Chapter 182: Don't Be Envious of Me
There was a trace of an excited smile on Duan Ling Tian's face even after he got home.
Ke Er blinked her beautiful eyes that were filled with curiosity as she asked, "Young Master, what are you so happy about?"
Li Fei looked over as well. She could clearly feel Duan Ling Tian's currently elated mood....
"It's nothing, it's just that next month I plan to head to the battlefield to take a look." Duan Ling Tian shook his head and smiled as he casually spoke.
Unexpectedly, however, Ke Er's and Li Fei's beautiful faces both went pale when Duan Ling Tian finished speaking.
Battlefield?
As far as they knew, the battlefield was an extremely dangerous place, and once one went there, one might never return!
"Young Master, can you not go?" Ke Er had a delicate and touching expression with eyes that welled up with tears, as he didn't want Duan Ling Tian to take a risk....
"Scoundrel, if you want to go, then I want to go with you." Li Fei had an unyielding expression. She spoke in a manner that showed that if Duan Ling Tian didn't bring her along, she wouldn't let Duan Ling Tian go.
Duan Ling Tian felt his head ache.
"What are you two thinking? I'm just going as reinforcements. Moreover, it isn't the type of reinforcements that enters the battlefield... I'll be the type of mastermind that remains within the camp and provides advice and suggestions to the men on the battlefield, understand? Moreover, this is the rule of Paladin Academy: if one doesn't enter the battlefield, then one isn't allowed to graduate." As Duan Ling Tian finished speaking, even he himself felt his face get hot.
If he were to enter the battlefield, would he obediently remain within the camp? The answer was a definite no.
"It's Paladin Academy's rule?" Li Fei's expression eased up slightly, as she knew that Duan Ling Tian chose the Star Mastermind Department in Paladin Academy, and she also knew the difference between the Star Mastermind Department and the Star General Department.
"Yes," Duan Ling Tian brazenly said.
Eventually, Duan Ling Tian spent quite some time before finally being able to appease the two girls.... And if he could choose, he would rather battle a first level Nascent Soul martial artist! Of course, he would kill his opponent with the Bone Corrosion Inscription!
Subsequently, Duan Ling Tian got his mother's Spatial Ring from her and helped her inscribe a Bone Corrosion Inscription as well. Only after doing so did he settle down and cultivate.
His target was to break through to the seventh level of the Core Formation Stage within the month!
The next day, Duan Ling Tian had only just entered the classroom when he heard the intense discussion of the students within his class... Their discussions were precisely related to the matter of the reinforcements for the northwest border a month from now.
Xiao Yu and Xiao Xun gathered beside Duan Ling Tian and Xiao Xun said, "Duan Ling Tian, I heard that over 300 students of our Paladin Academy will reinforce the army one month from now at the northwest border's battlefield...."
"I've heard of it." Duan Ling Tian nodded.
"Allegedly, among these 300 plus students, 300 are from the Star General Department, and our Star General Department will probably only send not more than 10 people." Xiao Yu's tone contained an obvious disappointment.
"This isn't unusual." Duan Ling Tian shook his head and smiled. "The Star Mastermind Department students aren't born for the battlefield; they serve more in the domestic affairs of the Crimson Sky Kingdom... Just like those civil service officers of the kingdom's government, and the County Governors of the 18 Counties; they're basically all from the Star Mastermind Department, and some of the officials under them are from the Star Mastermind Department as well."
Xiao Xun had a bitter smile on his face. "I wish for nothing more than to change places with Tian Hu right now... Although the grade 1 students of the Star General Department don't have any placing quota to enter the reinforcements, in another two years, I would at least have the chance to enter the battlefield. Within the Star Mastermind Department, I might not have the chance to enter the battlefield and take a look even after I graduate."
"The battlefield is brutal. Moreover, the environment is very bad. It's not comparable to the extravagant life you have at the Xiao Clan... If you were to go, you might not be accustomed to it." Duan Ling Tian shook his head. He was clear about Xiao Xun's mentality, and it was nothing more than curiosity.
"It isn't bad to have an experience," Xiao Xun said.
Xiao Yu nodded in deep agreement.
Duan Ling Tian noticed their gazes of anticipations and said, with a light smile, "If you two really want to go, I can get two places for you."
"You?" Xiao Xun and Xiao Yu both had doubts on their faces as they gazed at Duan Ling Tian, and Xiao Xun said, "Duan Ling Tian, you have teacher Sima's vigorous recommendation, and thus you might be able to obtain a place... But you said you can get two places for us. That's a bit too much of a boast. Unless you know the general that's leading the army this time, or you know the Divine Might Marquis."
"What? You two don't believe me?" Duan Ling Tian started laughing.
Xiao Xun had really hit the spot this time. He not only knew the general that was leading the army this time, but at the same time he also knew of the Divine Might Marquis.
To Duan Ling Tian, two places was only a matter of saying a single sentence.
Xiao Yu's gaze focused as he said, in surprise, "Duan Ling Tian, do you really have a way to get spots for us?"
"You've known me for so long, have I ever lied to you?" Duan Ling Tian was slightly speechless. Even this fellow, Xiao Yu, doubted him. "The two of you prepare properly this month... In a month, depart with me."
Although Xiao Yu and Xiao Xun didn't know why Duan Ling Tian had such confidence, they realized that Duan Ling Tian wasn't joking, and their eyes shone.
"Right, when we're having lunch, don't mention this matter. I'm worried Tian Hu would want to follow me as well. It's fine that you two are following since you're both Star Mastermind Students and don't have to personally enter the battlefield, but Tian Hu is different," Duan Ling Tian said, with a serious expression.
