F-class thief? Sorry, I can steal anything.

Chapter 264 Joining the Club! An Invitation from Xia Nan!

"You...you know?"

Xia Nan's voice was no longer timid and hesitant, but had become calm and clear.

He adjusted his glasses, and behind the lenses, his eyes gleamed with wisdom.

"I guessed a little bit."

Chen Yifan leaned against the corridor wall, hands in his pockets, looking relaxed.

"To be able to scare someone like Qin Feng like a grandson, and to have the surname Xia, in Kyoto, besides the Xia family, I can't think of another one."

Upon hearing this, Xia Nan remained silent for a moment, then gave a bitter smile.

"It seems my acting skills are still lacking."

He no longer denied it, but openly admitted it.

"Chen Yifan, let's get to know each other again. My name is Xia Nan, Xia as in summer, and Nan as in camphor tree."

He extended his hand, a genuine smile on his face.

Chen Yifan looked at the outstretched hand, but instead of shaking it, he asked:

"I'm rather curious, Young Master Xia, why would you give up your life of luxury and come to our shabby dorm to experience life?"

"Experience life?" Xia Nan chuckled self-deprecatingly. "Do you think someone like me has the right to experience life?"

He withdrew his hand, leaned against the wall on the other side, and looked out the window, his gaze becoming somewhat distant.

"I came here simply to escape some things I don't want to face."

"Oh?" Chen Yifan raised an eyebrow. "Something that even you, Young Master Xia, want to avoid must be no small matter."

Xia Nan didn't answer his question. Instead, she turned her head and looked at Chen Yifan intently.

"Chen Yifan, how about we make a deal?"

"trade?"

"right."

Xia Nan nodded.

"I know it in Jiangcheng."

"You came to Kyoto, definitely not to settle down and study at university."

"You have secrets and troubles."

"And I, though I don't want to admit it, can indeed help you solve a lot of unnecessary trouble in Kyoto by using my identity as 'Xia Nan'."

"In exchange, I hope you can do me a favor at school."

Chen Yifan looked at him but did not answer immediately.

This Xia Nan is even smarter than he imagined.

He not only realized he was in trouble, but also accurately grasped his own needs.

He used his family background to gain his own power.

This is a very fair and attractive deal.

"How can I help you?"

Chen Yifan asked.

"I can't say right now."

Xia Nan shook her head.

"But don't worry, it's definitely not something immoral or something that will send you to your death. It's just that I need to use your strength."

Chen Yifan pondered for a moment.

He really needs a scapegoat right now.

Although there has been no movement from Li Yuantu's side for the time being, he is definitely a ticking time bomb.

The mysterious group of people on the high-speed train was a thorn in his side.

If he can get involved with the Xia family, at least on the surface, many people will have to think twice before trying to harm him.

"Okay," Chen Yifan nodded. "However, I have one condition."

"you say."

"I don't like being used as a pawn. Our cooperation is limited to mutual assistance. You can't use your position to order me to do anything I don't want to do."

"make a deal."

Xia Nan laughed, a laugh brimming with confidence.

"When I, Xia Nan, make friends, I never look at their background or status; I only look at whether they are an interesting person. And you, Chen Yifan, are the first interesting person I met at Kyoto Martial Arts University."

The two exchanged a smile, and a tacit agreement was thus reached.

……

Over the next few days, campus life officially returned to normal.

Chen Yifan and his two companions also began to experience the suffocating competitive pressure of Kyoto Martial Arts University.

The schedule is packed with classes every day.

The morning session consists of theory classes, covering combat techniques for various professions, dungeon strategies, and a guide to mythical beasts.

The afternoon session consists of practical training, where participants engage in high-intensity simulated combat in a virtual battle room.

And all of this is linked to academic credits.

Attendance in class earns you academic credits.

Answering questions earns you academic credits.

Excellent performance in practical courses also earns academic credits.

Conversely, being late, skipping class, or failing grades will result in the deduction of corresponding credits.

