Cannon Fodder O Pretending to be A Will Lose Their Vest Chapter 68

Chapter 68: Blood Boiling. Slender Waist and Long Legs, Black Hair and Black Eyes / Everyone…

A date?

Hearing that word, something felt off, and a sense of bizarreness crawled up his spine. Jiang Chenyan didn’t understand why Xie Huaijin would come up with such an absurd association. They were clearly slipping away while no one was paying attention—couldn’t he tell?

Shen Shiyue’s fingertips brushed against Jiang Chenyan’s shoulder. With a faint smile playing on his lips, he imperceptibly increased the strength in his hand.

He tilted his head, casting his gaze over Jiang Chenyan’s shoulder toward Xie Huaijin, and nodded slowly.

It was a blatant provocation, causing Xie Huaijin to freeze on the spot.

Just as Jiang Chenyan’s brows began to knit together, he noticed Xie Huaijin’s expression change. His originally composed face darkened so much it looked as if it could drip ink, appearing exceptionally unsightly.

To an outsider, it would look like someone owed him money.

“Disgusting.” Xie Huaijin spat out these words through gritted teeth.

Jiang Chenyan stiffened, his gaze turning cold inch by inch.

What kind of fit was Xie Huaijin throwing now?

Thinking of something, Jiang Chenyan looked up at the several Alpha officers. “Student Xie is very familiar with the campus environment. Let him show you around, handle the procedures, and coordinate affairs.”

Xie Huaijin was stunned for two seconds before he realized what Jiang Chenyan was saying. Rage surged within him. He was expected to accompany a group of Alphas who were nearing middle age? Their ranks were neither high nor low, and they were the type to flatter those above while suppressing those below—this was a specialized form of disgust aimed at him.

“Jiang Chenyan.” Xie Huaijin ground out the name, a trace of ferocity finally emerging in his tone.

If the setting hadn’t been wrong, he really would have stepped forward to pin Jiang Chenyan against the wall and shut that mouth of his.

Being pushed back and forth, the Alpha officers’ faces completely darkened. These few students clearly didn’t respect them at all.

Cyrus could see the inexplicable, tangled bonds between the youths. He curled his lips and looked at Jiang Chenyan, who was gradually falling silent. “You certainly know how to save yourself some trouble. Do you plan to be a hands-off manager and ignore everything?”

Jiang Chenyan lowered his eyes and didn’t respond.

It was a silent admission; he truly didn’t want to be involved.

Besides, this wasn’t his responsibility.

Jiang Chenyan was pricking him like a thorn, but Xie Huaijin had brought it upon himself.

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However, Jiang Chenyan alone wasn’t enough; Shen Shiyue was also a participant.

Xie Huaijin’s expression was gloomy as he stared deathly at Shen Shiyue.

His thumb pressed into his palm, aching with suppressed frustration. He became furious the moment he saw that face. Back then, because of the bite mark on Jiang Chenyan’s neck, he and Mu Sian had argued until they came to blows. Only after a lengthy explanation did they realize, with hindsight, that the person who had actually bitten Jiang Chenyan wasn’t Mu Sian at all.

He and Mu Sian were like two idiots, being toyed with and run in circles.

They had caused such a massive scene, only to find out it was all Shen Shiyue’s doing.

But what about Jiang Chenyan? He knew nothing, having been bitten on the neck by Shen Shiyue in a state of complete confusion.

That patch of skin had been flushed at the time, with tooth marks of varying depths embedded in the side of his neck. The edges were surrounded by a ring of faint bruising, and the blood vessels beneath were unnaturally congested. It looked like a piece of red silk that had been crumpled and then haphazardly smoothed out, making it obvious at a glance.

A gust of gloomy wind swept past, carrying a chill.

Xie Huaijin turned to Jiang Chenyan, a hint of malice flashing in his eyes. “Idiot.”

Jiang Chenyan laughed from anger. With so many people present, Xie Huaijin had insulted him to his face without giving him an ounce of respect. “Keep your mouth clean.”

