Chapter 33: Teacher is far too. mysterious.
"I'm not reckless, Tian Long. Everything I do is within my calculations...." Her eyes suddenly turned cold, her tone suddenly frosty." If anyone of those old men think they finally have the strength to stand against me, I'll let them be the judge of that.....I've been meaning to look for better replacements anyways."
"..."
There was a brief pause before Tian Long changed the subject. "On to more beneficial matters..., Please forgive me for asking but have you made any arrangements for my request, Miss Li?"
"Of course," Li Fei said, her demeanor returning to normal, setting her glass down and crossing one leg over the other. "But first, let's talk about my preparations. Did you do what I asked?"
"Yes," Tian Long answered. "You've been admitted as an instructor at Tian Jiang Academy, effective immediately. You'll have unrestricted access to the facilities and archives."
"Good," Li Fei said, her voice laced with satisfaction. "That wasn't so hard now was it?"
Tian Long hesitated before adding, "I hope you understand the responsibility you've taken on Miss Li, The Academy may seem trivial to you but I'm sure you already know that those behind it are a far more troublesome bunch to mess with."
" Hahahaha, it seems the Headmaster really is knowledgeable. Maybe it wouldn't be too bad to keep a man such as yourself around in the long run.' Li Fei chuckled. "Besides, I wouldn't dream of it...." Li Fei replied, though her playful tone suggested otherwise. She tapped a few buttons on her phone, sending a file to Tian Long. "Consider that your reward for cooperating."
There was a brief pause as Tian Long received the transfer. "Impressive," he finally said. "This will certainly smooth things over. You're still as resourceful as ever Miss Li."
"Flattery will get you nowhere," Li Fei teased before cutting the call.
She tossed the phone onto the couch beside her and picked up her wine glass again, staring into its dark depths. The world might be a game of power and manipulation to others, but to Li Fei, it was an extremely pleasurable art. With a satisfied smile, she sank deeper into the cushions and let the velvety wine coat her tongue.
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Far away, in the eerie expanse of the Broken Star Dimension, Blood red Dessert.
Lin Mu sat alone in his tent. The Afternoon outside was quiet except for the occasional shuffle of guards stationed nearby and the Serinerian people walking about doing their daily lives. their presence a constant reminder that he was both a guest and a prisoner.
Lin Mu leaned back, his eyes tracing the patterns of the tent's fabric above him. His mind drifted back to earlier that Afternoon, replaying the uncomfortable conversation with the tribal head's daughters.
After the two obnoxious suitors had stormed off in a huff, Lian and Mei had said a few more things before they had left back then. Though tiring to think of, Lin Mu could still recall it as clear as day.
"We're sorry..." Lian had begun, her voice trembling slightly. "We didn't mean to drag you into this."
Mei, her quieter sister, nodded in agreement. "We only did it to save your life. If we hadn't claimed you as our mate, the elders would've had you killed on the spot."
Lin Mu had stared at them, incredulous. "So your solution was to make me your fiancé?"
"It was the only way!." Lian explained, her tone defensive. " Would you have preferred to be butchered on the spot instead?." She said while staring at Lin Mu with a gaze that said ' she had tried her best, the least he could do was cut them some slack '
Mei let out a breath before glancing at the blood red sky. "The tribe respects our father, but they're wary of outsiders. This was the quickest way to buy you time." She added.
Lian added softly, "We never really intended for it to actually…..go through with it."
Lin Mu had sighed, rubbing his temples. "So I'm just supposed to pretend everything's fine while I'm caught in the middle of your tribal politics?"
Neither sister had responded, their silence speaking volumes.
"And what happens if I lose tomorrow?" Lin Mu eventually asked, his voice heavy. "What happens to all of us then?"
Lian's confidence wavered for a moment before she straightened her shoulders. "You won't lose."
"Easy for you to say," Lin Mu muttered, shaking his head. "You're not the one being thrown into a fight for your life."
Mei stepped closer, her soft voice almost pleading. "My sisters right, You won't lose. You're strong, We've seen it."
" The fact that you're here now alive after facing the Dessert Stalker means you've overcome worse before. We believe in you." Mei said in one breath, her eyes filled with hope as she stared at Lin Mu, as for what she meant by Desert stalker, it was naturally that shark like beast, Lin Mu had saved them from.
" Mei's right..." Lian hesitated, her expression softening. "And… for what it's worth, we're sorry. Truly. If there were another way, we would've taken it."
Lin Mu sighed deeply, feeling the weight of their words. "Belief isn't going to stop a blade or a spear, but….thanks, I guess."
The sisters exchanged a glance before Lian gave him a small nod. "We'll do what we can to help, maybe even get the three of us out of this situation. Just… stay alive, alright?"
With that, the two turned and walked away, leaving Lin Mu standing in the crimson glow of the desert evening. Their words lingered in the air, adding another layer of complexity to the storm of emotions brewing within him.
Now, sitting in his confinement of a tent, Lin Mu replayed their words over and over. He felt like a pawn in a game he didn't
understand, his every move dictated by forces beyond his control.