Wang Fugui, a poor student, lost more than ten points in the first two days, which made him cry out in distress.

Besides attending classes, various clubs and organizations at the school have also started recruiting new members.

The clubs at Kyoto University are completely different from the interest groups at ordinary universities.

They are more like independent forces, spontaneously organized by students, and often backed by powerful senior students or even certain large families.

Joining a powerful community not only provides access to extra resources but also offers protection from unwanted harassment.

"Fanzi, shouldn't we join a club? I heard that the 'Dragon Tiger Club' is the biggest combat-oriented club in school, and the president is the top student from the previous year—he's incredibly strong. If we can get in, we can do whatever we want in school!"

Wang Fugui held a club flyer, his face full of longing.

"Walk sideways? And then become someone else's cannon fodder?"

Chen Yifan rolled her eyes at him.

"Those big clubs are full of factions and complicated relationships. If freshmen like us with no connections go in, we'll be devoured without a trace."

His goal was clear: either not join at all, or join a group that fit their "low-key development" strategy.

"Then what should we do? We can't just remain a free spirit, can we? I've heard that free spirits have a hard time moving around in the academy, and they can't even get into the advanced training rooms."

Wang Fugui said with a worry.

"Brother Yifan, how about we start our own club?"

Lin Xiaoyu suggested.

"Build it ourselves?" Chen Yifan shook his head. "To create a new club, you need at least ten members, and you have to submit an application to the student council and pass a series of assessments. It's too troublesome."

Just when the three were at their wits' end, Xia Nan found them.

"Chen Yifan, are you guys worried about club matters?"

Xia Nan pushed up her glasses and asked with a smile.

"Young Master Xia, what brilliant idea do you have?"

Chen Yifan leaned back in a chair on campus and asked.

"I do know a place that would be perfect for you guys," Xia Nan said. "And I'm also planning to join that club."

"Oh? What kind of club?" Wang Fugui asked curiously.

"The scavenger".

"A scavenger?"

Wang Fugui and Lin Xiaoyu exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of disdain in each other's eyes.

This name is so tacky!

It sounds like going to a dungeon to scavenge for trash.

Chen Yifan, however, became interested.

Tell me about it.

"The 'Scavengers' is a very... special club at the school."

Xia Nan organized her thoughts.

"Most of its members are support or life skills professionals, such as appraisers, alchemists, and enchanters."

"They don't get involved in the various conflicts at school. Their only activity is to regularly organize members to go to some low-level dungeons that have already been cleared to collect materials and equipment that have been overlooked."

"To put it bluntly, they're just a bunch of scavengers."

Wang Fugui concluded.

"That's one way to understand it."

Xia Nan nodded.

"But don't underestimate them. Because they have access to a lot of materials and information, many large organizations and even mentors will do business with them."

"Moreover, because they don't get involved in conflicts, they have almost no enemies at school. It's an absolutely neutral and absolutely safe organization."

Chen Yifan's eyes lit up.

A scavenger?

It's neutral, safe, and offers access to a wealth of information and materials.

This club is practically tailor-made for him!

"Most importantly,"

Xia Nan paused, then added,

"The president of 'The Scavengers' is a very mysterious person."

"No one knows his true identity. All that is known is that he is a top-notch appraiser who possesses many rare blueprints and intelligence that are simply unavailable outside."

How do I join this club?

Chen Yifan asked directly.

Xia Nan laughed:

"It's very simple. Just pass their onboarding test."

What are the assessment criteria?

"Go to the designated abandoned dungeon and find something they deem 'valuable'."

"It's that simple?"

Wang Fugui was somewhat skeptical.

"It's that simple," Xia Nan nodded, "but it's also that difficult. Because the concept of 'value' is defined by them."

"Interesting." Chen Yifan stood up. "When is the assessment?"

"Tomorrow morning, the dungeon teleportation hall at the East Gate."

"Okay, see you tomorrow."

Seeing Chen Yifan's eager expression, Xia Nan's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile.

He knew that his "interesting" roommate would definitely be interested in this club.