Chapter 10
Yun Xiao was in a great mood, thoroughly pleased with the little lackey his family had sent him.
A proper boss cared for his underlings, if only for his own image. Yun Xiao’s eyes landed on the single-strap bag slung over Yan He’s shoulder. It had a tear in it, revealing the meager contents within.
“What’s with the shabby bag?”
Hearing this, Pan Ze, fearing Yan He would complain, quickly interjected, “Yun Shao, I tore it by accident. I’ll buy Yan He a new one.”
He immediately turned to Yan He and reeled off a list of luxury bag brands. “Which one do you want?”
Bestia Academy had everything, including boutiques for all those major brands.
The cheapest of the brands Pan Ze had just mentioned started in the five-figure range. Yan He’s hundred-yuan bag was nowhere near that valuable. Besides, he’d already pocketed Pan Ze’s nameplate.
“You don’t have to pay me back, Senior Pan,” Yan He said with a smile. “By the way, are you sure you don’t want your nameplate back?”
A blush quickly spread across Pan Ze’s face. “I-I said I don’t want it, and I meant it. I’ve already applied for a new one.”
With that confirmation, Yan He no longer felt any guilt about melting down the nameplate.
Yun Xiao wasn’t interested in nameplates. He tapped his finger on his knee. “Yan He, come to the basketball court at the east gate tonight and be my cheerleader.”
Perhaps it was just a psychological effect, but since yesterday, the frequency of Yun Xiao’s uncontrollable transformations had decreased.
Before coming to the academy, Yun Xiao had been an avid sportsman who always had a basketball with him. But after enrolling, he had played less and less.
For some reason, Yun Xiao felt that if Yan He were there to cheer him on, he could get through an entire game without losing control.
Yan He felt a bit awkward. “Yun Shao, I have driving lessons tonight.”
Who the hell wants to work overtime as a lackey at night? Gotta find an excuse!
Yun Xiao and Pan Ze were both stunned. Driving lessons at night? He signed up for night classes? Is he that desperate for money? Has he gone completely mad?
As expected of a husky, only a common dog would dare to wander around the academy at night. He really had guts.
Yan He put on an eager expression. “Yun Shao, I have to hurry up and get my license so I can have the honor of driving you to and from school in the future.”
The words were music to Yun Xiao’s ears. He nodded, accepting Yan He’s excuse.
“Be careful during your lessons at night. If you run into trouble, just use my name.”
Pan Ze’s heart shattered once again. When he was with Shen Shao, his boss had never once offered him protection.
At that moment, Pan Ze’s desire to switch allegiances to Yun Xiao reached its peak.
He glared at Yan He’s exceptionally beautiful eyes above his mask, the fire of professional rivalry burning brightly. He immediately raised his hand. “Yun Shao, I can be your head cheerleader tonight!”
So what if he didn’t have to pay for the bag? So what if Yan He was secretly hoarding his nameplate as a sign of his crush?
There was no room for romance in the workplace! He was going to be the number one lackey!
Yun Xiao’s gaze swept over Pan Ze’s plain, almost comically ugly face. His rejection was swift and absolute. “No.”
If Pan Ze were his head cheerleader, the entire academy would be gossiping about his bizarre taste by tomorrow.
Pan Ze instantly deflated, utterly heartbroken. It’s a cruel, looks-obsessed animal world.
There were no official classes during the first week. The afternoon was spent listening to another orientation speech and touring a third of the campus buildings.
By the time Yan He finished dinner and returned to the dorm, it was already dark.
He rested for a while, and at eight o’clock, he got up to leave. Bai Yuzhou’s voice suddenly rang out, “Are you going out?”
Yan He turned to look at him. Bai Yuzhou tightened his grip on the textbook in his hands. “The academy is pretty dangerous at night.”
A flicker of light and shadow passed through Bai Yuzhou’s eyes. He couldn’t quite explain what he was feeling.
He had heard the specially-enrolled students buzzing with rumors that Yun Shao from the F4 was going to play basketball at the east gate court tonight. It had been over half a year since anyone had seen him touch a basketball, and countless students were eager to watch.
Yan He… is he also going to watch Yun Xiao’s game?
After all, he seemed to be one of the F4’s people.
“Yeah, I have something to do.”
Yan He gave a friendly wave, opened the door, and left.
Outside the dorm building, he saw groups of specially-enrolled students heading towards the east gate. Yan He, however, followed the campus navigation on his phone toward the chemistry building.
