Chapter 61

The Yaken Club was located on the sixth floor of the Club Building, far from the baseball field; for a lunch break, it was really too rushed.

If it weren't to see Mikami Ai on business, Qingshan Li would have raised an objection.

Just as he was weighing his words, Mikami Ai spoke first.

"You shouldn't be that stupid, but to avoid your shallow vanity, I want to remind you."

"What?"

"Before I get the full version of the novel and register the copyright for you, don't show your novel to anyone else."

"Mm, thanks. Um," Qingshan Li continued along this atmosphere, "I'm sorry about yesterday."

"After sending you the text last night, I also reflected; it was me who had too high expectations of you, hoping you'd be a good person."

"."

Expecting him to be a good person—was that expectation really so high?

"I also sent you a text this morning; actually, I really like you, and because you rejected me, I'm a bit flustered and angry."

On the stair landing between the third and fourth floors, Mikami Ai stopped.

"Then I'll give you another chance," she said, "cancel your appointment with Miyase Yaeko."

"Going back on your word isn't good, is it?"

"Going back on your word? You want to get the money immediately while not lowering your image in my heart, right?"

Image isn't important anyway.

But wanting her help requires image.

——System, can't you think of a way?

【Begin 'Hypnosis' Guidance】

——That works?!

"Stay away from me." Mikami Ai continued walking.

"Isn't it far enough yet?" Only after she went down the sixth step did Qingshan Li follow.

"Make me unable to feel your presence."

"Wanting to follow you while making me unable to feel you—don't you think that's very much like a creature called a 'stalker'?"

"You make me feel as disgusting as a stalker."

This guy definitely has a cleanliness obsession, maybe even a virgin complex.

【Begin 'Hypnosis' Guidance】

——No!

Qingshan Li didn't pursue skills in this area; Mikami Ai wasn't his enemy.

"Not a stalker," Mikami Ai said again, "your behavior is more like a married man taking off his wedding ring to ask a woman for contact information—equally disgusting."

Enemy, she's an enemy!

Qingshan Li hated cheating the most, so he absolutely couldn't accept Mikami Ai's metaphor!

The two arrived at the baseball field without a word.

The Baseball Club was practicing catching and throwing.

Mikami Ai's arrival distracted everyone.

She stood at the first base line, surveying the field, and didn't see the Coach.

"Good afternoon, is the Coach here?" she asked a player.

The player with a buzz cut hurriedly replied: "Good afternoon, um, the Coach usually isn't here at noon; may I ask what you need?"

"We are members of the Athens Philosophy Research Club, representing the Student Council to assess the Baseball Club."

The field immediately stirred.

Soon, the Club President of the Baseball Club began talking with Mikami Ai.

"How exactly is the assessment?" This was a Baseball Club member who had no interest in women, turning a blind eye to Mikami Ai's beauty.

Qingshan Li felt ashamed of himself.

Moreover, just by bringing up the Student Council, a star club like the Baseball Club actually obediently cooperated.

Miyase Yaeko's pressure was too strong.

"We'll watch your three practice matches; if anything, please contact us." Mikami Ai looked at Qingshan Li, "You add the contact information."

"Why me?"

"This is teaching you the correct way to use a mobile phone."

The system is what should be learned.

Qingshan Li took out his mobile phone.

As long as it could increase the probability of 'Mikami Ai agreeing to help,' he was willing to use the mobile phone this way.

"Mobile phone." The Club President hesitated.

No one would carry a mobile phone during high-intensity exercise.

"Let me~" the Baseball Club's female manager came running over, with healthy skin and strong, nimble legs, like a lively little deer.

Qingshan Li and she became Line friends.

"This week because of exams, the Coach didn't arrange practice matches, but Golden Week is already fully booked; I'll contact you then~" the female manager said.

"Okay, thanks." Qingshan Li smiled.

The Baseball Club members stared fixedly at Qingshan Li.

"I am Nagami Na; Classmate Aoyama can call me Xiao Cai; my goal is to bring the Baseball Club to Koshien!"

"Impressive!"

"Hehe~"

"Since there's an assessment, at least prove you have the skill to understand baseball?" a Baseball Club member suddenly said.

Everyone fell silent.

"That's true." Mikami Ai smiled. "Classmate Aoyama, you give it a try."

