Chapter 42
Chapter 42: Principal, Want a VVVIP Ticket?
Even though Old Li and Old Sun were both a-rank awakened powerhouses, the principal still didn’t feel safe.
He decided to go to Beast-Taming Plaza himself and see which student was being so reckless—calling him bald and pulling a stunt this suicidal on campus.
He threw on his coat and stormed out.
He’d barely stepped into the corridor when Su Ang approached.
Su Ang paused at the sight of the principal moving like the building was on fire. “Principal, what happened?”
“Big trouble,” the principal snapped. “Huge trouble. Come with me.”
He glanced at the time on his lightbrain, suddenly afraid he’d be too late to stop the match. He grabbed Su Ang by the arm and marched him toward Beast-Taming Plaza.
When they arrived, a line of students was already filing inside. The principal scanned the crowd—and froze when he spotted a string of familiar faces.
Elder Zhao?
Old Zhou?
Old Wu?
Even Elder Zheng was here.
What in the world was happening?
Were these old seniors holding some kind of event at Beast-Taming Plaza?
If so, why hadn’t anyone notified him?
He hurriedly straightened his suit and stepped forward to ask what was going on—only for someone to seize his arm from behind.
“Principal?!”
Qian Qi’s voice rang out, bright and delighted. “Oh my! Why are you here, sir?”
The principal turned and saw her. His mouth twitched. His arm began aching on reflex, like his body remembered pain it wanted to forget.
“Qian Qi?” he said slowly.
“You’re here to watch the match too?” Qian Qi beamed, her gaze sweeping over him, then landing on Su Ang. “Wow, Principal. You even brought a little beauty.”
The principal felt dread crawl up his spine.
He looked past her at Old Sun at the gate, who was winking like a conspirator. Then he looked back at Qian Qi’s sweet, vicious smile.
His lips trembled. “Don’t tell me…you’re the one fighting.”
“How could I be?” Qian Qi said immediately.
The principal exhaled—until she snapped into a serious tone and corrected him.
“The stars are obviously me and the d-rank contract beast,” she said solemnly. “Principal, you can’t ignore the contract beast’s beast rights just because it’s a magic beast. That’s racism.”
The principal stared at her, disbelief sharpening into something dangerous.
Why did his hands itch so damn much?
Qian Qi leaned in like she was sharing a secret. “Principal, want to go in and watch?”
She slipped two tickets into his hand. “VVVIP front row. Buy a ticket and you can enter!”
The principal actually laughed. “Qian Qi, this entire school is mine. You’re charging me money?”
Qian Qi’s face shifted in an instant. She snatched the tickets back and looked at him with open disdain. “Seriously, Principal? The students all paid. As a lord, we can’t be freeloading in front of students.”
The principal’s jaw tensed. Who the hell is “we,” you little menace?
Then Qian Qi clapped her hands like she’d had a brilliant idea. “But you’re right. You’re the principal—proper privileges should apply!”
She pointed at Su Ang. “How about this? I’ll sell you two tickets for the price of one. Four hundred, buy one get one free. This senior’s ticket is basically free. Deal?”
The principal hesitated, then nodded as if he were doing charity. “Fine. I’ll support your business.”
He transferred four hundred.
Qian Qi’s lightbrain chimed. She checked the deposit, then immediately stuffed both tickets into the principal’s hand and escorted him and Su Ang through the gate with exaggerated warmth.
At the duty room, Grandpa Sun sat on a stool, laughing. “Oh, Principal, you’re here? Did you buy a ticket?”
The principal’s eyelid twitched.
Was this entertaining for you people?
He slapped the two VVVIP tickets down. Grandpa Sun checked them with a straight face, then looked up and smiled at the principal in a way that made his skin crawl.
The principal didn’t understand that smile.
Not yet.
He and Su Ang entered Beast-Taming Plaza.
Su Ang stayed quiet until they reached the stands. Then, in his calm voice, he asked, “Principal…what exactly is the ‘huge trouble’ you mentioned?”
The principal opened his mouth—
And froze.
Wait.
He came here to stop the match.
How did he end up buying tickets and walking in like a paying customer?
Cold sweat broke across his back. This wasn’t carelessness. This was Qian Qi. That little girl was too crafty for normal human defenses.
But…
He rubbed his chin, staring at the arena below. “If it’s her…maybe she actually can pull it off.”
Qian Qi looked like the type who wouldn’t walk into certain death without a plan.
And over the last few days, he’d spoken with Mo Yin Qiu. He’d learned Qian Qi truly was a magic plant prodigy. She’d helped classmates save dying magic plants. She’d even grown a fire qilin lotus that benefited blazing hounds.
Even in instances, a fire qilin lotus could usually bear at most one fruit.
But Qian Qi’s had produced three—three top-quality fire qilin fruits.
Calling her a “genius” almost felt stingy.
And then there was that hemostatic magic potion…
A thought struck him. “Could it be she smashed those magic plants before because she thought they were grown too poorly?”
“Principal?” Su Ang’s voice cut through his spiral. He pointed toward the first row. “We’re here.”
The principal said, “Oh,” and sat down.
He was about to answer Su Ang when voices rose nearby. A young couple seemed to be arguing.
“Why did you come?” the boy snapped, openly annoyed.
“Why can’t I?” the girl shot back, unimpressed by his attitude. She smirked. “Looks like I worried for nothing. You and Qian Qi aren’t that close. You even paid full price for the ticket.”
The principal, who definitely wasn’t eavesdropping, stroked his chin again.
Huh. So Qian Qi gave friends a discount.
But surely not as good as his. He’d gotten buy one get one free.
The boy frowned. “How much did you pay for your VVVIP ticket?”
The girl sniffed. “Half of yours. One hundred.”
“What?!” the boy barked.
“What?!” the principal blurted, slamming a hand down as he half-stood. “Classmate—what did you just say the original VVVIP price is?”
The boy turned. It was Chen Tong. He blinked in surprise at the principal’s sudden appearance, then answered quickly, “Two hundred. Why?”
The principal’s vision went black for a split second.
Two hundred.
That meant he’d paid four hundred for two tickets.
Not discounted. Not special.
Just…played.
His scalp practically steamed. No wonder Old Sun had smiled like that at the gate—he knew. He knew the principal had been scammed.
But then another thought slammed into him.
Wait.
He hadn’t been close to Old Sun when he paid.
So how did Old Sun know he’d been tricked into handing over four hundred?