Chapter 42: Hello I’m Number 6!

Chapter 42: Hello I'm Number 6!

Nadia and Nichole, wearing dark-blue sundresses, picked up their bags and looked thoroughly pleased with themselves as they walked out of the room side by side.

James slid into the seat Nichole had just left, placing a heavy hand on my shoulder as he leaned in to say, "Sorry brother, but what could I do? When I accidentally told those evil girls you could do this class in your sleep, they said they would share a free tutor. That vicious Nichole just told me to beat it when I said that was your seat."

I smirked, thinking about how those two actually behaved when nobody was looking, and shook my head as I replied, "No man, it's fine. They're only trying to make my life hard because of Scott, but they don't know I don't care. Let's get to our next classes. I need to go pick up the princess."

Soon enough, I made it back to Tina's management class. As I approached, I spotted a guy trying to strike up a conversation with her, though Tina and Jenifer both looked completely annoyed, staring straight ahead and ignoring him entirely. The guy was about six feet tall with short black hair, carrying the distinct, arrogant posture of a noble from a middle-tier family. Face-wise, he was pretty average looking, just like me, but the way he moved gave him away. My instincts picked up on his sharp coordination and balanced weight distribution immediately, telling me the guy had an advanced level of fighting ability.

I walked right up to the two sitting women, intentionally cutting into his space as I said, "Tina, Jenifer, sorry I am late. Let's get moving." Jenifer wasn't coming to the Kung-Fu Club with us since she had her own classes to attend after lunch, but she had stayed behind to wait with Tina because of guys bugging her.

Tina stood up, a bright smile instantly replacing her annoyed expression as she stepped close to my side and said, "I know a romantic sandwich place for us, so let's eat there." I knew exactly what she was doing, as this was entirely an act for the guy watching us, so I played along by smiling and offering her my left arm, which she took coquettishly, wrapping her hands tightly around my forearm.

As we started to walk away, the guy stepped into our path, his face tightening as he demanded, "Hey, you are Number 2, right? I don't think it's right to act like that with Tina Feng."

I looked the guy up and down, keeping a calm smile on my face as I answered, "None of your business how Tina and I spend our time together. She doesn't mind, and her parents are fine with it, so goodbye, whoever you are." We walked right past him, and out of the corner of my eye, I could see him pulling out his phone in pure agitation, his thumb jabbing at the screen.

Tina kept her grip tight on my left arm as we navigated the hallway, making no effort to let go before she murmured, "That was Number 5 trying to get my attention. He is also in our Kung-Fu Club, along with Number 6."

I tried to subtly pull my arm free, but her grip tightened, locking my forearm against her ribs. I let out a low sigh at her antics, muttering, "So then I will have to fight both of them? Great. Let me guess, they joined the club just to be near you? I am getting a sneaky suspicion this entire tournament is just an excuse to marry you."

She flashed a brilliant, blinding smile, looking at me like I was a total idiot for taking this long to figure it out as she replied, "I am in fact the grand prize. Plus, the winner gets full control of the Fire Birds."

I had a strong hunch this was the case, but deep down, I had been hoping I was wrong. The sheer absurdity of the situation left me staring ahead in silence for a long moment until Tina asked, "Rick, why are you not saying anything? I honestly thought you would protest, deny it, or be happy."

I smiled and shook my head, staring at the hallway ahead as I told her, "Because it does not matter. I am not marrying a woman I don't love. I only want to beat Woo. If I challenge him early and take him out, then you can marry one of the others."

The smile instantly vanished from Tina's face, and she dropped her grip, letting go of my arm completely as her voice turned sharp, saying, "No, you can't challenge Number 1 until the lower numbers have had their shots at you, and it has to be done in order. I specifically made you Number 2 because it means only you or Woo can marry me."

She stared straight ahead, her gaze distant as if her mind were sorting through a dozen different strategies at once. I sighed quietly, shaking my head at the strange and bizarre game she and her father were playing with the organization, but looking at her expression, the final pieces of the puzzle clicked into place.

"I think I get it now," I said as we reached the heavy doors leading out to the parking lot, the midday heat hitting us as we stepped outside. "You are not the next Head of the Feng family, so you are supposed to marry the next Head of the Fire Birds to establish a branch family. I am guessing Woo wants full control of the syndicate for himself, but you actually want to run it, and you can't do that if he wins. So you chose me because you knew I might actually beat Woo. You're hoping that if I win, I'll let you run the Fire Birds while I step back. A leader in name only, while you act as the real Head."

