NOVPUBFrey, Lanci, and Hyperion were walking along the path to the Knight College.
Along the way, the trio did not exchange a word; they just walked in silence.
On both sides, Jacaranda trees were neatly adorned like guardian deities, silently proclaiming the mystery and tranquility of this campus. When spring arrived, these trees would proudly display their lavender blossoms. Their beautiful and vibrant presence would always attract students and residents of the Royal Capital, making this place extraordinarily lively.
At the end of the path, an age-old wooden building was tucked away.
It only consisted of one floor, yet it was as spacious as a mini dojo.
From afar, it was apparent that many of the window panes had already shattered, and the wooden walls bore the indelible marks left by time.
However, despite its seemingly abandoned exterior, the building was brimming with energy. Laughter, swearing, yelling, thunderous crashes—all these different sounds emanated from inside the building, forming a cacophony reminiscent of a Wild West-style brawl.
"This is the place. The remaining members of the team are stubborn brutes that give even our Dean a headache," Frey stopped and pointed towards the cabin, speaking to his companions.
The Dean he referred to wasn’t Dean Loren of the Sage Academy, but the Dean of their Knight College.
"Frey, what’s the plan for the negotiations?" Lanci asked, casting a glance at the defiant-looking youth.
To Lanci, Frey, with his half-lowered sunglasses and eagle-like sharp gaze, coupled with the explosive energy he carried, resembled some sort of gang hitman.
While this may not initially seem like the person you would send for friendly negotiations, Lanci understood that in official business, if one negotiator is assertive and another presents a softer image, this combination of temperaments can disrupt the other party’s negotiative will and soften their stance— a rather effective strategy.
"Let me try to negotiate first. I am fairly familiar with the rules of the Knight College." Frey made sure that his weapon was properly placed in his coat’s inside pocket, and then directed his gaze towards the cabin.
"You have my gratitude." Lanci nodded. He was from the Sage Academy and didn’t quite understand the rules of the Knight College, so he considered this a good opportunity to learn.
"..."
Hyperion grew uneasy upon recognizing Frey’s seemly gangster-like habitual behavior.
She firmly believed this was absolutely not "the rules of the Knight College"!
Yet, she reconsidered.
Out of the three of them, if Lanci went to negotiate, there was a high probability he would be conned. As for her, she, a half-demon, was not well-received by others.
All things taken into account, Frey—a native—was undoubtedly the best fit.
As a martial artist, he would better understand the communication style amongst martial artists.
"If you require assistance, rely on us to supplement you." Hyperion proposed from the side.
"I appreciate it" Frey responded, nodding slightly as he moved forward.
The door was slightly ajar, as if inviting passersby in.
In reality, the lock had been eroded over the years, making it no longer possible to fully latch.
The trio from the Student Council gathered at the entrance, their gazes focused on the dim interior of the hall.
Inside were several burly men; some were sitting, while others were standing. They all looked like formidable fighters.
Even Frey, who himself appeared to be quite formidable, could only be considered a normal young man next to them.
The oppressive aura the group of fighters exuded resembled unrelenting wild waves.
However, the person commanding absolute authority among these fighters was a redheaded woman, who stood out as being of a completely different league compared to the others.
Despite her tall stature, compared to the muscular men around her, she appeared rather petite. Similarly, she was dressed like a typical wild fighter—with her hair tied up in a high ponytail, her bangs sweeping past her right eye, and a bandage tube top and long pants ensemble, with additional bandages wrapped around her arms and legs.
Her aggressive gaze made her seem rather domineering.
"The leader is Cervini, a third-year student from Knight College. She’s known for her integrity and hot temper. She’s a sixth-order Gold-level challenger, and the chance of subduing her by force is quite slim. The main challenge here is not only to handle the fifth-order fighters at three o’clock but also to suppress a crowd of fourth-order combatants."
Frey pointed to the targets inside the room, sharing the information about them in a low voice with his two companions.
Lanci and Hyperion both turned their gazes to Frey, nodding in agreement.
From Frey’s tone, it seemed he was hoping to avoid a direct conflict, a point both of them agreed upon.
Not only would violence fail to mediate the dispute on campus, but it would also exacerbate it. This not only goes against the spirit of peaceful coexistence on campus but would also damage the good image of the Student Union. Even worse, the demolition work scheduled for today might not be able to be completed on time.
So their goal for today’s work had to be reaching a mutually acceptable agreement with the other party.
"You three over there, what are you whispering about?" A muscular man who seemed to have noticed some slight movement at the entrance roared like a raging wind, stirring up the atmosphere in the venue.
Hyperion, slightly taken aback, retreated a step; she wasn’t necessarily good with these rude and violent martial artists.
However, Lanci seemed undeterred; he pushed open the door and calmly asked:
"Excuse me, is this the club room for the ’Soul of Fighters’ team?"
"That’s right."
The red-headed woman inside the cabin—looking rather contemptuous—was the one who replied. Her facial expression grew stern and unfriendly.
The breezy demeanor of the newcomer and his detective-like parlance made the fighters inside the venue instinctively think of the Student Council.
"Then, why are you here?"
The thugs inside the cabin asked simultaneously, their voices seemingly imbued with a magical power capable of scaring freshmen into sitting on the ground in fear.
The three Student Council members standing at the entrance, however, were no ordinary people. They held their ground, unfazed by the threats of the thugs.
"We are members of the Student Council. In accordance with the college’s decision and the execution order from Hutton Kingdom’s Capital Fire Department, we need to vacate and demolish this cabin today."
Hyperion adopted a straightforward, no-nonsense tone, sounding much like a debt collector from a bank.
Since she had Lanci backing her, there was nothing for her to fear..
No sooner had she finished her sentence than an overpowering aura filled the entire cabin, rebutting her words directly, and roars of protest swiftly followed.
"This is our important place, you spirit-less guys should get lost!"
