Tall Trees Attract Wind

Shen Qui was flabbergasted. No… he felt that his brain had left his body as he stared at the way Lyca handled the knife as she chopped the onions like it was nothing. The rhythmic sound of the knife hitting the chopping board was the only thing that could be heard inside the kitchen. He held his breath as he looked at her expert level of dexterity. She was clearly chopping some vegetables but why did it seem ominous to him?

"Why are you still here?" he heard her ask.

"Oh… I… I didn't know you could cook."

She scoffed in response. She was not an expert cook but she could definitely feed herself if she wanted too. Without saying anything, Lyca started heating the pan and tossed all her ingredients including some pork. Then she started boiling some water for the noodles.

This was a simple dish that she learned in her previous life. It was quick, easy and filling. For now, Lyca was planning to cook for herself. Then she would win the point system, have her servant and live leisurely while attending classes.

After fifteen minutes, Lyca already started assembling her food. Then she ignored Shen Qui and started eating on the table.

"…" She didn't even ask him if he was hungry.

"Eggs." Lyca said. Since Shen Qui dared to burn the egg, then he should eat it all by himself.

"My duel for tomorrow…" Shen Qui sat next to Lyca and started eating his scrambled egg. Really, he had no problem with his food. He could eat whatever it was that the world would offer him. Shen Qui was not someone from the rich. He and his uncle lived frugally before his uncle started working for the Huang Family.

He could even remember himself eating one bread a day just to survive. He remembered feeling so happy when he started eating three times a day in the Huang Family's training camp. Eating three times a day was a luxury to him.

"Oh. I will put something in the sword. Just cut your opponent and he is dead."

"Killing is not allowed. I'm sure you already know that." He answered. Why did Lyca love to deal with her opponent this way?

"Your choice." She shrugged and continued eating. What's the point of prolonging the fight? Lyca couldn't understand Shen Qui's reasoning. "It would be good if they expel us." She said. First and foremost, this was the first time in twenty one years of her life that she had to cook for herself! When she was in the mansion with her parents, her mother and father would always cook delicious food for her!

Second, Lyca can't have any servants and this Shen Qui was actually useless in the kitchen! And third, she hated working hard! Why did she need to work hard and earn points just to have a servant? Quitting would damage the Huang Family's reputation so she didn't have any other option but to have them kick her out.

"Too much hassle." She continued grumbling. She wanted a life of luxury. She wanted to eat delicious food and look at beautiful people all day! Lyca already lived a life of suffering from her previous one, she did not want to live like this again. "I want to quit!" She whined in between chewing and swallowing her food.

She was really starting to hate this school more and more. If she continued to stay here, Lyca could only see one future and that was to completely destroy this school to pacify her anger. "Hateful." She added.

"Is that why you issued the challenge?" Shen Qui asked. The challenge was meant for everyone… did Lyca think it would be a short cut to having servants? People would surely scheme against her. The only way for her to avoid all this was to become the new leader of the school. But that was almost close to impossible. He laughed at his own thoughts.

Impossible.

Lyca didn't answer him. She issued that challenge to everyone because she was too lazy knowing the names of her lab rats. And she thought it would be the fastest way to earn points. Once her points were high enough, she could become a student council member and have her servants. Then she won't have to cook anymore and just lay in her bed all day.

Not many people would be able to understand the simplicity of Lyca's reasoning. One would think that she was scheming for something big, something sinister. Who would have thought that she only wanted servants to cook for her? Shen Qui didn't really know if he wanted to laugh or cry. This woman…

"So you want to fight?" After she finished her food, Lyca's mood seemed to have gotten better. "You know how to wield a sword?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Then… finish it as soon as possible." Lyca said. "The quicker the better. Don't hurt your opponent too much. I need him for my experiment the next day."

"…" Shen Qui had already guessed that Lyca was planning to do this. She was planning to bait everyone into fighting him then challenge them the next day. This would give Lyca the opportunity to have someone test her poisons while sending some warnings to the people who wanted him out of this school. Once everyone would see the effects of her poison, they would soon stop challenging Shen Qui.

Should he thank her for doing this? Shen Qui gave Lyca a complicated look.

To be honest, this plan was quite bold and direct. Lyca didn't even hide the fact that she was a chemist and just showed everyone her license. It was as if… she wanted everyone to know that she was capable of killing them. Was she trying to use fame to avoid trouble? But… that should not be the case, right?

Tall trees attract wind. Meaning, the more fame and success she received the more enemies would start to surround her. So why was she doing all this?

....

Don't forget to vote. :)