If the current Tian Hu were to enter the battlefield, he would only have a slim chance of survival, and as a friend, he didn't want Tian Hu to take the risk.
"Don't worry, we know what to do... That kid Tian Hu, even if you don't help him get a place, he will still have a chance to enter the battlefield in a year or two." Xiao Xun laughed.
Before long, Sima Chang Feng arrived.
The class for the entire morning passed extremely quickly...
When it was nearly noon, Sima Chang Feng called Duan Ling Tian over. "Duan Ling Tian, the northwest border's battlefield reinforcement order had been passed down. I've already recommended you to the Vice Dean. The Star Mastermind Department's roster will be released half a month from now. You'll depart a month from now, so you prepare properly."
Duan Ling Tian lightly nodded with a carefree expression.
Looking at Duan Ling Tian's composed expression caused Sima Chang Feng to be secretly surprised.
This kid is indeed a genius of great potential. He's going to enter the battlefield, yet he's actually so calm.
However, if Sima Chang Feng knew that Duan Ling Tian had received the news beforehand, it was a mystery as to how his expression would be....
At noon, when they were eating at the cafeteria.
Tian Hu had a complacent and excited expression. "I heard that the roster for the Star General Department's reinforcements for this time's northwest border battlefield has been released, and many of the students are grade 2 students of the Star General Department... Looks like I'll have an opportunity next year."
"As long as you work hard and cultivate, you'll naturally have an opportunity," Duan Ling Tian said, with a smile.
"Heh, Duan Ling Tian, you all don't have to be envious of me... really. Although your Star Mastermind Department students have a 90% plus chance that they won't have a chance to enter the battlefield until graduation, there's still a thread of hope. Moreover, it doesn't matter if you're unable to enter the battlefield, as killing isn't suited to you all." Tian Hu seemed as if he was consoling Duan Ling Tian's group of three, but his tone, however, obviously contained a trace of complacency.
"Yes, you're right," Duan Ling Tian said in all seriousness as he forcefully held back his laughter.
"Hahahaha...." Xiao Yu and Xiao Xun couldn't hold back and laughed loudly.
"What're you all laughing about?" Tian Hu had a stunned expression.
"Nothing." Xiao Yu and Xiao Xun shook their heads. No matter how Tian Hu questioned, they wouldn't speak a word.
They were confident that Tian Hu would find out about the truth in one month.
After finishing their meal, Duan Ling Tian once again cultivated atop the large tree at the side of the Martial Arts Practice Grounds for the entire afternoon before leaving Paladin Academy with Xiao Xun and Xiao Yu.
After parting their ways, Duan Ling Tian directly went home.
At a far-off corner of the Inner City.
Not far away, a middle-aged man was slowly walking before a remote building, and if one were to look closely, they one would notice that his legs were currently shivering...
"Dammit, I'm not doing this job anymore... Although I only have to talk, that fellow behind the counter is too terrifying. He only spoke two sentences and I nearly wet my pants from fear." As he muttered, the middle-aged man grit his teeth and eventually walked into the building.
Within the spacious lobby, there was only one person standing behind the counter.
"I...I've come to confirm the assignment, that Duan Ling Tian...." The middle-aged man took a deep breath and didn't dare look at the young man behind the counter.
The young man behind the counter frowned when he saw the middle-aged man's terrified appearance, and he indifferently said, "We aren't accepting this assignment."
"What? Not accepting?" The middle-aged man was struck dumb. Never had he imagined there would be such a result, and for a moment he seemed to forget to be afraid. He freaked out and said, "Isn't this the Ghastly Shadow organization? Isn't Ghastly Shadow the most famous assassin organization within the Crimson Sky Kingdom? You can't even take care of a youth?"
Slap!
The young man's frosty gaze was like a saber as it swept pass the middle-aged man. He raised his hand and dropped a stack of silver on the counter. "This is the deposit, it is being returned!"
"You all..." The middle-aged man seemed to suddenly gain courage out of nowhere and seemed to want to say something.
"F**k off!" The young man's eyes narrowed slightly, and an icy-cold killing intent swept out from him.
In the instant that the middle-aged man was enveloped in the killing intent, his body trembled and he was terrified to the point that he wet his pants....
"I asked you to f**k off. Didn't you hear me?" The young man's voice briefly contained a slight impatience.
"I, I can't move." The middle-aged man laughed bitterly.
"Hmm? You actually dared to dirty my Ghastly Shadow's point of operations?" The young man smelled a pungent stench of urine. His face went gloomy before extending his hand to take back all the silver on the counter. "You can consider this silver the cleaning fee... If the person behind you has an objection, you can ask him to personally to come see me."
"Now, I'll give you the time of three breaths to vanish; otherwise, leave your life here!" The young man's voice became even colder.
The middle-aged man's face went ghastly pale and his legs trembled. His entire body seemed to transform into a gust of wind as he rushed out of the Ghastly Shadow's point of operations in an extremely sorry state.
"200,000 silver... 200,000 silver gone just like that...." After leaving, the middle-aged man seemed to have finally reacted to the 200,000 that seemed to have been confiscated!
A gust of wind blew by, and the middle-aged man felt everywhere below the belt to be chilly, but it was even more icy cold within his heart... 200,000 silver was gone just like that!
How would he return and explain it?
As he glanced at his damp pants, he really wished to cut of that thing under his belt, but after a moment of thought, he didn't have the courage after all.