Rongrong's "Fatal" Q&A

For the next few days, Lin Kun kept a low profile. Aside from attending classes and fulfilling necessary duties, he spent most of his time in the library, further enriching the database for his Book Spirit and consolidating his newly acquired movement techniques and mental strength.

However, the tree may wish for calm, but the wind will not cease.

This afternoon, as he was engrossed in a book titled "Atlas of Rare Metals" in a quiet corner of the library, a gentle voice sounded beside him:

"Classmate Lin Kun, what a coincidence."

Lin Kun looked up and saw Ning Rongrong standing gracefully beside him, holding two cups emitting a faint floral fragrance. She was wearing a light green dress today, which made her appear even more fresh and lovely.

"Classmate Ning?" Lin Kun was a little surprised.

"I see you often reading here; you're very diligent," Ning Rongrong placed one of the cups in front of Lin Kun and sat down opposite him. "This is flower tea from my home. It's refreshing and good for the mind. Would you like to try some?"

The cups were exquisite porcelain, the tea soup clear, with flower petals floating within, emitting a pleasant aroma. They looked expensive at first glance.

"This... is too valuable. Thank you, Classmate Ning." Lin Kun felt flattered and, at the same time, became wary. No reason to be so attentive without cause...

"It's just a cup of tea, don't be so polite," Ning Rongrong smiled slightly, taking a small sip of her own tea. She asked casually, "Classmate Lin Kun seems to know a lot about medicinal herbs and minerals? Your performance in the practical class last time was truly eye-opening."

Here it comes! The probing has begun! Lin Kun's internal alarm blared.

"Not at all, not at all. I just enjoy reading miscellaneous books and have vaguely remembered some things," Lin Kun kept a low profile.

"Oh? Is that so?" Ning Rongrong blinked her large eyes, leaned forward slightly, lowered her voice, and with a hint of cunning laughter, asked, "Then... does Classmate Lin Kun know about poisons?"

"Pfft—!" Lin Kun almost spat out his tea, forcing himself to swallow it, choking and coughing uncontrollably. "P-poisons? Classmate Ning, you must be joking. How could I possibly study such things..."

Ning Rongrong tilted her head, her smile unchanged. "But I heard that the Mandala Snake Tang San absorbed had extremely potent venom. Grandmaster hesitated quite a bit back then, but Classmate Lin Kun seemed very supportive? You even said... it felt very 'compatible'?"

Cold sweat broke out on Lin Kun's back. Why is this young lady bringing up the most sensitive topics! And how is her information so accurate! She even knows what Grandmaster and I discussed back then?

He forced himself to remain calm. "I was just talking nonsense back then, a lucky guess... Classmate Ning, please don't get me into trouble. What if someone overhears and misunderstands?" He cautiously glanced around.

"It's just the two of us here, what's there to fear," Ning Rongrong waved her hand, her tone relaxed, but her eyes sharpened a bit. "I'm just curious. What kind of poison do you think would be undetectable, take effect slowly, and leave no trace of its origin?"

Lin Kun: "..." Sister! You're trying to commit murder! And why are you asking me?! Do I look like someone who knows about these things?!

He felt the flower tea in front of him was a hot potato; he couldn't drink it, nor could he not drink it.

"Classmate Ning, let's not discuss such dangerous topics, okay?" Lin Kun said with a distressed expression. "I'm just an ordinary student worker, I really don't understand these things. If you want to know, perhaps you should ask Grandmaster?"

"Grandmaster is too serious, not fun," Ning Rongrong pouted, seeming a little disappointed, but quickly smiled again. "Alright, alright, I won't tease you anymore. But Classmate Lin Kun, you are truly an interesting person."

She stood up, preparing to leave. As she reached the door, she suddenly turned back, gave Lin Kun a brilliant smile, and mouthed silently:

"Your tea... is fine."

After saying that, she departed like a butterfly.

Lin Kun stood frozen on the spot, looking at the fragrant flower tea before him. He didn't dare to touch it for a long time.

This Ning Rongrong... she's definitely doing this on purpose! First, she scares him with questions about poison, and then she implies the tea is fine? Is it fine or not? This is psychological warfare!

He felt like a mouse caught by a cat, being toyed with by Ning Rongrong.

As expected, the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is no simple person! Lin Kun felt lingering fear. It's safer to stay away from her in the future...

He glanced in the direction Ning Rongrong had left, then looked at the cup of flower tea. In the end, he couldn't resist the temptation and cautiously picked it up to smell it—it smelled so good! It should... be non-toxic, right?

After struggling for a long time, he ultimately didn't drink it and quietly poured the tea into a potted plant on the windowsill.

"Sigh, I can't live like this! I haven't even dealt with Tang San properly, and now there's an even more cunning little princess! System! I want to complain! This script's difficulty is too high!" Lin Kun wailed inwardly.

[Ding! Detected host encountering an interpersonal crisis. Triggered selective mission: Choice of Faction.] [Option A: Confess some secrets to Tang San (e.g., the perceptive abilities of the Book Spirit) and seek refuge. Reward: Minor increase in Tang San's trust, 100 points. Risk: Secrets exposed, potentially controlled by others in the future.] [Option B: Attempt to establish a closer connection with Ning Rongrong and leverage the power of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Reward: Increase in Ning Rongrong's favorability, 200 points. Risk: Getting involved in sect disputes, possibly dying faster.] [Option C: Maintain the status quo, continue to develop discreetly, and rely on no one. Reward: 50 points. Risk: May be suspected by both sides, facing enemies on all fronts.]

Lin Kun looked at the three options, his headache worsening.

This isn't a choice! These are clearly three one-way roads leading to different hells!

"I choose... to die!" Lin Kun slumped onto the table, utterly dejected.

As expected, the broken plot only gets more broken. His troubles have only just begun.