"So generous? Duan Feng’er was stunned by the cigarette in his hand. This item was considered a luxury even in the big city, and extremely rare in the army. He gave it away so easily? “Could it be…” Duan Feng’er got up and paced back and forth behind the iron bars, like a restless caged animal, his gaze full of endless curiosity and speculation: “Could it be… you have more?”

Qian Jin looked up at Duan Feng’er. Normal people, upon receiving a cigarette, would enjoy it immediately, where would they have the time to worry about this? Fatty used to have this habit—receiving something and immediately trying to deduce more, not enjoying it right away. He didn't expect this person to be the same… “Oh! That’s right!” Duan Feng’er’s index finger trembled excitedly as he pointed at Qian Jin: “I saved it! I saw it! Your eyes just now clearly showed you still have more…”

Qian Jin weakly knocked the back of his head against the wall. This persistence was so much like Luo Fatty’s. “I say…” Duan Feng’er squatted down again, making a move as if to lean closer. Qian Jin habitually rubbed his head and instinctively replied: “Scram.” “If I scramble, will you give me more cigarettes then?”

Duan Feng’er’s eyes, like black jewels, sparkled with excitement and anticipation, showing no discomfort at being told to "scram." “None left.” “I don’t believe you!” Duan Feng’er shook his head firmly: “You definitely have some more!” “…” Qian Jin fell silent.

“Come on, buddy, we’ve even fought together; we’re comrades-in-arms, aren’t we?” Duan Feng’er immediately switched tactics to build rapport, smiling affably: “Comrades don’t lie to each other, right?” “…” Qian Jin remained silent.

“Just one more pack…” Duan Feng’er held up his index finger, his eyes suddenly looking extremely pitiful: “The very last pack…”

The very last pack? Qian Jin pursed his lips. Which time did Luo Fatty ever say it was the last time? It always led to ‘the very last time,’ followed by ‘the absolute last time,’ then ‘the absolutely, absolutely last time’… entering a strange cycle?

“Just give it to me… this is really the last time.” Duan Feng’er’s expression was so sincere, his eyes so pitiful, just like the little girl selling 'fire sticks' on a snowy winter night, shivering by the roadside in thin clothes, her hands red from the cold, yet still calling out her wares.

Qian Jin knew Duan Feng’er was putting on the same act as Luo Fatty did back then, but he couldn't help taking out another pack from his Doujie (Battle Realm), as if to shut the man up.

“You really did have more!” Duan Feng’er placed the unopened cigarettes on himself, then turned around with a sincere expression, pitiful eyes, and hands outstretched as if begging, saying cheerfully: “You should… have some more, right?”

If it weren't for the iron bars, Qian Jin would have wanted to kick the man out of the solitary confinement cell. He never thought there could be someone in this world as thick-skinned as Luo Fatty, besides him. “Hey, we’re comrades…” “We’re locked up together; we’re cellmates, right?” “I say, the chance to be cellmates is much rarer than the chance to be husband and wife, you know.” “Alright.” Duan Feng’er sighed. “I won’t ask you for cigarettes anymore.” Qian Jin’s tensed body relaxed. This tactic, which worked on Luo Fatty, was indeed very effective on someone of the same ilk.

“By the way, we can chat, right?” Duan Feng’er leaned close to the bars: “Which higher-level Mage Warrior Academy are you planning to apply to? The True Strategy Royal Academy in the Divine Capital? Or the Demon Slaying Academy in Jinxi Province?” “Yongliu, the Conquest Academy.”

“Yongliu’s Conquest?” Duan Feng’er pursed his lips, his eyes filled with surprise: “The way you fought just now was clearly more than just that one demon-slaying battle. I think the Demon Slaying Academy in Jinxi Province has a good chance, even the True Strategy Royal Academy in the Divine Capital… Why go for Conquest? Although it’s also a top-tier higher academy, it’s practically at the bottom tier among the top tiers.”

Qian Jin shrugged. There were only ten top-tier academies in the True Strategy Dynasty altogether, and Conquest ranked about seventh—only a top tier, not an ultra-top tier. But Fabredis had already made arrangements, and besides, the ultra-top tier academies placed more emphasis on bloodline warriors entering; they never gave a second glance to non-bloodline warriors, resulting in fewer resources being allocated to them.

“Ah! I get it!” Duan Feng’er furrowed his brow, his index finger pointing at Qian Jin again: “You, you want to be the protagonist from the stories bards tell! Join a bottom-tier academy, and then, relying on your own strength, lead this academy to rise! In the True Strategy Newcomer King Battle Tournament, you’ll defeat those ultra-top-tier higher academies and create an era, right?”

Qian Jin could only roll his eyes at Duan Feng’er’s rich imagination. Did he have so many grand ideas for going to the Conquest Academy? It was purely because of Fabredis’s warm invitation, and the Command Department at the Conquest Academy had a good reputation in the True Strategy Dynasty. Being an excellent warrior wasn’t just about charging onto the battlefield with a blade and hacking away. History was full of instances where powerful warriors who excelled in solo combat fell into enemy traps while leading troops, only to be rescued by a Command Warrior whose strength wasn't top-tier, who used various methods in a pinch to engineer a brilliant turnaround.

