“Is this how you treat your fellow man?” Yue Zhengyu turned pale with fear. Conceited though he was, he would not single-handedly fight against twelve people.
Together, the twelve students from the Royal Star Luo Academy moved forward with unkind expressions on their faces.
“Hold on!” Yue Zhengyu shouted with his hands outstretched.
“How’s this? I’m going to jump down from here, and we can call it even. Pretend that I never said anything.” A wise man would not fight when the odds were against him. Yue Zhengyu moved in a flash as he scurried off the deck before the other party could react.
The deck was over seventy meters above sea level. At that height, an ordinary man would doubtlessly have died from the jump even if he had landed in the sea below the ship!
The Royal Star Luo Academy’s students were stunned as they leaned over the railing and saw Yue Zhengyu freefalling. Just as he was about to hit the water’s surface, a stream of golden light beamed out from his back and transformed into a pair of exquisite wings with pure white feathers. With one flap they stopped him from falling, and then he glided in the other direction.
‘What…’
The Royal Star Luo Academy’s students hardly had time to react to the situation. In any case, it was already too late. The other party was capable of flight, and he was too fast for them. The four purple soul rings on his body were incredibly dazzling.
“Thump! Traitor!”
“Thump! Traitor!”
Yue Zhengyu walked along the hallway between the cabins in a rage. Every time he passed by a room he would give one bang at the door. He could vaguely recall that his companions were all staying in these few cabins.
One of the cabin doors suddenly opened, revealing an icy yet handsome face.
“Who are you calling a traitor?” Wu Zhangkong looked at him coldly.
“Uh… I’m calling myself– I’m calling myself that!” Yue Zhengyu ran away hastily.
Tang Wulin happened to walk out of the next cabin at that moment. He could not help laughing when he saw Yue Zhengyu dashing back to his room. This fellow was usually considered rather well-behaved in the academy, yet having escaped the academy walls it seemed as though he would be uncomfortable if he did not torment someone every day!
The cabin which the Star Luo Continent arranged for them was rather impressive. The room was forty square meters in size and there was an en-suite washroom for showering. Each came with a balcony, so one could see the world outside and enjoy the sea breeze. It was all rather comfortable.
Tang Wulin, who was extremely reluctant to participate in this exchange program initially, felt the anticipation in his heart after he boarded the ship. His constantly tense emotions could finally relax.
It was high noon. With three sounds of the steam whistle, the two oceangoing liners slowly sailed out of the port and gradually accelerated toward the open ocean.
The ocean liner was like a monster in the sea. It cut through the wind and waves as it moved forward steadily.
He stood on the balcony and could not feel any swaying at all. Bright sunlight scattered over his entire body as the sea breeze blew against him. It was a joy to behold.
“Hey!” Just then a voice called out from beside him. Tang Wulin turned and saw Gu Yue was on her balcony too since who knows when.
Gu Yue was staying in the room next to his, so the distance between the two balconies was less than two meters. Both of them gazed at each other and smiled.
“I suddenly feel like it’s the right choice to come out this time. Even though I grew up by the seaside, I never went this far out to sea,” Tang Wulin announced to Gu Yue.
“Me too.” Gu Yue smiled gently.
The sea surged forward with great momentum. Soon, there was only a black line where the land used to be, while waves surrounded them everywhere else. The sea water was so crystal clear he could see some of the larger fish swimming past occasionally.
“Wulin…” Gu Yue suddenly called out.
“Hmm?” Tang Wulin looked toward her curiously.
“Nothing.” Gu Yue chuckled and shook her head. “I’m going to sleep in my room.” With that, she went back inside.
Tang Wulin was feeling a little confused, but he departed from the balcony as well. Even though he was relaxed, he still needed to train! How else was he going to reach rank-40?
The stress of it stayed with him the whole time. He returned to the room and started meditating.
