"And you still say you're not a professional beggar? You even know Chinese!" Lu Mingfei felt like Sherlock Holmes. He turned around and saw a tall, burly young man staring at them with eyes full of longing. The man wore a dark green plaid shirt and loose, sloppy cargo pants that looked like they hadn't been washed in ages. As the saying goes, never mess with American bums-you never know if they're retired special forces. Lu Mingfei's voice immediately dropped.
"Finger von Frings, from Germany. I'm really not a beggar. I'm a pure college student!" Finger pulled out a textbook as thick as a dictionary from his bag, clearly trying to prove his identity.
The book looked old. The title was written in a mix of English and Latin. Lu Mingfei felt like he'd seen that script somewhere before and subconsciously looked at Morin.
"History of the Dragon Race," Morin read it out word by word.
"Holy crap!" Finger cursed and immediately hid the book, glancing around like a spy before turning back. "You can read that?"
"Of course," Morin nodded. "After noticing Latin on the academy notice, I spent two days learning it before coming here. For a student, mastering a foreign language in two days is perfectly normal, right?"
"Hiss-" ×2.
Finger and Lu Mingfei both sucked in cold air at the same time.
"Normal my ass! Are you even human?"
"You're talking as if you two are normal," Morin replied calmly.
"Shh-did no one teach you not to say things like that out loud?" Finger said sternly, like a strict instructor.
"I'm an orphan," Morin said matter-of-factly. Finger froze on the spot. "I figured that out myself."
"It's over! I'm so sorry!" Finger immediately clutched his head, wailed briefly, then bent into a ninety-degree bow. "Please forgive me!"
"Bowing like that is Japanese," Lu Mingfei kindly reminded him.
"I never passed cultural studies, but the meaning's the same!" Finger pulled out a black magnetic card. Its surface bore a complex silver engraving of a towering, lush tree. "Shall we introduce ourselves?"
"Morin. First-year freshman." Morin handed over his card.
"Lu Mingfei, first-year freshman!" Lu Mingfei followed suit.
"Just call me Finger. Eighth-year senior!" Finger looked like he was about to cry from joy as he grabbed both their hands. "I've finally met my people! Can you lend me a dollar for a Coke?"
So he really is a professional beggar... Lu Mingfei grumbled inwardly. Then something else hit him. "Eighth year?!"
Was this some legendary combined master's and PhD monster?
Lu Mingfei's gaze toward Finger instantly changed. The bird's-nest hair and sloppy clothes suddenly looked like proof of obsessive research. This was exactly how a legendary scholar should look!
"I don't know what you're imagining," Finger said tearfully while accepting the money Morin handed him, "but it's definitely not that." He slapped Lu Mingfei's shoulder enthusiastically. "The program's four years. I got held back until my eighth!"
Right. He forgot.
Bird's-nest hair and sloppy clothes also belonged to ultimate losers.
...
"Is Cassell College really that hard to graduate from?" Lu Mingfei asked nervously. Finger didn't look stupid. If he couldn't graduate, didn't that mean the place was hell? Was he doomed?
"It's hell, brother!" Finger gulped down half a Coke and wailed. "Literal hell! Like climbing a mountain of blades or diving into a sea of fire!"
"Hiss!" Lu Mingfei immediately recalled Morin calling Cassell a terrorist nest. Was that literal?
"But exams are tailored," Finger added. "Good at combat? Physical exam. Good at literature? Literary exam. Someone like Morin can breeze through!"
He burped.
"After all, people who can learn a foreign language in two days are rare!"
"You actually believed that?" Lu Mingfei stared at him. "You can't even finish the reading materials in two days!"
"You don't know?" Finger looked at him strangely.
"Know what?"
"You'll find out during freshman orientation." Finger waved it off. "Unless you're willing to buy me a burger..."
"Forget it. Do I look like someone who bribes?" Lu Mingfei said righteously, then turned. "Boss, hungry? Want me to buy you a burger?"
"The Dragon Race has an ability called Yan Ling," Morin said calmly, dodging Finger's reaching hand. "Mine boosts my brain to supercomputer levels."
