CHAPTER 44 ♦ HELL

Qin Ke Xuan’s journey alternated between her school and the base. She would occasionally head over to the MI6 gathering point to do some missions. The missions at MI6 were divided into five ranks, namely A, B, C, D and E. The further down it went, the harder the missions got. Probably concerned over the fact that she had just joined and was still not very experienced, all the missions she had been involved were only A and B. She had not participated in anything above B to date.

That day when Condor Team A had finished their A-ranked mission and was heading back, Xu Tian Xian asked Qin Ke Xuan: “Le Le, is it going to be your finals soon?” 

“Enh.” Qin Ke Xuan was currently using her phone to browse the web. Yin Xu Dong had taught her how to do this not long ago. This had also made things a lot more convenient for her as she would be able to source for information whenever and wherever she was about things she didn’t know.

“Take note then. Remember to properly revise and get a good grade. Even though grades are not everything, it is the standard upon which your basic knowledge is assessed. If your grades are a little too far from our required standard, things will get a little worrying.”

“Enh.” Z L T

“Le Le, you’re a pretty decent comrade so I don’t wish for you to be kicked out of our team. You need to work hard.” Xu Wu said. Xu Qiang also nodded his head silently along, agreeing with Xu Wu’s words.

Xu Mei Li, on the other hand, squashed her entire being over and latched onto Qin Ke Xuan’s elbow, swinging it around. “Le Le, I know you can do it! If you can’t pass this, I’ll be the only female left in our team, nooo! I don’t want to go on missions with this bunch of guys all the time!”

“Enh.” Z L T

“Miss Mei Li, can you not so bluntly pronounce your disdain for us gentlemen!”

“…”

Before Qin Ke Xuan left, she was nagged by them for a while longer. When she could no longer stand them, she pulled open the car door and jumped off, escaping. Z L T

The day of her finals dawned very quickly. The SF had very caringly given Qin Ke Xuan a day off for her to revise. She was also not required to attend training on the days she had exams.

Qin Ke Xuan on the other side had long finished reading all her textbooks. Hence whenever she met with questions she didn’t understand, she would ask Yin Xu Dong. When Yin Xu Dong didn’t understand them as well, he would run over to the Year Two Class 1 and haul the guy that topped their level over to Qin Ke Xuan and have him teach her. During which, Yin Xu Dong would also very attentively listen on the side. He had not been kidding when he said he wanted to become a military doctor. He had really made up his mind to follow after Qin Ke Xuan, so he was going to do whatever she was going to do!

The innocent guy that had been dragged into the equation out of nowhere to serve as free labour had tried to resist. However, after being frightened by Yin Xu Dong’s bodily threats, and after the teacher he had complained to about Yin Xu Dong’s menaces was thoroughly touched by Yin Xu Dong’s “classmates ought to be nice to each other and help each other out; those with better grades ought to help those with poorer grades and work together to honour the school” speech, he gave in and explained to Qin Ke Xuan and Yin Xu Dong questions they didn’t understand.

“Oi, say why are you two class 15 people working so hard for?” The level-number-one propped his spectacles, gazing at the Qin Ke Xuan and Yin Xu Dong seated before him in question.

“None of your business! Hurry now, what’s the deal with this question?” Yin Xu Dong pointed to a math question in the exercise book.

After the level-number-one explained, he asked again: “How did the pimples on your face suddenly disappear? Even your skin became super good, I don’t see a single scar left behind, what did you use? I want to get rid of mine too.”

Yin Xu Dong after hearing that immediately touched his smooth and soft face in glee, saying: “Really? I think so too… humph! Why should I tell you! Let me warn you, if you’re gonna continue being all fussy and annoying, I’mma kick your ass!” He suddenly recalled the process to how he had gotten rid of his pimples. How, how would he dare speak of such intimate process to another! Or to even let Xuan Xuan do all that massaging to another guy! Just the thought of that had him wanting to beat someone up!

“Tomorrow’s finals, can’t you guys revise on your own? I need to properly revise to prepare for the exams too.” Level-number-one implored.

“Bah! You’d been level number one since Year One! What do you need to revise for!”

Level-number-one became bitter. Z L T

After that was three consecutive days of examinations. When they finished their last subject and Qin Ke Xuan came out of the classroom, Yin Xu Dong and level-number-one, whom he had dragged along, was already outside waiting. Upon seeing Qin Ke Xuan, he waved excitedly. “Xuan Xuan, how did you do?”

