Chapter 102
Chapter 102: If You Can’t Pay, Stop Shouting
Bai Mu Yuan blurted out: “One billion per person, why don’t you just go rob someone?”
She really dared to ask for the sky, opening a lion’s mouth. If this was not the wrong place, he would have slapped the table, pointed at her nose, and cursed her out. He felt he was giving her face, but she treated him like a pig waiting to be slaughtered.
Sui Xuan Chu, as the Crown Prince of the Zhenlin Empire and the most powerful person in the whole empire, had always enjoyed the very best food, clothes, and everything else. Even he felt that his roommate was basically reaching straight into other people’s pockets to rob them.
Cheng Xiao Ting, Huang Da Zhuang, and the other six all stared with their mouths wide open in shock, like they could each fit two duck eggs inside.
They had still been too conservative. They thought Sister Tea might ask for tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, maybe a few million at most. They never expected her to open her mouth and say one billion per person. Thirteen people meant thirteen billion!
They were such poor ghosts that they did not even dare to dream of so much money, not even in their dreams.
They were really scared someone would treat them like lunatics and send them straight to a mental hospital.
Jiang Tea Tea shot back without holding back at all: “Senior schoolmate Bai Mu Yuan, you were the one who told me to name any price. You said you all have plenty of money, that you can afford it.”
“I named a price, but you cannot pay. Yet you still act so high and mighty, as if letting me comb your spiritual power is charity, and I should be grateful and thankful to accept your favor.”
“Tsk tsk, if you do not have money, then you just do not. No one will laugh at you for being poor. But pretending to be rich like this is what really makes people sick.”
Bai Mu Yuan was so angry he almost lost control, but he still had enough sense left to remember where this was. This was not a place where he could just shout as he pleased.
He lowered his voice and ground his teeth as he said: “Schoolmate Jiang Tea Tea, let me remind you. Asking for one billion per person like this is called extortion.”
Jiang Tea Tea lifted her voice high on purpose: “You do not have money yourself, yet you told me to name any price. Now that I have named one, you accuse me of extortion?”
“Sui Xuan Chu, tell me, according to the Zhenlin Empire’s Law Code, what kind of behavior counts as extortion? Does what I did count as extortion?”
Sui Xuan Chu spoke up right away and started explaining: “Roommate, what you did is not extortion. At most, it is a deal that both sides agreed to, but it did not work out. Someone could not handle it, got upset, and is now falsely accusing you of extortion.”
“According to the Zhenlin Empire’s Law Code, making false accusations is a crime. In light cases, the punishment is a fine and compensation, maybe short detention or control. In serious cases, it can be exile for three to ten years.”
“Senior schoolmate Bai Mu Yuan, this is Commander in Chief Chong Ming’s warship. Every corner of this ship is covered by the surveillance system. If Schoolmate Jiang Tea Tea sues you, the Judicial Department can apply to Commander in Chief Chong Ming to pull the surveillance for this time period.”
“Once the Judicial Department files the request, Commander in Chief Chong Ming will know. He will see the way you just talked and see your lovely face.”
“Think about it. You are a dignified Level S grade 4 beastman male in adulthood. You told someone to name any price. When they did, you could not pay, and then you tried to falsely accuse them. The impact on your reputation…”
Sui Xuan Chu stopped right there on purpose. He did not continue. He just gave Bai Mu Yuan a look that told him to think it through himself.
Bai Mu Yuan understood very well what Sui Xuan Chu meant. The corner of his mouth twitched into a stiff smile as he said: “Jiang Tea Tea, Schoolmate Sui Xuan Chu, listen to what you are saying. I just think one billion per person is too much.”
“How about this, Schoolmate Jiang Tea Tea, one hundred thousand star credits per person…”
Cheng Lin Yue suddenly spoke up and cut him off: “Senior schoolmate Bai Mu Yuan, what kind of low price are you shouting?”
“According to the records, in the whole M31 Star System, there are no Level S grade 3 plant-type spiritual power users, and there are definitely none as young as our teammate.”
“You asked our teammate to name a price. One billion star credits per person is a lot, but you do not need to use one hundred thousand star credits to insult people.”