“This plan is good, this plan is really good.” Duan Feng’er grinned at Qian Jin: “I thought about it before, leading a relatively weaker academy to fight in the True Strategy Newcomer King Battle Tournament. But group battles, they’re impossible to fight fairly! Now it seems, haha! There’s a chance, this is interesting! I’ve decided, I’m going to the True Strategy Royal Academy—no! I’m going to apply to Yongliu’s Conquest Academy!” Qian Jin turned his head to carefully examine Duan Feng’er. What in the world was this?

Duan Feng’er was stared at for a long time. The thick skin on his face actually showed a slight, shy blush. He let out a soft sigh and said: “Okay, I admit it! I don’t actually think it’s interesting to fight in the True Strategy Newcomer King Battle Tournament representing the Conquest Academy. I’m after your cigarettes!”

Qian Jin coughed violently. Giving up the True Strategy Royal Academy just for cigarettes? If other warriors heard this, they’d probably pass out on the spot! Moreover, even if he got into the Conquest Academy, it wasn’t guaranteed that he would hand over cigarettes! “As long as I get into the Conquest Academy!” Duan Feng’er nodded thoughtfully: “Then there’s a chance to get cigarettes…”

Qian Jin started wondering if he should change academies? Otherwise, wouldn't this guy annoy him to death in the future?

“Hmm! And…” Duan Feng’er stopped paying attention to Qian Jin and began pacing around the room alone, like a general before a major battle contemplating important command strategies: “Should I call that kid Qi Jiuyang? No! That block of ice rarely speaks, but his skin is even thicker than mine!”

Qian Jin gained a new understanding of Duan Feng’er; so this guy knew he was thick-skinned too. But could that fellow named Qi Jiuyang really be thicker-skinned than him? “If that kid finds out there’s a cigarette warehouse nearby…” Duan Feng’er raised his eyebrows seriously: “I’ll have 50% of my cigarettes snatched away by him… That’s too much of a loss!” Cigarette warehouse? Qian Jin looked at Duan Feng’er, then at himself. When did he become a cigarette warehouse? This guy’s familiarity had to have a limit, right?

“I should call him along then.” Duan Feng’er leaned back against the wall: “If we get into a tough fight, he can help. Otherwise, if we lose, and the cigarette warehouse stops supplying, I won’t get a single cigarette?”

Qian Jin simply found a corner, took the Magic Hat out of his Doujie, pulled it over his face, and fell asleep, ignoring the self-introducing young man continuing his rambling monologue.

“Ah! What a pity! Fifty percent of the cigarettes! I really can’t bear to part with them!” Duan Feng’er looked miserable: “Maybe I should sign an agreement with that kid Qi Jiuyang beforehand? Only give him twenty percent? No! That guy is also the type who won’t keep his word; he’ll definitely go back on it later… This is a headache! Such a headache!”

“Huh? Where did he get that hat? Is it a Magic Hat?” Duan Feng’er’s attention was finally drawn to the hat covering Qian Jin’s face. The black jewel-like eyes shone with sudden realization: “He… he actually has a Doujie…”

Doujie! This was not something every Demon Slaying Warrior possessed! On the contrary, it was a relatively rare existence! Even high-level warriors would jump in surprise if they saw one! Possessing a Doujie usually represented having a massive power behind them!

Duan Feng’er, seeing the Doujie, also inevitably jumped up in shock: “Then… doesn’t that mean… he might have more than just a few packs of cigarettes on him!”

If any worldly high-level warrior had witnessed the reason for Duan Feng’er’s shock, they would probably have drawn their blades and chopped the young man into pieces to feed to the demons, shocked not by the Doujie itself, but by the possibility of a few extra packs of cigarettes!

“Envy… I’m so envious…” Duan Feng’er kept talking as if doing a one-man comedy show: “This kid actually has a Doujie… I’m so envious… If I had a Doujie, I’d fill it entirely with tobacco! Newcomer King! Hmm! I must become the Newcomer King! And then get the reward of the Doujie Fruit! To fulfill my grand dream of filling it with tobacco!”

Eight hours later… Qian Jin let out a scream, startling Duan Feng’er, who had been sleeping soundly, into leaping high into the air.

Qian Jin rolled on the ground clutching his lower abdomen. He had finally confirmed one thing: the most terrifying thing in this world was definitely not ferocious magical beasts, nor harsh natural environments, but the mysterious Alchemist Oulala… Oulala, who had swapped lessons with the Pharmacist… was scheduled to conduct a new drug experiment today… The resulting explosion from the failure was simply too powerful… Even the Golden Body of the Nine Slayers couldn’t withstand it… He instantly turned into a streak of white light and withdrew from the endless world.

A: Third update! I promised ten updates, so ten updates it is! I need monthly tickets! Actually, the chapter above should have been Chapter 158, but I wrote two Chapter 157s, so this one is simply called Chapter 157! Come on, monthly tickets! For further details, please log in to… m for more chapters and support.”