Chapter 77: 077 Wu Fanjia was killed_1
"I’m sorry, Coach."
Wei Shen didn’t dare to meet Tang Qian’s eyes. "I just wanted an answer."
He was the one who had questioned the leadership. Although he merely sought a reason, hearing Tang Qian being scolded so harshly—the sounds clearly leaking from the unshielded office door—made him increasingly embarrassed and remorseful.
He had never actually intended to target the coach.
He knew some things weren’t for the coach to decide.
"I know."
Unexpectedly, Tang Qian’s expression was calm. When she looked at him, there was no blame in her tone. "I understand you. Chen Shaoning’s case before was one thing; then Wen Jiang was parachuted in, and I didn’t consult your opinion then either. I know you’ve been waiting for this position for a long time."
Wei Shen was a substitute player, filling in where needed. If Chen Shaoning hadn’t come, Wei Shen would likely have been promoted.
But now that Chen Shaoning was kicked out, a parachuted recruit had arrived instead.
And it was a recruit who hadn’t even been tested.
Feeling this was unacceptable, Wei Shen had gone to the leadership.
Hearing her words, he finally dared to raise his head and look tentatively at Tang Qian.
But Tang Qian changed the subject. "However, you should also know that I never do anything I’m not certain about. I didn’t let you compete against Wen Jiang because I felt there was no need. You can’t beat her."
Upon hearing this, Wei Shen felt a twinge of discomfort. He summoned his courage. "Why not give it a try? Even if I lose, I’ll accept it gladly. You should know, I’m not the only one surprised by this decision."
Wei Shen wasn’t the only substitute; Wen Jiang parachuting in without a trial match was difficult for many to accept.
Wei Shen seemed to find an excuse for his questioning. "I know Wen Jiang. She created miracles in the B Level Group. But A-Level and B-Level are worlds apart."
The implication was that Wen Jiang, as someone newly promoted to A-Level, couldn’t replicate her dominance from B-Level.
Tang Qian looked at Wei Shen with disappointment. "Do you know why I didn’t let you compete against her?"
Wei Shen paused. "Why?"
Instead of answering directly, Tang Qian said, "I know what you’re thinking. Wen Jiang parachuted in, and you’re not convinced. Do you think I’m using my coaching authority to suppress you all? That there should at least be a fair competition? Then let me ask you, Wei Shen: when Chen Shaoning parachuted in, knowing he was less skilled than you, why didn’t you fight for it? Why didn’t you come to question me then?"
Wei Shen turned deathly pale.
Tang Qian looked away and sighed. "See? You know why yourself. Chen Shaoning’s skills are definitely inferior to yours. Yet, when he joined the first team, you were dissatisfied but didn’t dare to object. This was because you knew his background—that he had a powerful Card Maker uncle whom you dared not offend. But when Wen Jiang parachutes in, you dare to compete because she has no background."
Wei Shen’s hidden thoughts had been exposed, and his entire body trembled slightly. The courage he had mustered earlier seemed to be slowly draining away.
Tang Qian pinched the bridge of her nose. "I didn’t mean to dismiss you. When Chen Shaoning joined, I promised you he wouldn’t stay in that position for long. With his poor results, those above wouldn’t tolerate him indefinitely. His glory days were, at most, for that one year."
"Now it’s Wen Jiang in that position. It’s the same idea, but the meaning is entirely different."
His thoughts exposed, Wei Shen looked up. He was extremely uneasy, but now he wanted to know why.
Tang Qian looked at him earnestly. "Wei Shen, in this world, there are unavoidable situations like Chen Shaoning’s. And then there are people like Wen Jiang, who are simply not on the same level as everyone else. With her talent and personality, if she were truly to compete against all of you, and if she happened to find you disagreeable, she could destroy your confidence. She won’t stay in this position for long. This isn’t her battlefield."
Wei Shen wasn’t foolish. He understood the hidden meaning in her words but found it hard to believe. "Are you saying... she’s destined for S Rank?"
"Perhaps," Tang Qian said, her voice returning to its calm state. "Since so many are still unconvinced, perhaps I was taking too much for granted. I’ll give you one chance. Use the cards you’re best with and see if you can defeat her."
Wei Shen’s face immediately showed a trace of unease, but not fear. Since Tang Qian had said as much, he clenched his fists. Even if he lost, he wanted to understand why.
A player Tang Qian described as destined for S Rank—he had to see just how formidable she truly was.
"It’s too late now," Tang Qian continued. "I’ll talk to her first. Come here tomorrow. Go back, rest well, and make your preparations. Also, notify all A-Level players to come and watch."
Wei Shen took a deep breath. "Okay."
Only after Wei Shen had left did Tang Qian sigh.
She had an intuition that Wen Jiang’s casual attitude stemmed from her absolute confidence.
She just hoped Wen Jiang would show a little restraint tomorrow.
If she crushed the morale of the A-Level players, what would they do in future matches?
The deep night in the Imperial City was very serene.
Ever since the mysterious thunderstorm, the Imperial City had deployed many more patrolling Spirit Card Masters. No one yet knew the cause of the thunderstorm, and the higher-ups feared it was the work of rebellious Spirit Card Masters. Consequently, everyone had been particularly tense recently.
So when Wu Fanjia stepped outside, she felt quite relaxed.
Her heart pounded excitedly.
She truly hadn’t expected Song Yingchen to ask her out tonight.
The recent news of Wen Jiang’s survival had shocked her. Coupled with her inability to contact Fiend’s small unit, waves of unease had washed over her. She had been very subdued recently and hadn’t left her home.
But Song Yingchen asking her out today still made her overly excited. Although he had used a covert method, she had a gut feeling the message was for her. Besides, they were in the Imperial City, so Wu Fanjia didn’t think there would be any issues. She changed into a lovely dress and happily set out for their meeting.
The location was a secluded coffee shop. When she entered, she indeed saw Song Yingchen.
He was sitting on a sofa, gentle and handsome in a white trench coat, dignified and elegant. Wu Fanjia was overjoyed. "Brother Chen, I really didn’t expect you to ask me out."
Song Yingchen just smiled. That tender smile looked at her, its curve unchanging.
No matter how sweet the moment felt to Wu Fanjia, she sensed something was off. "Brother Chen—?"
The next second, the Song Yingchen before her suddenly disintegrated, turning into starlight and vanishing. A card dropped onto the sofa seat.
Wu Fanjia’s pupils constricted. Immediately realizing the gravity of the situation, she was about to run when a tall, dark figure suddenly appeared in the private room. Wu Fanjia could barely summon a card before the figure struck, a single slash cutting her throat.
Wu Fanjia couldn’t even utter a word as she clutched her throat, from which fresh blood constantly gushed. Her body gradually grew cold. In her fading vision, she saw the black-clad figure pick up that card, open the private room door, and walk out openly.
The figure was exceptionally tall, a height of two meters that was utterly terrifying.
He wasn’t Song Yingchen, but...
Wu Fanjia’s eyes remained wide, the light in them dimming as her body went limp, her head lolling back against the sofa. She died with her eyes open.