So, did that mean she was accepted?
“You mean I can’t fight anymore?”
“Hmm?”
Yun Jianlan paused.
What did she mean, she couldn’t fight anymore?
“You enjoy fighting?”
Yun Jianlan’s gaze became scrutinizing.
Radia had just said she did it to survive. Was she lying just now?
“No, no! I mean, if I’m not there to hold things down, what will happen to my brothers? I’ve made a lot of enemies over the years. If I’m gone, they’ll definitely take the chance to retaliate.”
“Should I say you’re quite loyal?”
Yun Jianlan shook her head.
“There is something I can tell you. Lately, the underworld has become a bit too rampant, even offending a high-ranking official of the Academy. Now, the Academy is sending people to purge the gangs of Pilgrimage City. Your brothers likely won’t escape.”
“High-ranking official of the Academy… You mean that Shengxiu Academy?!”
“Yes. And this matter is outside my jurisdiction. If you insist on protecting them, your end will be the same as theirs.”
Shengxiu Academy was the core of the entire Pilgrimage City.
It would be more accurate to say Pilgrimage City was built around the Academy.
For hundreds of years, its purpose was to provide basic services to the institution.
The Academy’s high-ranking officials were people commoners could never touch in their lifetime.
If they were determined to purge the local gangs, the disorganized riff-raff of the underworld wouldn’t stand a chance.
“How can this be? What happens if they’re caught?”
Radia asked worriedly.
“Who knows? Maybe a few years, maybe more than ten. Either way, the punishment won’t be light.”
“That long?!”
If they were imprisoned for more than ten years, not only would their youth be gone, but they would also have criminal records, making it difficult even to find a job.
Yun Jianlan took in Radia’s reaction and asked, “You care about them that much?”
“Of course!” Radia said instinctively.
“They’re like my younger brothers and sisters. They’ve been through hell with me to get where we are today. How could I abandon them!”
“Brothers and sisters?”
Yun Jianlan found it strange.
Weren’t gangs supposed to be cold-blooded groups that only cared about profit?
Radia actually referred to her members as siblings.
It seemed their bond was unusual.
Intrigued, she asked, “Can you tell me more about that?”
Radia didn’t hide anything and recounted their story.
She told how they escaped from a gang that used children for begging, how they dodged assassins, and how they eventually grew up to stand against the very gangs that hunted them.
Most of the members in her gang had been with her since they were under 10 years old.
Radia, being the strongest, naturally became the “Boss.”
“Eventually, we wiped out the gang that hunted us and crushed all the powers in the North District. That’s how it went.”
Radia spoke as if she were describing something mundane.
Life-threatening crises sounded as simple as playing a game in her words.
But no one knew how much hardship lay behind her casual tone.
“It seems they really are important to you,” Yun Jianlan said.
After saying this, the woman seemed to fall into thought, recalling some dangerous past events of her own.
“So…” Radia peeked at her sister.
Seeing no disgust or dissatisfaction, she tentatively asked:
“Sister, since you know about this, your status must be quite high, right? Could you…”
“No.”
Before Radia could finish, Yun Jianlan rejected the request.
“Bailing you out without distinguishing right from wrong is already the limit of what I can accept. Your siblings are members of the underworld and deserve punishment. I will not help them.”
Since Yun Jianlan was so firm, Radia knew it was a lost cause.
However, she had only intended to try asking, so she wasn’t truly disappointed.
She began to wonder how she could save her group.
Could she send them all out of Pilgrimage City to seek refuge elsewhere before the Academy made its move?
Yun Jianlan saw what Radia was thinking and threw cold water on her plan.
“The Academy’s goal this time is the complete eradication of the gangs. Without my help, even you would be caught. Don’t think about running. With your abilities, you cannot escape from the Academy.”
Radia knew Yun Jianlan was telling the truth.
Shengxiu Academy was a gathering place for world-class geniuses.
The teachers were all Master Mages.
Any one of them could flatten the city’s gangs alone.
Forget the teachers—just a few of the top students would be enough.