Humans lacked the keen senses of beasts. As Yan He walked, he only felt that the atmosphere was different from the previous night when he had ridden the electric scooter to the F4’s lounge. He could always hear the calls of various animals in the woods, but tonight, it was as if the cicadas had gone mute. The silence was so profound he could only hear the wind.
Anyone who watched nature documentaries would know that such silence often meant a more ferocious predator was nearby.
About ten meters away, a figure, its shadow stretched long by the streetlights, followed him. Bai Yuzhou walked silently behind Yan He with his hands behind his back, his steps so light that Yan He was completely unaware.
The campus at night was full of hidden dangers. He was only doing this to protect his roommate.
Bai Yuzhou stared at the slender figure ahead. For a predator, the back of its prey held an infinite allure.
His pale green eyes were fixed on Yan He’s back. It looked so thin, so fragile. It seemed like he could easily pounce, pin him to the ground, and bite through that pale neck in a matter of strides.
His roommate had no sense of caution at all.
But a part of Bai Yuzhou was also secretly pleased. It seemed he finally had something to offer Yan He in return.
He could protect him.
Another figure emerged from a dark side path. The natural aura of a predator instantly put Bai Yuzhou on high alert.
On the main path, Bai Yuzhou and Pan Ze stood on opposite sides, their gazes meeting with a cold glint. A conflict seemed imminent.
“Awooo—!”
Following the navigation, Yan He finally arrived at the chemistry building after several twists and turns. Before he even got to the entrance, he heard the faint sound of a wolf howling, followed by a sinister, cackling laugh.
Yan He tilted his head. Huh?
He could recognize the wolf howl, but he had no idea what kind of beast made that classic villain laugh.
He really couldn’t understand why a prestigious noble academy had to be built in the mountains. How could it not be dangerous with all these wild animals around?
Yan He quickly took out the F4 access card Yun Xiao had given him and tried swiping it at the main entrance.
With a beep, the infrared scanner read the card and the doors to the chemistry building slid open. Fearing he was being followed by a wild animal, he hurried inside.
Yun Shao’s access card really works.
The academy’s chemistry building was enormous. Not only did you need verification to enter the building, but you also had to scan your card again to enter any of the labs.
Yan He had read the freshman handbook, which detailed the layout of each floor. He took the elevator to the third floor and randomly chose the chemistry lab at the very end of the hall.
The bright fluorescent lights flickered on. Yan He scanned the clean laboratory. All sorts of chemicals for melting metal were neatly arranged on the counters, requiring only that he register them before use.
He took Pan Ze’s nameplate out of his bag and placed it on the lab bench. After gathering the chemicals he needed, he picked up the registration book and a black pen. As he looked down, his eyes instinctively fell on the last entry.
The handwriting was sharp and imposing, each stroke connected as if written by a master of cursive script. It read—
He Ting.
Time: Ten minutes ago.
Yan He was surprised. Could it be the He Ting from the F4?
It had to be. In a cliché, Mary Sue noble academy novel like this, even if some unlucky NPC shared the same name as an F4 member, they would have changed it immediately to avoid any trouble.
A cold beep sounded from the scanner. The handle on the lab door behind him turned, and the door opened to reveal a tall, imposing figure standing in the doorway, looking right at him.
It was He Ting.
“You’ve got guts, kid!” Pan Ze staggered to his feet, wiping a smear of blood from his lip and letting out a sinister laugh as he stared at Bai Yuzhou.
He turned and darted into the woods, disappearing in the direction of the east gate.
Bai Yuzhou collapsed onto the stone steps of the chemistry building, gasping for breath. Sweat rolled down his forehead, mixing with the blood on the ground and creating a strange, pungent smell.
Luckily, it was a male hyena, not the matriarch.
He looked up at the chemistry building. Inside, Yan He was oblivious to the clash of males that had just occurred outside.
Pan Ze raced all the way to the basketball court at the east gate. As he entered, he was met with a deafening roar. A massive crowd of students and beasts was cheering wildly, like a giant, chaotic party.
Because Yun Xiao of the F4 was really on the court!
Pan Ze scanned the area and was relieved to see that Yun Shao hadn’t brought any other cheerleaders. Good, everyone else is ugly too, hahaha!
Even if Yan He (supposedly) had a crush on him, he was determined to claim the spot as Yun Shao’s number one lackey!
