Translator: Abyssruler Editor: Lucas
Raston nodded. “What do you say we combine our strength with Wang Zheng? The Ares College students are actually forces to be reckoned with.”
“Forget it for the moment. He doesn’t even have Ability X, which is crucial. Neither does he have much status. Zhang Runan can be considered though, we need power-types like her.”
“A woman? Leave it up to me.”
Lie Guang smirked. A name like Runan definitely belonged to a girl.
Raston looked blank for a second, then let out a laugh. “You can’t handle a woman like her. More accurately, she’s your nemesis.”
“Damn, a woman I can’t handle? Raston, how dare you look down on a god of love like myself.”
Lie Xin also laughed. “Little Lie Guang, if you can handle her, I’ll start calling you elder brother!”
The situation was beginning to dawn on Lie Guang, and he wilted a little. “What kind of monster is this? Alright, I’m suitably terrified.”
Wang Zheng had been dragged by Huiyin into the recess room, while Angela stood guard at the door.
Wang Zheng shrugged himself free of Lin Huiyin. “Your Highness, your status is different now. You have to carry yourself more carefully.”
“Pshh, you fussy thing. You can’t chase my cousin if you can’t even assume responsibility for this much.”
Wang Zheng secretly thought that these were completely separate matters. She clearly knew that she was in the public eye but still invited suspicion from Lie Guang and the others. She really was nothing but trouble.
Of course, perhaps Lin Huiyin wanted to help raise his status in the eyes of others. But Wang Zheng knew exactly what kind of person he was. His friends respected him not because of his connections, but simply for who he was.
“Is Aina well?” This was what Wang Zheng was concerned about.
“Of course she’s fine. But you two really are something special, huh? I guess absence makes the heart grow fonder, and this distance is really something. I hear you arranged to meet during the IG main competition at Aslan?”
Huiyin asked curiously.
Wang Zheng nodded. “The main competition of IG will be held in Aslan this time around.”
“Can you do it?” Lin Huiyin eyed Wang Zheng. She had heard from Angela before, regarding the difference in standards between the Solar System and Earth.
Wang Zheng sat silently for a beat, then smiled. “I will definitely go to Aslan. Did Aina say anything else?”
“Am I really that boring to talk to? Cousin said to take care of her little sister, who is the cutest thing on Earth.”
Lin Huiyin pouted.
Wang Zheng shrugged with irritation. He wanted to counter that it was his first time on Mars as well. Furthermore, how could Huiyin have no one else by her side? But he swallowed his annoyance. Quarreling with a kid did nothing but lower his own IQ.
“Don’t give me that reluctant look, I have a plan!” Lin Huiyin announced enigmatically. She beckoned him closer with a crook of her finger while watching the door.
“I heard Jippu has a ‘Fallen Paradise’. I want to go and see! I heard it’s home to the most colorful individuals of Mars.”
Wang Zheng was taken aback. He had heard of the place before. The larger planets varied in the strictness of their regulations. Mars had a bit more latitude, and this Fallen Paradise was shady. It had all kinds of unsavory characters. The most famous of these attractions was the cage match, where the sole objective was to defeat the opponent – no boundaries, no limits. It was crazy, and it attracted challengers from all walks of life.
This type of activity was virtually non-existent on Earth and the Moon, but it was a huge attraction on Mars.
The place perked Wang Zheng’s interest too. But it was definitely not a place for the likes of Lin Huiyin.
Wang Zheng shook his head firmly. “You cannot go.”
“Oh, don’t be so stodgy! I confided such an important matter to you as an indication of my trust. I’m definitely going, even if you are not. You’re not allowed to tell anyone, or else… Fufu, my potential to wreak havoc is nothing to sneeze at.”
Lin Huiyin threatened Wang Zheng with the menace of a tiger cub.
Wang Zheng said exasperatedly, “That’s not the point here. That place isn’t safe. Be prudent and don’t go, or if you must, bring enough bodyguards.”
“That’s none of your business!”
Lin Huiyin pouted. This fellow just did not get it. One had to be adventurous when one was young. How could a military school elite be afraid of this and that?
Wang Zheng understood Lin Huiyin’s disdain, but he merely smiled. If he had been alone, things would have been fine, but Lin Huiyin tagging along was an entirely different matter. Furthermore, he was unfamiliar with the Fallen Paradise and was mentally unprepared. If he dared to guarantee her safety under such circumstances, he would not be Wang Zheng. Putting it plainly, it was moronic and foolhardy.
“Thanks for today. My friends really enjoyed themselves.”
“At night at ten. I’ll wait for you at the backdoor of the hotel. If you don’t come, I’ll go alone,” Lin Huiyin shot in parting as she left.
Wang Zheng called out grudgingly. “Hey, where are you going?”
“To change! Do you want to come?” Her huffiness was still clear in her voice.
Wang Zheng shook his head with frustration. This was why Aina was much better, she didn’t have that princess-like temperament.
Upon returning to his own room, he saw that Xiao Fei had left a message. Because it was a vacation period, Wang Zheng could choose to stay for two more days before returning, on the conditional promise to stay safe.
This type of teacher was the best. Xiao Fei did not restrict him like a child.