But she wouldn’t give up just because of Yun Jianlan’s words.
“How will we know if we don’t try?”
“You really want to save them that badly?”
“I do!”
Yun Jianlan fell silent for a while, seemingly thinking of a plan.
“I do have a way, but it depends on whether you’re willing.”
“What is it?”
Radia perked up.
Her sister’s identity was clearly not simple; her plan would be much more reliable than her own ideas.
“As long as you take over this matter,” Yun Jianlan said.
“Me? How can I take it over?”
Radia was confused.
She was just a gang member.
How could she interfere with the Academy’s affairs?
“As long as you enter Shengxiu Academy and become this year’s ‘Academy Star,’ the Academy will be more than happy to hand this task to you.”
Yun Jianlan didn’t elaborate on the details, but Radia understood her meaning.
If she were the one managing the situation, wouldn’t she be the one to decide who was a gangster?
Letting a few “insignificant” lackeys slip through the cracks would be perfectly normal.
“But how am I supposed to get into Shengxiu Academy? I’m long past the age for admissions, right?”
Radia remembered that Shengxiu Academy only admitted students under 12 years old.
“You don’t need to worry about that. As long as you agree, I will handle the rest.”
Yun Jianlan looked at Radia.
“Winning the ‘Academy Star’ title isn’t easy. Think carefully before you answer.”
However, Radia didn’t hesitate at all.
“I agree!”
Returning to the present.
After the reunion, Radia had changed her name back to the one she had before getting lost, “Ruri Yuriko,” at her sister’s request. She had also undergone several days of lady-like training to fix her rough, delinquent habits.
‘What did I do to deserve this? I was a perfectly good gang boss, and now I have to go to school…’
The memory of those training sessions brought a wave of humiliation to Yuriko.
A grown man—internally, at least—was forced to undergo “girly” training, learning how to act like a lady.
It was a disgrace!
But the Academy Star title was based on popularity, and personal charm was a major part of the evaluation.
This was why Yuriko was deliberately playing the part of a good girl.
At the same time, she had to hide her gang identity.
If it were exposed, she’d be caught in a storm of public criticism and lose any chance at the title.
Then, she’d probably be executed by her own sister.
Therefore, she absolutely could not be exposed!
‘It’s incredible that your sister managed to get you a transfer spot into Shengxiu Academy.’
The black cat on Yuriko’s shoulder mused.
Hearing this, Yuriko became curious.
‘Is it really that hard?’
Yuriko only knew that Shengxiu Academy was a prestigious institution that only accepted top geniuses from around the world.
Anyone who graduated from there would become a prominent figure.
‘Of course it’s hard, meow. Such a thing has never happened in the history of Shengxiu Academy. The first-year admission spots are limited to 1,000, and every year at least half the students are expelled for failing evaluations. Plus, the Academy’s rules are famously strict. The Principal doesn’t even give face to kings.’
‘Does that mean I hit the jackpot?’
Yuriko hadn’t expected her sister to have so much influence.
Did this mean she had a super-powerful backer?
‘At least failing out of the Fifth Grade is better than being a gangster, meow.’
‘That makes me feel a lot better.’
Yuriko pulled her wallet from her pocket and looked at the gold-inlaid black card inside.
This card held her allowance for the month—a full 1,000,000!
It seemed her sister was indeed quite successful.
During Yuriko’s conversation with Hwanling, a girl with light brown hair saw her from a distance and came running over.
The girl appeared to be around Yuriko’s age.
Despite her light jog, certain parts of her body bounced uncontrollably, making Yuriko feel a bit light-headed.
‘Yuriko, her breasts are even bigger than yours.’
‘I can see that, you don’t need to tell me.’
The brown-haired girl reached Yuriko and caught her breath.
“Hello, are you Ruri?”
The girl’s voice had a certain depth to it, yet it was gentle—a natural softness that was different from Yuriko’s fake gentleness.
Her voice was so quiet and light that Yuriko wondered if she might be blown away by the wind at any moment.
