Because he would be leaving China at the end of the month and heading to the global headquarters of the Limits Dojo, Luo Feng spent most of his time at home during this period, accompanying his parents and younger brother. Although his father Luo Hongguo, mother Gong Xinlan, and younger brother Luo Hua were reluctant to see him go, they did not want to hinder Luo Feng’s promising future.
On 12 March, Luo Feng gathered with his teammates from the Fire Hammer Squad. They first sold the monster materials they had obtained from previous hunts. Since this was the last time the Fire Hammer Squad would be selling monster materials together, Luo Feng proposed that the money be divided equally among all five members. The total sale amounted to just over 800 million Chinese dollars.
Logically, Luo Feng had contributed the most and should have received the largest share, over 300 million.
However, everyone understood that Luo Feng was leaving the Fire Hammer Squad, while the older members, Chen Gu, Wei Tie, and Wei Qing, were also preparing to retire. The Fire Hammer Squad was naturally coming to an end. For Luo Feng, it had been a normal half year of life in a martial artist squad, but Gao Feng, Chen Gu, and the others had spent much longer in such teams.
Everyone’s emotions were complicated.
Luo Feng’s suggestion to split the money equally immediately gained Gao Feng’s approval. Since Luo Feng and Gao Feng were entitled to the largest portions, once they agreed, Chen Gu, Wei Tie, and Wei Qing stopped objecting. Each person received more than 170 million.
That evening, the Fire Hammer Squad drank together until three or four in the morning. The next day, they boarded trains and returned to their respective homes.
From that moment on, the Fire Hammer Squad was officially dissolved.
Chen Gu, Wei Tie, and Wei Qing retired. Luo Feng was about to leave for the global headquarters, while Gao Feng would join another martial artist squad and continue fighting.
On 21 March, the weather was bright and clear.
In the main urban district of Jiangnan Base City was the University District, an enormous area containing all eight undergraduate universities in the entire base city.
At the entrance of one of the institutions, the six gleaming characters reading “Jiangnan Second Military Academy” stood prominently above the gate. Numerous male and female students were leaving the campus. Some couples walked arm in arm, while others travelled in groups.
Only one young man stood leaning against the railing of a small bridge near the entrance, watching the passing students.
“Hey, Luo Feng!”
A loud shout came from the distance.
Luo Feng turned towards the source of the voice and saw a slightly thin young man running over along the pavement. The young man looked scholarly and refined. It was Wei Wen, his childhood friend who had grown up alongside him.
“Awen.” Luo Feng smiled as he jogged over. “I was waiting for you at the gate. How did you come from over there?”
“This morning’s academic classes finished early, so I went back to the dormitory. The dorm area is still quite a distance from the campus.” Wei Wen explained.
“Oh, the dormitory area and campus are separate? That’s quite eye opening for someone who never went to university.” Luo Feng joked.
“Damn it, you’re a martial artist and you’re still making fun of me.” Wei Wen grinned and lightly punched Luo Feng’s chest. “It’s only just become spring, and it’s still pretty cold. You’re only wearing a T shirt. Aren’t you cold? As expected of a martial artist.”
Compared with Luo Feng, Wei Wen was dressed much more warmly.
Luo Feng glanced around.
“Come on, let’s find somewhere to sit.”
“Haha, it’s rare to catch such a big spender. This time I’m definitely going to make you pay. Let’s go to that place, Baiye Residence.” Wei Wen immediately suggested.
“Fine. That Baiye Residence it is. Lead the way.”
Baiye Residence was a moderately priced restaurant. A meal for two or three people usually cost three to four hundred dollars.
For students without income, it was quite luxurious. For martial artists, however, it was completely ordinary.
“How many, sir?” the waitress greeted warmly.
“Two. Somewhere quiet.”
The waitress met all kinds of people every day. At a glance, she could tell Luo Feng was different from the ordinary students around him. His sharp gaze alone made her heart tremble slightly, causing her to instinctively lower her posture.
“We have private rooms upstairs. Please follow me.”
“Heh, a private room. I’ve never been in one before. I’ve only come here a few times with my girlfriend, and we always sat in the main hall downstairs.” Wei Wen climbed the stairs with Luo Feng.
“Girlfriend? You didn’t mention that during the New Year. It can’t have been that long.” Luo Feng asked.
The two entered an elegant private room upstairs. After quickly ordering several dishes and a crate of beer, Wei Wen smiled.
“During the New Year, things weren’t completely settled yet. We only officially got together after the semester started.”
“Congratulations.” Luo Feng laughed and clenched his fist. “Less than a year at military academy and you’ve already found a girlfriend. Impressive.”
“I just got lucky. My girlfriend studies at the teachers’ university next door.” Wei Wen opened a beer bottle. “You know how it is. Our military academy has loads of boys and very few girls. The gender ratio is ridiculous.”
“So you found someone from another university?” Luo Feng laughed.
“Come on, let’s drink first.”
The two clinked their bottles and each took a couple of swigs.
“Luo Feng, having a girlfriend isn’t easy.”
Wei Wen suddenly tilted his head back and drank a large amount of beer. His face immediately turned red.
