The dark lake bottom surged with hidden currents. A figure moved its limbs, approaching like an underwater missile under the propulsion of layered water flows.
The figure was clad in heavy armor, wearing a black iron mask. Concealed by the armor, it was impossible to discern the gender from its form.
If Zhang Yuanqing's swimming was akin to a speedboat, this armored figure's speed could be described as an underwater missile, stirring the undercurrents with a "rumbling" sound.
So fast, either a jinx or someone possessing a Water Control item of Saint quality...
Zhang Yuanqing maintained his Night Tour, his brow furrowed.
The arrival of this uninvited guest completely disrupted his plans.
It shouldn't be for me. Before going underwater, I observed the surroundings and wasn't being watched. I rushed here, and in the Night Tour state, it was even less likely to be discovered. To see me in stealth, one would have to be a Dominator, but there isn't a Dominator in Qin Feng Academy. Is he here for the Beast Island Stone Gate? That's impossible, Zhang Yuanqing muttered to himself.
The armored figure quickly reached Beast Island. Like Zhang Yuanqing, he circled half of the solitary cliff, stopping in front of the stone gate.
At this moment, the two were about twenty meters apart. If it were daytime, a turn of the head would bring them face to face.
But this was the dark bottom of the lake, and Zhang Yuanqing was in a Night Tour state. As long as he didn't attack first, he wouldn't be discovered.
The armored figure scrutinized the stone gate, sometimes exerting force to push it, sometimes touching the surrounding cliff walls to search for mechanisms. Finally, he floated in front of the stone gate, staring at the round holes between the cracks, as if he understood something.
He really is here for Qin Feng Academy's hidden mission!
Observing this scene, Zhang Yuanqing's heart sank. He couldn't help but start thinking about whether to ambush the armored figure, to get a glimpse of his true face and interrogate him about where he got the information about the stone gate.
The thought had just flashed through his mind when it was forcibly suppressed, because he saw a group of lithe Mermen rapidly swimming in from the distant lake water.
Leading them was a stunningly beautiful female Merman. Her features were exquisitely three-dimensional, and in terms of beauty, she surpassed any woman he had ever seen.
Moreover, she was not fragile. Her bright and pretty face was full of wildness and courage, like a female warrior who was always full of fighting spirit.
Her figure was graceful, agile, and the smooth curves contained immense power.
Her size was larger than that of ordinary Mermen, equivalent to a human height of one meter nine. She was a Valkyrie-like Merman Queen.
The Mermen, with human bodies and fish tails, held spears in their hands, their chests wrapped in seaweed-woven breastplates. They swung their flexible and powerful fish bodies, rapidly approaching Beast Island.
How did it attract the Mermen? Did this armored figure make too much noise?
Zhang Yuanqing frowned secretly, feeling a bit strange.
The Merman Lake was so large that even if the noise was a bit loud when controlling the water for stealth, it shouldn't have attracted the Merman group. And looking at the Mermen's aggressive stance, it seemed like they were ready to fight a deadly battle with the enemy.
A thought suddenly flashed through Zhang Yuanqing's mind: since the giant tiger of Beast Island was sent by the Great Elder of the Hundred Flowers Association to guard the stone gate, why couldn't the Mermen be?
Back then, Fu Qingyang participated in rescuing Ling Jun at Beast Island as well.
Tian Si! Is it really such a coincidence?
Could it be that Ling Jun coveted the beauty of the Merman Queen, sneaked into the lake, and was discovered by the Merman tribe near Beast Island. The Mermen mistakenly thought he was a thief eyeing the stone gate, hence the siege.
This was completely consistent with the situation he was encountering right now.
At this time, the armored figure also noticed the Merman tribe swimming in droves. Without any hesitation, he kicked off the stone gate with his legs, transforming into an underwater missile, and rumbled away.
Seeing this, the Merman Queen immediately accelerated, like a sprint. Her body swayed, and she suddenly reared up, fiercely throwing the spear in her hand.
Under the propulsion of the water flow, the spear traveled like lightning, instantly catching up with the armored figure, aiming at his waist.
"Clang!"
The armor's defense was surprisingly astonishing. The spear rebounded, emitting a slightly muffled metallic clang in the water.
