Chapter Three: The Fat Man

The moment the door opened, a hefty figure squeezed inside. Nearly two hundred pounds of flesh made the floorboards creak beneath him. His beady little eyes immediately spotted Freya sitting at the dining table, drawing. Those green-pea eyes narrowed at once, and the fat man spread his arms with a broad grin. "Hahaha, little Freya, it's been ages! Come, let uncle give you a hug."

Freya glanced at him with disdain, then lowered her head to continue her drawing.

The fat man didn't dare actually rush over.

Ye Ran's cold sneer alone was enough to terrify him into submission.

"Andoru, what kind of good news could bring you hurrying over so late? Planning to split your inheritance with me now that your old man’s gone?"

Ye Ran loathed this fat man to his core. The grievances between them were… far too many to count.

When Ye Ran was twelve, he went to work at the fat man's house. At that time, the fat man's shrewd merchant father was still alive, and Ye Ran suffered plenty of bullying at the hands of the chubby tyrant.

Bullying him was routine for Andoru. Since childhood, he'd been a bully, tormenting both boys and girls, a thorough troublemaker and as cunning as a fox.

The fat man once hired people to beat Ye Ran up. In turn, Ye Ran had lain in ambush for Andoru on the path where he’d go carousing at night.

Once, the two fell out completely over a girl.

By chance, when Andoru passed through the slums, he caught sight of Mishel, who had been Ye Ran's only companion for four years.

It was love at first sight—or rather, lust at first sight. From then on, Andoru’s scheming never ceased, whether openly pursuing or covertly plotting, by hook or by crook.

Ye Ran was furious. Whenever he saw the fat man, he would chase after him for a beating.

Thanks to his years of diligent training, Ye Ran might have seemed outmatched by Andoru's bulk, but in reality, he could take on ten men like him without breaking a sweat.

It wasn’t until Mishel was chosen by Athena's envoy to become a divine candidate and left Ye Ran behind that tensions between the two finally eased.

Yet that incident remained an unhealed wound in Ye Ran’s heart, a scar that time could not erase.

Not long after, the fat man’s father died, and the family wealth was seized by his wolfish uncle. The cunning Andoru matured considerably, and as Ye Ran's extraordinary abilities began to emerge, Andoru deliberately sought to mend their relationship.

"Yes… ah, nonsense, what are you talking about?" Andoru pulled out a chair and sat down, smiling. "I've got two pieces of good news for you. First, Redleaf Academy is expanding admissions this year, taking in thirty more students than usual. As long as you’re a divine candidate, you can apply."

The fat on his face trembled as he smiled. "Even if you’re not a divine candidate, as long as you have a recommendation from a noble family or a major guild, you can participate in the entrance exams."

"Redleaf Academy…"

This name was famed far and wide in Torrent City.

Redleaf Academy was the foremost among the city’s three prestigious schools, and the only public institution among them. Many noble families racked their brains to get their children enrolled, but places were few and far between—even someone like Andoru from a well-off family couldn't get in.

Furthermore, Redleaf Academy did not recruit externally. Someone like Ye Ran, with no connections, had no chance at all.

For Ye Ran, being able to attend school was a dream—one he once shared with Mishel. But every morning, waking up to the sight of crumbling bricks and ruins in the slums, he could only laugh at himself. To attend school? That was a wish for the next life.

At first, the news stirred his heart, but he quickly calmed himself. "What does that have to do with me? Even if I got in, I couldn’t afford the tuition. Hmph, not that I care anyway."

Andoru wagged his finger. "Ye Ran, there are two tuition-free slots. The top two scorers in the entrance exam get in for free—this is Redleaf Academy’s new talent policy."

Ye Ran, having just forced down his excitement, felt his heart flutter again, but he hesitated. "But I'm already sixteen—far past the age for starting school."

"Hey, Redleaf Academy has three levels. Just take the exam for the higher level…" He stopped mid-sentence. Ye Ran had never attended school; it was only through his own efforts that he avoided being illiterate. Asking him to take the higher-level exam was no different from sentencing him to fail.

Ye Ran didn’t seem to take it as mockery. Instead, he said, "I’ll think about it. When is the exam?"

"In a week."

"So soon?"

Ye Ran furrowed his brows.

Andoru grinned, sensing Ye Ran's interest, and chuckled. "Yeah, it's a bit soon. Even if you burn the midnight oil, it's nearly impossible to get first or second place in such a short time. But that's why I have a second piece of good news!"

He cleared his throat. "Yesterday, my Wild Wolf Guild was officially founded. We’re recruiting heavily. Any ambitious and capable young person can join, and the guild will offer benefits to all its members."

He leaned his plump head toward Ye Ran. "The first benefit: all educational expenses for members will be covered by Wild Wolf Guild."

"Hahaha, what do you think? Isn’t that fantastic news? Ye Ran, as long as you join Wild Wolf Guild, I’ll cover all your tuition. Even if you don’t get into Redleaf Academy, I can get you into another school. There are plenty of excellent private academies in Torrent City. As long as a Wild Wolf Guild member wants to study, I’ll do everything I can to make it happen."

It sounded like a tremendous opportunity for Ye Ran.

But he couldn’t help hesitating. For someone as poor as he, joining a guild was a great chance—he could gain many things he desired through its resources.

But it would also mean giving up something. What exactly, depended on the guild’s size, nature, and its leader.

"What kind of contracts do members have to sign?"

Asking this meant he was seriously considering it.

Andoru beamed. "No rush, no rush. The guild's just been founded—the contracts aren’t finalized yet. Why not join first? It’s all just talk of unity and cooperation, nothing more."

He meant well, and Ye Ran couldn’t refuse outright. But knowing Andoru… he never did anything out of pure kindness, not even for friends.

So this required careful thought.

Ye Ran replied, "No hurry. When you finish the contract, bring it to me and I’ll give it serious thought."

"Alright then, Ye Ran, think it over. This is a rare chance."

He stood, waved at Freya with a simple, honest smile, and bid Ye Ran farewell as he closed the door behind him.

Ye Ran glanced at Freya; she looked up at him with wide eyes. On her drawing board, she had already written the words: "Go to school."