Free Web NovelChapter 40: Chapter 40: Hahahahaha, You Dumbass
...
Yan Shouzheng returned to the vice principal’s office without a word. He picked up the thermos on his desk and sank into thought.
Zhou Shengfa followed close behind, quietly pulling the door shut. He clasped his hands and stood waiting.
After a moment of silence, Yan Shouzheng spoke. "That student of yours... he’s quite the character."
"Uh, Sir, please don’t be angry."
Zhou Shengfa sheepishly adjusted his toupee. "Su Zhi’s just got that kind of personality. He’s not great with rules. I’ll be sure to manage him more closely in the future..."
"That’s not what I’m talking about."
Yan Shouzheng paused, as if recalling something.
"In fact, I rather appreciate him. You have to understand, it’s rare to find a kid who thinks for himself."
"What I want to ask is... as his homeroom teacher, were you aware that Su Zhi was training his Pet Beast this way?"
"...I was."
Zhou Shengfa gritted his teeth and nodded.
"I knew exactly what he was doing. And he did it with my tacit approval."
"And your reason?"
"My reason is that I believe this is what he must do. I’ve been the Gold Medal homeroom teacher for ten years running; I can tell what genius feels like. Su Zhi is, without a doubt, a genius. The curriculum is a crutch for novices. Someone who’s a natural walker shouldn’t be shackled by a crutch!"
Yan Shouzheng sighed heavily. "A walker who throws away their crutch isn’t guaranteed to go any farther."
"Yes, he’s training his own way now, and he’s certainly far ahead of his peers. But what about in a year? Or two?"
"Raising a Pet Beast is a long-term project. The curriculum’s Skill System may be old-fashioned, but it provides a complete path through every stage of a Pet Beast’s growth. Su Zhi can run free now, but where will he turn when his inspiration runs dry?"
"That’s why this is what I’m doing, Sir!"
Zhou Shengfa clenched his fists in excitement. "That’s why I asked Liu Junpiao to come back! He has a unique perspective on Skills! He can help Su Zhi turn those fleeting sparks of inspiration into a complete and viable system!"
Suddenly, Yan Shouzheng shook his head and chuckled.
"I don’t know if Su Zhi can pull it off, but you really have a soft spot for rebellious types... Your class is full of them, a real bunch of characters..."
"..." Zhou Shengfa scratched his head.
"Still, I can see why you recommended Su Zhi for the city league."
Yan Shouzheng nodded in thought. "Our top students, like Shao Ya, give us a stable competitive edge. But wild cards like Su Zhi... you never know, they might just pull something crazy and inexplicably get results."
Zhou Shengfa instantly grew as excited as a child. "Yes! That’s exactly what I meant!"
"But I still stand by my position. I’m not optimistic about Su Zhi’s attempt to create his own Skill System."
Yan Shouzheng tapped his fingers lightly on the desk.
"Let’s do this. We’ll see how he does in the upcoming city league. If Su Zhi can make it through the qualifiers, then he can train however the hell he wants."
"If he can’t hack it, then he gets back in line and trains according to the curriculum. You’ll have to help him get back on the right track, step by step, and do your best to integrate his Pet Beast’s Skills into the established system."
Zhou Shengfa delightedly pulled out a voice recorder. "You said it! No take-backs!" ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com
Yan Shouzheng: "...?"
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「On the way home from school」
"Ahahahahaha, you dumbass!"
After hearing Su Zhi’s story, Shao Ya mercilessly ridiculed him.
Xiaoyue quickened its pace, keeping its distance from Yu Bao.
If that dumb puppy caught up, he’d start telling the story of his great battle with the Little Brain Axe again... Xiaoyue did not want to hear it!
"Oh, this is rich. What did Vice Principal Yan say?" Shao Ya took a huge bite of her spicy snack strip.
"...He didn’t really say anything."
Su Zhi deftly swiped a spicy strip. "Felt like he was losing the argument, so he got flustered and bailed."
"So what’s your plan? My dad says Vice Principal Yan is a pretty strict teacher. He’s probably not going to get over his ’one night’ with you anytime soon."
