Era of Mist

Serving tea to apologize?

Shi Tiexin’s gaze shifted, and he saw Zhou Nan already on his feet. Holding a cup of tea, Zhou Nan walked over timidly, lowered his head to Shi Tiexin, and said hastily, "I was wrong. I admit my mistake. I’m offering you tea."

But Shi Tiexin didn’t move to take the tea. Instead, he turned to look at their host, Zhou Xiong. "What’s the meaning of this?"

"It means what it looks like." Zhou Xiong took a drag from his cigarette, looking every bit the street boss. "Brother, I’m a punk, and I know it. I’m definitely not cut out for school, so I’m destined for a life on the streets. My family went to a lot of trouble to get me into Fengming First Middle School, and the best thing I got out of it was finding some good brothers. More importantly, it taught me the rules of the road."

"We’re just punks. Down the line, our destiny is probably to be bouncers at nightclubs, fight for turf at the transport stations, or run protection rackets at construction sites. We’re definitely not high-class. But even punks like us know you’ve got to follow the code when you’re on the streets."

"Zhou Nan sicced Teng Chaoguo on you—and I’ll be blunt—that’s not a big deal in itself. If you can’t win a fight, you get backup. That’s just how it is, wouldn’t you agree?"

Zhou Xiong spoke bluntly, and his underlings around them fell silent, their eyes fixed on Shi Tiexin, waiting for his reaction. The sudden quiet felt like an ambush waiting for a signal. It seemed if Shi Tiexin said one wrong word, the cup of tea meant for an apology wouldn’t be drunk, but smashed over his head.

But Shi Tiexin was completely unfazed.

’What the hell?’ he thought. ’Getting that Teng Chaoguo guy to beat me up is "just how it is"?’

But Shi Tiexin showed no anger on his face. He didn’t care whether Zhou Xiong was just trying to save face for his little brother or was genuinely trying to preach some kind of street code.

He grabbed three steaming-hot meat skewers, opened his mouth wide, and with a flash of his stark white teeth and a sharp CRUNCH, he bit the meat off all three skewers and swallowed it down.

’Damn, this meat is actually pretty good,’ he thought. ’And... whoa! The essence-nourishing effect is more than twice as strong as that garbage-tier meal plan from the cafeteria! It just hit my stomach and I haven’t even started refining it, but it’s already warming up and about to produce original vital essence.’

’Looks like it’s not just the cafeteria that’s the problem; all the food on Central Star is a bit off. If I can get some more of this and refine it properly, I might just be able to max out my essence storage with this one meal tonight!’

Unhurriedly, he finished the meat and set the metal skewers down with a CLATTER. Shi Tiexin’s expression remained impassive, his voice as steady as a mountain of iron. "Keep talking."

’Yep, you keep talking, and I’ll keep eating.’

Zhou Xiong, who had been watching Shi Tiexin’s expression closely, saw this. His look flickered for a moment before a smile spread across his face. "However, what Zhou Nan absolutely, under no circumstances, should have done was sic people on you to go snitch to Square Head. That, that really did break the code. And since he broke the code, he has to be punished. In Fengming First Middle School, all punishments for us punks are decided by... well... by the four of us, through discussion."

Liu Shufeng, who had been silent until now, suddenly chimed in, "The Four Celestial Kings! That’s what we’re called, the Four Celestial Kings! Anything that breaks the code is arbitrated by the Four Celestial Kings!"

’The Four Celestial Kings? What the hell kind of name is that? It’s ridiculous! A bunch of weaklings calling themselves Celestial Kings... it’s like watching kids play house.’

Shi Tiexin was laughing internally, but his face remained a motionless mask as he continued to chew on a skewer. "So how do you plan to arbitrate?"

"The arbitration is simple. Zhou Nan broke the code, so naturally, we have to punish him. We’ll set aside his personal punishment for a moment and talk about your compensation first." Seeing that the plate of skewers was almost empty, Zhou Xiong waved a hand for one of his boys to order more. At the same time, he pointed at Zhou Nan, who was still standing off to the side. "First, he schemed against you, but you didn’t end up dunking him in a piss bucket. I don’t think it’s because you were scared or worried about me, Zhou Xiong. I think it’s because you’re a bigger man. I respect a guy like you, so I’m treating you to this meal."

