Chapter 31 - 29: Teaching Senior Brother Dang Jin

From the moment Zhang Xiu made his move, Zhang Deming had already guessed how things would unfold.

He also knew that even if he feigned compliance and swallowed his anger, the outcome would be the same.

In that case, it was better to face it head-on. As for the Law Enforcement Team, he would cross that bridge when he came to it.

Even if this was reported up the chain, Zhang Deming had the light sphere to fall back on.

’If things really go south, at worst, I can just pretend to be a super genius. Master a Technique in one day. You scared yet?’

Within the mummy-like bindings, several Vines were giving "special attention" to each of Zhang Xiu’s joints.

"Ngh... Ah..."

As Zhang Deming applied more pressure, Zhang Xiu let out another miserable scream. The sound snapped the distracted Lu Ze back to his senses.

"What’s going on here?"

Before Lu Ze could say a word, a voice as warm and smooth as jade called out from behind the crowd.

Zhang Deming’s expression shifted. The Vines on the ground and in his hands instantly dissolved into specks of light and vanished.

"Ugh..."

The intense restraints vanished in an instant. Zhang Xiu, who had been struggling with all his might, let out another grunt; he had used too much force and pulled a muscle.

"Oh, it’s Senior Brother Dang. It’s nothing, we were just roughhousing a bit." Lu Ze’s expression flickered as he smiled at the middle-aged man walking through the parting crowd.

"Oh, is that so? In that case, I’ll let you get back to... getting acquainted."

The middle-aged man, Dang Jin, wore a warm smile, acting as if he hadn’t seen Zhang Xiu groaning on the ground. As he walked past Zhang Deming, he paused, as if recalling something, and said:

"You’re in my class, aren’t you? You sit in the front row and are quite diligent with your notes. Want to get some lunch together?"

Zhang Deming was taken aback, looking at the smiling Dang Jin in surprise.

This lecturing Senior Brother, a Peak Apprentice, was clearly intervening to help him. He hadn’t expected this at all.

After all, aside from today’s class, he was sure they had never met.

For him to step in so readily was a complete surprise.

’Judging from his shrewd way of handling the situation, he’s clearly no idiot.’

’So, why?’

’As for that excuse about him sitting in the front row and being a diligent note-taker... he wasn’t buying it. That was laying it on a bit thick.’

"What’s wrong? Afraid I’m going to eat you or something?"

Seeing Zhang Deming spacing out, Dang Jin spoke with an amused smile.

"Ah, oh, no, not at all. I was just pondering your lecture from this morning and got lost in thought. Sorry about that, Senior Brother Dang."

"The chance to have lunch with a Senior Brother like you... it’s such a happy occasion. I’m just so thrilled!"

Zhang Deming put on a dazed, adorably clueless expression and replied with some equally over-the-top flattery.

Dang Jin: "..."

Dang Jin’s expression twitched at Zhang Deming’s shameless and completely insincere buttering-up.

The warm smile on his face, that refined, jade-like temperament of his, almost shattered.

"Right then. Let’s go."

With that, Dang Jin led Zhang Deming away, the two of them leaving at a leisurely pace.

Lu Ze’s expression flickered. Even with his connections to the Law Enforcement Team, he wasn’t a member himself. He didn’t have the guts to go head-to-head with a veteran of the Dharma Transmission Hall.

And just like that, he watched them leave.

"What do we do, Senior Brother? Just let him walk away like that? How are we going to answer to Senior Brother Zhou?" the man behind Lu Ze whispered in his ear.

"Are you asking me? Who the hell am I supposed to ask? He’s from the Dharma Transmission Hall! You think we can afford to mess with them?" Lu Ze snapped before turning and storming off. The man hurried to follow.

Zhang Xiu, still lying on the ground and ignored by everyone, looked dumbfounded for a moment before struggling to his feet and painfully chasing after them.

The show was over, and the crowd began to disperse. Xue Su, who had watched the entire affair from beginning to end, finally snapped out of his daze.

