The Price of Provocation

Enemies deserved no mercy.

Jiang Zhe held nothing back. His ‘staff technique’ shifted into a ‘whipping technique,’ lashing out repeatedly like a furious storm. He relentlessly struck Lin Qi’s face, eliciting continuous screams of agony.

Lin Qi’s body trembled violently from the pain, his steps faltering as he tried to evade. Unfortunately, Jiang Zhe gave him no such opportunity.

Before long, for the sake of symmetry, Lin Qi’s once delicate face was swollen beyond recognition, resembling a pig’s head. His eyes were squeezed into narrow slits by his puffy cheeks, and the bruises, a mix of black and blue, made it look as though a dye vat had exploded on his face.

At this moment, an eerie silence once again descended upon the fencing club, broken only by Lin Qi’s incessant wails.

Though Jiang Zhe remained as strikingly handsome as ever, his elegant movements as he swung the sword sent shivers down onlookers’ spines. It felt akin to witnessing a large, predatory beast toying with its prey.

The dedicated live stream personnel diligently held their ground, causing the number of onlookers on the forum to skyrocket. Compared to the hushed silence of the venue, the live stream chat was bustling with activity.

[Good heavens, is this what they call violent aesthetics? It’s too cool!]

[This is school bullying, I’m calling the police.]

[Hehe, the one who provokes first is despicable. Clearly, that club president lacked martial ethics; he deserves whatever he gets.]

[Exactly! Injuries are normal in competitive sports. How can you call this bullying?]

[Am I the only one who noticed Jiang Zhe’s breathtaking beauty??? Ahhh, he’s just too handsome. The quality of Fenghua High’s campus heartthrobs is too high; I want to study at Fenghua too.]

After all, those not present, watching the live stream through an electronic screen, could not truly comprehend the shock of witnessing it firsthand.

As the live stream’s bullet comments flowed incessantly, the fencing club students also snapped back to reality. Each of them watched Jiang Zhe’s merciless assault, finally finding their voices once more.

“Ahem, fencing isn’t played like this. This is far too amateurish!”

“Jiang Zhe even looks good while hitting someone. I can’t take it anymore.”

“Should we intervene? After all, Lin Qi is the fencing club president. If he keeps getting beaten, what about the club’s reputation?”

“Idiot, if you want to court death, don’t drag us into it. Jiang Zhe is acting to vent Ning Ran’s anger. Do you really think Lin Qi can remain in the fencing club, or even at Fenghua? He’s finished, beyond saving.”

While Jiang Zhe focused on thrashing Lin Qi, Ning Ran watched Lin Qi’s miserable state and instantly felt refreshed. The anger that had nearly overwhelmed her moments ago vanished completely. Her smile grew radiant, her eyes curving into crescents, and she felt Jiang Zhe’s aura was now ten feet tall.

Having such a good friend who would stand up for her felt rather nice.

Alright!

She had made up her mind.

From this moment forward, she genuinely acknowledged Jiang Zhe as her friend. Whether inside or outside of school, she would protect him!

“Jiang Zhe, that’s enough. We should go.”

Ning Ran wasn’t about to let Lin Qi off easy, but she glanced at the multiple phones pointed at Jiang Zhe. She knew the school forum was live streaming the event, and they couldn’t go too far.

If it were her, she could kill Lin Qi and walk away unscathed, but Jiang Zhe couldn’t.

Besides, there were many ways to make someone suffer. Taking away what they valued most was the true path to successful retribution.

Once the Lin family disowned Lin Qi, he would be worthless. Would Lin Moshu still consider him one of his own?

Being abandoned by everyone would be enough to break Lin Qi.

However, Ning Ran was loath to see Lin Qi’s annoying face in the country again, so she would later arrange for the Lin family to send him abroad, never to return.

As these thoughts flickered in her mind, Ning Ran’s smile transformed into a mocking sneer. She dismissed the thoughts and looked directly at Jiang Zhe, noting how he promptly stopped when he heard her words.

Ning Ran’s mood improved even further.

“Okay.”

