Chen Shu chuckled, carefully putting away the medicine bottle.
This was his first time independently manufacturing a potion, and though it was a bit unconventional, he still considered it a great invention!
Chen Shu flopped onto his bed. Manufacturing the laxative had completely exhausted him, but for the advancement of global alchemy, what was a little exhaustion?
Feeling a sense of accomplishment, Chen Shu drifted off to sleep, feeling quite pleased with himself.
As night fell, a knocking sound came from outside the door.
Someone knocking so late at night?
Chen Shu's stomach rumbled, so he got up to open his room door.
Teacher Shen?
The finals are the day after tomorrow. If you dare to forget, I'll bury you under the Nan Cang Hotel!
Chen Shu nodded, contemplating whether he should give Shen Wushuang a taste of his laxative. His gaze flickered, a glint of the bandit shining in his eyes.
What are you trying to do?
Shen Wushuang immediately sensed danger and quickly put some distance between them.
It's nothing, it's nothing.
Chen Shu grinned and left the hotel to find something to eat.
The next day arrived, and Chen Shu sat in his hotel room, idly spinning a bottle of potion, anticipation gleaming in his eyes. He dialed a number, which was quickly answered.
A male voice came through: "Hello? Who is this?"
"Hello, are you Xie Fengyu? I'm Chen Shu!"
The voice on the other end grew a little flustered: "Chen Shu from Nanjiang City?!"
Just as Chen Shu was about to reply, the call abruptly ended.
Beep, beep, beep~~
What the heck was that? Hanging up so quickly?!
Chen Shu, refusing to believe it, called again.
After ten minutes of back-and-forth calls, Xie Fengyu finally stopped hanging up.
"Classmate Chen Shu, what is it you want?"
Chen Shu spoke with utmost sincerity: "The finals will be between our two teams. My principle as Chen Shu has always been: friendship first, competition second!"
"Oh, and then?" Xie Fengyu's expression remained unchanged, a hint of wariness already in his mind.
"I'll be hosting tonight. Let's have our two teams gather, just to make friends." Chen Shu finally revealed his intention.
My Bandit Brand Laxative will show its might today!
However, Xie Fengyu's reply stunned him; the other party directly refused.
"Sorry, we might not have the time."
"No, it's just a meal. You can even improve your skills in this time!" Chen Shu advised with deep meaning, lecturing the other party on life philosophies like "more friends, more paths" and "rely on parents at home, rely on bandits when you go out."
Finally, Xie Fengyu, fed up with being pestered, spoke directly: "Our teacher told us to stay away from you. You're too insidious, and you might be up to something tricky!"
???
Chen Shu's eyes widened like copper bells, looking utterly bewildered.
My genius plan has been predicted by someone?!
"Sorry, if you really want to gather, it's not too late after the competition!" Xie Fengyu, seeing Chen Shu fall silent, sensed something sinister.
Beep, beep, beep~~~
The sound of the call ending from the phone finally brought Chen Shu back to his senses.
What kind of teacher is this? They have such little faith in my character. It's an insult to the teaching profession!!
And the worst part is, they guessed correctly!
Chen Shu gritted his teeth. So, all my efforts over these days were for nothing?
Should I put it in the cafeteria of Nan Cang No. 1 High School?
Chen Shu had a wicked thought, wanting to torment the opponent's school. But it seemed like it wouldn't affect the competition, as the Nan Cang No. 1 High School team would certainly not eat in the school cafeteria.
Damn it! I'm so angry!
Chen Shu sighed, carefully putting the medicine bottle away. It might be useful in the future.
Chen Shu spent the entire day feeling dejected in the hotel.
May 11th.
Chen Shu was forcefully woken up by Shen Wushuang. Today was the highly anticipated final!
Regardless of one's profession, people would pay close attention to today's competition. Even ordinary people were extremely interested in the battles of beast tamers. To a certain extent, today represented the peak level of the younger generation in Nan Cang Province!
