"In their eyes, we already are one group. Or, are you saying you want to be separate from us?" Ling Lan glanced at Li Yingjie coldly, her piercing and frosty gaze causing Li Yingjie's initial disgruntlement to disappear instantly. Still, he turned to look unhappily at Qi Long and said, "Qi Long is stronger than me. Wouldn't it be better for him to go?"
Ling Lan's slender fingers gripped Qi Long's lower jaw abruptly, pulling him forward to let Li Yingjie take a good look at that affable face with its honest grin. She asked calmly, "This face. Do you think it looks like a domineering and unreasonable, arrogant face which would bully others?"
Li Yingjie choked, and seeing Qi Long grinning guilelessly at him, his eyelid began twitching violently. This face of Qi Long's was the exemplar of 'I am an honest man; I am a good person'. If he stepped forward ... let alone suppressing the other party, he would most definitely end up raising the other party's morale. Even if they managed to defeat the other in the end, the other side would still have doubts whether the result was due to their own carelessness. It would have no deterrent effect whatsoever ...
Just as when he had first lost to Qi Long, that feeling of not being convinced, thinking that it was all his own carelessness ... No, even now, he still wasn't convinced by the other. Even though he knew very well that Qi Long was indeed stronger than him by a hair, he just could not muster up true deference for Qi Long.
Li Yingjie subconsciously peeked at Ling Lan, and then looked again at the silly grin on Qi Long's face. He suddenly understood why he could not defer to Qi Long — because Qi Long lacked the type of nature-defying domineering air that Ling Lan exuded! Although Boss Lan had tucked away that domineering air very cleanly at the moment, when he unleashed it during confrontations, that air was enough to make him quake in his boots. This fear had slowly seeped into his bones with the passage of time, causing him to no longer be able to even conceive the notion of resisting."Our group cannot only have one image to present to the public. Our amicable and reasonable side can be assigned to Qi Long." Ling Lan released Qi Long's jaw, retracting her right hand.
Seated beside Ling Lan, Luo Lang took a wet wipe out from his backpack with an expression of disgust. Lifting up Ling Lan's right hand, he carefully and meticulously wiped Ling Lan's slender jade fingers clean. Fine, he admits that he thinks Qi Long's oily face would really sully Boss Lan's graceful and beautiful fair hand — he needed to serve his boss well by cleaning his hand up.
This scene rendered Qi Long speechless. Hells, was he being viewed as a virus right now?
As one of the parties involved, green veins popped up on both of Ling Lan's temples, twitching. However, seeing Luo Lang's serious expression, Ling Lan decided to just ignore this and let him do what he wanted. After all, she was just temporarily giving up her right hand and there really wasn't any harm in this. At the very least, it was hygienic — she would not have to go wash her hands specially after this.
Ling Lan studiously ignored the others' side-eyes, and continued to say, "Being cocky is equally important — this can deter some minor villains from crossing us simply. We also need to be domineering sometimes. At times, acting right away is much more effective than arguing back and forth with people." Ling Lan clearly stated her opinion. In order to thrive in the First Men's Military Academy, constantly compromising and being accommodating was not the best plan.
Wu Jiong nodded thoughtfully while Han Jijyun stared blankly. Then, like a window had been opened, his gaze grew brighter and brighter — did Boss Lan mean to use both soft and hard tactics simultaneously? Being forceful on both fronts?
"But why do I have to act?" Li Yingjie still did not comprehend Ling Lan's decision. Qi Long may be unsuitable, but wasn't there still Wu Jiong?Ling Lan cast a glance at him and her lips quirked up slightly, "An arrogant rich family's son — isn't that your original form?"
These words of Ling Lan made Wu Jiong, Qi Long, and the others burst out into laughter. Those team members sitting close enough to hear, including those from Li Yingjie's team all laughed secretly as well — they were recalling Li Yingjie's arrogant behaviour when he had first entered the scout academy. It was as Boss Lan said — Li Yingjie had truly been an annoying, wildly arrogant, and self-conceited descendant from an elite family.
Ling Lan's words made Li Yingjie's face darken completely, because he too had remembered his horrible manner back when he was young and ignorant. Ah, that would be an unshakeable stain for his whole life!
Ling Lan felt that she should not continue to bully this annoying-looking rich kid, who was really just a prideful tsundere little uke 1 , so she patted Li Yingjie lightly on the shoulder and said, "Frankly, we're all not suited to do this. In terms of family standing, none of our backgrounds are deeper than yours (Ling Lan secretly crossed her fingers behind her back at this), so only you are suited for this task. You will pull it off the best."
"Like Wu Jiong, his face is filled with righteousness. One look and you can tell he's from a regimented military family. Can you really ask him to act as an arrogant and unreasonable 2nd-generation ancestor 2 ?" asked Ling Lan in return, pointing at Wu Jiong.
"Yes, Li Yingjie, you naturally possess that arrogant air required. No one can beat you. You should just make the sacrifice for our party." From Ling Lan's words, Wu Jiong could tell what his future image would be, so he quickly rushed to coax Li Yingjie. As his classmate for 10 years, he naturally understood Li Yingjie's weakness towards flattery.
Wu Jiong's words undoubtedly cheered Li Yingjie up immensely. Seeing the pleading and expectant faces of Qi Long and the others around the table, he sniffed haughtily and said impulsively, "Since you all begged so earnestly, I'll take one for the team and accept this responsibility then."
