Chapter 59: The Strongest First-Year
Bang!
Zhou Chechen slammed his palm down on the office desk, killing intent surging from his eyes, so palpable it seemed real.
He bit out each word, “Zhang Pianpian, that woman treats Songyang like it’s nothing!”
After being intimidated by Zhang Pianpian today, he felt as if he could already see the gloating in the eyes of the underclassmen and his peers, and sense the severe blow to his own prestige.
Zhou Chechen whipped his head around to face Chu Chengxuan, the student council president, and asked, “President, are you just going to stand by and watch that woman run wild in Songyang?”
Chu Chengxuan, while reviewing a textbook, said nonchalantly, “That woman, Zhang Pianpian… her background is a mystery, her wealth is inexplicable, and she’s a lunatic. Why provoke her?”
“In a little over half a year, she’ll be off to university, and the senior students from the upper echelons will deal with her then.”
Seeing that the other was still engrossed in his book, Zhou Chechen understood that Chu Chengxuan was completely preoccupied with the college entrance exams, university admissions, and interviews; he had no intention of clashing with that madwoman Zhang Pianpian on his behalf.
But at his words, a cold glint flashed in Zhou Chechen’s eyes. “Half a year?”
“Then I’ll just wait half a year before I deal with Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen.”
But for now, in Zhou Chechen’s eyes, both Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen were nothing more than dead bones in a barrow, living only under Zhang Pianpian’s protection. Once that half-year was up, he would strike with a vicious hand.
The one Zhou Chechen had truly set his sights on was still Zhang Pianpian.
As boundless hatred and shame filled him, a thought surfaced in his mind.
University lasts for ten years; the one-year gap between grades won’t be nearly as significant as it is in high school.
Zhang Pianpian, I truly, truly hope… you last until I get into university and catch up to you.
Outside Songyang High School.
Inside a private room in a teahouse.
Zhang Pianpian surveyed the room and said, “There are no issues. We can speak freely here for the time being. There are a few things I need to go over with you.”
“Sis!” Zhang Yu exclaimed, excitedly grabbing Zhang Pianpian’s arm. “You’re really my sister! Having a big sister is the best!”
Just then, a thud echoed.
Zhang Pianpian turned to see Bai Zhenzhen kneeling on the floor.
Bai Zhenzhen declared solemnly, “For this immense kindness today, if Sister will not cast me aside, I am willing to take you as my godmother. From this day on, I am yours to command.”
“Wait… she’s my sister.”
“It’s fine, Yu-boy. I don’t mind the formalities. From now on, I’ll call her godmother, and you can call me Mom.”
As Bai Zhenzhen and Zhang Yu bickered, Zhang Pianpian said flatly, “That bank balance was fake.”
Huh?!!
As the two whipped their heads around to stare, Zhang Pianpian swiped her finger again, casting another talisman, but this time, the balance that appeared over her head was only two hundred and fifty thousand.
She explained flatly, “The Talisman of Dominance I used earlier was one I modified myself. It can display a fake bank balance.”
Zhang Yu was stunned. You can modify talismans like that? To show a fake bank balance? How come I never heard of anything like this in my Daoist art class? Aren’t you supposed to use them exactly as they were handed down by the Eight Ministries of Righteous Gods?
Going from ‘my sister is a billionaire’ to ‘my sister is pretending to be a billionaire’ made Zhang Yu’s heart sink.
Seeing their stunned expressions, Zhang Pianpian continued, “You need to remember, if you want to deal with the wealthy, you must understand how they think.”
“The rich rely on their money, so they best understand its power. They are the easiest to motivate with money, and the easiest to intimidate with it. This is what’s known as using wealth to control wealth.”
“The foundation for these tactics is information. To obtain, alter, and intercept that information… you need sophisticated talismans.”
“Talismans are the most powerful tool you can learn in high school. Remember this: talismans are the most useful and powerful things there are! No Daoist art or martial skill is as useful as a talisman…”
Zhang Yu looked at Zhang Pianpian, who had begun to seriously hype up talismans, and could almost see the words ‘Talisman Shill’ materializing above her head.
Even though the two-point-five billion had shrunk to a mere two hundred and fifty thousand, Bai Zhenzhen was still all smiles as she hugged Zhang Pianpian and asked sweetly, “Mom, what’s our next move?”
Watching Bai Zhenzhen’s excessively sweet display from the side, Zhang Yu felt his skin crawl, as if he were watching a thousand-year-old zombie awaken.
Zhang Pianpian said calmly, “The college entrance exams are in six months. Once they’re over, I’m heading to university on the second layer of Kunxu.”
“Which means I can only protect you for the next six months.”
“After those six months, without my protection, the student council at Songyang High School will undoubtedly make a move against you.”
“And there’s one more point.”
“You need to understand, the reason I can protect you right now is because they think I’m rich, just like them.”
“They think I’ve signed you, that you won’t be trying for the Ten Greats.”
