After he got out of the car, a man who looked like a butler ca out from inside. He turned to the side and gestured. "This way, please."
Tai Dong noticed several other chauffeured cars parked outside, which ant he wasn’t the only one summoned here today. He straightened his clothes and followed the butler inside, passing through a grand entrance hall flanked by servants before entering a large living room.
Just as he thought, he wasn’t the only one. Two people had already arrived.
One of them, a young man with slightly darker skin, was nad Geng Zheng. He was a second-year student. When he first enrolled, he was the most talented of his cohort—even the third-year students couldn’t beat him. However, he was arrogant and had always refused to join the Mutual Aid Association. It seed sothing had happened recently that made him finally agree to join.
The other person was nad Deng Fu, a student in the sa year as Tai Dong from the Military Combat Departnt.
And on the large sofa across from them sat five people. They were undoubtedly the Upper Layer of the Mutual Aid Association, representatives of the powerful elite.
’I’ve never really seen the two people on the sides before. They must be from a lower year.’ He didn’t look down on them for being younger, though. ’Being able to sit here ans they have a powerful family background. Maybe they’re related to soone who already graduated, or soone who went to Central City.’
’As for the three in the middle, the one on the left is Jiang Wei. The lower-year students call him Senior Brother Jiang, and he’s the one who usually speaks with us. The one on the right is nad Shao Xiaobie. He left a deep impression on because the other privileged students liked to jokingly call him ’Little Frustration.’ This guy usually seems carefree and easygoing, as if he has no airs about him.’
’As for the young man in the very center, I’ve never seen him before. But he must be from the most powerful family, or he wouldn’t be sitting in the middle.’
Jiang Wei waited for Tai Dong to arrive, but didn’t offer him a seat. He got straight to the point. "I’ve invited the three of you here today because you have all obtained your Weapon Permits."
He gave a signal, and an attendant handed each of them a form. He gestured again. "Please fill these out."
Tai Dong took the form and glanced at it, saying in surprise, "The Unlimited Defense Certificate?"
Geng Zheng, to the side, was incredulous. He looked at the people on the sofa. "You want us to take the test for the Unlimited Defense Certificate?"
Senior Brother Jiang smiled. "That’s right."
"Really?"
Geng Zheng seed a little excited. "This is what I’ve always wanted. But why..."
’I can’t believe the Mutual Aid Association is letting test for this certificate. I never even considered it, because it’s always been an exclusive privilege of the Recomnded Students. To think they’d give us the opportunity... Maybe joining the Mutual Aid Association was a good choice after all?’
Tai Dong remained cautiously silent.
Deng Fu, however, spoke up. "What do you need us to do?"
Senior Brother Jiang smiled. "It’s simple. After the test begins, use any thod you want, just make sure you don’t pass."
"Don’t pass?"
"Correct."
Jiang Wei gestured toward the person in the middle. "Because Senior Brother Wei will be taking the Unlimited Defense Certificate test this year, we’ve arranged for you to go with him."
Tai Dong ventured a question, "I... I don’t understand. If we’re guaranteed to fail, why can’t we just withdraw ahead of ti?"
Jiang Wei chuckled and shook his head. "That wouldn’t look good. After all, the administration gives common students so many opportunities; it would be hard to explain if no one even attempts the test." He smiled again. "But if you take the test and fail... well, that’s another story entirely."
Deng Fu thought for a mont, then boldly asked, "I was wondering, what’s in it for us?"
Senior Brother Jiang chuckled. "We’ll give you a sum of money, forgive a portion of your debts, and relax the terms of certain agreents."
"I’m in!"
Deng Fu agreed imdiately.
As Jiang Wei’s gaze shifted to him, Tai Dong also chid in, "I have no objections either."
’I know the Unlimited Defense Certificate has always been monopolized by Recomnded Students, so I never had any aspirations for it anyway. Besides, I know they control my fate completely. My own wishes are irrelevant. Getting so extra benefits out of this is already a pretty good deal.’
Senior Brother Jiang looked at the last person. "Geng, what about you?"
Geng Zheng looked up at the people on the sofa. "Can I choose not to give up?"
At his question, the other Recomnded Students on the sofa started laughing. Senior Brother Jiang looked at him and asked with a smile, "And your reason?"
Geng Zheng said earnestly, "Because I feel I can pass. If I do, I can make a greater contribution to the Mutual Aid Association. I won’t forget the benefits the Association has given ."
