Zhao Qinghai, who gave off the air of a spoiled young master from head to toe, ignored the boy he had struck and turned to leave.
But clearly, after saying those words and hitting the boy, he couldn't possibly leave so easily.
The people around him rose to their feet and blocked his way.
They were a group of hot-blooded youths. How could they stomach such an insult?
"You hit someone and want to leave without even apologizing?"
The class monitor of Class Seven stood in Zhao Qinghai's way, with several other boys from his class behind him.
"What did you mean, calling the food here pig swill? Were you saying we're all pigs?"
The class monitor of Class Three spoke from beside the table, with Chen Yong and several others at his side.
For a moment, Zhao Qinghai felt a sense of danger unlike anything he'd ever experienced.
Because training had delayed them, the second, third, and even fourth years had long since finished eating and left.
Nine out of ten people in the cafeteria now were first years.
"What are you doing?" A middle-aged man wearing black-framed glasses walked over.
"Director Zhang, this guy said all the food here was pig swill. Someone from our class couldn't stand listening to him and said a few words, so he hit him," the class monitor of Class Six said.
"My face feels numb now," the boy who had been hit said, clutching his face with a miserable expression.
"Zhao Qinghai, what's the matter with you?" Director Zhang said in a grave tone. "No matter what, you shouldn't have hit someone. Even if you don't like the food in the cafeteria, you shouldn't have said that."
Zhao Qinghai remained silent.
"All right, all right, break it up. Go back to your seats and eat." Director Zhang pushed up his glasses, which had slipped down his nose.
No one spoke.
Everyone stood where they were.
It was as if, unless this matter was settled, they wouldn't let the man named Zhao Qinghai leave.
"Why are you all still standing there?" Director Zhang looked around. "You have classes tonight. Hurry back to your seats and eat."
"Never mind that he called the food here pig swill, but shouldn't he apologize for hitting someone?" Fang Cheng stood up, walked over, and stopped in front of Zhao Qinghai.
Dong Kai and Xu Dazhuang exchanged a glance and hurried after him.
"Apologize?" Zhao Qinghai shook his head, a scornful smile appearing on his face. "In all my life, I've never apologized to anyone."
Duan Ming sat quietly.
He could tell that this Zhao Qinghai had some skill.
But he didn't join this war without gunpowder.
After all, judging by the situation, one more or one less person wouldn't make a difference.
"Then you might not be able to leave this cafeteria today," Fang Cheng said coldly.
"Fang Cheng, that's enough. Don't make things complicated." Director Zhang was clearly trying to shield Zhao Qinghai.
"Director Zhang, this isn't complicated at all. He hit someone, so he should apologize. If he just walks out today, won't he be able to hit whoever he wants at this school from now on?"
"That's right, apologize! You hit someone, so you should apologize!" Dong Kai chimed in from the side.
"Apologize!"
"Yeah, apologize!"
"He hit someone and wants to walk away like nothing happened? Is there no justice? Is there no law?"
The people around them all joined the clamor.
Listening to the voices rising all around him, Director Zhang knew he couldn't suppress the matter anymore.
Other matters would have been fine.
But this time, Zhao Qinghai had aroused everyone's anger.
Of course, if he insisted on shielding Zhao Qinghai, he could take him out unharmed.
But from then on, he, a director, would completely lose his authority at the school.
"Do you know who I am?" Zhao Qinghai was extremely annoyed with the man standing up to him.
"No, and I don't want to know. But even if you're the Divine Mark Association president's own grandson, you still have to apologize today!"
Fang Cheng's words won everyone's unanimous support.
"Why aren't you going over there?"
Duan Ming turned and glanced at Du Qinggang, who had appeared behind him at some point. "I'm fine staying here."
"At a time like this, shouldn't you go over and steal the limelight like that rich second-generation in your class?"
"He can do it. Besides, I don't think he's stealing the limelight."
"Kid, don't tell me you're afraid of making enemies?"
"Yeah, a little."
Du Qinggang: "..."
He didn't believe Duan Ming was the kind of person who feared making enemies.
In his view, the kid was most likely just lazy!
"Why does it smell a little bad?" Duan Ming sniffed the air.
"Oh, no need to look. I haven't washed my feet these past few days." Without blushing or batting an eye, Du Qinggang folded his arms and watched what was happening over there.
Duan Ming: "..."
This guy really had the nerve to say it!
"You know, they're both rich second-generations, but they give off completely different impressions."
"Yeah, I noticed that too." Duan Ming instinctively covered his nose and edged to the side.
"If you were the guy who hit someone, would you apologize?"
"No."
"Then wouldn't you be afraid of getting beaten up by a mob?"
"No, I mean, this kind of thing wouldn't happen to me."
"Looks like he won't be leaving today unless he apologizes." Du Qinggang put on the expression of someone eating melon. "That rich second-generation in your class actually has pretty good leadership skills. I heard he's going to join the Demon Suppression Army in the future. If he can endure the hardship, he might actually make it as a squad leader."
Although Zhao Qinghai was from Class Two, not a single person from his class stood up to speak for him.
His face turned ashen, then pale.
He wouldn't apologize!
He'd never apologized in his life!
But in the current situation, he couldn't leave the cafeteria without apologizing.
If it came to blows, no one here was his match one-on-one. Even if seven or eight people came at him, he could handle them.
But there weren't seven or eight people surrounding him. There were dozens.
If a fight broke out, he'd be beaten up by a mob.
He'd probably be beaten until even his own mother wouldn't recognize him.
"Aren't you afraid they'll start fighting?" Duan Ming asked.
"What is there to be afraid of?" Du Qinggang said with his arms folded. "Isn't that guy Zhang here? Besides, I came here to teach combat training. If the students get into a conflict, what the hell does that have to do with me?"
No sooner had he spoken than the year director surnamed Zhang looked at Du Qinggang as if asking for help.
"Why are you looking at me? Looking at me won't help." Du Qinggang muttered, "He can't even handle this kind of crap, so what business does he have being a year director? If I were the principal, I'd have him cleaning toilets!"
When he finished speaking, a chicken leg had appeared in Du Qinggang's hand at some point.
And the chicken leg on Dong Kai's plate was gone.
"Fine, I can apologize. If you can beat me, I'll apologize!"
Zhao Qinghai cleverly turned the matter into a conflict between him and Fang Cheng.
He knew he couldn't possibly handle so many people on his own.
But as long as he shifted the conflict onto the man standing up to him, he could leave without apologizing.
He admitted that he had been somewhat arrogant, but he hadn't expected this trash from the bottom of society to be so united.
As he spoke, a strand of green Qi appeared around him.
His Qi was powerful!