Chapter 67: I Really Was Acting in Self-Defense (Combined)

"A sleeping dragon and a young phoenix? What does that mean?" "Once upon a time, there was a martial arts officer who had many disciples. Among them, two were the most outstanding. One, with handsome features, was known as the Sleeping Dragon and Phoenix—just like me. The other one always liked to provoke the Sleeping Dragon and Phoenix. The key thing is, that guy had a chicken-like face, so people called him ’the Chick.’ So that’s the story of the Sleeping Dragon and Phoenix, and the Chick." "What does this have to do with me?" Cheng Xiong asked, puzzled. He hadn’t yet grasped the meaning behind Lu Luo’s words, while the underling beside him, who had caught on, had already started cursing. "Are you fucking looking for death!" Cheng Xiong stopped the underling with his hand. "Hey, why are you cursing first? Didn’t I say to test the waters?" "But Boss?" The underling didn’t know what to say. How could he admit that Lu Luo had called him ’the Chick’? Nearby, Quan Pu had also woken up and was quietly observing Lu Luo. In his view, aside from Cheng Xiong, Lu Luo was likely the strongest person here. Tonight was undoubtedly a clash of titans. "Hey, your name is Lu Luo, right? Why haven’t you been to class these past few days? Don’t you know that unexcused absences, without a professor’s approval, can get you expelled?" Cheng Xiong was still muttering to himself, having missed both Lu Luo’s implication and his underling’s earlier warning. This made Lu Luo’s expression slightly awkward. His intention had been to provoke Cheng Xiong into attacking him first. But this dim-witted Cheng Xiong hadn’t even understood the provocation. Indeed, one couldn’t discuss complex matters with an uncultured fighter. "Uh, I had some family matters to attend to." Cheng Xiong nodded, sizing Lu Luo up and down. Lu Luo gave him only one impression: too refined. He didn’t fit the standard of a rugged Wasteland man. "You’re so clean-cut. Are you on the scholarly path?" At East Ring University, the "scholarly path" meant avoiding superhuman affairs and relying on studies and qualifications to become a lawyer, administrative officer, or the like. Cheng Xiong asked because he simply couldn’t associate someone like Lu Luo with a brawny, imposing figure. "Yeah, something like that. I’m planning to take the civil service exam in the future, secure a steady job." Lu Luo wasn’t lying. Hunters were affiliated with the Council, which basically made them civil servants. Seeing Lu Luo’s demeanor, Cheng Xiong’s expression became even more benign. He patted Lu Luo’s shoulder and extended his hand. "Since you’re a scholar, I won’t drag you into our affairs. Just pay this month’s management fee, and we’ll call it even." "Boss, I really don’t have any money. How about you just beat me up instead?" Lu Luo’s face was a mask of sincerity. He just wanted to claim legitimate self-defense; that wasn’t too much to ask, right? Hearing Lu Luo had no money, Cheng Xiong’s expression immediately soured. He said nothing, merely nudging a nearby underling with his chin. The underling instantly understood. "I’ve had a bad feeling about you from the start. Wouldn’t it be easier to pay thirty bucks for peace of mind? Why be stubborn and court death? You think the school infirmary is a pleasant place? If you end up there, Professor Han Shiyu will make sure you understand the consequences, right?" Hearing that Han Shiyu was actually in charge of the infirmary, Lu Luo, who was still trying to figure out how to stage a self-defense scenario, felt his eyes light up. No one understood how to curry favor better than him. With Han Shiyu there, getting a disability certificate would be a breeze. Instantly, Lu Luo’s aura shifted, transforming into that of a human-shaped killing machine. "Your name is Cheng Xiong, right? Here’s the deal: hand over all the money you’ve collected. I’ll try to go easy on you so you won’t be laid up for too long." Cheng Xiong scoffed, "What are you talking about? Do you have any idea who I am? I’m a sponsored student from Rainbow Shine Hunting Company, and I’ve awakened the C-level Sequence 88: The Boxer!" "That strong, huh!" Lu Luo suddenly shot up, grabbing Cheng Xiong’s collar. With a speed and strength Cheng Xiong couldn’t react to, he slammed him against the wall. BANG! Lu Luo punched clean through the red brick wall, casually pulled out a brick, and THWACK!