How to Resolve the Bocheng Disaster?

Bocheng barbecue restaurant.

"Come on, classmates, let's raise a toast to Mo Fan's victory!"

"And with the magic college entrance exam coming up soon, you all need to keep working hard and strive to get into a good magic university."

Homeroom teacher Xue Sheng had everyone stand and drink to celebrate Mo Fan's victory, while also making one final push for the magic college entrance exam.

"Cheers!" After clinking glasses, everyone drained their drinks in one gulp and began chatting.

"Mo Fan, how did you cultivate so quickly and become so strong?" Zhou Min asked curiously, her large eyes fixed on Mo Fan with obvious admiration.

"With Lanzi's help, it's like I've got divine assistance~"

"Mo Fan, did you go home?" Lin Lan asked Mo Fan.

"Of course I went home after eating~" Mo Fan was a little puzzled. Why was Lin Lan asking that?

"Oh, right, I know. I'll arrange for them to take a trip to Hangzhou," Mo Fan said. He still needed to improve his strength as quickly as possible. Whether the Bocheng disaster Lin Lan mentioned was real or not, he had to get stronger and prepare for it.

When Lin Lan returned home, Teacher Tang Yue was still working, handling all kinds of Arbitration Council affairs. Being a civil servant was exhausting too, constantly running around everywhere. The money was decent, but it was still not as profitable as killing a few demons. Recently, the international bounties on Black Vatican members had gone up again: Gray-robed, 500,000; Black-robed, 5 million; Blue-robed, 90 million—nearly a hundred million. In Lin Lan's eyes, those were all piles of money, though they were hard to catch.

"Lin Lan, you're back. I really never expected that Mo Fan, like you, would also have Innate Dual Element. It gave me quite a shock," Tang Yue said as she shut down her computer, walked over to Lin Lan, and gestured for him to sit.

"Teacher Tang Yue, I didn't know either. Mo Fan really is quite strong." Lin Lan sat down, feeling as though Tang Yue had seen through him. She definitely had not asked him to sit down just to talk about this.

"Whether you say it or not is up to you. Everyone knows now anyway. What I want to know is why you had so much confidence in Mo Fan. Also, I never asked you why you suspected that the Black Vatican would mix Frenzied Spring into the rainwater."

"Because it hadn't happened yet, I didn't press you about it. But now I may be leaving Bocheng, so I want a clear answer from you." Tang Yue looked at Lin Lan, eager to hear an answer.

"Teacher Tang Yue, that's difficult to explain. I don't want to say too much. Maybe I'll tell you once the Black Vatican has been destroyed." After hesitating, Lin Lan still decided not to tell Tang Yue. The matter involved too much.

"All right~ It's fine if you don't want to say."

Helplessness flashed through Tang Yue's eyes.

"When I told my uncle the news, he said it would be difficult to pull off, so he didn't report it to the higher-ups in the Arbitration Council."

"The few arbitrators sent over were all trusted members of our Lingyin Arbitration Council. They checked the rainwater many times over the past two months and found nothing wrong. I originally wanted to ask why you would say that, but if you won't tell me, there's nothing I can do."

Tang Yue raised her eyes to look at Lin Lan. If he was right, then why had the Black Vatican waited so long without taking action? She had already done enough. Before long, she would also be leaving Bocheng.

"Teacher Tang Yue, thank you for trusting me. Actually, it doesn't matter whether you tell the higher-ups or not—the measures taken would be the same. Let's wait one more week. If nothing happens by then, just let it go."

As Lin Lan listened to Tang Yue, the corners of his lips rose slightly, though it was hard to notice. He knew Tang Yue was intelligent. After he told her that Frenzied Spring might be mixed into the rainwater, she had only informed her uncle out of trust in him. She had not told the higher-ups, instead sending several arbitrators to investigate in secret. Lin Lan knew the strength of Tang Yue's family, though he could not say it openly. Everything was proceeding according to the best possible plan.

The worst-case scenario would have been Tang Yue telling her uncle Tang Zhong, then having Tang Zhong discuss its feasibility within the Arbitration Council and act immediately when the Bocheng disaster struck to preserve the city. But the consequence would be Lin Lan entering Salang's sights and being hunted by the Black Vatican afterward. Right now, they merely considered him an Arbitration Council member targeting the Black Vatican. That was definitely different from someone who had ruined their plans. In the latter case, they might even send assassins from the Assassin Hall—then he would really be finished. Fortunately, Tang Yue was smart, and Lin Lan had calculated correctly.

Teacher Tang Yue's move was also part of Lin Lan's optimal plan. The demons in the Bocheng disaster were not particularly strong; most were Servant Level, with the highest only at Commander Level. As long as Tang Yue's family connections were used, they could stop the Bocheng disaster from worsening and save more people. Salang and Wu Ku would also weigh the pros and cons. Bocheng was merely a testing ground to them.

"Teacher Tang Yue, just one more week. If nothing happens after a week, I think you should all go back," Lin Lan pleaded with Tang Yue.

"All right~ Then we'll wait one more week." Tang Yue thought about it and agreed. One week would not delay anything, and the other arbitrators did not mind spending that time.

When Lin Lan returned to his room, he felt completely relaxed, as if a weight had been lifted from him. He had to admit that he was clever. Tang Yue's cleverness had also been part of his plan, and he had acted his anger at the higher-ups' indifference rather convincingly back then.

Now, he only had to wait one week for the Black Vatican to arrive.

"Third Uncle, morning~ Give me a bowl of pork rice noodles." Lin Lan once again came to that noodle shop for noodles. Their noodles had always been delicious, and he came whenever he had time.

"Little Lan~"

"The magic college entrance exam is coming up soon, right? Here, I'll add two eggs and a sausage for you. Go get a perfect score~"

Third Uncle warmly brought over the noodles, his face full of smiles.

"Thanks, Third Uncle. Recently, after it rains, don't go out again. There's something wrong with that rain. Anyway, just stay home. It'd be best if you went traveling somewhere."

Lin Lan reminded Third Uncle. If Third Uncle had been a mage and able to use a Demon Slaying Tool, he could have given him one.

"Third Uncle, I'm off. No need to pay me back~ The noodles were delicious. There's a card on the table, and the password is my birthday." Lin Lan left after saying that, leaving Third Uncle one million. He hoped that after the Bocheng disaster, Third Uncle could find another place and reopen his shop. Once he obtained the Crimson Forbidden Ring, he would come find him again.

"Aunt Wang, taking your grandson out to buy groceries?" Not long after Lin Lan left, he ran into Aunt Wang from near his home and her grandson.

"Yes~ Little Lanzi, your magic college entrance exam is coming up soon, isn't it? Work hard."

"Come on~ Be good, cheer your big brother on~"

Aunt Wang held her grandson's hand, wanting him to cheer for Lin Lan. Unfortunately, he was too young to speak. Lin Lan smiled, rubbed his head, and left.

Along the way, Lin Lan encountered all kinds of people. They had continued helping him throughout these three years. The people Lin Lan met every day and the things they did were all ordinary, but it was that very ordinariness that created greatness.

When faced with the Bocheng disaster, Lin Lan could have quietly developed himself and simply left, abandoning Bocheng and standing by as its people died. But he could not do it. The longer he stayed in Bocheng, the more he grew to love its people and its life. The Black Vatican wanted to destroy this place and turn it into a living hell. He could not sit by and watch. Lin Lan had feelings. He was not a walking corpse. He could not simply watch this vibrant Bocheng be destroyed. Even though he was weak, he still had to seek out a sliver of hope.