82 Rune Stone (1/2)
”I want to challenge him.”
”You can’t!” Brian protested when he saw Bai Xi walk over. But he quickly realized that he had said the wrong thing.
”I can’t?” Bai Xi put her face up to his. ”Why not? I’m also a first year student, and I just entered the school too. How come they can but I can’t?”
”This…you…” Brian stammered.
”What, can’t find an excuse? Then move,” Bai Xi huffed. ”I want to challenge him and I want to be concertmaster!”
”I support you!” Charles called out from the crowd. ”You’re prettier than Yezi! It won’t be a waste if you’re concertmaster!”
Faced with Bai Xi’s protests, Brian could only retreat. But he still would not Bai Xi enter the ring.
Commotion erupted. They could allow his bias against the challenger, but not letting someone participate was too obvious. The audience started gossiping, and Brian’s expression turned ugly as he listened to the taunting discussions.
Yunlou Chaoyue quietly watched the show from the entrance. As if she did not understand, she turned to Sydney and asked, ”Why can’t she? Is there a school rule about this?”
”Uh…” Sydney was troubled. He could not simply say, ”This is just so a group of elites can show a kid his place. Oh, right, that kid is Eastern like you. We’re really not discriminating. Really, don’t think like that…”
”She can,” he forced out with a tight smile. ”Why can’t she? Of course she can!”
And so the most boring duel in the history of the academy unfolded before everyone’s eyes.
--
It was unnaturally calm within the snake circle.
”Cousin, are you thirsty? I brought water for you.”
”Oh, thank you!” Ye Qingxuan accepted the bottle and drank it in one breath. His burning throat finally felt a bit better.
”Cousin, are you hungry? I brought peanuts.”
Ye Qingxuan’s eyes lit up. ”Are they salted? Give me some. Seeing Charles eating made me so hungry.” And so a bag of toasted peanuts landed in his hands.
”Cousin, I brought a stool,” Bai Xi said. ”Take a seat.”
”Okay!” Ye Qingxuan felt like he was hallucinating and had the sudden urge to cry. ”Cousin, you’re being so nice to me all of a sudden.”
Over the audience’s boos, Bai Xi asked politely, ”Cousin, is my service good?”
”Of course!” Ye Qingxuan had never been treated so well by his cousin before. It felt like heaven.
”Of course. If you dare to say anything bad, I’ll kick you out of here!” Bai Xi ground her teeth and threatened Ye Qingxuan, ”I’ve never served anyone like this in my entire life, but I’m doing this for you. If you lose, kill yourself.”
”You don’t need to tell me.” Ye Qingxuan clenched his fist. ”I’ll win for you.”
--
”Edmund, you should personally go next round.” Outside the ring, a hoarse voice sounded behind Edmund. He looked back in confusion and saw Banner’s eyes. His pupils were vertical like a wild beast and their green light shone in the darkness. They were thirsty for blood.
”You…lost control?” Edmund yelped.
”Not yet, but ‘it’ is angry, you know?”
Edmund studied him, seeing the murderous intent in those beastly eyes. The thirst they reflected upon Edmund’s pale face was chilling and menacing.
”Don’t disappoint me,” he or ‘it’ said softly. ”If we lose the title of concertmaster to him because of you…there will be no need for you to stay in this school.”
”I know.” Edmund nodded, fierceness flashing through his eyes. ”I’ll take care of him.” He rubbed the amber ring on his forefinger and turned toward the snake ring.
--
”Ten minutes have passed.” Brian looked impatiently at Bai Xi. ”Stop wasting time if you’re not going to challenge him.”
”Who said I’m not going to challenge him?” Bai Xi rolled his eyes. ”I poisoned him. Don’t you see him eating it now?”
”You poisoned him?” Brian echoed.
”Yeah. In one-hundred years, when he’s an old fart, the poison will be activated, and he’ll die after burping!” Bai Xi mimicked slicing one’s throat. ”Are you scared?”