CHAPTER 122: RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION

A Last-ditch Counterattack

Yvonne could see clearly that this Hailey girl was a fucking wuss.

This girl always made it her first priority to save her own skin when at a crucial juncture. She had done similar things at the roadshow the other day, intending to sacrifice Yvonne to save her own hide!

Yvonne immediately stepped out, her face still red and swollen.

"Eva is my school friend and also the deputy director of the department. She’s offered me a lot of help. I would’ve long since been deemed a plagiarizer and disgraced were it not for her. You guys keep saying we’re like a family, but now you’re letting a bunch of thugs take her away on her birthday. If any of you wanna leave, I won’t try to stop you, but I’ll despise you!

"Because you’re a bunch of fucking cowards and wimps!"

The after-effects of Yvonne slapping Lydia’s face twice still lingered, and Yvonne’s tone of voice was quite firm when saying those words, so the others in the box were instantly brought back to their senses.

Yvonne was right. Today was Eva’s birthday, and Eva was the one who had paid for the wine they had drunk and this box. It’d be unbelievably ungrateful of them to just walk away, wouldn’t it?

After hearing Yvonne’s indignant words, all the others who had originally wanted to leave changed their minds and felt that Hailey, their deputy director, was a selfish ingrate. It struck them that she was just a petty influencer, that Eva and Yvonne were much more honorable.

Ralph also said disapprovingly, "If any of you wanna leave, I won’t try to stop you, but we’re all here to celebrate Eva’s birthday. We’re supposed to share not only happiness but also weal and woe. As long as I remain the director of the Arts Department, those who leave will never be able to walk into the Arts Department again!"

As he finished speaking, those cowards no longer dared talk about leaving.

Hailey also lapsed into silence, eying Yvonne balefully.

She thought, "I just wanna handle this matter in a safer way. This Yvonne girl’s such a viper. She makes me look like a calculating character."

This was the first time that Eva, who had always been a loner in a sense and never experienced anything heart-warming, had had so many helpers at her back. Though she was a top-notch musician and had enjoyed the wild applause from people all around the world, she had never felt such warmth in any of those exciting moments.

Yvonne was like a warm sun which emitted light and heat instead of reflecting them.

With a group of classmates from the Arts Department, Yvonne said in categorical terms, "This Lydia woman insulted our deputy director and the rest of us, treating us

as pariahs she could hit as she pleases, and she even threatened to kill us in this box. We have nothing to fear from her, guys. Let’s bring her down!"

Looking at their eyes which were ablaze with anger, Lydia had an urge to strangle Yvonne who incited their hatred.

She thought, What the fuck is this bitch talking about???

My men are a group of bodyguards with legal status. Why is she describing them as bandits?

When did I ever say they’re pariahs? When did I ever say I wanted them killed?

Is this woman stupid?

But does she think I’d be scared?

They’re just a bunch of unarmed college students. Even if they join hands and launch an attack together, what could they possibly achieve?

"Heed my word. It’s a very unwise choice to work against me! "If any of you do that, there will be consequences!" Yvonne said, "Don’t be afraid, guys!

These people are just bodyguards churned out in a security firm. They might be lesser fighters than the Dance Team. Let’s deck them!"

The bodyguards thought, "Holy shit. This woman’s indeed a tough bitch."

At the sight of the group of male students, the bodyguards began to sweat buckets. These boys who worked out and ate protein powder every day looked more thickset than them, and they could probably do a hundred push-ups in one breath. These students did seem to be better fighters than them.

The bodyguards were psyched out and looked like wimps, but their opponents seemed to be itching for a fight.

Lydia went ballistic at the sight of the scene. "What are you standing there for? "Get them!

"Do you think I pay you people that much money every month to watch you do nothing?!"

Her bodyguards hurriedly steeled themselves and advanced. Soon the whole box was in chaos and confusion.

...

At first, the two sides were evenly matched, but the bouncers had received special training, after all, so they got the upper hand very soon.

However, for the sake of their dignity as a student, for the dignity of the Arts Department, for the dignity of their birthright, and in order not to succumb to the evil forces, not a single one of them surrendered. Even some of the girls joined the fray. Their morale rose continuously as the fight went on, and the situation was out of control.

Those who had gained admission to Zandia University were exceptionally intelligent. They might not have as much brawn as the bodyguards did, but they had far more brains than the latter did.

The students learned almost all the bodyguards’ moves after watching them only once. On top of that, they made use of the various "props" in the box. Some of them used microphones as hammers, and some others used beer bottles to trip the bodyguards. Soon all the bodyguards looked the worse for wear, making an amusing sight.

Yvonne joined the fray as well, and she was shouting inspiring slogans while fighting, which hardened those students’ resolve to stay on Eva’s side.

Eventually, even Lydia was somewhat daunted.

She thought, These kids are fucking crazy.

If things go on like this, someone might get injured or even killed. What should I do if that happens?

In fact, before anybody could get wounded, someone called the police and reported the melee, and then all of them were put in custody.

*

The police station.

Just now, everybody in the box had been taken.

On one side of the fight were the students from the Arts Department of Zandia University, and on the other side were the bodyguards, but compared with the bodyguards, the students were much quieter.

"I can’t believe this. You kids gained admission to Zandia University, but you seem to have no idea how seriously this kind of behavior might compromise your bright future!

"They fought with you guys because they’re bodyguards!

"The company they work for insured them!

