Chapter 25: You Are My Faith (VI)

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Chapter 25: You Are My Faith (VI)

“No.” Shang Ke gave Max’s challenge a simple, straightforward answer, then turned around and continued packing up his things.

Max frowned, idly playing with the dagger in his hand as he watched Shang Ke’s busy figure. Suddenly, he pulled a silver coin from his pocket and flicked it sharply toward Shang Ke’s leg.

Shang Ke’s body instinctively tried to dodge, but his reactions were too slow. The coin struck him squarely.

His knee buckled, nearly sending him to the ground. The dishes in his hands slipped free and shattered against the pavement.

Pupu jumped in fright, then hurried over and wrapped both arms around Shang Ke’s leg, glaring indignantly at Max.

Max glanced at the little girl clinging to Shang Ke’s leg, his expression turning strange. “Osari, you…” He had never imagined that Osari would become so weak that he couldn’t even dodge a coin.

Shang Ke turned toward him. “Do we really have to fight?”

His voice was perfectly calm. In those ink-black eyes, there was neither humiliation nor fear, as though he were merely asking about something utterly ordinary.

Asked so calmly, Max suddenly found himself at a loss for an answer.

“Captain Max.” At that moment, a figure appeared in front of Shang Ke and drawled lazily, “If you’re really itching for a fight, why not exchange a few moves with me?”

“You’re… Kaiser?” Although Max had already graduated, he still paid some attention to Light Hymn Academy’s rising talents. Kaiser’s Twin-Shadow Swift Swords were already famous among this generation of students.

“I didn’t expect Captain Max to have heard of me.” A smile remained on Kaiser’s lips, but his eyes burned with anger and killing intent.

Max looked at him, then at Shang Ke behind him. He put away his dagger and sneered. “Forget it. Bullying the weak isn’t my style.”

With that, he called to his companions and turned to leave.

“Shang Ke, are you all right?” Kaiser walked over and asked with concern.

“I’m fine.” Shang Ke smiled.

Kaiser hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he couldn’t hold back. “Are you really Osari?”

“My name is Shang Ke now.” It wasn’t a direct answer, but it was as good as admitting his identity.

Kaiser watched Shang Ke’s slightly unsteady steps, a trace of heartache flashing through his eyes.

When Kaiser had first entered the academy, he had already heard countless stories about the legendary Academy Twin Stars of years past: the unfathomable Tylor and the extraordinarily gifted Osari. Together, they had won countless honors for Light Hymn Academy in intercollegiate competitions. Their brilliance had made them famous far and wide. During those four years, Light Hymn Academy had practically monopolized first place in every competition. No one knew how many students had idolized the two of them to the point of worship.

Yet Osari, once destined for a brilliant future, had vanished after graduation. Five years later, he had reappeared like this. His strength was gone, his former glory had faded, he had supposedly been abducted by human traffickers, and when faced with a challenge from someone he had once defeated, he was powerless even to retaliate.

Just how much had this man sacrificed? How many years had he endured everything in silence? Was it truly worth using his own body as the price for drawing demonic energy out of others? Most people invaded by demonic energy were weak-willed or harbored darkness in their hearts. Was sacrificing everything he had to save their lives really worth it?

He had once possessed extraordinary talent, limitless prospects, and formidable strength. Someday, he might even have become a great leader in his own right. Now, all he could do was push a little cart around and earn a modest living selling boxed lunches every day. (Shang Ke: Correction. My profits are definitely not “modest.” Please don’t underestimate my boxed lunches, okay?)

Seeing him humiliated by Captain Max just now had made Kaiser indescribably furious.

He desperately wanted to rush out and tell everyone, Osari isn’t weak. He’s stronger than any of you! But he was afraid of bringing Shang Ke trouble. After all, people had always feared those who carried demonic energy within them. Their rule for dealing with the corrupted was brutally simple—if they could not be cured, they were killed.

