Chapter 50: Figures of Influence

After wandering around several competition areas, Chen Erpao was just about to find Wang Xing for a chat when, not far off at the women’s high jump, a graceful figure radiating boundless vitality drew him in, compelling him to walk over almost against his will.

Shangguan Ying stood out in a white top emblazoned with some tomboy’s name he couldn’t quite make out, and a pair of blue ultra-short hotpants below. Her curvaceous figure was unquestionably the brightest attraction among all the girls present. Though there were a few other attractive women with decent figures nearby, when standing next to her, their allure seemed to pale into insignificance.

The area was crowded with bespectacled guys, all four eyes fixed intently on Shangguan Ying. Chen Erpao had to fight his way to the front, finally managing to stand just two or three meters from her.

The moment Shangguan Ying saw him approach, she shot him a fierce glare, baring her teeth in a clear show that she hadn’t forgiven him for their previous encounters.

“Next, Shangguan Ying,” called the referee at that moment.

Shangguan Ying strolled over to the bar and casually performed a stretch, but the way she pressed her bosom together nearly made the surrounding guys’ eyes pop out.

“Begin.” At the referee’s call, Shangguan Ying broke into a short run and leaped gracefully, her lithe body soaring easily over the bar.

“Bravo, bravo!” The bespectacled crowd erupted into cheers, drawing resentful looks from the other girls, who all cast glances of disdain.

Watching the dazzling Shangguan Ying, Chen Erpao marveled at how such a delicate-looking girl possessed such athletic prowess. For a brief moment as she took off, he sensed a trace of “qi”—that inner energy cultivated through training, nourishing the body, invigorating the blood, and strengthening the tendons. The more one cultivated, the greater the benefit, just as Shangguan Ying had just demonstrated, awakening her inner power to leap so effortlessly. Those with profound mastery of “qi” could unleash strength beyond imagination, but in this era of technology, martial arts had faded, and true masters were rare. Chen Erpao himself practiced hard qigong, a form of “qi” that mainly toughened the exterior, making one resilient to blows—a benefit that was immediately apparent.

He lingered at the sidelines, watching until the high jump ended, with Shangguan Ying easily taking first place. As she approached, her face glowing with pride, she headed straight for him.

“Well? Impressed by my skills?” she demanded.

“Very impressive indeed. Just look at your two white rabbits—those almost made the boys’ eyes pop right out,” Chen Erpao replied with a wicked grin.

“You... you scoundrel!” Shangguan Ying’s cheeks flushed crimson, and she started to raise her hand, ready to unleash her infamous claw technique. But seeing so many people watching, she reluctantly withdrew, fixing Chen Erpao with a fierce glare. “Dare to tease me? Next time, I’ll make you regret it—make you cry!”

Chen Erpao smiled faintly. He never knew why, but every time he saw Shangguan Ying, he felt compelled to tease her. Perhaps all men were like this—when faced with a stunning beauty, their mischievous side inevitably emerged.

After lunch, with more than two hours of rest, Chen Erpao specifically called Li Hai to the football field and spent nearly two hours teaching him military boxing, only finishing just before the afternoon competitions began.

The afternoon opened with the men’s long-distance race. Rumor had it that three of the school’s “Top Ten Campus Figures” were participating. To his surprise, Chen Erpao spotted Li Ziyang in the lineup and soon learned he was one of those top ten.

The number one spot on the rankings belonged to Qiu Renjie, president of the school’s Ancient Martial Arts Club. It was rumored he had secretly challenged the Taekwondo Club, Western Boxing Association, and Karate Dojo, defeating each of their leaders single-handedly. He, too, was competing in the long-distance race.

Chen Erpao was particularly interested in him, curious to see what kind of person he was. In the lineup, Qiu Renjie stood out—a chiseled, handsome face, a robust physique radiating explosive strength, long hair draping over one eye, and a cool, detached expression that was irresistibly attractive to the college girls in their romantic prime. No fewer than ten girls hovered around him, some carrying water, others towels, though he paid them no heed, his gaze fixed across the way at Murong Pei and Nangong Yu.

“Taste is pretty high,” Chen Erpao murmured with a faint smile.

Perhaps sensing Chen Erpao’s gaze, Qiu Renjie suddenly turned and met his eyes, a subtle smile appearing on his cool face, though his eyes burned with intense fighting spirit.

“Impressive—though young, his strength isn’t far off from Liu Huagang’s. He’s got reason to be proud,” Chen Erpao judged privately.

Soon, the starting gun fired. Qiu Renjie, who had been standing at the very back, surged to the front in an instant, quickly leaving the rest behind.

Li Ziyang ran in the middle of the pack, glasses on, yet his physical condition was solid. The beautiful girl who had appeared with him that morning ran onto the track to deliver a cup of water.

Chen Erpao sat nearby, watching closely, when a waft of especially fragrant perfume suddenly reached him.

“Hello, I’m Chen Liu. We met this morning,” said the beautiful woman who had just brought water to Li Ziyang, now standing before him with a sweet smile.

Chen Erpao replied amiably, “Hello. You’re Li Ziyang’s girlfriend, right? What brings you to me?”

“We just started dating. He’s a notorious playboy and narrow-minded to boot. I already regret it. I just wanted to talk to a campus celebrity like you. What, am I not welcome?” she said with a wounded look, which might have had its own charm, but Chen Erpao found himself surprisingly immune.

“Of course you’re welcome!” As soon as he spoke, Chen Liu gave a coquettish smile and sat right down beside him on the steps.

The scent grew even stronger. Because she was wearing a short skirt, most of her snowy white thighs were exposed, every pore clearly visible.

Catching Chen Erpao’s gaze on her legs, a flicker of triumph flashed in Chen Liu’s eyes. She smiled lightly. “That S-class Benz—is it yours? I thought so.”

Chen Erpao smiled inwardly. He knew at once what Chen Liu was after and thought to himself, “Here’s another one offering herself up—another chance to deal with Li Ziyang. Not that he’s any threat, but no point wasting a golden opportunity.”