Chapter 28 - Memory Gaps
Seconds passed by, but even though the student under Su Yang's feet continued to squirm, no one from the freshman class intervened.
It seemed like everyone had accepted the beatdown as something natural, and no one had the guts to confront Su Yang about it.
Perhaps it was because of his background, because he belonged to one of the six great clans. Or perhaps it was because of his domineering eyes, the kind that dared anyone to step up—only to crush them if they did.
Whatever the reason, silence reigned.
Until—
Click. Click. Click.
The synchronized rhythm of multiple boots echoed into the mess hall.
Heads turned instinctively toward the entrance, as a group of second-years walked in, moving with an air of effortless superiority.
At the front of the group strode a young man with blonde hair and a sharp, refined presence.
It was Du Liang. Another scion of the six great clans.
His gaze swept over the mess hall, as he wondered why it was so quiet today, before looking at Su Yang, as he figured out why.
Du Liang did not look surprised.
If anything, he looked mildly disappointed.
"Su Yang," he called out smoothly, his voice neither harsh nor particularly friendly. "Are you seriously starting fights on day one? In the mess hall, of all places?"
Su Yang finally glanced up, his foot still pressing down on the beaten recruit, as his lips curled into a smirk.
"Long time no see, Cousin Du, I was hoping I'd meet you here in the academy you know–" Su Yang replied, as he seemed to already be acquainted with Du Liang, perhaps due to a shared familial bond.
Du Liang sighed as if he had seen this a hundred times before.
"If the instructors catch you, it won't end well," Du Liang remarked. "In Rodova Military Academy we have some rules. If you have a grievance against another student, you file for an official duel. Otherwise, you're breaking academy protocol, and can be punished severely for your actions. Thankfully, there's no teachers around the mess hall right now, or you would be in a disciplinary holding cell by now—"
A few of the second-years behind Du Liang chuckled, clearly entertained by the interaction.
Su Yang snorted but finally lifted his boot off the recruit's shoulder, allowing the kid to cough and suck in air desperately.
But rather than backing down, Su Yang merely crossed his arms and turned toward Du Liang with an unreadable expression.
"Do you know why I did this?" Su Yang asked.
Du Liang arched a brow, his curiosity mildly piqued.
Su Yang gestured down at the trembling recruit, his lip curling in disgust.
"This worm was trying to pass himself off as a Mu Clan descendant by faking memory loss."
Du Liang's expression shifted slightly listening to Su Yang's words, the hint of amusement on his face fading.
"That so?" Du Liang mused.
"Yes," Su Yang confirmed, his eyes narrowing at the recruit still gasping for breath. "And do you know how I can tell?"
He crouched slightly, leveling his gaze at the cowering student.
"He walks too loudly," Su Yang stated matter-of-factly. "He flinches at the slightest motion, and he hesitated when I struck him."
He rose again, turning back to Du Liang.
"A true Mu Clan heir, even with zero memories, would have instinctively reacted. Their bones would remember what their mind forgot."
Du Liang considered Su Yang's words for a moment before nodding.
"You're not wrong," he admitted. "The Mu Clan's training methods are extreme. Their reflexes should be ingrained to the point of muscle memory. If this guy had truly been one of them... he wouldn't be on the floor right now."
The student in question flinched at the cold analysis, but neither Su Yang nor Du Liang spared him any further attention.
Su Yang finally stepped back, his frustration still evident but restrained.
"Next time, I'll file a duel request," he muttered. "But don't expect me to hold back."
Du Liang smirked slightly. "Good. That's how it should be."
With that, the tension in the mess hall finally began to ease.
The upperclassmen soon moved on, leaving the beaten first-year on the floor, and Su Yang—though still exuding arrogance—returned to his table without another word.
The mess hall slowly resumed its usual atmosphere, but an unspoken lesson had been made clear to every first-year in the room.
The six great clans ruled this academy.
And unless you belonged to them—you'd do well to stay out of their way.
********
Leo soaked in the entire exchange like a sponge, his mind processing every word, every movement, every unspoken rule.
This was a lesson.
A lesson in hierarchy. In reputation. In how conflict was resolved in this academy.
If he ever found himself at odds with Su Yang, it was clear that backing away wasn't an option.
The Su Clan heir wasn't the type to let things go, nor was he the type to respect submission.
Unless you fought back, unless you stood your ground, Su Yang would continue pushing, escalating, humiliating.
That was the kind of person he was.
And Leo had no intention of ever being anyone's punching bag.
That said, he sincerely hoped he would never find himself at odds with that madman.
There was a brutality to Su Yang's actions that unsettled him—not in fear, but in the sheer lack of hesitation.
Su Yang wasn't just arrogant. He was smart, ruthless and seemed to have the skills to back his attitude.
He walked around with a sort of certainty.
A certainty that came from knowing exactly where he stood in the world, from being raised in an environment where he was undeniably superior to others.
Even the way he spoke, the way he carried himself, the way he walked—it all reflected his background.
Leo had never paid much attention to how a person's gait could reveal so much about them, but now, after watching Su Yang and Du Liang's interaction, he understood.
There were tells. Subtle but undeniable.
A man's past wasn't just in his words—it was in his posture, his instincts, the way he moved through a room.
And if that was the case, then Leo had a problem.
Because he didn't know his own tells.
He didn't know what his mannerisms said about him.
He didn't even know what they were supposed to say.
His memory loss wasn't just an inconvenience—it was a massive blind spot.
And to make matters worse, without his memories, he felt like he lacked the context to make sense of half the conversations happening around him.
Every mention of the Six Great Clans, the Mu Clan, or the Clan Heirs, were all just names to him, fragments of a bigger picture he had no access to.
And in a place like the Rodova Military Academy, not having the ability to decipher the bigger picture was undoubtedly a big handicap.
Leo clenched his jaw slightly, a quiet resolve settling within him.
He needed to fix this.
He needed to learn about this world, and fast, for if he did not start filling in the gaps in his knowledge soon... he wouldn't just be another faceless recruit. He'd be prey—hunted before he even knew the rules of the game.
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/// A/N - This bonus sponsored by patron Cervantez91, please thank him in the comments for the same.
Current castle target progress - 4/10.
Let's go! I know we can make it. ///