Chapter 257 – Farewell Gathering Before Departure

The atmosphere in the training room grew somewhat heavy.

Even Lei Hao and Ye Bai, who usually fooled around with Su Ming without restraint, appeared unusually silent, their expressions complicated.

Seeing everyone’s demeanor, Su Ming smiled bitterly to himself.

“Come on, don’t look like we’re facing an eternal separation,” Su Ming shrugged and said. “It’s just graduation—it’s not like we’ll never see each other again.”

He didn’t know how others felt hearing these words, but Su Ming himself felt the bitterness in his heart intensify.

Only he knew that while this wasn’t a permanent farewell, once he left Longyao City for Tianfeng City, it might not be easy for everyone to reunite again.

The distance between Base Cities was ultimately quite vast.

Not in terms of physical distance, but in terms of travel between them.

As long as Phantom Demons remained in this world and the dangerous wilderness areas hadn’t been reclaimed by humanity, there would always be distance and difficulty in travel between Base Cities.

Even Su Ming couldn’t guarantee when he might return to Longyao City next.

So, not just for his group of friends, but also for his parents and relatives living in the Key Protected Area, Su Ming needed to properly say his goodbyes.

Perhaps this farewell might truly become a permanent separation—that was also a possibility.

Of course, Su Ming didn’t voice any of this.

He didn’t want his friends to know about the dangerous path he was about to embark on.

That being said, they weren’t fools. Even without knowing about his plans for Tianfeng City, they wouldn’t naively believe Su Ming’s departure was something to be taken lightly.

Even if Su Ming was going to study under someone else, he would still need to train and face real challenges in the Professional circle.

In the future, Su Ming might confront powerful enemies or encounter unimaginable dangers.

After all, they were all Professionals, destined to battle Phantom Demons and risk their lives.

There was no telling when someone might suddenly be gone—that too was a possibility.

Such was this world, such were these times.

It was anything but peaceful, even somewhat cruel.

The peace they could see was all fought for by Professionals and human warriors risking their lives.

And as Professionals, they would all face such a day eventually.

It’s just that Su Ming seemed determined to take that step before them.

This left everyone with mixed emotions, completely at a loss for words.

In the end, it was the men who accepted the situation first.

“Since you’ve made your decision, there’s nothing to be done about it.”

Lei Hao stepped forward and patted Su Ming on one shoulder.

“I never thought you’d graduate before us and enter the Professional circle first.”

Ye Bai patted Su Ming’s other shoulder, his expression complex.

Looking at these two troublemaking friends and roommates who had been with him for a full year, Su Ming suddenly smiled.

“This day was bound to come eventually,” Su Ming said without pretense. “Your turn will come soon too—remember to prepare yourselves mentally.”

“We still have a long way to go,” Lei Hao laughed and scolded. “Could you stop trying to scare us?””Who would be in such a hurry to graduate in just their second year?” Ye Bai exaggeratedly remarked: “I wouldn’t dare enter the professional circle casually without spending a full four years at the Academy.”

“But that day will eventually come,” Su Ming laughed heartily: “Anyway, you’d better take care of yourselves. Don’t let it be that when we meet next time, I’ve already made a name for myself while you’re still apprentice Professionals, too embarrassed to lift your heads.”

The three of them chatted casually like this, not showing much reluctance, yet expressing their camaraderie through these brief exchanges.

Vaguely, all three seemed to recall past events.

There were those ridiculous and utterly childish antics from over the past year.

There were those missions they undertook together as a team – sometimes full of surprises, sometimes dangerous yet ultimately safe.

It felt like their pursuit of the fleeing Screaming Demon through the streets, causing quite a commotion, had happened just yesterday.

The more panicked they were back then, the more nostalgic it felt now.

“Want to go out for a drink?”

Lei Hao suddenly proposed.

“Alcohol?”

Ye Bai seemed somewhat tempted.

“I have no objections.”

Su Ming shrugged.

This sudden suggestion left the three girls nearby somewhat flustered.

“Seniors are going drinking?”

Jiang Wanyu looked surprised.

“Really?”

Yao Beibei also appeared astonished.

“Brother Su Ming…”

An Zijin seemed downcast.

Although Su Ming, Lei Hao, and Ye Bai usually appeared somewhat unreliable, the camaraderie forged during the Huaming Campaign had made the three juniors somewhat dependent on their seniors.

Back then, Su Ming and the others had generously guided and led them, showing An Zijin and the others that while they might not be the most outstanding geniuses in the Academy, they were particularly good at taking care of people.

Though the three usually seemed unserious, that was just during playful moments – they had never actually done anything improper.

Whether it was Lei Hao, Ye Bai, or even Su Ming, the side they showed their juniors was always relatively diligent and hardworking.

