83 Chapter 83: Condition (1/2)
”I can't accept this!”
As expected, the moment he learned about his quota being taken away, Lin Zhan Long refused to take it lying down. He immediately approached Feng Hai to lodge a protest, complaining that the instructor had no right to take away his slot for the training camp.
”You had no right! I never made any such deal!”
”Deal? What deal?” Feng Hai glared at Lin Zhan Long in an intimidating manner that caused the big guy to shut up. ”I made the decision based on your performance. First guy to get taken out, failed to contribute anything meaningful to the match, not performing your role as the captain of the team during the battle…” he was raising his fingers one by one, counting the problems with Lin Zhan Long's display. ”Anything else?”
”…”
Lin Zhan Long lowered his head. ”But…”
As the vice-president of Holy Saints Society, Lin Zhan Long was normally guaranteed a slot for the training camp. If I wasn't mistaken, Holy Saints had about twenty slots, but now it was down to nineteen. Feng Hai had specified that it was Lin Zhan Long's slot that was given to Ultimate Outcast, not anyone else, unless they personally informed him that they thought Lin Zhan Long was more suitable and worthier than them.
None of them were willing to do so, and Harrison Reed quickly stepped in to ensure that his errant vice-president didn't bully or intimidate the other members into giving him their slot. As such, Lin Zhan Long was left with this final resort.
”I…I didn't mind surrendering my slot.” Lin Zhan Long finally ended up lying. He resented it, and wanted his slot back at any cost. ”But…I can't accept that it was given to Ultimate Outcast of all societies! They are just a bunch of trash!”
”If Ultimate Outcast is trash, then what does that make you, who lost so pathetically to them?” Feng Hai retorted. Then he smiled. ”But if you're still unconvinced that they deserve it more than you, then I can arrange another match. Perhaps you would like to challenge Richard Huang again?”
Lin Zhan Long immediately turned pale when he heard that. He still had traumatic memories of what happened when I blew him up with my Alnasl. He might be an arrogant bastard, but he wasn't stupid. He was unlikely to go down the route where he would end up getting humiliated again. Of course, it wasn't a hundred percent chance of defeat, but he was now too keenly aware of the gaps between our strengths to recognize that his chances of winning were under ten percent.
He didn't want to get blown up by my arrows again. As a side note, Harrison Reed showed him the video of my battle against Hades alongside Alicia and Cecilia, and how I ended up nuking the graveyard with Rigel.
Lin Zhan Long didn't want to be on the receiving end of that attack.
”If you focused more on training than wasting your time scheming and politicking, perhaps you would be on par with Richard. But you didn't.” Feng Hai shrugged unsympathetically. ”So now even I can't help you.”
”…”
Lin Zhan Long lowered his head, but Feng Hai continued.
”The national tournament means a lot to our academy, and I really want to raise our ranking to the highest possible. To that end, I don't care if I ruffle your feathers or alienate the old guard. I don't intend to play favorites and make deals with rich, spoilt children who think their connections are worth more than shit. I only care about results. If you prove yourself and show the potential and ability, then I'll train you. If you would rather hide behind a wall of politics and scheme around instead of focusing on becoming stronger, then don't waste my fucking time.”
Feng Hai dropped his voice to a conspiratorial whisper and placed a hand on Lin Zhan Long's shoulder, causing the latter to shudder.
”But the deal is still on. If you succeed in defeating Richard, depending on your performance, I can return your slot to you. I'll grant you special permission to join the training camp.”
By now, Lin Zhan Long couldn't care less about the training camp. He realized just how outmatched he was compared to all the other monsters and high-ranking students who would be participating. Instead, he shook his head and tried one last time.
”It's not me, sir. As I said, I don't care if I lose my quota.”
”Yeah, you said that already,” Feng Hai nodded uncaringly. ”And I'll be honest. I don't care what you think either.”
”No, I mean….are you sure Richard and Ultimate Outcast deserve the slot? Their victory is just a fluke. They won against someone like me, sir.” Lin Zhan Long smirked as he pounded his chest. ”As you said, I'm just a nobody…a weakling who spent too much time politicking instead of training. If that's the case, then how impressive can their victory be, if it was achieved against the likes of me?”
The guy was really a shrewd politician. I didn't know how he ended up in Jing Tian Magic Academy. He should have gone and studied political science or something more appropriate than combat and military magic.
”If you really want to ensure that they are worthy of the slots for your training camp, sir…you should give them a sterner challenge. A proper one, to make sure they really deserve it more than all the other talented students in school.”
Lin Zhan Long no longer cared about his quota. Now he just wanted to get back at us in Ultimate Outcast. Mutual destruction, in other words. If he couldn't get into the training camp, he wanted to ensure that we couldn't either.
Feng Hai smiled, recognizing Lin Zhan Long's intent, but he didn't object because he agreed partially with his logic.
”You're right. I should give Ultimate Outcast another test…to ensure they really have the potential.” He thought for a while, and then nodded. ”If they put on an impressive display even against an opponent of a high caliber, then yeah, they will definitely be worthy of training. Even you will have to be convinced.”
”Uh…that is, if they do perform well…” Lin Zhan Long stammered, caught off guard. Inwardly, he was delighted. He didn't think it would be this easy to persuade Feng Hai into carrying out his scheme!
”So…who do you think would be a good enough opponent to test Ultimate Outcast's worth?” Feng Hai asked casually.
Lin Zhan Long's grin grew wider when he thought about the other major rival to his great society. He had already thought of them and was ready to suggest them as a rival, but he couldn't believe his luck. Feng Hai actually asked him for his opinion.
”Black Roses,” he said.
Feng Hai grinned as well.
”Great idea,” he agreed.
*
”And there you have it.”