Chapter 18
Yan He stood in the very center of the Colosseum, thousands of gazes fixed on him alone. He was already exceptionally striking, with a high-bridged nose, deep-set eyes, and a face like porcelain. A thin sheen of sweat from the exertion beaded on his brow and trickled down to the tip of his nose. A warm spotlight happened to fall on him, lending him an air of sacredness.
They looked down at him, yet in a daze, it felt as if they were standing before the statue of the Beast God, looking up in pious reverence.
Bestia Academy had no shortage of beautiful people, but Yan He’s appeal was in a class of its own. A single fleeting glance, and he was impossible to forget.
Just days ago, during the conflict in the Third Auditorium, countless students had griped on the forums, wondering what blessing a specially-enrolled student like Yan He had to deserve being Young Master Yun Xiao’s lackey. What virtue or ability did he possibly possess?
But at this very moment, a new thought popped into their heads—Young Master Yun was the truly lucky one, getting to have Yan He as his lackey.
Reason told them this idea was absurd, yet the thought had inexplicably taken root.
He Ting stood not far away, steadying his breath and suppressing the dark gleam in his eyes. Xu Xingchuan had orchestrated this event from the shadows, allowing Yan He to shine brilliantly. From this night on, wherever Yan He went, all eyes would follow him. Countless people would develop fantasies about him, would covet him.
Including himself.
The heavy toll of the midnight bell sounded, signaling the official end of the welcome party.
The host, holding his microphone, excitedly shouted, “The winner of this welcome event is—Yan He!”
The only specially-enrolled student on the field whose uniform wasn’t torn and who had not transformed into his beast form.
Yan He’s name echoed throughout the Colosseum, reverberating endlessly.
“So what is his beast form? He took down an African lion with his bare hands!”
“Don’t tell me he’s the only SSR-level ferocious beast in this year’s specially-enrolled batch? Too strong.”
“Can someone tell me, was that African lion senior really fully transformed? How did Yan He knock him back into human form with one punch? If I transformed, would he just slap me? I don’t want to lose my mind.”
“Slap you? You make it sound like a reward.”
“Today is the full moon, which stimulates transformation, and we’re in a Colosseum. The fact that he could control himself and not transform is insane!”
“…”
Beasts naturally follow the law of the jungle; they instinctively look up to the strong. The more the students discussed it, the more excited they became. Their gazes on Yan He were shining, as if they were witnessing the rise of a new king.
Yan He: …Was it that I didn’t want to transform? It’s that I can’t!
How was a living, breathing human like him supposed to turn into a husky?
“Congratulations, Student Yan, on winning the game! Is there anything you want?” The host, watching the African lion senior being carried away, finally stepped forward with a smile.
This was the prize that had been announced at the start of the game.
Yan He felt like he’d lucked into this win. Because he couldn’t transform at all, he had taken advantage of the game’s rules by default.
Although he hadn’t read the novel, he figured based on standard plot development, the protagonist shou, Bai Yuzhou, was supposed to win this gladiator match, make a name for himself, and maybe even pick up a few loyal followers.
Instead, he, an ordinary human, had stolen the show.
Yan He turned to look at Bai Yuzhou. Bai Yuzhou had been watching him the whole time, his eyes filled only with concern, not a trace of resentment at having his thunder stolen.
See? Yan He thought. That’s the magnanimity of a protagonist, not some supporting-character villain.
Yan He thought for a moment and reached for the microphone. The host’s eyes lit up. Instead of handing it over, he eagerly leaned in, holding the mic to Yan He’s lips, signaling for him to speak directly.
Yan He said, “I want the F4 to revoke Bai Yuzhou’s red card warning.”
Yan He guessed that, according to the original plot, this is what Bai Yuzhou would have done.
Bai Yuzhou’s body swayed, and he stared at Yan He in a daze, as if he’d taken a massive blow.
Him?
For him?
In this life, he had been bullied and ridiculed; contempt and cold shoulders had defined his entire existence. He had received far too little love.
The moment those words left Yan He’s mouth, something in the depths of his heart shattered its icy shell and began to grow with terrifying madness.
A piercing bird cry echoed across the Colosseum. Bathed in the moonlight, the giant golden eagle looked as if it, too, had received a massive shock. Enraged, it flapped its wings and dove, its sharp beak aimed viciously at Bai Yuzhou’s eyes.
Pan Ze, standing to the side, nearly shrieked with excitement. Yes, Yun Shao, just like that! Peck that lowly arctic wolf’s eyes blind! Let’s see if he dares try to seduce Yan He then!
Bai Yuzhou snapped his head to the side, barely avoiding the attack. The powerful wing still brushed his chest, and the force of it sent him staggering back two steps.
In the wild, a starving golden eagle might hunt a lone wolf. But so what?
Bai Yuzhou’s lips curved in a sneer as he looked at the golden eagle, which was clearly on the verge of an emotional collapse.
So what if he was the high-and-mighty F4? So what if he was the Lord of the Skies, a golden eagle? With such frequent transformations, he would, sooner or later, end up just like that African lion—a mindless beast forever!
He Ting remained as calm as ever, but the hand hidden in his long sleeve was clenched into a fist, his knuckles white.
He Ting looked at Yan He calmly and said, “The request must be related to yourself.”
The host blinked. “?”
Was that a rule?
Was this some new rule they just added?
Well, if the F4’s leader, He Shao, said it, then of course the rules could be changed on the spot!
The host nodded. “Right, right, right.”
Bai Yuzhou gave Yan He a slight shake of his head. He didn’t need Yan He to use his glory to help him. That was for cowards. Yun Xiao would never truly respect him for it.