After the Huaming Campaign ended, once they returned to the Academy, all three immediately focused on training and studying, striving for improvement and working hard to enhance themselves – this was the proof.

Now, with them suddenly proposing to go drinking, this somewhat un-student-like behavior inevitably surprised the juniors.

But there was no helping it – this was just how men interacted.

“Are you coming?”

Lei Hao said with a sly smile, giving off the vibe of trying to lead younger girls astray.

“Better not include the girls.”

Though still somewhat tempted, Ye Bai fully considered the girls’ feelings and didn’t let them join in their mischief.

Inviting girls out for drinks during student days – however you looked at it, this wasn’t something praiseworthy.

From the girls’ perspective, this probably wasn’t a good thing either, right?

Indeed, under normal circumstances, the young women would never agree to go drinking with the boys.

But today…

Everyone glanced at the dejected An Zijin, then at the calm-faced Su Ming, and ultimately nodded in agreement.

“Drink it is! Who’s afraid of who!”

Jiang Wanyu declared in an exceptionally fierce tone.”I… I’ll just have a little bit…”

Yao Beibei whispered her agreement, surprisingly going along with it too.

An Zijin said nothing, but judging by her expression, everyone knew she wouldn’t leave Su Ming at this moment.

“Then let’s go!”

Seeing this, Su Ming simply waved his hand grandly.

“Yeah!”

Everyone responded loudly.

……

Night fell quietly.

When Academy classes ended, the group of six left the Academy and gathered outside for drinks.

Though they called it a drinking party, they’d actually just booked a KTV private room where they could sing, drink, eat snacks, and play games.

After all, they were still students—they couldn’t carouse and compete in drinking games like working adults would. At most, they’d gather like this to have fun without going overboard.

This undoubtedly brought relief to An Zijin, Jiang Wanyu, and Yao Beibei.

They’d genuinely thought the boys would take them to compete in drinking games at a table.

Being teenagers around seventeen or eighteen years old, if they really did what adults do, it would still feel somewhat intimidating.

Now reassured, the three girls relaxed considerably, even drinking a few glasses under the festive atmosphere.

Su Ming and the other two boys had no such reservations—they ate and drank heartily, eventually starting drinking games.

That’s when the differences in alcohol tolerance became apparent.

The first to get drunk was none other than the usually timid Ye Bai.

“Su Ming! You bastard!”

After a few drinking games, Ye Bai’s emotions erupted. He grabbed Su Ming’s shoulders and started shouting.

“I always thought you were the most cautious among us, always yelling about wanting to be an extra, saying women slow down your growth, acting so cowardly—who knew you were actually a traitor!”

“What extra? What coward? Would a truly cautious person dare to graduate early and go out into the world after less than two years at the Academy!?”

“Aren’t you full of guts? You bastard!”

By the end, Ye Bai was even crying.

“What’s worse, you bastard, you’re actually childhood sweethearts with my goddess, growing up together since young… it’s just… so enviable!”

Ye Bai’s howls filled the entire KTV room, making even An Zijin blush bright red.

To make matters worse, Lei Hao joined in kicking someone who was down.

“And my goddess—Senior Xu Qianqian, who’s held the Academy Beauty title for over two years! You still haven’t told me how you got so close with her!” Lei Hao slapped Su Ming’s back hard, shouting, “No way! You have to come clean today!”

“That’s right! Explain clearly!” Ye Bai continued yelling, “You beast better not have taken advantage to do something you shouldn’t! Did you take liberties with Senior Xu and Junior An in private? Spit it out!”

Taking advantage of their drunken high, the two seized on their usual grievances to deliver the sternest condemnation against Su Ming.

Normally, Su Ming would deny everything to avoid giving these two animals ammunition.

But now, Su Ming had also drunk quite a bit. With his spirits high, he couldn’t help but spout all kinds of provocative banter.

“Since you’ve asked so sincerely, I’ll generously tell you.” Su Ming raised his glass and said, “About this matter, I only have one thing to say.”

“What is it?”Lei Hao and Ye Bai stared over with intense gazes.

Su Ming’s expression turned serious as he uttered a single phrase.

“Ri Wu An, soft.”

The Chinese language is profound and boundless.

With just a single pinyin phrase and one character, it could conjure endless fantasies in the minds of countless lewd-minded individuals—those who should understand and those who shouldn’t all instantly grasped the meaning.

“You bastard!”

“You animal!”

Lei Hao and Ye Bai’s eyes instantly turned red with fury.

As for the group of young women, their faces flushed crimson with embarrassment.

“Detestable Senior Su Ming!”

“Senior is a bad person!”

Jiang Wanyu and Yao Beibei were filled with indignation.

An Zijin also blushed deeply, lowering her head, unsure of what to say.

(End of Chapter)