Chapter 131: Bribes (5)
…Whoosh!
The smell of burning meat came from the fireplace of the official residence.
The masks, wigs, and clothes were burning away among the firewood.
Chui wiped off his makeup and warmed himself by the fire with his bare face.
With this, the evidence of his disguise as Sima Yuli was completely destroyed.
Three of the four perpetrators who used to torment her submitted their withdrawal forms and moved out of the dormitory.
Now, those who openly tormented Sima Yuli in the Ascending Heaven Academy had almost all disappeared.
‘At first, I thought about just killing them…’
Chui recalled the face of Sima Yuli, the Evil Brain whom he had met before his regression.
Those emotionless eyes that had looked down upon countless corpses.
Just thinking of that terrifying sight still sent a shiver down his spine.
‘But since she is not yet consumed by Elder Hong’s demonic energy, there might be no need to go as far as using deadly force.’
Chui thought from a different angle.
…What if he helped Sima Yuli adapt to the Ascending Heaven Academy?
…Furthermore, what if he supported her to steadily rise to a high-ranking position in the Martial Alliance?
…And in doing so, what if he fundamentally blocked the future where she joined the Blood Cult?
‘Although I cut off Elder Hong’s left arm by killing Beigong Seol, it would be better to keep Sima Yuli alive. Beyond cutting off Elder Hong’s right arm, it is like making that right arm strangle his own neck…’
If the enemy has a competent subordinate, winning them over to one’s side is a way to inflict greater damage than simply killing them.
Though he did not know in what form that talent, which had bloomed so terribly in a bad way under Elder Hong, would blossom here.
‘…That natural talent won’t go anywhere.’
Therefore, Chui intended to provide the minimum amount of help so that Sima Yuli could grow attached to and stay at this Ascending Heaven Academy.
Right then.
Knock, knock, knock…
Someone knocked on the front door of the official residence.
Chui opened the door while making sure the mask of Ximen Qing was secured on his face.
There, Yeong-ah was looking at Chui’s expression.
“Ah, hello, Assistant Instructor Ximen.”
“What is the matter at this hour?”
“It’s nothing else, but… some parents have visited. They said they have a late-night consultation appointment with you, Assistant Instructor Ximen…”
There was no such appointment.
In the first place, the concept of a late-night consultation did not exist in the Ascending Heaven Academy.
‘They must be quite desperate.’
If they came directly without going through the middleman Wang Hoeng-bo, he could easily guess.
Namely, who had come and for what purpose.
Chui looked at the roster on the table.
Shen Shilin, Song Yu, Tai Zhenzhe, Jin Xizhi.
Song Yu of the Song Family Manor, Tai Zhenzhe of the Dajing Bank, and Jin Xizhi of the Yingjun Escort Agency had already submitted their withdrawal letters and left the Ascending Heaven Academy.
After being beaten ‘nearly to death’ by Chui disguised as Sima Yuli, they supposedly developed extreme panic disorder and anthropophobia, making them unable to continue their studies.
However, despite that, Shen Shilin, who was the leader of this clique, had still not left the Ascending Heaven Academy.
In addition, Shen Shilin, perhaps thinking she could not lose like this, seemed to have even summoned her parents.
‘…The Shenshi Merchant Alliance.’
It was said to be a merchant group that enjoyed quite a reputation down in Hunan.
However, seeing that Chui had never heard of them in his past life, it seemed they were destined to disappear before long.
“Tell them to come in.”
“Yes!”
When Chui nodded, Yeong-ah turned around and ran off.
Soon, several people entered Chui’s official residence.
The one at the very front was a man with a chubby build.
Beside him was a woman with a vicious impression.
Behind them, five heavily-built men clad in black cloaks glared at Chui with their chests puffed out.
The chubby man and the vicious-looking woman spoke.
“I won’t mince words. I am Shen Shuangxie of the Shenshi Merchant Alliance. Shilin’s father.”
“I am Wang Susu, this man’s wife and Shilin’s mother. Nice to meet you.”
Shen Shuangxie and Wang Susu. The two of them glared intently at Chui.
Shen Shuangxie said outright.
“It is already late, so there is no need for a long talk. I will get straight to the point.”
In a tone dripping with arrogance, he asked Chui.
“How much do you want?”
“…”
Chui kept his mouth shut and did not answer.
Then, Wang Susu, who was beside him, picked up where her husband left off.
“My husband is a bit aggressive, isn’t he? I apologize. But we acted like this because we are also frustrated.”
