Volume Two: The Youth of a Thousand Faces, Reality or Illusion Chapter Thirty-One: Paying Back in Double

“Listen up, all of you. Among the four of us, I’m the oldest, so I’m your big brother. I’ll protect you. If anyone ever bullies you, I’ll beat them so hard their teeth scatter all over the ground!”

“Mhm, I believe in you, big brother.”

“You’re so silly, little big brother.”

“Tch, who needs your protection anyway?”

——————————————————————

Back then, they had neither grand dreams nor burdens to bear. Their days were spent wandering hills and rivers together, playing happily. Yet when Huo Ye declared himself the big brother, it was no idle boast of youth.

Senior Brother Cheng Lu had been forcing Reilimi step by step against the wall, and now, with a threatening thud, boxed him in. His tone was mocking and sly: “Junior, tell me, is it because your senior hasn’t disciplined you long enough that you don’t know how to respect your elders?”

Reilimi looked into those predatory, wolfish eyes and thought of his big brother upstairs. That’s right—he had his brother behind him; he shouldn’t be afraid. As his brother always said, he simply lacked courage, so now, at least, he needed to summon some.

Suddenly, his gaze hardened. He spoke decisively: “No, I won’t!”

“What did you say?” Cheng Lu seemed shocked that Reilimi would dare defy him, so much so that he laughed in disbelief.

“I said I won’t. Ever since I enrolled, you’ve used your seniority to steal my points and resources. Whenever someone challenges you, you’re too afraid of their connections to fight, so you hide, only knowing how to bully juniors weaker than yourself. What kind of senior are you?”

Each word fell with weight, a year’s frustration pouring out, as if to tell Huo Ye upstairs: I, too, have the courage to resist bullying.

On the stairs, Huo Ye’s lips curled into a smile. He shouted, “Well said!” Then he strode into view.

Cheng Lu was dumbfounded when he saw Huo Ye and Alice. Wasn’t this the same Huo Ye who’d just dominated the whole school with his presence? Why was he here?

Huo Ye sneered, “Afraid to fight outsiders, only daring to bully your own juniors—what an achievement.”

But Cheng Lu folded his arms, full of self-righteous bravado, as if what he did was perfectly justified. “At Bancroft, strength rules. The strong have every right to take from the weak. That’s not against school rules.”

He immediately regretted those words, for Huo Ye was grinning—eyes narrowed, a faint, ominous shadow flickering between his brows, as if to say, “This is exactly what I was waiting for.”

In a flash, Huo Ye was before him, seizing Cheng Lu’s arm and twisting it behind his back with a speed the naked eye could barely track. With a resounding crash, he pinned him against the wall.

Page (1/3)

With a derisive snort, Huo Ye ordered, “Don’t move. Don’t even think about it!”

Beads of sweat broke out on Cheng Lu’s forehead. Huo Ye’s hands were like iron clamps on his joints. One false move, and his arms would be ruined—this was a joint lock!

Too fast! Cheng Lu had seen Huo Ye’s speed in videos: singlehandedly covering nearly 500 meters of city wall, darting to reinforce wherever needed—no ordinary ability user could do that. Huo Ye was a speed-type, that much was clear, but even so, his speed was beyond belief.

“Bully my friend, and I’ll smash your teeth right out.” Huo Ye drove his blade into the wall beside Cheng Lu’s head. The cold edge reflected a face drenched in sweat.

Reilimi was deeply moved. So his big brother still remembered that promise from years ago—he truly was his brother.

Cheng Lu cried out, “Big brother, I was wrong! Please, spare me! I’ll never do it again—please, let me go, I’ll do anything you want!”

Of course, Huo Ye had no intention of killing Cheng Lu; what he’d done to Reilimi was cruel, but not deserving of death. Yet with the blade so close, its grooves still stained with the blood of disaster-class beasts, how could Cheng Lu not be terrified?

Huo Ye said, “Fine, I’ll spare you. But since you believe the strong have the right to bully the weak, well, I’m stronger than you—hand over your points.”

He spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world, his hand pressing Cheng Lu’s head in proof of his superior strength.

Actions speak louder than words. With people like Cheng Lu, Huo Ye never wasted breath; if you believe in fists, then fists will be your lesson.

Huo Ye gave him a taste of his own medicine. Cheng Lu had stolen Reilimi’s points—he must have had a hard year, so Huo Ye would get them back for him.

Cheng Lu knew how to read the room; there was no way he’d get out of this intact, so he could only pay up for peace. “How much do you want?”

Huo Ye turned to Reilimi. “Reilimi, how many points did he take from you?” He shot him a look, signaling to exaggerate—there was no need to show mercy to people like this.

Reilimi got the message. “About a thousand points.”

This was a bold lie—Cheng Lu had only stolen five hundred. But Reilimi wasn’t stupid; with his big brother backing him, why not double the debt?

At the number, Cheng Lu’s heart jumped. “Reilimi, you little liar! I never took that much!”

“Shut up!” Huo Ye barked, baring his fangs at last. His gentleness was reserved for those worthy of respect. Only three months ago, he’d still been a student in the slums, where too much kindness meant endless trouble—everyone would see you as easy prey.

Only after coming to Bancroft had Huo Ye hidden that ferocity, for it was no longer needed.

But against someone who bullied his friend, Huo Ye felt it was time to shed a bit of that sheep’s clothing.

Page (2/3)

Cheng Lu, cowed by Huo Ye’s roar, dared not curse at Reilimi again. He could only beg quietly, “Um... President Huo, I really only took—no, only borrowed about five hundred points from my junior. He’s demanding a thousand; I don’t even have that much!”

He tried to flatter Huo Ye, calling him President Huo, since Huo Ye had announced plans to form his own club.

But Huo Ye was unmoved. He just asked, “You don’t have it?” Suddenly, he fixed Cheng Lu with a piercing stare and enunciated each word: “Are. You. Sure?”

“Really, I swear!” Cheng Lu said, sounding resolute.

Huo Ye sneered, placing two fingers on Cheng Lu’s neck. “Liar.”

Huo Ye didn’t have Shangguan Yudie’s abilities, but he could still tell when someone was lying. When people lie, their blood vessels dilate, their hearts race, their pulse quickens—by pressing a hand to the carotid, he could detect the truth. Vice Captain Genos had taught him this trick; he was a master at it.

Sweating, Cheng Lu confessed, “Fine, I do have more, but only around a thousand points. You have to let me live, right? Can’t I have a couple of days to pay?”

He thought a delay was better than nothing; at least then he could look for a way out.

But Huo Ye said, “Do you think I was bluffing about your lie? Tell me the truth! Exactly how much do you have?”

“Fine, fifteen hundred.”

“Still want to play games, do you?”

“I’ll say it! Two thousand—I have two thousand!” This time, Cheng Lu was telling the truth.

Huo Ye nodded. “Good, then hand over two thousand.”

Cheng Lu was dumbfounded. It had already doubled—now it was four times as much!

But in his current predicament, he had no choice. He handed over the two thousand points, and Huo Ye, gripping him by the collar like a chicken, dragged him to the door and kicked him out.

Page (3/3)