"Me?" Qingshan Li had never even touched a baseball.

"You have something you want to discuss with me, right?"

This was despicable.

But it was also a good opportunity!

The Baseball Club also accepted this challenge; they simply couldn't directly oppose the Student Council, but that didn't mean they had no resentment.

They were the Baseball Club—even though their best result in history was the Ba Qiang in the preliminaries, they were still the Baseball Club!

Assessing the Baseball Club was as absurd as considering abolishing National Language class!

But there were examples of schools that were favorites to win Koshien and directly abolished their Baseball Clubs, so the Baseball Club being abolished wasn't impossible.

Qingshan Li stepped onto the Ji Qi Qiu.

"I'll pitch three balls. As long as you hit one and it lands in the field, you pass," the Club President stated the rules.

Wearing a baseball cap, Qingshan Li tested the feel of the baseball bat.

He looked toward the Tou Shou Qiu, feeling it was far away, probably ten or twenty meters.

Throwing the ball from over there was no problem; the hard part was maintaining power and precision.

At this moment, Mikami Ai said: "Hit one, and you pass; hit two, and you can tell me your business; hit three, as long as it doesn't involve character, I'll agree to anything."

"What about a Chang Wai Ben Lu Da?" Qingshan Li asked.

Chang Wai Ben Lu Da: the ball flies directly out of the outfield fence.

At Kaimei High School, that was equivalent to hitting the ball into the girls' tennis court—Qingshan Li suspected the school designed it that way on purpose.

Which high school student doesn't dream of hitting the ball into the girls' tennis court?

"What bad thing are you planning again?" Mikami Ai glared at him, "But as long as you hit a Chang Wai Ben Lu Da, as long as it's not too much, I'll agree to it."

Qingshan Li looked toward the Baseball Club president.

—System!

If this were a match, he would absolutely not use the system, no matter how good the conditions Mikami Ai offered.

But now it was just an assessment, not a match; winning one round could only be called a prank, not bullying, so Qingshan Li had no psychological pressure.

【Arena scene detected. Activate Intelligent Guidance?】

—Yes

Qingshan Li's aura changed; he gripped the baseball bat like a sword.

The Club President facing him began to sweat.

A premonition that no matter how he pitched, the ball would be hit, spread through his body!

The Qin Shou crouching beside Qingshan Li, though he couldn't see Qingshan Li's face, felt a terrifying pressure as if a mountain weighed beside him.

"Add oil!"

"Club President, strike him out!"

The Club President lowered his cap brim, avoiding Qingshan Li's gaze.

He took a deep breath, exhaled deeply, looked up again, and deliberately ignored Qingshan Li, focusing only on the strike zone.

The Club President raised his left foot, and as he stepped out, it was as if he drew strength from the ground.

Powerful force exploded in his body, surged into his right arm, and finally concentrated entirely on his right fingertips.

Finally transmitted onto the ball.

There's a chance!

Since elementary school he had been pitching, long since losing count of how many balls he'd thrown; he could clearly tell whether his pitching condition was good or bad.

This was one of his best conditions.

Even in the Shi Liu Qiang of the preliminaries, he would absolutely not be hit!

Whoosh!

The ball flew out like a cannon shell.

The female manager looked at the radar gun in her hand—140!

It was a new record!

"Bang!"

A crisp metallic sound.

The ball was blasted away by a more violent force, with the momentum as if it wanted to embed itself into the wall of the sky.

In the distance, the girls' tennis club members were in an uproar, as if someone had been grazed by the ball.

"Ah" The baseball bat slipped from his hand; Qingshan Li clutched his right arm and slowly crouched down, his expression pained.

【Body injured. Exit Competition Mode】

"What's wrong?" Mikami Ai hurried over.

The female manager ran even faster than her: "It might be a ligament or muscle strain; he must be sent to the Infirmary immediately!"

"Wait!" Qingshan Li forced out a breath.

Compared to his usual training, this bit of pain was nothing!

"Mikami Classmate, you promised me." He looked at Mikami Ai.

Mikami Ai looked at his arm, then at his pained expression, and sighed: "Do you like me that much?"

The system likes you, not me!

"I'll go to the Infirmary first, and tell you later."

(Chapter End)