Silent Crown

Chapter 195 Friendship First

"You…" James’s voice died off and he scoffed, no longer willing to argue over this topic with Ye Qingxuan. But he quickly felt that there was something else wrong! "Wait, what is this?"

The gold dog sitting on the ground scoffed and rolled its eyes, not wanting to bother with him.

"Oh, that." Ye Qingxuan picked his nose with his pinkie finger and stated, "That’s our goalie. Let me introduce you to him. His name is Old Phil, and he is an irreplaceable member of the History department…"

James stared, dumbfounded. "It—it’s clearly a dog!"

"So what?" Bai Xi rolled her eyes. "Even dogs are better than you all…what are you scared of?"

"Referee, objection!" James twisted his head toward the referee. The referee was also confused and subconsciously looked behind him to the top of the stands. He quickly received the sign and his expression became strange.

Eyeing Ye Qingxuan, he coughed and said, "Objection ineffective. Special circumstances call for special treatment. James, stop wasting time and shake their hand to start."

James practically thought that he heard incorrectly. Special circumstances call for special treatment? But that was clearly a dog! But he quickly forced down his shock and depression, and gloomily stretched his hand toward Ye Qingxuan. "I hope to learn from you."

"And I, you." Ye Qingxuan shook his hand and swung it forcefully. His smile was full of enthusiasm.

Seeing his cheerful smile, James felt anger coming from everywhere. Clenching his jaw, he grit out, "Rest assured that friendship comes first and the game comes second. We won’t go for the kill. At most, you’ll just lose horribly."

"Oh, really? Then thank you so much." Ye Qingxuan gave a fake laugh too. "We’re really not very confident, so please have mercy on us."

"Of course, of course." James moved his facial muscles into a smile and grasped Ye Qingxuan’s hand, shaking it.

Clunk. Something fell from Ye Qingxuan’s sleeves and landed on the ground with a crisp sound. Under the sun, everyone was stunned. It was a heavy iron wrench and it shone blindingly with silver light.

"This…" James was frozen.

Ye Qingxuan calmly picked up the wrench and stuffed it back into his sleeve. "As you can see, we’re a team that loves mechanics, so it’s normal for us to have wrenches in our pockets." He fluttered his lashes innocently, as if he was really telling the truth.

Clunk! There was another sound behind him.

A hammer fell from under Bai Xi’s skirt. Its reflection shone with cold light, making James’s expression change dramatically. His lips quivered, but he could not say anything.

"As you can see, we’re also skilled at woodworking," Ye Qingxuan explained seriously. "That’s why it’s also normal to have a hammer in our pockets. Bai Xi, quickly put it away. Aren’t you scared of the seniors laughing at us?" He pretended to scold Bai Xi and then pushed a smile back onto his face as he gazed at James. "Please don’t mind us. That was just a small episode."

Ye Qingxuan patted his bulging chest that was filled with who-knew-what and promised with a serious face, "Believe me, this game will be very fun!"

For some reason, James’s team felt an eerie chill go down their spines.

-

"Both sides get ready!" The referee stood at the midline of the field and gazed at the players on either side of him. He gently placed the customized soccer ball down at his feet and carefully retreated.

Once the game started, this place would be a battleground. They were only students, but they were musicians after all. Those who still dared to stand in the center of a messy fight between dozens of musicians were either suicidal or had something wrong with their brain.

Now, the eyes of both sides were scanning for weak points in the other team. Some were already murmuring to themselves, preparing the syllables they would chant later. The three graduating students unabashedly pulled out their instruments.

After hesitating for a bit, Bench Guy pulled out an average-looking flute from his sleeve. It was clear that this was not his usual instrument. It looked like the cheap and mass-produced stuff made for students to get used to playing. With the heavy load of aether, it would be hard to last one game.

If not for the fact that they could play and communicate with the aether only after the game began, they would have started preparing now.

"Huh, they look unfriendly." Charles whistled.

"Three!" The sound of the referee’s countdown traveled over.

At the back, Old Phil opened its mouth. Its sharp teeth reflected a cold glint under the sun, chilling one’s heart. It seemed as if it would charge over as soon as the countdown ended.

James’s blood ran cold. Had these History department b*stards really decided to squash a musician’s dignity and get into a fist fight right at the start? They were not even giving him time to play his music score…Weren’t they scared of breaking the game’s rules and getting a foul?

"They won’t dare…" He gritted his teeth and glared at Ye Qingxuan furiously. Ye Qingxuan, the offense, smiled at him.

"Two!"

Under everyone’s gazes, the youth on the field smiled innocently, but his hand reached for his chest naturally and grasped something. Was it a hammer? Or a bat? Or some weird Eastern weapon?!

