Chapter 22

Chapter 22

022

A Verbal Duel with "Scholars"

While Li Hua Cat pondered the meaning of feline existence in Chu Li's embrace, an intense argument was taking place in the office of the Academic Affairs Department.

At the heart of the dispute was, naturally, whether Peng Zihao should be disciplined and if Chu Li's request to transfer departments should be approved.

In the administration office, Omega and Alpha teachers were embroiled in a heated argument, drawing the attention of the principal, who sat between them, his head in his hands, exchanging glances with the vice-principal from the Omega faculty.

"I heard it's about Chu Li wanting to transfer schools, causing such a commotion?"

"Yes... Yes, Principal," the speaker replied, somewhat reluctantly.

The principal, exasperated, said, "Didn't they say he was permanently imprinted? Just assign him to the Healthcare Department; why is this turning into such a fuss?"

The vice-principal also felt aggrieved, "But our school has never had a precedent for switching majors before."

The principal said, "He's just an Omega who causes trouble. The nursing program is demanding; he'll come back on his own once he can't handle it anymore. Arguing with him will only make matters worse."

"However..."

The vice-principal tried to plead his case, but the principal interrupted with a clap of his hands, "Let's let him decide then. Either expel Peng Zihao or have him switch majors."

Twenty minutes later, the principal and other teachers, having reached a consensus, entered the office.

Their eyes immediately fell on Chu Li, who was sitting on a bench in the corridor, holding a cat. The young Omega leaned against the wall, his soft hair cascading down his ear, exposing the gland at the nape of his neck.

This time, he wasn't wearing a collar nor had any gland patches on. His permanent bite mark was now prominently displayed for all to see.

Despite knowing that he had been marked by an unknown Alpha, seeing it for real still made them gasp in astonishment at the Omega's audacity.

When others were marked by unknown Alphas, they would try their best to hide their marks from others. Yet here he was, openly displaying it.

Chu Li, who had been resting, lifted his head upon hearing the commotion. Upon seeing the teachers emerge from the office, he lazily stood up, "Hello, teachers. Hello, vice-principal, principal."

The principal, with his gray hair, was an elderly Alpha. He approached Chu Li and studied him closely. Convinced that this Omega didn't seem like someone who would be 'abandoned,' he could only deduce that the Alpha's absence was due to the Omega's 'unpleasant' personality.

He sighed inwardly but maintained a friendly smile on his face. "Hello, Student Chu Li. We've taken note of your concerns and discussed them thoroughly with the teachers. You mentioned that yesterday at the library, Student Peng Zihao attempted to do something inappropriate to you... But we all know that there's a significant physical disparity between Alphas and Omegas. You... cough, if he truly intended to harm you, it's unlikely that you would be here unscathed. Perhaps he was just joking around."

"Joking around?" Chu Li sneered. "What an interesting joke. To release one's pheromones towards an Omega in a confined space - isn't that sexual harassment rather than a joke?"

The principal: "..." Why was this child so sharp-tongued?

He cleared his throat and continued, "But you weren't harmed, were you? If he truly had malicious intentions..."

Chu Li replied, "I wasn't hurt because my cat protected me. Who would have thought that such a big Alpha would be afraid of a cat? My cat meowed twice, and he was so frightened that he fell to his knees, crying and wailing as he ran away."

The principal: "..."

In the distant corner, an Omega student who had been quietly observing: "..."

Really? Peng Zihao was scared off by a cat to the point of tears and sobs? They found that hard to believe!

Strangely enough, Chu Li appeared utterly sincere, and the kitten in his arms let out a warning growl at the principals, as if telling them not to underestimate felines.

The principal's head immediately throbbed, finally understanding why the vice-principal didn't immediately reject the Omega's transfer request back then.

He was indeed a master of words, hitting every nail on the head and making it difficult for anyone to refute without careful consideration.

At that moment, an Alpha teacher standing behind the principal spoke up, "So what if he did release his pheromones at you? Aren't you already permanently marked?"

The moment those words left the teacher's mouth, the principal sensed trouble, but it was too late to stop it.

Sure enough, Chu Li's face turned cold. He looked at the teacher who had spoken with a chilly yet amiable expression and smiled. "Is that so? I didn't know that Alphas could emit their pheromones towards Omegas who have been permanently marked."

