Wu Youren was beginning to understand why the martial academy had all sorts of miscellaneous organizations, too.
Wherever there were people, there was a jianghu. Especially in a place full of people eager to fight, they had to huddle together for warmth.
"This is Miss Shali's business," the male martial artist said, glancing at her without saying more.
Then he looked back at Wu Youren with a cold smile. "Do people from Jin only know how to hide behind women?"
"Then what should I do?" Wu Youren considered himself fairly good-tempered, but he could no longer stand it. "Start a conflict between Jin and Liang?"
"You really know how to gild your own face," the male martial artist sneered. "Who do you think you are?"
"We won't bully you. A one-on-one fight. Do you dare?"
Wu Youren looked at him silently, saying nothing.
"What, scared?" The male martial artist grew even more convinced that the pretty boy before him was all show. "Then you can..."
"Hold on," Wu Youren interrupted him. "I want to confirm something. Can you speak with full authority on Miss Shali's behalf?"
"I..." The male martial artist hesitated. He was only eighteen or nineteen, and still lacked experience dealing with people.
Then he snorted coldly. "Miss Shali is someone of such standing! Don't you..."
Wu Youren interrupted him again. "If you can't represent her, does that mean you're planning to take turns fighting me?"
Wasn't that a given? The male martial artist was once again struck speechless. Who didn't want to please Miss Shali?
If a martial artist from the Mirage Sea Alliance hadn't been present, they probably would have swarmed him already.
But openly admitting it now would put him at a disadvantage.
"Choose one person," Cynthia spoke again. "One on one. Accept the outcome, win or lose!"
"Fine," said the male martial artist beside Shali. He was, unmistakably, a Knight.
"A Knight is stepping in?" The look in Cynthia's eyes was somewhat complicated. Surely we people of Liang can't disgrace ourselves like this?
"Wouldn't that be giving him far too much credit?" The Knight snorted disdainfully. "We'll find someone. See you in the arena."
An arena fight... what an old cliché! Wu Youren sighed inwardly, then asked, "Why the arena?"
"What else?" The Knight gave him a sidelong glance. "If you don't have the guts, forget it."
The earlier male martial artist added, "If you refuse, whatever happens afterward, you'll have brought it on yourself."
As if this person from the Mirage Sea Alliance could stay by your side forever.
"I'm saying, you're the ones issuing the challenge," Wu Youren said leisurely. "Shouldn't I decide the form of the contest?"
The male martial artist was still hesitating when the Knight spoke. "Fine, but martial artists compete in combat. We won't compete with you in academic subjects!"
They were determined to punish him severely. Even if they couldn't seriously injure or cripple him, they would at least leave the fellow bedridden for a few months!
If he wanted to play those little tricks, he could forget it.
"And no noncontact contests!" the male martial artist added. "Shooting and the like would be pointless!"
He considered that fairly thorough, but unexpectedly, the young man opposite him nodded readily. "All right."
A little puzzled, he simply asked another question. "What do you want to compete in? We need to choose someone!"
"Hunting the Weird Race in Suotu Town," Wu Youren said leisurely. "We'll see who brings back the bigger haul!"
Everyone opposite him froze in surprise. "Hunting the Weird Race?"
"Is infighting among martial artists interesting?" Wu Youren ignored him and looked at the Knight instead. "The Weird Race is the real enemy!"
"Oh, that's interesting." The Knight gave a contemplative smile. "A Knight Apprentice, hunting the Weird Race?"
"I've hunted them before," Wu Youren answered seriously. "I suggest you pick someone with experience, too!"
This... was heading in a strange direction! The visitors exchanged looks.
Although they had come to pick a fight, none of them could deny that killing the Weird Race was more meaningful than infighting among humans.
In the end, the Knight gave a light snort. "We'll come find you once we've chosen someone!"
He had already realized that their side knew too little about this young man from Jin and had missed certain rather important things.
The group had arrived with an aggressive show of force, but left with little fanfare, their momentum noticeably diminished.
Only Wu Youren and Cynthia remained, looking at each other.
Seeing them leave, Cynthia could not help asking curiously, "Why didn't you invoke the Life and Death Knot's name?"
Because I don't want more people knowing I'm a hostage! Wu Youren sighed softly.
The Mirage Sea Alliance she belonged to did not know the Life and Death Knot's background, but this bunch... that was hard to say.
He rubbed his forehead. "Tsk, how strange. There's always some inexplicable trouble like this."
"You'd better go out less for now." Cynthia shook her head. "If you want to visit the market again, remember to ask me along."
Do you think I don't have enough trouble already? Wu Youren nodded expressionlessly. "Mm."
That evening, the administrator actually came to his door to ask what had happened during the day.
Good news truly never left the house, while bad news traveled a thousand miles.
After listening to Wu Youren's account, he sighed. "If possible, you should keep your distance from that group."
Although he worked as a handyman at the martial academy, plenty of its students were beyond his ability to cross.
"Mm." Wu Youren kept his head down and continued pickling his vegetables.
After some thought, the administrator added, "In another two days, start supplying vegetables to the dining hall again."
What had happened during the day was, in fact, part of the chain of reactions triggered by his decision to stop the supply.
However, he could not openly admit that, so this was the only way he could express it.
Wu Youren remained silent. As for the feeling of having no control over his own circumstances, he really... just had to get used to it.
Meanwhile, the Knight from earlier that day pushed open a door. Inside was Miss Shali, dressed in revealing clothes.
"I found out." The Knight casually shut the door and reached out to put an arm around her.
As his hands roamed over her, he said casually, "That fellow really has encountered the Weird Race. He also went to Suotu with a Knight."
Luo Xi had reported his trip to Suotu Town to the martial academy upon his return.
He had not carried out a rescue at the scene because the conditions had not allowed it, and he was not afraid to state that openly. Concealing his trip to Suotu, however, would have been a serious problem.
Thus, the instructors' information system contained a description of the young man from Jin accompanying him.
As for exactly what had happened during that trip, that could not be disclosed casually.
Instructors with sufficiently high clearance could learn about it through other means.
This Knight, who could spend time with Shali, was not an instructor at the martial academy. He was a student himself, one close to graduating.
But having spent so long at the martial academy, and being strong enough, he had good relationships with some of the instructors.
It was therefore perfectly normal for him to find out some information about Wu Youren.
Shali showed no reaction to his caresses, merely asking casually, "What about news of him fighting the Weird Race?"
"I don't know about that," the Knight replied just as casually. "That's classified information."
Anything related to the Weird Race had a fairly high classification level. If not properly controlled, it could cause social unrest.
"I didn't ask about it. Are you sure you need it?"