The Interrogation

After politely sharing the fine teas from the East, the Principal became a little restless.

He was waiting for the office sofa to devour Yu Xing, but for some reason, the sofa remained motionless.

Little did he know, Yu Xing was also looking forward to it, because he had just confirmed that the patterns on the sofa were there. Even if it was the same tree, it was too large for the consciousness of other branches to have reached this branch so quickly.

He could already feel the sound of twigs wriggling coming from deep within the sofa...

The outer branches of the Ghost Tree are already stirring with activity.

Yu Xing put down her teacup and quietly met the Principal's gaze.

Then, he took the initiative to ask, "Director Gene said you called me to consider whether I could stay at the university after graduation. Have you made a decision yet?"

"Of course." Mentioning this, the Principal smiled like a successful man. "I welcome you to this school."

It's not about joining the faculty, but... joining this school.

In what capacity will I join?

Fertilizer, please? I'll join this school forever and never leave...

Yu Xing's eyes were filled with laughter as his gaze lingered on the Principal's head. In truth, if he were to put in a fight now, he could probably smash the Principal's head open.

Because his curse power was well replenished on the short journey before entering the office, and the surrounding energy was of the same origin, he was practically on his home turf.

But since the other party mentioned wanting to go see Yiqing again...

Yu Xing decided to let the Principal this time, at least to prevent him from being unable to leave the house.

The Ghost Tree beneath him were very patient, lying in wait as quietly as a tiger before its hunt. He coughed lightly and suddenly stood up.

Extending a hand, Yu Xing made a gesture of great honor and said gratefully, "Principal, thank you for your recognition."

The Principal's expression remained unchanged, only a hint of suspicion flickered in his eyes.

You were being sarcastic just a moment ago, and now you're being so well-behaved?

But regardless, since he hadn't made a move yet, he had to keep the person here first, and he still had to maintain a facade of friendliness. So the Principal politely extended his hand and shook hands with Yu Xing.

Yu Xing held on tightly, gazing intently into the Principal's eyes hidden behind his monocle. "I saw something in the school history that really intrigued me. Since the Principal is so welcoming, could you perhaps answer some of the questions for me?"

"Being too curious isn't always a good thing, but..." The Principal also wanted to see what Yu Xing was up to, "Tell me, child."

Yu Xing smiled and fired a direct shot, "According to the school's history, what exactly did that student who was executed for theft steal from you?"

The Principal's expression changed.

It seemed that a very important interest of his had been threatened. A surge of vigilance and anger at the invasion of his territory flashed across his face. He released Yu Xing's hand, his tone turning indifferent. "This is the Principal's office. What was stolen is naturally my personal property. To maintain order, punishing such a student is necessary."

"Are you right, Roy, who will St. Johnis Middle School Roy?"

"Personal belongings... How strange." Yu Xing muttered to himself, his voice not quiet at all, clearly meant for the Principal to hear.

The Principal didn't want to ask him what was strange, so he just stared at him coldly.

Yu Xing continued to look around, talking to himself, as if there was something particularly interesting about this small room where all the furniture was made of tree branches. "It's clear you're a very frugal Principal; your office is almost completely exposed."

"If you're talking about personal belongings, there doesn't seem to be anywhere to put them... Are they in that cabinet?"

Yu Xing's gaze lingered on the large cabinet leaning against the corner of the wall, while her peripheral vision subtly observed the Principal.

An angry smile gradually appeared on the Principal's face, but he did not react otherwise to his question.

"Oh, he's not here," Yu Xing said.

"Is it in your desk?"

Principal:"..."

"It doesn't seem to be there either. Is there anywhere else in this room to put things? Oh~ you moved that thing somewhere else after it was stolen last time." Yu Xing said to herself, while the Principal's face grew increasingly grim, almost glaring at this ungrateful student.

"But there's no safer place in the entire school than your office. Getting in is so troublesome, requiring navigating through a forest-like passage, and with you personally overseeing things with your big axe, where could you possibly be safer?"

"Let me guess, that student's goal back then... Hmm, it seems like I'm starting to get a clue." Yu Xing's eyes lit up as she sorted out the clues in her mind while talking to herself, and thought of another possibility.

The school's history definitely needs the Principal's approval.

The student did die back then, and indeed, due to the presence of numerous eyewitnesses, a record of him going to the Principal's office was left in the school history.

However, the specific cause of death may not be exactly the same as stated in the school history. Was the student looking for an item or something else when he entered the Principal's office?

For example, a person, a truth, or a piece of evidence.

Because he obtained it, he was killed to silence him.

"I understand, it must be related to the school's secrets, Principal. Do you think it's possible that the student found out and came looking for evidence, which is why you punished him?"

Yu Xing's eyes were curved in a smile, as if she were waiting for an answer.

The Principal lowered his head, adjusted his monocle, and suddenly moved.

He slowly walked towards Yu Xing, and then, affectionately, as if treating his closest junior, put his arm around Yu Xing's shoulder and gently leaned back onto the sofa cushion.

The Principal smiled and said, "Roy has a very rich imagination and is full of youthful energy, but it's better to sit down and talk things over, and relax a bit."

"Now let's talk—go down!" Before he could finish the first half of his sentence, the Principal suddenly turned ferocious and shoved Yu Xing into the sofa. The branches beneath him, now ready to pounce, no longer concealed themselves but bloomed like flowers.

The branches twisted and wriggled like worms, wrapping around Yu Xing's limbs, waist, abdomen, and most vulnerable neck.

The black patterns on it kept changing, and the rough bark made Yu Xing's exposed skin sting, but his expression remained very calm, and he even finished saying what he hadn't said before.

"You're afraid the students will know the truth, the truth about St. Johnis Middle School."

"Once students enter the school, everything they see is what you want them to see, including the school history, books, and newspaper reports. I want to know, is it really true, as you say, that a student is judged as trash just because of poor grades?"

"You went to participate in the auction preparations, so you must have met people from the art museum, right? I've met them too, and I didn't sense any 'achievement-first' mentality from them."

Is everything these students perceive truly what the world is like?