Seeing this side of Li Yingjie, Ling Lan could not bear to look straight at him, immediately turning her head away. This little fellow had been sold off and still he stayed to help his traders count their money 3 — how was he so adorkable 4 ...
"Good luck!" Qi Long and the others all cheered energetically for Li Yingjie, which just made Li Yingjie even more eager to perform. "I'll let you all see what a true arrogant 2nd-generation ancestor is like. Watch and learn!"
Li Yingjie rolled up his sleeves and said to his team members, "Follow me. Let us go teach them a good lesson."
"Yeah!" shouted Li Yingjie's team excitedly. Those hanging around with Li Yingjie were pretty much all cut from the same cloth.
Looking at the unimaginably arrogant Li Yingjie, Ling Lan and the others collectively sweatdropped. Dammit, this fellow was a naturally born to be a rogue.
"Leader, how should we do this?" On their way, a team member asked Li Yingjie.
"How? Just go right up to them and teach them a lesson! Hit them however we want as long as it's not fatal. Remember, we are great arrogant rogues — anyone who rubs us the wrong way, we beat up!" said Li Yingjie with a fierce glare.
"What if someone stronger than us appears?" The team member was still uncertain. Mind you, the other side was also headed for the First Men's Military Academy, all exceptional characters from the respective scout academies. What if by some chance they ended up kicking a hard plate and failed in beating up the other to be beaten up instead?
"Don't you see that we have people behind us?" Li Yingjie pointed out the table behind them where Ling Lan was seated, "Do you think those new cadets will have someone stronger than Boss Lan?" Li Yingjie was currently extremely bold — if by any chance he could not handle things, wasn't there still Ling Lan and the others behind him?
Subconsciously, Li Yingjie had already considered Ling Lan and the others as a sturdy shield at his back. To be honest, he was not resistant towards Ling Lan's instructions; he was just a little displeased at Ling Lan's casual way of ordering him around.
Ling Lan understood Li Yingjie very well. She knew the other was an egotistical show-off who loved to be in the spotlight — this sort of role, especially, where he had to exert his dominance over others, was as easy as breathing for him.
Meanwhile, at this time, at a table on the outermost edge of the circle, two parties were locked in an argument.
"Wu Yong, don't you go too far." One of the Doha cadets seemed to know the person who had come to provoke them.
"Wu Pei, I'm going too far? If you hadn't set me up, would I have remained to study at a scout academy in planet Dorun?" said Wu Yong coldly, "Even so, I have still managed to enrol into the First Men's Military Academy. You cannot destroy me."
"That matter back then is all just your imagination. I have nothing to do with it. Since we have both gotten into the First Men's Military Academy, this is something worth celebrating. Why are you still here to seek trouble with me?" asked Wu Pei calmly.
"Because I have already wanted to beat you up 10 years ago. You just ran away too quickly, hurrying off to Doha, never returning in 10 years. Unexpectedly, I have finally bumped into you again today and can finally clear up our debt back then." Wu Yong continued, "Should I break your right hand? Or both your legs? I'll let you have a taste of my suffering back then."
Wu Pei's expression became frosty and he said warningly, "Wu Yong, you better not take things too far. These people here are all from Doha."
"Haha, will they act on your behalf? Aren't you the only one who was accepted into the First Men's Military Academy from that scout academy of yours?" Wu Yong knew everything regarding Wu Pei like the back of his hand.
"Seize him!" Wu Yong said to the companions by his side.
Just as those people were planning to seize Wu Pei, a haughty voice rang out, "Ho, who permitted you to bully my people?"
At this moment, Li Yingjie had already led his team members to the scene. Li Yingjie raised his jaw high, looking down with disdain at the other side. This obviously contemptuous expression made the rage on the faces of Wu Yong's party climb rapidly.
"He is not someone from your scout academy." Wu Yong forcefully tamped down on his anger, coolly warning Li Yingjie not to interfere needlessly.
"Hmph! Hasn't anyone told you that all of the people from Doha are under my protection?" These words of Li Yingjie were said with arrogance, but they received echoing support from the other academies from Doha, "Yes, we're all under his protection." Everyone knew that this was just Li Yingjie's excuse for butting in to help, so they all spoke up to accommodate him.
"Are all people from your Central Scout Academy so arrogant?" A cold glint glimmered in Wu Yong's eyes as he said sinisterly.
Li Yingjie did not respond, instead turning his head to ask the other students from the Central Scout Academy behind him, "Brothers, someone is saying that we're arrogant. Should we not disappoint them then?"
"Yeah!" Quite a few of the Central Scout Academy students who were more combative all stood up and surrounded the group, seeming as if they were eager to begin fighting right now. This scene made Wu Yong hesitate, not daring to move recklessly, but he was unwilling to retreat just like that, so he asked curtly, "Can't you all be reasonable?"
Li Yingjie snorted and said, "You already said we were arrogant, and still you ask us to be reasonable? Are you stupid?"
Wu Yong choked on a breath, finally only managing to bite out, "You watch your step." This was a random threat issued out of helplessness, which was also meant to signify the end of this conflict. Any slightly reasonable person would not let the matter escalate further — the two sides involved would typically back off at this point and go their respective ways.
But who was Li Yingjie? He was an absolutely unreasonable and arrogant elite family princeling. The moment he heard the other's words, he became unhappy.
"Watch my step?" Li Yingjie chuckled darkly, "I would really like to see how you will make me watch my step, you bastard. Beat him!"
