Chapter 396: The Mysterious Ident.i.ty
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Protoss.
This race ruled over Eastern Jupiter.
Before the Protoss emerged, Eastern Jupiter had developed smoothly from the primitive era to the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, the Iron Age, and then from the Iron Age to the industrial era and the age of firearms… The historical development of civilization in this course was no different from that of Earth.
But by the end of the first industrial revolution, the dawn of peace was hidden from view for a very long time after the eruption of a world war, which brought great destruction and immense casualties.
The Protoss arrived.
They came with an advanced wars.h.i.+p that could destroy tens of thousands of troops at will and compelled all the military powers to capitulate. Then, the Protoss integrated all their resources and power, forcibly synthesizing a federation, a common language, and connecting rails… forging the current Eastern Jupiter into its present state. Of course, in the process, they encountered monumental resistance and ama.s.sed trillions of protestors. But they were all ruthlessly obliterated by the Protoss.
More than two hundred years had pa.s.sed. The rule of the Protoss could now be considered invulnerable.
As the Protoss were scarce in their numbers, the surname of the Protoss was rare… shortly after Li Dong entered the Xihai No. 3 Middle School, he received a lot of attention because of his surname.
…
During spare time between cla.s.ses.
Four girls were seated around one another.
The pet.i.te girl with short curly hair sitting at the first row glanced at Li Dong, who was sitting by the window, and shared gossip. “I heard that that surname, Touki, could only be taken by a Protoss. Ordinary people are not allowed to take this surname… could Touki Ryu possibly be a Protoss?”
“I don’t know.” the blonde-haired girl sitting at the opposite of the short-haired girl said while playing with her bangs. “Pretending to be a Protoss is a crime punishable by death. Besides, the status of the Protoss is way above the n.o.bles, and their power and wealth are unimaginable. If he were to be one, he should be studying at the most superior aristocratic school. Why would he come to such an ordinary high school?”
“Mei, are you saying that…” The girl with a single blue ponytail sitting on the side of the desk also glanced at Li Dong. “The boys may be right. But are there really people who’d rather risk the death penalty to use the surname of the Protoss?”
She was stumped and thought, Is that new transfer student not scared of dying?
“Nanjo.”
At this moment, a girl with wavy red hair stood up and walked to the corner of the third row of desks while smirking. She leaned her body forward and talked into the ear of the girl with long. straight black hair who didn’t seem to be very sociable. “Nanjo, I heard that you’re from a very well-known aristocratic family. You must know some things about the upper cla.s.s. So, have you ever heard of Touki?”
“Y-you—”
The girl with long, straight black hair raised her head violently and slammed her hands on the desk. Her expression was cold as ice and her eyes were blazing with anger.
Everyone in the cla.s.s looked over.
“Feifei, don’t disturb Nanjo.”
The girl with a single blue ponytail walked over and pulled the red-haired girl away. She bowed to the long straight black-haired girl and said, “I’m sorry Nanjo, Feifei was too rude. I apologize on her behalf.”
“This is no big deal~”
Shangguan Feifei pouted and crossed her arms. “Just tell us if you know something, Nanjo, and if you don’t, just say that you don’t. Why do you keep everyone a thousand miles away from you? Is this what aristocrats do?”
Upon hearing this, a few girls sneered, covering their mouths.
The expression of the girl with long, straight black hair became even more ghastly. Her body was faintly shaking as her eyes began to tear up.
Aristocrat?
Due to involvement in a national-level corruption incident, the Nanjo’s were no longer aristocrats, and their head family members were imprisoned. She also had to bid adieu to her comfortable life as a Miss and was transferred to this ordinary high school.
Her rainbow, flamboyant life plummeted into a black and white h.e.l.l, all in an instant. She also had to endure Shangguan Feifei who would often add insult to her injuries. She had had enough. She had had enough of this terrible life…Nanjo Masaharu clenched her first with tears in her eyes.
“Cut it out, Feifei.”
The girl with the single blue ponytail dragged Shangguan Feifei to a corner and whispered into her ears, “Although the Nanjo family has crumbled, they still have some influence in the political arena. Many of their members also have marriage ties with other n.o.bles. If you treat Nanjo like this, you might get yourself in trouble.”
“Trouble?” Shangguan Feifei grinned. “My father is also an aristocrat. He can send me to the best university and arrange for me to join a big company after I graduate. He loves me and mummy, and he is the best dad… my future will be a hundred times brighter than Nanjo Masaharu’s!”
Even if you are just a despicable illegitimate daughter?
Nis.h.i.+hara Kaori muttered this in her heart as she glanced at Shangguan Feifei. She had to admit, even if she was an illegitimate daughter born of an aristocrat’s impulsive desires, her future would indeed still be a hundred times better than that of commoners like them.
Hence, she was warranted in adding salt to Nanjo Masaharu’s wounds.
But next to the Protoss, the aristocrats high above were nothing but dogs.
Thinking about this, Nis.h.i.+hara Kaori couldn’t help but squint at the corner of the last row by the windows. Who are you, Touki? An audacious commoner who is not afraid of death?
But there was something unusual about him.
For example, he was always two hours late for cla.s.s, but the teacher never punished nor criticized him, simply allowing his behavior. Besides, he never concentrated in cla.s.s. Many a time, he was caught absent-minded or even sleeping in cla.s.s, but when the teacher asked him to answer questions, he was able to give the correct response every time. In PE cla.s.s two days previously, Touki even showed off his amazing basketball skills. In a one-against-three, he defeated three basketball players who were rather skilled and earned himself a round of applause.
These far from ordinary performances made it easier for rich imaginings to hatch… especially in adolescent girls.
And so, they desired to unravel his mystery.
…
In the afternoon, after the second period of cla.s.s.
Shangguan Feifei called the short-haired girl to the corridor and arranged a task for her. “Satos.h.i.+, after cla.s.s, go approach Touki and ask him a few questions.”
Denen Satos.h.i.+ flushed immediately. While rubbing her palms together, she said skittishly, “Fei… Feifei, wh… w-why must it be me? Won’t it be really rude?”
“I’ve discussed with Mei and the others. You are the best person to ask him this question.”
Shangguan Feifei looked at her and said, “You are pet.i.te, quiet, lovely, and very popular among the boys. If you are the one to ask Touki, he will definitely tell you a lot of things, including his ident.i.ty.”
“Bu…b-but…” Denen Satos.h.i.+ said breathily. “What if Touki doesn’t like to be questioned? He’ll get angry.”
“Relax. You are the boys’ sweetheart, and you’re so adorable, Touki will never hate you. At most, he’ll politely refuse.”
Shangguan Feifei patted her shoulders. “Satos.h.i.+, this is on you now. This weekend, I’ll take you to a cla.s.sy restaurant and the amus.e.m.e.nt park.”
“Okay, I’ll try.”
Denen Satos.h.i.+ could only accept this task.
…
After school.
In the corridor of the academic building.
Li Dong looked at the girl half a head shorter than him, who was blus.h.i.+ng after asking him a question with an almost inaudible voice.
Li Dong shook his head. “I’m sorry Satos.h.i.+. I’m no Protoss, just a poor transfer student.”