Brothers

Because he was set to leave the Huaxia Nation at the end of the month for the Extreme Martial Arts Grand Hall's global headquarters, Luo Feng spent almost every day at home, accompanying his parents and younger brother. His father, Luo Hongguo, mother, Gong Xinlan, and younger brother, Luo Hua, were reluctant to see him go, but they didn't want to hinder Luo Feng's bright future. On March 12th, Luo Feng gathered with his Fire Hammer Squad teammates. They first sold the monster materials they had hunted. As this was the Fire Hammer Squad's last sale of monster materials, Luo Feng proposed that the five of them split the money evenly. The total amount from this sale was a little over 800 million. Logically, Luo Feng, having contributed the most, should have received the largest share, potentially over 300 million. However, everyone understood that Luo Feng was leaving the Fire Hammer Squad, and the older Chen Gu, Wei Tie, and Wei Qing would also retire, leading to the natural disbandment of the Fire Hammer Squad! This past half-year was a normal period for Luo Feng as a Warrior Squad member, but Gao Feng, Chen Gu, and the others had been Warrior Squad members for much longer. Everyone's emotions were complex. Luo Feng's suggestion to split the money evenly was immediately approved by Gao Feng. Since Luo Feng and Gao Feng took the lion's share of the credit, and both agreed, Chen Gu, Wei Tie, and Wei Qing didn't quibble. Each person received a little over 170 million. Afterward, the Fire Hammer Squad drank until three or four in the morning that night, and the group took a train to their respective homes the next morning. With that, the Fire Hammer Squad officially disbanded! Chen Gu, Wei Tie, and Wei Qing retired, Luo Feng was heading to the global headquarters, and Gao Feng would join another Warrior Squad to continue his struggle! ... On March 21st, the sun shone brightly, and the weather was excellent. In Jiangnan Base City's main university district, this vast area housed all eight undergraduate universities of Jiangnan Base City. At the entrance of one university, the gleaming six characters 'Jiangnan Second Military Academy' shone brightly above the main gate. Many students, both male and female, were walking out of the military academy's entrance. Some were couples walking arm-in-arm, while others were groups of male or female classmates. Only one young man, wearing a simple dark blue T-shirt, leaned against the small bridge railing at the academy's entrance, watching the students come and go. "Hey, Luo Feng!" A loud shout came from a distance. Luo Feng turned his head towards the source of the voice. He saw a slightly slender young man running towards him on the distant sidewalk, appearing refined and scholarly. It was his good brother, Wei Wen, with whom he had grown up playing. "Ah Wen," Luo Feng said with a smile, running over. "I was waiting for you at the school gate. How did you pop out from here?" "My cultural classes finished early this morning, so I went back to the dorms. There's still some distance between our dorm area and the campus," Wei Wen explained. "Oh, the campus and dorms are separate? That's an eye-opener for someone who never went to college like me," Luo Feng teased with a laugh. "You rascal, you're a Warrior, and you're still teasing me," Wei Wen chuckled, playfully punching Luo Feng's chest. "It's just early spring, still quite cold, and you're only wearing a T-shirt? Aren't you afraid of the cold? Tsk tsk... worthy of a Warrior!" Compared to Luo Feng, Wei Wen's clothes were noticeably thicker and warmer. Luo Feng looked around. "Come on, let's find a place to sit." "Haha, it's rare to catch a big spender. This time, I'm definitely going to splurge! I want to go to... that 'Baiye Residence'," Wei Wen said quickly. "Alright, whatever 'Baiye Residence' it is, you lead the way." Luo Feng smiled. Usually, in the wilderness or supply bases, when interacting with Warriors, he maintained a slight guard. But with Wei Wen, Luo Feng felt as if he had returned to his middle school and high school days, completely relaxed. Baiye Residence was a mid-range restaurant where a meal for two or three people cost around three to four hundred yuan. However, for students with no income, this was already a luxury. But for Warriors, it was very, very ordinary. "Sir, how many?" The waitress greeted them warmly. "Two," Luo Feng said, looking around. "Find us a quiet spot." The waitress, accustomed to seeing countless people come and go daily, immediately sensed that Luo Feng was different from the ordinary students around. His sharp gaze alone made her heart skip a beat, and she naturally bowed her head slightly, saying, "We have private rooms upstairs. Please follow me." "Tsk tsk, a private room, I've never been in one. I've only splurged a few times here with my girlfriend, and we were always in the main hall downstairs," Wei Wen said as he followed Luo Feng up the stairs. "Girlfriend? You didn't mention it during the New Year. Hasn't it been long?" Luo Feng asked. The two entered an elegant private room upstairs, quickly ordered some dishes and a case of beer from the menu. After putting down the menu, Wei Wen smiled and said, "During the New Year, my relationship with my girlfriend wasn't fully established. It was only after the New Year, when school just started, that we made it official!" "Congratulations, congratulations!" Luo Feng couldn't help but laugh, clenching his fist. "You've only been in military academy for less than a year and you've already snagged a girlfriend, impressive!" "It's just good luck. My girlfriend is from the normal university next door," Wei Wen said, opening a beer bottle. "You know, our military academy has tons of guys and a terrifyingly small number of girls. The gender ratio is severely imbalanced." "So, you looked outside the school?" Luo Feng couldn't help but smile. "Come on, let's have a drink first," Wei Wen said, holding up his beer bottle. Luo Feng also picked up a beer bottle, clinked it, and took a couple of sips. "Luo Feng, dating isn't easy," Wei Wen couldn't help but tilt his head back and drink a lot more beer, his face flushing red. He shook his head and sighed, "Nowadays, people constantly compare themselves. They compare girlfriends, and they compare whose girlfriend is prettier. That's a minor thing! The most important thing is... the atmosphere!" "Atmosphere?" Luo Feng was a little confused. "For example, when my girlfriend and I go out to eat, if I don't choose a good place. My girlfriend has a good temper, she won't say anything. But... her female classmates will gossip and complain," Wei Wen shook his head. "You don't know, those girls play mind games with each other, even more exaggerated than us guys!" "'Her boyfriend is the child of some rich person,' 'Her boyfriend is a high-level student at the Martial Arts Hall.' 