Chapter 5: A Small Punishment
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor: Sparrow Translations
The nosy students, who were at the doorway, witnessed Ling Yun’s overbearing and powerful manner. They were all shocked that Ling Yun had undergone such a huge change in such a short period of time and they were thus reluctant to provoke him. They had no choice but to leave and go back to their hostels.
It was truly a transformation from a sheep into a ferocious tiger. Ling Yun, who had been bullied by everyone for two years ever since stepping into high school, suddenly exploded. He even had the guts to step on Wei Tiangan and slap Jia Meng. This was definitely big and sensational news in the school!
Jia Meng felt even more afraid when he noticed no one else was around him and he was beyond hesitant. He slowly shuffled forward while uttering in a cowardly manner, “Chai Hanlin…We’re cla.s.smates, right? You…You have a good relations.h.i.+p with Ling Yun. Please hold him back a little. I can’t possibly get hit again…”
As bad as Jia Meng was, he was ultimately just a teen studying in school. He was alright with bullying others, but that did not mean that he would not be afraid when it was his turn to get bullied.
However, he was good at choosing people. He knew that if there was one person in the hostel who could save him, it was definitely Chai Hanlin.
Ling Yun glanced at him in disdain and he laughed, “You don’t have to beg Chai Hanlin, if I really wanted to beat you up, no one would be able to stop me. Begging anyone would be useless. Close the door and get over here!”
As he spoke, he lifted his foot off Wei Tiangan’s chest. He then ordered Jia Meng who was still walking towards him slowly, “Help him up!”
In any case, they had already been hostel mates for nearly three years. Ling Yun did not want to take things too far, especially since the college entrance exam was just around the corner. He figured a good scare would be enough.
“You two! Stop pretending to be asleep! Do you need me to go up there and personally invite you down?” Ling Yun looked up and casually said to Gu Yuanlong and Sha Guoxing who were in the top bunks.
Gu Yuanlong was filled to the brim with remorse and he wanted to curse Wei Tiangan to his death. The usual ideas of mocking and jeering were good enough for a small bit of entertainment. Why did he have to come up with the sh*tty idea of locking the door?
No matter who you asked, this idea was unacceptable. Sigh, what happened to this guy tonight? Why did he suddenly become so violent?
No matter what was going through his mind, he could not pretend to be ignorant anymore now that Ling Yun had specifically called him out. He rolled out of his bed while giving an awkward chuckle. He tried to flatter Ling Yun, “Hehe, Ling Yun my brother! Did you call me? I’ll be heading down right now.”
Sha Guoxing rolled his eyes the moment he heard that. Ling Yun’s previous nicknames such as “Fat Pig” and “Useless trash” were all given by Gu Yuanlong. Now, in the blink of an eye, he called Ling Yun his brother! Gu Yuanlong was indeed good at taking sides.
However, he did not have much to worry about. Previously, he had only jeered and mocked Ling Yun occasionally but did not intentionally bully him. It was only because everyone else in the hostel bullied Ling Yun and he was afraid that if he did not join in, it would seem as though he was not manly enough. Therefore, he just went with the flow.
Even though he was involved in tonight’s incident, he was just an accomplice and not the main perpetrator. Judging by Ling Yun’s tone of speech, it did not seem like he was going to take it too far. Thus, he just got off his bed without saying a word.
Jia Meng was terrified after he got slapped by Ling Yun. Now, he knew better than to bully Ling Yun ever again in the future.
Ling Yun returned to his bedside and lifted the bedding before sitting on the bed. The moment he sat down, the bed immediately sunk in and started creaking nonstop.
He casually scanned the four people who stood trembling before him. He sensed fear within their eyes and he knew that he had achieved his goal of exerting dominance. He then gave a slight smile and said, “Don’t stand around. Take a seat anywhere. Let’s have a good talk!”
“Gu Yuanlong, I remember when we first came here, the arrangement was for me to sleep in the top bunk, right?”
Ling Yun had already deduced their names from the previous conversation.
Gu Yuanlong did not expect Ling Yun to talk to him first out of everyone. He barely sat down before quickly standing up again. He mustered an exaggerated smile as he replied, “Ling Yun, my brother, this is all my fault. Let’s see. How about we switch it back? I’ll go pack up my bedding now.” He was getting ready to get off the bed as he spoke.
“Sit your *ss down!” Ling Yun found it hilarious. He felt bad for the previous Ling Yun. If only he had stood up for himself at least once before, he would not have been bullied to such an extent!
“I don’t want to switch beds with you. In fact, I’m afraid I might break the bed and squash you! The reason I’m telling you guys this is to let you know that just because I didn’t bother with the things you guys did to me in the past, it doesn’t mean you all can just walk all over me, understand?”
Ling Yun was about to undergo an insane amount of strength training for the upcoming days, so naturally, he would not bother with who took the top or bottom bunk. He just wanted to point it out to Gu Yuanlong to let him know where he stood.
Who never got bullied in their teenage years? Also, who never bullied others in their teenage years? Ling Yun was clear about his ways. He would not go to the extent of bullying them back.
