CHAPTER 57: CHAPTER 57 WE ARE DIFFERENT

After changing clothes, the classmates helped each other and walked toward the classroom.

"Wang Lan, who would have thought you were a Star Martial Warrior of the Medical Attribute! Please take good care of us in the future!"

"Wang Lan, I got injured during training. Can you treat this?"

"Wang Lan, let’s hang out together later."

Star Martial Warriors of the Medical Attribute were truly the most popular in the world of Star Martial Warriors. Even the circles of Star Martial Warrior families that had previously shown indifference to Wang Lan were now extending friendly overtures.

Although one couldn’t become friends just through a few words, friendships also start from initial contact.

"Wang Lan!" Suddenly, Song Bo, whom Wang Lan had healed, appeared in front of him.

"Our club president wants you to come over after school. If you’ve got the guts, don’t run away when school’s over."

"Oh! Okay."

"Huh? Duan Ziqi thinks he’s so badass? Sending a dog to do his inviting?" Jiang Xinyu and the others hadn’t even spoken when Mingyue Wucheng suddenly came to Wang Lan’s side and smiled faintly at Song Bo.

"Even if you are Duan Ziqi’s dog, you’d better remember your kennel is in Class One. If you don’t have that awareness, I guarantee you won’t last in our class."

"Mingyue Wucheng, you..." Song Bo’s face instantly turned pitch black, but he dared not make any arrogant remarks. Mingyue Wucheng, from the Mingyue Family—a Star Martial Warrior family renowned throughout Jade Country for their unique Illusion Secret Arts.

The Commoner Genius Association, to put it bluntly, only dared to provoke people like Jiang Xinyu, who, despite her family’s wealth, had ordinary parents. They wouldn’t dare offend children from Star Martial Warrior families, let alone the scions of Star Martial Warrior noble families.

"That’s right... Although you were an eyesore in the past, you’d just buzz around a bit, like an occasional fly. But you know exactly what you were doing with that punch you threw at Monitor Xie today. Do you think we’re naive chicks? That we can be deceived? If Wang Lan hadn’t dealt with you, do you think you’d be having an easy time after school?" another representative from the Star Martial Warrior family circles said, crossing his arms with a cold laugh.

"Right, isn’t it time you apologized to Monitor Xie?"

"Apologize? What apology? I just..."

SLAP!

A slap directly stunned Song Bo.

Mingyue Wucheng lightly shook his hand. "Dark Strength Fist, is it that hard to master? Next time we’re paired in a spar, I’d also like to experience your esteemed Dark Strength Fist. Don’t be afraid to use it. Even if you don’t, I will. Just make sure you don’t get killed by a light punch from me, alright?"

At these words, the faces of Song Bo and his three companions turned deathly pale, large beads of cold sweat continually dripping down.

"Monitor Xie, come here for a second."

Xie Sisi was called over and looked puzzled at Jiang Xinyu beside her. Accompanied by Jiang Xinyu, she approached.

"Now that Monitor Xie is here, Song Bo, if you don’t kneel and apologize today, this won’t be over. Let me tell you, there are at least seven people in our class who can use Dark Strength Fist. It all just depends on your luck now. Go ahead, calculate the odds of being matched against one of us seven."

Song Bo’s face turned even paler, and he couldn’t stop trembling.

It wasn’t anger, but fear.

Sparring was a mandatory part of every practical combat class. The teacher always drew pairs at random; it was a probability of slightly more than one in three. He might avoid it once, but could he be lucky every time?

Moreover, the tricks I thought were perfectly concealed were actually noticed by so many classmates! I knew you all liked to play weak only to strike hard later, but I had no idea how much you were really hiding! If I can’t properly account for what happened today, forget staying in Class One, I probably won’t even be able to stay in Suzhou No.1 Middle School!

Under the pressure from all his classmates, Song Bo eventually caved.

He slowly knelt before Xie Sisi. "Monitor, I’m sorry. I learned Dark Strength Fist over the summer break... but I truly didn’t know it was so powerful. I just wanted to show off a bit; I didn’t mean to hurt you intentionally. That punch used Dark Strength Fist, and at most, it unleashed twice the normal fist power, making you spit blood, Monitor. It wasn’t on purpose. Please forgive me..."

"This... this..." Xie Sisi, a gentle girl, was immediately flustered by such a scene.

"I... I’m fine now... We’re all classmates... Don’t do this again. Get up..."

"Humph! Song Bo, since the Monitor has forgiven you, and you’ve suffered enough for today, we’ll let this slide. But remember, this is the only time. If you dare use dirty tricks on your classmates again, you’ll find out what real dirty tricks are."

Wang Lan was a mere spectator throughout, saying nothing, not fanning the flames, just watching quietly.

Song Bo had intended to stir up trouble, but the united classmates thoroughly humbled him within minutes. Although, this unity likely formed only because I’m a Medical Attribute Star Martial Warrior, Wang Lan mused.

「The school dismissal bell rang.」

Students from the Star Martial Arts Campus either headed to the cafeteria or packed their bags to leave.

Wang Lan, slinging his shoulder bag, slowly walked down the stairs. Jiang Xinyu, Xu Xiangwen, and Gong Feiyu silently followed by his side.

"What’s up with you three? Why the solemn expressions?"

"Duan Ziqi’s strength has always been a mystery. In any case, his overall strength has always been in the top three at our school, on par with Xinyu. Even though Xinyu has broken through to the Star Cloud Stage, she still wouldn’t dare underestimate him," Xu Xiangwen explained.

"Uh-huh, and then?"

"Of course, we’re going with you! Didn’t you agree to go to the Commoner Genius Association after school to settle things?"

"I agreed?" Wang Lan asked, his eyes wide with astonishment.