"Fine, fine, small detail!" Finger quickly backed off. "We're not supposed to say that outside, but it's fine-you're not enrolled yet!"
"What about you?" Lu Mingfei asked.
"Me? I'm an eighth-year senior. Oldest of the old guards," Finger said proudly. "Some teachers have less seniority than me!"
Why are you proud of that?! Lu Mingfei screamed internally.
"Buy me a burger and I'll tell you anything," Finger rubbed his hands. "Even the color of the Principal's underwear!"
"So you weren't worried about punishment," Lu Mingfei squinted. "You were worried you'd lose leverage for a burger?"
"Leave room for future encounters!" Finger gulped Coke, muscles bulging. "We're all friends-don't expose the hustle!"
"But do you seriously know the Principal's underwear color?"
"Of course not!"
"Then why say it?!"
"I never said my info was guaranteed!" Finger laughed. "Don't believe me? Go pull his pants down and check!"
"Scammer! Total scammer!" Lu Mingfei hopped in place.
"I'm Cassell's Number One Know-It-All! I even know every girl's measurements!"
"You're a creep!"
"Please call me Cassell College's Number One Paparazzo."
...
"You mentioned a train," Lu Mingfei said through a mouthful of burger. "I asked the staff. No one knows about the CC1000."
"Cassell isn't normal, so neither are its trains," Finger said. "No train, no entry-unless you use a helicopter. That's for high-ranking people only."
"High-ranking?" Lu Mingfei froze.
"Ranks. Like nobility. A, B, C. I'm F." Finger pointed at himself with a chicken leg.
"Why do you sound proud..."
"If that's the case," Morin said after a bite, "I'm A-rank."
"I knew it!" Finger lit up. "I'm riding the express with you today!"
"What about me?" Lu Mingfei pointed at himself. "I'm S!"
"Don't joke!" Finger waved him off. "There's no S-rank students. If you were S, you'd already be on a private helicopter!"
"Pull out the notices," Morin stood. "Helicopter! This is a scheduling error! We can complain! Get compensation!"
"Brilliant!" Finger jumped up. "Smart people really know how to profit!"
After checking, Finger froze.
"It's real... This is a once-in-a-century error!"
"So how do we complain?" Lu Mingfei was thrilled.
"Easy," Finger spread his hands. "You don't."
"What?!"
"Norma handles scheduling. Norma has no concept of error." Finger shrugged. "We wait for the train, then extort compensation later."
"That's not extortion," Morin corrected. "It's reasonable compensation."
"Right. Educated people."
"So we just wait?" Lu Mingfei slumped.
"There is one way." Morin raised a finger.
"We're listening!"
"Hack Norma."
"You say that like strolling into the Pentagon," Finger laughed.
"Great minds think alike!" Lu Mingfei admired him.
"Easier way." Morin pulled out his phone.
"What?"
"Call someone inside."
Far away, deep in the mountains, a bell rang in a vine-covered lecture hall.
"Right!" Finger slapped his head. "Why didn't I think of that?!"
"I finally get why you were held back four years," Lu Mingfei said.
"You didn't think of it either!"
"The Boss handles brains and brawn," Lu Mingfei declared. "I lie flat and look cute."
"If you were a girl, maybe," Finger snorted, then leaned in. "Whose number does your Boss have?"
"Top-tier intel," Lu Mingfei whispered. "Know why I call him Boss?"
"Go on."
"Because he used his good looks to get info for me..." Lu Mingfei looked moved. "So loyal!"
"What a tragedy!" Finger roared. "Who's the girl? I must expose this!"
"Just kidding!" Lu Mingfei coughed. "They just seem close. Good relationship."
"Ohhh." Finger nodded. "Name?"
"NoNo. Or Chen Motong."
"Hiss!"
"If that NoNo..." Finger stiffened. "She's Caesar Gattuso's girlfriend. Student Union President. Super-rich heir. Board of Regents family. Tall. Handsome. Strong."
"What?!"
A voice spoke behind them.
"What are you talking about?"
Morin stood there, phone in hand.