"What do you mean, ’his one night with me’..." Su Zhi rolled his eyes.
"Ignore him, obviously. Yu Bao and I chose this path, and we’re going to see it through. Why should I care what anyone else thinks?"
"ARF!" (That’s right!)
Yu Bao wagged his tail in agreement and dashed after Xiaoyue with renewed vigor.
Shao Ya covered her mouth with a giggle. "You’re actually pretty cool when you get serious."
"Er, I’m just talking big. If they actually punished me, I’d totally fold..."
"Not cool anymore... You can go die now..."
"BZZZ—"
As they spoke, his phone buzzed. Su Zhi glanced at the screen. The caller ID read "Bald Zhou."
"Hello? Mr. Zhou?"
"Yeah, that’s right. Mmm-hmm..."
...
Three or four minutes later, Su Zhi lowered his phone, shaking his head with a slight chuckle.
Shao Ya blinked. "What’d he say?"
"What else could he say? Perform well in the city league. Or else—"
Su Zhi made a throat-slitting gesture.
Shao Ya’s eyes twinkled. "Or else you die?"
"...I mean I’ll lose my autonomy over my training!"
"Ahahaha."
Chatting away on the evening breeze, the three of them and their three pets arrived home before they knew it.
In the midst of their tedious and demanding high school lives, the walk home was one of the few relaxing moments of the day.
"Whoa! Study Rep, that vest looks heavy!"
"Ha, it’s only about two hundred pounds!"
The Study Rep and his ducky partner had been keeping a low profile lately.
Liu Yuhang hadn’t said a word the entire walk, continuing his workout by wearing a weighted vest. Even Xue Li was wearing a custom-made, bird-sized weighted vest.
"Holy crap, this thing must weigh over thirty pounds, right?" Su Zhi said in disbelief, hefting Xue Li in his arms.
"This vest belonged to my senior, Du Gang! He was my training partner. Back in the day, his Short-tailed Sparrow wore this while practicing frog leaps and eventually learned how to fly."
Liu Yuhang’s face swelled with pride as he spoke.
He’d been training like his life depended on it for the past two days and had finally earned the approval of the former "king of grinders," who had gifted him this weighted vest, a symbol of honor!
Su Zhi was dumbfounded.
’So why would a flightless bird like the Short-tailed Sparrow need to learn to fly?’
’Is that something a human being should even do?!’
"Quack!" (I will get stronger!) Xue Li stomped its foot spiritedly. ƒгeewёbnovel.com
"Let’s rock the city league!"
"Aim for the championship!"
"M-me too!"
Before they all headed home, the three of them stood in front of the apartment building, stacked their right hands together, and then thrust them down with a cheer.
Then, Su Zhi and Shao Ya looked up at Liu Yuhang.
"Crap!"
After freezing for a moment, Liu Yuhang’s eyes flew open.
"How did you guys drag me into this again!"
"You totally wanted to join in, admit it."
"Ooooh! The Study Rep and Su Zhi have a little something going on~"
"We’re outta here! See you tomorrow!"
"QAQ! QUACK!" (Do I really have to walk for miles with this thing on?!)
The two of them watched as the bewildered Study Rep and his ducky fled into the distance.
"Let’s go, let’s go!" Shao Ya said suddenly, pumping her fist.
Su Zhi raised an eyebrow. "Didn’t we just do the cheer?"
"This one’s an extra, just for you."
The white-haired girl took a step forward, putting one hand behind her back. She tilted her head and smiled.
"Everyone says you guys are so zen, but you and your Envoy’s Pet are actually the most competitive pair I’ve ever seen. Believe in yourselves. You can do it!"
Su Zhi didn’t say anything. He just swiped another one of her spicy strips, which was as good as an agreement.
"I’m off, bye!"
"Bye."
Watching the sound-activated lights in the opposite building go dark, Su Zhi smiled faintly. With a single stomp, he lit up all the lights in Building 9.
"Let’s go, Yu Bao!"
"Arf, arf?" (Why did you stomp? Don’t we live on the ground floor?)
"Ahem... That’s not important."
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