Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Eventually, Song Xiyan quietly followed Bai Xingshu to the Combat Department's repair room. As they walked, Song Xiyan slowly explained Jiao Rong's situation to Bai Xingshu.

"The Freshman Tournament situation in Mechanical Engineering is similar to the Combat Department's."

"Fang Tao, the Mechanical Engineering champion, is from an ordinary family, while Jiao Rong came in second."

"Jiao Rong has been targeting Fang Tao since the semester began."

"The Jiao Family has many politicians and they have long desired to enter the military sphere." Military power means more influence.

"Before, their family's Alphas only attended regular military academies. Jiao Rong is their family's first to get into Capital Military University." Even if it's just Mechanical Engineering, a less central role in the military.

"The Jiao Family did a lot of research and prep to win the Freshman Tournament."

"Jiao Rong thinks Fang Tao stole his win."

So, when Bai Xingshu beat Lin Lie and won, Jiao Rong saw it as just as 'despicable and shameless' as Fang Tao's win.

After hearing Song Xiyan out, Bai Xingshu paused, nodded, and said cheerfully, "I think Lin Lie's a decent guy too."

Song Xiyan: "..."

Is that what he meant?

Seeing Song Xiyan at a loss for words, Bai Xingshu laughed: "I know you're trying to comfort me, but Jiao Rong's thoughts and reasons don't really matter."

"Trying to figure them out is a waste of time."

"I just need to think if I did anything wrong. If not, that's all that matters."

With a mischievous grin, Bai Xingshu peeked at Song Xiyan: "But teacher, you really went all out telling me this. Seems pretty interesting."

Song Xiyan: "..."

Song Xiyan looked away, avoiding Bai Xingshu's animated face.

Seeing Song Xiyan dodge, Bai Xingshu leaned in: "Huh? Teacher, are you mad?"

"Don't be mad! Teacher~ Teacher~~ I messed up~~"

Hearing Bai Xingshu's teasing, the corners of Song Xiyan's usually straight mouth twitched up slightly.

-

After a noon shift in the repair room, Bai Xingshu figured he only needed two more days of hard work to pay off his debt. In good spirits, he headed back to the dorm.

Knowing Bai Xingshu had 'dressed up' to see Song Xiyan, probably for some 'big deal', Shen Geng was on high alert when he saw Bai Xingshu return.

Seeing Bai Xingshu not as down as before, Shen Geng felt a bit relieved, but... oddly disappointed.

"What's with that expression?" Bai Xingshu asked, puzzled by Shen Geng's complicated look.

"Huh?" Shen Geng, unaware of what his expression was conveying, was also puzzled.

The two stared at each other.

Finally, Shen Geng brushed off this unimportant detail and congratulated Bai Xingshu: "Looks like everything went smoothly this time."

"What?" Feeling like he didn’t understand Shen Geng’s words, Bai Xingshu was confused again.

Shen Geng glanced at Bai Xingshu. "A new relationship."

Bai Xingshu suddenly realized, then was shocked. "You figured it out!"

Wait, was Bai Xingshu trying to hide it this morning??

Shen Geng looked at Bai Xingshu speechlessly.

"I think it was pretty obvious," Shen Geng said.

Was he really that bad at hiding it? Bai Xingshu was even more shocked.

But since it had been noticed, and he’d already embarrassed himself many times in front of Shen Geng, Bai Xingshu didn’t care anymore and directly confessed to Shen Geng. "No, it didn’t work out this time either."

Shen Geng: "???"

He failed, yet he's still laughing so happily?

Then, Shen Geng heard Bai Xingshu colorfully describe how he tried to hook up with Jiao Rong, failed, was secretly harmed by Jiao Rong, and then counterattacked Jiao Rong, causing him to be completely humiliated in the Mechanical Engineering Department.

At first, Shen Geng was surprised to learn Bai Xingshu's target was Jiao Rong.

Wasn't it Song Xiyan? How did Jiao Rong get involved?

Wait, how does Bai Xingshu know so much about the Elite Alphas from other departments?

