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Conflict Outside the School
Time: 2:45pm
For a whole day, I had yet to see the others.
I heard Chifuyu was still recuperating, Miao Miao still hasn’t shown up, and even Ryan who was normally floating around was nowhere to be seen.
In the afternoon there was only the bore-people-to-death genetic class, and I couldn’t understand it at all. I felt that today suddenly became really quiet and boring. I should go back to the dorm earlier to play online games.
“Yang~~”
There was a hellish shout coming from from behind me.
Do I run? Or do I not run?
“Don’t always think of running away every time you see me.” The five-colored rooster head placed his hand on my shoulder from behind.
I’ve said it before, since you already know I wanted to run away, you really shouldn’t keep calling me!
“I’m not planning to go to the library today.” I said with resolution the moment I got a chance, “So, let’s meet up again when I’m free.” It would be best if we don’t meet up at all.
I was obviously the five-colored rooster head’s target, because he held on to me really tightly, with no way of getting loose, “Well, it looks like you have nothing on, so let us go to the left shopping street. I happen to I lack crystals and wanted to buy some.”
“Left shopping street?” The five-colored rooster head would actually go to such an ordinary place!?
“It’s fine even if you want to go to the right shopping mall, but the crystals I bought a few days ago exploded in the class. I wanted to go and find some ordinary ones, or else sooner or later I’ll get into trouble.” He sounded really sad, but for some reason I actually saw a very triumphant smile on his face.
Your crystal exploded in the classroom and you felt really good, right?
“I’ve heard of the matter regarding the Ghost King yesterday.” The five-colored rooster head draped his arm over my shoulder and headed towards the school’s exit. While walking, he said, “Tsk tsk, such an interesting thing happened and you didn’t even let me know. I would have immediately skipped school to look for you guys.”
If this was the case, next time something similar happened in the future, I better not let you know. Because if I knew you would come, things will only get worse, and in the end, not only will the Ghost King revive, it’s possible that an extradimensional Ghost King or the like would appear.
“Both of you.” There was a very gentle voice calling out to us. Looking back, it was a very familiar face, but I had not seen it in a while.
“You guys are planning to go to which shopping street?” Senior Geng, whom we met while we were on our way out, smiled and came over, “Coincidentally I also want to go and get some stuff, too. Is it alright if I came along?”
“It’s no…”
“Of course it’s alright!” Covering the five-colored rooster head’s mouth, I immediately smiled while I replied to Geng. Going along with Geng would most definitely be better than going shopping alone with the five-colored rooster head. There was the words called “lesson-learned” I had kept in mind.
“Then I’ll be bothering you guys.” Geng ignored the five-colored rooster head’s struggle to protest, and smiled at him. The five-colored rooster head could only give up on his protest.
In fact I was rather lucky, thank God we were going to the left shopping street today. If the five-colored rooster head insisted on going to the right shopping street, I might just knock him out and then head back to the dorm by myself.
But that, of course, was just my thoughts. I probably would have been killed by him before I could even hit him.
“Miao Miao is still with the medical team, but she would most probably come back to class tomorrow or the day after. She will be troubling Yang Yang to help her to ask for leave from the teacher.” Geng was walking just beside me, her soft voice was just like the wind blowing.
“Oh, okay.”
In fact, even if I didn’t say anything, during class today, I felt the teachers had already received the news. Miao Miao and Chifuyu were absent but the teacher didn’t say anything, and after taking the attendance, the class commenced as normal.
“Senior Geng, have you seen senior today?” I casually asked because when I woke up earlier in the day, senior had already gone out. I guess it probably had something to do with his work. His left hand is broken, and yet he still wanted to work? I really didn’t understand.
Geng nodded her head, “I did, I saw him when I went to visit Miao Miao in the medical team facility. It seems like he was taking off the bandage. The medical team’s technology is very good. Looks like he has already recovered without leaving any traces.” She said, but she was slightly frowning, “In fact, if you are injured in school, you can recover immediately, it’s just that the Ghost King tomb you guys went to wasn’t considered as school grounds, so the injuries took time to recover. The luck in this misfortune was that no one died.”
That’s right. I remembered senior mentioning it before that even if someone was to die in the school, he can be resurrected, but if it was outside then it was not possible to revive them.
