Chapter 145
Chapter 145
“Fucking brilliant!”
“Brilliant!”
“Little Qin, your skin is thicker and your schemes more treacherous than anyone I have ever witnessed…” Xu Minghu praised him endlessly.
“Perhaps only my idol from back then, the divine man known as the foremost of the Central Region’s Three Scoundrels, could compare with you.”
Qin Lan gave the old man a hostile look.
“Are you praising or insulting me? What do you mean, treacherous schemes? I’m fighting for my lawful rights, okay?”
“And what the hell are the Central Region’s Three Scoundrels?”
Xu Minghu’s eyes lit up. The instant someone mentioned his idol, he became a different person and began talking without pause.
“The Central Region’s Three Scoundrels were three great experts who dominated the entire Central Region and suppressed a whole era! Their power surpassed past and present, while their lack of shame, limits, integrity, and principles made countless powers suffer…”
“The strongest and most shameless was the foremost of the Three Scoundrels. He and that–”
Qin Lan impatiently waved him off, interrupting the endless speech.
“Enough. I don’t care about these Three Scoundrels.”
“It’s hard to evaluate the fan base of such a divine idol. Anyone who worships that sort of thing has probably failed at life.”
After a pause, Qin Lan reminded him,
“If people from the other academies contact you later, make sure you act arrogant, understood?”
“Don’t let them notice anything!”
Xu Minghu gave a sleazy grin. “Naturally!”
“Don’t worry about acting like an asshole. I’m a professional!”
“I’ll make sure they suffer heart attacks!”
Several minutes later, one call after another indeed reached Xu Minghu.
Mentors from the other academies tried every possible way to probe Qin Lan’s identity.
Xu Minghu lived up to expectations and successfully drew an enormous amount of hatred.
“Ha ha ha ha… Old Li, how did you know I picked up a peerless genius who appears once in a century for free? Sigh, when fortune comes, no one can stop it…”
“That’s right, Sister Liu. How can the gap between people be so enormous? Don’t worry. When he beats your students, I’ll tell him to go easy and try not to hit their faces. Ha ha ha ha…”
“The championship? Is there even anything to consider? Of course I came to win.”
“Surely no one is incapable of leading a championship team? Surely not? You should resign early and stop ruining your students’ futures…”
Watching Xu Minghu’s insufferable expression on the calls left Qin Lan in awe.
Someone capable of acting this despicably was truly rare in the world.
Qin Lan couldn’t imagine what level of divine being the “foremost of the Central Region’s Three Scoundrels” had reached for even Xu Minghu to call him an idol.
He shook his head and stopped thinking about it.
All Qin Lan needed to do now was wait until Lu Ming lost patience.
With Xu Minghu drawing hatred here, Qin Lan refused to believe those people could swallow their anger.
Three hours remained until the tournament opened.
At last, Lu Ming called.
Qin Lan deliberately waited before answering, then spoke lazily.
“Hello? Professor Lu, I’m very busy. We’re arranging tactics.”
“I say tactics are pointless. Why not simply steamroll everyone? But Professor Xu insists the others need to feel involved.”
Lu Ming felt blood surge toward his head at Qin Lan’s arrogant words.
Years of experience allowed him to quickly stabilize his emotions.
After composing himself, Lu Ming asked in a low voice, “Student Xue, does your previous offer still stand?”
“Can you truly withdraw?”
Qin Lan sneered when he heard that.
Couldn’t hold back after all, could you?
“If you’d asked any later, I really couldn’t have done anything,” Qin Lan answered impatiently. “You’re an old man, yet you fuss like this.”
“If you don’t trust me, we’ll meet in the arena.”
Qin Lan made to end the call again.
“Agreed!” Lu Ming immediately cried. “I accept your condition! Three Pure Hearts. I’ll give them to you!”
“But how can I ensure both sides fulfill the deal? Three Pure Hearts aren’t a trivial sum…”
Qin Lan smiled.
“Isn’t that simple?”
“When the tournament begins and the competitors enter, I’ll remain in Skyfeather Academy’s lounge.”
