Chapter 67: How Can Someone Smile So Despicably?

Chapter 67: How can someone smile with such a despicable look?

Just as Qin Zhe was about to subdue Gu Ming, the latter’s expression suddenly changed drastically, and he stumbled backward a few steps.

"Six... Tier Six?"

Tier Six?

Qin Zhe raised an eyebrow and looked down at the phantom cat.

The reason people feared ownerless phantom cats was not because they could manipulate illusions at will.

It was because if their abilities were not deliberately controlled, they would project illusions targeting the deepest psychological trauma within an individual's inner heart.

For Gu Ming to see a Tier Six expert in his illusion meant that he had once witnessed at least one Tier Six individual.

And that person had instilled fear in him, leaving him with a deep-seated trauma.

Moreover, judging by Gu Ming’s reaction, he clearly did not recognize the person he saw in the illusion; they only existed as an impression deep within his memories.

Thus, it was easy to deduce that the Tier Six individual he saw was not Wang Chongguo, but someone else entirely.

This was quite intriguing.

Tier Six beings were the supreme masters of this world, extremely rare in number, and ordinary people might not get the chance to witness one even once in a lifetime.

Yet Gu Ming had actually seen a Tier Six powerhouse other than Wang Chongguo, and had even been traumatized by the encounter.

This roommate of his... seemed far from simple?

Qin Zhe gave Gu Ming a thoughtful look, shook his head, and silently dispelled the curiosity rising in his heart.

Everyone had their own secrets, and digging into a friend's hidden past was a lack of decency; it was better not to probe too deeply into this matter.

Tweaking one of the phantom cat's ears and lifting it up slightly, Qin Zhe said, "Can you dismiss your ability beforehand? He is one of my few friends, as well as my roommate. We'll be spending a long time together in the future, so don't scare him."

Having received this instruction, the phantom cat let out a "meow," broke free from his grip, and light-footedly leaped onto Gu Ming's shoulder.

Immediately after, Gu Ming, who had been trapped in the illusion, finally found release.

As the illusion dissipated, Gu Ming stood frozen in place.

His expression seemed to say...

Where are they?

Where did those two massive figures from just a moment ago go?

Seeing Qin Zhe still standing in his original spot, Gu Ming frowned.

He was not someone completely ignorant of the world, and he quickly realized he had just fallen into an illusion, though he couldn't quite be certain.

Meeting Gu Ming's faintly questioning gaze, Qin Zhe pointed at his shoulder.

"This is Da... Xiao Bai. It's a phantom cat, which I bought at the market yesterday."

"..."

Gu Ming fell silent, gently picked up the cat, and placed it on the floor before speaking.

"Why on earth did you buy something like this? Those things cost a fortune. Where did you get the money?"

"The President gave it to me," Qin Zhe shrugged and said, "Don't worry, I'm not interested in your past. I won't ask, and I won't tell anyone else."

"Mm."

Gu Ming nodded, looking much more subdued.

It seemed that the illusion created by the phantom cat had not only given him quite a scare, but also brought back certain memories he preferred not to recall.

Seeing him like this, Qin Zhe couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt.

After all, he was the owner of the phantom cat, and it was his own negligence in failing to keep a proper leash on his little feline that had caused this incident.

Patting Gu Ming's shoulder in reassurance, Qin Zhe said, "Get some rest in the dorm, I'm going outside to take a look. Judging by the time, the Martial Arts Association people should be arriving soon. Don't forget to come to the martial arts arena later to watch my performance."

With that, he left Gu Ming alone in the dormitory, pushed open the door, and walked out.

Between men, excessive words were unnecessary.

Some things required Gu Ming to walk out of them on his own.

Therefore, Qin Zhe chose to leave without saying too much.

...

At the academy's main entrance, the ceremonial department's high-end, luxurious "star-studded lineup" made another appearance, doubling the headcount from when the Eagle Nation exchange students had arrived.

