Totem

The true matter of the situation was clear: this written challenge was written by the Sheffield Clan in impersonation of Jiang Nan. The plan to ‘use the Professor as a test subject for their new attack’ had already been put into motion.

However, Jiang Nan was not aware of these things. He spread his hands out, palms up, “I didn’t write this letter, okay? Okay, I’ve been plotted against!”

Weylin was startled, “You didn’t write this?”

“Of course it wasn’t me. Miss Weylin, although the time we’ve known each other hasn’t been very long, just think about my tone of voice!” Jiang Nan pointed towards the written challenge and said in a chiding manner: “It’s true that this is the Rheim Script that I use, but once you look at the word style, is this my tone of voice? Moreover, Gibson is an ‘intermediate rank’ Wind Totem, while I am a ‘primary rank’ Strength totem. As *you say, we differ by an entire rank! Does it look like I’ve lost all reason? Do I look like I’m so tired of living that I’m challenging an intermediate rank expert?”

Jiang Nan couldn’t help himself from patting Weylin’s shoulder. This was exactly how he had lectured students in his past life, “Miss Weylin, you must think a little more. What you see is not necessarily the true fact of the matter.”

Pa!

Weylin slapped Jiang Nan’s arm away, “Frankly speaking, *I am still not at the level where I need you to lecture me. However, you really didn’t write this letter?”

“Is there a need for me to deceive you?”

Weylin smiled bitterly, “Since you didn’t write it, then it is definitely…. F***! There are people scheming against you, scheming against West Farms!”

After she finished speaking, the two of them sank into silence.

They were both considering the situation. There was a person who wished to incite a death match between the Professor and Gibson. In addition, upon further thought regarding the Professor’s level, this instigator’s goal was clearly to kill the Professor by borrowing Gibson’s hand.

But….

Exactly who was the instigator?!

Lola had also reached this conclusion, “Miss, who would frame us? Is it Madame Suzanne?” She gazed worshipfully at Jiang Nan, “Hmph, it’s definitely because Madame Suzanne is jealous of Lord Professor’s alliance with us. She wants to use Gibson to kill our Professor.”

Weylin’s brows knitted together, “It’s true that Suzanne is the most likely suspect, but…. *I truly have too many enemies. It may not be her, it really may not be her….”

The elderly manager’s face also scrunched up in concern, “Miss, the issue of the instigator’s ident.i.ty can be investigated slowly. The most important thing right now is how we should respond to this written challenge.
This written challenge has already been distributed throughout the entire city. If we were to say that this letter was a forgery…. I’m afraid West Farms’ prestige would topple to the ground. On top of that, Lord Professor probably would not be able to show his face around Sun City anymore.
However, if we were to admit that this letter was in fact written by the Professor…. the Professor will have to accept the challenge and go fight a death match!
Ai, there’s no room to advance or retreat!”

For a time, everybody’s eyes hovered on Jiang Nan.

Weylin spoke, “Professor, you are a victim of this impersonation. *I will respect your decision in regards to whether you want to announce the letter as a forgery or go fight Gibson. Everything rests upon you!”

“Alright, I’ll make the decision….”

Jiang Nan picked up the writing utensil and added an additional paragraph of words on the backside of the notice, “My decision is to trouble Miss Weylin to distribute this supplementary explanation to the entire city. Oh, it needs to be sent out immediately.”

The Professor added a supplementary explanation?

Oh, it seemed that he was not willing to challenge Gibson, so he personally wrote an announcement to explain the reality of the situation.

A hint of disappointment flashed across Weylin’s face, but she also knew that the Professor’s choice to retreat was, in fact, the wisest decision. After all, the disparity in rank was clear.

“Lola, immediately distribute the Professor’s explanation to the entire city.”

A crestfallen look also appeared on Lola’s face as she accepted the explanatory announcement, “Lord Professor, I understand *your decision. Miss also often says that as long as green mountains remain, there will always be wood to burn…. Eh?!’

When Lola saw the content of the announcement, she couldn’t keep herself from reading it aloud, “Professor’s supplementary explanation is actually…. The Totem Arena is a place for spectator entertainment. Why must people derive pleasure from a battle that is between us? After thinking the whole night, I would like to relay this Lord Gibson: on the night of Drifting Snow, on the peak of Mount Longinus, come partake in a match between gentlemen! No complaints whether one of us lives or dies!”

The Professor simply changed the location of the fight. He, he actually agreed to the challenge?!

   ……

Correct! Jiang Nan accepted the challenge, but it wasn’t with a muddled mind that he made this decision.

The situation was exactly how the elderly manager had described it, and he was in a dilemma. If Jiang Nan went to fight, he would most likely suffer defeat. However, if he avoided it….