No wonder they were so anxious to getting us back to school yesterday, and it was no wonder senior said his hand injury would recover relatively slower.
“Also, Chifuyu asked me to pass a message to you.” Geng leaned close to my ears and said very softly, as though it was something the five-colored rooster head wasn’t supposed to hear, “Even if I’m injured now, don’t get too close to that delinquent.”
…
Unfortunately, the delinquent was currently right next to me.
* * *
The left shopping street was still as busy, the bunny broadcaster was still sitting at her usual place while broadcasting the shops with special offers for the day. But for some reason, there seemed to be even more people.
“Oh right, it’s almost time for the competition selection, and there’ll currently be many foreigners mixed in here.” Draping his arm over my shoulder, the five-colored rooster head started looking around.
Suddenly, I remembered it has almost a full month since I entered the school, and according to the time given by Miao Miao, after about one week or so, the preliminary selection for the sports competition will begin.
It has already been almost one month… Time flies so quickly… My youth just disappeared while I was screaming.
“Found it. This one.” The five-colored rooster head pointed at a black looking small shop, different from the crystal shop Miao Miao and the others had brought me to.
“Ah? This one?”
The five-colored rooster head nodded his head, “I want to buy ominous crystals to use for curses, of course I’ll need to purchase it here.”
Are there any difference between these kinds of things?
And also what do you mean by to use for curses! What kind of courses did you select!?
“They also sell some paper charms; Yang Yang can go and take a look. Blank paper charms can be used to draw the arrays you need, and you can learn how to draw it on your own.” Geng didn’t seem to have much of an objection towards this shop, for she just smiled and said to me, “Empty charms for general beginners are rather cheap, you can buy more in one go, so that even if you drew wrongly, you won’t feel heartbroken.”
There are different types of charms?
I thought they were the same as the kind senior and the others were using, and only the colors were different.
“I still don’t know how to use charms.” Because I yet to learn it. The only impression I had was the other time when Chifuyu helped me to look for senior’s teleportation array, and it was difficult to draw. Drawing thirty pieces as punishment almost caused me to cry.
“Don’t worry.” The five-colored rooster head rested his arm on my shoulder, “Whichever part you are having difficulties with, this big brother can teach you.”
I don’t need you to teach me! You only know how to draw weird things! And also… “You are the same age as me!”
“Ahaha, don’t worry about such small matters.” The five-colored rooster head patted me on my shoulder hard, and opened the glass door of the black shop, and a weird smell immediately drifted out from inside.
A sweet taste, but there was also the feeling of some bitter taste, rolling inside my throat making me feel rather uncomfortable.
“This is the taste of silver autumn.” Geng walked past my side, and went in the shop first, “Not harmful towards humans, and is used to expel the various familiars. It’s currently a very sensitive period, so many shops uses this.”
To simply put it, it was nothing but an insect repellant.
I followed her in, and only then did the five-colored rooster head made his way inside the shop.
As soon as I entered, I realized the whole building inside was very dark. Thanks to the crystals displayed on the shelves and on top of it, there were tiny lights, it wasn’t so bad that I couldn’t see where I was going.
“Welcome…”
Its here! In the movies, the most essential old witch in the underground shop, I mean, it’s the type of strange old person’s voice coming from the counter… if it’s called a counter; a big marble table, and the voice was coming from behind it.
“Hello Old Man Zhang!” The five-colored rooster head immediately walked towards the counter.
Wait a moment, he’s called what? Old Man Zhang!? What’s with the common and easy to understand name!?
Someone stuck his head out from behind the counter. The strange thing was, he was not an old man, but was a… rather cute looking little child, probably about eleven or twelve years old.
“It’s you again!” From the child’s mouth came the voice of an old man, it was rather strange listening to it.
“I came here to buy crystals to use for class, Curse Class. Find the suitable ones for me.” Not knowing what being polite meant, the five-colored rooster head sat on top of the marble and ordered the child.
The child went back below the marble table, and when he came back up, there was an additional box in his hands, “This is a new product.” He opened the box, inside were dark green crystals, but the strange thing was, they felt different from the type senior and the others bought. This green crystal was rather strange, as if it was emitting black light.
“Then I’ll get this one.” The five-colored rooster head took out a card and passed it to the child.
I recognize that card, it was this world’s savings card. The last time I saw it was when senior helped me to move into the dorm, and he helped me to get one, too.
