Chapter 25 Picking Up a Bargain Like This?

"Zhang Chu, you’re insane! It’s only been a few days and you’re already at level two." Huang Lili looked at Zhang Chu with excitement.

The news of Zhang Chu’s certification as a level two martial artist had spread throughout Binzhou University. As the principal, Huang Wenzhan was the first to hear about it. Huang Lili could hardly believe it herself. It wasn’t until she came across the video of Zhang Chu in the virtual hunting ground on the forum that she finally accepted it was true.

"Lili, mind your language," Huang Wenzhan scolded his granddaughter, then smiled warmly at Zhang Chu. "Zhang Chu, I came to see you today, and I also brought a small gift from the school."

"Principal Huang, please come in," Zhang Chu replied. Since the guests had come all the way to his door, and especially to give him a gift, it would be rude to turn them away.

Zhang Chu’s place wasn’t as spacious as Huang Wenzhan’s home. The villas for single martial artists had strict square meter limits. Still, Zhang Chu didn’t neglect any courtesy; he brewed tea and washed fruit for his guests.

Huang Lili propped her chin up with her hands, watching Zhang Chu bustle about.

Huang Wenzhan nodded slightly, feeling more and more that Li Feng had truly misjudged Zhang Chu.

"Zhang Chu, don’t trouble yourself—we just have a few things to discuss and then we’ll be on our way," Huang Wenzhan said with a smile.

"Go ahead, Principal," Zhang Chu replied. He had a favorable impression of Huang Wenzhan. Besides, after visiting his home last time, he felt obliged—people are softer in their words after eating someone’s food and taking their gifts.

"According to school regulations, a student certified as a level one martial artist receives a ten thousand yuan reward, and level two gets fifty thousand."

"Here is sixty thousand yuan in total. Please accept it."

"And this is a letter of apology from your class adviser, Li Feng, written by his own hand. I hope you’ll give him another chance."

Huang Wenzhan smiled as he spoke.

Zhang Chu didn’t stand on ceremony. He was short on cash, and who would turn down sixty thousand? He remembered the day he was reborn, he almost had to use secondhand diapers.

As for the apology letter, Zhang Chu tossed it straight into the trash without even opening it.

"I’ll accept the money, as compensation from the school," he said coolly. "But I won’t accept Li Feng’s apology."

Seeing Zhang Chu’s attitude, Huang Wenzhan realized he couldn’t force the issue. He quickly tried another approach, "Zhang Chu, I understand your grievances. But I hope, for my sake, you’ll attend the martial arts exam mobilization rally three days from now and speak as an outstanding student."

"All right," Zhang Chu agreed without hesitation.

Huang Wenzhan’s eyes lit up, hardly able to believe Zhang Chu had agreed so easily. They still hadn’t found the anonymous ‘dog head’ with a qi and blood value of 161. With Zhang Chu as a level two martial artist, Binzhou University’s mobilization rally would be grand, shining among all the universities in Binzhou.

"But I have one condition," Zhang Chu said.

Huang Wenzhan didn’t hesitate, allowing Zhang Chu to state his terms.

A few minutes later, Huang Wenzhan and Huang Lili left the villa.

"Grandpa, you mustn’t be confused. I think Zhang Chu was quite restrained—his request isn’t excessive at all," Huang Lili said, clutching his arm.

Huang Wenzhan glanced back at the villa, took out his phone, and dialed the academic affairs office. "Draft a document immediately. The content is..."

...

The next day, Huang Wenzhan personally presided over a university executive meeting, passing a confidential resolution and releasing a major announcement.

Before noon, the news that Zhang Chu would represent outstanding students at the martial arts exam mobilization rally in two days had swept through the entire university.

At that moment, Su Mingyue was hiding in the corner of her dormitory’s escape passage, curled up, her eyes brimming with tears. The menacing voice on the phone terrified her into trembling. "Manager, when I first took out the loan, you didn’t mention so much interest. Please, don’t post my photos. Just give me three more days, okay? Once I get into the Martial Arts Research Institute, I’ll pay you back principal and interest."

...

Bang!

Meanwhile, Zhang Chu was feeling quite exhilarated.

Early in the morning, he took his martial artist card and left Binzhou City, heading straight to the Exotic Beast Forest.

To keep his storage ring a secret, Zhang Chu discreetly chose the level one exotic beast zone.

Luck was on his side—he encountered more than a dozen beasts that morning.

He dispatched them one by one, as easily as chopping vegetables.

After a midday rest up a tree, Zhang Chu began his afternoon hunt.

Whenever an exotic beast saw Zhang Chu, it didn’t even have time to distinguish gender before meeting its fate.

By three o’clock, Zhang Chu had slain fifteen level one exotic beasts.

If the Armored Prairie Wolf could speak, it would probably say, "Damn, you little trash can’t play fair."

Half the beasts he hunted were Armored Prairie Wolves.

He dug out their cores, stacking them in a dedicated corner of his storage ring, and placed the bodies on another side.

The bodies of level one exotic beasts weren’t as valuable as a Tyrant Tiger, but the sheer quantity made up for it.

Fifteen corpses could easily fetch several hundred thousand.

There was still an hour left before the Exotic Beast Forest closed.

Zhang Chu wandered back to the area where he’d encountered the Tyrant Tiger last time.

A bold idea sparked in his mind: How had the Tyrant Tiger managed to escape from the level two zone? Could there be a bug in the Exotic Beast Forest?

Following the route from his memory, Zhang Chu searched diligently.

Eventually, he spotted a well-hidden gap in the high-energy electric wall—a fault caused by long-neglected repairs and burnouts.

Peering through the gap, he saw a dazed and adorable Tyrant Tiger staring back at him.

Their eyes met, and Zhang Chu’s excitement soared. "Damn, am I really this lucky?"

He darted through the gap and, without hesitation, unleashed a mid-tier Skyrocket Fist at the bewildered Tyrant Tiger...