Chapter 225 - 224: The Academy Guard
Chen Hao returned to the dorm, muttering curses.
"I just don’t get it. Why is Chu Zhengxiong, a captain from the Demon Hunting Bureau, protecting some outcast from the Old District?"
As he spoke, the two roommates who had returned with him exchanged a look.
They glanced at each other.
"Chen Hao, I’m telling you, you should stop trying to provoke that Lin Yi guy.
I have a feeling he’s got a powerful background and isn’t as simple as he seems. Don’t play with fire, or you’ll be the one who gets burned!"
Chen Hao shot a cold sneer at the roommate who had spoken.
"Dapeng, since when did you become such a coward?"
"An outcast from the Old District? What kind of background could he possibly have?"
"You really think one Chu Zhengxiong can protect him? Pfft... In front of our Chen Family, who the hell is Chu Zhengxiong? Isn’t he just the captain of a Demon Hunting Squad?"
"What, is he going to defy the heavens? Believe it or not, all it takes is one call to my dad, and I can make Chu Zhengxiong’s life miserable by tomorrow."
Chen Hao’s words didn’t resonate with his two roommates.
Instead, they exchanged a look, both sighing and shaking their heads.
"Chen Hao, we’ve said what we needed to say!"
"Just think about it. Since that Lin Yi came to the university, he was placed in our Zone 1 dorms by special exception. That’s unprecedented!"
"Xingwu University has been around for over a hundred years, right? How many martial arts candidates from the Old District have ever actually made it into the Zone 1 dorms? In the last twenty or thirty years, there hasn’t been a single one, has there?"
"On what grounds did Lin Yi get into the Zone 1 dorms right after he arrived? And what about those other martial arts candidates from the Old District with him?"
"Also, Chu Zhengxiong and his squad went on a mission to the Old District before!"
"They probably met in the Old District.
So, it’s understandable that Chu Zhengxiong would look out for him!"
"But I just feel like it’s not just Chu Zhengxiong. He doesn’t have that much pull, not enough to make the university break the rules and put Lin Yi and the others in Zone 1!"
"Take my advice and stop making an enemy of him, be careful..."
Before Dapeng could finish, Chen Hao had already lost his patience.
He sneered, "Careful of what? Afraid he’ll come and beat me up?"
"Heh, don’t forget the school has the Xingwu Guard and people from the Town Martial Department. You think they’re just for show?"
"Besides, I’d love for him to come looking for me!"
"I can use the opportunity to teach him a lesson!"
After speaking with a look of utter contempt, Chen Hao stood up and walked toward his room.
"I’m going to my room to rest. Bring me back dinner; I’m too lazy to go to the cafeteria!"
After saying this, Chen Hao opened his door and went inside.
The moment he shut the door,
his two roommates looked at each other, both sighing softly and shaking their heads.
They knew Chen Hao’s temperament all too well.
After all, they had been roommates for three years and were about to graduate.
Relying on his family’s superior status, Chen Hao had bullied his fair share of martial arts candidates from the Old District.
Those students had come from the Old District, thinking they could enjoy a better life in the New District after getting into a university.
But ever since they arrived, they were targeted and ostracized at every turn.
Chen Hao was one of the ringleaders among the local students.
He had even forced several martial arts candidates from the Old District to drop out...
When he bullied people before, his two roommates didn’t think much of it.
But ever since Lin Yi’s arrival, they had sensed that something was off.
This Lin Yi was definitely not as simple as he appeared on the surface.
There was definitely someone powerful backing him.
And this person’s status had to be significant; otherwise, just the two words "Old District" would have disqualified him from the Zone 1 dorms, let alone bringing several other students from the Old District with him.
Just as the two roommates were worrying about Chen Hao’s future,
suddenly, there was a knock on the dorm room door.
Dapeng quickly got up and walked over.
The moment he opened the door, several members of the university’s Xingwu Guard barged in.
They were all former students of this university who hadn’t managed to get into the Demon Hunting Bureau after graduation.
So, the university had assigned them to the Xingwu Guard.
The so-called Xingwu Guard was, in reality, the school’s security force.
Their main duty was to maintain order on campus.
