Chapter 10: Protagonists Fighting?
The useless lackeys couldn’t even keep a person under control; the guy had actually managed to escape.
To the side, Xie Huaijin’s face was dark. “Can’t even keep an eye on one person?”
“Young Master Xie… he played dirty.” The group lowered their heads, their voices trembling, fearing they would be blamed.
There were still traces of blood at the corner of Shen Shiyue’s mouth. The marks on his wrists were deep and crisscrossed in purpleâthey were marks left by ropes. Some dust clung to his clean skin, adding a bit of wretchedness to his appearance.
Jiang Chenyan’s brow furrowed. “Did they hit you?”
Shen Shiyue avoided his gaze and didn’t answer. He simply asked in a raspy voice, “Why are you here?” This place was dangerous. If Jiang Chenyan got hurt too, it would be a total loss.
He felt a bit helpless. “I had my own way of getting out. You didn’t need to risk yourself…”
“You’re my friend. We share blessings and burdens.” Jiang Chenyan patted Shen Shiyue’s shoulder and grabbed his wrist, pulling him behind himself. “How could I let you handle this alone?”
Under the flashing lights, Jiang Chenyan’s eyes were like stars, shining brightly.
Struck by that look, Shen Shiyue froze. His throat felt blocked, leaving him unable to speak.
Xie Huaijin was moved to an angry laugh. Did they think he was invisible? His gaze, like a venomous snake, stuck to the spot where they were touching. “Your relationship is certainly deep. What are the rest of you waiting for? Tie them up.”
“Yes!”
Before long, the two were surrounded by a sea of people. Jiang Chenyanâs expression shifted, but he forced himself to stay calm. “Young Master Xie, you should have some restraint. It won’t be easy to settle things if someone actually dies.”
Xie Huaijin sneered, his knuckles cracking. “Don’t worry. I won’t kill youâjust crippling you is enough.”
“Killing you would be a waste. Being a cripple and lying in bed is more peaceful.”
Jiang Chenyan choked, his throat bobbing.
He was reckless and didn’t fear Xie Huaijin. “Crippling isn’t okay either. Thatâs also illegal. You’d probably spend decades in prison.”
The sound of collective gasps filled the room. As expected of Jiang Chenyan; he dared to say anything, stabbing Xie Huaijinâs heart time and time again.
Mu Si’an let out a light “Tsk,” his fingers unconsciously rubbing together. With this stubborn temper, wasn’t he afraid Xie Huaijin’s rage would actually kill him?
He didn’t want Jiang Chenyan to die so early.
“Huaijin, stay calm.”
Mu Si’an walked to Xie Huaijin’s side and leaned in slightly. He lowered his voice, speaking with a hint of seduction: “I have an idea that can help you vent your anger.”
“What do you mean?”
“We can…”
After talking for a while, Xie Huaijinâs expression softened slightly, and the hostility in his brow faded a bit. Seeing this, Mu Si’an signaled for the people surrounding Jiang Chenyan and Shen Shiyue to back off.
He turned to Jiang Chenyan. “There are a few glasses of wine on the table. Drink them and we’ll let you go. How about it?”
Jiang Chenyanâs brow furrowed. “?”
Why the sudden change in attitude?
Mu Si’an looked over, his gaze falling on the brightly colored glasses on the table. “Those ones.”
The Alphas nearby had a sudden shift in expression. Their eyes were dark and murky as they grew restless. Who didn’t know that those glasses were not only strong enough to burn the heart, but were also spiked with aphrodisiacs? This was hardly a “letting them go” gesture.
These glasses were originally meant for Omegas or Betas providing “special services” to make them behave.
Using them on Jiang Chenyan, an Alpha, would certainly have its own flavor.
Jiang Chenyan glanced at the wine. The deep blue liquid glistened under the lights, looking like a thick, carefully crafted cocktail. One look was enough to tell the alcohol content was not low.
“Mm… can I have a moment to consider?” Jiang Chenyan lowered his eyelashes. “My alcohol tolerance is really poor. I’ll probably pass out after one glass.”
These words didn’t hold a shred of truth.
When it came to drinking, Jiang Chenyan wasn’t afraid of anyone. He was just trying to buy time.
Xie Huaijin couldn’t help but curse, a vein on his forehead throbbing. “Why the hell do you have so much nonsense to say?”
“Forget it, forget it. Huaijin, give him five minutes.” Mu Si’an wanted to see what kind of tricks Jiang Chenyan could pull.