So it could actually also be used as a credit card?
“Yang Yang, this are blank paper charms.” Geng, who had been searching for something on the shelves for a period of time, took down a box of something.
I looked carefully, it’s a white box, and was sealed.
“That’s two carl per box. There are a hundred pieces inside, for beginners to use. It’s a lower grade product made by the fairy clan.” The child immediately said when he saw the both of us looking at the box, “It’s the best paper to use as practice for the school’s Mantra class. For the convenience of students who drew wrongly, crumpled the charm, and when in a bad mood especially when he couldn’t take out the next piece of charm, our shop had altered them into having a removable lid. Now with one pull, it immediately comes out, it’s very convenient.”
It even has a removable lid! What the hell!
But I could understand the feeling of drawing wrongly, crumpling the charm, wanting to redraw, and was unable to take out another piece of paper, because the last time I was punished to draw the teleportation array, I had this kind of feeling. At least a few dozen of white sheets were torn.
“Then I’ll get this one.” Since Geng strongly recommended this, I was too embarrassed to put it back, and so I took the box and moved towards the front of the marble table and copied the five-colored rooster head by giving my card to the child.
On top of the marble table was a triangular object, and on top was a slit. The child took the card and swiped it across the slit, and then he gave it back to me.
So that was actually a credit card machine?
“Dear customer is a new student, right? My store gives a twenty percent discount for new students, please come back again next time.” The child said, and then from his pocket, he took out a small ball wrapped in paper and gave it to me, “This is sweet plum ball, for you to eat.”
“Hey! Wait a moment!” The five-colored rooster head stamped his feet on the marble table, “I came here to buy things, and I bought until I drop dead, but I’ve never gotten any discount before! Don’t immediately give away discounts as soon as you see a young one.”
I’ll repeat this: in fact, I’m actually the same age as the five-colored rooster head.
The child covered his mouth with his hand, and with slanted eyes, he said “I like cute kids, and don’t like old ones.”
I’ll repeat again: I really am the same age as the five-colored rooster head.
“F—! I’m also pretty cute you know.”
“Vomits—” The child’s response was very direct, extremely direct.
“I’m sorry, I want to buy this.” The one who interrupted the unhealthy dialogue between the two people was Geng. She was holding onto a green packaged box and put it on the table, handling the card to the child.
The child took the card, with slanted eyes, as though he was laughing, “Dear customer is a beauty. My store gives a twenty percent discount for beauties, too. Please do come again.”
“I’m so going to kill you, you old perverted ghost!” The five-colored rooster head roared.
“Don’t argue with an old man.” The child immediately replied, “Young man, you should know how to respect the wise and venerate the worthy.” After he returned the card to Geng, he sat on the table, took out a pipe, stuffed some tobacco in, and then began to smoke.
“Old man should get into your coffin.” The five-colored rooster head started to sharpen his claws.
“Imp should go back into your mother’s womb.” Following to the flow, the child puffed out a mouthful of circular smoke.
…
Why was it that I felt the words between them should have been reversed?
“Don’t worry about them.” Geng pulled my hand and headed towards the exit, “Old Man Zhang and Ziray are very familiar with each other, so don’t worry about them starting a fight.” She pulled me out of the shop, and the air suddenly became very fresh.
“That child… Old Man Zhang, what’s his age?” I felt puzzled with the child’s old voice.
Geng counted with her fingers, “If I’m not mistaken, it should be around four or five hundred years old. I’ve heard he is a turtle spirit that drifted over here from China.”
Turtle spirit? What the hell is that?
“Old Man Zhang have already been here for a long time, it’s also written on the store number.”
Geng raised her finger and pointed at the signboard, I followed suit and looked up. I didn’t notice it earlier, but there was a few big words were written on the black signboard—
“Hundred Year Old Store”.
… You must be joking!
* * *
We waited outside the shop for about a few minutes for the five-colored rooster head came out.
“Dead old man!” After he came out, he kicked the door, causing the glass door to emit a very loud sound.
I think in the end, he must have failed to get any discount.
“Can we go back since we’re done with our shopping?” I looked at the five-colored rooster head, who still wanted to spit, and asked. Since we have already bought the paper charms and his whatchamacallit curse crystals. I also didn’t want to continue roaming around here.
