A Good-for-Nothing

165. A Practical Training Session (1)

Translator: Dragon Rider

Their training course was going to last three days: one day of classroom-based lectures, and two days of field practice. After the torturous lecture given by Zu Zhichong in the morning, all of them were exhausted. They were very envious of Qiu Luo and Jin Qianlai, both of whom had been assigned elsewhere at the request of higher-ups and were exempt from such torment.

He Zheng, Lin Zhuo and Wei Cheng intended to go outside to have lunch first. As luck would have it, they encountered Chen Qianlin and his cronies once again in the restaurant.

The dozen remaining trainees had divided into two groups. One of them consisted of disciples of large, famous sects, and the other one Yōkai in human form, disciples of obscure sects and people like He Zheng who started cultivating rather late.

In fact there hadn’t really been any conflicts between the two cliques, but He Zheng and Chen Qianlin darkened their faces at the sight of each other. Lin Zhuo subconsciously pressed a hand onto He Zheng’s shoulder for fear that he would lose his temper.

He Zheng rolled his eyes upwards. The two of them walked past each other, pretending not to notice.

After lunch, He Zheng looked at the wall clock and then went to Li Zong’s office.

Li Zong, who seemed to have just returned, told He Zheng to make a phone call to Old Master Zhu first.

Realizing that he’d forgotten to inform his grandfather, He Zheng hurriedly dialed his number.

The ringtone had started no sooner than Old Master Zhu answered the call, as if he’d been waiting for it.

Old Master Zhu sounded somewhat cautious. “How have you been, Zheng?”

Even though this was just a phone call, the old man’s tone was quite tentative, because he was worried that He Zheng might be upset. He Zheng felt as if something had just abruptly clutched at his heart. He leaned against Li Zong’s desk, the mutinous curves of the corners of his mouth softening. With a tender look on his face, he said in a low voice, “I’m fine.”

“That’s good. That’s good.” The old man hesitated for a few moments and then ventured, “Would you like to come over and stay in grandfather’s place for a couple of days?”

He Zheng flicked a glance at Li Zong, gave a smile and said jokingly, “Li Zong won’t let me.”

The old man on the other end of the phone briefly paused in surprise and then burst into chuckle. Fully relaxed, he said, “With Supt. Li by your side, I have nothing to worry about. I think I’ll just let you be.”

“There’s indeed no need for you to worry about me, Grandfather. I’d been meaning to disown He Changchun for years. I’m not upset about it at all.”

Old Master Zhu said, “Your thoughts were never secret to me.”

Then he added, “Rest assured, we’ll always be there for you, whatever the circumstances. Grandfather and your uncles will do everything we could to help you when you’re in need.”

“I know.” He Zheng raised his head, staring at the ceiling, his eyes burning somewhat. “Given the time, maybe you should go and take a nap.”

“Okay. It’s reassuring to know that you’re fine. I’ll leave you to do what you’ve got to do.”

After he hung up the phone, Li Zong rubbed He Zheng’s head and handed the conveyance to He Zheng.

“I’ve got all your mother’s and your stuff packed and brought over.”

And then he added, “We’re going to move to another house in a few days. There’s nothing we need to take with us. We’ll just buy new ones.”

Half-listening, He Zheng glanced through the papers. The long property list gave him headaches and he simply tossed it to Li Zong, raised his eyebrows and asked in confusion, “I’m pretty comfortable with the apartment we’re living in. Why do you want to move to another place?”

Li Zong couldn’t help smiling, “Because I don’t want to hear anybody else say that I don’t care about you, that I have you live in a small house.”

He Zheng snickered.

He didn’t really care about what kind of house he lived in. As long as Li Zong was with him, anywhere was fine by him.

He Zheng sat down on the desk. Li Zong, who was good-tempered, didn’t tell him to get down. He Zheng gazed into Li Zong’s eyes. Li Zong had a prominent nose and deep eyes, looking very physically attractive. His forehead against Li Zong’s, He Zheng let out a long sigh.

‘I’ll guide you through hardship to happiness. I’ll shelter you from wind and rain.’

He didn’t know why Li Zong was so good to him, but he… like it very much.

He Zheng was eager to say something to lighten his foul mood. His lips slightly moved.

And then he said, “Will protect me like your wiener?”

Li Zong, “…”

Not having heard a reply, He Zheng blinked in disgruntlement and gave Li Zong a push. “Answer me.”

As an experienced official and a pragmatist, Li Zong preferred to respond with action.

In the afternoon, when Zu Zhichong was animatedly giving them a lecture, all trainees, heads on desks, were as dejected-looking as though they were waiting for death.

He Zheng was more tired than all the others. Li Zong indeed would “protect” him better than he would his wiener.

He Zheng put his head on the desk, drowsy. Zu Zhichong on the platform was still trying to create a personality cult.

“Now let me tell you something about the most powerful ones of the younger generation of SMB staff members – of course, I’ll leave the couple of directors of the Counter-demon Committee out of this. I’d like to talk about the leaders of the three action groups. Li Zong, the leader of the first action group as well as my boss, is one of the toughest in the world. As regards the second action group, well, currently they’re all in the south-west, so it’s pointless laying unfavorable comments on them. And then there’s the leader of the third action group. He’s pretty good as well. It’s just that he’s a little inflexible, not sharp enough.”

A swarthy-skinned man walked into the classroom. Zu Zhichong, talking himself out of breath, was totally oblivious of this. “Who did you just say is not sharp enough?”

Zu Zhichong abruptly broke off.

Xiang Hailou glanced across the sleepy trainees in the classroom and heavily smacked a palm onto the lectern, which instantly broke apart with an almighty bang that gave everybody a start. All trainees immediately sat bolt upright, staring at the swarthy-skinned man as though faced with a formidable enemy.

“Allow me to make a self-introduction. I’m Xiang Hailou, the leader of the third action group whom he just said is not smart enough. Now tell me – do you want to stay here listening to his nonsense, or do you want to finish this damn lecture and start field practice with me?”

Everybody’s eyes instantly lit up. He Zheng was very curious about this man who claimed to be the leader of the third action group, and whom he’d seldom heard anybody mention.

Zu Zhichong yelled unhappily. “Hey, hey, hey, Lao Xiang, be reasonable, will you? This is my lecture!”

“In which you teach them how to snooze?” retorted Xiang Hailou sarcastically.

Zu Zhichong was filled with indignation.

Xiang Hailou continued crisply, “Those who agree to skip to field practice, raise your hands.”

All trainees put their hands up.

Zu Zhichong was losing his marbles from anger.