Chapter 208: Heartache, Want to Be Alone
The words fell.
The card in the pocket suddenly vibrated a few times.
Zuo Bufan looked down and took out his student card and glanced at it, exclaiming, "Strange, why is someone sending me credits at this time?"
"What credits?"
"50 credits. I suddenly received a transfer of 50 credits, huh, there's another one, wait, why is there another... and another... did I just suddenly earn 200 credits?"
"Four transfers of 50 credits each?"
Qu Zhengying took a deep breath and asked, "How many students do you have?"
"Four, I just recruited them this year."
"What price do students need to pay if they want to sever ties with a teaching assistant?"
"Not much, just 50 credits... wait..."
Zuo Bufan was stunned.
There was a deathly silence in the linked phone.
"I guess your students have already been surrounded by those angry freshmen."
Qu Zhengying sighed softly and said, "Don't blame them. Being chased and beaten by hundreds... even you would have to flee in panic, but the problem is you can escape, whereas they cannot."
"Am I... am I left alone?"
Zuo Bufan felt an inexplicable sadness in his heart.
Ever since he stepped into the ring with Xu Lingjun, he felt that everything had spiraled out of his control.
Heaven has mercy, he, Zuo Bufan... really isn't someone who bullies others.
How did it come to this?
He couldn't help but choke up and said, "Brother Qu, to tell you the truth, those three people are your students. It's understandable that you'd stick up for them, but I'm also your student. Although I'm now on my own, you can't be biased. To help your students vent, I've... I've lost so much. I've offended so many people all at once, I probably won't get any students in the future, I'm doomed, don't you know?"
"I know, I know... don't worry, I will take responsibility. Asking for your help was my idea, and I will definitely take responsibility."
Qu Zhengying continuously reassured Zuo Bufan.
The pen in his hand spun quickly.
What to do?
What to do, what to do?
Never expected Xu Lingjun to be so fierce, to not show weakness to a Huichuan Realm Martial Artist, he even went as far as to burn his Qi Blood... this, this, this...
This guy is a powder keg, ready to explode at the slightest spark.
How did I end up stupidly provoking him?
And even scolded him... he really blew up on me instantly.
He said, "Go apologize."
Zuo Bufan asked, "What?"
"Go save your students, they're definitely already in the hands of those freshmen."
Qu Zhengying's mind spun rapidly. Being able to achieve the Profound Realm as a Martial Artist while properly managing over twenty students, he naturally wasn't a fool, and quickly came up with a plan.
He asked, "Is Xu Lingjun's life in danger?"
"He only managed to execute one move before being interrupted, he should be fine..."
"Hmm, 'Qiantian Gang Qi' I know, I've also learned this Martial Skill. If only one move was interrupted, it would indeed cause significant Qi Blood damage, even affecting the cultivation foundation, but life remains unaffected, meaning it can still be remedied."
Qu Zhengying said, "What's done is done, regretting is useless. Unless you want those over a thousand freshmen to hold a grudge against you forever, this matter must be resolved. Go, actively save your students, and then in front of those hundreds of students, explain the causes and consequences of this matter clearly. Tell them you didn't intend to bully anyone, and it wasn't your intention for Xu Lingjun to end up this way. What's done is done, and you're willing to compensate."
Zuo Bufan asked dumbfoundedly, "Compensate... compensate what?"
"Of course, you won't be the one to compensate, you've been wronged enough. I have something, I have..."
He lowered his head and opened his safe drawer, inside were two items.
He hesitated and surveyed them for a long, long time.
Finally, he gritted his teeth and clutched one of the items, saying, "I have a Bei Xuanwu Order... just... just..."
Qu Zhengying paused midway, unable to hold back his pained gasp, recalling the over a thousand hours of torment in the past. One must know, although time can accumulate, as one's strength grows, the pressure of staying in the Secret Realm increases as well.
Even for him, this Bei Xuanwu Order wasn't easy to obtain. Especially as his strength increased, the difficulty of the Secret Realm increased concurrently, so the idea of simply "farming time" didn't exist.
But... but...
He bit his teeth and said, "Let's compensate him, with an Ultimate Level Martial Skill or Cultivation Technique. I believe it should be more than enough to cover his loss, he might even profit."
Zuo Bufan couldn't help but be moved and said, "Senior?!"
