Chapter 76
Chapter 76: Knives On Necks, A Legal Group Fight
Hong Xiang Luan’s red eyes tightened. He yanked his hand back and snapped: “Jiang Tea Tea, you are too shameless. You actually called Commander Ye?”
The people of Red Dragon Squad were all stunned. They had only wanted to teach them a lesson and show them how strong they were. But this damned pure human with no supernatural abilities did not follow the script at all.
Sui Xuan Chu, Cheng Xiao Ting, Huang Da Zhuang and the other three boys stepped in front of them. They instantly understood Jiang Tea Tea’s intention and threw his words right back at them.
“Why can’t we call Commander Ye? You were the one who said we only got first place in squad ranking and first in personal points because Commander Ye opened a back door for us.”
“Commander Ye is on this ship right now, watching us from the command room. We call him out and confront each other face to face. That is fair to everyone.”
“Right. Face to face, so everyone can see who is trash and who is strong. Let everyone see how useless cowards get jealous and make up rumors about others.”
Hong Xiang Luan, angered by their replies, demanded: “If you did not cheat, then why did Commander Ye call no one else, and only call Jiang Tea Tea, this pure human with no supernatural abilities?”
“Let me tell you, my Red Dragon Clan is not made of cowards. You can call Commander Ye if you want, I am not afraid. I will tear your lies open. You only got those good results because you cheated.”
“Pa, pa, pa!”
A few sharp slaps sounded. Right after that, Ye Ying’s strong voice came from the doorway: “Come on then, little Red Dragon Clan darlings, tell me, how exactly did schoolmate Jiang Tea Tea use a back door with me?”
The onlookers heard the voice and quickly made way. All eyes turned to Ye Ying. In their hearts, they thought Hong Xiang Luan was really bold.
Jiang Tea Tea and her seven teammates stood in a row. They did not forget to raise their middle fingers at Hong Xiang Luan in perfect unison, full of contempt.
“Talk.” Ye Ying walked up to Hong Xiang Luan. He wore a dark green combat suit and dark green combat boots, a cap on his head, and his chest muscles bulged under the fabric. His shout carried a powerful pressure.
Hong Xiang Luan’s whole body shook: “Reporting to Commander Ye, I request to see the replay of how Jiang Tea Tea, Sui Xuan Chu and their squad got their results.”
Ye Ying put his hands on his hips: “You are not qualified to watch it.”
Hong Xiang Luan’s pupils shrank: “If you do not show me the replay of how they got their scores, I refuse to accept it.”
Ye Ying snorted: “You refuse to accept it, so because you are weak you think you are right? Then you slander people and spread rumors about them?”
“Fine. From this moment on, all your scores are canceled. You are kicked out of the joint Supremacy Tournament field training of the thirty academies. I will notify the Headmaster of the Imperial Academies and have them send a ship to pick you up.”
Hong Xiang Luan never thought things would go this far. Panic rushed through his heart. He lost his reason and blurted out: “Commander Ye, you have no right to kick me out of the Supremacy Tournament field training.”
“It is you. If you were not backing Jiang Tea Tea and the others, why did you meet her alone?”
“Why did you meet her alone? Do you have some shady deal between you…”
Bang!
Ye Ying punched Hong Xiang Luan to the ground. He lifted his foot, stepped on his face and ground down hard without mercy: “First, I did not meet her alone. Every meeting with her is on record. The Commander in Chief knows about it. We talked in a place with more than ten people present.”
“Second, if you and everyone here were even a bit more outstanding, I would also meet each of you one by one.”
“Last, there is no shady deal between us. It is because she is too outstanding. All twenty nine other Army Corps commanders, including me, want her. As her chief Drill Instructor, I just want to be near the water and get the moon first, and reserve her in advance so she joins my Army Corps after she graduates.”
Hong Xiang Luan tried to fight back. He had a strong body and Level S lightning element affinity, but Ye Ying pinned him down so firmly he could not move.
With his foot still on Hong Xiang Luan, Ye Ying swept his gaze over everyone. His tone was light, but full of dominance: “Darlings, schoolmates, do you really not know what the joint Supremacy Tournament field training of the thirty military academies is for? Or are you only pretending not to know?”