During a break in the game, Pan Ze scurried over to Yun Xiao, who was resting with a towel draped over his head.
Sorry, Yan He, Pan Ze thought to himself, there are no true feelings in the workplace. He immediately began to tattle.
“Yun Shao! Yun Shao! Yan He didn’t go to his driving lesson tonight!”
Yun Xiao ripped the towel from his head, his sharp golden eagle eyes boring into Pan Ze.
Yan He lied to him?
He had asked him to be his cheerleader, but he refused, saying he had driving lessons. But he didn’t go. If he didn’t have lessons, then why didn’t he come to the basketball court? Had he forgotten why he was sent to the academy? To help regulate his emotions…
Pan Ze might be a tattletale, but he would never dare lie to an F4 member. So it had to be true.
A violent rage churned in Yun Xiao’s chest. His breathing quickened. He… he hated being lied to more than anything. He couldn’t stand deceit!
Years ago, his parents had told him they were sending him on a graduation trip.
He had boarded the plane, overjoyed, only to find himself at Bestia Academy when he disembarked. He hadn’t left the campus since.
And now… Yan He was lying to him too?
The oppressive aura of the Lord of the Skies wiped the smile from Pan Ze’s face. He couldn’t help but wonder—Yun Shao isn’t going to kill Yan He, is he?
Getting Yan He fired so he, Pan Ze, could take his place was the ideal outcome. They were rivals, after all. Workplace competition was always like this. It was just… just…
Rage made the blood vessels in Yun Xiao’s eyes burst. He stared at Pan Ze. “How do you know he didn’t go to his driving lesson?”
Pan Ze was instantly tongue-tied, at a loss for words.
Uh…
Hahaha, the academy is full of beasts at night. It would be a shame if Yan He got eaten during his lesson. Our competition doesn’t have to be fatal, right?
Besides, he wanted Yan He to witness him stealing his position. That would be true satisfaction!
Pan Ze hadn’t found Yan He at the driving school, so he had tracked his scent from the specially-enrolled students’ dorm…
He quickly came up with an excuse. “Yun Shao, you might not know this, but my family has a 10% investment in the driving school. I was just checking on things and happened to find out.”
A basketball rolled over from a distance, stopping at Yun Xiao’s feet.
He pulled out his phone. “Then where is he now? Sleeping in his dorm?”
A few minutes ago, his phone had received a detailed location ping from his F4 access card. He clicked on it—
Chemistry Building, Third Floor, Lab 01.
That was He Ting’s usual lab!
Shen was away, Xu hadn’t returned from his sketching trip, and Yun Xiao had even messaged He Ting tonight asking him to come to the court. He Ting had replied that he was going to stay in the lab to continue his experiment.
So…
He Ting, Yan He; He Ting, Yan He; He Ting, Yan He…
In a fit of fury, Yun Xiao snatched the basketball at his feet. As if venting, he leaped into the air, easily grabbing the rim and slamming the ball through with ferocious force!
With a deafening BANG, the entire backboard shattered. The students present stared, completely dumbfounded.
What was most terrifying was that Yun Xiao’s slender hands had transformed into the massive, sharp talons of a golden eagle, which had pierced right through the basketball.
The poor ball popped, completely deflated.
When it came to hot-headedness, no one in the F4 could match Yun Xiao! Pan Ze looked at the wreckage and felt a pang of regret. It’s over, it’s over. I just wanted to get Yan He fired, not get him killed by Yun Shao.
An enraged beast would lose its humanity and reason. It would actually tear Yan He to shreds! I have to talk him down! This started because of me, so I have to fix it!
Yun Xiao’s mind was filled with images of He Ting and Yan He. He Ting was a ferocious Siberian tiger, while Yan He was just a weak, helpless little husky.
Could Yan He fight back? Could he refuse He Ting’s demand to meet him at the chemistry lab?
No, he couldn’t!
“Yun Shao… uh, Yun Shao…” Pan Ze’s heart hammered against his ribs. He trembled as he approached Yun Xiao. “Y-You, don’t get mad at your own guy… wh-…????”
Pan Ze watched as Yun Xiao angrily threw the shredded basketball aside. He heard Yun Xiao’s voice, quiet but laced with menace, say, “Yan He must have had his reasons. This is all He Ting’s fault!”
Pan Ze: Son of a bitch. 🙂
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