Gu Yue sat on her bed and looked out to the sea outside the window. Her charming eyes appeared slightly dazed as she muttered to herself, “He’s a really good person. Na’er, perhaps you’re right. Even so, I’ll never allow the two of you to be together.”
She took a deep breath as determination flashed past her eyes.
The liner moved steadily. There was a distance of a few thousand meters between the two ships. One could still see the other ship clearly given its size and there was nothing to block the view. It felt as if the ships were keeping close to be able to aid each other in an emergency.
The sky gradually turned dark. It felt different watching the afterglow of the setting sun on the sea.
“Attention! Attention!” The sound of a broadcast suddenly echoed in every cabin room.
“Greetings to all passengers aboard the S.S. Star Luo ocean liner. Tonight, we’re hosting a grand banquet to welcome everyone. Please dress formally for the occasion. This is a social event to promote the long-lasting friendship between the two continents. Additionally, we’re going to hold some exciting games. Please join us.”
‘A social event?’ Tang Wulin awakened from his meditation, perhaps because his body and mind were relaxed. He had the sense that he had arrived at the bottleneck from rank-38 to rank-39. His effort would not be wasted since when he finally broke through to rank-39, with one more step he would advance to rank-40.
Rank-40! He would become a rank six blacksmith by then.
His heart started to burn hot as soon as he thought about forging. He had learned that there were special forging rooms for rent on the ship since earlier. Of course, they charged for the room.
‘But we need to dress formally for the party in the evening? Do I have anything formal? Of course, the answer is no.’ Other than his school uniform, he didn’t seem to have any other clothes.
“Thump! Thump!” The sound of someone knocking on the door echoed.
Tang Wulin walked over to open the door and found Gu Yue standing outside his room.
“Did you hear the broadcast?”
“Hmm. It’s a social event, I wonder if there’s anything nice to eat,” Tang Wulin spoke excitedly.
Gu Yue spoke in an unpleasant tone, “The only thing you know is eating.”
Tang Wulin shrugged. “What else can I do other than eat?”
Gu Yue answered, “We’re to dress formally for the event. I bet you don’t have anything formal, do you?”
Tang Wulin asked, “Shrek Academy’s school uniform isn’t considered formal?”
Gu Yue scoffed. “I knew you didn’t have anything. Here you go.” As she was saying that, there was a bright flash in her hand as a set of clothes appeared on her arms. She passed everything to Tang Wulin.
“This is a…”
Gu Yue smiled. “A suit!”
Tang Wulin could clearly feel the silky texture of the fabric when he received the clothes in his hands. There were many pieces, and they did not appear to be ordinary clothes.
“Where did you get this?” Tang Wulin stared at Gu Yue in bewilderment.
Gu Yue answered in an indifferent tone, “I bought it of course. I hired someone to tailor this for you. I figured that there would be such events, so I made a few sets for you.”
Tang Wulin looked at her in a daze. ‘She made me clothes?’
Gu Yue’s charming face blushed as she raised her haughty little head. “So that you won’t embarrass me! Remember to change into it later.” Upon saying that she turned around and left.
Tang Wulin had only gradually reacted to the situation when he returned to his room and placed the clothes on the head of his bed.
The rims of his eyes felt slightly warm all of a sudden.
How many years ago was it since he last received clothes like this?
…
“Wulin, Mommy made you some new clothes for the new year. See, doesn’t the little brown suit look good?”
“Oh no, my son is the most handsome man. You look good, so good. Mommy will be making a new set for you every year after this. You can take all the suits when you’re all grown up and going to get married, so you can bear witness to the process of your growth.
Mother had left. Father had left. Mother’s wish was unfulfilled in the end. The few sets of suits from when he was young were still in his house at the Eastsea City.
‘She made me clothes! She made me clothes…’
Perhaps Gu Yue was only trying to make him a set of clothes, but it held a significant meaning to Tang Wulin.
He thought about his mother and his home. His heart felt all warm and fuzzy, as though the feeling of having a home had returned.