Everyone nodded quickly: “We know, Commander Ye, we know. The Supremacy Tournament is to pick out outstanding seedlings so the Army Corps can reserve them ahead of time.”
Jiang Tea Tea was too outstanding. This was only the first match of the Supremacy Tournament, and all thirty Army Corps commanders already had their eyes on her. They all wanted to be chosen like that too.
Ye Ying laughed and moved his foot away: “So you all know very well.”
“From now on, among the ten people of Red Dragon Squad, besides Hong Xiang Luan who is kicked out of the Supremacy Tournament, the other nine will each lose 20 points. The squad’s total score will also lose 20. Anyone who is not satisfied can send a complaint email to the Imperial Military Headquarters and the Imperial Authorities.”
“Oh, and schoolmate Hong Xiang Luan, everyone must bear the results of their own mistakes. Break the law and you will be punished by the law. Schoolmate Jiang Tea Tea and I will keep the right to pursue you later for slandering us and making up rumors.”
Hong Xiang Luan’s face turned ashen. He lay on the ground, fingers clenched into fists. He regretted everything, and in his heart he blamed Jiang Tea Tea and Sui Xuan Chu.
One of them had snatched his Combat Department Top Student rank. The other did not play by the rules and called Commander Ye over, which caused his scores to be wiped out, got him punished, and kicked him out of the Supremacy Tournament.
Ye Ying turned his head to look at Jiang Tea Tea and the others: “Schoolmate Jiang Tea Tea, you just need to focus on being excellent. There will always be people to guard the way for you.”
The corner of Jiang Tea Tea’s lips curled up: “Thanks.”
Ye Ying nodded once. As he walked out, he turned on the shipwide broadcast: “Darlings, schoolmates, little darlings, in ten minutes this ship will enter planet M31_1173, the battlefield for the Second Round of the Supremacy Tournament. Get ready and follow me.”
Jiang Tea Tea, Sui Xuan Chu and the eight of them once again raised their middle fingers at Hong Xiang Luan in contempt, then followed behind Ye Ying with their heads held high.
The others quickly called their own squad members and followed one after another. In the end, only the remaining members of Red Dragon Squad were left.
They came over to Hong Xiang Luan: “Captain, sorry. It is not that we do not want to help you, but our points got deducted too. We are not like you, born into the Dragon Clan, a noble family. We do not want to be kicked out of the Supremacy Tournament.”
“Captain, I told you before. Their scores are worlds apart from ours. They must have real skill. I told you not to provoke them, but you would not listen. Now look, you got kicked out of the Supremacy Tournament, and you will get a major demerit. After graduation you might not be able to enter an Army Corps…”
“If you want to get lost, then get lost. Why talk so much nonsense.” Hong Xiang Luan cut them off, eyes red: “Even without this Supremacy Tournament, I will still enter the Army Corps I should enter. I do not need you to worry about me.”
The Red Dragon Squad members thought about it. That was true. The Red Dragon Clan was a noble family with huge power.
Even if he could not get into one of the top thirty Army Corps, he could still enter some other Army Corps or another part of the army. He did not need them worrying for nothing.
Planet M31_1137 was a plain-type planet. Its tallest mountains were only a little more than one thousand meters high. It was a world ruled by all kinds of flowers and plants, a paradise for herbivores below Level Four.
The climate was not damp. It was like spring in all four seasons. The sky was bright blue, the grass a deep green, and flowers bloomed all over the mountains like a shining sea.
Jiang Tea Tea stood at the ship’s hatch, looking down. Her scalp tingled as she asked Ye Ying: “Commander Ye, you might not believe this, but I am allergic to pollen. Can we change to a place with more grass and fewer flowers to land?”
[What a sin. Flowers are the reproductive organs of plants. I really do not want to jump down there and roll all over them.]
Ye Ying’s mouth curled into a grin: “Schoolmate Jiang Tea Tea, if we change landing points every time you say so, why do we even need a chief Drill Instructor? How about you take my job?”
Jiang Tea Tea let out a dry laugh: “Fine, I will jump.”
Ye Ying grunted: “Young girls all like bright colors. I robbed this landing point from the other twenty nine Army Corps commanders. Go on down.”