“By market price, for a Level S grade 3 plant-type spiritual power healer, just calming one person’s unstable supernatural abilities is one price. Combing one person’s spiritual power is another price. If you want to make sure your supernatural abilities go up by one level, that is a third price.”
“If you add the three prices together, it will not be lower than five million star credits, and there will still be a waiting list. You are offering one hundred thousand and do not even want to line up. Your face is really big.”
Cheng Xiao Ting, Huang Da Zhuang, and the others were all silent: “…”
Were healers on the market really this expensive?
Sister Tea had said that later she would heal each of them. Did that mean they had picked up a super huge bargain for nothing?
[Oh no, that is so embarrassing. Should we go home, talk to our families, and find some money to give her?]
Jiang Tea Tea looked over at Cheng Lin Yue. No wonder she studied in the healing department. She really understood the prices out there. Jiang Tea Tea, on the other hand, had just opened her mouth and tried to dig out other people’s flesh and blood.
Bai Mu Yuan’s face turned green one moment and white the next as he tried to save his pride: “We came out of the same Supremacy Tournament. We are first place and second place, so it is normal to give us some kind of discount. Do you agree, Schoolmate Jiang Tea Tea?”
Jiang Tea Tea gave him a cool look and said: “Agree with what? A defeated subordinate is just a defeated subordinate.”
“We have no special relationship. Even real brothers keep clear accounts. You have no money and still tried to accuse me of extortion. Hurry up and apologize.”
Sui Xuan Chu gave a heavy “En”: “Right, hurry up and apologize to my roommate. Otherwise, my roommate will report you and sue you.”
Huang Da Zhuang and the others followed along at once: “Right, there is no way she is going to heal you. If you do not apologize, my Sister Tea will definitely call the police. We will all be witnesses.”
“Of course, your people are also witnesses. Do you think your teammates, and the third squad from the Supremacy Tournament, will throw away their own futures to give fake testimony for you?”
The squad members who had been silent this whole time finally spoke when they heard that. They tugged on Bai Mu Yuan’s sleeve, telling him to apologize and to stop causing trouble here.
Bai Mu Yuan was the White Dragon Clan’s most valued white dragon male. He could not let himself get a stain on his record because of something like this.
Even though he felt very unhappy and angry inside, he still forced himself to swallow it down. He took a deep breath and apologized: “I am sorry, Schoolmate Jiang Tea Tea. I spoke without thinking. I apologize. Please do not hold it against me.”
“Of course, I truly do want you to comb our Spiritual Seas and calm our unstable supernatural abilities. As long as the price is a bit high but still reasonable, we can accept it.”
Even while apologizing, he was still thinking about having her calm his supernatural abilities. His little abacus was clacking so loudly it almost hit her in the face.
Jiang Tea Tea waved her hand, her refusal clean and crisp, leaving no room to change her mind: “Next time, be polite when you talk. Pay attention. I will forgive you this time.”
“As for combing your Spiritual Seas and calming your unstable supernatural abilities, forget it. My skills are not good enough yet, and I have not been certified. I am afraid I might heal you the wrong way.”
“You want a Level S grade 3 plant-type healer certification?”
As soon as Jiang Tea Tea’s words fell, Chong Ming’s voice came from the school cafeteria door.
Everyone sitting at the long table stood up at the same time, nervous, stiff, and full of worship as they looked toward the cafeteria door. Only Jiang Tea Tea and Sui Xuan Chu stayed seated.
Chong Ming walked in and stopped at the front of the long table. He looked at Jiang Tea Tea and asked again: “Schoolmate Jiang Tea Tea, do you want a Level S grade 3 plant-type healer certification?”
Jiang Tea Tea said carelessly: “It is fine if I have it, and fine if I do not. Those who trust me will naturally trust me. Those who do not trust me, I naturally do not need their trust.”
Chong Ming nodded: “You make sense. I will ask the relevant authorities to approve one for you. Later, they can certify it under your account on StarNet.”
Jiang Tea Tea stared at him in shock: “It is that simple? No extra conditions?”
