Ke Li was not entirely rigid in how he did things. He even made a point of asking Wu Youren, "What do you think of the martial academy's arrangements?"
The Jin youth's attitude, however, was rather intriguing: he said he would listen to his instructor!
There was no helping it. Grinding experience points felt so good that he simply could not stop!
Ke Li thought it over again, still felt there was no need to take the risk, and ultimately refused Red Pine's request.
Fortunately, the three of them were far too weak a force, insignificant against the current severity of the Weird crisis.
The academy staff did not insist, saying he could do as he pleased, though it would be best not to hurry back to Red Pine.
Under the present circumstances, investigating Weird activity and carrying out scattered rescues were both very necessary. Having another team was a good thing.
Ke Li said that was no problem, but he wanted to return to Red Pine now to deal with his haul.
All he had gained was that broken piece of iron, but because someone had investigated it, it was already common knowledge.
Even in the quarantine zone, people had probed indirectly, asking whether he would sell his iron fragment.
It ought to be worth a fair amount of money. Perhaps he could exchange it for a better Weird-Repelling Jue-something close to the Jin youth's.
Ke Li had not had the means before. Now, in this troubled autumn, with such an opportunity, getting another as a spare would be good.
Just like Old Six, who could produce a second Weird-Repelling Jue after one was destroyed.
There was a strong possibility that the injured instructor earlier had been exploited by the Weird Race precisely because he had no spare.
Yet the moment he said he wanted to return to Red Pine, Wu Youren's expression turned a little odd. "Instructor, does that mean my matter is settled?"
Ke Li was puzzled. "Didn't you say you'd leave everything to me?"
"Before we return, it's your decision," Wu Youren answered solemnly. "But after this mission, I don't particularly want to come out again."
Something was definitely wrong here! A thought stirred in Ke Li's mind. "If you have something to say, say it!"
"I've made it through the crisis with Miss Shali," Wu Youren said with genuine bluntness. "Why would I come out again?"
Oliwen was already dead, and the academy had issued its official verdict. That little affair between students was now completely behind them.
Whether the viscount's daughter would cause trouble again was another matter, but as long as her IQ was not in arrears, the chances of a sequel were slim.
Ke Li's expression grew a little strange. "So I'm just a tool for you to use?"
"Instructor, that isn't what I meant," Wu Youren firmly denied. "It's just that coming out so frequently isn't very convenient for me either."
He said solemnly, "Even wandering around out here with you now, I'm taking a considerable risk."
Ke Li raised his brows. "How so?"
Wu Youren visibly hesitated before answering haltingly, "The original owner of the Weird object you obtained might not be dead."
"I thought of that." Ke Li nodded. "What are you getting at?"
"It means the risk is substantial," Wu Youren answered solemnly. "So I think it's very good that you're eager to return to Red Pine."
Ke Li would not underestimate him simply because he was young-the little fellow's grief when Oliwen died had been extremely convincing!
After a moment's thought, he said, "If I don't return to Red Pine, I might be targeted?"
"We might be targeted," Wu Youren answered slowly. "I don't know whether Lord Luo Xi told you about the Intelligence Agency incident?"
Ke Li's heart sank. He had indeed heard about it, and even knew that the female Knight was Sister Hua!
Just because she had killed a Monkey Tiger, a pack of leopard cats had chased her all the way to the Rust Zone!
But when he thought about how difficult it would be to force the boy to come out again once they returned to Red Pine, he felt torn.
He could keep things hidden from Old Six, but Head Instructor Hong Yan knew the youth's background very well.
Ultimately, he had merely accepted a commission from the Life and Death Knot and picked up a few academy missions along the way.
Now all his objectives had been achieved, and the gains from this adventure were decent enough.
Nor was the Jin youth's current wish an attempt to oppose him.
"Then I'll go back and trade the Weird object." Ke Li felt that a living man could not let himself be choked to death by a full bladder. They were very close to Red Pine.
Then he glanced at his student. "Help me look after him."
"No problem." Qigeli had also gained a rough understanding of the relationship between Wu Youren and his instructor.
Just as Ke Li was about to leave, something else occurred to him, and he looked at the Jin youth again. "Anything else you want to say?"
"Hmm..." Wu Youren thought for a moment. "Bring some more Weird-Breaking Projectiles."
Although they had only been out for a day this time, they had used up a substantial number of Weird-Breaking Projectiles, nearly thirty percent.
It was not that they had underestimated the difficulties, but that no one had expected an investigation mission to turn into a rescue.
An investigation meant touching down and leaving, running at the first sign of trouble. Covering a retreat meant enduring the Weird Race's attacks head-on. The difference in difficulty was enormous.
"Mm." Ke Li found nothing strange about that. "As long as I can sell the Weird object, what are a few Weird-Breaking Projec-"
He froze halfway through his sentence. Only after a long while did he ask, "Even after selling the Weird object, I could still get entangled?"
"I really don't know." Wu Youren wore an honest expression. "I don't have that kind of information."
But Ke Li could not possibly be fooled by this fellow's outward appearance. "Tell me your guess."
