The Unveiling of Prowess

The outcome was decided in an instant, leaving not only the onlookers but Lin Qi himself utterly stunned.

****

The gloomy shadow on his face dissipated, replaced by an expression of profound disbelief.

His eyes were wide, his body rigid and unmoving, still unable to comprehend that he had been defeated in his own area of expertise, and by the seemingly unremarkable Ning Ran, no less.

This isn’t real!

Lin Qi could not accept his failure. Ning Ran, witnessing his reaction, curled her lips in disdain, looking down on him even more. ‘Such a grown man, yet so fragile. What if he encounters a real setback? Will he just leap from a building?’

Ning Ran harbored no sympathy for Lin Qi; he was merely reaping what he had sown.

Her expression of scorn was equally evident, leaving him no room for dignity.

Neither of them wore masks for protection, which meant their unguarded expressions were clearly visible to everyone. The fencing club, which had fallen silent due to the swift resolution of the match, now erupted in a clamor, as if a dam had burst, with discussions so loud they threatened to lift the roof.

“Ahhh, I didn’t see that wrong, did I? Ning Ran actually defeated the club president in one move! That’s too cool!”

“Ning Ran, you’re the best!”

“No way! When did Ning Ran get so strong? Before, she always drew with the president!”

“You fool, that’s called humble discretion! She’s not some nouveau riche shouting about their prowess everywhere. How undignified would that be!”

Suddenly, the fencing club buzzed with excitement. Ning Ran, seeing that the situation was clear, did not continue to point her sword at Lin Qi. Instead, she gracefully retracted her longsword.

There were still important matters to attend to; she needed to find Jiang Zhe quickly!

Had I known it would become this complicated, I wouldn’t have agreed to meet at the fencing club.

Fenghua High is so vast; we could meet anywhere. Jiang Zhe and I aren’t in some special relationship, just friends, so why be so secretive?

Ning Ran frowned, pondering these thoughts. She felt she had taken a wrong turn and vowed not to repeat the mistake next time.

However, before leaving, there were a few things she needed to make clear.

“Lin Qi,” Ning Ran said, leaning closer to him and lowering her voice so others wouldn’t overhear. “While Lin Moshu and I have an engagement, remember this: as long as we aren’t married, Lin Moshu has no authority over me, Ning Ran. And during this time, I have the Ning family as my backing. What do you and Lin Moshu have? Pity gained by wagging your tails for the Lin family?”

Her words were factual, and precisely because of their truth, they fueled Lin Qi’s jealousy and surging hatred.

Ning Ran watched Lin Qi’s forehead throb with visible veins, remaining completely unfazed. If not for fear of alerting others, she would have burst out laughing, telling him to stop dreaming about marriage. When the time was right, she would have long since made her escape.

Let whoever wants to marry, marry!

Recalling Lin Qi’s earlier words, Ning Ran’s anger had not yet subsided. She felt she could deliver a few more blows as retribution: “Don’t think you’re so formidable. I grew tired of fencing as a child. Even after years of not touching a sword, you still can’t beat me.”

At this point, Ning Ran had transformed into the epitome of humblebragging. Feeling utterly satisfied, she finally turned to leave, paying no mind to the cheers and excitement around her.

Ever since her birth, she had been the center of attention, with flowers, applause, and praise being standard fare.

Her talent, however, was equally exceptional. Her learning ability was top-notch, and her parents had more than once sighed, remarking that if Ning Ran had been a boy, the next head of the Ning family would have been a certainty.

Then, there would have been no need for her to be restrained.

Ning Ran, however, scoffed at such notions. ‘What era is this? Men and women are equal.’

Yet, Ning Ran cared little for power. She cherished freedom and an unfettered existence. If she were forced into a life as constrained as her parents’, not even the greatest benefits would sway her.

Besides, excessive work and late nights would make her ugly, and she certainly wouldn’t have that!

With her future wealth, she could easily support a handsome man, someone to accompany her under the moonlight and grow old with… Her standards weren’t even that high, just a little bit better looking than Jiang Zhe!

“Ah!”

As Ning Ran’s thoughts drifted, a sudden scream erupted from the crowd, piquing her curiosity. A gust of wind assailed her from behind, and her body instinctively dodged sideways.

Simultaneously, a pair of arms shot out, pulling Ning Ran back several more steps.

The next second, the tip of a longsword emerged from beside Ning Ran. Had someone not pulled her back, her left hand would likely have been impaled by the blade.

Although the longsword was not sharpened, it was still sharp enough. A forceful stab would certainly be agonizing.

Ning Ran’s eyes narrowed dangerously. She had not expected Lin Qi to be so audacious as to launch a public sneak attack, and with such vicious intent, targeting an unprotected area.

He’s insane!

She was going to butcher this dog-brat!

Nearly attacked, Ning Ran was furious. But before she could retaliate, the longsword in her hand was snatched away. She looked up in indignation, only to realize that the person who had pulled her back was none other than Jiang Zhe.

Σ(゜ロ゜)

Why him? He reacted so fast!

Ning Ran stood frozen in disbelief. As she stared blankly, Jiang Zhe looked down and smiled at her.

His handsome face bore a gentle smile, like a dew-kissed rose, so enchanting that one might wish to pluck it and display it in a vase for endless admiration.

Under such a beautiful assault, Ning Ran was slow to recover. Yet, the moment Jiang Zhe looked up, his gaze turned incredibly sharp, fixed on Lin Qi as if he were already a dead man.

Even if Jiang Zhe hadn’t harbored feelings for Ning Ran, once he had decided to bind himself to her, she became his very life.

Lin Qi harbored ill will towards Ning Ran, seeking to take his life.

His move to eliminate the threat was perfectly normal, and utterly justified!

Although he still couldn’t reveal his fencing skills, there was no rule against him using a longsword as a club. Conveniently, Lin Qi wasn’t wearing a mask, making it easy to strike.

After pulling Ning Ran aside, Jiang Zhe wasted no time allowing Lin Qi to escape. He immediately met Lin Qi with the longsword in hand. This caused Lin Qi, who had just recovered and was breaking into a cold sweat, to sneer, thinking it was a perfect opportunity to deal with Jiang Zhe.

The fact that he had attacked Ning Ran was irreversible; he would surely be punished by the Lin and Ning families later. But before that, he could resolve a problem for Lin Moshu, which was not a bad outcome.

Even if I die, I should die meaningfully, making one last contribution.

With these thoughts, Lin Qi gritted his teeth. Instead of retreating, he advanced, thrusting his longsword directly at Jiang Zhe’s knee. He aimed to deliver a heavy blow while Jiang Zhe wore no protective gear, sending him straight to the hospital.

However, Jiang Zhe was equally swift. After dodging Lin Qi’s insidious lunge, the distance between them closed. A slight smile touched Jiang Zhe’s lips as he raised the longsword in his hand and, with a resounding ‘snap’, lashed it directly across Lin Qi’s face.

The force was considerable, instantly leaving a mark and halting Lin Qi’s steps, who was caught off guard by the unconventional move.