Chapter 79: Chapter 79: Hehehe, Hehehehehe
In her past life, due to her orphan status, Qian Qi was always pointed at and blamed for anything missing in the class.
And because of this identity, when she approached the powerful for funding for the orphanage, she was treated with disdain. Some people pointed at her nose and told her to get lost, some assessed her like merchandise, and others outright said her orphanage was a place that raised useless trash unworthy of sponsorship.
They poured scorn and contempt upon her with their shallow and vile ignorance, much like Xu Jing and Fan Jinghai stood there belittling the students of the Magic Plant Department, assuming they were a bunch of useless leeches on society.
But is that truly the case?
Magic Plants are complex to cultivate, coming in numerous varieties. The Magic Plant Research Institute has scarce funding and can’t afford too many researchers, which means they can only target specific Magic Plants for study.
However, they still need the data on low-level Magic Plants, which is why each assignment report the Magic Plant Department students submit becomes real data entered into the Institute’s database, serving as reference and information for the researchers.
The Magic Plant Department is like a nutrient infusion to a brain, continuously supplying a massive amount of information to the Magic Plant Research Institute, inadvertently assisting researchers in studying Magic Plants beneficial to humans and Contracted Beasts.
So, how could they possibly be freeloading trash?
Moreover...
Qian Qi turned to look at Xu Jing.
"You are wrong." She gazed at Xu Jing indifferently, her eyes filled with endless serenity, like the calm before a storm, "My classmates have a special quality that people like you can never possess."
Not everyone can endure the repetitive, tedious experiments and complex subjects day after day, nor can everyone calmly face dangerous Magic Plants and navigate safely among them for sampling and nurturing.
They possess a ’madness’ quality.
Having hit rock bottom, they have become more resilient and driven; burdened with hardship, they can endure under dire circumstances and strive to accomplish their tasks against all odds.
When teaching them how to cultivate and heal Magic Plants, Qian Qi had specifically observed them.
They could bond with Magic Plants like brothers, finding joy amidst hardship; they could drain flooded experimental fields in a downpour for a day and night just to save their Magic Plants, and when attacked and wounded by Magic Plants, they cheered excitedly because it meant their carefully nurtured Magic Plants were growing healthily.
What she taught was merely knowledge, but it was their perseverance that put it into practice.
But that wasn’t what attracted Qian Qi the most.
It was the Magic Plant Department students’ refusal to give up on any Magic Plant until the last moment that appealed to Qian Qi and led her to recruit them.
They pursue knowledge, truth, and authenticity, definitely not the freeloading trash in Xu Jing’s eyes.
What they need is just a stepping stone.
That stepping stone is her.
"Dare to bet with me?" Qian Qi lifted her chin, a rogue smile back on her face, "Let’s bet on the duel, three months later, between you as Awakeners and the so-called trash of the Magic Plant Department."
A bizarre smile curled at her lips, "I won’t participate in the duel, you provide three E-level Awakeners, and we’ll provide three, best of three wins. If you lose, you’ll donate 900,000 every month to our Magic Plant Department, as per a written agreement, even after graduation."
"If we lose..."
"If you lose, you’ll kneel here and shout a hundred times that the Magic Plant Department students are trash, and you’ll also provide your Magic Plants from the back hill for us to practice for free!" Xu Jing sneered, "Moreover, I want your Blood Stopping Magic Potion formula!"
Qian Qi’s eyes flickered, then she curled her lips into a smile, "It’s a deal."
---
On the way back, Liang Yuting followed behind Qian Qi, anxiously twisting her clothes, "Qian Qi, did I cause trouble for you guys? It was originally just our business, but now..."
"How could you be causing me trouble?" Seeing Liang Yuting’s face full of guilt, Qian Qi smiled a little, reassured her.
Liang Yuting’s heart thumped, and a wave of bittersweet emotion surged. Just as she was about to say something, Qian Qi touched her chin, and a terrible yet cunning grin appeared on her rugged face.
"I should thank you all. Without you, how could I ever earn 900,000 a month in funding? Hehe, hehe hehe—"
Upon hearing Qian Qi’s eerie smile, all the students in the Magic Plant Department couldn’t help but shiver.
What’s going on, why is Student Qian Qi smiling so frighteningly?
"Um, Student Qian Qi, it’s not that I don’t believe in you, ha~" Beside her, Zhang Feng first expressed his trust, then asked, "I just want to know, how do you plan to beat them?"
E-level Awakeners are not to be underestimated, ordinary people fighting them stand no chance.
Even consuming Defense Fruits continuously might only result in a draw in the end.
Thus, Zhang Feng couldn’t think of a way to beat the Awakeners no matter how hard he pondered.
"Oh, it’s quite simple." Beside her, Qian Qi’s smile grew more and more sinister, "Remember I said they field three Awakeners?"
"I remember, you said we also field three students." Zhang Feng quickly nodded, so how’s that related?
"Three students? I never said three students!" Qian Qi quickly shook her head, adamantly clarifying she never said such a thing, "I only said we’ll send out three, never said three people!"
Zhang Feng: ???
What? What do you mean?
Not sending three people, then what? Sending three ghosts?
Zhang Feng and the others had no idea what kind of mischievous plan Qian Qi was concocting, but now, they could only trust Qian Qi and believe that she could lead the Magic Plant Department out of disgrace and shed the waste reputation.
From some point in time, the students in the Magic Plant Department developed an inexplicable confidence in Qian Qi, perhaps because she had never lost a fight?
But not everyone believed in Qian Qi, like Chen Miaomiao.
"Are you all crazy!"
Learning about Qian Qi’s wager, Chen Miaomiao wore a face full of disgust and anger, she cursed, "If you want to kneel and call yourselves trash, go ahead! Just don’t drag me into it! I never agreed to this!"
Qian Qi touched her chin, looking at Chen Miaomiao, and couldn’t help but nod in agreement, "You’re right, shouldn’t drag you in."
When she teaches the other students to plant the Fire Qilin Lotus, she can’t let Chen Miaomiao get an easy ride, can she!
Must come up with a way to make Chen Miaomiao disappear for a while.
Thinking about the access card that went missing from the wardrobe again, Qian Qi’s menacing smile that had just disappeared resurfaced.
"Tomorrow let’s go to the Magic Plant Research Institute, find Dean Li and think of a way~ Ugh, last time the access card got lost, couldn’t even get in~" Qian Qi stretched and said deliberately, then climbed into bed to rest with satisfaction.
Upon hearing Qian Qi’s words, Chen Miaomiao’s eyes flickered, and a barely perceptible cold smile appeared on her lips.
Wants to find Dean Li?
Dream on!