Kaiser opened his mouth, wanting to ask: Do you really not care at all?

Shang Ke turned back toward him with a smile. “Kaiser, shall we go home?”

His smile was like warm sunshine in winter. His eyes were bright, without the slightest trace of despair, sparkling like brilliant gemstones.

At that moment, all the anger and injustice Kaiser felt suddenly evaporated like mist.

People often said that those who were pitiful usually had something hateful about them as well. But a truly strong person did not need anyone’s pity, because he had never once lost his courage or his hope.

“Mm. Let’s go home.” Kaiser smiled with an almost bashful softness, his eyes stinging slightly. He took Pupu’s small hand and walked beside Shang Ke, slowly heading home.

Someday, everyone will understand just how strong this man truly is. His strength does not lie in force, but in his heart.

“I still can’t believe that man is really Osari—the same Osari who used to be mentioned alongside you.” Quincy looked astonished. “How did he end up like this?”

Tylor leaned against a tree trunk, silently watching their retreating figures disappear into the distance.

Quincy continued, “If I were him, I’d probably never set foot in the Imperial Capital again. I’d be too embarrassed to show my face.”

Tylor glanced at him, then turned and walked in the opposite direction.

“Hey, wait!” Quincy failed to notice Tylor’s expression and continued enthusiastically, “I bet by tomorrow the entire academy will know. A former genius reduced to selling food on the street—who knows how many people will come just to stare…”

Just as Quincy predicted, Osari’s identity quickly became common knowledge. The famous Lunch Box Prince was actually Osari—the genius who had once won countless first places for the academy.

The revelation caused a sensation throughout the academy. The very next day, students flocked over in droves to see for themselves.

Shang Ke did not hide indoors after his identity was exposed. On the contrary, he tripled the price of his boxed lunches and cut the number available in half.

“That’s Osari? My older brother was one year below him back then. He used to talk about Osari practically every day.”

“Did Osari really abandon his faith?”

“Someone like that was actually considered Lord Tylor’s equal?”

……

…

People pointed and whispered about Shang Ke. Some were curious, some excited, some openly mocking, while others simply enjoyed the spectacle of watching a former genius fall from grace.

Kaiser stood behind Shang Ke, unable to understand why he insisted on setting up his stall when he knew people would come specifically to kick him while he was down. Kaiser might not be wealthy, but supporting two more people was still well within his means!

At that moment, several young men approached Shang Ke’s cart. One with a buzz cut said sarcastically, “Senior Osari, we’ve patronized your little stall several times without recognizing you. How terribly rude of us.”

Without stopping the fruit he was carving, Shang Ke asked, “Are you buying boxed lunches?”

“Of course.” The buzz-cut youth exaggeratedly declared, “I’ll buy every lunch you have today.”

“That’ll be 175 gold and 50 silver. Thank you for your patronage,” Shang Ke replied without looking up.

The young man froze. “175 gold and 50 silver? Why is it so expensive? You only have fifty lunches today, and they’re seventy-five silver each. Fifty boxes should only cost 37 gold and 50 silver.”

“The other 138 gold is your IQ fee.”

“IQ fee?” The buzz-cut youth stared blankly.

Shang Ke asked mildly, “You’re a second-year student at Light Hymn Academy, correct?”

“That’s right. How did you know?” He puffed out his chest proudly.

Shang Ke sighed. “You’re wearing a uniform with blue sleeve markings. Anyone of normal intelligence should be able to tell. Unless, of course, you borrowed someone else’s uniform.”

The surrounding students burst into laughter.

The young man flushed red with embarrassment. “I just forgot I was wearing my uniform! What’s so funny about that?”

Shang Ke smiled. “I also know your grades are bad. Oh, sorry—I should say extremely bad.”

“You investigated me?” The young man looked stunned.

Shang Ke sighed again. “Do you really think someone who failed six courses in a single semester is worth investigating?”

The youth had been completely led along by Shang Ke. “How do you know I failed six courses?”