The girl before her was undoubtedly a soft girl—the kind of gentle soul Yuriko had never encountered during her years in the underworld.
Moreover, the girl’s features were more beautiful than any Yuriko had ever seen.
Despite her innocent attire, she gave off an air of natural charm.
“Um, excuse me?”
Seeing that Yuriko hadn’t responded and was just staring, the girl grew nervous, thinking she had done something improper.
Yuriko snapped out of it.
Because she had spent so long in the gangs, seeing only rough faces every day, she had instinctively stared a bit too long.
Staring like that was rude.
She needed to apologize.
“Sorry. You’re so beautiful that I accidentally stared for a while.”
Yuriko bowed slightly to express her apology before answering the girl’s original question.
“I am Ruri Yuriko.”
The girl’s face turned a shade redder.
She shook her head.
“It’s okay. Besides, if we’re talking about beauty, Ruri is much more beautiful.”
“I was sent by Ms. Avier to help you adjust to Academy life. You can call me Kalmira.”
“I see. Thank you for coming to help me, Kalmira. I hope we can get along well~”
Yuriko smiled at Kalmira and extended her hand.
Kalmira saw the gesture and recognized it as a greeting common in some regions.
She reached out and shook Yuriko’s hand.
So soft.
Yuriko hadn’t realized a girl’s hand could be so soft.
In the gang, she spent every day gripping her spiked bat to fight.
Her most common contact with people was using her fists to break their noses.
She hadn’t known people could be so… squishy.
“Yes. This is my duty as the Class President. You don’t have to be so formal, Ruri. Just call me by my name.”
Yuriko withdrew her hand, the soft sensation still lingering in her palm.
“Then, Kalmira, you should just call me Yuriko.”
“Then I’ll call you Yuriko. Your surname is very pretty~”
After the introductions, Kalmira seemed to relax.
She patted her ample chest and said with a bit of relief:
“Actually, when I heard a new student was suddenly joining, I was a bit nervous. I was worried we wouldn’t get along. But after meeting you, I’m completely at ease.”
‘You’re being at ease a bit too early.’
Still, she was so gentle.
‘This is great. This is my first time interacting with a beautiful girl like this. Were the rough people I met before even girls?’
‘Your thoughts are getting a bit extreme.’
“It seems we have good chemistry. We might even become friends.”
Although she was acting, Yuriko felt that becoming friends with such a cute and gentle girl wouldn’t be bad.
Just looking at her improved her mood.
“I look forward to being friends with you, Yuriko~”
Kalmira finished speaking and noticed Hwanling perched on Yuriko’s shoulder.
“What a cute cat! Is this your pet, Yuriko?”
Yuriko looked at Hwanling and pulled her into her arms so Kalmira could see better.
“Her name is Hwanling. She’s not my pet, but a friend who has been with me for many years.”
“I’m sorry! I didn’t know she was your friend. I… I…”
Kalmira apologized profusely, worried she had offended Yuriko by calling her friend a pet.
She really was gentle, even apologizing for a small thing like that.
In just a few sentences, Yuriko had figured out this girl’s personality.
She was likely a very considerate girl who cared deeply about others’ feelings.
“It’s okay. Most people see a cat and think it’s a pet. Look, Hwanling doesn’t mind.”
Yuriko held Hwanling up.
The cat’s face remained expressionless.
“Is that so?”
Kalmira looked at Hwanling, her eyes sparkling.
She actually leaned down and spoke to the cat:
“Hello, Hwanling cat. I hope we can be good friends too~”
Seeing Kalmira talking to Hwanling, Yuriko momentarily wondered if she had discovered Hwanling was a magical cat that had achieved sentience.
Hwanling lazily opened her mouth and gave a soft meow, which served as her response.
‘Hwanling, she didn’t realize you can actually talk, did she?’
‘Probably not.’
Sure enough, after Hwanling’s meow, Kalmira turned to Yuriko in surprise.
“Heavens, she’s so smart! She actually responded to me!”
“Right? My Hwanling is very clever~”
Yuriko acted proud, as if Kalmira were praising her instead.