“…”
“It was indeed our mistake last time. We called it an expression of our sincerity, but since it only contained a single set of clothes and a few bank notes, you must have been displeased. I fully understand. That was our mistake. We were originally supposed to send something of a larger scale, but it accidentally got switched with what was meant for someone else…”
Displeased after receiving a bribe? That meant only one thing.
It meant the amount of the bribe was insufficient.
But even so, how could they openly say, ‘We thought that amount would be enough for someone of your level’?
“This was what we originally intended to give to you, Assistant Instructor. It got switched with the sincerity we meant to show someone else, so we are truly sorry for the rudeness.”
Wang Susu placed something down in front of Chui.
It was a golden toad about the size of a fist.
Shen Shuangxie pushed the golden toad forward and brought up the main point.
“Our daughter was beaten.”
“…”
“This is academy violence. Academy violence in this day and age? What a savage and barbaric thing. And of all places, in this Ascending Heaven Academy, which is said to be the pinnacle of intellect in the Central Plains! Does this make any sense?”
At Shen Shuangxie’s words, Wang Susu also nodded her head and continued.
“Expel that girl named Sima Yuli who bullied and assaulted our daughter. That is all we want.”
Unreasonable people do not know they are unreasonable.
They probably did not care in the slightest about what reasons lay behind the damage they believed they had suffered.
Chui replied in a businesslike tone.
“At the time your daughter was assaulted, Cadet Sima Yuli was in the dormitory. This is a fact confirmed by the testimonies of the dormitory housemaster, the maids, and other cadets. In other words, it means this is a matter with a clear alibi.”
“Then what about my daughter’s statement? What about my daughter, who consistently states that she was beaten by Sima Yuli, that crazy bitch?”
“Numerous alcohol bottles were found at the scene of the assault. There were also testimonies from servants and physicians that Cadet Shen Shilin, Cadet Song Yu, Cadet Tai Zhenzhe, and Cadet Jin Xizhi smelled of strong alcohol when they were rescued.”
“T-then? Are you saying my daughter drank with her friends and got into a fight? And she is lying now because she is embarrassed?”
“Rather than a lie, it is highly likely that she saw hallucinations while heavily intoxicated. Isn’t it common for a drunkard to stumble, fight a stationary tree or rock, bump into things, fall over, and end up with broken teeth or fractured limbs? That is the academy’s position.”
“Look here! Do you think that makes any sense right now?! Huh?!”
Shen Shuangxie’s cheeks trembled.
Wang Susu’s eyes also became bloodshot.
“If you knew how much we agreed to donate to the Ascending Heaven Academy every year, you wouldn’t be saying such things.”
“I am merely conveying the academy’s position.”
“Exactly. Even if the academy’s position is like that, there must be something you can do within your power, Assistant Instructor Ximen?”
Wang Susu turned her head.
Five menacing-looking thugs surrounded Chui.
In that situation.
…Thud!
Wang Susu placed another golden toad on the table.
She growled like a bloodthirsty tigress.
“No matter what bullshit the academy spouts, we do not care.”
“…”
“Just expel Sima Yuli, that dog-like bitch.”
“…”
“Whether you assign unreasonable tasks, give her terrible grades, punish her with a cane, disguise an accident to make her a cripple, or use your position as an assistant instructor to grope her chest or fondle her buttocks! Do whatever it takes to kick her out! Do you think we will only visit you out of all the instructors and assistant instructors?!”
At Wang Susu’s words, Shen Shuangxie also kept snorting.
“We will absolutely, absolutely, absolutely not let this go. No matter what, we will send the life of that bitch who beat my daughter to the abyss. So cooperate. If you won’t do that, we will consider you our enemy as well.”
“…”
Chui thought it was a very good thing he was wearing the mask.
Because otherwise, it would have been extremely difficult to hold back the smile forming on his lips.
“I understand.”
Chui nodded.
“Indeed, I was thinking too lightly of it.”
Only then did the expressions of Shen Shuangxie and Wang Susu soften slightly upon hearing Chui’s words.
“Hmph, it is fortunate that we can communicate now. Since you are an assistant instructor of the Ascending Heaven Academy, once the misunderstanding is cleared up, the conversation goes fast.”
“Then, so that my daughter and that bitch never face each other again? You will definitely send her to the abyss?”
Hearing the words of the couple from the Shenshi Merchant Alliance, Chui readily nodded.
“I will make sure they end up in a truly terrible state. So that you will never cross paths again.”
