Castle of Black Iron
chapter-10

The next week was peaceful. Zhang Tie and the other members of the Hit-Plane Brotherhood familiarized with one another. Thankfully, none of the other members in the brotherhood did any manual single-cylinder piston movements at school any more. The change might be attributed to their promise to Zhang Tie or the risk of being caught doing that movement. Although Zhang Tie was still very weak, he was already satisfied by being able to protect Miss Daina this way. In comparison, Glaze, who would always bully the weak at the school cafeteria, was still arrogant; however, he truly had to strength to do that. In the test organized by the school last week, Glaze almost broke all the records made by the students at the school. His records made all the other male students desperate. The differences between a Lv 2 professional fighter and an average person could easily be seen.

Zhang Tie was happy that he was not the one who had his spot in the line stolen by Glaze in the cafeteria. Including Zhang Tie, Glaze brought a huge pressure to everybody. Zhang Tie thought to himself everyday about what would he do in the future if someone wanted to destroy something that he wanted to protect but didn’t have the strength to overcome them. This huge pressure made Zhang Tie very lively. Besides training hard and learning at school, he also tried to save time to strengthen himself when he returned home. For Zhang Tie, the earlier he could light the meditation flame in the shrine, the earlier he could protect himself.

In reality, every undergraduate boy at the Seventh National Middle School had been exerting their utmost best. Because this was their last semester at school, they had to practice outside the school gates in the second half of the school year. Speaking of where the students trained, the city’s army safeguarded Blackhot City and the surrounding farming villages as well as the arterial roads and mines where the students trained in. There was no danger when they practiced downtown, but if they were to practice elsewhere, someone would lose their life. Once they left the protection of the high walls of Blackhot City, they would hardly be able to find a safe place because of the wild and dangerous variant living beings and crypt fiends that would kill them at any moment. Besides, the legend that gays in the city army liked fresh trainees had been popularized amongst undergraduates from the Seventh National Middle School for many years.

No struggle, no life — the pet phrase of Captain Kerlin and the true reflection of this age.

“Attack, add more strength. Did you not eat lunch? Attack, add more strength...” the roars of the coach were drifting in the training ground in the afternoon. “Bastards, hold your spear tightly even if it was a red iron rod. You have no power even the women are stronger than you……”

Sweating, Zhang Tie repetitively exercised the attacking movements dully under the hot sun. Two hours later, the spear body made of hollow steel had become very hot. The blisters that had formed on his palms were broken repeatedly. Being stimulated by his sweat and wounded by the scorching spear body, he felt like he was holding red-hot charcoal and felt like he was being pricked by needles. However, seeing the coach who was standing upright like a javelin on the training ground under the sun with a solemn face, Zhang Tie had no choice but to grit his teeth and convert all the pain in his body into an angry growl — “Kill!”. Raising his chest, he strode forward and attacked like a machine without knowing what being tired meant. In the students’ eyes, the most hateful guy’s records motivated them to work harder than the coach’s orders. As a tradition at the school, all the records of the strongest person in each group of undergraduates would be recorded on the high platform in the training ground in red words for the worship of others. This was a form of encouragement — to be precise, it encouraged increasing aggression for others...

Glaze——

100 m——10.3s

Bench press——160 kg

Deep squatting——310 kg

Explosive punch—— Right fist: 510 kg ; Left fist: 340 kg

Maximum stamping explosive force——780 kg

Maximum number of continual armor-breaking attacks——137 times

Endurance——13—— The endurance value referred to the maximum effective power transmission distance at the standard speed with regular battle equipment, using kilometers as the distance unit. Although it sounded somewhat complex, it was the most accurate explanation. The endurance indicator was also a measure of the maximum tactic moving radius for the pikemen matrix on the battlefield. The maximum effective combat capability referred to the maximum personal combat capability that remained after three minutes of rest following a rapid march. The value should be more than half of the total personal combat capability. Glaze’s endurance value was 13 which meant that he could still accomplish more than 69 armor-breaking attacks or could deal an attack with a force of 250 kg using his right hand after rapid marching for 13 km in standard battle equipment.

