Something's Wrong!

Lie Qi arrived very early today and even claimed a spot near the front.

After all, the result of his investment would directly affect whether he could advance to a first-class apprentice.

Beside Lie Qi stood Andre, a potbellied, stubble-faced first-class apprentice.

After investigating privately, Andre had also followed Lie Qi's recommendation and invested 100 Magic Stones.

Not only that, Andre had even recommended it to several other first-class apprentices.

"Where is that Wilson you invested in?"

Andre suddenly asked.

"Uh... I'm wondering too. I don't see him."

Lie Qi swept his mental power around the area, then turned to the other side and said, "Eleanor, did you see..."

"Huh? Where's Eleanor?"

Lie Qi had claimed three spots in advance, the left one for the first-class apprentice Andre and the right one for Eleanor.

The middle one was for himself.

Yet in the blink of an eye, Eleanor had vanished off somewhere.

Lie Qi rose onto his toes and increased the range of his released mental perception.

Soon, he found his target.

At the edge of the crowd, beneath a thick oak tree.

Ahab Gul leaned there out of sheer boredom, his arms crossed over his chest, as if he did not care about the research results at all.

Eleanor, meanwhile, was off to the side, eagerly currying favor and getting nothing back.

Damn it, she went to Ahab Gul again.

Lie Qi gnashed his teeth in anger.

No need to panic. Once the Freshman Research results came out, his Magic Stones would return tenfold.

By then, once he advanced to a first-class apprentice, would he still have to worry that Eleanor wouldn't change her mind and—

Wait, wait?

No, hold on!

Who was Eleanor with???

Lie Qi rubbed his eyes, even though he had not discovered Ahab with his eyes at all.

Dark red hair, pitch-black eyes, a face that was forever calm and unruffled...

There was also a unique identity badge hanging on his chest, with something like Demon Hunter Wizard written on it.

That was right. It was Ahab Gul!

"Damn it, why is he here?"

"Ahab Gul isn't dead? Wilson, that useless trash."

Lie Qi cursed under his breath.

The first-class apprentice Andre beside him noticed his abnormal reaction.

"Hey, what's going on? Don't tell me something went wrong."

"I recommended that research you suggested to several of my friends too."

Andre questioned Lie Qi in an unfriendly tone.

"Uh... Senior, there is a tiny little situation."

"An apprentice who produced stronger research seems to not be dead."

Lie Qi poked his two index fingers against each other.

Ahab Gul was not dead. Ahab Gul was not dead?

He had been hiding these past few days!

That made sense. Ahab was a sinister and cunning bastard. Most likely, he had escaped the ambush, then simply gone into hiding.

That was why Lie Qi had not been able to find Ahab and had mistakenly assumed he was dead.

No need to panic. Even if Ahab's Corpse Dissolving Powder won first place in Freshman Research, he would not lose everything.

"Senior Andre, please don't worry."

Lie Qi continued explaining, "Wilson's Hair Growth Potion, even if it can't take first place, will at least steadily remain in the top three."

"Although there won't be a tenfold profit, it can still earn five or six times the return."

Andre simply stopped speaking, his expression terrifyingly cold.

There was nothing to criticize in Lie Qi's words.

He had investigated that Hair Growth Potion research himself, and it would have no problem competing for the top three.

However, Andre's past experience vaguely told him something.

Once one accident appeared, more accidents often followed one after another.

He might very well lose everything again!

"Silence."

When the time came, the official wizard in charge of teaching said flatly.

The instant his words fell, the entire venue went utterly quiet.

Huh, what ability was this? It didn't look like witchcraft... Even Ahab, who was far away from the venue, reacted.

It was as if, in that instant, he had been bound by some kind of law.

His mouth was clearly still speaking, but no sound came out.

It was like air could no longer serve as a medium for transmitting sound?

"I hereby announce that first place in this year's Freshman Research—"

"Is Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice Ahab Gul's 'Corpse Dissolving Powder.'"

The official wizard in charge of teaching spoke without emotion.

At the same time, Ahab Gul's basic information automatically appeared on the tall bulletin board.

Along with a brief introduction to the research project "Corpse Dissolving Powder."

"According to Academy rules, first place in Freshman Research will receive an additional reward of Academy contribution."

"Ahab Gul, you may use this to exchange for certain special resources."

"At the same time, the Academy will invest in mass production of your research, and someone will contact you later."

The official wizard said this in front of everyone.

Ahab nodded calmly.

Mm, according to what Future Diary said, in at most one month, he would be able to receive the first investment.

It would be about 1,000 Magic Stones or so.

Afterward, as production expanded, there would also be a steady trickle of income.

Ahab did not show much joy.

After all, Ahab had always been shrewd. Until something was in his hands, it could not be considered his.

Ahab was calm and unruffled, but on the other side, Lie Qi was about to explode into the sky.

Although the moment he saw Ahab, Lie Qi had already understood that he had failed to bet on first place.

But when the result truly arrived, Lie Qi still felt as if the top of his skull had been lifted off.

Whew, stay calm, stay calm.

Once he advanced to First-Rank Apprentice, he would definitely make Ahab Gul pay.

Damn it, what about second place in Freshman Research? Hurry up and announce it.

Hurry up and make me happy!

Lie Qi secretly clenched his fists, breathing heavily.

"Second place in Freshman Research is Third-Rank Wizard Apprentice Wilson's researched Hair Growth Potion."

The official wizard continued delivering the result.

On the bulletin board, the Hair Growth Potion and the relevant information on Third-Rank Apprentice Wilson also appeared automatically.

The Hair Growth Potion itself was not rare, but the special thing about this research was that it remained effective even on mutations caused by Bloodline Transplantation.

Many Bloodline Transplantations caused symptoms of baldness.

This troubled many First-Rank and Second-Rank Apprentices.

"Look, Senior Andre, we bet on second place correctly."

Lie Qi launched a "claim for credit" at the potbellied apprentice Andre beside him.

"Mm, 100 Magic Stones turned into 600. I'm satisfied too."

"Lie Qi, your recommendation this time was very correct."

Andre patted his belly and launched a "praise" at Lie Qi beside him.

"I'm not afraid of you laughing at me. I bet on three whole apprentice cohorts before, and lost everything every time."

"Of course, you got lucky this time too. 600 Magic Stones are enough for you to advance to First-Rank."

Lie Qi imagined his bright future and smiled.

"I hope I can stand on the same level as you soon, Senior."

Lie Qi and Andre looked at each other and burst out laughing.

But the official wizard hosting the event suddenly began adding an extra explanation.

"This Hair Growth Potion could have held second place without question."

"However, research apprentice Wilson has been confirmed dead."

"According to Academy regulations, this research is ownerless and automatically belongs to the Academy. It will not take part in the Freshman Research evaluation."

The official wizard's emotionless voice entered Lie Qi's ears one word at a time.

At the same time, Lie Qi vaguely sensed a gaze from beside him sharp enough to cut someone down.