Jiang Chenyan nodded silently, his fingers tightening at his side. Shen Shiyue took the opportunity while no one was looking to tug on Jiang Chenyan. His warm breath brushed against Jiangâs ear, his voice extremely low: “The wine isn’t right. Don’t touch it.”
“I know, don’t worry.” Jiang Chenyan gave Shen Shiyue a reassuring look.
Shen Shiyueâs frown deepened.
Xie Huaijin had clearly lost his patience. He tapped the table heavily. “Dawdling. Are you drinking or not?”
“Oh, I’m still considering.” Jiang Chenyan looked up to meet his gaze, deliberately slowing down his speech.
The air in the booth froze. Several gazes shot toward him; they all felt they were being played by Jiang Chenyan.
Xie Huaijin could see through Jiang Chenyanâs stalling tactics. He stood up abruptly and walked to Jiang Chenyan in a few strides. He gripped Jiang Chenyanâs jaw with a savage force, his thumb almost sinking into the skin. “Playing with me, are you?” He gritted his teeth and roared, “Force-feed him!”
Jiang Chenyan was forced to tilt his head back. His fingers dug into his palm, the sharp pain keeping his consciousness clear.
Why aren’t they here yet… Jiang Chenyan stared at the booth door. He steeled his heart and stepped hard on Xie Huaijinâs foot, successfully seeing the other groan in pain.
The surrounding people watched not only Xie Huaijinâs face but Mu Si’anâs as well…
Mu Si’an watched coldly while drinking his wine, showing no further intention of stopping them. He tacitly allowed the others to move.
Seeing several figures about to close in, Shen Shiyue clenched his fist and swung it directly at Xie Huaijin’s face. Xie Huaijin reacted quickly enough to dodge, the fist brushing past his ear. He was forced to release Jiang Chenyan.
The fist swung again recklessly. Xie Huaijin let out a “Tsk,” completely enraged. He grabbed Shen Shiyueâs collar and slammed him against the table. Glass shattered everywhere, and wine mixed with blood droplets splashed on the floorâa shocking sight.
Shen Shiyueâs eyes also turned red. He fought back regardless of the cost, and the two scuffled, every punch aimed at vital points.
The surrounding people were completely stunned. The lackeys who were eager to move just a moment ago were frozen, not knowing where to put their hands.
Even Mu Si’anâs expression changed. His hand holding the wine glass paused in mid-air, a flash of shock in his eyes.
“…”
This development was completely unexpected. Jiang Chenyan was stunned; the protagonist gong and shou were actually fighting.
Shattered glass and blood droplets rolled on the floor. He wanted to pull Xie Huaijin away, but he saw that although Shen Shiyue was pressed against the table edge by Xie Huaijin, he wasn’t losing. He landed a punch squarely in Xie Huaijinâs side. Not only was he not at a disadvantage, but his punches were also fast and accurate; he could actually fight on equal terms with the experienced scrapper, Xie Huaijin.
The crowd panicked and rushed in to break up the fight. “Young Master Xie, stay calm.”
“Talk it out. Don’t waste your hands on him.”
Seeing the chaos, and with Xie Huaijin being pulled back, Jiang Chenyan took the opportunity to land a few kicks on Xie Huaijin.
This scene happened to fall into Shen Shiyue’s eyes. Though his face was stained with blood, a very faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Jiang Chenyan supported him. “Why did you suddenly rush in?”
“I didn’t like his face.”
There was no arguing with that; Jiang Chenyan also didn’t like Xie Huaijin.
Amidst the chaos, the door was slammed open. It hit the wall with a dull thud.
Several figures appeared at the door.
“Professor Ariel…” someone whispered. The chaos in the room froze instantly. Everyone was rooted to the spot.
Xie Huaijin frowned. How did the professor get here?
Mu Si’an slowly withdrew his gaze and looked at Jiang Chenyan. A half-smile was on his lips, his eyes filled with playfulness. Quite capable, even managing to summon Professor Ariel.
Was this why Jiang Chenyan was stalling?
Seeing the newcomer, Jiang Chenyanâs tense nerves suddenly relaxed.
Professor Ariel was a man of his word. He had said he would give him a specialized set of exam papers and had indeed sent them to his optical computer.
Because of those papers, Jiang Chenyan obtained the professorâs contact information. While he was pretending to send a message to Shen Shiyue earlier, his fingers had rapidly sent a distress message to the professorâs private inbox.
Only after the message was successfully sent did he board Mu Si’anâs shuttle.
Ariel was the youngest professor in the military academy. He had incredible achievements in interstellar strategy and Star Network technology, especially an almost obsessive interest in the Star Network.