"What about you guys?

"What are you going to do about it if you guys get an official reprimand in your file

for brawling?"

The students, after all, were students, and they cared about things like their personal files. After hearing those words, every one of them lapsed into silence.

Yvonne, Ralph and Evans were the only three sitting there with their heads lifted high, appearing to be utterly unswayed.

The rest of the group began to exchange whispers.

"Are they really gonna have the school give us official reprimands?

"I need the scholarship!"

"We were too impulsive back there. No matter what, we shouldn’t have resorted to violence... [sigh]..."

"I remember I didn’t want to fight at first, but then someone..."

They all thought of Yvonne.

Back in the box, they had all got worked up and filled with indignation, but now, having realized the severity of the matter, they all... Students were always like this. They were easily incited, but they also regretted it easily.

It was especially so when they were all in custody. Yvonne and Ralph were members of the upper class, and their families could extricate them from this troublesome situation. But what about the rest of them?

Someone began to reproach Yvonne.

"I seem to remember Yvonne was the one who told us to fight them.

"I shouldn’t have done that. That was too reckless."

"She’s from a rich family, and she could afford to be cocky. We’re just cannon fodder!"

The words had hardly left the speaker than Hailey’s voice was heard. "Sergent... No... Sir, I swear I didn’t fight with those bodyguards!

"From start to finish, I did nothing but watch from the side... If you don’t believe me, check the security video!"

Hailey had always been a coward, and Yvonne had long since got used to such craven behavior of hers.

Yvonne, who couldn’t be bother to pay her any heed, overheard some remarks of those on the other side...

...

Hailey and Yvonne had always detested each other on sight.

She used to ostracize Yvonne with Zoila, and that was when the two of them had begun to have bad vibes about each other.

Although Zoila had ended up in jail afterward, the grudges between Yvonne and Hailey had always been there.

Earlier this day, Yvonne had disconcerted her in front of all members of the department, and now "a chance of getting her revenge" had presented itself. She would disgrace Yvonne thoroughly!

"Sir, we’re just a bunch of kids who know little about the law. Although I didn’t get involved in the fight, they’re all my classmates.

"They’re all very simple and guileless. On no account will they provoke anybody or make trouble!

"I’m sure it’s all because of the special circumstances back there, and someone used them, which was why they joined the fight. Please look into it carefully, Sir!"

Ralph’s and Yvonne’s faces darkened at Hailey’s words.

Although she didn’t name Yvonne as the one who had "incited the violence", it was so vicious of her to try to pin the blame on Yvonne.

She was obviously throwing Yvonne under the bus!

Predictably, after hearing Hailey’s words, everyone else fell into discussion.

"At that time, I got really worked up... After Yvonne made those remarks, I lunged at them without a second thought... I’ve never scrapped with anybody before."

"Yeah. Those words of Yvonne’s did fill me with indignation... Now that I think about it, those people didn’t really do us any harm. They just surrounded us, and it wasn’t us that the woman wanted to begin with."

Yvonne found it hard to imagine that those words were from a man’s mouth!

"Hey, the guy who just said those people did nothing but surround us, did you feel no guilt when saying that?

"You had full control of your own body at that time. Did I force you into fighting with those people?

"That woman had her men surround you, and yet you could still casually use the word ’just’?"

Yvonne was also a tough girl. She narrowed her charming eyes and gave Hailey a grim smile.

"Director Lindsey, you’re so good at shifting the blame. I can’t believe you have the nerve to say we’re kids. We’ve all reached adulthood. You still think the world revolves around you?

"You think you deserve all the credit and everybody else deserves the blame? "You think you could just scapegoat someone after things went south? "I’m willing to take all the blame, but not for people like you!"

Yvonne’s words always struck home. After she made a couple of remarks, all the others shut their mouths.

Lydia’s face was still swollen, her red dress looking the worse for wear.

She looked at the glib-tongued Yvonne and the pretty unapproachable Eva who were sitting opposite her. The longer she stared at them, the angrier she became.

"I can forgive all the others, but Yvonne, Eva, one of you two hit me, and the other is under suspicion of prostitution. I’ll have you two brought to justice by the end of the day!"

Yvonne smiled, "Now I know what cunning deceivers are like. You accused me of hitting you, but my face is still painful and swollen from the handprint you left on it!

"I hit you solely because you hit me first!"

On hearing that Lydia had been the one who had started the fight, the policemen favorably disposed to Lydia immediately changed their attitudes and eyed Lydia searchingly.

"I... I didn’t!

"Anyway, that female classmate of yours told the truth. You were the one who stirred so many people up into a brawl!"

Lydia was referring to Hailey.

Yvonne sneered, her arms folded over her chest, wordless.

The police officer frowned.

Inciting a crowd to violence was a serious violation of the law, and they had to detain the perpetrator to discipline them.

But Yvonne denied it.

"Like I said, we fought because you people surrounded us.

"We’re all students, and it’s natural for students to be scared and flinch when faced with a baleful influence for the first time, but if we keep feeling afraid and cringing, our safe zone will dwindle continuously until we’re totally at the mercy of people like you, and our safety will be under severe threat!

"I said those words to stop them from being afraid, to encourage them to stand up to the villains, which is very different from picking a fight!"

At that moment, the policeman responsible for the investigation returned with the security footage.

"Sir, Miss Taylor’s telling the truth. The bodyguards did threaten the students first."