"You said ’Okay!’" Xu Xiangwen insisted.

"’Okay!’ means I agreed?"

Xu Xiangwen stopped in his tracks, his expression priceless.

"Shit, I almost forgot Lanzi’s usual style is to lay low! He even flakes on Xinyu so casually. Who the hell does Duan Ziqi think he is, expecting Lanzi to keep his word?"

"You’ve got a point... So, what were we doing again?" Gong Feiyu asked Xu Xiangwen with a wry smile.

"Forget it, forget it! Let’s go home!" Xu Xiangwen waved his hand dismissively and turned to leave.

"Lanzi, see you tomorrow then."

"Wang Lan, do you want me to give you a ride?" Jiang Xinyu asked coolly.

"Better not. If classmates see us, who knows what rumors will spread tomorrow? I’ll take the bus myself."

"Hmm, be careful."

Though it was only my first day of school, today’s gains were quite good. I had been fretting over how to earn experience points and skill points. Since I can earn them through battles... should I consider changing my style? I’ve grown accustomed to keeping a low profile over the past dozen years. After all, I’m nearly forty in my mind, and it’s really awkward to be ostentatious among a group of kids. But if it can earn me points, it seems the ostentatious path is the only one to take, right?

In my mind, an image of myself setting up a challenge arena appeared. "I am Wang Lan, who has roamed the Jianghu for decades, seeking defeat in vain, my life as lonely as snow. Having heard that Suzhou No.1 Middle School’s Star Martial Arts Campus is teeming with experts as numerous as clouds and strong warriors as plentiful as rain, I hereby set up this challenge arena, seeking not fame nor fortune, but only defeat! Whoever defeats me shall receive one million silver Jade Coins..."

Isn’t that a bit too arrogant?

Before he knew it, he had arrived at the bus stop.

Suddenly, he felt a gaze fall upon his face.

He looked up to find a student in a Suzhou No.1 Middle School uniform smiling at him.

"Wang Lan, I’ve heard a lot about you. Let me introduce myself. My name is Duan Ziqi, from Class Five of the senior third grade."

Wang Lan’s brow furrowed. He hadn’t expected Duan Ziqi to corner him here.

"Shall we find a more secluded place?"

"Wang Lan, you’ve misunderstood. I’m not here to cause you trouble."

"Oh? Then what is it...?"

"Wang Lan, you possess extraordinary talent. Although I believe there are no true geniuses in the world—or if there are, they are hardworking geniuses—with the same effort, a genius indeed makes more progress than an ordinary person. I don’t deny your diligence, Wang Lan, but I must also admit that you are a true genius. If the revered title of Study God could be obtained through effort alone, then Suzhou City would have produced many Study Gods by now. If your ability to defeat Teacher Liu Jie truly came purely from hard work, then those classmates who have trained just as diligently for ten years should also be able to do it."

Wang Lan felt somewhat embarrassed by the praise.

I have worked quite hard, adding quite a few points...

The other party slowly took a piece of paper from his bag and presented it to Wang Lan. "I hereby sincerely invite you to join our Commoner Genius Association. Once you join, you will immediately become the thirteenth core member, and I will find ways to provide you with all the resources you need."

"Wait!" Wang Lan suddenly interjected. "Duan Ziqi, are you perhaps mistaken about something? I remember your Commoner Genius Association only recruits students from impoverished families, right?"

"Wang Lan, although it seems you are on good terms with Jiang Xinyu, that rich second-generation, to my knowledge, your family circumstances are not good. You and I are both orphans. Your mother passed away when you were very young. And you, from elementary school until now, have always walked or taken the bus to school. You never compete with others, never wear brand-name clothes, and don’t even own an electric scooter. During the summer after your junior high graduation, for two whole months, you delivered milk in the mornings and worked food delivery for the rest of the time. And you did all that delivering on foot, rain or shine! Am I wrong?"

"You managed to investigate all this?"

"It’s not difficult to find this information!"

I was speechless. If you were going to investigate, couldn’t you have been more thorough? You’re right, I am an orphan, and my mother did indeed... well, actually, I’m not so sure about that anymore. But is my aunt’s Jiayi Biotech Company just for show? Also, that summer I did indeed deliver milk in the mornings and food at other times, all on foot, rain or shine. But that was planned training to push my physical limits. You definitely don’t know I was wearing fifty-five pounds of weights while delivering milk and food. Information about me living in the Xinyu Building shouldn’t be hard to find either, right? Do you only see what you want to see?

"Wang Lan, I sincerely hope you will join my Commoner Genius Association. I have always believed that poverty is not the shackle that limits our growth. It makes us more resilient, harder working, and also brings us closer together."

"In principle, I agree with your view. But may I ask you a question, Duan? Do you know what the three major economic zones of Suzhou City are?"

"The Jin Lake Economic Zone, the Eastern Heaven Gate Economic Zone, and the Sea-view Avenue Economic Zone? Wang Lan, why do you suddenly ask about this?"

"In the Jin Lake Economic Zone, there’s a Yuanxing Building. Do you know it?"

"I know of it..."

"What about the Xinyu Building in the Eastern Heaven Gate Economic Zone?"

"I’ve seen it from a distance." Duan Ziqi’s expression grew more puzzled, not understanding why Wang Lan was bringing these up.

"And the landmark building of the Sea-view Avenue Economic Zone, the Sea-view Tower, must also be quite famous, right?"

Duan Ziqi nodded silently.

"The owner of these three buildings... is me!"

"Suzhou No.1 Middle School stop is next. Passengers alighting, please exit through the rear door..."

"My bus is here. See you, Duan!"

Ignoring Duan Ziqi, who was sinking into an existential crisis, Wang Lan grabbed his shoulder bag and hurriedly boarded the bus from the front door.

BEEP—Student Card.