Chapter 68: Ah, It’s Just to Disgust You, Just for Fun~

After Qi Lijun finished speaking, even Leng Bingbing, who was usually gentle, was thoroughly infuriated. To put it plainly, who among them didn’t want to use this martial arts academy assessment as a stepping stone into the Anqing Martial Bureau? If they truly didn’t care, they’d have gone home to sleep already. And if the disciples of Jiuhua Sect could defeat the academy students fair and square, that would be fine—if you’re not as good as others, you tuck your tail and go home. But if Jiuhua Sect planned to resort to underhanded tricks, that simply crossed the line. With the Duan brothers and their own group, their cellular strength was already over four hundred, and now you’re telling me they might also be wearing armor during the matches? What’s the point in fighting then? Might as well just go home!

…

Halfway through their drinks, the news drained all enthusiasm from the table. Only Qi Lijun still pouted, chewing skewers as if nothing had happened. "So, you’re really not angry if things go this way?" Qian Qian couldn’t sit still after hearing everything and directly challenged him. “Why should I be angry?” Qi Lijun replied carelessly. “Besides, didn’t the Anqing Martial Bureau offer four slots? Even if the Duan brothers all get in, there’s still one left.” “Quite confident, aren’t you?” Zhang Ze said with a soft laugh. Decisive as always, Zhang Ze was clearly displeased after learning of the Bureau’s attitude toward those three fools. “Honestly, if they’re going to cheat like this, won’t the Bureau intervene?” Zhang Ze asked. “Do you really think they’ll let the Bureau find out?” Qi Lijun countered. Qian Qian picked up the thread, “If all three have over four hundred cell strength, why would they need to pull such stunts?” Qi Lijun shook his head. “Their goals are different from ours. To them, coming to the Bureau isn’t just about competing—it’s about showing off the prestige of Jiuhua Sect. Even if they’re caught wearing armor, they can always claim ignorance about the rules.”

After listening, Zhang Ze downed a large gulp of beer and said, “Doesn’t matter what they think. Since those three idiots have run into us, too bad for them.” “Heh, just waiting for you to say that,” Qian Qian grinned mischievously after receiving his tacit approval. Leng Bingbing tried to intervene, but Zhang Qingping held her back.

…

Halfway through the meal, Qian Qian swaggered over to the Duan brothers. “Well, well, aren’t you three looking flashy tonight?” He caught up to them in a few steps, taunting them with exaggerated bravado. The Duan brothers rarely mingled in the city, but they weren’t fools. Sensing the mockery, the eldest, Duan Hong, was instantly irked.

“Where’d this drunk come from? Get lost before we beat you up!” he barked, raising his hand threateningly. Qian Qian was there to provoke them, and seeing Duan Hong lift his hand, he yelped and collapsed to the ground, playing the victim perfectly. Classic scam. As he rolled about, the brothers were dumbfounded—“We haven’t even touched you yet!” “He’s beating me! Everyone, come see! The martial artists are bullying ordinary folks! Boohoo!” Qian Qian wailed, drawing a crowd in the bustling street, where people were always eager for a spectacle.

Amid the chaos, Qian Qian smashed a rotten tomato he’d gotten from the skewer shop owner onto the ground and abruptly went silent. “Did someone die?” “Why did he stop making noise?” “Damn, is that blood?” The crowd quickly grew frenzied. The Duan brothers, used to years of martial cultivation, had never encountered this kind of street scam before. Even Duan Hong found himself staring at his own fist in confusion, wondering, “Did I actually hit him?”

…

Zhang Ze and the others, who had been watching the situation unfold, saw it was time to act and left their table. Qi Lijun caught Zhang Ze’s wrist and chuckled, “Aren’t you worried I’m making all this up? What if none of it’s true?” Zhang Ze paused. “Do you think I’m reckless? The kind who’d beat up Li Zixing without first checking his background?” “Aren’t you?” “Heh…”

He didn’t bother explaining further. In fact, even without Qi Lijun’s prior hints, Zhang Ze had noticed many problems during the tournament. Why did Anqing Martial Bureau only announce the participation of Jiuhua Sect and Huizhou Logistics after the first round? And why, when this was the first time traditional martial sects joined such a private assessment, did the number of available slots remain unchanged despite adding five disciples trained from childhood? Clearly, after narrowing the field to sixty-four, the Bureau only then revealed the sects’ participation. Those eliminated would think it had nothing to do with them—what did it matter who else joined? Those lucky enough to advance would simply expect to lose more spectacularly to the likes of Duan Hong. In the end, only people like Zhang Ze and Qi Lijun, who were likely to reach the quarterfinals and be selected by the Bureau, were truly affected by this disruption. It was bound to breed resentment among the top eight. What’s more, the Jiuhua disciples might even wear armor into the ring! The more Zhang Ze thought about it, the angrier he got—“Why not just roll in with a tank and mow everyone down while you’re at it?”

…

Soon, Jinlong, his brother, and Peng Fei pushed through the crowd to Qian Qian’s side. Seeing Qian Qian lying there, Peng Fei jumped into character, shrieking, “He… he’s dead!” “Nonsense!” Duan Hong finally realized these people were all in cahoots, out to make a fool of him.

“Look, the guy’s right here. If you don’t believe us, call the detectives over,” Jinlong said. “You’re all academy students, aren’t you?” Unlike his brother, Duan Wuren kept his cool and addressed Zhang Ze. Zhang Ze just waved him off, not bothering to respond. “What, afraid you can’t win on the ring, so you’re pulling tricks in the street?” Duan Wuren pressed, not hiding his contempt. “Beating you is easy,” Qi Lijun shot back before Zhang Ze could answer, “We just wonder if you dare to fight fair and square.” Pointing at the three brothers, he challenged, “Care to send out two for an exhibition match?”

At Qi Lijun’s words, the Duan brothers’ expressions changed dramatically. Zhang Ze stayed silent, but he noted every shift in their faces. Evidently, the Anqing provincial weapons company and Jiuhua Sect really did have some shady dealings. This realization prompted Zhang Ze to give Qian Qian a swift kick, who, quick on the uptake, slipped away through the crowd back to the barbecue stand.

…

“What happened?” Leng Bingbing asked as Qian Qian suddenly returned. “Heh, Qi Lijun was right—there’s definitely something going on between Jiuhua Sect and the weapons company,” Qian Qian muttered as he pulled out his phone and began dialing several numbers, just as Zhang Ze had instructed him…