“Wait…”
Before the five-colored rooster head could finish his sentence, we heard a loud sound of something banging and clattering.
A goddess statue flew out from the opposite shop, and then it fell on the ground, completely smashed into pieces.
All the people who were originally walking to and fro on the shopping street, stopped and stared at the shop.
It was a store selling ceramic products, arranged orderly, with lots of beautiful ceramic arts I have never seen before.
The person who smashed the item was a young man, he didn’t look very old, so should be around the same age as senior Geng, and then beside him was another person who most probably came together with him. The both of them were roaring at the boss who was behind the counter.
“They are not from our school.” Geng narrowed her eyes.
That’s too Godly, she knew they were students just by looking at them!?
I noticed the expression of the two people were very ferocious, they looked even more of a delinquent compared to the five-colored rooster head — the type of delinquent who wouldn’t even put in coins into the vending machine but would directly kick it to get the drinks to fall out.
They were dressed in casual clothing, and on their clothes there was picture that looked similar to a big skull.
Was it the current trend for delinquents to wear couple’s shirts?
“People from another school actually dares to stir up trouble in the shopping street specially used by our school?” The five-colored rooster head narrowed his eyes, and then they exposed a fierce light, “Good, very good, extremely good.”
You are implying that only people from our school can stir up trouble here, right? I broke out in a cold sweat…
The five-colored rooster head draped his hand over my shoulder and walked towards the shop without uttering another word.
Based on the data I’ve seen before, I knew what he wanted to do: he wanted to walk over there and start to argue with the foreign students. But why did I have to go together with you!?
“I’ve already said we don’t sell the kind of thing you asked for in this shop.” The boss of the shop with the smashed product was unusually calm; he was a white bearded old man, “All the things you’ve smashed here will be billed to your respective school.”
“You old man…!”
The youth, who smashed the God statue, had a face full of evil and ruthlessness. It felt like he would take out a knife and stab someone at any moment.
“What are you guys looking for?” The five-colored rooster head, who draped his hand over my shoulder, directly went into the shop, coolly interrupting the argument between the shop owner and the evil customer.
I saw the crowd gathering around us again, just like the last time. Watching a good show was the same everywhere regardless of the national boundaries…
“They are looking for Zoroastrianism God statues, the left shopping street does not sell these type of evil products. I told them that they should go and find it elsewhere.” The old man said calmly.
“Why are you buying those kind of outdated items?” The five-colored rooster head used a very frivolous… even I felt like beating him up, type of expression and continued, “Now, it’s popular to just rear a live one to be used as a sacrifice in a curse. Looks like you guys aren’t all that remarkable, and you still had the courage to stir up trouble right next to someone else’s school.”
The expressions of the two people who smashed the statue in the shop became fiercer. The expression in their eyes became abnormal.
I really wanted to escape to the side and join the spectator team, but the five-colored rooster head draped his hand over my shoulder really tightly, so I couldn’t escape.
Waa, waa… Dying by himself was not enough, so he wanted someone else to die with him…
“Who are you?” Lover shirt number one opened his mouth and asked.
“The person who came to beat you up.” The five-colored rooster head answered very straightforwardly.
At that second, I was suddenly pushed to one side, almost falling down in an embarrassing way. Fortunately, the old man quickly supported me.
The five-colored rooster head started fighting with the other two people.
Hey, hey! What are you going to do about smashing other people’s shop!
“Really now… the children nowadays don’t even bother picking the right place to fight.” The old man sighed. I saw him taking out a handful of rather shining green powder from his pocket, opened his hand, and the powder drifted all around.
Just as the five-colored rooster head grabbed hold of one of their head and smashed it towards the shelves, I saw a very amazing thing.
The shelves and artworks that were supposed to be going clash, clash, getting smashed, emitted a very grand “thud” sound instead, and none of them were broken. The foreign student seemed to have hit a wall and directly fell on the floor, holding onto his head while he wailed.
“Do you know who I am?” The person, who smashed the God statue earlier, was still standing at the same spot. I saw him curving up his lips in an extremely evil smile as he took out a knife from the side of his leg.
“Is your brain damaged!? You don’t even know who you are, and even had to ask me!?” The five-colored rooster head’s arm started twisting, and then that huge beast claw appeared beside him.
