Because the quality of the two Mechas was too disparate, the leg of the Black Mecha also fractured upon the kick, and there were various sizes of damage in other areas, which was on the verge of being scrapped.

Qu Tong felt some heartache, as he reckoned all of the Star Coins he'd hardly won from his bets would have to be thrown into this mess.

The isolation shield opened, and Lan Xingye hurried to Lan Guofu's side to check on him.

Qu Tong also exited his Mecha, rolled up his sleeves to wipe the fine sweat from his brow, cast a cursory glance at Lan Xingye, and indifferently walked down from the stage.

Lan Xingye watched that graceful figure, clenching his teeth secretly with mixed feelings in his heart.

After collecting the prize money from the wager, Qu Tong went to return the Mecha, paid the compensation of 2 million, and was ready to leave.

However, to his surprise, he was stopped as he was leaving.

"Young Master, you don't bring enough people with you, and in the end, you still have to rely on me. Don't you think I'm stronger than your little girlfriend who can only whimper?" Ouyang Linna wrapped her arm around Lan Xingye's as she approached from behind.

Qu Tong looked up quietly at the two, his hand tightening under his sleeve.

Lan Xingye revealed a sly smile, "I guess you've used up all your spiritual power, haven't you?"

Qu Tong's cool gaze swept over the six burly men in front of him, and he scoffed coldly, "Does Young Master really think I can't afford Energy Liquid?"

"So what if you took Energy Liquid? At most, it restores two or three tenths of your spiritual power. Do you think you can walk out of here today?"

Lan Xingye's thin lips curled slightly, and he dialed a communication device in front of Qu Tong with a haughty tone of a young noble, "Bring people over."

Qu Tong's eyes darkened.

If she could recover just 10% of her spiritual power, today she would make Lan Xingye crawl out of here.

This defect was truly fatal.

Just as Qu Tong was contemplating how to delay for time, a group of uniformed personnel walked into the arena from outside.

Feng Haoran, dressed in a navy-blue police uniform with a badge on his chest, walked in the lead.

"Young Master Lan, Miss Ouyang, it's been a while," Feng Haoran greeted the two with a bland salutation.

Then he turned his head and smiled at Qu Tong, "Miss Jun Li, long time no see."

The difference in his demeanor before and after was clear to see.

Lan Xingye, observing the atmosphere between Qu Tong and Feng Haoran, furrowed his brows, his tone full of threat, "Do you intend to meddle in the affairs of the Alchemist Association?"

However, Feng Haoran was not at all intimidated and adopted an official stance:

"Miss Jun Li is a distinguished guest whom the Palace Commander asked me to escort back to the Imperial Palace. As for your feud with the Alchemist Association, I am not informed. You may go to the Imperial Palace yourself and speak directly with the Palace Commander."

Behind Feng Haoran, over twenty people stood in two rows, watching the six bodyguards with an uncompromising attitude, making their firm stance apparent.

Outnumbered and outmatched, with no chance of victory, even if his people arrived, they would not necessarily win the fight.

Moreover, with Gong Yun being leveraged against him, where would Lan Xingye dare raise this matter inside the Imperial Palace? He could only leave in a huff, resentfully sweeping his sleeves as he turned away.

Ouyang Linna, seeing that Lan Xingye had left, could only meekly signal her bodyguards to withdraw.

Once everyone had left, Feng Haoran turned his attention back to Qu Tong, tentatively speaking, "The Palace Commander is indeed in the Imperial Palace. Miss Jun Li, would you like me to send someone to escort you?"

Qu Tong knew that Feng Haoran mentioning Gong Yun was just an excuse to help her out of this predicament, and she shook her head in refusal, "No need, thank the Palace Commander for me."

"Alright, Miss Jun Li, you can contact me if you need anything." Feng Haoran pulled out his light-brain, signaling to add as a friend.

Qu Tong didn't refuse.

When Feng Haoran was leaving with his crew, he nodded to the crowd behind Qu Tong.

