2: Chapter 2 Assassin

"One million, is that a lot?"

"It is a lot."

For an orphan who had to count every penny even when eating synthetic starch meat, this was a massive fortune that could easily knock someone unconscious.

But Su Yu's hand, which had been hanging in mid-air, steadily pulled back at this moment.

He lowered his head, his eyes deep, and the abacus in his mind was clicking away at a frenzied speed.

"One yuan, one year of cultivation."

His current WeChat balance plus the loose change in his pocket totaled three hundred and twenty-eight yuan and fifty cents.

Converting that—three hundred and twenty-eight years of cultivation!

His talent was indeed rotting in the sewer; even with a year of hard training, he could only increase his Blood Qi value by 0.1.

But what if it were three hundred years?

Three hundred multiplied by 0.1—a full 30 points of Blood Qi!

The perfect score for the martial arts college entrance exam was only 10 points!

The pocket money he had, which couldn't even afford a decent meal, was now enough to let him rub the faces of all the martial arts geniuses in Jiangcheng into the dirt!

Since he could pass the exam himself, why sell it?

Compared to a spot at a top martial arts university, which was worth more: one million?

Any hesitation for even a second would be a sign of disrespect to this high-martial arts world!

In this world where giant beasts ran rampant, the true core resources were absolutely monopolized.

The government, the military, and the top noble families held a tight grip on the channels of upward mobility.

What was in a martial arts university?

There were free-to-use gravity chambers! Spiritual energy chambers that couldn't be found in the outside world! Advanced cultivation techniques improved by generations of grandmasters! One-on-one guidance from famous teachers!

If any one of these things leaked onto the black market, let alone one million, countless people would fight to the death for it even at ten million!

Why was the Zhao family willing to pay one million for this spot?

Because they knew better than anyone that the actual value of this spot far exceeded ten times, or even a hundred times, one million!

Furthermore, martial artists were a privileged class.

Getting into a top martial arts university meant being commissioned as an officer upon graduation or entering the upper echelons of society.

Possessing tax-exempt privileges!

Possessing a legal license to slaughter giant beasts!

In this era fraught with crises, this was a "get out of jail free" card that money absolutely could not buy!

Even taking a step back.

Even if he didn't covet these privileges, the martial arts university was currently his most urgently needed—a protective umbrella.

If he took the one million today, gave up the college entrance exam, and then suddenly displayed War God-level strength on the street tomorrow.

That wouldn't be called talent.

That would be called a heresy!

He would be dragged into a secret laboratory by the government in minutes to have his secrets studied under a scalpel.

But if he passed the college entrance exam, entered the martial arts university upright and honestly, and made a name for himself in the university's arena.

Everyone would only exclaim.

"Look, this is a peerless genius who achieved success late in life!"

The government would protect him, the military would recruit him, and the noble families would invest in him.

Before he had the system, he could only watch the spot slip away.

Now that he had the system.

He had the qualifications to sit at the table and eat!

"Su Yu?"

Teacher Li Jianguo watched Su Yu pull his hand back, his brows furrowing even deeper, "Why aren't you signing?"

Zhao Ze, who was sitting on the sofa, also put down his phone.

A trace of imperceptible gloom flashed across his originally gentle and composed face.

"You think it's too little?"

Zhao Ze's voice remained calm, but it carried a sense of condescending oppression, "I'll add two hundred thousand."

One million two hundred thousand.

This was already a sum of cash that many ordinary families would never see in their entire lives.

Su Yu raised his head and, meeting Zhao Ze's condescending gaze, shook his head calmly.

"Classmate Zhao, thank you for your kindness."

"But I won't sign this."

The teaching and research office went silent instantly.

The roar of the old air conditioner sounded particularly jarring.

Teacher Li Jianguo widened his eyes as if he had heard some incredible joke: "Su Yu! Are you crazy? One million two hundred thousand! Do you know what you are saying!"