“You know, people are constantly comparing themselves with others. They compare girlfriends, compare whose girlfriend is prettier. But that’s only a small part of it. The most important thing is the atmosphere.”
“The atmosphere?” Luo Feng was puzzled.
“For example, if I take my girlfriend out and don’t choose a nice place to eat, she won’t complain because she’s a good person. But her female classmates definitely will.”
Wei Wen shook his head.
“You have no idea. The way girls play mind games with each other is even worse than us guys.”
“One girl’s boyfriend is the son of some rich family. Another’s boyfriend is a senior martial arts student. They compare everything.”
“Even for my girlfriend’s sake, I have to take her somewhere decent when we go out.”
Luo Feng was slightly surprised.
Having never attended university, he really did not understand these things. Though even in secondary school, some girls had already begun competing with each other.
“And eating out costs money. I also buy gifts for my girlfriend occasionally. In just one month, I’ve spent more than four thousand.”
Wei Wen drained the rest of his bottle. His eyes became slightly red.
“Sometimes my girlfriend even pays the bill for me.”
Luo Feng frowned slightly.
“My girlfriend and I both come from ordinary families living in subsidised housing. How much money can we possibly have? That’s why I’ve been working as a tutor. Unfortunately, I’m not yet an advanced martial arts student, so tutoring doesn’t pay much.”
Wei Wen shook his head.
“I’ve figured it out. In this world, everything comes down to saving face.”
Luo Feng sighed inwardly.
Back then, Wei Wen’s family had actually been slightly better off than his own. During secondary school, Wei Wen had even lent him money.
“After this past month, I’ve realised something.”
“It all boils down to two words, status.”
“This society is all about people stepping on one another. Students from wealthy families always have followers around them. Girls throw themselves at them. The same goes for powerful people who have already become martial artists. Everyone respects them. And people with powerful backgrounds attract students who want to stick close to them in the hope of receiving help in the future.”
“Money, power, strength.”
“People with money have status.”
“People with backgrounds possess power and status.”
“Martial artists naturally have status too.”
Wei Wen opened another bottle.
“So it’s actually very simple. People naturally respect those with high status and look down on those with low status.”
Luo Feng nodded.
He had always thought Wei Wen was intelligent. Although his words were simple and blunt, they captured the reality of society.
“If a rich person loses their money, they’re finished.”
“If a powerful person loses their position, their power may disappear too.”
“Money and power are both granted from the outside. Personal strength is what truly belongs to you.”
“So I’ve reached one conclusion. The most reliable thing is still your own strength.”
He smiled.
“Even a disabled martial artist still possesses formidable power and can become an instructor at a dojo.”
“This relationship has only strengthened my determination.”
“I must become a martial artist.”
“This year, I might become an advanced martial arts student. Hopefully I’ll become a formal martial artist before graduating from military academy.”
Wei Wen raised his bottle.
“Come on, let’s drink.”
Seeing that Wei Wen had not lost heart, Luo Feng felt relieved.
“Alright. Cheers.”
The two brothers chatted, drank, and ate together. After finishing the meal, they ordered a pot of tea and continued talking until after four in the afternoon, when Luo Feng finally accompanied Wei Wen back to the dormitory area.
Outside the dormitory district.
“Follow this road, pass two traffic lights, and you’ll reach Jiangnan University.” Wei Wen pointed down the street.
“Got it.”
Luo Feng took out his phone.
“Calling Xu Xin?” Wei Wen teased.
Suddenly—
Wei Wen felt his phone vibrate.
“It’s probably my girlfriend asking me to have dinner again. There goes more money.”
He opened the message and froze.
“Your card ending in 0306 received a transfer of 6,000,000 yuan at 16:51 on the 21st. Current balance: 6,002,100 yuan. (Bank of Communications)”
“Six… six million?”
Wei Wen’s eyes widened.
To him, it was an astronomical amount.
“Who transferred money to me?”
Almost instantly, he thought of the only possible person standing beside him.
Luo Feng.
Among all his relatives and friends, only Luo Feng could casually transfer such an amount.
“Luo Feng, this was you…”
Wei Wen looked up at him.
Luo Feng placed a hand on Wei Wen’s shoulder.
“Awen, if you’re serious about becoming a martial artist, then focus entirely on it. Don’t waste your time doing tutoring jobs for a little money.”
He smiled.
“Just consider this my congratulatory gift for your first serious relationship.”
“Next time your girlfriend’s classmates start talking nonsense, let’s see what they have to say. A man should stand tall in front of the woman he loves.”
Wei Wen’s eyes reddened slightly.
“Come on, don’t tell me you’re about to cry?” Luo Feng deliberately widened his eyes as if witnessing something unbelievable.
“Cry my arse, you idiot.”
Wei Wen burst out laughing.
For Luo Feng, the money really was insignificant. Killing a single mid level commander class monster could easily earn more than ten million.
“Alright, I’m heading over to Jiangnan University.”
Luo Feng waved and walked down the street towards the university.
Wei Wen stared at the balance notification on his phone.
That staggering six million still felt like a dream.
Only recently, he had been secretly worrying about the cost of dating his girlfriend while pretending everything was fine.
Yet in the blink of an eye, he had received a fortune.