Chapter 161: Grand Armed Melee!
Translator: ryuxenji Editor: H2dH2mr
"10th graders! They've long been unable to stand the sight of us 7th graders, and are now bullying the girl from Class-B to taunt us ..." After hearing what Luo Lang had to report, Ling Lan could tell that this was definitely a show of strength by the 10th graders to try and put them in their place.
"10th graders ... Boss Lan, you sure enough are the boss. I, Wu Jiong, give in to you completely!" Wu Jiong had initially thought it was just going to be a grand armed melee with the 8th graders, but who would have expected that Ling Lan would just go for the challenge with the greatest difficulty, directly going head to head with the highest-ranking 10th graders. Wu Jiong folded completely to this sort of courage.
"Wu Jiong, I heard that there are very few people in Class-B that experienced a spiritual mutation, and even in Class-A, a little less than half had no obvious changes?" said Ling Lan, changing the topic.
Wu Jiong's mood dipped. "Yes, over these few years, there are less and less students experiencing spiritual mutations. If they don't mutate before they turn 16, they will very likely lose the possibility of operating mecha ..." Even if someone who did not undergo a spiritual mutation operated mecha, they would never be able to go beyond intermediate mecha warrior status. Therefore, when they applied for the various large military schools after they turned 16 years old, those schools would never accept these children into their mecha classes.
"Sometimes, a cruel battle will spur someone to evolve and have a breakthrough ... the grand armed melee is such an opportunity." Ling Lan vaguely revealed the reason why she wanted to have this grand armed melee.
Wu Jiong's eyes brightened, and his admiration for Ling Lan deepened. He immediately tapped his chest and said, "Boss Lan, don't worry. I will inform all our classmates in the special classes ..."
Wu Jiong's popularity was very high within their grade; he had a good relationship with every team. So, if the students within the grade had any problems, they normally liked to look for Wu Jiong for help. Only if Wu Jiong was not able to help would they carefully approach Ling Lan for assistance.
It could not be helped. Although Ling Lan never got angry, her cold and austere face, along with the faint chill emanating from her body and her indifferent stare, all made them hesitant to approach her. As the children grew older, the better they became at gauging strength levels. Ling Lan's capabilities had obviously gone far beyond the range of a scout student, causing the children to feel pressured naturally — they even felt that facing Ling Lan was scarier than facing their instructors.
This was also why Ling Lan tasked Wu Jiong to inform the other students — who asked him to be so popular? Of course, Ling Lan really did not know anyone else's contact number other than Wu Jiong's. So, even if she wanted to notify the other students personally, she had no way to do it.
After settling everything, Ling Lan logged off the virtual world, put on her jet-rollers, and swiftly left her villa.
Ling Lan had just risen into the air on her jet-rollers when she saw quite a few students of Class-A gliding out from their villas on their jet-rollers as well.
"Boss Lan!" Everyone stopped, greeting her with clear idolisation. If Qi Long was said to be the number 1 fighter of Year 4738, and Wu Jiong was the central pillar, then Ling Lan was their unmoveable mountain 1 , proving just how steady and reliable she was in their eyes.
"Hn. Has everyone arrived?" Ling Lan halted as well, hovering in the air, and in less than a minute, over 30 odd students had gathered around her.
"Pretty much. Some have already gone ahead," replied one of the students, "While some are still on their way."
"Then let's go!" said Ling Lan calmly. With that, the jets on both sides of her jet-rollers shot out a stream of air, activating instantly, driving her towards the canteen of the academy's upper division.
"Move out!" The students behind her shouted, and the 30 odd students collectively followed Ling Lan on their jet-rollers.
At this moment, inside the academy upper division's canteen, a gang of red-clad youths of 15 to 16 years old — whether standing or sitting, or leaning and supporting — were casually but surely cordoning off an area with their bodies. On one side inside this circle of people, someone was seated unabashedly on a chair. Opposite him stood a slightly younger red-clad youth, while several boys and girls of the same age stood behind him, dressed in either red or white.
"What, Qi Long, you want to take responsibility for this matter?" said one of the 10th grade Class-A students standing at the side, sneering.
Qi Long grinned good-naturedly and said, "Senior, no matter how the incident started, you've already managed to hit and scold — isn't it time to stop?" Qi Long was not really afraid, but if the situation continued to degenerate and they actually began fighting, the few Class-B female students here would certainly be harmed. He had initially stepped in just so he could prevent them from getting hurt.
"Qi Long, how dare you! Actually speaking to a senior in that tone?!" That person was infuriated by Qi Long's barbed words, immediately leaping out to berate him loudly.
"Senior, you think too much!" A slight trace of a mocking smile appeared on Qi Long's lips. By now, of course he could tell that the other side had intended to make a big deal out of this matter from the very start. They were planning to give these 7th graders who had just entered the upper division 2 a show of force to put them in their place!
"Qi Long! You ..." This attitude of Qi Long thoroughly enraged the 10th grader. Was this really how a student who had just entered the upper division should act? Thinking back on when they themselves had first moved up and had been hazed by their seniors, their attitude had been extremely respectful and humble. Why was it that now that it was their turn to haze their juniors, they just had to meet this kind of disrespectful and insolent prick?