’Wait a minute... that newcomer who was just carefully trying to curry favor with me, laying on all that flattery... is he a freaking big shot?’

’Holy shit!’

’I almost missed out on a fortune!’

’No, wait. I don’t think I messed up too badly when we talked earlier. I still have a chance!’

’I haven’t completely blown it yet!’

’As for not stepping in to help... please. His specialty is Heart Eye Numerology. He could barely kill a chicken. If he had actually jumped in, he probably would have just been a liability.’

Having figured this out, Xue Su didn’t immediately chase after them. ’The big shot is probably building his connection with the instructor right now. I shouldn’t rush things.’

With a joyful look on his face, he headed for the dining hall. He still had the whole afternoon!

After all, for every public lecture, once you selected your seat for the day, the information was registered to your Identity Card.

You couldn’t change it for the entire day. This was a rule the Sect had implemented after countless chaotic brawls over seats escalated into bloody duels fought with Techniques.

...

Zhang Deming followed Dang Jin, strolling away from the crowd. They walked in silence for a while.

"Thank you, Senior Brother Dang. I will remember the favor you’ve done for me today," Zhang Deming said, breaking the silence.

"Heh, no need for that. It was no trouble at all."

"Besides, you don’t have to thank me. If you want to thank someone, thank Steward Luh."

"It’s a rare thing indeed to see that stingy old ice block come all the way to our Dharma Transmission Hall to ask us to look out for you," Dang Jin said with a smile.

Zhang Deming was stunned. ’Steward Luh? Personally asked for me to be looked after?’

’The man who brought me here a few days ago was a Steward? He personally ran an errand to bring me to register?’

’What the hell? And here I thought he was just some general steward!’

’And he asked for me to receive special attention?’

’But why?’

’Was he smitten by my devastatingly good looks?’

’Or did he want to make a... backdoor investment?’

"Still, it’s best to avoid provoking those from the Close Combat Techniques branch."

"Their combat power is quite good in the early stages, and since not many people focus on combat right from the start, a lot of Law Enforcement Team members come from their ranks."

Dang Jin’s words instantly snapped Zhang Deming back to reality.

He gave a bitter smile and said, "I don’t want to cause trouble either. I just want to live a quiet life. But some things, you can’t avoid just by hiding from them."

Hearing this, Dang Jin looked at Zhang Deming and said, "From the sound of it, there’s a story there. Need our help?"

Zhang Deming shook his head. "Thank you, Senior Brother, but I can handle it for now."

It wasn’t that Zhang Deming didn’t want to leverage the connection, but Dang Jin had already made it clear: he was only helping because he owed a favor to Luh Jingsun.

Until he figured out why Steward Luh was helping him, it was best not to owe too many favors.

Besides, the situation wasn’t so dire that he couldn’t handle it himself.

By this time, the two had arrived at the dining hall. They changed the subject to idle small talk, chatting casually.

Both were as cunning as old foxes. One was gentle as jade, the other witty and humorous. Their personalities were even somewhat compatible, so it clearly wasn’t difficult for them to keep the conversation going.

And so, they had a very pleasant lunch.

To an outsider, the two of them looked like old friends. In a way, they were now.

Both were consciously trying to build a rapport; Zhang Deming was motivated by the other’s strength and background, while Dang Jin was motivated by his obligation to Steward Luh.

As a result, the lunch proceeded in perfect harmony.

...

After lunch, Zhang Deming returned to the main hall and found his seat.

"Big Shot, you finally made it!"

Zhang Deming had just sat down when a slightly excited voice sounded from beside him.

Zhang Deming turned to see it was Xue Su. He smiled and said, "Oh, it’s you, Senior Brother Xue. Finished with lunch?"

"Yep, all finished! Been waiting for you forever, Big Shot," Xue Su said enthusiastically.

Zhang Deming: "..."

’Your sudden enthusiasm is throwing me off. I was just about to lay the flattery on thick myself and see what other perks I could get from you.’