compared to his somewhat stern manner at school, Liu Qingfeng seemed more relaxed now.

It was as though he could fit in with these people in no time.

He laughed and joked, even swearing a little now and then.

Casually pulling out a long wooden bench, he sat down, patted the space beside him, and said to Yu Sheng, "Sit wherever you like. Don't mind these old fellows."

Yu Sheng nodded silently and sat beside Liu Qingfeng.

Everyone watched Yu Sheng with interest, as though trying to discern something about him.

After all, Liu Qingfeng had been a teacher for several years, and this seemed to be the first time he had brought a student here.

There was definitely a story behind this.

Just then, an old man's figure flashed past in the distance.

Yu Sheng froze for a brief instant and instinctively looked over.

The old man noticed Yu Sheng's gaze too, and their eyes met across the distance.

Somewhat familiar.

The coach...

Selling discs.

In an instant, the scene from three days ago surfaced in Yu Sheng's mind.

"Hahaha!"

"Where did this young fellow come from?"

Laughing loudly a couple of times to make himself look less awkward, the old man strode over, his goatee twitching, and threw an arm firmly around Yu Sheng's shoulders. "What a handsome young fellow!"

"And sturdy, too!"

"He'll surely be an outstanding talent in the future!"

"Is he related to any of you?"

As the old man spoke, he kept his back to the others and frantically tried to communicate with Yu Sheng through his eyes.

Unfortunately, though his eyes were practically spinning like an engine, Yu Sheng remained calm.

It was as though they were on entirely different wavelengths.

Liu Qingfeng stood with a solemn expression and bowed slightly to the old man. "Elder Zhong, this is my student."

As he spoke, Liu Qingfeng's eyes were filled with respect for the old man.

In fact, he looked more like a soldier gazing at the general to whom he owed absolute loyalty.

"Haha, Little Liu."

"Your student, is he?"

"A fine young man. One in ten thousand."

"He'll definitely be a promising recruit when he reaches the battlefield."

"Good... very good... indeed!"

The old man emphasized those final words, staring fixedly at Yu Sheng.

Even Liu Qingfeng could not help being surprised by the old man's attitude.

Few people in the world could earn such praise from him!

Even some illustrious rising talents had earned nothing more than a scoff from the old man.

Could... Yu Sheng be far more outstanding than I imagined?

For a moment, Liu Qingfeng began doubting himself.

Surely...

This man, who once guarded Demon-Suppressing Pass, the finest general among the Human Race's third-generation awakened, couldn't be lying?

Absolutely not!

There could be nothing wrong with Elder Zhong's words!

Yu Sheng was an unparalleled prodigy!

For a moment, because of Elder Zhong's words, everyone looked at Yu Sheng differently.

With such high praise from Elder Zhong, whether he became an official behind the lines or enlisted at the front, his career would be smooth sailing.

For an instant, they almost seemed to see a new star on the rise.

The old man coughed twice and eyed Yu Sheng suspiciously, still unable to tell whether this youngster would reveal the embarrassing thing he had done that day.

Finally, he gritted his teeth. "No, I have to give a rare genius like this some private instruction!"

"Come with me, boy!"

With that, Elder Zhong got up and tugged Yu Sheng toward a corner.

Everyone immediately cast envious looks his way.

Personal instruction from Elder Zhong would draw envy from a great many people anywhere.

After all... the name Zhong Yushu carried unquestionable weight among the Human Race.

But...

Elder Zhong tugged, yet Yu Sheng remained seated, not moving an inch.

He tugged again. Still nothing.

Growing anxious, Elder Zhong rolled up his jacket sleeves, loosened his limbs, and pulled hard once more.

Yu Sheng looked blankly at the old man before him, who somehow struck him as rather sleazy, and asked in confusion, "Did you... need something?"

"Yes!"

"Something very important!"

Elder Zhong spoke indignantly, his eyes wide.

Looking thoughtful, Yu Sheng nodded slightly, then... silently held up three fingers.

"Boy, have you gone cra-"

"Fine!"

Elder Zhong forcibly swallowed his words halfway through.

Yu Sheng scratched his head somewhat bashfully, then silently stood and followed Elder Zhong into the distance.

For a moment, everyone looked bewildered.

Soon, they began offering praise.

"A young man Elder Zhong admires really is something else."

"Exactly. Even before our Elder Zhong, he's neither servile nor overbearing. Most young people nowadays don't have that kind of composure."

"Little Liu, you've found yourself a good student."

Everyone looked at Liu Qingfeng with envy.

As veterans who had fought all their lives, which of them did not want to find a worthy successor in their old age?

Unfortunately, they had yet to find one, while the still-young Liu Qingfeng had found his first.

"What are you grinning about? Go cook!"

"Waiting for someone to serve you?"

One old man grew increasingly irritated as he looked at Liu Qingfeng, then suddenly barked at him.

Liu Qingfeng froze.

Was I grinning?

No, I wasn't.

Could they tell even when I was laughing inside?

Somewhat disgruntled, Liu Qingfeng got up and helplessly entered a brick house.

Liu Qingfeng, who sternly lectured students at school, had instantly lost all his authority here in this out-of-the-way veterans' camp.

"Boy, you're charging way too much!"

"Thirty yuan?"

"You might as well kill me!"

Elder Zhong pulled Yu Sheng into a secluded corner, his entire aged face scrunching up as he growled at him under his breath.

"Could it be possible that I meant... three hundred?"

Yu Sheng looked at Elder Zhong and hesitated for less than a second before speaking.

"You fucking..."

Elder Zhong's voice abruptly rose. Seeing the fellows in the distance all looking his way, he took a deep breath and forcibly swallowed his next words, lowering his voice again. "Have you fucking lost your mind?"

"Do you know how much I made in total from those few discs?"

Yu Sheng pondered for two seconds. "The wholesale supplier for those discs is a shop called Brown Audio-Visual Store in eastern Mobei City."

"They contain children's cartoons and cost one yuan each wholesale."

"You sold fifteen on the coach, at prices ranging from fifty to sixty."

"So... you did make eight hundred."

Yu Sheng earnestly calculated the figures, while Elder Zhong's expression darkened further and further, and he clenched his fists several times.

But in the end, he held back.

Can't hit him...

If I do, the fact that I sold porn discs will fucking get out. Just having people hear about it would be humiliating.

Most importantly...

They were fakes!