Evolution - Chapter 90
Chapter 90
Ji Changqing let out a sound of surprise, replying reflexively, “But I don’t have any dealings with him?”
“Just stay away from him, alright?” Tao Jun shot her a sidelong glance, his expression screaming, How can you be so dense? He had to spell it out more clearly. “The He family is in turmoil lately. They might just end up selling out He Qingzhi. That guy is a deep one. If they start fighting, wouldn’t it be unfair if you got caught in the crossfire?”
Let the He family fight all they want. It wouldn’t matter if they turned their own house upside down. The infuriating thing is that those lunatics act without any scruples and always manage to drag others down with them. A lot of people have been screwed over by them.
Although she felt she had no connection to He Qingzhi and was unlikely to interact with him, Tao Jun’s warning came from a good place. Ji Changqing nodded in understanding. “Thanks!”
Tao Jun, using his height advantage, looked down at her and shot her a seemingly disdainful glance before striding away on his long legs.
Ji Changqing silently rolled her eyes.
By the time the students from the Alliance Fourth Military University arrived at the training base, most of the other academies were already there.
The first two days were just for reporting in; the official training would begin the next day. The contestants seemed unwilling to wander around outside or hole up in their assigned dorms, so most of them had gathered at the training grounds.
The students from the Fourth Military were no exception.
Ji Changqing and the other first-time league participants had just settled their things in their dorms when some upperclassmen came over to call them to the training grounds.
Regardless of when the official training started, daily basic drills still had to be done.
When the Fourth Military students entered the training grounds, students from the First and Second Military were in the middle of a match. The students from other academies were either training quietly or gathered in small groups, scattered around to watch the excitement.
The moment the Fourth Military contingent walked in, the previously quiet training grounds instantly became noisy. People who had been lazily watching the fight on the platform, chatting idly with their friends, couldn't help but sit up straight and crane their necks toward the entrance.
“Hey, the Fourth Military is here!”
“Now things are getting interesting.”
“Which one is Ji Changqing?”
“Stop pretending. You’re telling me you can’t recognize her?”
“Well, I haven’t spotted her yet.”
“There, the one walking at the back.”
“Huh, she looks pretty ordinary.”
“You try being ‘ordinary’ like that.”
“Hey, no, what I mean is, she’s a hot favorite, right? How come she doesn’t walk with an imposing aura or have her own theme music? It doesn’t fit her status, hahaha!”
“Alright, alright. If you want to mock someone, mock them, but don’t drag her into it. She hasn’t done anything to you.”
“Hehe! Okay, okay, I’ll stop.” He was just annoyed by those arrogant types who acted all high and mighty, with their noses in the air.
Look at Ji Changqing, and then think about the swagger of those people who weren't even as popular as her.
If the top ten were decided by a vote, he'd cast his for Ji Changqing based on her attitude alone!
The students from the First and Second Military weren't dead; they naturally heard the commotion and turned to offer polite greetings.
The number of finalists from the First, Second, and Fourth Military was roughly equal. Their team leaders were sixth-year students who had participated in the league more than once and were familiar with each other.
The Fourth Military's leader told the fourth-years to go do their basic training, while the fifth and sixth-years went to chat with their acquaintances.
Ji Changqing and the other league rookies were, of course, obedient.
Just as they broke off from the main group, muttering about which drill to start with, someone suddenly shouted, “Hey, uh, Student Nine-Moves, do you dare to come down and have a match with me?”
The moment he spoke, the entire field fell silent.
Everyone's gaze snapped to Ji Changqing in unison.
The corner of Ji Changqing's mouth twitched. Pretending she hadn't heard, she continued walking on her own.
What the hell is ‘Student Nine-Moves’? I'm never going to acknowledge that name!
The Fourth Military's leader suppressed a laugh. They all knew Ji Changqing couldn't stand that nickname; no matter who shouted it, she wouldn't be moved. But the Fourth Military had to show its stance! She looked nonchalantly at the First Military's leader. “What's this? Is your First Military planning to take on both of us at once?”
The First Military's leader was already getting a headache from this hothead suddenly issuing a challenge. Of course, he wasn't going to fall for the Fourth Military leader's trap. “Since when can a rookie represent the entire First Military? Or is that how things are done at the Fourth Military?”
The Second Military's leader listened to their verbal sparring with a detached expression, remaining completely aloof. He neither commented on the Fourth Military lumping them together nor reacted to the First Military's attempt to shift blame.
Seeing that Ji Changqing wasn't reacting and his own leader hadn't stopped him, the hothead grew bolder and shouted even louder, “Hey, stop pretending you can't hear me! Are you scared?”
The Fourth Military's leader knew Ji Changqing wouldn't pay him any mind, but others didn't. She had to smooth things over, or Ji Changqing would become a public enemy.
She said with a grin, “She won't answer to that name even if you shout it until the end of time.”
The First Military's leader took the hint and laughingly scolded, “Doesn't she have a name? Who's going to answer you when you're yelling nonsense like that?!”
The hothead looked as if he'd had an epiphany and readily changed his approach. “Ji Changqing! Ji Changqing of the Fourth Military! Do you dare to fight me?”
Ji Changqing was just about to step into a specialized training area. Now that he'd called her by her full name, she couldn't very well pretend not to hear. She paused. “I don't dare.”
The crowd erupted in an uproar.
How to put it? If anyone else had said that, people would have thought they were a total coward. But coming from Ji Changqing's mouth, it just didn't feel right. No matter how sincere her tone, everyone felt it was high-level sarcasm. The subtext had to be—You, a piece of trash, want to fight me?
