Oh, it’s you, Principal Isabella!
All at once Linguan Honzhe sat straight, trying to open his sleepy eyes.
Isabella put on a smile and replied,
Yes, I’m taking a walk.
This Linguan Honzhe was an alien indeed as well as in name! In terms of talent, he would never be overshadowed by Linguan Skylan! But unlike the Thunder Lion King, he had never pushed himself to learn, improve or recruit! Power and status seemed to mean nothing to him!
Do me a favor.
Isabella kicked the man in his ass.
Qian Jin is going to the Frontiers. Follow him and watch out for him.
Bodyguard?
Linguan Honzhe looked at Isabella in bewilderment. He had never seen her worry about anyone like this, including Linguan Skylan, who would be participating in the Zence New Generation Warrior and Mage Competition for their academy!
You can’t watch him be killed or disabled. Every day you will report directly to me what he has done. I’m getting more interested in him but I can’t get away now, so…
Rubbing his butt, Linguan Honzhe looked up at Isabella on the tree and shook his head again and again. What would Linguan Skylan do if he knew this tigress was so addicted to Qian Jin? The throne of the lion was being challenged! Maybe there would be a duel? Haha… He hadn’t seen Linguan Skylan in a fight for such a long time that he began to look forward to the show.
Hey, you lazy cat!
Isabella sat on the tree and dangled her legs,
You know what is waiting for you if you lose him?
Linguan Honzhe shrugged and said with an evil grin,
Just so you know, boss. I might see something I shouldn’t if you continue dangling your legs like that.
Shooting a trace of Warrior Power onto the young man’s body, Isabella laughed out.
You little bastard! How dare you flirt with me here. Don’t you know I wear trousers?
Turning around, Linguan Honzhe walked to the school gate while stretching and murmured to himself:
Qian Jin… I heard that he has danced with the principal. Now the principal told me to protect him! Skylan would be pissed off. Haha… How dare Qian Jin to lay hand on his girl?
The sun went down and the late-fall night was cold, especially in the wilderness.
By the crackling bonfire, Weed was dozing off against a boulder. Swathed in bandages, she smelt like a walking herb. A rapid recovery was expected.
Qian Jin flipped the iron forks in hand and the roast chicken was grilled on the spit.
Come out.
Fixing his eyes on the food, Qian Jin said without a trace of emotion.
It’s getting cold and you must have been hungry, following us around for a whole day. I don’t think the stone-cold cakes and water are tasty enough.
Hearing this, Weed opened her eyes and searched around. There’s nobody here! Who was he talking to?
Oh, since you are having a party, how about some heated wine?
Tence Matten said while rocking his folding fan as if it were not a cold night but a hot afternoon.
Why have you prepared so much chicken? You think my guard is a horse?
Iron looked at the wild boar at the top of the fire blankly, trying to figure out why Qian Jin thought they could eat all this up. He could eat, but his stomach couldn’t hold a universe!
You won’t come out?
Taking over the wine from Tence Matten, Qian Jin kept talking.
Then I suggest that you go back to the Torrent Battle Fort.
From the darkness, Gomez Jane walked out, way more slowly and quietly than she usually did. Bowing her head, she approached the fire step by step with Lucifer Lucy.
Wow…
Tence Matten raised his eyebrows and smiled to Gomez Jane/
You are good at hiding! Neither had I nor Iron know you’re here!
Unlike the bossy woman she had usually been, Gomez Jane sat by Qian Jin without saying a word! She gazed at the burning fire like a newly-wedded bride who had made a mistake.
Handing over some chicken to her, Qian Jin started to talk.
I don’t think it a good idea following us around, do you?
Taking over the food, Gomez Jane tore a small piece off and put it into her mouth. She silently nodded, and still, she didn’t say a word. Like a student who was caught playing a prank by the teacher, she didn’t know how to face Qian Jin.
Raising her sword up in the air, Lucifer Lucy sliced a chunk off the boar and shoved it into her mouth.
It’s good but not as good as my chef.
Qian Jin turned a sharp eye on the girl.
Come on! We are not in your Demons Palace! You should thank God there is something to fill your stomach! If I could make a top chef, I would recommend myself to cook for your Demon King! Then I could poison him and change history!
He thought.
See, Qian Jin? I told you I would buy you a drink!
Grumbling with his greasy lips, Tence Matten raised the wine-skin in his hand.
I heard you have some close friends? When will they come back to the academy?
I don’t know.
Taking a long drink, Qian Jin looked up at the stars and secretly wished everything went well with Duren Burg in the Ancient Desert Sea.