"I know."

Su Yu's tone was without the slightest ripple, his deep eyes revealing a sense of vicissitude and calmness that did not match his age.

"I want to try it myself."

"Even if I can only get into a third-tier martial arts university in the end, I want to use my own grades to get in."

He wasn't boasting.

He couldn't expose the existence of the system.

A piece of trash with 0.8 Blood Qi suddenly becoming arrogant would only invite unnecessary trouble.

What he needed to do now was go home immediately!

To verify the system's effect! To turn those three hundred-plus yuan into solid, tangible cultivation!

Zhao Ze's expression finally changed.

The polite disguise was torn open at one corner, revealing the cold and ruthless true colors underneath.

"One million five hundred thousand."

Zhao Ze stared fixedly at Su Yu, as if looking at an unappreciative commodity, "Su Yu, one must have self-awareness. Don't think that holding onto a liberal arts score means you can hold out for a higher price."

"This isn't a matter of money."

Su Yu bowed slightly, polite and distant, "Teacher Li Jianguo, if there is nothing else, I will head back to study."

Having said that, he turned and left.

Without the slightest hesitation.

"Stop."

Behind him came Zhao Ze's cold voice.

No longer hiding, no longer gentle.

Only naked threats remained.

"Refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit?"

Su Yu's footsteps paused in front of the door.

He did not look back.

He simply reached out, grasped the cold doorknob, gave it a gentle twist, and pushed the door open to leave.

Bang.

The door of the teaching and research office was closed, shutting that oppressive atmosphere inside.

Inside the teaching and research office.

Deathly silence.

"Snap—"

A crisp sound.

The black signature pen in Zhao Ze's hand was crushed into powder by him!

Sharp plastic shards pierced his skin, and black ink mixed with blood dripped from between his fingers onto the expensive leather sofa.

"Young Master Zhao!" Teacher Li Jianguo was startled and hurriedly pulled out some tissues.

"Get lost!"

Zhao Ze pushed Teacher Li Jianguo away, his chest heaving violently.

He was furious.

He, Zhao Ze, had lived for eighteen years, and it had always been his place to bestow charity upon others; when had it ever been the turn of such bottom-tier trash to reject him?!

Buying a crappy spot for one million five hundred thousand was, to him, an act of charity in the first place!

Not only was the other party not grateful, but they actually dared to storm off?

Want to try it himself?

Even a third-tier university?

"Good... very good!"

Zhao Ze gritted his teeth, a malicious glint flashing in his eyes.

If it weren't for the strict laws of the Great Xia, where martial artists killing civilians without cause was a capital offense, Su Yu would already be a corpse!

The law couldn't kill people.

But there were plenty of things the law couldn't control!

Did he really think his paltry liberal arts score was important? Did he really think that by rejecting the Zhao family, he could safely go and take the college entrance exam?

Naive!

Zhao Ze pulled out a tissue and slowly and methodically wiped the ink and bloodstains off his hand.

Since he refused a toast.

Then he wouldn't get a single cent.

He took out his phone, skillfully flipped to a number without a note, and dialed it.

The call was answered quickly.

"Lao Mo."

Zhao Ze's voice returned to that condescending coldness, "Help me deal with a student. A senior at Jiangcheng No. 3 High School named Su Yu."

"Yes, no need to kill him."

"Find a few brothers with clean hands and feet, put him in a sack, and knock him out."

Zhao Ze looked out the window, his gaze locked onto the back that was walking quickly out on the campus tree-lined path, and a cruel sneer curled up at the corner of his mouth.

"Break his two legs and let him lie in the hospital for half a month."

"Before the college entrance exam ends, I don't want to see him in the exam room."

"Money? Two hundred thousand."

Hanging up the phone, Zhao Ze casually tossed the blood-stained tissue into the trash can.

The dignity of a bottom-tier civilian?

In the face of absolute resources and money, it wasn't worth a damn.