Chapter 126: Chapter 124: The Battle Begins Today (Four Updates)_1
Just before six in the morning, Fang Ren lay in the classroom, squinting for a while.
His mood had finally become a bit more stable. Although it wasn't much of an issue for a cultivator of his realm to stay up all night, after swinging at the air for the entire evening, he was indeed very tired.
Click--
Suddenly, the classroom door was opened, and Bai Qi, dressed in a school uniform and carrying a bag of buns, wobbled in, a duckbill cap perched on his head.
"Why are you up so early?" Fang Ren asked as soon as Bai Qi entered.
Upon hearing Fang Ren's voice, Bai Qi turned his head, removed his cap, revealing two dark circles and a haggard face, and said, "Just got off work."
"You worked the night shift?" Fang Ren was taken aback.
"Yeah, couldn't find any other jobs, and there's a barbecue place nearby that was hiring for the night shift, so I went there," Bai Qi explained with a resigned look as he approached.
"Worked the whole night?" Fang Ren was surprised, "Don't the barbecue places here close at two in the morning?"
"After two o'clock, they break for half an hour, but I still had to skewer meat until five in the morning, then unload goods; it's totally soaked my hands."
As he spoke, Bai Qi stretched out his delicate hands, speaking with tiredness on his face, noticeable peeling on his little hands.
Fang Ren said, stunned, "You're pushing yourself too hard..."
Bai Qi lay down on Fang Ren's desk and said, "Who knew this body couldn't handle staying up all night? If it weren't for the dispersing spirit mark on me, staying awake for seven days and nights would be no problem."
"Do you want to change jobs?" Fang Ren suggested.
"No, the commute to other jobs are too far, I'd have to take the bus, which costs four yuan each round trip, adding up to one hundred and twenty yuan a month gone," Bai Qi said earnestly.
"If you're really that tired, don't force yourself to work. I have some money you can borrow and pay me back in two years," Fang Ren offered.
"No, I can't have you supporting me, I must be self-reliant," Bai Qi replied with seriousness lighting up her small face as she opened the bag of buns, "Have you had breakfast yet?"
Fang Ren glanced at the six small buns in the bag and said, "I've already eaten, can you get full on just those?"
"No problem," Bai Qi said and took a bun to eat, her spirit dragging and eyes circled with dark shadows as she chewed.
"You should sleep during class later, you're not here to learn alchemy anyway," Fang Ren said.
"Then you've got to cover for me, otherwise, if the teacher sees, I'll lose face for the Bai Family," Bai Qi replied.
"Just eat," Fang Ren said.
Having said that, Fang Ren left the classroom, had a simple breakfast in the canteen, and then brought back a cup of soy milk to the classroom.
When he returned, Bai Qi had finished the buns and was already asleep on the desk.
Fang Ren walked over, placing the cup of soy milk beside her, then found a spot to rest his head as well, his energy greatly depleted from practicing "All Martial Arts to the Extreme" the night before; he needed to recharge.
Just as he was about to fall asleep, he suddenly felt someone tap his shoulder. Opening his eyes, he saw Jian Qi'er standing next to him with a solemn look on her face.
Fang Ren took another look at Bai Qi, finding her sound asleep and the cup of soy milk untouched.
"What's up?" Fang Ren asked.
After casting a glance at Bai Qi, Jian Qi'er said, "Come out with me for a minute."
Not far from the classroom, Jian Qi'er began with a deeply furrowed brow, "Lately, due to the presence of the Tianjiang Investigation Group, the thugs from Indra Sky have grown more brazen. Just last night, they released a fifth-order void beast for testing and brought with them a group of cultivators under their control."
"Where?" Fang Ren immediately became serious upon hearing this.
"In the forest three kilometers north of Linglong Bay," Jian Qi'er replied.
"Has your organization already started fighting them?" Fang Ren asked, frowning.
"Not yet, but today we're sure to have a big battle with Indra Sky," Jian Qi'er said with a solemn expression.
"Releasing the void beasts these past days, is there a possibility they're deliberately luring your people into an attack? There might be traps," Fang Ren suggested.
"Traps are definitely there," Jian Qi'er stated, "But we can't concern ourselves with that now. Last night, our people saw Indra Sky using dozens of practitioners like cattle for experiments! We have to rescue those practitioners quickly!"
"Has Indra Sky's large laboratory been found?"
"We'll find it by noon today. We've already checked all the possible secret spots around, leaving only the underground world of Linglong Bay and a few nearby small towns."
"Then to hell with school today, just take me along, let's get this over with," Fang Ren said determinedly.
"What are you thinking?" Jian Qi'er gave him a glance and said, "There are masters protecting you, how can you come with me?"
Fang Ren became worried as soon as he heard this. Lin Bozhong had been following him in secret the whole time. If he went directly to the Nightfall Organization, that would be the end of him.