Behind the Merman Queen, dozens of female Mermen swayed and accelerated, all rearing up their bodies in unison, throwing their spears at the armored figure. For a time, dense clanging sounds were endless. The armored figure, like a leaf in the water,
was tossed and turned by the penetrating force of the spears.
But he quickly regained his composure, darting away like an underwater missile, leaving behind countless dense and undulating bubbles.
The Merman Queen led the Mermen in pursuit, leaving six or seven Mermen to patrol around Beast Island.
Leave quickly, tonight is not suitable for entering the stone gate!
Zhang Yuanqing in Night Tour maneuvered the water flow, circling to the other side of Beast Island, keeping far away from the Merman tribe, and riding the water flow, quickly swam towards the shore.
He was confident he could deal with the remaining Mermen, but he was afraid of being blocked by the Merman Queen, and if he made such a commotion, if the academy teachers heard it and came, then even if he got the treasure from the stone gate, he wouldn't be able to hide it.
The consequence of not being able to hide it was the Hundred Flowers Association inquiring, and the official youngster Yuan Shi Tian Zun handing over the treasure in exchange for merits and wealth.
That was not what he wanted.
Half an hour later, Zhang Yuanqing returned to the shore. He first poked his head out to look around, confirming that no one was there, and then went ashore.
Room 404, a hazy and dreamy starlight rose, condensing into a handsome and tall young man.
"You're back?"
Princess Yin Yao, sitting at the table, conveyed a voice that only the Night Tourer could hear. Beside her stood the ramrod straight Blood Rose.
"Yeah, there was a bit of an accident halfway through"
As Zhang Yuanqing spoke, he took off his school uniform, put on the Yin-Yang magic robe, used the Fire Master's ability to control fire to quickly dry the school uniform, hung it back in the closet, and then changed into the gifted pajamas and crawled into bed.
"It's roughly like this." By the time Zhang Yuanqing lay down, he had finished explaining the matter.
Princess Yin Yao "Mmm" once, indicating that she understood and would not ask further.
With the Princess as a light bulb, it's hard even if I want to flirt with Teacher Song Man!
Taking a glance at the ramrod straight Princess Yin Yao, Zhang Yuanqing thought to himself. He gathered these miscellaneous thoughts and began to ponder the things he had seen underwater.
Who exactly was that person?
Most likely a student. If it were someone from the academy teacher's side, there would be no need to wait until now.
A student knowing the secrets of the Qin Feng Academy hidden dungeon, there wouldn't be many of those kinds of people. First lock down those few members with complicated family backgrounds...
Zhang Yuanqing realized that he had to figure out one thing: was the armored figure friend or foe.
"Unless I can convince myself to share with him (or her), then he is definitely an enemy. I have to find the armored figure."
"He can't possibly have the key to Takamagahara. What was the meaning of sneaking into the lake tonight? Just satisfying the curiosity he heard from his elders?" Zhang Yuanqing couldn't figure it out.
"If the Merman tribe's mission is to guard the stone gate, then the commotion caused tonight will definitely be known to the academy's teachers. They will definitely strictly investigate who sneaked into Merman Lake. Perhaps I can get clues from the teachers. There is no surveillance in the dormitory corridor. I entered Night Tour in the corridor and was not "seen" by the plants outside the dormitory. The curtains were also drawn. I should be hidden..."
Linglang Library, conference room.
The white-haired dean, holding his thermos cup, silently listened to the Merman Lake administrator's report: "The Merman Queen said that someone sneaked into the lake tonight, and lingered in front of the stone gate on Beast Island for a long time. That person was wearing thick armor, with amazing defensive power. She led the tribe to chase after him, but failed to catch him, allowing the intruder to escape. Dean, we need to be vigilant about this matter."
Li Yanqi's face was hazy in the rising water vapor. He pondered for a moment, looked at a group of teachers at the table, and sighed: "I heard from Song Man that there are many troublemakers in this batch of students. There are also more students with extraordinary backgrounds than in previous years. What do you think about the Merman Lake incident?"
"The intruder must be that Red Rooster. This person acts recklessly and arrogantly, disregarding the rules. Only he would do such an absurd thing."
Song Man had a lot of opinions about Red Rooster.
"If it was him, he wouldn't hide himself so strictly. It's a pity there are no surveillance cameras in the academy." The intellectual and beautiful female teacher Lin Su said.
"Not many people know about the hidden mission. It should be those with good family backgrounds. Dean, how do you want to handle this matter?" the Star Observer said.