Jiang Zhe had disciplined Lin Qi to vent Ning Ran’s anger, and now that Ning Ran herself had spoken, he naturally wouldn’t continue.

Lin Qi was now swaying precariously, no longer a threat, nor capable of another sneak attack. As Jiang Zhe turned, he handed the longsword to the nearest student.

Having stopped, he regained his usual indolent demeanor, looking relaxed, devoid of the earlier sharp, imposing aura.

Upon closer inspection, his dark eyes seemed to glow.

The girl, who had been dazed as she reached out to take the longsword, snapped back to reality. The next second, her cheeks flushed with excitement. She covered her mouth with her other hand, eager to stifle a scream, wishing she could steal the sword and take it home as a cherished keepsake.

The surrounding girls watched enviously, regretting that they hadn’t pushed forward earlier. Otherwise, they too could have seen Jiang Zhe up close.

What dashing movie stars or adorable idol boys? None could compare to Jiang Zhe’s divine looks!

Unaware that he had once again captivated everyone with his looks, Jiang Zhe swiftly walked over to Ning Ran, simultaneously scooping up the nearby lottery box with one hand. Their eyes met, and with an unspoken understanding, they turned and headed directly to the fencing club’s lounge.

They left behind a group of students craning their necks, wishing they could transform into a sticky plaster and cling to them, desperate to know what Ning Ran and Jiang Zhe were doing and why they were in such a hurry!

Meanwhile, in the live stream chat, seeing the main characters depart, the viewers knew the broadcast was nearing its end. They expressed their reluctance in the comments, wondering if they would ever get to feast on such thrilling gossip again.

[I finally saw Jiang Zhe this time. My life is complete, sisters. I am fulfilled; I am about to achieve enlightenment.]

[Hang in there, sister! I’ve already contacted a friend who can get private photos of Jiang Zhe.]

[What exactly is the relationship between Ning Ran and Jiang Zhe? Just now, Jiang Zhe was sticking up for Ning Ran, right? That’s amazing. A docile puppy instantly turns into a fierce wolf. I’m all for it!]

[Huh, look, isn’t that Lin Moshu???]

[What? Lin Moshu is here too? To see his cousin?]

The moment Lin Moshu’s name appeared, the live stream chat, which had been gradually calming, exploded once more. Besides the numerous outsiders watching the gossip, many school students were also viewing the live stream, so it was not surprising that they recognized Lin Moshu.

Not only in the live stream chat but also among the students present, upon seeing Lin Moshu rushing over, they immediately poked each other, winking and grimacing, putting on a grand pantomime of ‘The Jumping Chá in the Melon Field.’

Under everyone’s gaze, Lin Moshu’s indifferent expression remained unchanged. He suppressed the slight pant from his hurried run and looked at Lin Qi, who had been beaten into a pig’s head. A cold glint flashed in his eyes; he knew this chess piece had been ruined.

Damn Jiang Zhe and Ning Ran, and that idiot Lin Qi.

Having already seen the full story in the live stream chat, Lin Moshu knew that at this point, he could only cut his losses quickly and prevent the situation from escalating further.

The Lin and Ning families could not afford any animosity.

With these thoughts, Lin Moshu silently led Lin Qi away, giving no one the chance to enjoy the spectacle.

****

“Jiang Zhe, I… can I draw again?”

Inside the fencing club’s exclusive lounge, Ning Ran sat on a chair, looking at the slip of paper in her hand. She hesitated, unsure how to voice her request, but ultimately did.

It wasn’t that she was going back on her word or being a sore loser. It was simply that the content of the drawn slip was too utterly indescribable.

Even though she had chosen the punishment and had written the slip herself…

[Actively kiss for thirty seconds]

Ning Ran’s usual pride temporarily receded at this moment, even vanishing entirely. She had no experience even holding a boy’s hand, let alone such an intimate form of contact.

Her eyes darted away, her cheeks faintly flushed, prompting Jiang Zhe, who sat opposite her, to raise an eyebrow. He tapped the armrest of his chair with his index finger, watching her with a half-smile that wasn’t quite a smile.

How could I let my prey escape?