Just Scaring You

All eyes turned to the two of them.

Amid their dull, tedious studies, it was rather nice to have someone like Matthew providing gossip for everyone to enjoy.

Matthew's thinking was simple: he had already checked with the female assistant yesterday, and Li Mo had not passed the assessment at all.

So today, he had to make Li Mo feel thoroughly miserable in front of the class!

Besides the matter with Helen, Matthew's hostility toward Li Mo also had to do with his family.

His father ran a textile mill in the town's western district and had always been a competitor of Li Mo's father.

In Mondel Town, it was normal for sons to take over their fathers' businesses.

In Matthew's eyes, he and Li Mo would be competing for many years to come.

They were destined to be archrivals, so to speak.

It was just that Li Mo's achievements had been far too dazzling in the past.

The young man possessed a top-tier talent for Mysticism Perception and had been specially recruited by Wellington Academy in the capital at an early age, becoming someone the entire town looked up to.

Back then, Matthew hadn't even been qualified to pick a fight with him.

Now the situation had reversed. Li Mo had lost his Mysticism Perception and slunk back to town, and Matthew felt he had finally caught his chance.

He would pay Li Mo back for every slight he had suffered and every time he had been forced to bow his head!

Li Mo had yet to speak.

Wayne was the first to stand up!

He couldn't stand this sort of thing. "Matthew, this has nothing to do with you, does it? I suggest you mind your own business. I read the morning paper today. Someone was killed at your textile mill. Did you know that?"

Matthew spread his hands. "Now that's something that has nothing to do with me. Times are chaotic, and accidents happen every day. Just like a year ago, no one would have expected Young Master Li Mo to suddenly lose his Mysticism Perception. Don't you agree?"

Those words immediately made Wayne lose his composure!

He normally prided himself on being a gentleman and never lost his temper easily, but he would never allow anyone to use this matter to provoke his brother.

Wayne gripped his cane tightly. "Matthew! Say that again if you dare!"

The conflict was about to escalate.

At that moment, Anna rose from her seat and came to Wayne's side. "Calm down," she said softly. "Getting physical is exactly what Matthew wants."

Wayne bit his lip and finally managed to suppress his anger, though his eyes remained fixed on Matthew.

Anna turned her head and asked, "What are you trying to say, Matthew?"

Matthew put on an innocent expression. "Didn't I already say? I just want to know how your interview went yesterday. We're classmates, after all. I'm simply curious."

Anna said expressionlessly, "You needn't concern yourself. Professor Bryce will make his own judgment."

Matthew burst out laughing at that.

He found it hilarious. Li Mo had already failed, yet Anna was still trying to save face for him with such vague words.

Wasn't that childish?

Matthew couldn't resist sneering. "Miss [Personal Maid], do you mean to say you think your young master still has a chance of succeeding?"

Anna frowned slightly.

She was indeed a maid in his household, and everyone in town knew it.

But at the academy, Matthew had deliberately emphasized the words "personal maid," clearly intending to show disrespect.

Of all people to bully, why did it have to be Anna?

Li Mo wasn't laughing anymore.

He stood up. "Matthew, apologize to Anna immediately."

Matthew tilted his head and asked, "Why should I apologize? Am I wrong? Isn't it her duty to take personal care of you?"

Li Mo couldn't be bothered arguing with him. He took an object straight out of his pocket.

It was a cylindrical magnet tightly wrapped in dense coils of copper wire.

After testing its ability to generate electricity, Li Mo had kept the object on him, and sure enough, it had come in handy.

Holding it, he said softly, "Matthew, I'll give you one more chance. Apologize."

Matthew was momentarily taken aback.

He had never seen the object in Li Mo's hand before.

In this world,

the unknown meant fear.

Especially things involving metal or strange shapes.

They were most likely connected to mysticism.

Matthew couldn't help feeling a little uncertain. Forcing himself to remain calm, he asked, "Li Mo, what are you going to do?"

Li Mo ignored him.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and said, "Step 1, unfold."

As soon as the words left his mouth,

he pinched the copper coil and gently pulled it a tiny distance away from the cylindrical magnet.