Because training was ongoing, Wang Zheng had intended to depart on the day after the concert, but Huiyin’s words made him pause.
To be honest, he was not too familiar with Lin Huiyin’s personality, besides some limited interaction in his time with Aina. Aina always did things with a measure of composure. While Huiyin looked cute and compliant on the outside, it was mostly an act. Would she really sneak off to the Fallen Paradise by herself?
In her room, Huiyin had already finished her preparations. Her bundle had everything she needed; it was prepared in advance before she came to Mars. Her cuteness and compliance were merely a pretense that allowed her to seek even greater freedom.
At heart, Lin Huiyin was filled with an adventurous spirit, and she was at an age where her rebelliousness was peaking.
Angela would definitely have to be left behind. While she was not opposed to turning a blind eye at times, such matters were definitely out of the question. If she was reported, her carefree days were over.
Fallen Paradise. The name itself carried the promise of exhilarating risk. How ‘fallen’ and depraved was it, exactly?
“Your Highness, your orders?”
“It’s alright now. I’m tired and I want to sleep. You should rest early tonight as well. We are leaving early tomorrow back for Aslan.”
“Yes, Your Highness,” Angela said.
Half an hour later, when Lin Huiyin felt certain that Angela had left, she briskly completed changing her attire. She changed to comfortable clothes and even put on a blue wig.
She had long wanted to try out this disguise, but she would have been readily denounced on Aslan. A life of nothing but elegance was so sickening!
After stealthily opening the door, she slipped out quiet as a mouse.
Wang Zheng intended not to heed her, but… What if that wench really went to show off and something happened to her? He would not be able to rest with a clear conscience.
Maybe he could contact Angela, but he did not have a way to contact her. Maybe he could…
Heaving a deep sigh, Wang Zheng dressed appropriately.
At 10 PM, a little shadow pounced on Wang Zheng the instant he appeared.
“I knew you would come. You did well. In exchange, I’ll help you out with my cousin!” Lin Huiyin’s voice was filled with joy and anticipation.
Wang Zheng eyed Huiyin’s disguise. She looked like a female gangster, and what kind of hairstyle was that?
“Cool, isn’t it? I’ve been dying to try this out.” She was spitting with excitement.
These things would never go well, let alone spraying spittle in public.
Wang Zheng said, “Alright, we can go, but we can’t go crazy. We’ll just take a quick look and come back.”
“Yeah, yeah. You nag like an old man. Quit yammering, let’s go!”
Lin Huiyin dragged Wang Zheng off. Well, since he had already committed, might as well enjoy the ride. Besides, Wang Zheng really wanted to see a cage match as well.
The Fallen Paradise was not actually in the suburbs, but rather located in the seedier district in Jippu. It was apparent that little Huiyin had done her research properly. The income disparity between the affluent and the poor was larger on Mars compared to the rest of the Solar System Federation.
The architecture here was more dilapidated. A rotten stench and crowd noise filled the air, and the walls were covered in lewd graffiti. Lin Huiyin took it all in with interest. Such things were non-existent on Aslan, and every place only sought to show its best side off.
“Looks fun, doesn’t it, Wang Zheng? Why do you think they vandalise the walls instead of putting their art on a canvas?”
Huiyin asked curiously.
Wang Zheng was taken aback at her innocent question. “Er, these aren’t exactly paintings, more like… a form of release.”
“Mm, it must be. They’re full of dissatisfaction and pent up emotions.”
At the corner of the street between two large skyscrapers, the crowd swelled. The décor had also become more ‘hip’.
The Fallen Paradise opened once every hour after 8 PM.
In the crowd, Lin Huiyin was still clearly excited. Her disguise would let her through, although Wang Zheng had no idea where she found that wig.
But he was not here to play, he had to ensure Huiyin’s safety.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Fallen Paradise! Here you can enjoy thrills and wonders never seen before!”
The large metal doors opened with a rumble. The youngsters waiting outside crowded through in a frenzy. Wang Zheng and Lin Huiyin were carried in by the crowd as well.
Wang Zheng tried his best to block the surrounding people from getting too close. Lin Huiyin remained eager. If it was not for Wang Zheng in the way, she might have been the one jostling forward.
The throughway was purposely dimmed for effect. After about 10 minutes, light began to appear ahead.
In front of the crowd’s eyes was a place that was dressed up like a cave.
… It looked like a place for primitive cavemen.
The place was filled with laughter and fire. Sexy women strutted around the place.
The wild activities of the Martians was known to Wang Zheng and the rest. They had spoken of it in their dormitories, calling it “a man’s heaven”. They had thought it was exaggeration, but it seemed as though the reality lived up to its legends.
This… It seemed like a bad place for Huiyin to be.
It seemed like a primitive-themed carnival. Quite a few men and women were dressed in animal skins, in sync with the décor. The place really expressed wildness.
The Fallen Paradise was also a huge trade center. The trade revenue here made up a tenth of Jippu’s total, and it was bustling. People came here to enjoy themselves to the fullest, and under such an atmosphere, impulsive purchases were common.
Of course, the goods sold here were not found in common markets.
Cheers and hoots could be heard everywhere. Cage matches were everywhere, not just in one place. Each cage was surrounded by people. Some sported weapons, while others chose to go without.