—brought it down on Cheng Xiong’s head. Cheng Xiong’s eyes bulged, filled with disbelief, panic, and fear. "Men! Get him!" His voice was still loud, which meant Lu Luo had intentionally loosened his grip. Lu Luo figured that if he just single-handedly thrashed these five, it would likely be classified as malicious assault on campus. That wasn’t what he wanted. However, if he escalated things, involving more people, the situation would become more nuanced. For instance, if forty or fifty people ganged up on him and he beat them all, would Cheng Xiong dare admit it was dozens against one? Of course not. If he did, his reputation at East Ring University would be ruined. It would undoubtedly be reported as a mutual brawl. A fifty-person brawl was large, but not unheard of at East Ring Alliance University. The school, eager to quell the incident and manage campus opinion, would likely try to downplay it. So, Lu Luo, understanding the dynamics, decided to strike hard and teach these naive youngsters, still oblivious to the harsh realities of Wasteland society, a brutal lesson. The only thing he needed to be careful about was not hitting them *too* hard. Seeing the Observer’s reminder, Lu Luo blinked, tightening his grip on Cheng Xiong’s head. "Help! Cheng Xiong is attacking someone!" he bellowed. His voice, amplified by his internal energy, was incredibly piercing. Lu Luo reckoned that, unless some were sleeping too soundly, this incident would provide the others with a little combat experience and become a topic for their casual banter. Seeing Lu Luo and Cheng Xiong grappling, the onlookers grew eager. "What are you waiting for? Go get him!" Cheng Xiong’s top lackey, the one who had spoken to Lu Luo earlier, yelled. As for why he didn’t join in himself? It was obvious. He’d witnessed Lu Luo’s power; jumping in now would be suicide. Watching the brawl up close, their adrenaline surged. Some couldn’t resist charging forward and attacking Lu Luo. THUMP. A wooden club struck Lu Luo squarely on the back of the head. Unfortunately, it didn’t draw blood. Lu Luo was inwardly exasperated. Had these guys not eaten? He needed to sustain *some* injury, or it would be hard to explain later. "Their attack power is too low! Put some muscle into it!" Though frustrated, Lu Luo didn’t hold back in the melee, felling one person with nearly every punch. He aimed for muscles, buttocks, or abdominal areas without vital organs, limiting the damage and avoiding fatalities. THWACK! BAM! POW! The room descended into chaos. Quan Pu, from bed 19, had already scrambled to a safe distance. Witnessing Lu Luo’s current display, the intoxicated Quan Pu sobered up instantly. "This guy isn’t some small fry from a fishpond! He’s clearly a humanoid Exotic Species!" The fight on Lu Luo’s side ended quickly; he needed to incapacitate everyone before the campus guards arrived. Towards the end, he wasn’t holding back much, and a few unfortunates had their legs broken, leaving them howling on the floor. The commotion in Dormitory 6 eventually attracted the guards, who were accustomed to such incidents at Alliance University. The Fourth Ring lacked entertainment and resources, leading to a generally repressive atmosphere. In such an environment, these outbreaks were quite normal. The powers that be likely preferred the populace of the Fourth Ring to be rife with internal conflicts; it made them easier to control and ensured the stability of their rule. "Stop! Stop fighting!" The lead guard was already pulling people apart. Seeing the situation taking a turn, Lu Luo snatched a broken red brick from the floor and smashed it against his own face. CRUNCH! The impact was solid, making Lu Luo’s head snap back. The brick nearly disintegrated, but his forehead was completely unscathed. [Sequence D-00: Toughness Effect activated. All damage -7%, final damage value -1.] [Brick damage insufficient. You are immune to this damage.] "Fuck, how can there be such a useless Sequence?" [Hey now! Last time you fought Li Manting, the Dawn Church’s Spider, you were bragging about how amazing Toughness was! Why the sudden change of heart?] The guard was almost upon him. Out of options, Lu Luo ripped an iron leg off his bed frame and scraped it hard across his own head. Blood finally trickled down his forehead. Lu Luo quickly smeared it all over his face, making himself look utterly wretched. When the guard reached him, he lurched to his feet, grabbed the guard’s hand, and rasped, "Officer! Save me... take me to the infirmary! Find Professor Han!" No sooner had he spoken than his body went rigid, and he collapsed. The guard, seeing Lu Luo’s blood-streaked face and stiff posture, was momentarily stunned. "What are you all gawking at? This is serious! Help him, quickly!" Several guards immediately found others to help carry Lu Luo to the infirmary. The students Lu Luo had just pummeled were dumbfounded. Moments ago, Lu Luo had been like a god of war, rampaging through them. How could he now look like he was at death’s door? Was there someone else here capable of injuring Lu Luo so severely? Had he been ambushed while they were down? What on earth had happened? The situation unfolded exactly as Lu Luo had predicted. None of them admitted to ganging up on him; those who tried to speak just stammered. The lead guard couldn’t immediately make sense of it. All they knew for now was that the injuries on most of them seemed remarkably consistent—as if each had only been hit once. One of the guards looked skeptically at his superior. "Chief, could one person have done all this?" The man addressed as Chief frowned slightly. He grabbed Cheng Xiong, whose teeth were mostly gone and whose head was bleeding. "What the hell happened with you lot?" Cheng Xiong looked at the Guard Chief, suddenly feeling an urge to cry. He was still bound by his sponsorship contract. He couldn’t possibly admit that dozens of them had lost to a single person. What would