Those are the indicators of a LV 2 fighter!

The words on the high platform were still fresh. The scarlet words seemed as if it was mocking everyone beneath it. Since Glaze’s name and data were written two weeks ago, the training ground became increasingly aggressive. Nobody would like to give up at this point.

On the day Glaze’s name appeared on the high platform, the coach shouted at them coldly, “You either die or live on the battlefield. There is no good or evil, am I clear?” Zhang Tie thought to himself, “The people who survive the battlefield are the good ones.”

After two hours of spear training, what waited for them was the 10 km armored march at a moderate speed. Finishing the last task, Zhang Tie’s feet felt as soft as scotton. He found shade under a tree and gasped for quite a while like a dog. Zhang Tie failed to stand up while the other members of the brotherhood tilted themselves and sat on the ground. Besides Doug and Barley, Bagdad was the strongest one in the brotherhood; he was even one of the strongest in the school. By contrast, Doug looked special today. Today, he was especially thrilled as he kept drooling with a foolish grin during the class. When they trained in spear attacks, Zhang Tie occasionally saw that guy. Although he looked tired to death, the crotch of his trousers were raised like a tent. Zhang Tie was really shocked by this scene. What the f*ck! Was it that exciting to practice spear skills? Zhang Tie was really shocked!

Finishing the run, Glaze and his followers passed in front of Zhang Tie with their heads raised proudly. They even peered over most of the commoners laying on the training ground.

“Trash!” Glaze seemed to mouth. Zhang Tie was absent-mindedly trying to figure out what he had said. When he found out what was said, he clenched his teeth. When Zhang Tie recovered a bit after ten minutes of rest, he saw the pudgy Barley moving towards him quiveringly and squatted in front of him. “Do you have any plans after school?” he said in a low voice.

“I have a part-time job at the grocery store that I go to twice a week!”

“Are you a virgin?”

Hearing this, Zhang Tie instantly became irritated, “F*ck, I am a virgin, so what! You’re the same!”

“Wrong, after today, you’ll be the only virgin among all the brotherhood members!” Barley replied calmly. Zhang Tie didn’t even notice Barley’s compassionate look at that moment.

“What does that mean?” Zhang Tie couldn’t think it through for a while.

“You will understand after school. It’s a benefit for the members of our Hit-Plane Brotherhood. It’s Doug’s turn today, so I will arrange it for you next time…” saying this, Barley patted Zhang Tie’s shoulders, stood up, and left, leaving Zhang Tie with his head spinning for quite a while.

Today was a special day. Walking out of the school gates with the other members, Zhang Tie noticed that Bagdad and the other members were bidding farewell to Doug solemnly at the school gate. Each one bidding farewell to him would bend their arms around Doug’s shoulders and say something to him before making a lecherous laugh. Doug was also thrilled; his ears were even red. Zhang Tie could only hear something gloomily like “if you wash your mouth, you would get a surprised”. When it was Bagdad’s turn, his voice was loud enough that Zhang Tie finally heard what they were saying. “It’s fast for the first time. Spirit up, you have enough time that you can make love many times. When I was there, I did it seven times…”

They patted shoulders and embraced each other as the last couple of guys bidded farewell to Doug with a lecherous expression. Hista wanted to follow Doug but was pulled away by Bagdad and Leit.

Zhang Tie had no words to explain what had just happened. Barely said that it was an activity of the Hit-Plane Brotherhood and suggested Zhang Tie to watch if he was free. Zhang Tie asked about the whereabouts and knew Barley and Doug were heading for some place past the railway station. In the end, he went along with them.

On the way, Doug was both thrilled and nervous. He kept asking Barley strange questions.

“Although I took a bath last night, I sweated a lot today, is it ok?”

“Have you changed your underclothes and underwear?”

“Yes, I changed them last night after my bath!”

“Then it’s ok!”

“But Hista said there would be a surprise if I washed my mouth before going there!”

“Don’t worry, I’ve already prepared this for you!” Barley replied and took out a small paper parcel from his pocket solemnly. The paper parcel was well packed and made Doug and Zhang Tie especially curious. He stretched his neck and found three or four slim leaves inside.