Pretty flowers were pleasing to the eye. Jumping into them and enjoying the view first would only make everyone feel better, and then they could fight harder for good results in the Second Round.
Jiang Tea Tea really wanted to cry but had no tears. She strapped on her parachute, turned her head to Huang Da Zhuang and the others and said: “Come on, jump.”
Huang Da Zhuang and the others put on their parachutes: “Sure, jump.”
Jiang Tea Tea steeled herself and jumped.
From more than two thousand meters up, the sea of flowers below looked thick and bright, a carpet of color.
As she dropped lower, she saw that each flower was as big as a palm. Each flowering tree spread out like a huge umbrella.
It was impossible to avoid them. Luckily, Jiang Tea Tea did not crash into the flowers. Right before landing, she released her parachute, stepped on the flower branches like springboards, and jumped down to the ground. She held her breath, not letting the flower scent rush into her nose or the pollen enter her nostrils.
This landing point was not as dangerous as the first one. Everyone had parachutes, so they all jumped cleanly and neatly.
In less than half an hour, all more than seventy thousand military academy students from the Imperial Academies had jumped down.
Sui Xuan Chu plucked a big flower and played with it in his hand: “Schoolmates, teammates, why do I feel something is wrong?”
Huang Da Zhuang and the others asked: “What feels wrong?”
Sui Xuan Chu voiced his doubt: “In the First Round of the Supremacy Tournament, when we jumped from the ship it was terrifying. The Drill Instructor group almost wished we would all give up.”
“This time they had us jump from the ship again. Not only did they pick such a beautiful place, they even gave us parachutes. Everyone has already landed for more than ten minutes, and the Drill Instructor group has not done anything. Do you think that is normal?”
When everyone heard that, they could not deny it. This time everything felt strange, like the Drill Instructor group was holding back something big.
“Sister Tea, what do you think?” Sui Xuan Chu asked Jiang Tea Tea, who was covering her nose and would rather look at the sky than at the flowers.
Jiang Tea Tea was called on and answered: “What do I think? Find a place to hide quickly and deal with all changes by staying still.”
Sui Xuan Chu stood under a flowering tree and looked around: “Everywhere we can see is covered with flowering trees. Where can we hide?”
The smallest tea trees were as thick as their arms. Most were thicker than their thighs and taller than they were, scattered all over the mountain. It looked like there was nowhere to hide at all.
Jiang Tea Tea stayed quiet for a moment: “Wait a bit.”
No one knew what she was doing. Since she told them to wait, they waited.
Jiang Tea Tea jumped straight up and landed on top of a flowering tree. She looked around, then dropped back down: “Come on, I will take you to a hiding place.”
Sui Xuan Chu and the others followed her without any hesitation.
Jiang Tea Tea took three masks from Cheng Lin Yue, covered her mouth and nose, and led them weaving through the sea of flowering trees.
On the way they ran into other students admiring and picking flowers, with no sense of danger at all.
Of course there were exceptions. Some people saw them hurrying by and followed behind, wanting to team up with them to farm points.
Jiang Tea Tea did not want to bring them along. She made a quick hand sign to her own people, then sped up, running under the flowering trees and shaking off the ones tailing them.
After running for about fifteen minutes, Jiang Tea Tea led them to a large flowering tree growing out of a cliff face. She dug at the ground with her hands and revealed a hole.
Sui Xuan Chu and the others were overjoyed and rushed inside. They had just sat down and had not even started praising Jiang Tea Tea when the Drill Instructor group broadcast sounded again from all directions:
“Darlings, schoolmates, little darlings, the Second Round of the Supremacy Tournament for the thirty military academies officially begins now. It will last for one month.”
“During this month, use the red Marking Seal blade in your hands to leave a bright red mark on the necks of students from other military academies. As long as you keep yourself safe until the last day, you win.”
“Point rules: mark the neck of one military academy student and you gain 10 points.”
“Special note: You can only mark the necks of students from other military academies. You cannot mark students from your own academy. If you accidentally kill someone from your own school, it will count as forfeiting and you will be eliminated. We hope you will fight hard and chase down students from other academies!”
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