Chapter 34
The figure in the black cloak was the principal of Jixia Academy!
Xue Changyi said calmly, “You’re a busy man, Principal. Kidnapping Old Seven, then rushing back to the academy to avoid suspicion.”
When Dong Lan woke up, the cloaked figure hadn’t been there, arriving later. Clearly, it was because Xue Changyi had gone to see the principal about removing their shackles, which had bought the principal some time.
Xue Changyi continued, “You know the academy inside and out, the perfect person to act from the shadows, wouldn’t you agree? You’ve been manipulating Dong Lan, using him for your own purposes. But now that he’s been exposed, he’s no longer useful to you, and he’s a liability. He might discover the switched blood samples and expose you… So, you decided to strike first.”
By leaking the information that Dong Lan, the Seventh Yama King, was the former Director General of the Supervisory Department. The Supervisory Department was the most disliked department in the Central Office, having investigated countless cases. Exposing Dong Lan’s identity naturally drew immense hatred and hostility, making him a target.
The principal seized the opportunity, using public opinion to force the Central Office to suspend Dong Lan and launch an investigation, preventing him from investigating the switched blood samples and eliminating him as a threat.
“But…” Xue Changyi smiled, “Dong Lan is the only Ghost Orchid in the Central Office, capable of surviving without photosynthesis, a significant advantage in combating the encroaching death. You weren’t willing to kill him outright, so you captured him for your research.”
“Haha!” Dong Lan laughed mockingly. “Old man! Didn’t see that coming, did you? We were setting a trap, and you, the fat fish, swallowed the bait whole!”
Despite the black cloak, the principal’s panic was evident. “Impossible!”
“Hah!” Dong Lan spat. “I let myself be captured!”
Xue Changyi said slowly, “When the blood samples were switched, I suspected there might be someone behind Old Seven, someone manipulating him without his knowledge. And sure enough… it was you.”
Xue Changyi had deliberately gone to see the principal about removing their shackles, to test him. As expected, the principal had made all sorts of excuses, even invoking the Central Office, trying to absolve himself.
It was the principal who had initially suggested to the Central Office that all teachers and students wear electronic shackles!
He had used the excuse of too many troublemakers in the academy, and after three requests, the Central Office had finally approved it, supposedly to facilitate teaching, but in reality…
Xue Changyi sneered. “It was to give you control over the academy.”
The black cloak fell away, the principal removing his disguise.
—It was the principal! The Libationer of the academy!
The principal cackled. “So what?! Even if you’ve exposed me, so what? Dong Lan is a wanted fugitive, and you’re his sworn brother! I can easily accuse you of protecting him, framing me, and everyone will believe it! Besides…”
“Hahaha!!” He became even more manic. “Don’t you know this is my territory?! A weakened Ghost Orchid, an ordinary mortal, and you, Xue Changyi! You’re still wearing shackles! How can you escape from here with these two burdens?! Impossible! Since you’re here, you’ll all be my test subjects!”
“Escape?” Xue Changyi said calmly. “Do I look like someone who retreats?”
Bang—!!
Another loud crash, followed by the sound of footsteps approaching from all directions, accompanied by the shrill wail of sirens.
Supervisory Department Envoys stormed in, led by Wu Mu.
Behind him were two Envoys, the same ones who had escorted Dong Lan, both alive and well. The car explosion had been staged for the principal’s benefit.
“You—” The principal stared in disbelief.
An Envoy chuckled. “Our boss is truly farsighted!”
“Indeed, brilliant!”
Wu Mu said calmly, “Save the flattery for later. Arrest him and collect all the evidence.”
“Yes!”
The principal, his confidence shattered, stumbled backward. He was clearly a scholar, not a fighter.
“No!!” he screamed. “You can’t arrest me!! You can’t—I… I…”
He babbled frantically, “I’m authorized! I’m authorized!”
Dong Lan sneered. “What nonsense are you spouting?”
“I’m authorized!” The principal repeated, his voice regaining its strength, his posture straightening. He lifted his chin and sneered. “Let me tell you the truth! The Central Office takes the encroaching death very seriously! You think they don’t know about my lab here? My lab is authorized! They’re waiting for my results! Don’t you know, when death comes, all life will perish, the world will be plunged into darkness, only oblivion will remain! Only I! Only I—can find a way to combat it, by studying ancient genes, so many superior genes! The Central Office knows, they haven’t stopped me, haven’t they tacitly approved my methods?”