"Anyway, it's impossible for you to come with us, but you can find a reason to approach them. However, when the time comes, you'll have to figure everything out yourself," Jian Qi'er said. "But it would be best if you didn't go at all."
"If I take him there, wouldn't that be adding an enemy of the Blue Sky Realm to your organization?"
"That's why I think it's better for you not to go. Just stay at school and focus on Alchemy. We'll take care of Indra Sky, and our organization will tread on Central Command," Jian Qi'er stated.
"No, I will find a way myself. When the fight starts, send me a message quickly," Fang Ren asserted.
Jian Qi'er hesitated for a moment before saying, "Alright then, if by chance you make it to the battlefield, remember not to stray too far from me. Otherwise, in the chaos of battle, no one will protect you, and you will die."
"I have my own means of self-protection," Fang Ren said.
"Right, also, make sure you don't let Bai Qi leave the school grounds today. As long as she doesn't go out, the Bai Family's Chen Cheng will have to stay by her side to protect her. That way, our organization can have an easier time," Jian Qi'er instructed.
"That'll be easy," Fang Ren said. "But did you come here just to tell me this? You could have said all this over the phone."
"Of course, that's not all. I came to ask if you have any practical pills for the battlefield. After all, we're not clear on how many people from the Tianjiang Investigation Group have come. As for the money for the pills, I will give it to you after the fight is over," Jian Qi'er explained.
Frowning, Fang Ren took an iron box out of his Space Ring and handed it to her, saying, "This box has many Blood-Returning Flesh-Forming Pills, and there are also a few Burst Qi Pills with side effects. They can enhance combat power for a short period, but after a day, the meridians will become exhausted for two days."
Jian Qi'er glanced around, did not open the box, and simply placed it into her own Space Ring, expressing gratitude, "Thanks! If you need any help in the future, I and my master will definitely give you our strongest support!"
"You'd better get back quickly, don't miss anything," Fang Ren urged.
"Alright then, can you ask the class monitor to excuse me later? I need to hurry back," Jian Qi'er said.
...
After Jian Qi'er left, Fang Ren returned to the classroom where Bai Qi was still asleep.
Fang Ren approached her, taking out a brown Leisure Pill and dropping it into the soy milk on her desk.
This was a low-grade pill that could improve a normal person's sleep quality, allowing for better rest. Generally, it wasn't very effective, but Fang Ren happened to have many such trinkets on him.
Once Bai Qi drank it, she would be extremely sleepy for the next ten hours and wouldn't feel like doing anything other than sleeping--preventing her from wandering off.
The saying 'better safe than sorry' was indeed true.
However, ten hours later, Bai Qi's spirits would be exceptionally recovered, and she wouldn't feel tired when going to work her night shift.
Fang Ren justified his actions as helping her.
After placing the pill, Fang Ren gently tapped Bai Qi's shoulder.
"Hmm?"
Bai Qi woke up, drowsy and with dark circles under her eyes, looking at Fang Ren: "What's up?"
"I got you some soy milk; drink it up while it's still hot, or it's going to get cold," Fang Ren said.
Bai Qi then noticed the cup of soy milk by her arm, blinked at it, and looked back at Fang Ren.
"What's wrong?" Fang Ren asked, startled.
"Are you, like, into me or something?" Bai Qi said with sleep-muddled eyes.
"What?" Fang Ren's face fell, and he said, "If that's what you think, then don't drink it. Give me back my money, too."
"No, no, no," Bai Qi immediately guarded the soy milk and, with dark circles still under her eyes, said smilingly, "I'm just joking. Don't take it seriously, okay? I almost choked on a bun this morning, and there's no water in the dispenser here. If it weren't for my period, I might have run to drink cold tap water."
"Why didn't you buy something hot to drink on your way here?"
"Soy milk is expensive, you know, three yuan a cup. Think about it, three yuan every day, that's ninety yuan a month! I'm still borrowing money from you for meals; I can't afford to waste any," Bai Qi explained.
Fang Ren slapped his forehead, marveling at how the noble princess had suddenly turned into a frugal housekeeper.
"Let me be clear, I will pay you back for this soy milk. I am not being kept by you, not at all," Bai Qi declared seriously.
"Alright, alright, whatever you say," Fang Ren replied. "But can you just not run around today and head straight back to the dorm to sleep after class?"
"I don't have the energy to run around. You're overthinking it."
As she spoke, Bai Qi picked up the straw and began happily sipping the soy milk, contented and unbothered about anything else.
Seeing her like this, Fang Ren figured there probably wasn't too much to worry about.
Before long, Bai Qi finished her soy milk and started dozing off at the desk again.
Observing Bai Qi, who was innocent yet somewhat stubborn, Fang Ren's heart filled with even greater hatred for the Indra Sky Organization. Innocent people were forced to endure their cruel experiments.
And the Bai Family's Bai Chaojin was even more heartless, allowing his own granddaughter, Bai Qi, to suffer such cruelty!