Chapter 35: Subduing Blood Explosion

Jiang Xiaoyu stopped in his tracks. “Go ahead.”

Blood Explosion’s Adam’s apple bobbed up and down, as if making a very difficult decision. He gritted his teeth and blurted it out: “I want to follow you.”

Jiang Xiaoyu froze. “What do you mean?”

“I mean…” On that burly, scarred face of his, an unusual expression of bashfulness appeared. “I want to pledge my loyalty to Young Master Jiang and become your subordinate.”

Jiang Xiaoyu looked at him, temporarily at a loss for words. “Why?”

Blood Explosion took a deep breath. “I’m a Berserker. When I fight, I rely on consuming my own health points to boost my combat power, and then I drain my opponent’s blood to heal myself. Every time the History Department organizes a hunt in the Aberration Forest, I’m the one charging at the front. I’m the one who kills the most aberration beasts, and I’m also the one who gets hurt the worst.”

“And what about the spoils?”

“When it’s time to divide the loot, I’m always the last. They say that’s the rule of the History Department—the good things go to the squad leader first, then the deputy, and then down the line according to seniority. By the time it reaches me, there’s nothing left. Materials, aberration cores, beast blood—it all belongs to someone else, leaving me with not even enough money to heal my injuries.”

Jiang Xiaoyu’s brows knitted together. “Have you ever talked to them about this?”

“I have. They said I didn’t know what was good for me, that I’m a loser, and that without a team carrying me, I’d be dead. Giving me scraps was already an act of charity.”

“And then?”

“And then, when I couldn’t take it anymore, I decided to go solo in the Aberration Forest. Fighting alone is less efficient, sure, but at least I didn’t have to grovel to anyone. But they still wouldn’t let me go, saying I could go solo, but anything I hunted still had to be handed over.”

“Did you hand it over?”

“I refused, so now I can’t even enter the Aberration Forest. The moment I step out of the school gates, the people from the History Department come to hunt me down. I had nowhere to go, so I could only look for the History teacher, Liu Chang.”

“What did the teacher say?”

“He said he couldn’t manage things outside the school. I asked what I should do then, and he told me to just endure it.”

“Didn’t you ask him how long you had to endure?”

“I did. He said until graduation, or until death.”

Jiang Xiaoyu fell silent for a moment. “So you’ve just been waiting?”

Blood Explosion raised his head, those hazel eyes lighting up. “Yes. I’ve been waiting for someone, waiting for someone who could let me pick up my blade again and fight with pride and dignity. Today, when I saw Young Master Jiang take out Chen Xiaojie with a single sword stroke, I knew you were the one I was waiting for.”

“Why me?”

“Because Chen Xiaojie is the son of the Music Department Head, and hardly anyone in the whole school dares touch him. But you did. Not only did you dare, you killed him in a single stroke without even blinking an eye. Watching that, a single thought ran through my mind—this is a person worth following.”

“Aren’t you afraid I’m just a desperate outlaw?”

“Outlaws wouldn’t stand here and listen to me say all this. An outlaw would have left after the first sentence. Young Master Jiang, you’re the first person who ever listened to me finish.”

Jiang Xiaoyu looked at him, his mind racing through various thoughts. This school was far deeper than he had imagined; he needed his own faction, someone who truly understood this place and could stand alongside him. Besides, the things Blood Explosion had just mentioned made his blood boil too.

“Alright, but not right now.”

Blood Explosion lifted his head, a hint of confusion in his eyes. “What does Young Master Jiang mean?”

“I just killed Chen Xiaojie, and Chen Hao is definitely going to investigate. Don’t follow me these next few days; once I’ve smoothed this over, you can come over.”

“Chen Hao isn’t someone to mess with.”

“I know.”

“His methods are very dirty.”

“I know.”

Blood Explosion stared at him for two seconds, then nodded heavily. “I’ll wait.”

It was just two words, but Jiang Xiaoyu heard the weight behind them.

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, Blood Explosion pulled an item from his chest and handed it over. “Young Master Jiang, wear this.”

Jiang Xiaoyu took it and inspected it—it was a mask. Not some delicate trinket, but a half-face mask made of dark, sturdy material that covered the eyes and nose, leaving the mouth and chin exposed. Simple in design, but it looked durable.

“What is this?”

“I used it when I was hunting solo in the Aberration Forest. It masks some of your aura. Young Master Jiang, your appearance looks too much like a living human; in this school, it’s very easy to be treated as prey.”

“Prey?”

“In this school, anything that looks like a human is prey. Xiaoqi has a big reputation, so no one dares touch her, but Young Master Jiang’s reputation isn’t big enough yet. Wearing this will save you a lot of trouble.”

“Did you wear it too?”

“I did, for two years. Before I wore it, people came looking for trouble every day; after I wore it, that dropped by more than half.”

“Then why aren’t you wearing it now?”

“Because no one bothers to look for trouble with me anymore; they think I’m done for.” Blood Explosion smiled, that scarred face filled with bitterness. “A dorm manager who just watches the door, a Berserker without resources to cultivate—why would they care?”

Jiang Xiaoyu slapped the mask onto his face. It was a snug fit, and his vision wasn’t impaired. “Thanks.”

Blood Explosion added, “Xiaoqi’s Math Squad is in the Class Seven classroom.”

“Got it.”

Jiang Xiaoyu expressed his thanks, turned, and headed toward the teaching building.

Blood Explosion called out from behind: “Young Master Jiang, you said you’d let me wait.”

Jiang Xiaoyu didn’t look back, just raised a hand and waved it. “I did.”

Blood Explosion stood in the lobby, watching his back disappear down the end of the corridor. Then he lowered his gaze to the machete in his hands, rested the blade across his knees, and retook his seat behind the desk.

He straightened his back, his eyes growing brighter and brighter.