Tina nodded, her expression dead serious as she refused to hide it, prompting me to ask, "Are you being forced into this branch family thing? Or are you doing it because it's what you want?"

I pulled open the heavy door of the Hummer, and Jenifer climbed into the back seat immediately, while Tina paused by the open door to finish our conversation, stating, "The Fire Birds are very important to me, the Feng family, and the Nation. I have dreamed of running the organization for the last ten years, ever since I was nine years old, and I have never once changed my mind. I became an assassin specifically to make this dream a reality. So yes, I would have taken this path even if it wasn't an obligation. The only catch is that I have to marry someone strong." She tilted her head back, looking up at the clouds drifting over the campus buildings before adding, "My father wanted Woo to take over, but because he loves me, he at least gave me a chance to find another candidate. Part of the reason I chose you was because you are not after me for the wrong reasons. I didn't ask you to be a contender out in the open because I knew you would immediately say no. But... you are the only man I can depend on."

I looked directly into her distinct gold eyes, keeping my face unreadable as I questioned, "How can you be so sure you can depend on me?"

A genuine, soft smile touched her lips, completely different from her usual playful grins, as she told me, "You proved to me during our first year in high school that you are dependable. Your actions are exactly what someone like me needs in their corner. Like I told you before, win the game, and I will finally tell you why I watched you for four years, Rick Lee."

Before I could press her for details, she leaped up into the Hummer, giggling as she pulled the door shut. I stood there for a second, pondering her words, before walking around to the driver's side and climbing in. I twisted the key, bringing the engine to life, and remarked, "Tina, I never said I would help you."

She leaned forward between the front seats, her eyes gleaming as she responded, "Then think about it. In the end, I promise I will not force you into anything. Now drive to the deli on Alabaster. I'm starving."

I shifted the Hummer into gear and drove out of the lot. My very first day of university was already testing my ability to roll with the punches. Between the tournament rankings and the syndicate politics, things were moving fast. I needed to text my wives to arrange a family meeting later tonight, making sure we all talked before Mary went to bed. I let out a long sigh as I turned onto the main road.

The three of us arrived at the crowded deli a short drive later. The place was packed, featuring a large outdoor patio where most of the customers were eating under the shade of wide umbrellas. We found a table and placed our orders, settling on a rare roast-beef Reuben for myself, a turkey on rye for Tina, a veggie special that looked like a massive salad stuffed inside a bun for Jenifer, and three large iced teas to round it out. Our food arrived quickly, and we were just starting to enjoy the meal when two men marched straight toward our table, cutting through the crowded patio.

The guy from earlier—Number 5, whose real name was Danny Shu—was leading the way, accompanied by another guy as both of them wore the official University Kung-Fu uniform. Danny stopped right at the edge of our table, glaring down at me with pure hostility as he barked, "See? Here he is, eating with Tina. He is Number 2, Rick Lee. Hey, Dick Lee, this is Number 6, Ronald Di."

Both of them were noticeably taller and broader than me, and from their build and the way they carried themselves in their uniforms, I could tell Ronald was a first-year student like me, while Danny was a third-year. I ignored them entirely, turning my head to look at Tina as I said, "Wow, these guys are really hyped up over you. They're straight-up stalking you at this point. So, do I just beat them up right here, or can I shoot them in the head for assaulting Lady Feng?"

Tina knew I was joking around to mock them, but she played along perfectly, turning a cold, sharp gaze toward the two men as she declared, "Rick is currently on the clock as my bodyguard. So unless you, Ronald, are officially challenging him right here and now, I will happily let him shoot the two of you for harassment. But only in the kneecaps."

Ronald looked at Tina's pissed-off expression and hesitated, his aggressive posture stiffening as he stepped back and fixed me with a venomous glare, saying, "I will challenge Number 2 during class, or right after if the instructor won't let us fight on the mat. Don't be late, Dick Lee. Your weak-looking ass is going down. Later, loser."

Danny flipped me off in pure agitation, turning on his heel to follow Ronald as they pushed their way through the patio crowd. I watched them go, then looked across the table at Tina with a wry smile, commenting, "Your father seems like a nice guy, but his taste in men is incredibly strange."

