The news that Tang San had stolen spirit herbs from the academy's medicinal garden and been punished with confinement spread throughout Nuoding Academy in just one morning.
The students whispered among themselves, and their gazes toward Yu Xiaogang held a strange new edge. The middle-aged man who had once strutted around with the air of a "theoretical grandmaster" had now exposed his shameless favoritism and abuse of authority. Walking through the academy, he felt everyone pointing at him. His face darkened until it looked ready to drip water, yet he couldn't lash out at anyone.
Tang San, locked in the confinement room, was consumed by resentment. He gave no thought to his own theft, instead blaming every humiliation on me. He hated me for exposing him and ruining his prospects. Darkness swelled in his heart, but all he could do was sit obediently in confinement, unable even to step outside.
I paid it no mind and carried on as usual. During the break, I sat alone in a corner of the training ground, regulating my breathing. My Soul Power remained calm and restrained, and the aura of my Ink Shadow Cat Martial Soul was so faint it could hardly be detected. I showed none of the arrogance of someone who had exposed the master and disciple, remaining as composed and low-key as ever.
[Memories suddenly barged in and interrupted me.]
In the original story, whenever Tang San made a mistake, Yu Xiaogang would do everything he could to cover for him. Tang San always got away unscathed and even earned a good reputation for admitting his mistakes and reforming. In this life, without the protagonist's halo, and with me seizing on the flaw in his story and exposing his theft in front of everyone, he had taken a crushing fall. Yu Xiaogang's authority had been shattered, too. The good days for this master and disciple were well and truly over!
[My thoughts slowly returned.]
As soon as I finished drawing in my Soul Power, a petite figure came hurrying over, bringing with her the warm bustle of everyday life. She sat right down beside me. It was Xiao Wu.
She clutched two sweet cakes she'd just bought from the cafeteria and shoved them into my hands. Her cheeks puffed up, and her eyes brimmed with sympathy and indignation. "Lin Chen, hurry and eat! Tang San got punished for stealing. He deserved it! Yu Xiaogang even tried to cover for him. Good thing you exposed them. Don't let this bother you, and don't be afraid they'll target you!"
Xiao Wu had stood firmly by my side from beginning to end. She didn't think I'd done anything wrong; instead, she was afraid Yu Xiaogang would hold a grudge against me and treat me unfairly. Her voice was soft and warm, full of sincere support.
I took the sweet cakes and met her sparkling eyes, my tone softening. "It's nothing, just a little thing. I haven't given it a second thought. Don't go worrying yourself over me, either."
"How can I not worry?" Xiao Wu swayed her long scorpion braid and edged closer to me, muttering under her breath. "That Yu Xiaogang is so petty. He'll definitely try to cause you trouble behind your back. I'll stay with you every day from now on. Then he won't dare mess with you!"
Her trust in me was utterly genuine, without a trace of pretense. Before we knew it, the distance between our hearts had grown so small that the awkwardness of our first meeting had long since vanished. Compared to Tang San's narrow-minded selfishness and sneaky behavior, my frankness, composure, and low-key conduct had already won all of Xiao Wu's affection. The bond between us had long since veered completely away from the path of the original story.
Xiao Wu chattered about amusing things happening around the academy, deliberately steering clear of Tang San and Yu Xiaogang. She only wanted to put me at ease. Sunlight fell over us both, and the atmosphere was especially warm.
Deep in the shade of the trees not far away, a slender, cool figure stood quietly, taking it all in without a word.
It was Zhu Zhuqing.
She usually kept to herself. After hearing about the medicinal garden incident, she had quietly pieced together what had happened. She had also watched clearly as I handled everything in a low-key manner, neither cringing nor arrogant, and exposed Yu Xiaogang's favoritism in accordance with the rules.
In her eyes, I had never gone out of my way to provoke Tang San, nor had I thrown my strength around arrogantly. I had simply resolved the matter calmly within the academy's rules. I had held my ground without kicking someone while he was down. My steady temperament and frank conduct far surpassed those of other Soul Master students my age.
Tang San, by contrast, was narrow-minded, had stolen public property, and showed no remorse after being caught. Instead, he was full of resentment. The difference between them was plain as day.
In Zhu Zhuqing's cool eyes, her original gratitude and curiosity gradually turned into deep approval. Her gaze toward me grew subtly warmer. She had always been cool-tempered and perceptive about people, and now she had become completely convinced that I was the one worth getting close to. The faint stirrings of affection in her heart quietly took root.
She didn't come over to interrupt us. After watching for a little while, she quietly turned and left, but she firmly memorized the image of this composed, restrained boy who acted with such frankness.
I naturally sensed that veiled gaze, but didn't let it show. I kept chatting softly with Xiao Wu, steadfastly adhering to my principle of hiding my abilities and biding my time. My trump cards—my Twin Martial Souls and my true twentieth-level Soul Power—remained carefully concealed. I didn't reveal the slightest hint of them.
Tang San's humiliation, Yu Xiaogang's downfall, Xiao Wu's devoted company, Zhu Zhuqing's quiet approval...
Everything was moving steadily according to my plan. I remained in hiding at Nuoding Academy, patiently awaiting the right moment and gradually devouring all the fortune this master and disciple had left, until I crushed them completely.
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