Iron gnawed away at a huge piece of boneless rump while observing his master with great curiosity. What was exactly on the mind of the Sixth Prince? He said himself that it was impossible to recruit Qian Jin but it seemed he was unwilling to give up! Otherwise, why would he follow that young man to the frontiers?
Fuk, I can’t stand it anymore!
A complaint sounded in the darkness. Linguan Honzhe strode to the fire, sat next to Iron and hit him by the shoulder.
Make some room for me! How can you eat and drink by the fire while I have to hide and suffer from cold and hanger?
The usual smile of Tence Matten was now mixed with some vigilance! Sleeping Lion King Linguan Honzhe? The second rank on the Hundred Battle Ranking List? What was he doing here? Did he also want to recruit Qian Jin?
Qian Jin fished out a box of cigarettes from his Warrior Dimension with a smile on his face and shook it at the Sleeping Lion King.
Oh, I like those babes!!
Linguan Honzhe took one out of the box, lighted it with the flame and took a long puff. He closed his eyes as if he were enjoying a heavenly song. After a while, he said,
You son of a bitch! You knew I was there and you said nothing!
Fixing his eyes on Qian Jin, Tence Matten found there was even not a slightest mood change while everyone else was stunned by what the Sleeping Lion King had said. Qian Jin did know the man was hiding there! But how?
Qian Jin stretched himself with a yawn. Sleeping Lion King had hidden well, but not so well as the Demon Beasts in the Endless World, who made their living by hiding and sneak attacking. Of course, he could spot the man, otherwise, he had already been hacked to death long ago in the West Mountain.
Hey, Qian Jin,
Linguan Honzhe asked while tearing at the grilled meat,
I know you don’t want to work for Skylan, but… How about for our Lingua family? To be an Assisting Elder? I could put some nice words for you!
The smile on Tence Matten’s face froze and there was some surprise! The man here who had only secured the second place on the Hundred Battle Ranking List was seen sleeping most of the time and seldom did he mingle with other students. People tended to think he was not that strong as Linguan Skylan! But now… He seemed to have a more imposing manner than the first ranking warrior!
Bloodline warriors, especially the Ten Bloodline Families, had always thought themselves superior to the ordinary ones. As for the Griffins and the Hydras? They saw no one in their eyes!
The second name on Hundred Battle Ranking List did have some right to represent the whole Griffin King Family! Otherwise, he would not offer an Assisting Elder position for an ordinary freshman warrior!
Qian Jin threw a few pieces of damp wood on the fire, which caused some hissing noises immediately.
Sorry,
Looking up at Linguan Honzhe, Qian Jin declined.
I am the first guardian of the Roll Family.
Linguan Honzhe smiled and shrugged! He knew Qian Jin was saying no in another way because a guardian, to some extent, was an Assisting Elder and there were a million reasons to serve different families at the same time.
You don’t want to be an Assisting Elder either?
Linguan Honzhe took over a wine-skin from Tence Matten and continued.
You want to be our ally?
Ally? Tence Matten raised his smiling eyebrows and waited for Qian Jin to give an answer.
He would have an exaggerated opinion of his abilities if he said yes!
Matten thought.
Even the President of the Blacksmith Union in Yulee was not qualified enough for that!
Raking the burning chunks with the stick in his hand, Qian Jin smiled.
Don’t worry, we’ll get there.
What? Tence Matten frowned, which was rarely seen! He had thought that this young warrior did have something and now it seemed he had already lost himself because of the strength and ability! On what earth could he think himself attractive to the Griffin King Family?
It’s hard to tell what will happen in the future.
Lying on the ground, Qian Jin clasped both hands behind his head and looked at the flashing stars. It reminded him of the good old days with Rollin. They had lied down under the same stars. They had talked about life in the street after they got drunk. He had thought Rollin would beat him in terms of realizing their dreams. But now…
I promised a friend of mine that one day, I’ll make my name heard in the Zence Empire and the Demons. My name will be recorded by the bards and be passed down in eternity. He is watching me from the stars, so I must make those dreams come true, including his. So, if there are bandits who dare to rob the Roll’s caravan, I will kill them all. I will let them know who they are messing with.
A friend?
Puzzle and thoughts appeared on the face of Tence Matten. After a while, he smiled again. A friend? Interesting! Was this all on the mind of ordinary warriors? To most people, the word had never crossed their minds! Even the Punitive Expedition Academy was just a network of connections.
Tence Matten gently shook his head and laughed. An emperor didn’t need friends! If not for Qian Jin, he would not have thought of this word that he had learned when he was a child.
Weed, now you’ve had enough food and rest.
Qian Jin turned to Weed.
Tell us what happened!
