Frey, Lanqi, and Hyperion walked along the pathway leading toward the academy's School of Knights.
Along the way, the three exchanged few words, simply walking in silence.
Jacaranda trees lined either side like guardian deities in orderly profusion, silently declaring the mystery and tranquility of this campus. When spring arrived, these trees would proudly display their lavender blossoms; their beauty and vibrant vitality never failed to draw many students and royal capital residents to stop and admire them, turning the area bustling and lively.
At the end of the path nestled an aged wooden building.
It had only a single story, yet it was spacious enough to resemble a small dojo.
Looking from a distance, one could see quite a few panes of glass in the windows were already cracked, and time had left indelible marks upon its wooden walls.
Yet this building, which seemed almost forgotten, was bursting with vigor inside. All manner of clamor spilled from within—laughter, curses, furious roars, and booming rumbles. Mingled together, they sounded like a tempestuous brawl.
"This is the place. The ones left from this team are just a bunch of stubborn brutes; even our dean gets a headache dealing with them."
Frey paused in his steps, pointing at the wooden cottage in the distance as he spoke to the two beside him.
The dean he referred to wasn't Loren, the Dean of the School of Sages, but the Dean of their own School of Knights.
"Student Frey, how are we going to negotiate with them later?"
Lanqi asked, looking at the youth who radiated an unruly aura.
In Lanqi's eyes, Frey—with his sunglasses perched low on his nose, gaze sharp as a falcon's, and an intense sense of explosive power exuding from his frame—looked quite like a gang hitman.
Although generally speaking someone looking like this might not seem like they were heading in for a friendly exchange, Lanqi knew that in the course of carrying out official duties, if one negotiator presented a hardline image while a partner took a gentle stance, playing off the shift in attitude to disrupt the other party's resolve and soften their position made for a fine synergy.
"Let me try negotiating first. I'm fairly familiar with the rules of the School of Knights."
Frey first checked that the weapon in his inner coat pocket was securely in place, then looked toward the wooden cottage.
"Then I'll leave it to you."
Lanqi nodded. After all, he belonged to the School of Sages and didn't know much about the rules here in the School of Knights, so this was a good opportunity to learn.
"..."
Having witnessed Frey's habitual bandit-like behavior just now, Hyperion instantly felt a sense of foreboding.
She was certain this was definitely not what "the rules of the School of Knights" meant!
Then again, she thought it over carefully.
Of the three of them, if Lanqi negotiated, it would likely turn into swindles and tricks, while she, as a half-demon, wasn't very welcome either.
At the end of the day, Frey, the "local," truly was the most suitable.
As a martial artist himself, he surely understood how martial artists communicated.
"If you need any help, we'll back you up,"
Hyperion chimed in from the side.
"Much obliged."
Frey glanced over with a slight nod and walked forward.
The door stood quietly ajar, as though inviting passersby inside.
In truth, the lock had eroded over the years and could no longer latch shut properly.
The three student council members arrived at the entrance, their gazes focusing on the dim interior of the hall.
Inside gathered several burly men. Some sat, some stood, and every single one looked like a formidable fighter.
Even Frey, who looked quite capable in a fight, seemed merely like an ordinary young man in comparison.
The oppressive presence rolling off those fighters was as unstoppable as wild ocean waves.
Yet possessing an absolute commanding presence among these fighters was a woman with long, deep-crimson hair, who seemed to stand in a completely different tier from the rest.
Though tall, she appeared rather petite against the group of hulking men. She was similarly dressed in wild fighter attire: her hair tied into a high ponytail, bangs sweeping past her right eye, wearing a bandeau chest wrap and trousers, with bandages wrapped around her arms and legs.
Her aggressive gaze gave her an intensely domineering air.
"The leader is Cervini, a third-year from the School of Knights. She has an upright character but a fiery temper. She's a Tier 6 Gold rank challenger, so the chances of subduing her by force are extremely slim. The main difficulty lies in needing to take out the Tier 5 fighter at three o'clock at the same time, while suppressing that crowd of Tier 4 combatants."
Frey pointed at the targets inside, sharing intel with his two companions in a low voice.
Both Lanqi and Hyperion shifted their gaze to Frey and nodded in agreement.
From the sound of Frey's words, he wanted to avoid a direct confrontation, which both of them wholeheartedly endorsed.
Violence not only failed to mediate campus disputes, but would also deepen them. That would run counter to the principle of harmonious campus coexistence, tarnish the fine image of the student council, and make it unlikely that today's demolition could be completed smoothly and on time.
Therefore, their objective today had to be reaching a friendly agreement that convinced both sides.
"You three over there! What are you whispering about?!"
One burly man seemed to notice the subtle stir at the entrance, his voice roaring like a gale and setting the air in the hall swirling.
Hyperion gave a start, stepping back warily. She wasn't good at dealing with rude, violent martial artists like this.
Yet Lanqi appeared thoroughly relaxed. He pushed the door open and asked calmly:
"Fellow students, is this the clubroom of the team 'Soul of the Fighter'?"
"That's right,"
the deep-crimson-haired woman in the wooden cottage answered with a trace of disdain.
Her expression turned stern and unfriendly.
The newcomer's leisurely aura and inspectorial tone instantly reminded the fighters inside of the student council.
"So, what are you here for?"
The fighters inside the cottage asked in unison, their voices possessing an imposing force sufficient to make freshmen tremble in terror and collapse straight to the floor.
Yet the three student council members standing at the entrance were clearly no ordinary students. Unfazed, they stood their ground, utterly unthreatened by the hulking men.
"We are executive members of the student council. In accordance with the academy's decision and an enforcement order from the Hutton Kingdom Royal Capital Fire Department, we need this building vacated and demolished today."
Hyperion put on a businesslike demeanor, her tone resembling that of a bank clerk coming to collect a debt.
With Lanqi to back her up anyway, she had nothing to fear.
The moment her words fell, a domineering pressure filled the entire cottage like an immediate refutation, and furious roars erupted one after another.
"This is an important place to us! You bastards with no fighting spirit, get the hell out!"
Chapter 97