Chapter 26: Am I Living on... Porridge for the Past Two Days?

"Immediately delete all those posts of yours! And, you're not allowed to sell my photos to those girls at high prices anymore!" Lu Chen warned sternly.

He wasn't really the kind of person who would get angry about his photos being leaked, after all, he didn't have much concept of image rights, but he couldn't help feeling a bit... secretly pleased? He was only eighteen, after all, so it was normal to have some vanity.

It was just that Lu Chen felt a bit uncomfortable about Feng'er commercializing this matter, making him seem like some cheap commodity, and even letting people pay ten times the price. Wasn't this just taking advantage of those poor girls?

Lu Chen couldn't help but wonder, was Milandra crazy, or did she come from a wealthy family, to ask for a thousand times the price for a simple photo?

"As an experienced person, I have to tell you that you can't be so hasty in drawing conclusions about these things. For example, you haven't asked me yet how much our turnover has been these past few days."

Feng'er suddenly put on a mature and composed look, and it was surprisingly convincing.

Lu Chen was momentarily taken aback and asked, "How much?"

"$3360. And that's only the result of me selling each series of albums for just $1."

Feng'er casually spat out a number.

Lu Chen fell silent. Their nightly snacks together usually only cost $100-200, although Lu Chen had a big appetite, the prices at the Cassell Academy's "takeout" were not high. That amount mostly went towards buying a couple of bottles of wine.

"Don't worry, little bro, I've transferred the bulk of the money to your student card. Your big bro here has to make a little extra money as a distributor."

Seeing Lu Chen's silence, Feng'er continued to coax, "Think about it, little bro. You can order more in the future, and even try some high-end wines."

Lu Chen's eyes flickered, thinking to himself, "Am I, the Martial God of the East, reduced to living off my looks in this otherworldly place, instead of relying on my fists?!"

But then, thinking back to the delicious snack they had just had tonight—Black Forest ham paired with that unnamed red wine... slurp!

"Big bro, selling is okay, but don't raise the price anymore."

In the end, Lu Chen turned his head and lay down, indicating that he was ready to sleep and didn't want to pursue the matter further.

"Hehe, little bro, being able to make a living off this is a skill for a man. Back in the day, I was also a legendary figure, even released an album, and my adoring junior sisters bought it up, didn't they?"

Feng'er unscrewed the unfinished bottle of red wine on the bedside table with a pop and took a sip.

"Don't feel guilty about the high prices from before. Maybe you didn't know this when you first arrived at the academy, but those junior sisters of yours are quite wealthy. They're all products of corrupt capitalism. Like that little fan of yours from the Lionheart Club, her family is one of the most influential conglomerates in France. Don't be surprised if she's willing to pay a thousand dollars for one of your photos. Even if you raise the price tenfold, it's just pocket change for her."

As he spoke, Feng'er shook the empty wine bottle in his hand. "If you were to give in to her, we wouldn't be drinking this anymore. We'd be getting wines from the top five vineyards every day, whatever vintage you want! Isn't that our dream!?"

"Big bro, that's your dream."

Lu Chen rolled over, feeling somewhat speechless. Feng'er senior always managed to redefine his understanding of the word "bottom line."

"Little bro, you're too young to know the taste of soft rice. You're wasting your youth!" Feng'er had a regretful look on his face, as if he were an experienced elder.

"Forget about that. Little bro, do you know about the War Practice Class?" Lu Chen was interrupted by Feng'er, and he no longer felt like resting, so he shifted the topic to something he cared about.

"The War Practice Class? Are you going to be sent on a mission?" Feng'er's smile disappeared, and he became serious.

"Not yet, but the Principal mentioned it to me this morning. I guess it might be coming soon. How about you, senior? Can you tell me about the precautions for going on missions? It would be good to be prepared." Feng'er sat up in bed, facing Lu Chen.

"Little bro, the War Practice Class is a mandatory experience for freshmen. The timing is usually unpredictable, but there are various missions around the world every day. If the Principal mentioned it, there might be a suitable mission for you soon."

"What types of missions are there?"

Lu Chen was worried that it might be those boring and troublesome investigative missions, and he only wanted to encounter strong enemies to have a good fight.

"Usually, the War Practice Class for freshmen is relatively simple. Like the mission you were caught doing before, the participants in that mission were at least B-rank, which is considered one of the more difficult ones. Most of the others are assistance and investigation tasks."

"But I've seen senior sisters like Luthia on lookout duty outside."

"That's right. We're still students, after all. Should we let you, as a freshman, face off against dangerous mixed-bloods right away? Although it's called the War Practice Class, it's mainly to give us a taste of what it's like to be in the Execution Department, to see blood, and to understand that dragon-slaying is no joke."

"But, senior, there are always exceptions, right?"

As Lu Chen looked at Feng'er's increasingly serious expression, he knew there was more to come.

"Yes, like what I just said applies mainly to freshmen below A-rank. Based on my years of experience at the academy, the War Practice Class for A-rank students is never easy. There's a high possibility of encountering real combat, and some students even die in their first mission."

Lu Chen fell silent. This was his first impression of the academy. When he saw the group of black-clad people jumping out of helicopters, it was like a small army stepping onto the battlefield. And how could there not be casualties on the battlefield?

A-rank students at the Cassell Academy were elite, but the academy didn't treat them like fragile flowers in a greenhouse. Instead, they were thrown into the furnace, tempered into sharp swords.

"So, senior, will I encounter real combat in my first War Practice Class?"

"Little bro, why do your eyes light up when you say that? Normal people should be trembling in fear and throwing themselves into their senior brother's arms, saying 'Senior, I'm so scared, I don't want to go' after hearing what I just said."

Feng'er looked at Lu Chen's face, unable to conceal his excitement, feeling a bit speechless.

"Senior, you're off topic. Do I have to pretend to be scared to death for you to be happy?"

Lu Chen couldn't stand Feng'er's nonsense the most.

"It's not that. Not being afraid is a good thing, as it means you're more likely to survive danger. After all, I don't want to lose a good roommate like you."

Feng'er smiled awkwardly.