“I’m the purple robe who is going to be the representative from Alis Academy for the sports competition.” The person’s way of speaking also had one type of characteristic, using his nose to talk, “Second grade in high school, today I’m going to teach you little brat, who doesn’t know the difference between heaven and earth, a lesson!”
Purple robe? This person was a purple robe? But his companion’s strength seemed to be rather weak.
Speaking of purple robe, I would think of the person who was wearing a white mask, also senior’s partner. I actually wanted to ask Chifuyu about this.
“What’s so great about being a purple robe, I just didn’t bother to take the test.”
And then both of their eyes became really sharp, even though I’m at one side I had this strange feeling.
* * *
“Little kid, quickly avoid it!”
The old man suddenly pulled me and headed towards the bottom of the counter.
I heard a very loud explosion, and the artworks surrounding us were broken due to the vibration. When I lifted my head, the shelves were still being sealed and protected, but there were still several sculptures which had already turned into powder.
Lacerations appeared on the five-colored rooster head’s beast claw, but he looked like he didn’t care about it — red blood dripping all over the floor, it looked really painful.
“Your explosive charm ain’t that great.” He licked off a bead of blood from one of his claws, and continued saying, “I allowed you to have the first move, lest there will be people saying it’s a shame for me to beat a purple robe.”
“Wha…” That person’s reaction was too slow. To be honest, even my reaction couldn’t keep up.
All I saw was the five-colored rooster head suddenly disappearing, and in the blink of an eye, he appeared behind the person. He really looked like a ninja. Then I remembered hearing that the five-colored rooster head does assassinations.
A cut appeared on the person’s neck, but his movement wasn’t slow either, suddenly moving a few steps away from the five-colored rooster head.
“You are from the Rogeria clan!” He said with extreme confirmation.
“That’s right. It can’t be that you have a crush on our clan, right? Recognizing me so quickly.” The five-colored rooster head continued his messed-up provocation.
“Die!” The youth took out several daggers, all of them were black; they’re explosive charms. I suddenly knew how the explosion from before came about: because he threw the daggers. However this time, there was no explosion.
The five-colored rooster head was even faster, his beast claw swept past the whole row of daggers and caught them, “Don’t wanna.”
I suspected his way of talking was trained by Old Man Zhang.
Then he tightened his beast claw. The daggers emitted several twittering sounds, and I saw black fragments falling out from the opening of his claws.
In just a few moments, even me, who was a layman in the area, could see the five-colored rooster head was overwhelmingly stronger than his opponent.
Wait a moment… since he was so strong… then the things that happened in the library, he was practically toying with me!
“Ziray! That’s enough, stop the fight.” Geng, who was originally watching at one side, suddenly shouted.
The five-colored rooster head was stunned for a moment, and then he flashed sideways towards the right. The foreign student suddenly took a knife and slashed downwards.
“Looks like he’s the one who still wants to fight.” The five-colored rooster head replied, flipped his body behind the person, and moved his beast claw. I suddenly saw three deep and heavy cuts appearing on the foreign student’s back.
The five-colored rooster head’s eyes were red.
I don’t know how to explain this, but I got a feeling that the second he clawed the person’s back, his eyes turned murderously red, and his breathing became very quick and rapid.
Rather different compared to the usual idiotic five-colored rooster head. He was rather terrifying. He seems as if he really wanted to kill that person.
With heavy claw wounds on his back, the person cried out and fell on the floor twitching. Blood kept flowing out, and from my position, I could see what was beneath the blood: the muscles and blood veins were contracting, and in the deepest part, I could vaguely make out the bones.
The five-colored rooster head suddenly stepped on the person’s back and then he revealed a smile: the type of expressionless cold smile. It was extremely cold.
I saw him raising his beast claw high, aiming at the person’s neck.
“Don’t do this!” I was really scared the the five-colored rooster head would kill off a foreign student in the middle of the street.
When I snapped out of my trance, I had already rushed towards him and grabbed onto his beast claws. The sharp claws piercing my palms causing blood to flow.
Pain, pain, pain, painful—
He didn’t look at me, and his claw was still raised up high. However, his movements stopped. To say it correctly, someone stopped him.
There was a black multi knotted snake-looking iron whip wrapped around the five-colored rooster head’s beast claw,and on the knots of the whip, there were beautiful golden lines.
“Stop it.”
Then, I saw Senior and his purple robe partner.