'Her boyfriend is this, her boyfriend is that.' Everyone compares!" "Even for my girlfriend's standing, when I go out to eat with her, I have to take her to a better place," Wei Wen said, shaking his head helplessly. Luo Feng was stunned. Never having attended university, Luo Feng truly didn't understand these things, though there were already signs of girls comparing themselves in high school. "You know how expensive it is to eat out, and I occasionally buy my girlfriend gifts. In just one month, I've already spent over four thousand yuan," Wei Wen tilted his head back, finishing the beer bottle in his hand, his eyes slightly red. "Sometimes, my girlfriend even helps pay for the meals." Luo Feng's brows furrowed slightly. "My girlfriend and I both come from ordinary families, living in affordable housing. How much money can we have! So, I'm tutoring now, but unfortunately, I'm not yet a high-level student at the Martial Arts Hall, so tutoring doesn't earn much," Wei Wen shook his head. "I've seen through it all: in life, it's all about saving face!" Luo Feng sighed inwardly. Wei Wen's family's financial situation was slightly better than his own back then, and he had even lent Luo Feng money during middle school and high school. "In just this one month, I've seen through it all." "Everything boils down to two words—status!" "This society is all about people stepping on each other. You see those with good family backgrounds and money, they always have a few followers in college, and girls throwing themselves at them! And those with strong abilities, who are already 'Warriors', are equally respected! Some with powerful backgrounds even have many students willing to follow them, hoping they'll get a leg up later!" "Money, power, strength!" "People with money have status." "People with connections hold power and also have status." "Warriors naturally have status." Wei Wen opened another bottle of beer. "So, this world is very simple. People naturally respect those with high status and look down on those with low status." Luo Feng nodded. For so many years, Luo Feng had always thought Wei Wen was very smart. These words were simple and crude, yet they laid bare the truth of society. "When rich people lose their money, it's over." "When powerful people lose their position, they might lose their power." "Power and money are externally bestowed. Personal strength is the most tangible." "So, my conclusion is—the most reliable thing is one's own personal strength! Look at Warriors, even disabled Warriors, still possess sufficiently strong combat power and can still be Martial Arts Hall instructors," Wei Wen smiled. "This dating experience has only strengthened my resolve. I must become a Warrior!" "This year, I might become a 'high-level student at the Martial Arts Hall'. I hope to become an official Warrior before graduating from military academy!" Wei Wen raised his bottle. "Come on, let's drink." Luo Feng saw that Wei Wen showed no signs of discouragement and felt relieved. "Come on, cheers!" Luo Feng raised his bottle. The two brothers chatted and drank, and after finishing their meal and drinks, they ordered a pot of tea and sat there talking until past four in the afternoon, when Luo Feng finally walked Wei Wen to his dorm area. Outside the dorm area. "Follow this road straight, past two traffic lights, and you'll see the Jiangnan University campus," Wei Wen said, pointing the way. "Mm." Luo Feng said, taking out his phone. "Calling Xu Xin?" Wei Wen teased. Suddenly— Wei Wen felt his phone vibrate and took it out, muttering, "It's probably my girlfriend asking me to dinner. Ugh, more money to spend." He opened his phone and saw a text message: "Your account ending in 0306 received 6,000,000 yuan at 16:51 on the 21st from Bank of Communications. Balance: 6,002,100 yuan. (Bank of Communications)" "Six, six, six million?" Wei Wen's eyes widened. To him, this was an astronomical figure. "Who sent me money?" Wei Wen instantly thought of one person: Luo Feng, standing beside him! Among his relatives and friends, only Luo Feng could produce such a large sum without batting an eye. "Luo Feng, is this you...?" Wei Wen looked up at Luo Feng. Luo Feng placed a hand on Wei Wen's shoulder. "Ah Wen, since you want to be a Warrior, put your heart and soul into it. Don't waste time tutoring for a little money anymore. Consider this money my congratulations for your first official relationship, brother. From now on, let's see what your girlfriend's female classmates dare to say. A man, after all, needs to stand tall in front of his woman." Wei Wen's eyes reddened slightly. "Damn it, don't tell me you're going to cry?" Luo Feng's eyes widened, as if he had seen something very strange. "Cry my ass off, you jerk," Wei Wen couldn't help but laugh. This amount of money was indeed nothing to Luo Feng; hunting even an Intermediate Tier Beast General monster could easily fetch over ten million. "Alright, I'm heading to Jiangnan University," Luo Feng waved and walked along the street towards Jiangnan University. Wei Wen looked at the bank balance notification text message, the astonishing figure of 6 million, still feeling as if it were all a dream. Just a while ago, he was secretly worried about spending money on his girlfriend, despite putting on a smiling face. Unexpectedly, in the blink of an eye, he had received a huge sum of money.