He wasn’t willing to avoid it! If he fled, his newly acquired fame as Professor would be immediately set aflame. Furthermore, Jiang Nan had had enough of the miserable life that was a slave. He was very aware that once he shrunk away from the challenge, he would not merely lose his ident.i.ty as Professor, but also the only recently recovered…. self-confidence and dignity!
(TL: I read the negative comments and reviews about Totem where a lot of readers said they didn’t like Jiang Nan’s slave state and his indecisiveness/stupidity, but this should be a turning point now. I like it because at least Jiang Nan is a dynamic character, rather than a static one.)

Additionally, Gibson was an ‘intermediate rank 2nd level Wind Totem Warrior’. He only exceeded Jiang Nan’s current ‘primary rank 8th level’ by one rank. Such a gap was something Jiang Nan had confidence in challenging!

Dark Steps, Death Armor, and Skeletal Poison Blade. These ghost art skills were things Jiang Nan had never utilized before! And these were the root of Jiang Nan’s self-confidence!

However, the Ghost Mystique Arts were a secret art that could not be seen by other people. Therefore, Jiang Nan changed the location of the duel to ‘Mount Longinus’.

Mount Longinus was Weylin’s estate, so Jiang Nan could ask Weylin to close off the dueling stage. Once Jiang Nan was not Gibson’s opponent and Gibson desired to take his life….

Then!

I apologize, Gibson. I can only greet you with the Ghost Mystique Arts!

Besides this, Jiang Nan had another small scheme in mind: by changing the location of the duel to Mount Longinus, he could proudly and openly request for the map of Mount Longinus on the basis of wanting to ‘familiarize himself with the dueling terrain’.

Weylin shot up to her feet, “Professor, are you really going to accept the challenge?!”

Lola’s eyes also stared widely, but it was a gaze br.i.m.m.i.n.g with concern and adoration, “Professor, y-you must think it through! Things where you try to show off like a hero…. No, no, no, what Lola is saying is that *you are a hero!”

Jiang Nan gawked with a face that said, ‘Eh? You guys have finally gotten over the shock? Alright, I can finally get out of bed’. He opened his eyes dazedly, “Oh, I’ve already written it very clearly. I’m accepting the challenge, but I changed the location of the duel to Mount Longinus.
On the other hand, I need Mount Longinus to be closed off during the duel. Besides me and Gibson, no person is permitted up the mountain! Alright, this isn’t a request, but a requirement, requirement! Weylin, do you understand?”

Weylin nodded dubmly, “I understand. On the night of Drifting Snow, *I can guarantee that n.o.body will disturb your match, but….”

“The situation is already like this! What buts are there to say!”

Jiang Nan cut off Weylin and then continued speaking: “Besides closing off Mount Longinus, I have an additional condition: in order to familiarize myself with the stage’s terrain, I want a detailed map of Mount Longinus!”

“There’s no problem with this. I’ll quickly hand the map over to you…. d.a.m.n it, wait a moment!”

Weylin seemed to have recalled something as she slapped her thigh: “*I nearly forgot! The reason I called you here was not only because of the challenge. Suzanne still has her eyes set on my Mount Longinus!”

“Oh? Could it be that you are preparing to….”

“Correct! *I am currently preparing to take the map of Mount Longinus to have a ‘chat’ with Suzanne!” Weylin laughed aloud, “Professor, your request to duel on Mount Longinus has coincidentally provided me with an additional bargaining chip. However, these chips are still far from enough…. Are you interested in helping me take care of something to increase our negotiatory bargaining chips?”

Jiang Nan’s eyebrows flew up, “Is this a command or a request?”

“This….” Weylin wanted to say that it was a command, but she lowered her head and directed a bow towards Jiang Nan: “Is a request!”

Ehhh!!!

So there comes a day, Weylin, that you actually f***ing plead me!

A small part of the reason Jiang Nan chose to join West Farms was because he enjoyed seeing the person who often mistreated him in the past to plead with him, bowing and fawning to gain favor with him.

Alright, this was the aspiration of a person with low status, but…. What a sin! A sin!

Here is a little secret: don’t ever a.s.sume that Jiang Nan is some n.o.ble and moral anatomy professor! No person would enjoy corpses and organs from birth, nor would any person consider anatomy more important than life by nature…. Do you know exactly what Jiang Nan did before becoming an anatomy professor and a person of model character?!

When Jiang Nan thought about his past, Jiang Nan’s curved with an indiscernible, evil smile. He suddenly felt that after recovering a bit of his self-confidence and dignity, his past self…. seemed to have begun awakening!

Jiang Nan’s forefinger lifted Weylin’s chin up, “My dear Miss Weylin, a bow should not exceed five seconds. This is the most basic of etiquette…. Alright. Exactly what do you want this brother of yours to do to that lady Suzanne?!”