"This is my responsibility, but I'm really not in a position to show up, so... I'll have to trouble you to take the blame. But since you are already taking the blame for me, how can I let you suffer a loss?"
Qu Zhengying smiled bitterly, "Alas, I just wanted to find Jigsaw, but instead... forget it. In those novels, one often sees a storyline where a senior person takes a liking to a junior and gifts them cherished treasures... I'll just consider myself taking a liking to Xu Lingjun and give... give him my Bei Xuanwu Order."
"Thank you, Brother Qu, I'll go right away!"
Zuo Bufan leaped towards the direction of his students.
His four students should be practicing in the Gravity Room right now, but finding out which specific one will take some effort.
And after hanging up the phone.
Qu Zhengying collapsed powerlessly into the chair, a look of helpless vulnerability on his face.
"Um... Assistant Qu..."
Among the two students listening to his teaching, one asked cautiously, "That Jigsaw, are we still looking for it?"
"Look look look for what?!"
Qu Zhengying suddenly jumped up in anger, shouting, "What am I looking for now? I've already compensated with my Bei Xuanwu Order, what more do you want me to give... my life?"
After venting his anger, he sat back in the chair helplessly and sighed, "I must give a good warning to these three guys, in the future, behave honestly in the Secret Realm and stop snatching other people's things. The robbers will always be robbed. Jigsaw hasn't even shown up yet, and just with Xu Lingjun, I've already been dragged into this... if Jigsaw really shows up, I probably won't end well either. No more searching, the Bei Xuanwu Order is already gone. If they still dare to be dissatisfied? Dare to complain that I'm not making an effort, I'll break all three of their legs."
Saying that, he curled up in the office chair, murmuring to himself, "Oh, it's my fault, I used to snatch things like this, did so many cruel things... no violation goes unpunished, patience is required... in the end, years of hard work benefited others, all effort wasted, headache... heartache... it hurts... leave me be, I want some quiet."
The two students exchanged glances, noticing that something was wrong with the teaching assistant.
Though worried, they could only leave obediently.
Meanwhile...
Zuo Bufan finally found his four students.
Sure enough, those hundreds of freshmen couldn't catch him, so they came here to vent their anger on his students.
At this moment, the four were all bruised and swollen, covered in dirt and embarrassment, surrounded tightly by others.
"Stop, whatever the issue is, come at me!"
Zuo Bufan shouted, rushing in.
With Qu Zhengying's promise, he felt much more confident.
"Assistant Zuo?"
The four students saw Zuo Bufan and couldn't help but light up, a look of guilt appeared on their faces.
One student choked up and said, "Assistant Zuo, don't blame me, really, I didn't agree to disassociate with you at first, but after getting beaten over forty times, I really couldn't take it anymore... mainly because there were over seven hundred more beatings left, and I would die if I endured them all."
"I'm sorry, Assistant Zuo. They said if I still acknowledged you as my assistant, they'd beat me every time they saw me, and they guaranteed that in a year, I'd spend eleven months in the hospital, and the remaining month for admission and discharge procedures. I'm... I'm the hope of my family, I can't spend my days in the hospital."
"Assistant Zuo, you know me, I... I study with them, I have to be in class with them, I'd die if I didn't listen to them."
The four students felt progressively more aggrieved, looking at Zuo Bufan with both guilt and complaint in their eyes.
Why provoke Xu Lingjun in the first place?
"Wow, you dare to show up, at least that makes you a man, but still a bully, beating up Xu Tongxue like that, and you dare to act all righteous?"
From the crowd of hundreds of students, an angry voice suddenly shouted.
He Ziming limped out, furious, "Right now, we may not be your match, but let me tell you, once we reach the True Transformation Realm, once we achieve Huichuan, you won't be able to stay in Bei Xuanwu Martial Mansion anymore!"
"That's right!"
The crowd collectively voiced their agreement.
"I'm sorry!"
But Zuo Bufan suddenly bent over, bowing deeply to the ground toward everyone.
He loudly said, "This matter has hidden circumstances, and I'm here to clear it up with everyone, and express my apologies. If you are still not satisfied after hearing my explanation, I'm willing to pay with my life for a life. Whatever state Xu Lingjun is in now, I will match; if he breaks an arm, I will break my own, if he drops a Realm, I will forcibly drop my own Realm. With that, is everyone willing to hear my explanation now?"