“The moment they find out you’re aiming for the Ten Greats, they won’t care about my protection anymore, and the measures they take will be a hundred times more ruthless than what you’ve seen.”
“So…”
As she spoke, Zhang Pianpian stared directly into Bai Zhenzhen’s eyes, as if trying to pierce all her innermost thoughts.
“What are your plans?”
“Wait to die? Prepare to flee Songyang City? Or risk being crushed to dust to try for the Ten Greats?”
Bai Zhenzhen met Zhang Pianpian’s gaze without flinching, her expression turning serious. “I want to get into a top university of the Ten Greats.”
Zhang Pianpian then turned to Zhang Yu.
Zhang Yu said, “Sis, stop keeping us in suspense. Zhen and I both have wills of steel, and we’re determined to get into a top university of the Ten Greats.”
“Just tell us what we need to do.”
Zhang Pianpian nodded slightly, then continued, “You’re too weak.”
Seeing their indignant expressions, Zhang Pianpian said flatly, “If you want to get into the Ten Greats as penniless nobodies, your current strength is far from sufficient, to say nothing of breaking through the blockade set up by the wealthy.”
“First, become the strongest first-years in Songyang City.”
“Once the two of you have taken the top two spots in every remaining first-year competition and have become Songyang’s strongest first-years, then I’ll tell you the next step.”
Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen were both stunned.
All the remaining first-year competitions?
Does that mean they have to surpass every first-year student, including those from the three major schools, in Dao heart, physical strength, martial arts, and Daoist arts?
Especially the Daoist art competition… that thing is practically designed to crush the poor.
But thankfully, the Daoist art competition is at the very end of the first year. The next one up is the martial arts competition, where they both had a slight advantage.
Next, Zhang Pianpian had Bai Zhenzhen sign an intern contract with the Songyang City Patrol, and after officially confirming her status as a member of the patrol, she sent the two of them on their way.
Bai Zhenzhen, however, remained behind, wringing her hands with an embarrassed look on her face.
“Um… about that…”
Zhang Pianpian asked, puzzled, “What about it?”
With a sweet smile, Bai Zhenzhen gestured with a crooked finger toward Zhang Yu, who was fiddling with his Talisman Tome.
“That Talisman Tome… do interns get one?”
Zhang Pianpian shook her head.
“The Patrol Department isn’t extravagant enough to issue Talisman Tomes to interns. By the way, don’t tell anyone about my relationship with Zhang Yu. Also, I’ve already arranged for Mom and Dad to move to a safe village, so you don’t need to worry about them.”
Hearing this, Zhang Yu froze for a moment before nodding.
Finally, after urging Bai Zhenzhen and Zhang Yu to hurry back to their studies and cultivation, Zhang Pianpian watched them leave from a distance, then made a phone call.
A woman’s voice came from the other side of the line.
“Hello? Pianbao? Is something the matter?”
“Lend me some money.”
“Aren’t you saving up to buy a Heavenly Spiritual Root? Are you asking me for a loan because you’ve finally got enough?”
“Something came up today. I spent some money on a divine consultation, and now I can’t make the interest payment on my loan for this period.”
“Oh? What was so important that you needed a divine consultation?”
“I helped that guy out. I originally just thought he had a good disposition, that he could live a life beyond the ordinary, but I never intended to go this far. However…”
Zhang Pianpian’s gaze swept over Zhang Yu’s head.
Songyang City Patrol Outsourced Employee (Expand Details)
Songyang City Patrol Outsourced Employee / Ascetic / Athlete / Extremely Impoverished Resident of Songyang City / Debt-Slave / Card-Slave / ???
When Zhang Pianpian focused her attention on the ‘???’, she received a single piece of feedback: Unknown potential, indefinable.
Zhang Pianpian then shifted her gaze to Bai Zhenzhen.
Songyang City Patrol Intern (Expand Details)
Songyang City Patrol Intern / Sword Freak / Fist Freak / Palm Freak / Blade Freak / Spear Freak / Booster Freak / Score Tyrant / Loan Slave / Card Slave / Proponent of Daoist arts’ Uselessness / Songyang Hater / She is very poor…
Then, with a few quick swipes of her finger, she cast two consecutive spells, and a new line of text appeared above ‘Songyang City Patrol Intern’ over Bai Zhenzhen’s head.
Unknown Spiritual Root: Hidden, Evolving Type. No current data.
As Zhang Pianpian’s finger moved, motes of light flashed across the Talisman Tome floating beside her.
When the spell was complete, both the ‘???’ above Zhang Yu’s head and the ‘Unknown Spiritual Root’ above Bai Zhenzhen’s had vanished, completely concealed from view.
Meanwhile, Zhang Pianpian continued speaking into the phone, “They’re even more exceptional than I anticipated.”
“Maybe… they’ll be able to keep up with me.”
On the other end of the line, the woman said in surprise, “Oh? I’ve never heard you praise anyone so highly. Now I’m even more excited to meet them.”