Qu Tong looked back, seeing the Mecha Shop's smiling owner from before; it must have been him who had informed Gong Yun in time to send someone to her rescue.

*

Qu Tong took a detour back to school.

She had Amu get the water ready while she cooked noodles herself, adding some bok choy and the leftover braised beef from before.

After quickly replenishing her strength, Qu Tong went to the bathroom for a bath.

Every time her spiritual power was depleted, she would be especially exhausted, but this type of exhaustion couldn't be relieved by Energy Liquid; she could only get more sleep to recover her spiritual power faster.

She slept straight through the boiled egg cooking class, and even after class ended, Qu Tong was still asleep.

It was Cheng Yao who, while calling for Fei Wenxing, woke her up as well.

Qu Tong thanked Cheng Yao and then prepared to head back to the dorm to catch up on sleep.

Fei Wenxing, however, chattered away behind Qu Tong like a curious baby, "Sister Tong, did you stay up late watching TV series last night too?"

"No," Qu Tong replied, without stopping her stride.

"Oh right, Sister Tong, the notice for the mid-term exams is out. Have you seen it?" Fei Wenxing caught up in two steps and asked excitedly.

"No," Qu Tong sounded a bit impatient, dead tired, not wanting to think.

"Sister Tong, you..."

"No! Ask again and I'll beat you to death!"

Qu Tong suddenly stopped, turned around, and Fei Wenxing jumped with a start.

Qu Tong gave Fei Wenxing a cold look and turned to continue towards the dorm.

Fei Wenxing stood there, pointing at himself with his index finger, his face full of disbelief, "Cheng Yao, did Sister Tong say she's going to beat me to death?"

After saying that, he laughed, not believing Qu Tong's words at all.

Cheng Yao looked at Fei Wenxing's silly appearance, doubting he had fully woken up, and rolled his eyes at him before walking ahead on his own.

Fei Wenxing caught up and slung his arm over Cheng Yao's shoulder, saying, "Do you think Sister Tong will participate in the mid-term exam or not?"

"What does it matter to you whether she takes part or not?" Cheng Yao gave Fei Wenxing a sideways glance.

"If Sister Tong joins the mid-term exam, for sure no one would want to be in the same group as her. I'm struggling with whether we should take her in," Fei Wenxing said casually, scratching his head as if truly concerned.

Cheng Yao thought about it, then asked, "Did you find people?"

"No, I'm in the process of looking," Fei Wenxing replied, as if it was only natural.

"Sister Tong seems a bit out of it. Could it be because she's losing sleep over the mid-term exam?" Cheng Yao suddenly had a flash of insight.

"Probably," Fei Wenxing nodded vigorously, suddenly realizing.

After all, if he were grade F in physique, he'd be worried about not finding a group too.

But if you don't take part in the mid-term exam, no matter how well you do in the final written test, you can't move up the educational ladder.

"Let's send her a message and ask," Cheng Yao suggested.

His brother had made a special call to remind him to get on good terms with Qu Tong, to stand up for him.

Although he didn't know why getting along with Qu Tong would be standing up for his brother, Qu Tong was their friend, so naturally, he wanted to help a little.

"Good idea."

Fei Wenxing promptly composed and sent the message.

The afternoon Botanical Knowledge theory class was optional for those who mastered the content, so Qu Tong didn't attend and instead slept in the dorm.

She slept straight until the early hours of the morning.

When Qu Tong woke up and checked the time, she saw the message from Fei Wenxing and casually replied:

[I will participate.]

Fei Wenxing, who was staying up late watching a TV series, had a message popup on his brain projector. He clicked in and saw the reply from Qu Tong.

He immediately exited the TV series and called Cheng Yao.

Cheng Yao answered the call drowsily, only to hear Fei Wenxing's slightly excited voice, "Cheng Yao, are you asleep?"

Cheng Yao looked at the time and roared at his brain projector, "Fei Cui, are you fucking sick?! At three forty-three a.m. and fifty-six seconds, what the hell should I be doing if not sleeping?!"

"Climbing onto the roof to perform a solo standing rooster crow?!!"

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