"One!"

Ye Qingxuan moved his lips into a strange smile, slightly shaking up James’s teammates.

"He won’t dare." Clenching his jaw, James turned to see his teammates’ slightly scared expressions. His own darkened. "He won’t dare!"

"Start!"

The second the countdown ended, chilling coldness lit inside Ye Qingxuan’s eyes. The menacing flash made one’s scalp numb. He charged forward with giant steps!

For a moment, James was stunned. Everyone waited guardedly and took a step back reflexively. They quickly began chanting runes and cast a iron wall-like protective effect around them. He was close! Close!

The hand Ye Qingxuan had reached into his bosom was suddenly taken out. He swung at James aggressively, as if he was going to throw something. This guy was seriously crazy!

James’s expression changed and his shoulder shook. He quickly reached his hands before him. After a few sparse syllables, an instantaneous rune was cast, creating a faintly visible wall before him.

But the thing in Ye Qingxuan’s hand did not fly out. Instead, he shook it before James like it was a prank.

A crude and simple ragged sweater sewn after being stuffed with cotton. It was…a doll?

Yes, it was a doll.

Just as everyone was stunned, Ye Qingxuan moved quickly and kicked the soccer ball at the center line. He had successfully stolen the ball and brushed past James with it. Was passing someone really that easy?

Yes, if he was not close to tripping as he kicked…All the spectators that had been anticipating an intense fight were dazed now. They had probably never seen someone kick a soccer ball so horribly.

He stumbled and limped like an old lady walking on the street with a shopping basket, and was ready to fall beside a carriage at any time and start scamming people. But despite how horrible the kick was, James just let him pass? He passed? Who could believe that?

There was a mass of boos!

The Modifications students all had quick tempers. Some people started yelling and insulting on the spot. All of the different dialects verbally battered James without repeating each other.

James was dazed too. He looked at what was in his hands. When Ye Qingxuan had brushed past, he had tossed the doll into James’s arms. "A gift for you!"

James’s face alternated between livid and white before turning an angry red. "Ye Qingxuan! You asked for it!" He spun around. A beam of light shot from his hands, going straight for Ye Qingxuan’s back. The instantaneous rune Combustion turned the air red-hot and flew out with raging heat.

The ripple of aether created by the hasty casting was as stark as a lighthouse in the darkness. Ye Qingxuan did not even have to use Bolero to decipher the aether, and feel the time and direction of his actions.

Compared to the parliament’s criminals and dark musicians who loved bloodshed, the academy’s students were just so loveable!

Ye Qingxuan made a turn without even looking back. The fireball brushed past him and fell onto the ground, igniting a whole patch of grass. It scorched the soil instantly.

"Wah, you’re playing for real?" Ye Qingxuan shrieked and sped up.

He had already run to the backfield of Modifications and was pretty much in the middle of the crowd. But now, even the stupidest people would have realized that they had been played by the white-haired Eastern kid!

"Block him!" James yelled.

The graduating student in the defensive raised his palm and guided a string of piercing notes with his finger. No, those were not notes but a complete melody. He was already a musician and had implanted his music score into his instrument.

As he moved, a ray of green stuff shot forward from his finger. It swam in the air like a snake, heading straight toward Ye Qingxuan’s face. The faint green light illuminated the paleness of Ye Qingxuan’s face.

It was a direct strong acid arrow!

"Try dodging that!" The graduating student laughed arrogantly. He had stuffed his violin with music scores in the morning for the game. To have the advantage in this fast-paced battle, he had given up on destructive music scores and packed dozens of short syllables repeatedly. Other than speed and protection effects, the rest were all direct strong acid arrows! His viciousness was hair-rising.

Compared to the slower fireballs and nondestructive frost rays, these arrows had a natural corrosion effect and could shoot out acid. It was just too useful. Though the destruction was a little less than that of a fireball, it had an unnaturally large amount of related effects. Someone could force themselves to endure freezing ice or burning fire, but once acid fell on them, they would basically be out. Acid had sustained damage!

But the moment the acid arrow fell from the sky and was shooting down, a beam of yellow light abruptly landed on Ye Qingxuan’s head. It exploded, turning into a ball of dirt-yellow smoke. The acid dropped into it and sizzled, evaporating quickly and vanishing.

The ghastly green and dirt-yellow colors battled with each other and disappeared at the same time.

The graduating student who had shot the arrow froze. He looked back and saw the student in disguise next to the other side’s goal. There was a crack in his concrete break, revealing his lips. He played his flute soundlessly.

Ye Qingxuan laughed loudly. "Thanks, Bench Guy!"

"No problem." Bench Guy sighed in concern. "Worry about yourself first."

In the distance, a rumble sounded.