“Watch the person beside you.” Xie Huaijin didn’t pick up his thread, instead arching an eyebrow with a sneer. “You won’t even know when you’ve been sold.”

These words were worth pondering. Shen Shiyue, unwilling to give Xie Huaijin an opening, took a step forward expressionlessly to shield Jiang Chenyan. “What? Are you trying to sow discord?”

…

Whether intentional or not, the three of them were entangled, treating everyone else as air. It was more than a little supercilious.

The atmospheric pressure dropped sharply. Under the weight of power, it wouldn’t be difficult for them to combine forces to crush three ordinary students—even for an SS+ Grade Alpha like Jiang Chenyan, it would only take a little extra effort.

Since when did certain students of the Alliance First Military Academy become like this?

Aside from Cyrus, the others clearly showed their displeasure.

Cyrus wasn’t surprised by the indifference and arrogance of Jiang Chenyan’s group. Either they were hiding their identities, or they were princelings, plus they had high-grade status as backup—they did indeed have the capital.

Even Jiang Chenyan had somewhat of a background.

After enduring it for a moment, Cyrus finally couldn’t suppress the irritation in his heart. His face darkened. He had no interest in meddling in their petty grudges, much less listening to them waste time here.

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“Can’t private grudges be discussed later?” Cyrus spoke up, breaking the deadlock.

The group paused their movements, falling into a brief silence. The smell of gunpowder in the air hadn’t dissipated in the slightest.

The faces of the Alphas in military uniforms grew increasingly unsightly. They had long held high positions; they had never been ignored like this. The indignation in their eyes almost overflowed, and they were just about to erupt.

“Xie Huaijin.” Cyrus suddenly spoke. His voice wasn’t loud, but everyone present except Jiang Chenyan and Shen Shiyue experienced a sudden change in expression.

The Princeling?!

The surname Xie… instantly, the way the Alphas looked at Xie Huaijin changed. They forcibly stifled their previous rage. No wonder he was so arrogant; he was the only son of the Xie family.

There were already many people gathered here, and the commotion was loud, quickly drawing the Principal over.

Jiang Chenyan had only met the Principal once. At this moment, the Principal was followed by several teachers, his face covered in a fawning smile as he hurried forward. “Quickly, come inside. Don’t just stand here.”

But as he drew closer, the Principal saw that everyone’s expressions were off. His footsteps stiffened, and his heart skipped a beat. He hurriedly inquired with caution, “Is there somewhere our school has been unhospitable, making everyone unhappy?”

The Principal felt like his head was about to explode, especially when he caught a glimpse of the expressionless faces of Xie Huaijin and Shen Shiyue; he felt even more intimidated.

Don’t look at his title as Principal—in terms of family background and status, he couldn’t even compare to the Vice-Principal or the professors of the school.

As for why he became the Principal… that was a story for another time.

“Ah…” He sighed inwardly. He knew that none of the three—Jiang Chenyan and the others—were easy to deal with. Today’s matter was simply handing him a difficult problem.

He truly wanted to kneel before these ancestors on the spot to save himself from further fear.

“I wanted Student Jiang to lead the way and introduce us, but Student Jiang was quite unwilling, saying he had things to do.” Cyrus’s voice was flat, like a stone smashing into the Principal’s heart, making it race.

The Principal was very good at reading the room. He immediately followed the lead, his tone carrying a bit of admonishment. “Student Jiang, this is a rare and good opportunity. Why are you trying to sneak out? Didn’t the public notice say long ago that we hope all students will stay and cooperate?”

After speaking, he faced the gazes of the surrounding crowd. Under immense pressure, he took small steps to Jiang Chenyan’s side and lowered his voice, almost pleading, “Student Jiang, I beg of you. Just consider it doing me a favor.”

Jiang Chenyan arched an eyebrow, almost doubting his ears. Was he being begged?

“Let me introduce things?” He gave a light sneer. “Shouldn’t you be the one doing the introducing? This is your event; I have no idea what the schedule is.”

Shen Shiyue spoke up timely from the side, “Indeed.”