happen to his reputation? If Rainbow Shine Hunting Company unilaterally terminated his contract, his future would be over. Cheng Xiong wasn’t like Lu Luo; he didn’t have the guts to strike out on his own. This was a mess of his own making, and he’d have to swallow it, tears and all. "It’s nothing. Just a normal group fight. We got a little roughed up, that’s all," Cheng Xiong mumbled, his words slurring. The Guard Chief didn’t believe for a second that they had simply "lost a fight," especially since Dormitory 6 should have already been under Cheng Xiong’s control. Since he was unwilling to talk, the Chief didn’t press further. But this clearly indicated a major upheaval in Dormitory 6. The Guard Chief had seen plenty of campus brawls. They were often microcosms of the power struggles between the major corporations in the Fourth Ring, all vying to recruit the limited talent available. What they did with that talent—nurture it or exploit it—was another story. He was just a lowly Guard Chief. As long as there wasn’t a major crisis, like firearms or fatalities, he preferred to stay out of it. He quickly summarized the incident: "Mass brawl, injuries on both sides. The ringleaders have apparently reached a private settlement. The school can handle the rest. Alright, stop playing dead! Those of you who can walk, get yourselves to the infirmary. If you can’t, call the hospital for an ambulance. Professor Han has limited energy; she can’t treat so many people at once." Hearing the Guard Chief, the students who could still stand got up silently and began an orderly procession towards the infirmary. Compared to the exorbitant hospital fees, the infirmary was a much more economical choice. 「...」 Carried to the infirmary on a stretcher, Lu Luo’s eyes darted around. He noted the school infirmary was surprisingly large, almost the size of a small hospital. Why would a university need such a massive infirmary? Was it specifically for treating injuries from fights? All the beds in the observation room were currently occupied. Lu Luo noticed several bandaged students in nearby beds sitting up and looking at him. "A freshman? Which dorm was fighting this time? Spill the beans, it’s pretty boring in here." Looking at these bandaged students, an idea sparked in Lu Luo’s mind. If you’re going to put on an act, commit to it. Let’s make sure this goes down as a group brawl. "I’m Lu Yingjun from Dormitory 6," Lu Luo began, using a fake name. "And the story of today’s incident starts with the epic clash between Quan Pu, the King of Drinkers from Dormitory 6, and Cheng Xiong, the Fist King..." Just as Lu Luo was regaling his audience, Han Shiyu, having been urgently summoned, rushed into the infirmary. Working part-time as a doctor was her own choice; as a Believer of Light from the Dawn Church, healing was part of her calling. Han Shiyu walked quickly, shrugging on a white coat as she inquired about the injured. "Many casualties? Any critical?" The guard briefing her nodded immediately. "Yes, fifty-three injured in total. One of them is critical, looks like he’s not going to make it. That’s why we called you in such a hurry, Doctor Han." "Critically injured! Not going to make it!" Han Shiyu’s expression tensed, and her pace quickened. However, as she and the guard reached the entrance to the observation room, she sensed something was amiss. It sounded like... someone was telling a story. Inside, Lu Luo was gesturing dramatically, his audience captivated. "And then, Quan Pu, with a ’Black Crow Takes Flight,’ lunged at Cheng Xiong! But Cheng Xiong parried with a ’Horse’s Tail Swats the Flies’! The two were locked in fierce combat, evenly matched..." Standing in the doorway, Han Shiyu’s face was like ice. She recognized Lu Luo’s voice instantly. So, he was finally back? And telling stories? [Someone’s at the door. You’d better prepare yourself.] Han Shiyu strode into the observation room. Hearing someone enter, Lu Luo immediately clammed up and lay back on the bed, playing dead. "Hey, you didn’t finish! What happened next?" one of the listeners asked eagerly, clearly engrossed in Lu Luo’s tale. Lu Luo winked at them. "Later. Gotta deal with this first." The others, understanding the situation, also quickly lay down, resuming their roles as patients. Han Shiyu switched on the main lights and asked the guard beside her, "Who’s the critical one?" The guard immediately pointed to Lu Luo’s bed. "That’s him! He’s fading fast! Doctor Han, please check on him quickly!" Han Shiyu grabbed the blood-smeared Lu Luo and pulled him towards an inner room. Before Lu Luo could say anything, she dismissed the guard. "Alright, I understand. I’ll do my best to save him. You can go now; leave him to me." "Okay. Thank you, Professor Han." Dangling from Han Shiyu’s grip, Lu Luo didn’t dare utter a sound. Only after she closed the door did he offer a sheepish grin. "Professor Han, long time no see." "Indeed, it has been a long time." Han Shiyu didn’t release him but tossed him onto an examination bed. She briefly inspected the wound on his head. "This injury of yours... it’s a good thing you got here when you did. Any later, and it would have healed on its own!" Lu Luo: "..."