Chong Ming’s golden eyes rested on her, and the corner of his mouth lifted slightly: “My personal guard’s deputy general, you healed her for ten minutes. You calmed her unstable supernatural abilities and combed her Spiritual Sea, letting her go from mid Level S 5 to Level S 7. Not every healer can achieve such a result.”
“Your skill and your healing level are worth me making a special exception to give you a Level S grade 3 plant-type healer certification.”
No wonder Sui Xuan Chu had said his uncle had endless patience for outstanding people.
At this moment, she fully felt it.
Old Mud had learned that she was starting to show off a new persona in public. So he simply decided to go all the way and let the entire M31 Star System know that the Zhenlin Empire had a Level S grade 3, plant-type supernatural healer.
If you talked about excellence, you had to look at him.
If you talked about scheming, you also had to look at him.
Luckily, he did not know about the babies in her belly. He did not know she was the one who had slept with him. If he did, she was afraid her branches and leaves would not stay on the tree.
Back on the training ground, Bai Mu Yuan had already felt that Commander in Chief Chong Ming treated Jiang Tea Tea very closely. He could sit beside her, watch them fight together, and discuss their fights.
Now Commander in Chief Chong Ming was making a special exception to certify her as a Level S grade 3 plant-type healer. Bai Mu Yuan felt regret for how impatient he had been earlier. He had not managed to get close to Jiang Tea Tea and had even offended her.
[No, I have to think of a way. I need to turn around Jiang Tea Tea’s impression of me and also make Commander in Chief Chong Ming value me more.]
Cheng Xiao Ting, Huang Da Zhuang, and the others were even happier than Jiang Tea Tea. Their eyes shone as they looked at her, as if they were the ones who had become Level S grade 3 healers.
The other military academy students’ gazes on Jiang Tea Tea changed again and again. They regretted it over and over. Why had they not befriended her before Commander in Chief Chong Ming came, and left a good impression?
Jiang Tea Tea answered Chong Ming: “You already have all my information. I will leave the certification to you. After you are done, just have someone tell me.”
Chong Ming said to her: “Before the ship lands back on the Capital Planet and you disembark, your certification will be ready. You can check it yourself then.”
Jiang Tea Tea nodded: “Okay.”
She sat down again. She was not hungry, but she still looked at the food.
Chong Ming thought she was hungry. He turned to the others and called out: “All you outstanding military academy students, do not be nervous. Please sit down. Eat freely.”
The cafeteria’s head chef brought out nutrient fruit juice, nutrient fruit, and a few plates of special stir fry dishes.
About thirty people sat along the two sides of the long table. Chong Ming sat alone at the head seat, from where he could see the expressions of every military academy student on both sides.
The others were nervous, scared, excited, and too embarrassed to eat. Only Jiang Tea Tea and Sui Xuan Chu were unashamed. They picked up their chopsticks, lifted their cups of nutrient fruit juice, took a sip, and started eating.
Huang Da Zhuang, Cheng Xiao Ting, Zhang Ting Zhou, and the others saw the two of them eating like no one else was there and even helping to put food into their bowls. They secretly glanced at their idol, their heartthrob idol. Their courage slowly grew, and they began to eat too.
Yes, the cafeteria on their heartthrob idol’s warship really did taste better and fresher than the academy cafeteria and any outside restaurant.
Bai Mu Yuan’s people and the other squad members saw the eight of them eating so naturally. Little by little, they relaxed in their tension and also started to eat.
Jiang Tea Tea had already been comforted full by Chong Ming’s supernatural power, spiritual power, and oppressive aura. She did not feel hungry at all. She was full before she even finished what a normal female would eat in one meal.
Chong Ming ate with them. When he saw her put down her chopsticks and only take very small sips of nutrient fruit juice, he frowned slightly: “Schoolmate Jiang Tea Tea, does today’s food not suit your taste?”
As soon as he asked, everyone else stopped moving their chopsticks, forks, and knives all at once. Their eyes could not help drifting back and forth between the two of them.
Jiang Tea Tea ignored everyone’s gazes and looked straight at Chong Ming. Her belly was not hungry at all, so she could breathe easy and speak boldly: “It suits my taste. I am just timid. I am afraid that if I eat too much and drink too much, someone will insist that I am sick, insist on taking me to a healer, and put me on a dissection table!”