’Mmm, this is some good compensation,’ he thought. ’Another wisp of original vital essence. Hey, boss! More chili on the next ones!’

"Second, he broke the code and did wrong, so we’re having him serve you tea and apologize. You were skilled enough to handle the situation, my friend, but the code is the code. When you’re wrong, you have to own up to it." Zhou Xiong gestured, and Zhou Nan once again brought the tea over. With downcast eyes, he said meekly, "Brother Shi, I was wrong. I shouldn’t have provoked those four losers to go snitch on you to the Square-Headed Baleful Star."

Shi Tiexin put down his skewer and looked at Zhou Nan.

He knew that drinking this tea meant he was forgiving Zhou Nan—which also meant he could no longer pressure the kid into buying him Heart Skill Secret Manuals and other cultivation texts.

’That’s a huge loss!’

’But then again... he’s been so persistent. Zhou Nan has offered the tea and bowed his head again and again. His attitude is sincere. It would be a bit unreasonable to refuse. Forget it. I, Shi Tiexin, am not completely heartless... wait. Why does that sound a little weird when I say it?’

’Anyway, that’s the gist of it. They’ve made a whole big show of this, so I can’t lose face by acting petty.’

’The kid’s been behaving himself lately. Fine, I’ll drink the tea.’

He reached out, took the cup, and downed it in one clean motion. GULP. The tea went down. He placed the empty cup back in Zhou Nan’s hands. "We’re past this now."

’Yep, this business between you and me is over,’ he thought. ’But it’s not over with those four blockheads. I’ve got it figured out. I won’t make this kid buy the manuals; I’ll make those four idiots pay for them. Then I’ll just give the money to Zhou Nan, and the manuals will end up in my hands. The result is exactly the same.’

’My mind is working overtime with these calculations. As expected of someone who’s perfected the First Level of Basic Mathematics! Hahaha!’

"Thank you, Brother Shi! Thank you, Brother Shi!"

Zhou Nan’s face lit up with a grin. He was finally free from the worry of being dunked in a piss bucket. A great weight lifted from his heart. That threat of a piss-bucket bath was terrifying; it was practically a strategic deterrent. Just look at Teng Chaoguo. He used to be so arrogant, strutting around, and now he’s nowhere to be seen. He just skulks around all day long; who knows what shady business he’s gotten into.

"Fifty big meat skewers, coming right up!" The owner came over with a large metal tray and eagerly set down the food. "Dig in, everyone! Eat up! I’ll give you a five percent discount today."

Zhou Xiong paid the owner no mind. He took a drag from his cigarette with the air of a seasoned smoker and laughed. "Good. Eat up, brother." He was clearly pleased that Shi Tiexin had been willing to drink the tea.

He continued, "Brother, like I said before, it’s only natural to get backup when you can’t win a fight. I might have been a bit blunt, but that’s the principle of the matter. However, the reverse is also true. If you get backup and you *still* lose, then you admit defeat gracefully. That’s also natural, and that’s the code. Zhou Nan, serve the tea!"

More tea?

Chewing on a skewer, Shi Tiexin glanced at Zhou Nan as he absorbed the third wisp of original vital essence for the evening into his lower abdomen.

Sure enough, Zhou Nan brought another cup of tea. This time, however, he looked somewhat dejected, though Shi Tiexin couldn’t figure out why.

"The first tea was for Zhou Nan to admit he was wrong. This one is for him to admit defeat," Zhou Xiong said, patting Zhou Nan’s shoulder. "This kid, he’s clearly not cut out for this life, but he insists on trying to be like me. Not daring to fight you head-on means he’s weak. Playing dirty from behind and still losing... if he refuses to admit defeat after all that, he’s just shameless. A man can lack skill, but he can’t be shameless. He has to have some backbone."

Oh? Shi Tiexin was surprised. What Zhou Xiong was saying made a lot of sense; things were just like this back at Tumu Castle. This was a set of rules Shi Tiexin was very familiar with.

"Zhou Nan, do you submit?"

Zhou Nan lowered his head. "I submit."

"Then you know what to do."

"Yes." Zhou Nan bowed low, holding the teacup out to Shi Tiexin. "Brother Shi, from this day forward, I recognize you as my big brother! I’ll follow your lead and never be disloyal!"