“You told me yourself when you bought lunch from me three days ago.”

“Three days ago?” The corner of his mouth twitched. It was one random comment from a customer three days ago. Do you really have to remember it that clearly?!

“The academy only has nine major subjects, and you managed to fail six of them in one go. That’s impressive in its own way. Charging you a little IQ fee isn’t unreasonable, is it?”

Another wave of laughter swept through the crowd.

The buzz-cut youth was practically coughing blood from anger. A blond man beside him, seeing his companion getting thoroughly humiliated, stepped in. “Osari, you’ve fallen this far yourself. What gives you the right to mock anyone else?”

Shang Ke looked at the blond man, then glanced at the girl beside him. “Your name is Kenly, right?”

“That’s right.” Kenly smoothed back his hair and raised an eyebrow. “I was born into nobility, and my grades are excellent. I’m afraid you won’t find anything to mock me for.”

“Oh?” Shang Ke remained unimpressed. “What about your love life?”

“My love life?” Kenly’s expression changed slightly as he instinctively glanced at the girl beside him.

Shang Ke smiled at the girl. “That necklace is beautiful. Kenly gave it to you, didn’t he?”

“Thank you. Yes, he did.” Momentarily dazzled by Shang Ke’s smile, the girl couldn’t help smiling back.

Shang Ke continued, “Unfortunately, I happened to see an identical necklace on another girl.”

Kenly scoffed. “So what if the necklaces look the same? It’s not as though this design is one of a kind.”

“That’s true. The necklace itself isn’t unique.” Shang Ke shrugged. “Unfortunately, your hands just had to get clever. You engraved declarations of love on both necklaces. The wording is slightly different, but the handwriting is identical. Your girlfriend’s says, ‘I think of you every moment.’ The other girl’s says, ‘I love you every moment.’ I have to say, your vocabulary is remarkably limited.”

The girl stared at Kenly in disbelief. Then she tore the necklace from her neck, kicked him viciously, and stormed away.

“Shanna!” Kenly panicked and hurried after her.

Shang Ke shifted his gaze toward the buzz-cut youth’s remaining companions. They instinctively stepped backward, no longer daring to provoke him for fear that he might decide to charge them an IQ fee too.

“Hahaha!” The surrounding crowd erupted in laughter.

But once the laughter faded, unease crept into their hearts. The necklace was tiny. Just how extraordinary did someone’s eyesight and memory have to be to recognize it? So much time had passed, and the wearer was merely an unrelated stranger. How had Osari remembered such a detail?

Shang Ke ignored the laughter around him and said calmly, “My martial ability may not amount to much anymore, but when it comes to brains and character, I’m still streets ahead of you. Come lecture me after you can earn full marks in every subject.”

A moment later, he stopped carving and slowly raised his head, his bright gaze sweeping across the crowd. “Brutality and ignorance may bring you a moment’s satisfaction, but they can never make the brave submit or the wise bow their heads.”

With that, he gently set the fruit he had finished carving onto the table.

The laughter gradually faded. Everyone’s gaze followed his slender fingers to the fruit.

In the few minutes they had been talking, Shang Ke had carved the fruit into a blooming peony. Layers upon layers of petals unfolded in dazzling complexity, every detail exquisitely rendered. A faint fragrance drifted through the air, refreshing the senses.

The king of flowers—unrivaled by any.

This is… the power of faith!

They could not sense even a trace of the power of faith from Shang Ke himself, yet he could imbue an external object with his faith! So pure, so fresh, so brilliant.

Everyone stared at the plainly dressed young man smiling before them and suddenly felt as though they were gazing up at a lofty mountain—profound and unfathomable. Whatever contempt they had felt vanished.

So this was the bearing of the former genius! Even with his martial strength gone, none of his old brilliance had diminished. Wisdom revealed itself in every casual exchange; elegance flowed through every movement.