From right under the table, Tina's shoe connected sharply with my shin, and she grumbled, "First off, your statement about my father's taste was completely out of line. And second, he is only nice to you for some reason. He is normally incredibly stern and cold to every other man who tries to get close."

My phone vibrated violently against my thigh, cutting our conversation short. I pulled it out, seeing the caller ID, and shrugged my shoulders at Tina before answering the call from Mary.

[Rick, you texted both of us about having a talk when you get home. Is it bad? Are you hurt?]

"Mary, calm down," I said quickly, keeping my voice low and steady so she wouldn't panic. "I am completely fine. I'm not in any kind of life-threatening trouble at all. I just need us to have a serious talk tonight about some of my past actions coming back to surprise me. I don't want either of you getting worked up over nothing, and I promise I'll tell you both everything the second I get through the door."

There was a brief pause on the line before her voice came back, tight with anxiety, demanding, [How bad is it on a scale of 1 to 10?]

I grimaced, calculating my answer before stating, "For my health a 2, for my emotions an 11, how it will affect you both maybe a 5 to 8, and for me personally I might be sleeping in the den for a bit?"

[So a woman is involved?] Mary asked instantly.

"Um, yes, but it was before any of us got together or married, but it's super complicated," I explained, rubbing the back of my neck.

[Hmm. So you knocked up another woman?] she pressed.

"Detective Lee, can we do this when I am not in front of others? I will tell you everything later," I pleaded.

[Just one question before Hana and I set up a hangman's noose,] Mary warned, her voice dropping lower. [Do you love her?]

"Yeah. If I have to say yes or no, I would go with yes," I answered honestly.

[Bring home some pizzas then, so I can eat while I judge your crimes. I will let Hana know when she gets home. Click... do do do...]

I put my phone away like a death-row inmate, and Tina immediately leaned in, curiosity burning in her eyes as she asked, "So you did something that requires you to sleep in a den? Is it me?"

I got up to pay the bill and flatly told her, "Why would it be you? No, I left the seat up around pregnant women, and they take that seriously. Now let's go to class so we can do this stupid fight."

The two women grinned at my misfortune, and though they might not have known exactly what was going on, seeing me sweating over my home life only made them more eager to see how I would handle things on the mat, as it made my upcoming match with Number 6 all that much more entertaining for them.

Soon enough, we arrived back at the student parking lot, and Jenifer parted ways with us to head off to her own class. Tina and I grabbed our gym bags, which held our sparring gear just in case the instructor decided to start us off with full-contact practice right away, and entered the enormous indoor stadium.

The massive facility was designed for major athletic competitions, built on the scale of a soccer stadium with towering ceilings and rows of spectator seating climbing up the walls. This specific building was utilized primarily by the karate and kung-fu departments, while the boxing and MMA clubs shared a slightly smaller training stadium further down the athletic complex.

At this point, Tina and I split up, heading into the male and female changing areas to swap our civilian clothes for the traditional uniforms. I took extra care locking up my firearms inside my secure gym locker, since carrying weapons inside the training area was a massive rule violation and the guns had to stay put for the duration of the class.

The uniform itself felt familiar, as the cut and weight were close to the specialized bodyguard outfit I usually wore concealed underneath my long coat. While my instincts and training allowed me to fluidly utilize karate and various other combat styles, kung-fu held the deepest history and perfection here in Pangaea, making it the most actively practiced martial art across the entire globe. Star University used a distinct gray color for their uniforms to represent balance and neutrality, opting for a solid gray to symbolize a centered mind rather than white, black, or any of the usual bright colors, and the karate students across the facility wore the exact same shade.

When I stepped out onto the kung-fu half of the arena, I looked over toward the far end where the karate division was gathering, immediately spotting Scott and Tony standing together, talking and laughing with a group of other guys.

There were about fifty students present in each club right now, and since the university ran three separate martial arts blocks a day, the program easily had between five hundred and seven hundred active practitioners training across the four major disciplines. To manage the volume, the staff consisted of one main coach and five sub-coaches acting as assistants, creating a ratio of about one instructor per ten students to ensure everyone got plenty of direct supervision.

As I stood watching the crowd, a faint, familiar scent drifted behind me, alerting me that Tina was attempting to use her stealth training to creep up on my blind spot. I didn't even turn around until she was a foot away, shifting my head slightly to grin at her defeated expression as she pouted, crossed her arms in frustration, and demanded, "All during high school I could stalk you, and now I can't sneak up on you anymore. Why?"