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“Student Jiang…” The smile on the Principal’s face completely collapsed. His brow was furrowed, his expression troubled. “Give me some face.”

Looking at the Principal’s lack of authority and cowardly appearance, Jiang Chenyan felt an indescribable sensation.

In his previous perception, a Principal was always a character with significant power. Yet the one before him couldn’t maintain even a shred of dignity.

Xie Huaijin was already suppressing his fire. Seeing the Principal’s embarrassment now, his gaze turned even colder. “Let’s go together. The Principal can lead the way and accompany us as we play around the school.”

These words were like an imperial decree.

After hearing them, the Principal didn’t dare to say a single word in response, his back drenched in sweat.

“Jiang Chenyan.” Xie Huaijin shifted the conversation, his gaze landing on Jiang Chenyan. “You are someone who will enter the Alliance in the future. It isn’t very good to be so disrespectful and offend these seniors now, is it?”

Jiang Chenyan’s lips instantly flattened into a straight line. His eyes darkened. He didn’t respond, but he didn’t argue further.

Someone who will enter the Alliance?

How did Xie Huaijin know he wanted to enter the Alliance? But on second thought, it was natural. After graduating from the military academy, who wasn’t aiming for the Alliance?

He thrust both hands into his pockets, his fingertips brushing against the fabric. “Fine. Let’s go, Principal.”

Hearing this, the Principal felt as if a thousand-pound burden had been lifted. He let out a long breath and quickly replied, “Good… good.”

“Then, Principal, please lead the way.” Cyrus’s voice rang out appropriately.

Jiang Chenyan and Shen Shiyue said nothing more, following the Principal in a tacit understanding.

The atmosphere was inexplicably eerie.

The Principal and several teachers walked at the very front, occasionally stealing glances behind them. In the middle were Jiang Chenyan and the others, their expressions cold. Behind them were several Alpha officers in military uniforms. This formation looked neither like an inspection nor a tour; it carried an unspeakable bizarreness.

Many students along the way stopped in their tracks. Students currently in the middle of a shooting competition froze, holding their guns while staring blankly.

What had happened?

“So, are they here to supervise us?” a student whispered, his eyes unable to stop glancing over.

“It’s so strange. They said today would be free activities.”

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“Shut up, they’re coming this way.”

“What?!”

Jiang Chenyan and the others followed at the back of the group, walking expressionlessly. They were like background scenery the whole time, listening to the Principal up front fawning over Cyrus and the Alpha officers, his words filled with flattery.

After walking for a while, the group suddenly stopped.

They stopped right in front of the students who had been shooting just now.

Upon closer look, those students recognized Jiang Chenyan and the others. Their eyes widened, and they instinctively hissed, “Holy crap.”

The group had no choice but to stop their shooting practice and greet everyone. They truly couldn’t fathom what kind of fit the school was throwing with this display.

Although they felt a bit of resentment in their hearts, thinking that they could see General Cyrus made it somewhat worth it.

“A very familiar feeling.” Cyrus’s gaze landed on the shooting targets. He suddenly spoke, “Could we ask them to perform a drill?”

The several students were instantly stunned. “?”

Talk about terrible luck.

With no other choice, they bit the bullet and picked up their guns, firing a few trial shots at the targets. Cyrus looked at the target papers and offered encouragement in a relatively gentle tone before shifting the topic: “I’m a bit curious. In terms of marksmanship, who is number one in the school? I recall it being Student Xie Huaijin.”

“It’s not me.” Xie Huaijin interrupted him, the corners of his mouth curling up. “It’s Jiang Chenyan.”

“The last time the two of us had a simulated shooting match, Student Jiang won.”

He became more animated as he spoke, “Not only did he win, he broke the record.”

…

Being suddenly named, Jiang Chenyan’s brow furrowed.

The Principal laughed twice. “They are both excellent students.”

Silence followed; no one responded.

Principal: “…”

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It was a bit unexpected.

Cyrus arched an eyebrow, his gaze burning as he turned to Jiang Chenyan. “Do you want to have a match with one of the seniors present? The opportunity is quite rare; you surely wouldn’t want to miss it.”