He had earned his Weapon Permit as a second-year, and he was the most outstanding student in his cohort, surpassing even many of the upperclassn. Because of this, he was very confident, believing he had many opportunities and was worthy of special consideration from the Mutual Aid Association. That’s why he didn’t want to give this up.
Jiang Wei smiled. "Geng, you are talented, and we have given you many opportunities. But opportunities are not without conditions..."
"I know!" Geng Zheng insisted. "I will do everything in my power to repay you after I graduate. When I joined, didn’t you say I could reserve my own opinions?"
Jiang Wei nodded. "We did say that. But on the condition that it doesn’t interfere with the interests of the Mutual Aid Association."
"But I’m not..."
Jiang Wei pushed up his glasses and said with a smile, "But Senior Brother Wei’s request *is* the interest of the Mutual Aid Association. And our request also represents the interests of the Mutual Aid Association."
Geng Zheng was indignant. "But you said before..."
"But you what?" Shao Xiaobie suddenly grew impatient, pointing at him from the sofa. "If you’re going to be a dog, you should act like one. Do what you’re told. Why all this useless chatter?"
"You..."
Geng Zheng’s face flushed red.
Deng Fu heard this but his expression remained placid, as if he didn’t care at all. Tai Dong lowered his head.
Jiang Wei smiled at Geng Zheng. "Geng, you can of course choose to refuse. However, if you obstruct the interests of the Mutual Aid Association, we will consider it a breach of contract. You will have to pay a substantial penalty fee, and we will retract all our investnts in you. You will no longer receive any extra tutoring or additional dicinal support."
Geng Zheng couldn’t help but clench his fists. He had been forced to join the Mutual Aid Association because his family had incurred a huge debt for dical treatnt. It was an enormous sum he could never repay on his own. Things had only started to get better with the Association’s support, and he absolutely couldn’t stop the dicine now.
Jiang Wei glanced at his watch. "Two minutes. That’s how long you have to think about it."
Tai Dong and Deng Fu both remained silent. The room was steeped in silence.
The other senior mbers of the Mutual Aid Association, including Senior Brother Wei who hadn’t spoken a word, watched him with amusent, as if eagerly awaiting his choice.
Ti ticked by, second by second. Soon, Jiang Wei said, "Two minutes are up." He looked at Geng Zheng. "Geng, what’s your choice?"
"I..."
Geng Zheng lowered his head, the veins on his fists bulging. "...I agree."
Senior Brother Wei stood up from his seat. "You all handle the rest," he said, and then walked out. The other privileged students from the Mutual Aid Association also got up and followed him.
Shao Xiaobie complained as he walked, "What a waste of my ti for this bullshit." He turned to an attendant. "Oh, right. Don’t forget to give him his money. Even a dog needs to be thrown a few aty bones."
Once outside, Senior Brother Jiang said with a smile, "Brother Shao, you’re too harsh on them."
’Dogs have to be trained. How else will they learn to obey?’ Shao Xiaobie thought, dismissive. ’If you’re nice to them, they’ll just take advantage of you and think they’re entitled to it.’
Back in the room, after the three of them signed the forms, three checks were handed to them.
Geng Zheng felt his dignity had been trampled into the dust today. A deep sense of humiliation welled up inside him. His breathing was heavy, his eyes red. Tai Dong saw he wasn’t in a good state and ca over to pat his shoulder. "Junior Geng, are you okay?"
"Get away! Don’t touch !" Geng Zheng slapped his hand away.
Tai Dong quickly took a step back. "Hey, man, don’t take it out on ."
Deng Fu flicked the check in his hand, then happily stuffed it into his pocket. Looking at Geng Zheng, he said, "Co on, Junior Geng. That’s just how the world is. Take the money, go have so fun. Isn’t this why we work so hard and sell our lives to these people?"
Geng Zheng looked at the two of them, completely unable to understand. He asked in a low voice, "Don’t you have any ambitions?"
"Ambitions?"
Deng Fu gave him a surprised look, then shrugged and started walking out. As he left, he said:
"That kind of thing... if you had ambitions, you never should have joined the Mutual Aid Association. Take a piece of advice from a brother: get rid of those ideas sooner rather than later. Because in this association, they’re completely useless."
...
...
User Comments
0 comments from readers