He continued, his voice persuasive, “Think about it, those students, they’ve lived long enough, what’s wrong with using them for research? It’s for the greater good! When death comes, you! You!! And you—”
He pointed at Wu Mu. “You! Golden Crow, you’ll be the first to fall!!”
Xue Changyi looked at Wu Mu, his brow furrowing, his expression turning serious.
“The pollution will consume the sun first, then the sunlight will vanish, the Golden Crow will perish, and the world will be plunged into darkness, no one can escape! No one… can escape!!!”
The principal chuckled. “So arrest me, it’s useless! The Central Office won’t punish me! They’ll just keep me hidden for a while, then release me, and then… the Second Yama King, the Seventh Yama King, even you, Xue Changyi! The Tenth Yama King, you’ll all be my test subjects! My guinea pigs!!”
“Is that so?” Xue Changyi’s serious expression softened. “I heard you like manipulating public opinion.”
The principal had used public opinion to successfully remove Dong Lan from his position.
Xue Changyi elegantly took out his phone, activated the camera, and began recording. “As it happens, I do too…”
“What are you doing?!” The principal lunged at him.
Slap!
Wu Mu intercepted him, his voice cold. “Restrain him!”
“Yes!”
The Envoys rushed forward, shackling the principal.
“Don’t record! Don’t record!!” the principal shrieked. “That’s classified information! My research results!!”
Xue Changyi said, “Just like you exposed Dong Lan, I’ll post this online, let everyone see your true face! Your so-called research, how many lives have you sacrificed, how many people have you used, turning them into your guinea pigs without their knowledge or consent?!”
The principal’s bravado crumbled, and he pleaded, “Lord Xue! Lord Xue! Please don’t! You can’t do this! I did it for the greater good, for all of humanity! When death comes, if we don’t find a solution, in a hundred years, no, in fifty years, the pollution will get worse, and everyone will die!!”
Dong Lan stared at the principal, his eyes filled with a mixture of understanding and sadness. Was this what he had been like? No wonder Second Brother had tried to stop him, no wonder Little Ten was disappointed in him.
Xue Changyi said calmly, “You have no respect for life.”
As a Yama King, a god who judged life and death, he had witnessed countless deaths, but he hadn’t become numb. He understood the value of life, there was nothing more precious…
Wu Mu interrupted the principal’s pleas. “Take him away.”
“No—my research!!”
“My research isn’t finished!!”
“You fools!! You imbeciles! You’re interrupting my research, when death comes, humanity will be destroyed! Destroyed—in a hundred years, humanity will cease to exist! You’re all murderers! Murderers!”
Wu Mu waved his hand, signaling the Envoys to gag the principal. He was about to speak…
“Cough—” His throat tickled, and he coughed softly, then the cough intensified, as if triggering something.
“Cough, cough, cough!” He couldn’t stop coughing, a metallic taste rising in his throat, blood splattering onto the ground.
“Wu Mu?” Xue Changyi looked at him in shock.
Wu Mu was coughing up blood!
Bright red blood trickled down his chin.
Xue Changyi rushed over to support him. “Are you hurt? Where?”
Wu Mu had arrived with a large number of Envoys, storming the lab without resistance. The principal, a scholar, was no match for them in a direct confrontation.
Wu Mu wiped the blood from his lips, frowning in confusion. He shook his head. “I’m not injured.”
Xue Changyi examined him, but there were no external injuries.
How could he be coughing up blood if he wasn’t injured? He was about to ask when a thought struck him. Could it be…
“Hahahaha!!!” The restrained principal laughed maniacally. “See?! See?! The pollution is already affecting the Golden Crow! He’s injured!”
“It shouldn’t have happened so soon…” The principal’s eyes gleamed maliciously, like a venomous snake, darting between Xue Changyi and Wu Mu. “You’ve absorbed a lot of sunlight lately, haven’t you, Xue Changyi? Without the pollution, without the encroaching death, the Golden Crow’s power is limitless. But now… the spirit stone’s absorption only hastens the Golden Crow’s demise! Wu Mu is already feeling the effects, isn’t he? This is a sign of death! Xue Changyi, you—will kill him!”
“Ahahaha! You’ll all die! You’ll all die—!!!”
Wu Mu, sensing Xue Changyi’s unease, said reassuringly, “I’m fine…”
But his throat tickled again, the metallic taste rising, and he coughed, unable to stop himself.
“Cough—” More blood trickled down his chin.
Staining his black suit.
Drip—
Drip…