Li Yanqi pondered for a moment, "The Qin Feng Academy mission has already begun, and no one can leave here, and no one can enter, before the main mission is completed."
"Since someone knows about the hidden mission and has shown some covetousness, we have to find a way to find him and not let him go. I will summon the students later."
"Song Man, ask the plants and animals outside the dormitory to see who went out."
Xiahou Aotian sat at the table, staring at the bill in front of him. His usually arrogant face couldn't help but reveal a hint of heaviness.
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The most expensive juice costs 1,000 yuan, 22 people, a total consumption of 50 cups, an average of 2.2 cups per person, and the consumption amount is 50,000 yuan.
This money is of course nothing, but Xiahou Aotian is currently carrying a debt of 80 million, and is repaying it in installments. He spent 50,000 on the first day of entering the academy. What about the follow-up?
The already impoverished wallet is becoming even more burdened.
"Yuan Shi Tian Zun, you dog thing, I saw it very clearly, he drank four cups, a full 4,000 yuan. I must find a chance to trick him back, or earn a sum of money from him." Xiahou Aotian secretly vowed.
At this moment, he heard a rapid ringing, which almost made him think he had returned to middle school.
Immediately, the gentle and kind voice of Dean Li Yanqi echoed within Qin Feng Academy: "All students, immediately gather at the Linglang Library."
The voice seemed to contain some kind of magic, causing those who heard the call to unconsciously obey, and instinctively got up and left their rooms.
Xiahou Aotian, wearing slippers, hurried out of his room.
Zhang Yuanqing was awakened by Dean Li Yanqi's call just as he had fallen asleep.
Tsk, are they going to investigate so soon? The academy teachers attach more importance to Beast Island than I imagined. Zhang Yuanqing lifted the quilt, changed into his school uniform, and walked straight out of his room.
It was nine o'clock in the evening. The students had not yet fallen asleep. After hearing the loudspeaker, they immediately ran out of their rooms and headed to the Linglang Library.
Before long, the students arrived one after another, still at the "church" from the daytime.
"What happened?"
"Sudden training?"
"Just bored tonight, hehe, there's fun to be had."
"Yeah, this broken place has no cell phones and no computers. It's too boring if there's no fun." The students whispered to each other.
Li Yanqi's eyes swept over the crowd, and seeing that the current batch of students was complete, he immediately raised the loudspeaker and said in a deep voice: "As the dean, I am very disappointed in you."
Hearing this, the students who were discussing quietly quieted down and cast bewildered glances at the podium.
"What's there to be disappointed about? We haven't even had any classes yet." Red Rooster shouted loudly.
But the dean ignored him and continued: "Just now, someone among you sneaked into Merman Lake, causing the anger of the Mermen. In order to clean up after someone among you, the academy teachers have paid a huge price."
"Now, please have that student stand up and accept the punishment."
Is he planning to find the intruder under the pretext of violating school rules? Zhang Yuanqing turned his head and glanced at the students behind him.
They were also looking around in surprise.
After waiting for a while, seeing that no one took the initiative to admit it, Li Yanqi said: "I'll say it again, please stand up on your own, deal with this matter sooner, and go back to rest sooner." Still, no one took the initiative to admit it.
The dean's face darkened slightly, and said: "Since that's the case, then we can only take coercive measures. Now, male students stand on the left, female students stand on the right, everyone must not wear props, please take them off consciously." After saying that, he looked at Lin Su and the Star Observer.
The two teachers understood and went to the right side, while the latter went to the left side.
After a search, all the girls' accessories were taken off, and the boys no longer had anything on their bodies except clothes. Li Yanqi put away the loudspeaker, walked down from the podium, and stopped at the first row on the left.
He stared deeply and sharply at Zhao Chenghuang, and said in a deep voice: "Was it you who sneaked into Merman Lake tonight?"
Zhao Chenghuang shook his head: "It wasn't me."
Li Yanqi stared at him for a few seconds, and nodded slightly.
Is the dean a Swordsman? If props are not allowed, the Swordsman's Art of Insight is indeed a sharp weapon for identifying lies. They are looking for the armored figure, but I also sneaked into Merman Lake Zhang Yuanqing grimaced inwardly.
At this moment, Li Yanqi looked over and asked: "Was it you who sneaked into Merman Lake?"