Qin Ke Xuan walked over, replying lightly. “Okay.” Other than the weird comprehension questions asked in the language paper that had her utterly confused, everything else was manageable.

“Yeah! In celebration of the examination success, let’s go eat some steamboat!”

It was already winter, so it was the prime time to eat steamboat.”

“You guys go on your own, I’m not joining.” Level-number-one stuttered. 

At that, he was greeted with a chop from Yin Xu Dong, and was howled: “Level-number-one! Didn’t we endure through semester together, why is it that you’re abandoning us when it’s time to have fun?!”

Level-number-one propped up the spectacles that had been slapped slanted by Yin Xu Dong, saying softly: “I, I still have something on…”

“My ass! We just finished finals, what else is there to do!” Yin Xu Dong didn’t believe him at all. Z L T

“He Yi!” 

Level-number-one’s face immediately changed. He immediately escaped Yin Xu Dong’s hand pressing on his shoulders. “I really have something on, I’ll go first.” After that, he walked in the direction the shout from just now had sounded and was hooked away by a few other guys.

“Say, He Yi, you’re hanging around the two of them quite a bit huh, did you perhaps forget something?” The guy who had his hand hooked around He Yi’s shoulders patted his face. “Looks like if we don’t properly remind you, you really are going to forget about us!”

He Yi’s face paled. His head lowered, he tried his best to contain the trembling of his body. He begged piteously: “I, I didn’t forget…”

“It’s not your position to say whether you forgot or not. We’ll have you properly remember it this time.” the guy smiled eerily. “Start.” At that, he, along with the other guys, surrounded He Yi and started kicking and punching.

“Wow wow! Campus violence performance on air here?”

The people kicking and punching He Yi stopped and turned to look up in the direction the voice sounded. A person stood on the wall, and that person was the Yin Xu Dong that had been wanting to go eat steamboat. After about half a year of guidance from Qin Ke Xuan, even though he was unable to jump across buildings and walk up walls, flipping over walls was nothing much to him.

“Yin Xu Dong, you better not stick your nose into other people’s business.” The ringleader said in disdain. Z L T

“To see a campus violence performance right before me, how am I able to ignore it?” A certain campus bully plus problem kid with a heap of ‘criminal’ records bragged shamelessly. “Much less, the people you’re exerting violence on is my mobile answer reference book and all-purpose encyclopedia. What’re you guys gonna compensate me with if you guys accidentally break it… ah!”

Qin Ke Xuan leapt onto the wall, kicking the Yin Xu Dong who was pouring his heart out down. “Too talkative.”

Owing to his not-too-bad reaction, even after being mercilessly booted from the top of the wall to the corner of the wall, he managed to steady himself instead of face-planting the ground. Massaging his butt she’d kicked, Yin Xu Dong complained in discontent: “Xuan Xuan! Girls can’t kick people’s butt!”

“Show me your progress.” Qin Ke Xuan commanded, sweeping a bland look at the few people beneath them. Z L T

“Right on it!” 

After two minutes, Yin Xu Dong patted his hands, then propped on his waist and laughed at the sky. He was finally nearing his goal of becoming invincible after being taught by Xuan Xuan!

Qin Ke Xuan jumped down from the wall. “I’m hungry.”

“Then let’s hurry go eat some steamboat!” Yin Xu Dong followed after her. After a few steps, he turned around and shouted at the He Yi that was still frozen in the corner. “What’cha stoning for? Level-number-one, hurry catch up!”

He Yi looked at the few guys laying on the ground and looked at the Qin Ke Xuan and Yin Xu Dong that were waiting for him, before he followed after them, walking briskly. 

After reaching the steamboat shop and Yin Xu Dong sat down, he began busying himself with putting veggie and meat into the pot. After two rinses of the veggie, he picked it up and placed it in the bowl in front of Qin Ke Xuan. When the meat was almost cooked, he fished it out and placed it in Qin Ke Xuan’s bowl as well. Only when Qin Ke Xuan’s bowl was piled full with veggie and meat did he begin cooking the stuff he wanted to eat.