"I think there's some possibility," Wu Youren answered succinctly.
After waiting a few seconds and seeing that Ke Li remained silent, he slowly added, "The odds aren't low."
"You really are..." Ke Li felt somewhat helpless. Do you think I won't know just because you don't say it? You just have to keep things hidden!
Yet the next moment, his brows furrowed. "This Weird object is useful to you!"
His tone was a statement, not a question.
"I don't know." Wu Youren shook his head mildly, but towering waves surged through his mind. Fuck, is his perception that incredible?
It was not as though he had never seen a Weird object before. The resentment crystal the guard captain had obtained last time was supposedly worth three to five thousand silver dollars.
But this time, his body had faintly developed a craving for the iron fragment. It felt like a considerable sum of experience points.
Wu Youren did not dare feel even the slightest greed, but without question, the iron fragment should be of considerable help to him.
Even now, he had not dared covet the iron fragment, yet somehow, the other man had actually guessed something!
"Really?" Now that suspicion had arisen in Ke Li's mind, it would not be easily dispelled.
But thinking of the Weird object's value, he could not bear to use it as a test either.
In the end, he steeled himself. "This Weird object for your Weird-Repelling Jue. Will you trade?"
"No." Wu Youren shook his head without hesitation. "It's the only thing from my homeland I have left."
Want to talk value with me? Sorry, then let's talk sentiment!
"Then you two wait here." Hearing that, Ke Li decisively abandoned the idea. "I'll be right back!"
He drove off in the off-road vehicle, while Qigeli pitched a tent nearby.
They were already very close to Red Pine, only two or three kilometers away.
Had the atmosphere in the quarantine zone not been so oppressive, Qigeli would not have wanted to set up a separate camp nearby.
After pitching the tent, he took the initiative to start a conversation. "It feels like you're reluctant to tell the instructor the whole truth?"
Wu Youren glanced at him and shook his head. "I haven't even become his disciple. What right do I have to trouble him?"
Qigeli nodded, then said solemnly, "The instructor is a very upright man!"
"Mm, I believe it." Wu Youren nodded slightly, though a faintly odd look appeared on his face.
In that instant, Qigeli remembered the scene of his instructor snatching the iron fragment. He wanted to say something... but it was a little awkward!
The next moment, dust billowed in the distance as three off-road vehicles raced toward them.
Before the vehicles had even stopped properly, two Knights rushed out. "Quick, help... there are quite a few this time!"
Theirs was not the only tent outside the quarantine zone, but no one lent a hand. Only people from the observation zone rushed out to help.
It was not that everyone lacked compassion. Most of those nearby had only just left quarantine. Once they got involved in something like this, they would have to go back in.
Even if they encountered someone they knew, it was best not to meddle at a time like this. Professional matters had to be left to professionals.
Right now, for instance, Wu Youren saw an acquaintance dumped out of a vehicle-his fellow hostage, Feng Qianjun.
He was an earl's son, the highest-ranking of the five hostages who had come to Red Pine this time.
Feng Qianjun's left leg was clearly broken. Fortunately, it was not an open fracture, with no white shards of bone sticking out.
Thrown onto the ground, he rolled about in pain.
In terms of status, he was merely a student; in terms of origin, he was a man of Jin. Such treatment was nothing unusual.
The earl's son was a tough fellow. Though he bared his teeth and grimaced in pain, he stubbornly refused to make a sound.
Yet when his gaze swept over Wu Youren, he could no longer remain composed.
A low growl came from his throat. "Wu Youren, you're just going to watch?"
And here I thought you were somebody! Wu Youren was utterly speechless.
I don't even associate with you people at the academy. Don't you fucking have a clue why?
The hostages' identities were no secret to the Life and Death Knot or the academy's senior staff.
But that did not mean they had no need to keep those identities secret.
If everyone in the academy knew they were hostages from Jin, they would have far too little room to maneuver.
Besides, he really could not claim much affection for the others in the hostage group.
Even setting aside his drowning in Jasper Lake, they had withheld his twelve silver dollars a month for nearly eight years.
So his reply was quite icy. "What else am I supposed to do besides watch? Do you think we're close?"
Had it merely been to avoid suspicion, he would not have been so cold. But back in Jin Garden, this was exactly how the others had spoken to him.
Considering that there might still be eyes and ears of the Life and Death Knot nearby, he had to act cold-blooded.
Even Liang's authorities wanted infighting among the Jin hostages. A response like this should not lead to any consequences.
"You!" Feng Qianjun stared fixedly at him, his eyes brimming with venom.
If looks could kill, I might have been reduced to drifting ash and smoke... Wu Youren curled his lip. But so what?
One firework in the mortal world, I had bloomed!
Yet the next moment, a trace of sorrow appeared on Feng Qianjun's face. "Wenhao... is gone!"
He Wenhao? The image of that viscount's son surfaced in Wu Youren's mind again.
Though he seemed to be the viscount's nephew, actually? At that moment, bizarrely enough, a few scraps of gossip flashed through his mind.
(Update posted. Please keep reading, vote, and bookmark.)