Chapter 133 - 135: 2 Bad News
Jian Yu recognized the man as Xu Sheng.
Standing next to Xu Sheng was that Rhino Soul Beast Awakener.
The fierce looks in their eyes were unconcealed, their malice practically plastered on their faces.
Their expressions were even easier to read.
’They wanted to make a move but couldn’t find a chance. When they found a chance, they failed.’
Jian Yu knew it wasn’t that simple.
She glanced at Lin Yu, who was still standing at attention.
’I’ll deal with this later.’
Jian Yu considered what else might happen.
She couldn’t predict their next move. In truth, she was a difficult target.
She was too well-protected. Almost everyone who could get close to her had been vetted by Lin Yu and his team.
Instructed by Lin Yu, Shen Gu had kept a safe distance from everyone outside the auditorium, so he couldn’t have rushed her even if the Soul Beasts had rampaged.
Pei Yin’s people, by comparison, were less meticulous. They had overlooked a staff member; otherwise, that glass of juice might never have reached her.
The specially designed silver-gray floor had an automatic cleaning function for waste. The juice stain on the ground had vanished, and with it, the evidence.
Jian Yu looked away from the floor. ’I don’t need evidence. Lin Yu and the others will believe whatever I say.’
WHOOM—
A vintage horn sounded. Xu Sheng lowered his head and turned to leave.
Jian Yu withdrew her gaze and glanced sideways at Lin Yu, whose expression was one of solemn reverence.
Influenced by the atmosphere around him, she tilted her head up slightly and watched the dark shadows descending from the sky.
Dense clusters of Soul Beast clones scattered rapidly across the various districts.
Coiling their tails, perching, lying down, closing their eyes... they assumed all sorts of poses.
The Soul Beasts of the seven individuals were everywhere. It was hard to say whether they inspired more security or more intense fear.
A Red Snake clone was coiled near the Fifth District’s chief area, its beautiful red tail lazily wrapped around a vertical pole.
Next to the pole was a Yuge, steadying itself with its two claws.
Jian Yu reached out and touched the snake’s tail, and it coiled twice around her fingers.
Soul Beast clones looked almost identical to the originals and could also recognize people. The only differences were that their power was about twenty or thirty percent less, they couldn’t speak, and they only followed commands.
If the number of clones was under ten, they could share memories.
Jian Yu looked around. There were far more than ten here.
On a whim, she scratched the Red Snake’s chin.
The Yuge tilted its head, its eyes staring straight at her.
Its eyes weren’t large, but they held a fierce intensity.
Jian Yu had the odd sensation of being the other woman caught in the act. Her fingertips curled inward.
"Hm?" Lin Yu’s solemn expression vanished, and he turned to the side, puzzled.
The Yuge folded its wings behind its back and paced a few steps, its eyes never leaving Jian Yu.
Lin Yu frowned. "Isn’t Chief Si Xu’s assigned area the First District?"
Jian Yu took hold of the Red Snake’s tail and unwound it from her fingers.
The texture was smooth and cool, like the swamp eels she loved to eat. She couldn’t resist stroking it a couple more times.
Hearing Lin Yu, Jian Yu was a bit slow to react. "What’s wrong?"
Lin Yu’s gaze froze. He stared, unblinking, at the Red Snake Jian Yu was casually playing with.
’Timid? Scared? Chief Ling must have been joking with him, right?’
His expression complex, he snapped out of it. "The Fifth District is Chief Pei Yin’s designated area. Chief Ling traded with him, which is why the Red Snake is here."
"In any case, Chief Si Xu’s First District is very far from the Fifth District."
"Under normal circumstances, a Yuge wouldn’t get the wrong place."
The young man next to him tugged on Lin Yu’s arm. "Executive Director Lin, look."
"It’s not just the First District. Yuge have mistakenly entered every district."
Jian Yu lifted her eyes, and the image of Si Xu’s ethereal face couldn’t help but appear in her mind.
She blinked. "Maybe the arrangements were changed this year?"
Lin Yu thought about how Si Xu hadn’t returned for a long time and fell silent for a moment.