The Dou Ling Arena was already packed to the brim. Although the competition hadn't started, the venue was still incredibly lively. Undoubtedly, even in previous competitions, today's beast tamer match was exceptionally exciting and a rare encounter, a battle between Nan Cang City and other cities! Normally, by the time the finals arrived, it was an internal competition within Nan Cang City!
The host, with a sweet smile, walked onto the competition stage. The crowd buzzed with discussion, eagerly anticipating today's battle.
Meanwhile, in the lounge area, only the teams from Nanjiang City and Nan Cang No. 1 High School remained! The other teams had become spectators and were no longer lingering in the contestant area.
"Chen Shu, thank you for your invitation yesterday. Regardless of the outcome, I hope we can still be friends!" Xie Fengyu of Nan Cang No. 1 High School walked over with a friendly smile. Despite their sharp edge, the three of them were humble and gentle. The pride of a genius was confidence in oneself, not contempt for others.
"Invitation? What invitation?" Shen Wushuang asked, slightly bewildered.
Xie Fengyu smiled apologetically and said, "Classmate Chen Shu invited our team to dinner yesterday, but I refused."
Shen Wushuang blinked, then immediately understood, fixing his gaze on Chen Shu.
You actually wanted to drug them? This is ridiculous!
Shen Wushuang shook his head and said, "No wonder you were so listless yesterday. I thought you were depressed."
"Sorry, classmate Chen Shu, I didn't expect it to affect you so much." Xie Fengyu and his teammates looked surprised, then filled with apology. The three couldn't help but think: Was the person our teacher warned us about not a bad person after all?
Shen Wushuang's mouth twitched, and he gave an awkward smile.
"You're so young. You thought Chen Shu was depressed because he couldn't invite you to dinner?" He remained silent, unwilling to reveal the truth. If the three knew that Chen Shu was upset because his drugging plan had failed, they would likely put on a sudden display of changing faces.
Just then, the host was about to commence the competition: "Today is the beast tamer finals that everyone has been looking forward to! On one side is Nan Cang No. 1 High School, the perennial champions, and on the other is the biggest dark horse of this tournament, the Nanjiang City team! Will the old king reign eternal, or will a new king be crowned? Let's wait and see! Please welcome our two most dazzling teams of the day!"
In an instant, the atmosphere in the Dou Ling Arena reached its peak!
"Go Nan Cang No. 1 High School! Go genius Xie Fengyu!"
"Go Nan Cang No. 1 High School! Go genius Xie Fengyu!"
The supporters of Nan Cang No. 1 High School cheered loudly, their crushing victories along the way having attracted a large fanbase. Strength was indeed the ultimate principle!
However, the cheers for Chen Shu immediately drowned out the previous voices.
"Nanjiang Bandits, charge! Crush Nan Cang No. 1 High School!"
"Crush them! Crush them all!"
Listening to the cheers, Chen Shu couldn't help but feel a jolt. He hadn't expected "Nanjiang Bandits" to be so popular! Although the language was a bit crude, their momentum was strong! Chen Shu hadn't hired paid cheerleaders today because it was the finals, and the prices were outrageously high. He was afraid the principal of Nanjiang No. 2 High School would expel him.
The supporters of both teams continued to shout, stirring the blood and filling the Dou Ling Arena with a palpable fighting spirit.
"Youth is wonderful." Wang Qing, in his private box, looked towards the Dou Ling Arena and remarked.
The players of both teams returned to their respective positions and bowed to each other, showing mutual respect. Chen Shu's eyes darted around. If it weren't for the public setting, he would have probably put a urea bag over the other person. Battle, after all, required surprise!
"Don't get impulsive!" Xia Bing and Xu Xiaoyu, clearly having received instructions from Shen Wushuang, held his arms tightly.
Tens of thousands of people were watching in the Dou Ling Arena, and with online streaming and media coverage, the number of viewers was likely unimaginable. If Chen Shu truly acted, he would instantly become famous nationwide.