Kaiser had been standing behind Shang Ke the entire time, fully prepared to start a fight. Instead, he never got the chance to lift a finger. With only a few sentences, Shang Ke had completely defused the confrontation, gained a large crowd of devoted fans, and gotten every last boxed lunch snapped up at lightning speed.

Hidden among the trees, Tylor stared deeply at the young man surrounded by the crowd. His heartbeat seemed slightly faster than usual.

The Osari Tylor had once known was like a sharpened blade—powerful, but lacking depth. Now, despite his frail body, he resembled a pearl cleansed of all ostentation, its natural luster flowing softly while its edge remained hidden within. It was difficult to look away.

What exactly did he experience to change so completely?

It must have been hardship beyond anything an ordinary person could imagine.

On the way home, Kaiser kept glancing at Shang Ke.

Shang Ke looked back at him. “If you have something to say, say it.”

“Heh, it’s nothing.” Kaiser rubbed his nose, his eyes full of laughter. He was obviously in an excellent mood.

Shang Ke gave him a strange look, having no idea what had gotten into him.

“Shang Ke.” Kaiser suddenly leaned close to his ear and whispered, “Let’s be a family from now on.”

“Aren’t we already?” Shang Ke raised an eyebrow. “Give it up. I have no intention of moving out of your house.”

“Haha!” Kaiser abruptly hugged him, planted a loud kiss on his cheek, then scooped up Pupu and bounded into the courtyard with light, cheerful steps.

Shang Ke wiped the saliva from his cheek in bafflement and cursed with a smile, “Nutcase.”

After that day, Shang Ke’s popularity soared. There were still plenty of people who mocked him behind his back, but no one tried getting physical again. Part of that was because his personal charm had won over a fair number of people, while the other part was that Tylor, Kaiser, and the others had issued warnings.

Kaiser’s warning was one thing, but no one dared take Tylor’s lightly.

And so Shang Ke spent the next several days quite comfortably—selling boxed lunches, teasing Pupu, gossiping from time to time… until, seven days later, an elderly man came to see him.

“Teacher Gamov.” Shang Ke gave the old man the formal salute of a student.

Gamov had been Osari’s mentor and was also the headmaster of Light Hymn Academy.

Gamov stroked his beard and looked gently at Shang Ke. “Osari, how much longer do you intend to keep selling boxed lunches?”

“What do you mean, Teacher?” Shang Ke asked tentatively.

“Come back to the academy. Become a guest lecturer at Light Hymn Academy.”

Surprise flashed through Shang Ke’s eyes. “Teacher, my strength has fallen so much. What qualifications do I have to serve as a guest lecturer?”

“The academy has no shortage of martial instructors,” Gamov replied with a faint smile. “I want you to teach knowledge and pass on culture—not combat techniques.”

Shang Ke fell silent in thought.

Gamov continued, “Of all the students I have ever taught, you are the most outstanding. I believed that before. Now, I’m even more certain of it.”

Shang Ke did not hesitate over Gamov’s proposal for long.

He bowed deeply and smiled. “As long as Teacher isn’t afraid this student will lead your pupils astray, then naturally, I’m willing to give it a try.”

“Hahaha!” Gamov was delighted. Years of estrangement dissolved without a trace over the course of only a few sentences.

Gamov looked at the young man before him with both admiration and regret. He admired his state of mind and regretted the loss of his strength. Although he had no idea why Osari had become so frail, it did nothing to lessen Gamov’s opinion of him. On the contrary, he felt that the Osari standing before him now possessed more of the bearing of a truly strong person than ever before.

News that Shang Ke would soon become a guest lecturer at Light Hymn Academy spread quickly, causing another stir throughout the academy. Supporters and opponents were split almost evenly. Everyone wanted to see exactly what kind of performance Osari would give.

Tylor was the academy’s honorary professor, while Osari was now its guest lecturer. After five years apart, the former Academy Twin Stars had finally come together once more.

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