“What’s this?” Doug asked curiously.

“These are expensive tea leaves. I stole them from my father. They were give to my father by others as a gift. We treasure it very much, as they were only produced in Eastern Continent. Here you are, put them in your mouth like this and don’t chew or swallow them. They are much more effective than washing your mouth.

Barley carefully took the leaves and put them into Doug’s mouth. Doug held them tightly in his mouth, saying nothing. He was afraid of dropping them when he spoke.

“How many times can I make love with her?” after a while, Doug asked another question.

“You can make as many times as you can within three hours!”

“Can I use the bottom hole?” Doug asked another question like a curious baby several minutes later.

“Bottom...” Barley was really shocked, “Who told you?”

“My brother……”

“You… can’t do this. Hista and the others didn’t try that!”

“Erm!” With tea leaves in mouth, Doug recovered his composure once again. After a few seconds, in order to safeguard his authority, Barley explained solemnly, “It’s very expensive to use that hole. Yeah, very expensive and not healthy...”

Zhang Tie had already realized what would happen, but out of curiosity and his increasing male hormones, he followed Barley and Doug all the way from school to the old slum neighboring the railway station. They wandered in the low alley for almost four minutes before arriving in front of a vermeil door. Compared with the surrounding gates that were evidently broken, this place was much cleaner. Standing outside the door, when Barley knocked the door, a couple of people passed by and stared at them. It felt strange. Zhang Tie felt fleas jumping on his face, which made him itchy.

Although he didn’t know what was behind the door, Zhang Tie guessed it must be very stimulating and became nervous as well. Doug was already sweating at this point. Hearing somebody vomiting, Zhang Tie turned and found it was Doug... Doug was constantly digging for something inside his mouth. Barley was also startled, “What’s wrong!?”

“I was nervous… and swallowed those tea leaves… When I swallowed, It felt really uncomfortable...”

“Idiot...” Barley verbally abused and patted his own head painfully with a hand, “too shameful, no more drinking. Have a drink and flush it off when you enter!”

“Woo...” Doug kept acting like he was vomiting

With his eyes opened widely, Zhang Tie saw Doug’s face turn red, and then his veins stood out and thickened. It seemed liked something wanted to exit his throat. His mouth bulged as he tried to keep his mouth closed. Covering his mouth, he finally swallowed it back down…

“Well, it’s fine. I swallowed them. Thankfully, I solved the problem instantly!” patting his chest, Doug seemed like he survived a robbery. He then grinned shamefully and exposed a vegetable leaf on his teeth that was half digested.

Zhang Tie turned pale. Feeling disgusted, Zhang Tie thought to himself, “You’re really great!” When Doug spoke now, Zhang Tie could smell the gastric acid, which was really disgusting. Barley was also shocked, as he had never dreamed that Doug would solve the problem in this manner...

Zhang Tie couldn’t stand it any more. His curiosity and hormone both disappeared at this moment. “Have fun, I will leave first!”

Barley quickly took out four silver coins from his pocket and put them in Doug’s hand. “You enter by yourself. Remember, don’t tell her I brought you here and don’t say you know me either!”

Zhang Tie and Barley ran away instantly and hid somewhere. Doug was left alone scratching his head outside the door. The vermeil door opened. Zhang Tie couldn’t see anyone, but Doug, who stared straight and showed a “shameful” smile, greeted, “Hello...”

The person who opened the door must have almostly been suffocated to death by Doug.

The moment he greeted, the door was shut with a “peng”. Doug was at a loss of words. After a few seconds, he looked over at Barley and Zhang Tie. Barley showed an encouraging gesture. Doug raised his chest and knocked on the door once again. Doug was still smiling coyly with four silver coins spread in his hands. Seeing his actions, Barley patted his head painfully again. As a result, the door was shut once again with a loud sound.

When Doug knocked the door for the third time, Zhang Tie found a basin of water was poured out from inside when the door was opened. Doug became a drowned rat, and the coy smile was frozen at that time...

What bad luck!