The atmosphere in the classroom changed in an instant!

The classmates who had been enjoying the spectacle moments ago immediately broke into an uproar.

In this world, such inexplicable actions, performed with a strong sense of ceremony, had a common name-

a Mystical Ritual.

Generally speaking, Mystical Artifacts also had to be activated through Mystical Rituals.

For example, a firestone could only ignite a flame through the act of friction.

What frightened the students most was this:

even someone who had lost their Mysticism Perception could use a high-level Mystical Artifact by performing its activation ritual.

Everyone thought Li Mo had been pushed too far and was preparing to do something big in the classroom!

Several quick-witted boys grabbed their bags and ran outside!

Some students' legs had even gone weak, and they hurriedly staggered to the side.

Who didn't know that Li Mo had once been a mysticism genius seen only once in a century?

Who didn't know that he had just returned after withdrawing from Wellington Academy in the capital? That place gathered the most dangerous forbidden knowledge in the entire kingdom!

Who knew whether Li Mo had brought some freakish Mystical Artifact back from the capital?

What would happen once that thing was activated?

Matthew's heart began racing wildly!

He was terrified and hesitant.

The main problem was that apologizing in front of the whole class now would be far too humiliating!

Li Mo's movements did not stop.

His eyes remained closed, his expression showing neither sorrow nor joy.

His fingers exerted a little force, unwinding the second loop of copper wire.

Then Li Mo switched hands, supporting the bottom with his left hand and holding his right hand suspended above it. He assumed an even stranger guiding pose and said softly,

"Step 2..."

Matthew couldn't take it anymore!

The pressure was overwhelming!

Fear of the unknown, the panicked way his classmates were backing away, and Li Mo's calm, as though he were ready to face death, all bore down heavily on his nerves.

"All right! Li Mo! Calm down!"

Matthew raised both hands in surrender and said,

"I apologize! I apologize!"

The entire room fell utterly silent. The students whose legs were too weak to carry them away shot Matthew grateful looks, thinking, Thank goodness! If you want to die, don't drag us down with you. Sort out your own problems! Mom, I'll never watch the drama again!

Matthew swallowed, then said to Anna, "I'm sorry, Anna. I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!"

After saying that, Matthew's palms were covered in cold sweat.

He stared fixedly at Anna, waiting for her response.

However,

Anna didn't look the least bit panicked. Instead, she looked as though she could barely keep it together.

She was holding back laughter.

Matthew: "?"

What was she laughing at?

How could she be so relaxed at a critical moment like this?

That was a high-level Mystical Artifact Li Mo had brought back from the capital!! Its activation ritual even had a fucking second step!!!

Matthew couldn't understand it at all and was a little stunned.

Just then, Li Mo slowly opened his eyes. "Anna, do you forgive Matthew?"

Anna smiled and nodded. "Yes, I forgive him."

"All right."

Only then did Li Mo solemnly wind the copper wire back around the magnet, loop by loop.

Once he had fully restored the coil, Li Mo put it back in his pocket. "Watch your mouth from now on, Matthew. I don't want the same thing happening a second time."

Matthew could only back down for the moment. "All right, I understand."

With the crisis over, the students in the classroom returned to their seats one after another.

But none of them dared look at Li Mo for too long, afraid he would explode if they gave him one extra glance.

Fuck, that was terrifying.

Could anyone handle someone who started a ritual at the slightest disagreement?

After Matthew's heartbeat gradually settled, he realized how badly he had embarrassed himself. He felt he had to regain a little face.

So he tried to sound tough, keeping himself in check as he said with a hint of grievance, "I was wrong about what happened just now, but I only wanted to ask whether you passed Professor Bryce's assessment. Hmph, am I wrong? Is that question so hard to answer?"

Just then,

there was a knock at the door.

The students turned to look.

The person at the door looked very familiar.

It was Professor Bryce.

A huge question mark appeared in everyone's minds.

Professor Bryce had been very busy lately and was rarely seen. Why had he suddenly come to the classroom?

Some students thought to themselves, I've already prepared two different things to say. It all depends on what the professor says...