“Number-one, how did you get yourself involved with those people?” As the ex-number one school bully, Yin Xu Dong recognised the few of them. Even though they were not from Class 15, they were considered students with poor grades in the normal stream. Their behaviours were also not the best, so how did level-number-one get mixed up with them?

“I, I… aye, I was actually classmates with them in junior high. Ever since junior high, he would blackmail me. If I didn’t give them my money, they’d beat me up…” He Yi spoked lowly of his unfortunate encounter.

“Are you stupid! They wanted to hit you, and you actually let them?!” Yin Xu Dong chewed the meat he’d stuffed into his mouth before placing a few pieces of meat from his bowl into Qin Ke Xuan’s. “This tastes good!” Since he’d pledged to be a sis-con, he’d be a good sis-con all the way!

“They were a lot of them, I was no match.” He Yi was very guilty. Honestly, even if it had only been one of them, he would not be able to match up. He wasn’t really good at anything else other than studying.

Qin Ke Xuan ate the little mountain pile meat and veggie in her bowl as she listened to him quietly. Upon hearing that, she couldn’t help but cut in. “If you can’t fight them then be ruthless. The more ruthless one will win.” Unless the other party dared to put their lives on the line, who else would be able to win you? Z L T

“Exactly! Xuan Xuan’s right! All those that bully the weak are only paper tigers. As long as you become fiercer and more ruthless, they wouldn’t dare bully you anymore.”

Following which, Yin Xu Dong’s unceasing flow of words on the art of being fierce and ruthless spilt out as he imparted his knowledge to him.

“I’m going.” Qin Ke Xuan placed her chopsticks down and said to the two of them. From today onward, she was going to spend her winter holiday at the base. 

“So fast? You’re full?” Yin Xu Dong was suddenly regretting bringing number-one, he was even more regretful about chatting so much with number-one just now. It was an entire winter holiday-long period he won’t be able to see Xuan Xuan! “Are you coming back for Chinese New Year?”

“Not sure.” The notice she received was that she had to attend the training at the base before the new semester started.

He Yi was confused. “Where are you going?” Why did it sound like she was going somewhere really far away? Was she going travelling?

“A lot of places.” She wasn’t lying. She would have to travel everywhere should she receive a mission from MI6.

“Oh.” Z L T

“Number-one, you eat first, I’ll be back after I send Xuan Xuan.” Standing up, Yin Xu Dong followed Qin Ke Xuan out the steamboat place.

“The weather’s really cold now, be mindful of keeping yourself warm. If you’re sick, report it to your person-in-charge quickly, don’t force it…” Yin Xu Dong nagged on at Qin Ke Xuan, following her for a distant even after sending her out the entrance.

“You don’t need to send me.” Z L T

“Xuan Xuan…” Z L T

“Enh?” 

“Can… can I… you know… hug you?” Yin Xu Dong looked worriedly at Qin Ke Xuan’s expression for any shift in her expression. He was afraid she’d be angry. “You know, we won’t be seeing each other for an entire winter break…”

“You can.” Z L T

“Enh?” 

“I said, you can hug me.” In the cold weather, Qin Ke Xuans words that puffed a murky white mist covering half her face that made her seem all the more unreal.

Yin Xu Dong did not expect that Qin Ke Xuan would actually agree to his request. Stretching out his hands, he gently pulled Qin Ke Xuan into his embrace. His chin resting lightly on her head, he said softly: “I’ll miss you.”

“Enh.” Qin Ke Xuan pushed him away. “I’m going. Study hard, it’s pretty hard for you to become a military doctor with your current grades.”

“Oh.” Yin Xu Dong sobbed internally. It was absolutely not comforting to hear such words when he was being all reluctant to part with her! “You definitely need to request for a leave from your officer or something and find a way to come back once!”

“I’ll try.” 

“Hurry go then, it’s getting dark. The base’s very far too.” Yin Xu Dong started worrying about the dangers she might meet with in the dark and started urging Qin Ke Xuan to hurry leave.

When Qin Ke Xuan reached the base, she received the notice to bring her gear and go over to where the Tercel Battalion was stationed at. And so, she carried her large backpack and boarded the vehicle that drove towards the SF Battalion base. 

When she reached the Tercel Battalion base, she jumped off the vehicle, alighting. There were two SF soldiers standing before her. One of them with a serious expression on gave Qin Ke Xuan a military salute. Following which, he revealed a row of pearly whites. “Welcome to hell!”