The hothead's face flushed with anger. “You!”
Ji Changqing glanced at him. “I have money recently. I'm not accepting challenges.”
She wasn't about to indulge their bad habits.
Sparring with others to hone one's skills and seek improvement—there was nothing wrong with that line of thinking.
The problem was, she didn't need it. Nor did she have any obligation to be everyone's sparring partner. Pushing people to improve and grow was the instructors' responsibility, not hers. Why should she waste her time fighting with them?
Besides, many of the people who challenged her had impure motives.
Take this guy, for example. Issuing such a high-profile challenge—or rather, provocation—in front of everyone… his intentions were obvious. As long as she accepted, win or lose, he could ride her coattails to gain a bit of fame.
And if he happened to win, it would be a huge jackpot!
Moreover, if she set this precedent, there would be an endless stream of challengers. Should she accept or not? If she accepted them all, wouldn't she be worked to death?
Therefore, turning everyone down, regardless of who they were, was the best choice.
Just like at the Fourth Military, anyone who wanted to challenge her had to pay a fee that made them feel the pinch.
When a challenge or provocation came with a price, people's minds tended to clear up considerably.
The crowd was completely bewildered. For a moment, they didn't even know what to feel.
Did this mean she was only willing to fight when she was short on cash, and now that she had money, everyone could just get lost?
So refreshingly unconventional?!
The Fourth Military's leader was speechless for a moment, feeling that this girl was seriously damaging their reputation.
But no matter how much face she lost, she was still one of theirs, and the leader had to smooth things over for her. With a deadpan expression and a heart full of exhaustion, she said, “That's her rule. Otherwise, she'd probably never get a moment's peace.”
The Second Military's leader, who had remained silent as gold until now, actually nodded in approval, a slight smile gracing his face. “The right move!”
The First Military leader's eye twitched. As soldiers, did they have any fighting spirit left? Shouldn't the correct approach be to fear nothing, to rise to the challenge, to fight one if one comes, and to thrash a pair if a pair comes?
Win or lose, provocation or challenge, a real man fights first and asks questions later!
Avoiding a fight, no matter the excuse, was just cowardly, wasn't it? It deserved condemnation!
He looked at the Second Military's leader, whose slight smile was like a spring blossom, then glanced at the Fourth Military's leader, who was deadpan but whose eyes were filled with pride and relief…
He realized they genuinely, sincerely thought this approach was particularly clever, witty, and praiseworthy.
He managed a difficult nod and squeezed out two words: “Right…”
I often feel like I don't fit in with them because I'm not ridiculous enough.
No wonder the people from the Second and Fourth Military always got along so well. One was a total weirdo, the other a true beauty—they were all fucking wired wrong!
As the normal ones, the First Military really had it rough.
If the person challenged just now hadn't been Ji Changqing, the Fourth Military would have completely lost face, wouldn't they?
Because it was Ji Changqing, whose strength was plain for all to see, no one would think she was scared for refusing the challenge. The only one who would lose face was the challenger. However, she did give a reason, and though it was bizarre, it did save the First Military a bit of face.
As long as the hothead took the hint and backed down, the matter would be over. He'd lost a little face, but since she always acted this way, it couldn't be considered a personal attack.
Just as the incident was about to conclude, someone, unwilling to let it go, righteously jumped in. “Student Nine-Moves's previous performance was indeed astonishing, but this brother from the First Military is sincerely asking for guidance. Isn't it a bit too arrogant to rely on your talent and refuse him?”
Everyone perked up. Wow, this was turning into a drama series.
Life at a military academy was so monotonous and harsh that it had turned the students into expert gossipmongers. They could watch even a trivial matter like this with great relish.
Ji Changqing couldn't even be bothered to spare him a glance from the corner of her eye. She methodically began her specialized training.
The leaders of the First, Second, and Fourth Military glanced over.
“From the Seventh Military.”
A second-tier military academy. No wonder he was so eager for them to start fighting and never stop.
Seeing that Ji Changqing had no reaction at all, the guy couldn't help but smile. He had, of course, seen her earlier reaction. If Ji Changqing were to refute his words now, it would mean she knew “Student Nine-Moves” referred to her, which would make it hard to explain why she had ignored the student from the First Military before.
If she didn't refute him, everyone present would subconsciously assume that she was, indeed, arrogant because of her talent.
Either way, he was using her as a pawn to stir up a little trouble between the First and Fourth Military. No matter how Ji Changqing reacted, he wouldn't lose out.
But the hothead from the First Military, while a bit dense, could still tell good intentions from bad. Hearing this and seeing Ji Changqing's complete lack of reaction, he was amused. This girl really treated everyone the same. She wasn't even moved when someone was insulting her indirectly.
Fine, he thought. I started this mess impulsively, but when did it become the Seventh Military's place to butt in?
He rolled his eyes at the speaker from the Seventh Military and yelled, “You're a strange one. You know she has a name, but you insist on calling her that. Do you want her to acknowledge you, or are you afraid she will?!”
The implications of his words were much richer.
The student from the Seventh Military choked on his words, his face smiling while he was cursing internally. “Victory in nine moves—wasn't that Student Ji Changqing's own intention to make a name for herself? Now that this resounding title is out there, why won't she acknowledge it?”
His words did make a lot of sense.
Everyone secretly turned their gazes back to Ji Changqing. To say that the “victory in nine moves” gimmick wasn't for fame… no one was willing to believe that!
“You think that title is resounding? It's yours, no need to thank me!” She was seen completing a standard training move with precision and power. “I don't care what you think. I care what I think.”
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