Castle of Black Iron

During the training class in the afternoon, the sun shone fiercely. The instant the bell rang, the horny students instantly assembled into a matrix formation and waited for the orders of the coach, who would usually wave a flag as he stood on the commanding platform. However, nobody appeared on the commanding platform until two minutes later. During this period, every one of the horny students held their breaths. Then instead of the coach they were familiar with, the awesome one-eyed man appeared. The icy, cold Qi field around him frightened everyone beneath the commanding platform. Not knowing what was about to happen, they realized after seeing the black leather whip in his hand and began shivering.

As a semi-militarized school, extremely strict punishments would be meted out to students who didn’t follow the rules. Among all punishments, the least offense punishment was running dozens of laps around the playground, while in some cases they would be whipped. However, in the worst case scenario, they would be handed over to the court of Blackhot City for judgment .

Glancing at the whip in Captain Kerlin’s hand, everybody knew that someone would be ferociously whipped this time. Over the past years at school, every time the one-eyed man held a whip, some presumptuous fellow would suffer a cool public whipping.

Standing in a matrix formation under the commanding platform, Zhang Tie saw the icy expression on the one-eyed man and knew what was about to happen.

“Do you regret it?” Zhang Tie asked himself.

“F*ck!” he answered himself.

“Glaze, Sharon, Garner, and Zuhair, come out of the matrix!” Captain Kerlin shouted, causing the crowd to become bustling and shocked. Glaze? Glaze? Glaze’s group?

“This is going to be a good show!” Standing next to Zhang Tie, Fatty Barley became thrilled. He touched Zhang Tie slightly with one foot.

“Yea, we’re going to see some fun! Then some fun will fall upon me!” Zhang Tie thought to himself…

Under everyone’s watch, the group of four, headed by Glaze, moved out from the formation as their faces turned pale. The first to walk out was Sharon, the one who had thrown the plates in front of Zhang Tie. At the same time, Sharon seemed to have realized something and turned back, seemingly as if he was looking for something in the matrix formation which Zhang Tie stood. His eyes were filled with a dangerous look.

Zhang Tie simply looked at Sharon coldly. Even now, he did not regret what he had done earlier. For others, this decision might be difficult and painful; however, for Zhang Tie, it was an easy choice. Before he made the choice, he only asked himself one question — which choice would make my parents feel proud?

In response to Captain Kerlin’s call, the group of four came out from the matrix formation. The moment they stood on the platform, several law enforcement members instantly removed their leather training armor, revealing their naked upper bodies, thereby confirming everyone’s previous assumption that Captain Kerlin was here to whip them.

“Captain Kerlin, I believe I have the right to know the reason!” Glaze growled as the veins on his forehead became pronounced when his arms were held back by the two law enforcement members.

“According to Article 27, each student should clean their dining plates and hand them over to the cafeteria after lunch. Violators of this rule will suffer 2 lashings. According to Article 6, each student should not purposely damage public properties. Violators of this rule will suffer 4 lashings. Glaze, Sharon, Garner, and Zuhair didn’t hand over their dining plates to the cafeteria. They simply threw them into the small woods casually; therefore, they have violated the above two school rules, prompting my decision to give each of them 6 lashings! Am I clear?” The one-eyed man coldly stared at the group of four headed by Glaze. As a result, the group of four was shocked like being struck by lightning.

Standing in the matrix formation, Zhang Tie carefully observed their expressions. After Captain Kerlin finished whipping the Glaze’s group, Zhang Tie realized that the three from the group of four did not stare at Sharon, but rather they glanced from time to time at the matrix formation in which Zhang Tie stood. At this moment, Zhang Tie became aware that what had happened at noon was not a coincidence; instead, it was deliberately planned by this group in an attempt to embarrass him. As they were always unruly at school and would usually find some timid fellows to wash their plates before handing them back to the cafeteria after lunch, Sharon had never expected that he would be refused this time. This explains the current situation.

Once Zhang Tie came to realize this, he became depressed, as he has always tried to be low-key at school. Without knowing it, he had offended this group.