Since it was a match, should Jiang Chenyan win or not?

This wasn’t a test of marksmanship; it was clearly a hurdle Cyrus was deliberately setting for him. Winning would mean disrespecting a senior, while losing would bring shame to the school—and, of course, some shame to himself.

The number one record-breaker only had this much skill?

He suppressed his thoughts and gave a light laugh. “Then can I actively choose my opponent?”

“You can.” Cyrus more or less knew who Jiang Chenyan would choose.

The corners of his mouth curved up, a wild light unique to youth flashing in his eyes.

He heard the other person speak almost in his ear. “Then you do it. Have a match with me.”

“Then I won’t go easy on you.”

“I know.” The winner was undecided; they would wait to see.

This scene exceeded many people’s expectations. Who would have thought a military student would dare to directly challenge an Alliance General? And General Cyrus at that.

The Principal’s face suddenly darkened. He hurried forward to grab Jiang Chenyan’s arm, whispering a reminder, “Even if you can win, you absolutely must not! Besides, you might not necessarily be able to beat General Cyrus anyway…”

“In short, how can you do such a thing?!” He was truly going crazy. Although a match was nothing, and the Principal wouldn’t worry at all with an ordinary person, this person just had to be Jiang Chenyan.

Jiang Chenyan was a bit irritated. “I’ll handle it myself.”

“How shall we play?” Cyrus was the first to speak.

“Thirty rounds of ammunition, moving targets, win or loss decided by the total score.” There were no extra fancy rules. “Is that okay?” This was the most direct and simple way to play—both fair and efficient.

Hearing this, Cyrus nodded. “Fine, we’ll do as you say.”

All eyes were locked on Jiang Chenyan. The gun handed over by the staff was extremely heavy, weighing a full thirty jin.

Shen Shiyue instinctively furrowed his brows, and Xie Huaijin also looked over. With Jiang Chenyan’s thin arms and legs, could he handle it?

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If he remembered correctly, it hadn’t been long since Jiang Chenyan recovered from a major illness.

In the next second, Jiang Chenyan reached out to take the gun, lifting it with ease. His face remained expressionless, as if that thirty jin of weight was nothing more than ordinary to him.

He wasn’t wearing a jacket, revealing the white shirt beneath. When he held the gun, his shirt sleeves were slightly rolled up, revealing a small section of his wrist. It was dazzlingly white. He raised the gun and aimed, the movements flowing together in one go.

There was no sunlight to interfere in the dark night; instead, his eyes appeared even more beautiful, like stars dipped in ink, shining brilliantly. At this moment, he was staring at the target without blinking, his pupils reflecting the faint light from the scope.

With a slender waist, long legs, black hair, and black eyes, the entire person was exceptionally eye-catching.

Therefore, when Jiang Chenyan aimed at the target and shot with precision, the gaze of everyone present was gathered on him, unable to look away.

He was an Alpha, so his entire being exuded an unmasked arrogance. The crisp efficiency of his movements as he raised the gun, and even the sharpness in his eyes, didn’t hide a single edge. Yet, ironically, his build was on the lean side. The lines of his shoulders and back wrapped in the white shirt were somewhat soft, and when his wrists were exposed, they were so white it was jarring—very much like the delicate skin of an Omega.

If he were an Omega, countless people would likely have bloodshot eyes as they vied to pin him beneath them.

Only Shen Shiyue felt differently from the others.

He clearly knew Jiang Chenyan’s true identity. At this moment, he only felt his blood boiling in his veins. Every time he saw Jiang Chenyan shooting, it felt like an electric current coursing through his limbs, and a secret, surging emotion churned in his heart.

Translator’s Note: Wow, Chenyan is really showing off! That description of his “slender waist and long legs” is a classic danmei trope.

30 Jin: About 15kg or 33lbs. Holding that steadily while aiming is no joke!
Dage: Eldest Brother (Jiang Xuanshen).
The Princeling: Xie Huaijin. Shen Shiyue is definitely feeling things he shouldn’t be feeling for a “roommate.” On to the shooting match!

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