Explanation

At Su Xianling's words, the student's face went deathly pale.

Chu Heng understood immediately.

That explained why the subsidies had inexplicably shrunk, why the other side had kept trying to turn the accounting problem into a question of which students won or lost, and even why an item restricted by Spirit Hall had appeared here...

The student's family was probably behind all of it.

Su Xianling had no intention of wasting more time on the student. Besides, this was not something a few students could handle.

The academy's accounts and the leak of Spirit Hall supplies were connected. There was likely something bigger behind them.

She needed to get to the bottom of it.

As for the students' original grudge, Su Xianling had no interest in their childish squabble.

After giving Chu Heng a few instructions, Su Xianling left with the crossbow.

As for the match... Xiao Chenyu, the strongest of the noble students, had already conceded in public. The Work-Study Students still had Xiao Wu, who was no weaker than Tang San. After a brief exchange, she won easily. That settled who would be boss.

The matter was over for now, but Chu Heng did not feel much relief.

He had noticed that Xiao Wu had stood behind him the entire time, from the end of the fight until he finished explaining everything.

Once the noble students left, Chu Heng hesitated, then went over to her.

"Xiao Wu."

Xiao Wu was about to leave. At his call, she stopped but did not turn around.

Chu Heng opened his mouth.

"What you asked me earlier..."

"Chu Heng."

Xiao Wu cut him off and turned around. There was no anger in her eyes, only earnestness.

"Did you already know I was afraid of Spirit Hall?"

Chu Heng fell silent. A second later, he regretted it.

That was a tricky question to answer, and his moment of hesitation had already ruled out denying it.

Why didn't I just say no?

When Xiao Wu saw that he said nothing, she slowly stepped back.

"Chu Heng, right now, I don't know if I can trust you anymore."

She turned and ran toward the dormitory.

Chu Heng stood where he was, unsure whether he should chase after her and say something.

"Xiao Wu," Tang San called, but she did not stop.

To Chu Heng's surprise, Tang San did not follow her. He stayed where he was and watched Chu Heng in silence.

After a moment, Tang San spoke.

"Chu Heng."

"Yeah?"

Chu Heng looked at Tang San and saw conflicted emotions in his eyes.

"You and Xiao Wu..."

Chu Heng's heart sank.

No way. Tang San couldn't think...

Chu Heng waved his hands hurriedly and said, "Don't get the wrong idea. You and Xiao Wu are both good friends of mine. I don't know why she's acting like this today..."

Tang San did not yet know that Xiao Wu was a Soul Beast who had taken human form, so Chu Heng could not tell him.

Wait! Xiao Wu's a Soul Beast in human form! There's my explanation!

He only needed to hint that he knew Xiao Wu was a Soul Beast in human form without letting Tang San catch on. Naturally, she would keep her distance from Spirit Hall, the continent's foremost Soul Master organization. That would explain why Chu Heng had hidden his membership from her.

With that, Chu Heng felt he had a much clearer way forward. But chasing after her now would be a bad idea. She was angry, and the harder he pursued her, the less she might want to hear his explanation.

Chu Heng turned to Tang San.

"Tang San."

"Yeah?"

"Um..."

Chu Heng rubbed his hands together awkwardly.

"Could you do me a favor?"

Tang San looked at him.

"What is it?"

"Could you ask Xiao Wu to come out for a moment?"

Chu Heng grimaced.

"There are some things I need to explain to her in private. If I don't clear this up today, I feel like she'll avoid me every time she sees me."

Tang San was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Wait here."

With that, he went into Dorm Seven, while Chu Heng waited obediently outside.

A few minutes later, the dormitory door opened again. Tang San came out first, with Xiao Wu behind him. She had her arms folded across her chest, and her expression was far from friendly.

When she reached Chu Heng, she said nothing, merely giving him a cool look.

"..."

Chu Heng scratched his head. It had all sounded fine in his mind, but now that he had to speak, he did not know where to begin.

Xiao Wu waited a while. When he kept hemming and hawing, she grew impatient.

"What do you want to say? If you're not going to say it, I'm leaving!"

"Wait, wait!"

Chu Heng waved his hands quickly.

"I'll say it, all right?"

He took a deep breath and looked at Xiao Wu.

"Xiao Wu, the reason I never told you I was with Spirit Hall..."

Chu Heng paused.

"...was that I knew who you really were, and why you were afraid of Spirit Hall."

At those words, Xiao Wu's pupils contracted.

"You know I'm..."

She was about to blurt it out, but noticed Tang San still standing beside them and swallowed the rest.

When she looked at Chu Heng again, though, her gaze had changed.

Tang San, meanwhile, was thoroughly confused.

"Who she really is?"

He glanced at Xiao Wu.

"Who is Xiao Wu?"

Chu Heng glanced at Xiao Wu first. Seeing her nervous expression, he put on a hesitant look before speaking.

"It's not all that complicated. Xiao Wu's family had some trouble with Spirit Hall in the past. I think some people from Spirit Hall even..."

He stopped there, his expression suggesting he could not bring himself to go on.

That doesn't really count as lying, does it?

"Anyway, it wasn't anything pleasant, so Xiao Wu has always been wary of Spirit Hall. Once I learned about it, I couldn't bring myself to tell her I was one of them."

Chu Heng spread his hands helplessly.

"I was afraid she wouldn't want to be friends with me once she found out."

Tang San was taken aback. He was about to ask what exactly had happened, but Xiao Wu reached out and tugged on his arm.

Tang San turned to her, and she gave a slight shake of her head.

He understood at once. It had to be a painful memory for Xiao Wu. If she did not want to talk about it, it would be wrong of him to keep asking.

"I'm sorry," Tang San said earnestly.

"I didn't know. I shouldn't have asked."

Xiao Wu shook her head.

"It's fine."

Then she looked at Chu Heng again, and their eyes met briefly.

Tang San did not understand what Chu Heng had really meant, but Xiao Wu did.

Chu Heng knew her true identity.

Yet he had not told Spirit Hall. He had even covered for her just now.

At that thought, much of the coldness left Xiao Wu's face.

"I'll let it go this time."

She gave a soft huff.

"If you lie to me again, I won't forgive you so easily."

Chu Heng broke into a grin.

"Got it, Xiao Wu!"

With the misunderstanding finally cleared up, Chu Heng did not stay at the academy. After exchanging a few words with Tang San and Xiao Wu, he said goodbye and left.

There was still another matter to deal with. Su Xianling had taken the restricted crossbow that had leaked from Spirit Hall, and he did not know how her investigation was going.

Chu Heng quickened his pace. Before long, he was back at the Spirit Hall Branch Hall in Nott City and walked into the first-floor lobby.

Chu Heng looked around for Su Xianling.