A storm raged in Bai Chen's heart. He had snuck up here to see how his cousin would teach this kid a lesson.

He never expected his cousin to be beaten down to one knee. Without a second thought, he had rushed forward to launch a sneak attack.

But this sneak attack had only landed him in a predicament.

"I just said I have a bad temper, and now someone else shows up to provoke me." Tu Xiao'an sounded exasperated. He glanced at the astonished Bai Chen, whose fist was still frozen in mid-air.

"Officer Bai, you saw that, right? This guy sneak-attacked me first. I'm going to act in self-defense now."

Bai Chuyan didn't quite understand why her cousin was just staring blankly, completely motionless. But upon hearing Tu Xiao'an's words, she had a bad feeling. "What are you trying to do? Don't do anything rash! Since you're an Awakened Martial Cultivator, you must have heard of the Bai Family of Wencheng, right?"

"Heard of them," he replied coolly.

Joy flashed across Bai Chuyan's and Bai Chen's faces. 'Since you've heard of us, you can drop the act. Wencheng is the Bai Family's domain.'

"I've heard of them, yes, but I don't know them." Tu Xiao'an shook his head, then added, "I'm going to act in self-defense now."

Self-defense?

Bai Chen's expression was one of utter disbelief. 'I can't even move my body, what the hell are you defending yourself from?!'

SLAP...

A loud slap rang out of nowhere, and a clear, red handprint appeared on Bai Chen's face.

The cousins were completely dumbfounded. 'Was that loud slap what you call self-defense?'

"You've gone too far!" Killing Intent surged in Bai Chuyan's eyes. She shot to her feet, ready to strike, but then she froze.

'Better not to embarrass myself further.'

'This handsome, wickedly charming young man... he's too strong. It seems we're not on the same Level.'

"What's wrong? Does Officer Bai want to arrest me again?"

Bai Chuyan took a deep breath. "What did you do to my cousin?"

"I didn't do anything," Tu Xiao'an said with a smile.

THUD...

Bai Chen collapsed to the ground, cold sweat streaming down his back.

"Cousin, this guy's a monster! He's not human!" Bai Chen yelled at her.

Bai Chuyan helped Bai Chen up and said sternly, "Cousin, this person is an Awakened Martial Cultivator."

Bai Chen's eyes widened. He knew he had picked a fight with the wrong person.

Tu Xiao'an spoke coldly, "Saying I'm not human... that's an insult, isn't it? Looks like I'll have to act in self-defense again."

"Don't you dare!" Bai Chuyan shouted as he approached. "Do you really have no regard for our Bai Family? You'd better think this through!"

Tu Xiao'an paused. 'I just arrived in Wencheng, so it's probably best to keep a low profile. I should find out more about this Bai Family first.'

"Make him apologize. Or else I'll have to act in self-defense."

Bai Chen exploded with defiance. "You slapped me, and now you want me to apologize to you? Who the hell do you think you are?"

"You see? It's not that I'm disrespecting your Bai Family. He's the one who's not playing along. I'm left with no choice but to act in self-defense."

A wicked grin spread across Tu Xiao'an's face as he shook out his hands. Bai Chen's cheek suddenly throbbed with a fiery pain. 'This guy isn't planning on slapping me again, is he?'

'He's an Awakened Martial Cultivator, and so is my cousin, but she's no match for this kid.'

"Bai Chen, apologize to him." Bai Chuyan had calmed down. This young man before her was shrouded in mystery. 'When did such a powerful figure appear in Wencheng?'

'I can't get entangled with him any further. I need to go back and report this to the family.'

"Cousin, I..."

"Apologize. Do you hear me?" Bai Chuyan's expression was frosty.

Bai Chen felt like he was about to explode on the spot. He could only bite the bullet, look at Tu Xiao'an, and say unenthusiastically, "I'm sorry."

"Be more sincere."

"I'm sorry."

"Louder."

Bai Chen gritted his teeth and roared, "I'M SORRY!"

Tu Xiao'an smiled. "Alright, I'll just chalk it up to the thoughtless words of a child. Watch your mouth in the future."

Child's words?

Bai Chen felt like he was about to cough up a mouthful of blood. He could only try to kill Tu Xiao'an with his glare.

"And you. You apologize too."

Tu Xiao'an looked at Bai Chuyan.

Bai Chuyan was stunned. "Why should I apologize to you?"

"You slandered me and attacked me. Don't you think you should apologize?"

Bai Chuyan seared Tu Xiao'an's face into her memory. A wise person knows not to fight a losing battle. Expressionlessly, she said, "I'm sorry."

"Be more sincere."

"I'm sorry."

"Louder. I can't hear you."

Bai Chuyan suddenly got right in Tu Xiao'an's face and shrieked, "I'M SORRY! IS THAT GOOD ENOUGH FOR YOU?"

Tu Xiao'an picked at his ear. "That's fine. Sincere enough. I bet everyone on campus heard Officer Bai apologizing to me."

Bai Chuyan froze, utterly humiliated.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Sophie and Li Qingzhao in the distance. Sophie was staring at her with astonishment and disbelief. Her apology had been witnessed. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Bai Chuyan stomped her foot, pulled Bai Chen up, and stormed away in a huff.

"Tu Xiao'an, are you okay?"

Li Qingzhao and Sophie walked over.

"I'm fine. What could possibly happen to me? I was just cooperating with the police."

Sophie looked at Tu Xiao'an in astonishment. "Was Chu Yan just apologizing to you?"

Tu Xiao'an nonchalantly nodded.

That nod shocked Sophie even more. You have to understand, Bai Chuyan was extremely cold and arrogant. Back in school, she was the campus belle everyone chased after. Later, at the police station, she became the station's top beauty—a true Ice Mountain.

She also had the Bai Family backing her, making her insufferably arrogant and look down on everyone. For a woman like that to apologize to someone...

...pigs must be flying.

After her surprise faded, Sophie gave Tu Xiao'an a deep look and said, "I still have a lot of school matters to attend to, so I'll be going now."

"Goodbye, Teacher Su," Li Qingzhao said sweetly.

Sophie turned to leave, but then she suddenly looked at Tu Xiao'an. "Hey, can we add each other on WeChat?"

"Huh? Sure." Tu Xiao'an nodded. Having a beautiful teacher ask for his WeChat was obviously something to be proud of.

He took out his phone, and they scanned each other's codes. Sophie was direct and didn't waste time; she left as soon as they were connected.

"Wow, my Brother Xiao'an! Getting our Teacher Su to ask for your WeChat... you're really something else!" Li Qingzhao was dumbfounded.

Tu Xiao'an shrugged and smiled faintly.

"We haven't added each other on WeChat yet! Come on, let's do it now," Li Qingzhao suddenly remembered that they weren't friends on the app.

Tu Xiao'an gained another friend on WeChat.

As they walked away, Li Qingzhao asked, "What do you think was going on with that swarm of snakes today? Do you think they'll come back?"

"Probably not." Tu Xiao'an's gaze grew distant. He still hadn't figured that part out yet.

'What on this campus could possibly attract a swarm of snakes?'

'He was extremely perceptive; if there were truly something here, it would be impossible for him not to have noticed it.'

"But I kind of hope they come back! I thought it was really fun."

The girl's thoughtless comment made Tu Xiao'an roll his eyes.

'Fun for you, maybe, but it was a nightmare for the other students.'

'One or two snakes is no big deal, but thousands of them? Who wouldn't be scared? This is a school, not the Snake Market.'

However, Li Qingzhao's careless remark would actually come true not long after.