"Qi Long, don't be too arrogant now! Although you are the number one of the 7th grade, in our eyes, you're nothing ..." spat out the leader, expression dark and foreboding, "If we want to play around with you, it would just be like toying with a pitiful worm ... know your place! Kneel down to me and apologise!"
"Kneel!"
"Kneel!"
"Kneel!"
Cry after cry demanding Qi Long kneel echoed within the academy canteen. The 10th grade students were now united against a common enemy, putting all their pressure on Qi Long, who they saw as the head of the 7th graders.
All of the 8th and 9th grade students stayed in their corners, not daring to make a sound. This was a scene that would occur every year, where the 10th graders of the upper grades would exert pressure to put the newly advanced 7th graders in their place. This was just the beginning — once the other 7th graders appeared, they would also be given the same treatment ... When they had been in the 7th grade, they too had endured the same — that feeling was really absolutely horrible. But this was just how things worked in the upper division ... whoever had the larger fist would be the one with authority!
Here, no instructors would interfere in this type of bullying or scuffles. It should be said that once students entered the upper division, they were already considered as students who could graduate. The academy had taught them all it could, and everything beyond this was for the students themselves to figure out on their own. Therefore, this area had become a microcosm of the adult world, a world where might was supreme and logic was irrelevant. This was also why this incident of the 10th graders hazing the 7th graders would occur every year. It had become a sort of dark legacy. The humiliation they had endured at the beginning would be taken out of the hides of their juniors now.
So, even if the 7th grade students here now were once the elite of the intermediate division, within the upper division, they should first learn how to walk with their tails between their legs!
"Hehehehe ... kneel? My boss told me that men can only die standing, and cannot live kneeling!" The smile on Qi Long's face had vanished completely. He could compromise, but he would not lose his dignity and his pride.
"In that case, then I really would like to see how tough your bones really are, Qi Long!" The moment the leader of the 10th graders said this, 7 or 8 people stepped out from the crowd, rubbing their palms and clenching their fists in preparation to mob Qi Long.
Seeing this, Qi Long immediately got into a defensive stance. He harrumphed coldly and said, "I too would like to know how capable you seniors really are to get me, Qi Long, to submit ..."
"That's right! I, Luo Lang, would also like to see!" Luo Lang knew there was no longer any way to delay, so he also stepped forward to stand beside Qi Long. His fists were raised, ready to put up a good fight against these people.
Han Xuya clenched her fists fiercely and shouted, "And me too! Dammit, I'm not afraid of these bastards!" Men who bullied women and those weaker than themselves were the worst, and these 10th grade seniors had committed both those sins — her hate against them was at the max.
Facing this situation of being surrounded on all sides, Luo Chao's complexion was pale with shock and fear, but she still stood her ground resolutely, supporting the injured female student without retreating a single step. She would never forget what Boss Lan had said to her — you can be afraid or panicked, but you cannot retreat and run away!
"What an insolent fellow. Just a 7th grade top rank and he thinks the whole academy is his to rule?" The 10th grade students began to jeer — the more they saw this kind of backbone, the more they wanted to destroy it. They themselves had not managed to stand up for themselves back when they were hazed, what gave these 7th graders the right to do so?
"Teach him a lesson!"
"Teach him!"
"Teach him!"
The 10th grade students were insistent on putting the 7th graders in their place; the entire canteen was filled with raucous cries urging for a beatdown.
"Since you 10th grade seniors want so much to teach us 7th graders a lesson, then we 7th grade students shall collectively accept your challenge!" An icy voice rang out from the doors to the canteen.
Qi Long turned his head in surprise and joy and saw that familiar figure in the lead. He shouted, "Boss, you're here!"
A large group of students in red uniforms marched into the canteen, and at the fore was Ling Lan!
Seeing so many 7th graders appear all of a sudden, the expression of the leader of the 10th graders shifted minutely. "Could it be that you 7th graders want to revolt?"
"Revolt? In my opinion, fighting you all doesn't deserve the use of this term!" Ling Lan's words caused the 10th grade students to break into an uproar. Hells, this gang of 7th graders just kept coming out with more and more insolent punks! Looks like it wouldn't do not to teach them a good lesson!
"Since you all want to fight so much, then as you wish, we 7th graders challenge you 10th graders to a grand armed melee!"
"Grand armed melee?" The 10th grade students were somewhat confused. And then, as if suddenly recalling something, the leader yelled out, "You're insane!"
He looked at the number of students beside Ling Lan and instantly let out a sigh of relief. "No, you all can't possibly succeed in requesting a grand armed melee. With just this number of people, it's impossible ..."
To be approved, a grand armed melee required 95% approval out of the total 100 students 3 of the Special Class-A and Special Class-B in the grade.
"No, you heard right, we're officially challenging you 10th graders to a grand armed melee!" Another voice rang out from behind Ling Lan. It turned out that Wu Jiong had also rushed over with a group of students at his back, most of them Class-B students in white uniforms.
Wu Jiong was late because he had been busy contacting the Class-B people. As a grand armed melee required 95% approval from the combined students of Special Class-A and Special Class-B to pass, Wu Jiong had discussed the issue with the Class-B teams in advance and had finally reached a consensus.
"You're all insane, insane!" The 10th grade students all had fear on their faces. They had only wanted to scare the 7th graders and put them in their place — they definitely did not want to unleash that horrifying grand armed melee ... that was just asking for someone to die!