Era of Mist

Besides, you guys bullied our class, and now you have the nerve to come to our classroom looking for witnesses? Are you stupid?

"Didn’t see anything."

"Didn’t hear anything."

"Wasn’t paying attention."

"I don’t think so."

The students of Class 28 spoke with one voice, firmly backing Shi Tiexin.

The four lackeys grew anxious. If they couldn’t seize this final chance, their grievances would never be redressed. The four of them immediately rushed into Class 28, shouting, "Nonsense! You’re all lying! You all saw it!"

In the morning, these same people had been scared into silence when facing the Black-Handed Hungry Tiger.

But in the afternoon, everything had changed.

’We’ve got Brother Tie in our class. Why would we be afraid of a bunch of punks like you?’

"Saw what?"

"This is just ridiculous."

"How baffling!"

The four lackeys panicked, then felt lost. Looking at the disgusted, loathing, and contemptuous faces of Class 28, they truly felt their status in the pecking order had hit rock bottom. Normally, their little group ran rampant, and the Clean Street Tiger was awe-inspiringly fierce, seeming incredibly powerful. But did the people who feared and dreaded them not have a single spark of anger in their hearts?

It was just that everyone knew the nail that sticks out gets hammered down. No one dared to be the first to stand up, or rather, no one who stood up could avoid being knocked back down.

Now, Shi Tiexin had become the one who stood up and wasn’t knocked down. Since he hadn’t fallen, he had become a banner. This banner might not be very effective elsewhere, but when it came to opposing Teng Chaoguo and the Clean Street Tiger, it was exceptionally useful.

No one was afraid of them anymore.

No one.

The four panicked. ’No, this can’t be happening! If no one plays along, this whole act will fall apart! We have to find someone, we have to find someone to testify for us! Who... who would still be afraid of us? Right, isn’t there that timid little punk in this class? The one we slapped across the face this morning who didn’t even dare to make a peep!’

"Zhao Qingmiao! You saw it, didn’t you!"

The four of them roared at Zhao Qingmiao, who was sitting in the front row.

But Zheng Kaoming wasn’t about to let these punks act so belligerently. He barked, "What’s all the shouting for? All of you, shut up!" He looked at Zhao Qingmiao and asked sternly, "Did you see anything? What did Shi Tiexin do during the second break?"

"Hello, Teacher Zheng." Zhao Qingmiao stood up, looking like an honest-to-goodness bookworm. He said timidly, "Shi Tiexin... went to the restroom."

The four were instantly overjoyed. ’This guy is still afraid of us after all!’

Zheng Kaoming pressed, "What did he do in the restroom?"

Zhao Qingmiao wore a baffled expression and said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "He went to the restroom, so of course he used the restroom. What else would he do?"

"He didn’t do anything else?"

"Nope. Shi Tiexin just transferred to Class 28 and isn’t familiar with the layout, so we went to the restroom together." Zhao Qingmiao said with certainty, "He took a long piss, and then he came back."

This... this! The four felt themselves being buried by an endless darkness. Lies and falsehoods surrounded them, suffocating them until they couldn’t even breathe. It was as if they had sunk into a boundless, deep sea—choking, oppressed, dark, with no hope of survival.

’Is there any fairness or justice left in this world?!’

"Young man," Zheng Kaoming said, glancing at Zhao Qingmiao. "What’s wrong with you? Are you not feeling well?" Zhao Qingmiao was currently drenched in sweat, panting for breath, and his face was flushed from exertion. He certainly didn’t look normal.

"No, I just like to get some exercise after lunch. I just ran all the way here, so I’m covered in sweat." Zhao Qingmiao said with a bashful look, "Doesn’t the school talk about well-rounded development in morals, intelligence, and physique? I figured I shouldn’t neglect physical education."

"Mm, alright. I have no further questions." Zheng Kaoming turned, walked down from the podium, and showed no courtesy to the four who were still staring blankly at each other. He landed a flying kick on the fatty’s butt. "What are you spacing out for? Get out!"

The four of them dejectedly followed Zheng Kaoming out of the classroom.

The moment they entered the hallway, heedless of the fact that class was about to start and students were milling about, Zheng Kaoming showed no intention of saving their pride. A torrent of roars erupted from him. "You lot, you’ve got some real nerve! Deceiving your teacher, falsely accusing a classmate, framing someone else... do you really take me for a fool!"

"Teacher Zheng, we..."

"All of you, shut up! If you dare to argue one more time, you’ll be in for a world of hurt today!" Zheng Kaoming, face contorted with rage, pointed harshly at the four. "I’ve heard a thing or two about what kind of trash you four, and that Teng Chaoguo, really are. Don’t think the school can’t do anything to you just because you have a few cheap tricks."

"I’m making a note of today’s incident. If I hear about even one more vicious incident involving you, I’m telling you, even without catching you in the act with evidence, I have the means to get all of you kicked out of Fengming First Middle School! First a major demerit, then expulsion, so you’ll never be able to hold your heads high again for the rest of your lives!"

"Get out!"

From a distant corner, Zhou Nan revealed half his face, furtively peeking in this direction. Hearing Zheng Kaoming’s roar, Zhou Nan was completely dumbfounded. The evidence was so clear and the facts so obvious, yet Zheng Kaoming completely ignored it all. He even reprimanded the four, accusing them of slander and false accusation. This was simply turning black into white!

’That square-headed devil star has always been sharp as a tack. How could he be so muddle-headed today?’

’No, perhaps he isn’t muddle-headed...’

A jolt went through Zhou Nan’s mind as a possibility suddenly occurred to him. ’When that kid first arrived at the dorms... Zheng Kaoming led the way... three members of the Wind Disciplinary Committee escorted him... Today, Zheng Kaoming blatantly twisted the facts, reversing cause and effect, making it clear he was protecting that kid... Could it be that kid isn’t just some penniless nobody, but is secretly someone with a major background?’

’No, setting that possibility aside for a moment, just look at what’s happening right in front of me. Zheng Kaoming has laid his cards on the table and is firmly backing Shi Tiexin. In that case, who in this school would that Shi Tiexin kid still have to fear?’

’He can probably run completely rampant in the trash class now!’

’Do I... do I really want to make an enemy of a guy like that, just for the title of top dog in Class 28?’

Zhou Nan’s fear of Shi Tiexin grew by another three points. From last night to now, with the initial three points, the middle three points, and these final three points, his fear level was now a solid nine out of ten.

As for Zheng Kaoming, after roaring and cursing the four until they scurried away in disgrace, he had, on the surface, completely settled the nature of the incident. But after the four had all scrammed, Zheng Kaoming cocked an ear and heard the irrepressible whispers and low cheers from the students of Class 28, as if they had just won a great victory.

A thought flashed through Zheng Kaoming’s mind. He suddenly turned and walked back to the Black Restroom.

Standing at the entrance to the Black Restroom, Zheng Kaoming carefully observed the floor. He noticed something was still off—it was too clean. He knew very well what the Black Restroom was usually like; who would be diligent enough to come and scrub it?

"This has... been washed with water?"

Connecting this to Zhao Qingmiao’s sweat-drenched appearance just now, Zheng Kaoming pondered for a moment, then stood up and walked out.

"Wind Disciplinary Committee, bring Shi Tiexin from Year One, Class 28 to my office. Yes, that Shi Tiexin. I need to have a little chat with him."