I decided to completely ignore the fact that she just openly admitted to stalking me for years and offered a simple explanation, saying, "Lately, for the past couple of months, I have been working out hard. My physical conditioning is much sharper now, which lets me utilize far more of my natural talent and reflexes. So just keep practicing, Tina." Tina had her red hair pulled back tightly into a high ponytail, and the gray uniform suited her surprisingly well, highlighting her athletic frame.

I looked at her for a moment as the thought struck me, and I noted, "I just realized, you and I have never actually crossed fists before."

"Stupid," she scoffed, rolling her eyes. "If my mother openly admitted that she might be defeated by you in a real fight, why would I ever willingly let you abuse me on the mat?"

I pointed out toward the wide canvas sparring mat and grinned, teasing, "Won't we have to fight eventually if the coach pairs us up during class?"

Tina looked me dead in the eyes, her expression turning dangerously sharp as she warned, "And you had better be incredibly gentle if we do, or I will straight up stab you when you are sleeping. Right in your dick."

"Then never mind. If our names get called, I am just going to immediately surrender to you," I chuckled.

Tina let out a bright laugh, tapping my arm playfully as she answered, "See? I knew you could be reasoned with."

Before we could keep joking around, the heavy voice of the head instructor echoed across the acoustic tiles of the stadium, announcing, "Line up! Girls on the left, boys on the right."

Roll call was executed promptly, answered by sharp, disciplined yells from the students. The university structure format was unique, as all four academic years shared the training mat at the exact same time. Much like a competitive swimming program, it didn't take your length of enrollment or current year into account, throwing beginners and advanced fighters into one big jumble because a large portion of the incoming students already possessed extensive martial arts backgrounds before enrolling, with only a few oddball exceptions showing up with basic, amateur-level skills.

As we formed the lines, I noticed Ashley Hue standing a few paces down from Tina, though the two women completely ignored each other, keeping their eyes fixed forward. Then my attention shifted to the front of the mat, where Number 5, Danny Shu, was standing near the instructor's desk. He subtly slid an envelope thick with cash directly into the hand of the female head coach, leaning in to whisper into her ear while pointing toward me, Ronald, and Tina with a smug smile.

The head coach pocketed the envelope, her gaze shifting over to our line, and while she didn't look particularly pleased with whatever nonsense Danny had just fed her, money clearly talked. She stepped to the center of the mat and addressed the gathered fifty students, calling out, "Ronald Di and Rick Lee, step forward!"

The two of us moved out of the lineup, walking onto the open canvas under the curious stares of the rest of the class. The coach looked between us, her arms crossed, and asked, "Ronald Di, is it true that you have issued a formal challenge to Rick Lee over the honor of student Tina Feng?"

Number 6 stepped forward, throwing his shoulders back and speaking with absolute, arrogant confidence so the entire room could hear him as he declared, "That's right, Teacher. I don't want Rick Lee hanging around my future girlfriend."

The coach nodded, turning her gaze onto me to ask, "Rick Lee, do you accept this challenge for the hand of Tina Feng?"

I glanced over at the sidelines, where Tina was watching the whole absurd spectacle unfold, clearly finding the situation incredibly entertaining as she bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud at the fact that I was being publicly painted as a desperate guy courting her, so I replied, "Technically, I guess so."

The coach pointed directly to the center circle of the canvas mat, a dramatic grin spreading across her face as she announced, "I absolutely love a good love triangle. Since you are both registered as skilled kung-fu practitioners, step into the ring, bow to each other, and show Tina Feng the true depth of your dedication."

Internal frustration washed over me, realizing Danny was an absolute idiot for wasting his money since he didn't even need to bribe this woman, given that she just wanted to see raw campus drama unfold right in front of her. As I slowly walked out to the center of the white lines, Tina decided to throw fuel onto the fire, ensuring the rumors would spread through the university like wildfire by shouting from the sidelines, "Rick, kick his ass for me and I will give you a kiss!"

I shot her a stone-cold death glare, which only made her break down completely, holding her belly as she laughed at my expense.

The head coach stepped directly between me and Ronald, raising her right hand high into the air. Ronald dropped into a low, heavy combat stance, his knuckles cracking as he locked his eyes onto my chest, while I kept my posture relaxed, my weight balanced evenly on the balls of my feet.

The coach dropped her arm fast, her voice echoing through the stadium as she yelled, "FIGHT!"