It was rare to see members of the Xingwu Guard on campus.
But whenever they did appear, it meant something serious had happened.
"Seniors, what is...?"
The members of the Xingwu Guard walked in aggressively.
It scared Dapeng so much he could barely speak properly.
The leader of the group glanced coldly at Dapeng.
"Is there a person named Chen Hao in this dorm?"
"Ah? Yes, yes, we have someone with that name!"
Dapeng nodded subconsciously.
The powerful presence of the Xingwu Guard put considerable psychological pressure on him.
He found himself stuttering, unable to form a complete sentence.
"Which room is he in?"
"That’s the one, in room number 1..." Dapeng hurriedly turned and pointed.
Without another word, the Xingwu Guard members headed straight for the first room.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK—
The sound of knocking echoed.
A moment later, Chen Hao opened the door, cursing.
"What is it now? I’m on the phone with my dad, can’t you just... Huh? Who are you?"
Upon opening the door, Chen Hao saw the Xingwu Guard members standing before him.
His expression changed, and a bad feeling washed over him.
"The Xingwu Guard!"
"You’re Chen Hao, right?"
Chen Hao nodded. "Yes, that’s me!"
"Pack your things immediately and come with us!"
"Go? Go where?" Chen Hao was dumbfounded.
The Xingwu Guard held considerable authority and was a powerful deterrent within the university.
No matter how arrogant a student was or how powerful their family, they were all wary of the Xingwu Guard.
The main reason was that these people answered directly to the university principal.
No one else could command them directly.
Moreover, the members of the Xingwu Guard were all basically campus thugs and tyrants.
Their methods of enforcement were more direct; they’d start a fight at the slightest disagreement.
They could beat people up with impunity, as they had special privileges with the Town Martial Department.
And with Principal Tang backing them, their嚣张 arrogance was only further fueled.
"I said pack your things, so hurry up. Don’t wait for us to do it for you; you won’t be able to take anything with you then!"
After the leader spoke in a flat, emotionless tone,
a chill ran down Chen Hao’s spine.
In his three years at the university, it was impossible for Chen Hao not to have heard about the Xingwu Guard’s methods.
During his sophomore year, he had even personally witnessed them brutally beat up several bullies on the school’s athletic field.
No one could stop them, not even the people from the Town Martial Department who were on the scene.
They wouldn’t intervene.
There was only one reason: anyone targeted by the Xingwu Guard was definitely not a good person.
Chen Hao’s heart was pounding. He didn’t know what the Xingwu Guard wanted.
However, he had a vague guess that their appearance was definitely related to Lin Yi.
’Could it really be like Dapeng said?’
’Is someone backing Lin Yi?’
It was a known fact that the Xingwu Guard answered directly to the university’s principal, Tang Baichuan.
Other than Tang Baichuan, no one could deploy the Xingwu Guard.
’Could Lin Yi’s backer be... Principal Tang?’
At this thought, a chill ran through Chen Hao.
If it was really Tang Baichuan, then his Chen Family truly couldn’t do a thing to Lin Yi.
Tang Baichuan’s identity was more than just a university principal.
Otherwise, even someone like Chu Zhengxiong wouldn’t be so respectful toward him.
After packing his things,
Chen Hao walked out of his room.
He was immediately surrounded by several Xingwu Guard members and escorted outside.
It was only when he saw his two roommates that he remembered what Dapeng had said.
It seemed it was too late to do anything now.
After leaving Zone 1 of the dormitories,
Chen Hao was put into a vehicle.
The vehicle then started and drove deeper into the campus.
It drove for over ten minutes.
Finally, when the jeep stopped,
Chen Hao glanced out the window. "This is... Dormitory Zone 9? What did you bring me here for?"
By now, Chen Hao had figured out most of it.
His expression grew heavier, and panic began to set in.
"Get out!"
"Wait, what do you mean by bringing me here?"
"I said, get out!"
Chen Hao: "..."
Only when he saw a flash of killing intent in the eyes of the Xingwu Guard member did he finally shut his mouth and obediently get out of the car.
"From today on, you’ll be living in Zone 9!"