Seeing the leather whip in Captain Kerlin’s hand, the group of four turned pale. Seemingly as if he had something to add, Sharon said, “Captain Kerlin, I have something to say…”

Gazing at Sharon, who was swallowing his saliva, Captain Kerlin coldly muttered, “Go ahead!”

“After lunch, I gave our dining plates to someone else...”

“Where?”

“In the small woods next to the cafeteria!”

“How?”

“I… I placed them in front of the man!”

“In front of him? On the ground or in his hands?”

“On… On the ground!”

“Why would you place them on the ground in front of him?”

“I… I… I let him wash our plates before sending them back.” Probably due to his lack of confidence in front of Captain Kerlin, despite his usual defiant attitude, he lowered his voice.

“What did that man say?”

“Nothing… he didn’t say anything!” Sharon knew that Zhang Tie was in the nearby matrix and could show up at any moment to refute his lies in public; therefore, he dared not to tell any lies.

“What happened then?”

“Then…” Sharon gazed at Captain Kerlin dejectedly. “Then I left…”

“I know what you’re trying to say. You’re trying to say that since you threw several plates in front of him and he ignored your orders to wash the plates, he should be the one to be whipped in your place? Do you feel wronged? In your eyes, since that man refused your orders, do you feel insulted? Do you feel like he should take responsibility for what happened? If you threw your plates in front of me, does that mean I would be the man who should be whipped?” The one-eyed man’s face was emotionless; however, his words made the look on Glaze’s group worsen. They didn’t speak again.

“What a good excuse! Unfortunately, you are not powerful enough to write your bastard logic into the laws and rules of Blackhot City!” With a cold smile on his face, he added, “Therefore, you deserve the six lashings!”

……

Afterward, all the horny students in the matrix formations began to appreciate the art of punishment by the most terrifying one-eyed man in Blackhot City. In the eyes of the students, his lashings were always the cruelest and most horrible punishment available in the Seventh National Middle School in Blackhot City. He wouldn’t use too much strength until his final lashing; although it would hurt greatly, it would not wound the veins, bones, or innards. Today, all the other horny students heard 24 screams and, like eating a popsicle, felt refreshed about what had happened. Then the group of four led by Glaze was carried away from the playground by the law enforcement members of the school under the glare of the public. Unfortunately, they had passed out.

“That was motherf*cking cool!” After being oppressed by the group of four led by Glaze for so long, this was what all the horny undergraduates thought.

Although Zhang Tie still felt pain all over, after the morning break, he gritted his teeth as he finished the afternoon training.

This afternoon, there were no battle cries heard from the training ground. Compared to before, all the horny students were more lively. During the breaks, they were discussing about who was the hero. Ever since Glaze had been promoted to LV 2, he had always been unruly at school, causing nobody to dare act against him. Unexpectedly, he has encountered such an event.

With the exception of Zhang Tie and Barley, every member of the Hit-Plane Brotherhood also became excited. Zhang Tie was thinking about how Glaze’s group would take revenge for the 24 lashings they had to suffer. Those bastards would definitely take revenge more ferociously.

“It looks like I won’t have to worry about not having enough Iron Body Fruits later!” Zhang Tie mocked himself as he thought about it helplessly.

Fatty Barley was also not that excited; he had turned gloomy ever since he heard Sharon’s words.

Every member of the Hit-Plane Brotherhood knew that Zhang Tie would stay in the small woods after lunch. As Barley was good at observing others’ expression, he might have already noticed something from his expression, thus Zhang Tie felt that Barley might already know that he was the supposed “hero”…

……

After school, Zhang Tie asked the other members of the Hit-Plane Brotherhood to wait for him in the classroom for a while. He then decided to calmly declare his decision...

“What… Bighead, you want to leave our Hit-Plane Brotherhood?” Doug gazed at Zhang Tie in surprise. “Why? What’s happening? We will help you be a real man next week!”

Same as Doug, Hista and Sharwin were also shocked. Bagdad was filled with anger as he clenched his fists.

