Chapter 98
Chapter 98
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 98: Frey Knows the Rules of the Knight Academy
Frey, Lan Qi, and Huperion walked along the narrow path leading toward the Knight Academy.
The three of them said nothing on the way, simply walking in silence.
On either side, jacaranda trees stood scattered like silent guardians, proclaiming the campus’s mystery and tranquility without a word. In spring, they would proudly bloom with pale purple flowers—their beauty and vibrant vitality always drew countless students and even residents of the royal capital to stop and admire. At that time of year, this quiet place would be alive with activity.
At the end of the path, half-hidden, stood an old wooden building.
It was only one story high, yet spacious enough to resemble a small training hall.
Even from a distance, one could see that many of its windows were shattered, while the wooden walls bore the indelible marks of age.
Yet despite its outward look of neglect, the inside was filled with vigor. From within came all kinds of loud noises—laughter, curses, shouts, even crashing booms—blended together into something that sounded like a wild, chaotic brawl.
“This is it. What’s left of that team is nothing but a bunch of stubborn brutes—even the dean has a headache dealing with them.”
Frey stopped, pointing at the wooden house as he spoke to his two companions.
The dean he referred to was not the head of the Sage Academy, Loren, but rather their own Knight Academy dean.
“Frey, how should we go about negotiating with them later?”
Lan Qi asked, glancing at this sharp-edged youth beside him.
To Lan Qi, with his half-lowered sunglasses and falcon-like eyes, Frey gave off the dangerous aura of a street enforcer. Combined with the explosive power radiating from his body, he looked more like a gang hitman than a negotiator.
Ordinarily, someone like this might not seem the best choice for friendly persuasion.
But Lan Qi also knew that in serious duties like this, a contrast in negotiation tactics could be effective: if one person took the hard stance while the other played the soft voice of reason, the opponent’s will to resist might be shaken.
“Let me try first. I know the rules of the Knight Academy better than anyone.”
Frey checked the inner pocket of his jacket to make sure his weapon was in place, then fixed his eyes on the wooden hall.
“I’ll leave it to you then.”
Lan Qi nodded. As someone from the Sage Academy, he wasn’t familiar with the Knight Academy’s customs—this was a good chance to learn.
“...”
Huperion, watching Frey’s habitual thug-like mannerisms, immediately felt something was wrong.
She was certain—this absolutely wasn’t “the rules of the Knight Academy”!
But then she thought it over again.
Between the three of them—if Lan Qi negotiated, it would likely turn into trickery or bluffing. She herself, being half-demon, wasn’t likely to be well-received.
In the end, Frey, as a native-born martial artist, really was the best fit. Surely he understood how warriors communicated with one another.
“If you need any support, we’ll back you up.”
Huperion said from the side.
“Thanks.”
Frey gave her a brief nod, then strode forward.
The door was half-ajar, as though inviting passersby in.
In truth, the lock had long since rotted away, unable to close properly anymore.
The three student council members stepped up to the doorway, their eyes fixed on the dimly lit hall within.
Inside were several broad-shouldered men—some seated, some standing—all looking like seasoned brawlers.
Even Frey, for all his toughness, looked like an ordinary youth compared to them.
The oppressive aura radiating from those fighters was like a crashing wave, wild and irresistible.
Yet among them, the one with absolute authority was not a man but a tall woman with long, crimson hair—a presence of an entirely different level than the rest.
Though her frame was leaner compared to the hulking men, she carried herself like a wild predator. Her hair was tied into a high ponytail, with long bangs brushing past her right eye. Dressed in a chest-wrap and trousers, with bandages wound around her arms and legs, she radiated raw battle spirit.
Her aggressive gaze alone carried an air of dominance.
“She’s the leader—Zirvini, a third-year from the Knight Academy. Upright in character, but hot-tempered. She’s a sixth-rank Gold challenger—no chance of subduing her by force. The real challenge is handling that fifth-rank fighter at three o’clock, while also suppressing the rest of the fourth-rankers.”
Frey quietly shared the intel with his two companions, pointing into the hall.
Lan Qi and Huperion both turned toward him and nodded.
From the way Frey spoke, he clearly meant to avoid direct confrontation. On this point, they were both in full agreement.
Violence wasn’t mediation—it would only escalate the conflict. That would not only go against the principle of harmony on campus, but also damage the student council’s image. Worse, today’s demolition might fail altogether.
No—the goal today had to be achieving a negotiation both sides could accept.
“You three over there! What are you whispering about?”
A burly man suddenly noticed the faint disturbance at the door, his roar blasting through the hall like a storm wind.
Huperion’s heart jolted—she instinctively took a step back, wary. She was not good at facing such brutish aggression.
But Lan Qi remained calm. He pushed the door open wider and asked steadily:
“Fellow students, is this the clubroom of the ‘Soul of the Fighters’ team?”
“That’s right.”
The crimson-haired woman answered, her tone laced with scorn.
Her expression grew stern and unfriendly.
The composure of the newcomers, their official-sounding words—it made everyone inside immediately think of the student council.
“So, what business do you have here?”
The brawlers in the hall all shouted in unison, their voices carrying a force that could make ordinary freshmen’s knees buckle.
But the three student council members at the doorway were not ordinary. They stood unmoved, unfazed by the intimidation.
“We’re officers of the student council. By the Academy’s decision, and under the enforcement order of the Hedon Kingdom’s Capital Fire Department, we are here to vacate this building and carry out demolition today.”
Huperion put on an entirely businesslike air, speaking as coldly as a bank clerk collecting a debt.
With Lan Qi behind her as backup, she had nothing to fear.
No sooner had she spoken than a tyrannical pressure filled the hall, like a physical rebuttal to her words. Angry shouts erupted one after another.
“This is our sacred place! You soulless weaklings without fighting spirit—get out!”