Chen Hao felt like dying.
From Zone 1 to Zone 9.
The drop in status was immense.
It’s easy to go from frugality to luxury, but hard to go from luxury back to frugality.
Chen Hao had lived a privileged life since he was a child. As the only son of the Chen Family,
he had a constant supply of cultivation resources.
He always got whatever he wanted.
This was precisely what had cultivated the arrogant and domineering Chen Hao of today.
Even after coming to Xingwu University, he had never suffered any hardship.
He even had a crowd of sycophants fawning over him, kissing his boots.
When had he ever been wronged like this?
The dignified young master of the Chen Family, now reduced to this state?
From Dormitory Zone 1 to Dormitory Zone 9?
This was no longer a simple matter of going from luxury to frugality.
This was a clear and utter humiliation.
"On what grounds? On what grounds are you making me move from Zone 1 to here?"
"I’m from the Chen Family! Aren’t you afraid my father will come after you when he finds out?"
Chen Hao’s eyes were red, his rationality no longer able to contain his fury.
"Of course. We welcome anyone to confront us, even your father!"
"But right now, what you need to do is go to your new dorm room immediately!"
"And remember, if you continue to bully students and abuse your strength in your new dormitory, the consequences will be far more severe than just a change of rooms!"
"Let’s go!"
The members of the Xingwu Guard got back into their car and drove off, leaving with a flourish.
Only Chen Hao was left, standing there with a vacant stare.
No one knew what he was thinking.
Some of the students living in Dormitory Zone 9 all started whispering about this local student from Zone 1.
Some even made no effort to hide their mockery.
"AHH... LIN YI, YOU AND I ARE SWORN ENEMIES!"
An unknown amount of time passed.
An enraged roar echoed from Dormitory Zone 9.
"ACHOO..."
In his dorm room, Lin Yi, who was feeding Xiaoqi, sneezed.
He rubbed his nose and said, puzzled, "Is someone cursing my name behind my back?"
Xiaoqi tilted its head, seeming not to understand what he meant.
"Hurry up and eat. There’s plenty of Demon Beast Meat!"
"But for the next two days, we can only stay in the dorm and cultivate!"
"Once the lockdown period is over, we’ll go to Jail City for missions. I’ll take you there to kill to your heart’s content!"
After Lin Yi finished speaking,
a flicker of excitement flashed in Xiaoqi’s eyes.
Then, a stream of consciousness floated out: "Kill... kill demon beasts... Xiaoqi likes killing demon beasts... wants to eat Heart Spirits more..."
Hearing Xiaoqi’s words,
Lin Yi gave it a curious look.
"Eat Heart Spirits? Is that good for you?"
Lin Yi asked, puzzled.
Xiaoqi’s thoughts floated over again: "Can strengthen Heart Spirit, grow, grow faster..."
’Devouring Heart Spirits can accelerate its growth?’
Lin Yi muttered to himself.
It was only then that he gradually recalled why, after forcibly dragging others’ Heart Spirits into his Heart Spirit Domain,
both the white tiger and Xiaoqi had shown an intense desire for them.
There were even several times when Xiaoqi and the white tiger nearly came to blows over them.
’Could it be that their cultivation method is to strengthen themselves by devouring Heart Spirits?’
’And by doing so, they can also raise their Cultivation Realm?’
"No wonder your realm has been increasing so quickly. So this is the reason?"
Xiaoqi nodded eagerly and continued eating its Demon Beast Meat.
A glint flashed in Lin Yi’s eyes.
’This simplifies things. The school doesn’t allow fighting, but dragging his Heart Spirit into my domain... that doesn’t count as a fight, does it?’
Furthermore, if a person’s Heart Spirit was devoured, it would cause significant damage to their physical body.
Their Cultivation Realm would plummet.
Those with weaker Heart Spirits would become imbeciles, their intelligence regressing to that of a young child.
This would be the perfect way to deal with those pretentious local students.
Even if the Town Martial Department investigated, they wouldn’t be able to find anything.
And they certainly wouldn’t trace it back to me.
Making them imbeciles with the intelligence of a child.
’Isn’t that even more satisfying than just killing them?’