Chapter 18: Making Peace
Since he’s transferring to our class, it means this guy is also an Anomaly. If that’s the case, it’s not strange that he knows my name.
It’s only natural to think that way. After all, I just learned that Masters of Fate can snatch each other’s Destiny Power. A transfer student appearing out of nowhere at this specific time…
He seemed too suspicious no matter how I looked at it.
So, the question became whether or not I should approach Ji Zhibai.
If he’s a Master of Fate, perhaps he came to snatch my Destiny Power. But then again, I don’t currently have…
Besides, the Destiny I possess now… well, at the very least, I have the ability to cope.
It doesn’t seem like a good idea to approach him rashly. Perhaps it’s better to avoid conflict for now…
But things don’t always develop the way I want them to.
The bell rang at the end of the fourth period, and the moment the teacher walked out, the transfer student sitting next to me asked,
“Classmate An, can you show me around the school?”
I didn’t expect him to approach me first.
He was always smiling, and I had no idea what he was plotting.
However, since he went out of his way to ask me out alone, it means he wants to create a private environment for conversation.
It just so happens that I also want to know if this guy is a Master of Fate.
“Alright, but there’s not much to see around our school…”
I scratched my head and got up from my seat. Just as I was about to take the transfer student on a tour of the campus, Lianbing, who was behind me, suddenly grabbed my hand.
“Don’t go.”
“Huh?”
I said, “Lianbing, what’s wrong with you today?”
Moreover, I felt like our roles had somehow reversed.
Normally, wouldn’t it be you being invited by the transfer student, and I’d be the one stopping you when you tried to go?
I’m being forced into the role of the Female Lead here!
“Ahaha, classmate, are you perhaps jealous? But you don’t have to worry about that. My sexual orientation is perfectly normal, and I’m not interested in men.”
“Hehehe, then why didn’t you ask someone else? With your looks, there would be plenty of girls willing to do your bidding.”
…Indeed.
In fact, if I looked towards the classroom door now, I could see a few girls secretly watching us. Some were even taking pictures with their phones to post on their social media.
He is indeed very handsome, as if he walked out of a movie.
“Well, before I came to class, Teacher Xiaozhen Ke told me that Classmate An likes to help others the most… So, you won’t refuse me, right?”
He even tilted his head and acted cute… Wow…
The most terrifying thing is that I didn’t find it disgusting and even thought it suited him… This is too scary!
I must stay away from him! My instincts are warning me!
“Cough, it’s just a tour of the school, it’s alright…”
After a few seconds of silence, Lianbing released my wrist and said.
“Fine, suit yourself.”
She seemed a little sulky.
Huh? Miss Lianbing? Are you jealous of a guy?
Hey, hey, hey?
I feel like I’m a henpecked husband asking his wife for permission before going out for drinks… What the heck!
Lianbing must have sensed something from this man, which is why she doesn’t want me to approach him.
–However, if you don’t enter the tiger’s den, how can you catch its cubs!
Besides, I don’t think he’d dare do anything to me at school, and even if he did, it wouldn’t be useful.
With multiple assurances, I felt I could still go and test him.
And so, I began the boring campus tour with the transfer student.
After we finished looking at the science building, Ji Zhibai, who hadn’t said much along the way, suddenly spoke to me. However, his words were unexpected.
“I feel like Classmate An is standing a bit far from me. Being rejected by a new classmate like this makes me feel very bad.”
There was about three meters between us, which was indeed a bit far, three times the distance between desks.
But I couldn’t tell him that I was keeping my distance because I was wary of him.
“…It’s not that I’m rejecting you, it’s just that you’re too handsome. If you stood next to me, I’d be suspected of being gay.”
“Huh? Is being handsome a mistake?”
Those words were incredibly annoying.
The most infuriating thing was that it felt okay when *he* said it.
In the end, I could only roll my eyes and say with a laugh.
“No, you’re not wrong. The mistake is that I’m not handsome enough.”
Heh.
“Or else, should I start wearing women’s clothes to school tomorrow? That way, standing next to you wouldn’t be misunderstood as being gay.”
However, Ji Zhibai’s expression didn’t seem like he was joking. Was he serious?
Wearing women’s clothes to school?
“Let me clarify first, I’m not a pervert with a cross-dressing fetish. It’s just that if Classmate An wishes so, I don’t mind. However, I’ve never worn women’s clothes before.”
Please don’t do this.
The scariest part was that when I imagined him in women’s clothes, he looked surprisingly suitable…
So much so that it would be hard to tell the difference, and one wouldn’t be able to determine his gender without trying it on.
“Actually, I think Classmate An would also be quite suitable for women’s clothes, and probably a surprisingly beautiful woman.”
This was also surprisingly persuasive. Zi’ai’s existence was the best proof.
But I would never wear women’s clothes!
Wearing women’s clothes is impossible! It will never happen in this lifetime!
“How about we wear women’s clothes together?”
“Pervert!” I was already called a pervert by Keling so many times. If I actually wore women’s clothes to school, then the fact that I’m a pervert would be confirmed. What would my younger sisters think of me then!
