Chapter 149: Charisma

The sudden appearance of Duze Beixuan, Qi Luozi, Xin Fu, and Bai Mengmeng made the situation escalate quickly. What started as an individual face-off between Li Luo and Wang Hejiu was now a staredown between two teams.

"Ooh, are the two Violet Vibrance teams going to fight?"

"Shit, that's a great show!"

The other students whispered as they came crowding over.

"Wang Hejiu, shame on you. You look like a goblin, so stop your harassin'~" A voice sang out from the crowd.

Somewhere else in the crowd, another person picked up the catchy jingle. "Wang Hejiu, shame on you. You look like a goblin, so stop your harassin'~"

The crowd laughed.

Wang Hejiu swung around. "Who was that!" he demanded. "Say it to my face if you dare!!"  

"I don't dare!" the first voice quipped back without hesitation.

A vein pulsed on Wang Hejiu's temple. He was shaking with fury.

Li Luo, on the other hand, was shaking with laughter. The voice had been purposely altered just now, but how could he not recognize it? Yu Lang, that impudent, little imp.

The second supporter was probably Zhao Kuo.

Wang Hejiu was just about to turn his wrath on the crowd when he sensed another strange wind blowing.

Weng!

A spear forcefully buried itself between the two groups, its shaft twanging from the impact of the throw.

"Who's bullying my sister?!" a cold voice demanded. The person landed beside the spear, snatching it up in a practiced move and spinning it. The tip glinted dangerously in Qi Luozi's direction.

Bai Doudou.

Who would have thought that even she would join the fray.

Wang Hejiu's face darkened further at her arrival. "Bai Doudou," he said coldly. "This matter does not concern you."

"If you harm my sister, it concerns me," Bai Doudou replied acidly.

Wang Hejiu's face scrunched up in anger, and he was just about to reply when an overwhelmingly savage aura loomed. He looked up to a platform above him to his right. He saw Qin Zhulu standing there, arms folded across his chest, standing motionless as a statue.

He said nothing, but the passive aura was enough to make Wang Hejiu tremble.

The crowd was getting excited now. Even Qin Zhulu had made an appearance.

"See that?" Li Luo told Wang Hejiu. "This is charisma. We're here in school to cultivate. If all we do is piss people off, wouldn't you say we've failed?"

"No need for the smart talk, Li Luo. Better pray we don't meet at the monthly ranking battle."

He turned to Lu Qing'er. "As for Qing'er, I won't give up," he said in a much softer tone.

"Besides," he turned back to Li Luo. "You're an engaged man. Best keep your nose out of others' business and stay away from Qing'er, if you care at all about her reputation at all. If you end up offending president Yu and the Golden Dragon Bank, you'll be screwed permanently."

Wang Hejiu was a poisonous character. Even when he knew he was beat, he couldn't resist a few parting shots.

Duze Beixuan threw one last cold look Li Luo's way, then he turned and left.

Qi Luozi was waiting for them at the periphery, having backed away much earlier.

And so the altercation ended on a somewhat anticlimactic note.

The crowd was a little disappointed.

Li Luo turned back to look at Bai Doudou and Qin Zhulu. He was not too surprised at the appearance of the former, here to play white knight to her sister-in-distress.

Qin Zhulu, however, was a surprise.

When he shook himself from his thoughts, Qin Zhulu had already disappeared.

"Quite a protective leader you have there," Li Luo said to Lu Qing'er.

She shook her head. "You've misread the man. Do you know that in a mere three days, he's asked Mentor Cao Sheng for a transfer 18 times? But Mentor Cao Sheng rejected him every time.

"Yesterday in training, Mentor Cao Sheng ordered him to spar with Yin Yue. He jumped through the window and ran away. Yin Yue was almost crying from exasperation."

Li Luo's mouth fell open. Was Qin Zhulu really that afraid of women? That was really something new.

"A worrying outlook for the military school's future." Li Luo sighed. His military academy must have torn their hair out dealing with him too. This was a ticking time bomb.

They would rather be wiped out by some super-strong enemy.

Lu Qing'er did not seem too interested in why Qin Zhulu had come. Instead, she batted her eyelashes at Li Luo. "The Young Lord was very cool today."

Li Luo waved it away casually. "Oh, enough with the obvious."

Lu Qing'er unwrapped her extra top from around her waist, putting it back on. "Then I wonder, what does the Young Lord think of Wang Hejiu's last words?" she asked almost too casually, tweaking the collar of her shirt. 

"What?" Li Luo asked, surprised. "Oh. He's a perverted guy. All his thoughts are a little warped. Besides, our friendship is strong enough to bear any slander."

He paused. "Your mom wouldn't beat me up over that, right? That seems a little too petty and excessive. I mean, she runs the Golden Dragon Bank in the Xia Kingdom!" 

"No talking bad about my mom!"

Li Luo sighed. "Well, if you think our friendship will affect your reputation, I'll be more circumspect next time."

"I didn't say that!" Lu Qing'er hastily said.

"But your question showed your doubt. I guess I overestimated the depth of our relationship," Li Luo said sadly.

"I really didn't!" Lu Qing'er said nervously. "Alright, I was wrong. I shouldn't have asked."

Li Luo grinned. "Well, since you've turned over a new leaf, I'll let it pass. I'm off to find Yu Lang and Zhao Kuo for a meal. I guess I'll let you treat us to make up for it."

He paused mid-step. "Hey if your mother wants to beat me up, you have to stop her!"

He ran away.

Lu Qing'er glared after him.

Played again by that cheeky Li Luo!

[1]

1. TN: The author uploaded a picture of Yu Lang. It's available at https://bkimg.cdn.bcebos.com/pic/00e93901213fb80e7becf402f39f382eb9389a503e9d?x-bce-process=image/watermark,image_d2F0ZXIvYmFpa2UxODA=,g_7,xp_5,yp_5/format,f_auto