The teacher: "..." That wasn't what he meant.

Chu Li replied, "I'm fine now, teachers. Thank you for enlightening me with this piece of life knowledge. I've learned that once an Omega is permanently marked, an Alpha can freely emit their pheromones toward them. Fortunately, I recorded our conversation, so I'll definitely isolate your insightful remark and replay it by my pillow each night for further reflection and study."

Upon hearing that he was being recorded, the teacher's expression shifted dramatically. "I didn't say any such thing!"

Unfazed, Chu Li maintained his smile and said, "With your open-mindedness, I'm sure you can accept if your Omega were to be targeted by another Alpha's pheromones, right? My understanding is still shallow; I need to learn more from you, Teacher."

There was a verdant glint in Chu Li's words, causing even the principal to cast a sideways glance at the teacher.

Amidst his colleagues' astonished gazes, the teacher, flushed with embarrassment, retorted fiercely, "Don't be absurd! I won't allow any other Alpha to use their pheromones to harass my spouse!"

Chu Li's smile gradually turned cold. "Is that so? Does Teacher think it's acceptable for Peng Zihao to use his pheromones to attack me just because I've been permanently marked and he's too cowardly, scared of a mere cat, to follow through with his harmful intentions? Should his initial actions be excused?"

His outburst was loud enough for the eavesdropping Omegas in the distance to hear.

Even though they weren't on the same side as Chu Li, as fellow Omegas, they couldn't help but feel a sense of shared vulnerability in this matter.

Yes, could the absence of harm truly mean that the harmful act never occurred?

The whispers of the Omegas did not escape the ears of the Alpha teachers present. The principal's expression darkened, and he shot a glare at the teacher who had spoken before turning to Chu Li with a forced smile. "That's not what we meant. We're just saying that there needs to be evidence in every matter. You claim he intended to harm you, but there's no proof, right?"

Chu Li asked, "Isn't there any surveillance in the library?"

The teacher who had spoken earlier seemed to have gained some ground. "Sorry, it broke down a few days ago."

Chu Li didn't detect an ounce of remorse in their tone.

He raised an eyebrow. "In that case, I won't make things difficult for you teachers. His unauthorized entry into the Omega Academy still needs to be dealt with, doesn't it?"

The principal paused, clenching his teeth. "Why do you insist on dealing with Student Peng Zihao?"

Chu Li asked, "Why are you insisting on protecting him?"

The principal: "…"

He had never encountered such a troublesome student!

In the blink of an eye, he was accused of covering up for Peng Zihao. Didn't he just think that the situation hadn't escalated to the point where it needed severe punishment?

The principal pressed his lips together, not speaking. At that moment, the vice-principal stepped in as the mediator. "We didn't mean it like that… We're just saying…"

Before he could finish his sentence, Chu Li interrupted, "I understand. You want me to choose between punishing Peng Zihao or transferring him to another department."

The principal: "…"

The deputy principal: "…"

The principal had never felt so frustrated. For a moment, he contemplated quitting his job.

Indeed, those were the underlying implications, but how could one express them so bluntly?

Observing the other's "innocent and righteous" expression, it wasn't necessarily a good thing that the Empire shielded Omegas so thoroughly. Every now and then, a group of righteous Omega students would emerge, believing they could alter the world.

The principal maintained a pleasant smile, already cursing inwardly and contemplating how to persuade this persistent student.

But Chu Li spoke, "Alright, you don't have to punish him. Just let me transfer departments."

Principal: "?"

The agreement came too swiftly, like a sudden storm, leaving the principal momentarily stunned.

How was this different from what he had imagined? Wasn't he supposed to be shouting about the school's unfairness, insisting on giving up his transfer eligibility just to make sure Peng Zihao "received the punishment he deserved"?

The Omega student before him still wore an innocent face, seemingly unaware of how excessive his words had been.

The principal was contemplating how to respond to Chu Li in a way that didn't seem too deliberate when one of the Alpha teachers, whom Chu Li had previously confronted, interjected angrily, "No way, we can't break the rules! Omegas aren't allowed in the Medical Department. Peng Zihao... Since he made a mistake, he should be punished!"