“We exchange the goods and payment simultaneously. Perfectly safe.”
Lu Ming released a long breath at Qin Lan’s words.
He could accept this method of exchange.
Had he not been determined to let Li Fengyun seize the championship and trample Clear Spring Academy beneath his feet, Lu Ming would never have paid such an enormous price.
“In that case, I’ll see you shortly.”
With the deal finalized, Lu Ming’s tone grew noticeably more cheerful. Perhaps good news truly did lift the spirits…
Though whether he would remain so happy upon learning the truth was another question.
That wasn’t Qin Lan’s problem.
Besides, Xue Chuan was the one committing extortion. What did that have to do with Qin Lan?
Anyone looking for trouble could go find Xue Chuan.
“One more thing, Student Xue,” Lu Ming suddenly said. “I must warn you… After hearing you’re willing to withdraw, people from several other academies also want to speak with you.”
“Perhaps you should hear what they have to say?”
Lu Ming phrased it tactfully, but his sinister intentions were obvious.
He clearly couldn’t bear Skyfeather Academy being the only one to bleed and was furiously hinting that Qin Lan should extort the others too.
Something this wonderful could happen?
Qin Lan smiled from the bottom of his heart. “Sure, Professor Lu. Help me contact them. We can meet in your academy’s lounge.”
Who would complain about receiving too much money?
With Lu Ming’s cooperation, Qin Lan enjoyed “friendly discussions” with mentors from the other seven academies during the few remaining hours.
Following the civilized principle of discussing a deal before moving on to threats, almost every academy was forced to offer up an expensive item.
They had no choice. They feared Qin Lan might target their academy.
Never mind winning the championship. Finishing dead last would be unbearably humiliating!
Unfortunately for them, Qin Lan genuinely possessed the strength to select one lucky victim and send them to the bottom.
No matter how unwilling they felt, compromise was their only option.
Soon, Qin Lan appeared inside Skyfeather Academy’s lounge.
The academy’s competitors regarded him with equal parts wariness and contempt.
They feared Qin Lan’s strength but despised him for betraying his own academy in exchange for profit.
So what if he was strong? We still bought him.
Mentors from the other academies were also present.
They forced smiles onto their faces, but their dissatisfaction remained impossible to hide.
Naturally. No one enjoyed being extorted.
“Professor Lu, our deal?”
Qin Lan smiled at Lu Ming.
Lu Ming narrowed his eyes and pointed to a metal case on a nearby table. “Everything is inside.”
“However, we still need to watch you until the tournament officially begins.”
To his surprise, Qin Lan rubbed his chin.
“That’s rather troublesome…”
“How about this? Professor Lu, you and these professors can escort me out of the stadium and put me on a vehicle back to Clear Spring Academy. Wouldn’t that be more convenient?”
“I can pack my belongings and flee early, so I won’t face consequences later.”
Everyone exchanged looks and nodded.
Excellent idea.
As long as Qin Lan remained at the tournament, they couldn’t relax.
But if they personally sent him away, nothing could go wrong.
Lu Ming nodded in satisfaction. “Agreed! Follow me, Student Xue.”
Thus, escorted by Lu Ming and two other mentors, Qin Lan carried the case out of the Nine Academies Tournament venue.
After boarding a vehicle bound for Clear Spring Academy, Qin Lan enthusiastically waved goodbye to Lu Ming through the window. Lu Ming smiled and waved back.
Both parties were satisfied.
Only after watching the vehicle leave did Lu Ming contentedly take out his phone and contact his assistant inside the stadium.
“Well? The tournament has begun, hasn’t it?”
“Has Xu Minghu’s rage already made his lungs explode? Ha ha ha ha… His cherished hidden genius suddenly disappeared. He probably can’t understand what happened even if he racks his brain!”
The assistant’s trembling voice came through.
“P-Professor Lu…”
“Clear Spring Academy’s team… still has ten people…”
“No one is absent…”
Lu Ming’s smile instantly froze.
He turned and happened to see Qin Lan aboard the receding vehicle, flashing him a brilliant smile.
“Bye-bye!”