It was a moment when the conversation between the two parties concluded very satisfactorily.
* * *
Shen Shuangxie, the owner of the Shenshi Merchant Alliance, and his wife Wang Susu returned to a high-class inn located far from the Ascending Heaven Academy.
There, Shen Shilin was waiting with an anxious face.
“Father, how did it go? Was it handled well?”
“Oh, my sweet daughter. Of course. Father handled everything~”
Shen Shuangxie spoke confidently while hugging Shen Shilin.
Shen Shilin frowned deeply while pushing her father away.
“Ah, I don’t trust Father. Mother, how did it go?”
“What could your father have done? Mother did it all. Sigh.”
Wang Susu sat at the table and swept back her hair.
She smiled fishily as she looked at Shen Shilin.
“Since we fed him two golden toads for now, there will definitely be some action. Something quite strong.”
“Bribes don’t work on that crazy bastard Ximen Qing, Mother.”
“Where is there an instructor on whom bribes don’t work? It only doesn’t work because the bribe isn’t enough. In all my life, I have never seen an instructor who hates money, dear.”
“Indeed. That is true. But did you only feed him two golden toads? Didn’t you say you’d feed him three? And if push came to shove, you’d feed him up to four.”
“Even though I only offered two, I could see his eyes spinning. He is just a vessel of that size. Since we both know each other’s size, width, and depth… what need is there to give excessively?”
“As expected, Mother is the best! So reassuring!”
Shen Shilin hugged Wang Susu.
Wang Susu hugged Shen Shilin back with a soft smile.
“How cheap of you to only hug mother and daughter like that! Here, me too! Hup!”
“Oh, seriously! You step aside for a moment!”
“That’s right, Father! This is a gathering for women!”
Shen Shuangxie also burst into hearty laughter and hugged Wang Susu and Shen Shilin.
Wang Susu and Shen Shilin giggled while pretending to grumble.
On the surface, they were a very harmonious and affectionate family.
However, the conversation that followed was not so tender.
“So, what will happen to that bitch Sima Yuli?”
When Shen Shilin asked, Shen Shuangxie and Wang Susu replied.
“First, we will have that fellow, Ximen Qing, torment her thoroughly. You can consider her grades for assignments and exams already ruined. On top of that, we told him to grope her chest or fondle her buttocks and do this and that, so she probably won’t last even a month before running out of the academy.”
“Once she steps outside the academy? Then it is over. We will have the thugs we recruited beforehand kidnap her, beat her up, drug her, and then sell her to some cheap brothel. Mother is a woman too, so I know well how to send a woman’s life to the abyss.”
Hearing the answers of Shen Shuangxie and Wang Susu, Shen Shilin’s face brightened up instantly.
“Is that true?”
“Of course it is true. Do you know what that fellow, Ximen Qing, said at the end?”
“I don’t know. What did he say?”
“‘I will make sure they end up in a truly terrible state. So that you will never cross paths again,’ he said.”
“Wow! Really? I am really looking forward to it. As expected, my mom and dad are the best.”
The child was happy to have met good parents, and the parents were happy because the child was just lovely.
It was a truly sweet and harmonious family atmosphere.
…Crash!
That is, if a masked person had not suddenly broken through the window and jumped in.
“W-what is it?! Bodyguards!”
Shen Shuangxie hurriedly stood up from his seat.
At the same time, the heavily-built bodyguards who were beyond the door swarmed in.
But.
“Hohoho…”
The masked person merely covered his mouth with his hand and laughed.
Soon.
…Whack! …Whack! …Whack! …Whack! …Whack!
All five bodyguards were knocked out by five punches from the masked person.
“…”
“…”
“…”
Shen Shuangxie, Wang Susu, and Shen Shilin stared blankly at this sudden disaster.
And in front of them.
Fling…
The masked person pulled off his mask.
An intruder who openly revealed his bare face.
A thick, fishy, and truly perverted smile was hanging all over his mouth.
Soon, the intruder looked at the owner couple of the Shenshi Merchant Alliance and shouted brightly.
“Hello? I came from the Yangtze River, and my name is Gyeon Sul!”
What did it mean when a masked person pulled off his mask and revealed his name and face?
Shen Shuangxie, Wang Susu, and Shen Shilin did not know that yet.
…And though this was a fact that even Chui, who had sent Gyeon Sul, did not know.
“From now on, I will make you end up in a truly terrible state! So that we will never cross paths again!”
He was a person with quite a great passion for education.