Jiang Chenyan had hacked the forum single-handedly, which happened to pique the professorâs interest, making him remember the student.
Professor Ariel frowned. His gaze through his lenses swept across the mess. His tone sank. “What are you doing? Even for a joke, there should be a limit.”
The people in the booth couldn’t look him in the eye. Their previous arrogance vanished; they knew they were in the wrong.
The professor also knew the identities of Xie Huaijin and Mu Si’an. They were top-tier Alphas with family backgrounds and abilities at the top of the pyramid. He had to give them some face.
He softened his tone. “The academy’s resources are not for you to squander. You should focus back on your studies. Don’t waste energy on irrelevant matters.”
Mu Si’an hooked his lips. “You’re right. We originally just wanted to be friends with Classmate Jiang and Classmate Shen. We didn’t expect it to end like this.”
Jiang Chenyanâs mouth twitched. Is this ‘making friends’?
“Alright, it’s late. Jiang Chenyan and Shen Shiyue, right? You two come out.”
Ariel hated trouble. He just wanted to solve the problem quickly. He didn’t want to get involved in the grudges of the younger generation.
This sentence put an end to the farce.
Jiang Chenyan knew that knowing when to stop was the best course of action. Xie Huaijin and Mu Si’an were the “golden children” the academy held in high regard. If he truly refused to let it go, he would be the one to suffer.
Ariel had done enough.
Besides, Shen Shiyue had beaten Xie Huaijin like that; they didn’t lose out…
Jiang Chenyan supported Shen Shiyue and walked straight past Xie Huaijin. Xie Huaijinâs expression was as unsightly as it could be, looking as if he wanted to pack them up and feed them to wild dogs.
When they passed Professor Ariel, the two paused and nodded slightly. “Thank you, Professor.”
Ariel simply nodded, showing no further reaction.
The two didn’t stop walking, wanting to leave as fast as possible. Taking advantage of the other teachers entering the room, they slipped away quietly.
In the bustling streets, neon lights flickered. The evening breeze carried a bit of chill, blowing away the heat.
Jiang Chenyan looked at Shen Shiyue. The blood on his face hadn’t been wiped away. He asked, “Want to go nearby to handle that? Or head straight back to the dorm? I have quite a bit of medical equipment there.”
Shen Shiyue smiled. The hostility in his eyes had faded, leaving only a bit of gentle fatigue. “Actually, I didn’t get hurt much.” He paused and looked at Jiang Chenyan. “Walk with me for a bit. Just treat it as catching the evening breeze.”
“Sure.”
Jiang Chenyan asked him, “Did they outnumber you? Is that how you got caught?”
“Yeah. They took me by force.” He tilted his head. The streetlight fell on his injured profile, creating a bit of a smile. “But you were smart. You ‘fished’ me out of there.”
“I was supposed to save you anyway.” Jiang Chenyan sighed. “Besides, this is partly my responsibility. I offended Xie Huaijin too much before.”
Shen Shiyue nodded. “I just didn’t expect the professor would be willing to help…”
“To be honest, I was gambling too. But on second thought, we’re students of the Alliance Military Academy. Not everyone can be afraid of Xie Huaijin and Mu Si’an, right? Besides, Professor Ariel is quite responsible.”
Jiang Chenyan hooked his arm around Shen Shiyueâs neck and joked, “Besides, even if Professor Ariel was afraid, we aren’t.”
In terms of making the protagonist gong angry, they were definitely number one.
He thought for a moment. “Compared to the two of us, the professor is still a tiny bit lacking.” At least the professor wouldn’t make someone that angry.
Hearing this, Shen Shiyue laughed. “Mm.”
“What are you saying? I’m not as strong as you two? Which aspect are you referring to?”
A low voice sounded behind them without warning. Jiang Chenyan and Shen Shiyue stiffened simultaneously. Their steps stopped, and they turned around almost reflexively.
Ariel had followed them silently. He looked at them coolly. “You’re walking quite fast. Did I say you could leave?”
Jiang Chenyan felt a bit awkward.
“I thought about it. To prevent you from cheating, you’re going to finish that set of exam papers right here, right now.”
Jiang Chenyan and Shen Shiyue: “…”
Translator’s Note: “Golden children” (xiÄng bĹ bĹ) refers to something or someone highly valued or sought after. “Fished out” (lÄo chĹŤ lĂĄi) means to rescue or bail someone out of trouble. Our MC’s gambling on the professor paid off, but now he’s stuck with homework! Welcome to the life of a genius hacker in a military academy.
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