"It’s also possible Chief Si Xu forgot."
Jian Yu’s fingers released the Red Snake.
She crooked her four fingers and gestured for Lin Yu to come closer.
When he drew near, she recounted the day’s events.
Jian Yu looked at him with her large eyes, a hint of embarrassment for troubling him.
"I might need you to help me investigate that person from outside the auditorium today, Senior, and what his relationship is with Xu Sheng."
She paused, then lowered her voice.
"Actually, Senior, you weren’t mistaken earlier. The staff member who delivered the items splashed some juice on my hand. It was mixed with a medicine that can easily cause low-Level Soul Beasts to rampage."
Lin Yu subconsciously looked down at Jian Yu’s hand.
"Chief Pei’s masking medicine for Jian is very effective."
His nose twitched slightly. He had misunderstood.
"If I wasn’t mistaken before, that person must have used a Forbidden Medicine. If it touches the skin, it can’t be washed off. The scent will linger for at least three days."
Jian Yu opened her mouth, then closed it, not explaining further.
"One moment, Junior Sister Jian."
It had been a hectic day, and Lin Yu hadn’t had a chance to consolidate his information.
Before coming here, he didn’t know what had happened outside the auditorium that morning.
But Lin Yu was prepared.
He pulled up a mind map on his Star Brain. It displayed the photos, names, and information of over a dozen people.
"This is the Xu Family’s network at the academy. Could you please help me identify them, Junior Sister Jian? I’ll deal with it as quickly as possible."
Jian Yu pursed her lips.
Her eyes scanned it quickly.
"Second row, first person. Fourth row, second person."
The information was concise and clear; she understood it at a glance.
The one from the Soul Beast rampage was Xu Shaoqing’s paternal cousin, Xu Mu, a C-level Awakener.
The one who splashed the juice was an adopted son of the Xu Family. He was also an Awakener, but his Level was low, and his status was beneath Xu Sheng’s.
"Nothing better to do than stand here spacing out?" Ling Yanzhi walked over, two black-and-red Winged Snakes coiled around his arms.
His eyes fixed on the Yuge, and his brow furrowed. Only when he noticed Yuge were everywhere did his expression slowly relax.
Ling Yanzhi pulled Jian Yu down to sit.
After a brief inquiry, he spoke without even lifting his eyelids, "If you can’t find a reason to expel them, just issue a notice and kick them out. Don’t let them stir up trouble here."
Lin Yu nodded and left with his men.
The juice-splasher had already been driven from the competition grounds. Now, only Xu Sheng and Xu Mu remained.
The messages sent to them went unanswered.
The competition grounds were too large and crowded, making them difficult to find.
Every time they located his position and hurried over, Xu Sheng would appear in another hidden corner.
Realizing there might be a cheating device and aura-masking medicine involved, Lin Yu reported it immediately.
He continued the search with his team while checking the surveillance feeds.
...
"What are you thinking about?" Ling Yanzhi noticed Jian Yu’s eyes had lost focus and pulled her onto his lap.
The Winged Snakes on his arms retracted to his shoulders.
Jian Yu’s gaze shifted from the man’s long legs to his handsome, chiseled face.
Her fingers traced the Winged Snake pattern on his clothes, her expression a little dazed. "Are you wearing a chief’s uniform today, too?"
’It seems cooler than the last one.’
Ling Yanzhi’s eyes remained on the competition grounds, his voice trailing off lazily. "Yeah."
He lowered his head and grabbed Jian Yu’s wandering hand. "Serious business now. Stop acting cute."
Jian Yu patted her own habitually stoic, cold face.
’He accuses me of acting cute when I’m not, but when I actually am, he never seems to notice.’
She looked up and met the human-like eyes of the Yuge.
Jian Yu pressed her lips together. She felt it was even more intimidating than the Red Snake next to it.
"Tsk." Ling Yanzhi’s brows locked tightly.
He had just received two pieces of bad news in a row.
They hadn’t found Xu Sheng and his group, and now the dean had suddenly disappeared.
’The people the three of them sent out... did they not eat today or something?’