But as Bai Xingshu spoke, Shen Geng quickly put this minor issue aside.

Jiao Rong.

Shen Geng's face turned cold.

Harming classmates so casually is practically sociopathic.

Expelling him from school isn't going to cut it.

Seeing Shen Geng so angry, Bai Xingshu instead patted Shen Geng's back and comforted him. "You don't understand, these rich kids often have multiple family members being groomed. Blocking Jiao Rong's rise is worse than killing him."

Especially for a jerk like Jiao Rong, who hates seeing others succeed.

Jiao Rong originally wanted to harm him and drive him out of the military academy, but now he's the one getting exactly what he deserved. Bai Xingshu really had no complaints about that.

Then, Bai Xingshu suddenly remembered that Shen Geng was also from an ordinary family and one of the champions of the Freshman Tournament.

Seeing Shen Geng so angry, Bai Xingshu immediately asked him. "Has anyone been giving you a hard time too?"

Shen Geng was surprised Bai Xingshu brought it up.

Seeing Bai Xingshu's serious face, Shen Geng felt touched, his expression softened, and he shook his head. "No."

"At first, some people were disrespectful, but after I beat the teacher that time, everyone fell in line."

Bai Xingshu: "..."

That's one way to handle it.

Forcing everyone to submit through strength was also a tactic Bai Xingshu often used in the past.

It was straightforward, quick, and effective.

"If anyone gives you trouble and you can't deal with it, just come to me," Bai Xingshu patted his chest. "Take Jiao Rong, for example. I have a knack for handling guys like that."

Seeing Bai Xingshu so spirited and completely unaffected by Jiao Rong, Shen Geng's face softened with relief.

"Okay."

That afternoon, in cultural class.

Bai Xingshu didn't want to keep depending on Lin Lie to save him a seat, so he got to the classroom earlier than he had the day before.

However...

This time, not only was Lin Lie there, but almost all the other classmates had arrived as well.

As soon as Bai Xingshu stepped into the classroom, the air was thick with anger, making him pause in his tracks.

What the... happened?

Bai Xingshu considered slipping out of the classroom to quickly check the class group chat.

But his classmates weren't about to let him off the hook.

The moment Bai Xingshu entered the classroom, every eye in the room locked onto him.

Bai Xingshu: "..."

He could feel the heat of their collective glare, but he also sensed that this anger wasn't directed at him.

"What's going on?" Bai Xingshu cautiously asked.

"What's up with Jiao Rong?!" A classmate pounded the table in fury.

Unlike Shen Geng, who regularly checked online messages every night and had a well-planned life, Bai Xingshu, having survived a post-apocalyptic world, wasn't in the habit of surfing the web.

But among the S-class classmates, there were always those who were always glued to their screens.

Not long after the Jiao Rong incident, a whistleblower from the Mechanical Engineering Department spilled the beans in the school's exclusive community.

A backstabbing snake like that would shock anyone, especially in a military academy that highly values unity and cooperation.

The whole community was rocked by the revelation.

At first, the Combat Department was just there for the popcorn-worthy drama, amazed that someone like that could exist in the Mechanical Engineering side.

But as they dug deeper, the details became more and more intricate, and then, it hit them right where it hurt.

The victim in this incident was Bai Xingshu.

Immediately, the S-class Combat Department students, who had been casually following the drama, were now fuming.

Their Deputy Squad Leader had been bullied?!?

Apart from Bai Xingshu, almost all the other Combat Department classmates lived together. Without needing to say anything online, word spread like wildfire, and soon the entire S-class knew.

They went after Jiao Rong with a vengeance, demanding answers from the Mechanical Engineering Department.

After the skirmish, the classmates finally felt like checking the class group chat.

Only to find the class group chat totally silent.

The classmates: "..."

Bai Xingshu had faced some trouble outside and hadn't even told them about it!

They were really mad!

So they didn't bother to contact Bai Xingshu online; instead, they decided to catch him in person.

Bai Xingshu was speechless.