A total of twenty-four attractive members of the ceremonial department, dressed in various styles of cheongsams, stood neatly in two rows on either side of the main gate.

This sight was not only eye-catching, but it also signified just how much importance the academy attached to the arrival of the Martial Arts Association guests.

When Qin Zhe arrived at the main gate and saw this even more "lavish" lineup than before, his footsteps paused slightly.

Why was it always cheongsams and body-hugging outfits? Could they not come up with a different routine?

As expected, whatever virtues the President possessed, the student council members shared!

Simply vulgar!

A disgrace to public decency!

Cursing inwardly, Qin Zhe very honestly took out his phone and snapped a photo as a souvenir.

Since the appointed time was approaching and the Martial Arts Association delegation was about to arrive, a considerable crowd of students had gathered near the main gate.

As Qin Zhe approached, he instantly drew many gazes filled with "deep concern."

Fortunately, he had already grown accustomed to such treatment lately, and he slipped into the guardroom without batting an eye.

To Qin Zhe's surprise, Li Zongheng and Yu Shuangshuang were actually inside the guardroom as well.

At that moment, Yu Shuangshuang was hugging a large professional camera and chatting with Li Zongheng, her voice and smile remarkably sweet.

In response, Qin Zhe rolled his eyes and paid it little mind.

Originally, Yu Shuangshuang looked like a hopeless fangirl, and since Li Zongheng was a campus heartthrob level figure, it was completely normal for her to be infatuated with him.

"President, what a coincidence that you're here too?"

Greeting Li Zongheng, Qin Zhe ignored Yu Shuangshuang and sat down nearby.

"Good morning."

Li Zongheng smiled and replied, as gentle as ever.

Seeing that someone had walked in and prepared to ignore her, Yu Shuangshuang's temper flared up instantly.

Gnash her teeth and glaring at Qin Zhe, Yu Shuangshuang let out a sarcastic hum and sneered, "Oh, isn't this our big celebrity Qin Zhe! What kind of wind blew you into the guardroom?"

"This isn't your house. I come whenever I please, is that any of your business?"

Qin Zhe curled his lips and retorted tit for tat, glancing at the camera she was hugging, and asked, "Are you planning to change careers and become a cameraman?"

"Get lost!"

Having been repeatedly rebuffed, Yu Shuangshuang was on the verge of exploding on the spot. Eager to pounce and tear him apart but feeling she couldn't beat him in a fight, she simply turned to Li Zongheng and said, "President! Look at the attitude he's using to talk to me! I didn't even offend him, and last time he was the one putting his hands all over me. You need to uphold justice for me!"

"Ahem."

Li Zongheng caught a stray bullet and coughed awkwardly. He looked at Qin Zhe and said, "The Martial Arts Association's visit this time involves a sparring match on the martial arts stage with you. The academy plans to record it to produce reference materials for the martial arts department later on, so Yao Jing asked Shuangshuang to fill in as the cameraman. She isn't planning to switch careers."

"Oh, so that's how it is?"

Qin Zhe acknowledged, glanced at Yu Shuangshuang, and flashed a toothy grin. "Thank you for your hard work."

Upon seeing this, Yu Shuangshuang was beyond furious!

Nothing else really mattered, but the crucial point was that Qin Zhe's smile made her feel utterly mocked.

How could someone smile with such a despicable look?

What bothered her the most was that she had been counting on Li Zongheng to speak up for her, only to find out that his words were merely meant to explain things away. How could a dignified president be so blatantly biased?

Seeing Yu Shuangshuang puffing up her cheeks in utter grievance, Li Zongheng quietly nudged Qin Zhe with his elbow and said with a helpless smile, "She's a girl, the least you could do is yield a little."

Hearing this, Qin Zhe was about to reply when a sudden commotion erupted outside the guardroom.

Hearing the disturbance, the three people inside the guardroom instinctively looked outside.

Following that, the three of them saw an old man and a young person walking slowly along the path outside the school gate, surrounded by a large cluster of reporters.