“I might have been accustomed to be alone, so please respect my decision…” Forcing a smile, Zhang Tie didn’t say anything as he walked out the classroom, leaving behind the members of the Hit-Plane Brotherhood in the classroom, who were blankly staring at each other.

“This bastard, I should have punched him one more time!” Bagdad fiercely punched a wall in the classroom, resulting in a few pieces of limestone falling down...

“Even though we treated him as our good brother… Pah...” Doug spat towards the door. “It seems he didn’t want to be our brother at all!”

“What’s wrong?” Sharwin looked at them.

“How could he be so foolish to leave our brotherhood before enjoying the coming-of-age ceremony?” Hista couldn’t understand.

Leit rolled his eyes and stared at Barley, who was silent and had lowered his head, as he said nothing. Seeing Barley’s actions, they all became silent as well. Then, Barley raised his head and glanced at them.

“I have already realized it back in the playground. What Bighead did has truly verified my judgment of him. You’re all mistaken about him. He was leaving our brotherhood because he doesn’t want to stir up trouble for us!”

“Trouble, you mean…” Sharwin seemed to have realized it.

“Bighead was that hero. He was the man who refused to wash dining plates for the Glaze’s group and made them so miserable today!” Barley explained all of a sudden, shocking everyone else. “Glaze’s group will definitely take revenge on him. Zhang Tie didn’t want us to get involved, that’s why he chose to leave!”

Barley glanced at each one of them. “Glaze’s group will probably take revenge on BigHead — and it will definitely be fierce! As Bighead is one of our Brotherhood, we have to suffer the revenge together with him. As this concerns our personal interests and safety, nobody could make decisions for others; therefore, I want to hear your opinions. If we treasure Bighead as our brother, we should face revenge together with him. If not, we are all safe and can just pretend that nothing has happened. We will raise our hands to make the final decision in five minutes!”

At this point in time, every member of the Hit-Plane Brotherhood became silent

……

Five minutes later, Barley glanced at them solemnly. “Those who agree to face the revenge together with Bighead, raise your hands!”

The others looked at each other and nobody spoke.

“Well, since you’re all silent, I will be the first to decide. Although Bighead broke my nose before and got me the nickname ‘mucus mucilage’, I feel that he is righteous, that’s why...” Doug scrunched his nose. “I want to help him…”

Doug raised up his hand…

“Is Glaze, a LV 2 fighter, that great? I will surpass him sooner or later!” Bagdad cooly raised his hand as well...

“If we abandoned our brother just because of such a small problem, wouldn’t that mean we would disband our brotherhood in front of bigger difficulties?” Hista spoke as he raised his hand.

“I feel like this guy always does the unexpected. I also feel like he is someone who wouldn’t escape in front of a Red-scarf Burglar and would never push us into trouble, much like what he did today. He might have a solution. That’s why I’m relieved to have a brother like him!” saying this, Leit shrugged his shoulders and raised his hands.

“Since all of you have decided to stand on Zhang Tie’s side, there’s no way I can back down now. And don’t all of you feel cool today?” Sharwin smiled coyly and raised up his hand as well.

Just as everyone cast their eyes on the solemn looking Barley, he finally showed a brilliant smile and raised his hand. “If our brotherhood wants to get a foothold in Blackhot City, then Glaze’s group will be our first milestone. If we don’t face troubles together, how could we be called brothers? If we don’t experience these trials together, how could we be called brothers?? Speaking of this, I really have to thank Bighead. I’ve been wanting an opportunity to test our loyalty to the Hit-Plane Brotherhood, and unexpectedly, here is the opportunity!”

The members stared at each other as their eyes gradually glittered. Through this difficult and unanimous choice, they all felt much closer to each other. Filled with bravery and confidence, each one of them felt warm all over their bodies...

“What is the slogan of our brotherhood?” seeing everybody growing more and more ambitious, Barley shouted.

“Hit the plane!” Doug exclaimed. At the same time, everybody turned and glared at him. Doug instantly felt that this joke was not appropriate and shrunk himself.

“One more time, our slogan is!” Barley shouted again.

“Anyone who gives our brothers trouble will be in trouble!” the horny students growled in unison...