If he wanted the F4’s Yun Xiao to revoke the red card, he had to rely on himself.
And Bai Yuzhou had absolute faith that he could.
Yan He felt a pang of disappointment. He looked up, scanning the Colosseum. From this distance, he could only see the densely packed audience on the high platform—all those rich scions.
Just moments ago, they had been infinitely excited by the spectacle. Now, all that excitement was focused on him alone.
Yan He asked, “Any request is fine? And I can make it of anyone?”
He Ting said concisely, “As long as it’s reasonable.”
He paused, his golden eyes narrowing, and added softly, “Including the F4.”
Yan He felt he understood workplace hierarchy. Why would he make a request of his bosses, the F4?
His gaze swept over the many rich kids as he said, “All you seniors have been watching the show for so long… have you paid for your tickets?”
Yan He made a simple request: “Pay up!”
Based on concert ticket rules, he’d take an average price of 888. They had to pay him! He wasn’t about to be a monkey performing for free.
The rich scions in the stands were floored.
“Yan He… is this kind? He’s only asking for money?” one of the rich kids mumbled.
With such a golden opportunity, he could have made his enemies in the academy regret being born. And he only asked for money?
Money was the easiest thing in the world to get.
Just 888? What kind of divine angel was this?
Demanding money from the entire academy so righteously… how was that suddenly so… cute?
Yan He looked at He Ting. He Ting lowered his gaze and asked him, “Just this?”
Yan He was baffled. What do you mean, just this?
One person for 888, and there were over two thousand people here. That was 1.8 million right there. How was that not enough?
In his past life as a 996 corporate slave, he hadn’t made 1.8 million even after several years of working without eating or drinking. This was a fortune.
He Ting brushed past Yan He, his light voice floating over, “I’ll pay in US dollars.”
Yan He’s eyes instantly lit up.
He wasn’t very familiar with this second boss, but he knew one thing for sure: Boss Number Two loved to throw money at him.
“Goo goo? Goo goo goo!”
A sound came from his trouser pocket. Because the lop-eared rabbit was too chubby, Xiao Tu was completely stuck in Yan He’s pocket, struggling frantically.
Sob, I want to come out.
He Ting, who had been about to leave, stopped. He turned his head and saw Yan He lift his wide uniform jacket, revealing the lop-eared rabbit stuck in the trouser pocket underneath.
“Holy crap, why is there a lop-eared rabbit? How did it get in my Yan-bao’s pocket?”
“Separated by only a layer of fabric from his thigh… I really want to ask what that’s like.”
“Aren’t rabbits supposed to be all pure and innocent? The one I dated was pretty simple.”
“Which means, when Yan He was in the Colosseum, he was carrying a rabbit the whole time? Holy shit, what kind of ‘play’ is this?”
“…”
Pan Ze dashed forward, decisively grabbed Xiao Tu by the ears, and ruthlessly yanked him out.
Nice one. First, a damned arctic wolf, and now a rabbit dares to pop up?
Hahaha, a rabbit daring to jump around in front of a ferocious beast? He’d swallow it whole and still complain it wasn’t enough meat.
He didn’t dare provoke the F4, and he couldn’t win a fight against the arctic wolf. But a weak, helpless lop-eared rabbit? What was that?
Xiao Tu looked at Pan Ze’s enormous face right in front of him, like a child seeing a kidnapper in the middle of the night. He trembled in fear, using his ears to cover his eyes.
Yan He immediately snatched the lop-eared rabbit back from Pan Ze. “Senior Pan, don’t you know rabbits are easily scared?”
In the Colosseum stands, the eyes of several rich kids lit up, their minds whirring.
At Bestia Academy, if you wanted to live like a person, you were either a ferocious beast or a rich scion.
If you were both a ferocious beast and a rich scion, that was the best combination.
But now, they suddenly realized that being a small, cute creature like a lop-eared rabbit also had its advantages.
They could be held in Yan He’s palm, held up high. Could a giant, ferocious beast be held up high in his palm?
Wow, it was like they had discovered a whole new world.
The gazes from everyone in the stadium were rather cold, and even Bai Yuzhou’s expression was flat.
Although Xiao Tu was a little rabbit, his beast form gave him keen hearing. Plus, he was an exceptional gossip. He quickly figured out everything that had happened after he fainted.
In other words, after he fainted, Yan He had carried him, bravely dodging the transformed, irrational seniors, and had even knocked out the fully bestial African lion.
Yan He had carried him, slaughtering his way seven in and seven out of the Colosseum?!
Xiao Tu was about to go crazy with excitement. He instantly understood how Ah Dou must have felt at Changbanpo.
Yan He was his dearest Uncle Zhao! Ahhhh!
He was so excited, and the danger had completely passed. The uncontrollable lop-eared rabbit, squeaking, began to transform.
Yan He only felt his hand grow heavy. The lop-eared rabbit fell from his palm, transforming into a slender young man.
The key was—
Xiao Tu was naked, screaming in shame on the ground. A kind-hearted host threw him a jacket to cover the important parts.
A large palm descended, and Yan He’s vision went dark. He Ting’s hand was covering his eyes.
He Ting said, “Don’t look.”
Yan He finally reacted. No wonder the lop-eared rabbit was squatting in his uniform jacket earlier. Transforming doesn’t come with clothes!
Yan He’s eyelashes fluttered against He Ting’s palm. He Ting’s hand itched, and that feeling quietly traveled straight to the bottom of his heart.
Yan He instantly recalled one thing and exclaimed, “He Shao, the first time I saw you, you were naked and not wearing any clothes!”
He Ting: “…”
The heart… stopped itching.
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