His outburst silenced the hallway. The principal glared at him with a grim expression, while Chu Li narrowed his eyes, observing the teacher who had chosen to shoot himself in the foot.

Chu Li's goal was to transfer departments, and the principal's was to maintain peace – they were initially aligned. However, with this teacher's intervention, trouble might now ensue.

This situation was something Chu Li had initially been confident in, but now he was uncertain. If he had known earlier, he wouldn't have provoked that teacher and added another enemy to his list.

Chu Li pondered for a moment, about to say something.

Coincidentally, at this moment, a commotion came from the other end of the corridor. The other main character in this incident had arrived.

Peng Zihao's face was livid as he entered from the other end of the hallway with his group of followers. He strode over aggressively, and his minions couldn't stop him in time, hesitantly stopping by the wall not far away.

Peng Zihao soon reached the crowd, his gaze fiercely landing on Chu Li before turning to address the others, "Since you all want punishment, it must be fair. Chu Li brought a large predator into school with malicious intentions; he shouldn't be allowed to join the Medical Department. He's also messing around with other Alphas outside, getting pre-engagement marks. Such a person should be expelled directly!"

"Who says you can't get a pre-engagement mark before marriage?" Chu Li smirked coldly, completely dismissing Peng Zihao's accusations. "Moreover, my Alpha and I have a great relationship. We're certain we'll spend our lives together, so we decided to get marked early. What? Is that not allowed? Which clause in the Empire's constitution states that pre-engagement marking is prohibited?"

"This... " Seeing the situation heading towards the outcome he least desired, the principal found himself in an increasingly difficult position. Peng Zihao's family had some wealth, and naturally, he didn't want to punish him. However, the Omega Association in the Empire was formidable. Considering Chu Li's relentless attitude, if he were to report this to the Omega Association, the principal would be in deep trouble.

Caught between a rock and a hard place, the principal was still struggling to find a solution when Peng Zihao was thoroughly enraged by Chu Li.

He had already heard about Chu Li's previous remarks, spreading rumors that he had been scared off by a cat. Now, not only did everyone at school know that he had become furious after failing to pursue Chu Li and tried to harm him, but they also knew that such a big Alpha like him had been frightened away by a mere cat!

On the way here, many Betas had looked at him with mocking smiles in their eyes! He had embarrassed himself to the ends of the universe!

If he didn't prove that Chu Li had brought a wild beast into the school, he probably wouldn't be able to stay in this school any longer!

He had to prove that Chu Li had violated the rules.

But that Chu Li had such a sharp tongue that it made Peng Zihao hate him; he just couldn't win an argument with him. Seeing the principal about to mediate again, Peng Zihao finally couldn't control his explosive temper. He clenched his fists and swung them at Chu Li!

An Alpha actually openly attacked an Omega!

Everyone present was stunned. Just as Peng Zihao was about to hit Chu Li, the Omega's expression darkened. Before Peng Zihao could touch him, Chu Li kicked him in the knee.

He had targeted a very precise spot, the vulnerable nerve in the leg. It was a clever move that didn't require much force to make the opponent's legs go weak. Peng Zihao wasn't prepared and, instead of hitting Chu Li, he fell to his knees with a thud in front of him.

Chu Li sneered coldly. "You're too kind."

Though his words were polite, his actions certainly weren't. Almost simultaneously, he grabbed Peng Zihao's head and forcefully kneed him in the stomach! Peng Zihao let out a pained cry and fell to the ground!

It all happened in the blink of an eye. Before everyone could react, the Alpha had been taken down by the Omega.

The principal and the others were left dumbfounded.

Chu Li sneered. "What are you? Even if I don't have an Alpha, I still wouldn't look at you. You can't get it, so you resort to stealing. Don't you even have the sense to look at yourself in the mirror? You're a grown man, but you can't control that measly few inches of yours."

Author's Note:

He's so spicy, and I love it!

It's going to be V tomorrow, and there will be a lottery then. The condition for participation is having a 100% subscription rate from September 6th to September 9th – everyone is welcome to join!

Also, I asked Little Li Hua Cat yesterday when it would transform into a human.

It said, "Meow, meow, miao, miao! Meow, meow, wu! Meow!"

Did you understand?