“Haha, actually, I think wearing women’s clothes is a viable option. Not only does it hide our gender, but it can also make the enemy lower their guard. Most importantly, it can prevent the enemy from capturing the true identity of the Master of Fate.”
“That actually sounds… Huh?”
Did he just say “Master of Fate”?
I sighed and said in a “as expected” tone.
“Sigh, I knew you’d be a Master of Fate… ah…”
Ji Zhibai gave a kind smile and extended his hand to me again.
“Let me reintroduce myself. My name is Ji Zhibai, an external employee of the Northeast Asia branch of the organization. My宿命 (destiny) is ‘Yin and Yang’. We are partners on the same side!”
I didn’t shake his outstretched hand. Instead, I raised an eyebrow and asked,
“Partners? That’s not what I heard… Isn’t the only path for Masters of Fate the struggle for Destiny Power?”
Ji Zhibai didn’t seem embarrassed by my refusal to shake his hand. Instead, he naturally raised his finger, as if analyzing the situation for me.
“I wouldn’t dare oppose you, Classmate An. That would be seeking death. Everyone in the Hidden World knows that there is a ‘Calamity of the North’ in this city, one of the most powerful Masters of Fate. For a small fry like me, it’s more logical to ally with you and cling to your coattails, right?”
Huh? Calamity of the North?
What new nickname is this for me?
Why have I become one of the most powerful Masters of Fate?
Putting that aside, I thought this guy was going to be an enemy. Turns out he’s here to pledge allegiance?
“I thought you…”
“Ah, are you wary of me because I’m a transfer student? Indeed, generally speaking, transfer students at this time are either enemies or companions. Of course, there’s also a possibility that they start as enemies, and after some ‘fist diplomacy,’ they become allies… I just felt that since we’re going to be partners in the end anyway, there’s no need to get beaten up first.”
Ji Zhibai spread his hands, saying confidently.
“After all, I’m this handsome. I have to protect my good looks, don’t you think so, Classmate An?”
So, stop emphasizing how handsome you are, you handsome bastard.
“But without this process of deepening our friendship, it’s hard for me to believe you. Who knows how much of what you’re saying is true.”
“Please believe me. Look, I don’t even have a Witch by my side. Right now, I can’t even use Destiny Power. I’m a beautiful man with no strength to even tie up a chicken, am I not?”
…
Who knows if you have Destiny Power.
I can’t sense the Destiny Power in you.
But I can judge that he’s not lying. He truly doesn’t have it.
That’s why he agrees with everything I say, even agreeing to wear women’s clothes. He’s clearly trying to please me.
“Oh my, what are you still hesitating about? Hurry and take me as your subordinate, Big Brother! I’ve been conquered by your kingly aura!”
“Aren’t you indirectly insulting me, you guy?”
“How could I? Big Brother! I’m sincere! I’m willing to wear women’s clothes for you!”
You’re saying this in front of people. You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you!
“Haa… Fine, whatever. No matter why you’re approaching me, I can’t control it… But please don’t call me Big Brother, okay? We know each other now, just call me by my name.”
… No, … Please don’t call me “Brother Cheng.” I don’t want to be stabbed and have my head kicked off!
“Then I’ll call you Brother Jun. Is that okay?”
Seeing that the lunch break was almost over, we hurriedly ended this pretense of a tour and headed back to the classroom.
On the way back, I asked Ji Zhibai.
“By the way, aren’t you afraid that after I use you up, I’ll snatch away your Witch?”
“Huh? Brother Jun, would you do that? Am I at risk of being…?”
“Hey, hey, are you pretending to be stupid or are you really stupid… Regardless, the most basic relationship won’t change. We are both Masters of Fate, so we can’t rule out this possibility.”
Ji Zhibai nodded and clapped his hands.
“Ahaha, that’s true. Well then, if Brother Jun wants her, I’ll offer her up. How about that? Am I a good subordinate?”
“Don’t joke around at a time like this. I want a real answer.”
As we reached the classroom door, I turned back and said to him.
Seeing my serious expression, Ji Zhibai also dropped his playful demeanor and said to me with his initial inscrutable smile.
“Brother Jun… Classmate An, you might have misunderstood. Not all Masters of Fate’s Witches are as easygoing as your Witch, nor is the relationship between every Master of Fate and their Witch that good. Not all Masters of Fate can control their own Destiny…”
He’s hinting at something.
On the surface, he’s telling me that the relationship between a Witch and a Master of Fate isn’t always good.
But in reality, he might be alluding to himself…
“Then what about you? What’s your motive?”
Ji Zhibai shrugged, acting as if it was no big deal.
“Nothing much. I… don’t want to die.”
Heh, don’t want to die…
This is really…
“I quite like that reason. Then, please take care of me.”
This time, I extended my hand to him. Ji Zhibai froze for a moment, then finally smiled and shook my hand.
And then, this became the beginning of my entanglement in a series of disputes later on.