“I understand, Ling Yun. Back then, it was all my fault, I hope you can let bygones be bygones. I’m sure you’re gracious enough to forgive me…”
“Alright, I get it. You don’t have to flatter me. Just change your old ways and I’ll forget about what happened in the past.” Ling Yun waved his hand and stopped Gu Yuanlong in his words.
“Jia Meng, I know my slap was a little hard. However, for the last three years, I’m sure you’re familiar with how badly you’ve bullied me, more than anyone else. I’d consider it even between us since I slapped you. What do you think?”
Even though it was extremely embarra.s.sing to be slapped by Ling Yun in front of so many people, but objectively speaking, the slap was considered worth it. Recalling everything that he had done to Ling Yun in the past, even if he suffered a broken leg, it would still be considered a light punishment!
Their roles had been completely reversed since Jia Meng was now afraid of Ling Yun. What else could he do other than nod his head in submission?
After he was done with those two, Ling Yun s.h.i.+fted his gaze towards Wei Tiangan who had just stood up.
“Wei Tiangan, I know that you refuse to comply and I do not care about your opinion. There are still two months till the big compe… Err, college entrance examination. After the exam, everyone will be going their own way. I don’t wish to start any trouble, but I’m unwilling to be a pushover and allow you guys bully me however you guys want. Do you understand what I’m saying here?”
Ling Yun saw the humiliation and raging anger in Wei Tiangan’s eyes. However, he was completely unbothered as he had said his piece of mind.
Wei Tiangan’s face was filled with bitterness. He knew that he was no match for Ling Yun at that moment, thus he did not retaliate even after he heard Ling Yun’s arrogant words. All he could do was curse in his heart and ponder over how he was going to regain his dignity.
Ling Yun noticed that Wei Tiangan did not reply to him and casually said, “I’m warning you, this was just a small punishment. I advise you not to try and test my limits again in the future. Otherwise, I will not let you go this easily.”
After he was finished with that sentence, Ling Yun did not spare a glance at Wei Tiangan. Instead, he smiled and nodded at Chai Hanlin, “If anyone dares to lay a finger on you, just let me know!”
After he was done, he got up and dug out his washbowl and towel from underneath his bed. After which, he went straight to the bathhouse to wash up.
From his fragmented memories, Ling Yun did not have much of an impression of Sha Guoxing and therefore, he was completely neglected.
After Ling Yun left, the entire atmosphere of Hostel Room 305 was filled with tension. There was pin-drop silence in the room. No one said a word or made a move.
What is awe? What is arrogance? That was it!
After some time, Gu Yuanlong gave a side-glance at Wei Tiangan and Jia Meng who had suffered quite a bit. With a face full of awkwardness, he said, “Ahem, dorm head, Jia Meng, are you guys alright?”
*Spit!* No one knew if Jia Meng was spitting out residual blood from his mouth or expressing his disdain towards the spineless Gu Yuanlong. He returned to his bedside and s.h.i.+fted his pillow to the other end without saying a word.
At least he knew his place. He knew better than to bully Ling Yun again. Instead, he would be more than contented if Ling Yun did not bully him.
“Hmm!” Wei Tiangan grunted through his nostrils as a reply to Gu Yuanlong. He then took out his towel and wiped the mud off his chest and bed before he went back to sleep.
Ling Yun was was.h.i.+ng up in the bathhouse. There was nothing Wei Tiangan wanted more than to shred Ling Yun into pieces and he could not stop thinking of scheming plans on how to deal with him. However, if he really had to face Ling Yun alone, he would be terrified!
He also could not complain about Gu Yuanlong. Since he was the one who started the whole incident, Gu Yuanlong did not deserve to get a beating along with him. He was also aware that with Ling Yun’s insane amount of strength, even if all four of them tried to fight him together, their efforts would only be in vain!
Sha Guoxing looked at the other three people and opened his mouth, wanting to say something. In the end, he just sighed and quietly went back to sleep.
Chai Hanlin was in complete shock from Ling Yun’s mind-blowing transformation. At the same time, there was a Chinese idiom floating in Chai Hanlin’s mind, “Ten years of hard work was noticed by none, but once honors were won, then his fame filled the lands.” It was only until everyone returned to their beds when he realised that it seemed a little unsuitable.
Instead, the idiom, “Revenge is a dish best served cold!” was more appropriate.
Chai Hanlin thought about it for a while and gently broke the tension-filled atmosphere in Hostel Room 305, “Since all of us are cla.s.smates and hostel mates and we’re all graduating soon, let’s just get along better in the future.”
Apart from it being a consolation, it also cleverly worked as a warning.
“Still refusing to comply? You guys are lucky we’re in this world. If we were in the Cultivation World, regardless of which sect you’re from, you guys would have been beaten out of shape long ago, to the point where you wouldn’t even be able to reincarnate!”
“You guys were lucky that I was in a good mood. If there’s a next time, watch me beat you guys till you run out of tears!”
Ling Yun was muttering to himself as he filled up his washbowl. He was only wearing a pair of shorts as he happily used a towel to scrub his fat body.
Ling Yun thoroughly cleaned his entire body and casually washed his shorts in the washbowl, before flinging his towel over his shoulder and returning back to his hostel to rest.
Before entering the hostel, Ling Yun looked down at his fat-covered body and thought to himself: “From tomorrow onwards, I’ll say goodbye to all of you!”