Fishing for Trouble, but with Mermaids

After making plans with Meng Hongchen, Ju Zi, and Ke Ke, Huo Yuhao did not linger. After asking where Xiao Hongchen was, he bid the three girls farewell. He still had a very important question to ask Xiao Hongchen.

Once Huo Yuhao had gone far away, Meng Hongchen looked at Ju Zi and spoke in a low voice.

"Can we talk alone? There's something I need to tell you."

Ke Ke, standing nearby, was rather confused. As Ju Zi's best friend, she had never known Ju Zi to have any contact with the dean's granddaughter. Yet Meng Hongchen wanted to speak with Ju Zi alone?

Could it be that Meng Hongchen had felt threatened after seeing Ju Zi interact with Huo Yuhao and intended to stake her claim on him?

At that thought, Ke Ke's eyes immediately lit up. She looked as though she wanted to watch the drama unfold up close.

To her surprise, Ju Zi nodded without the slightest hesitation. Turning to Ke Ke, she said softly, "Ke Ke, go back first. I'll have a chat with Miss Meng."

Ke Ke's expression stiffened, and she pouted resentfully. Though unwilling, she could only leave by herself.

Meng Hongchen led Ju Zi to a secluded Laboratory. After sizing her up for a few moments, she said unhurriedly, "I know you approached Yuhao to obtain the Diary's rewards, but let me warn you in advance. You'd better act normally and not let Yuhao notice anything unusual."

"If you expose the existence of the Diary Copy and cause us to lose the chance to receive rewards ever again—or even make the Diary Copy in our minds disappear altogether—not only will I refuse to accept it, but neither will anyone else who possesses a Diary Copy!"

The threat in Meng Hongchen's words was unmistakable, and Ju Zi's expression changed slightly.

Ju Zi knew Meng Hongchen was not merely trying to frighten her. Even the Silver Dragon King, the Soul Beast Co-Lord, had awakened from her slumber because of the Diary Copy's rewards, and had even taken human form to come to the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy.

If they were deprived of rewards forever, anyone could tell, even with orange peels for brains, just how furious they would be!

After all, having seen the rewards Meng Hongchen had received on the first day, no one could possibly refuse something so powerful and tempting!

Though Ju Zi agreed with Meng Hongchen's words, she was not about to meekly accept her threat. Pushing up her black-rimmed glasses, she smiled faintly. "I know this is important, but Miss Meng should worry about whether she'll expose herself instead. Don't think that being of high status means you can look down on everyone else."

Ju Zi turned to leave after saying that, but after taking two steps, she seemed to remember something. With a sweet smile, she added, "Oh, right, Miss Meng. Since we've already agreed to go around Mingdu with Yuhao this afternoon, I suggest you don't act too hostile toward me. Otherwise, he'll be even more likely to notice something is wrong. You know Yuhao is very perceptive, don't you?"

Ju Zi ignored Meng Hongchen's reaction and left the Laboratory in high spirits.

Looking at the closed Laboratory doors, Meng Hongchen's delicate little face darkened. She had just subtly threatened Ju Zi, only to be threatened in return moments later. When had the young lady of the Hongchen Family ever suffered such indignity?

Yet there was nothing she could do to Ju Zi. If she did not want to expose herself, she could only grit her teeth and play along with Ju Zi.

"Ah! Damn it! I hate this!"

"Huh? Yuhao? Didn't the new students just enroll today? Why did you suddenly come looking for me? Did someone give you trouble? If anyone gave you trouble, don't hold back—tell me right away, and I'll teach them a lesson!"

The moment Xiao Hongchen saw Huo Yuhao at his door, he started rattling on like a machine gun. Since he had promised to look after Huo Yuhao, he naturally could not allow anyone to cause him trouble.

Ever since experiencing Huo Yuhao's Mental Detection and Sharing, Xiao Hongchen had secretly made up his mind. From that moment on, Huo Yuhao was his brother from another father and another mother!

Even Huo Yuhao was caught off guard by Xiao Hongchen's rapid stream of words. Seeing how eager he was to act, Huo Yuhao hurriedly waved his hands in explanation. "No, no. I just made plans with Senior Sister Meng to visit Mingdu this afternoon, so I came to let you know. We won't be studying Soul Tool crafting today."

Xiao Hongchen froze briefly, then could not help but howl miserably.

"Huh? Why would Meng do this? Why is she stealing you away from me? Yuhao, without your Mental Detection and Sharing, I don't even have any energy when making Soul Tools."

Having Huo Yuhao hole up in the Laboratory with him was mutually beneficial. Aside from teaching Huo Yuhao the knowledge and experience needed to make Soul Tools, Xiao Hongchen also needed Huo Yuhao's Mental Detection and Sharing. It allowed him to identify more precisely whether problems might arise at any stage, while steadily improving his own techniques.

Now that he heard Huo Yuhao would not be spending time with him after class that afternoon, Xiao Hongchen suddenly felt that life had lost all meaning and direction.

Seeing Xiao Hongchen like this, Huo Yuhao smiled and comforted him. "Don't worry, Senior Brother Xiao. I've already spoken to Senior Sister Meng. Starting tomorrow, I won't slack off. I'll work even harder to learn about Soul Tools from you. After all, you were the one who brought me to the academy. Of course I'm happy if I can help you."

Sincerity was always the ultimate trump card, even if it was feigned.

Huo Yuhao's words made Xiao Hongchen feel a little embarrassed. After scratching his head, he said quietly, "Actually, bringing you to the academy wasn't entirely my credit. Meng told me she wanted to go out and relax, and that she wanted to visit the border, so that was why we met you there."

So that was it!

Having gotten his answer, Huo Yuhao raised an eyebrow slightly. Yet there was no sign of anything unusual on his face. Instead, he looked at Xiao Hongchen and said firmly, "That isn't important. What matters is that I was able to come to the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy because of you and Senior Sister Meng. I won't forget that!"

Xiao Hongchen was touched, but under Huo Yuhao's gaze, he quickly returned to his usual proud and tsundere self.

"Ahem! It was nothing. Don't take it too seriously."

After agreeing to continue making Soul Tools together tomorrow, Huo Yuhao left the Laboratory. If he had only been thirty percent certain of that guess before, he was now ninety percent certain. All that remained was to see whether they would act as he had planned!

Nothing eventful happened during the afternoon classes. The girls who should not have been here did not disturb Huo Yuhao at all. Instead, they listened attentively and studied diligently, which made Huo Yuhao feel rather complicated.

Every one of you is such a good actor. Too bad my acting is better than yours!

When the afternoon lessons finally ended, Meng Hongchen, Ju Zi, and Ke Ke had already been waiting outside the classroom for quite some time. Huo Yuhao did not spare the girls in the front row so much as a glance. He walked straight toward the three of them and greeted them with a friendly smile. "Senior Sister Meng, Senior Sister Ju Zi, Senior Sister Ke Ke, sorry to keep you waiting."

Meng Hongchen smiled and waved her hand before anyone else could speak. "Why are you still being so polite with me, Yuhao? Come on. Put aside everything troubling you today and go relax properly!"

Looking at the three girls before him, Huo Yuhao nodded heavily.

The bait has been cast. There's no way I'll come up empty-handed this time, right? The only thing I'm curious about is how many fish will take the bait!