Chapter 71
Chapter 71
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 71 – The Advent of Lan Qi, the Savior2024-05-22 — Author: Poor Xixi
The painting classroom was awash in bright light, reflections shimmering faintly against the walls.
Each canvas hanging there seemed to pulse with its own vitality, whispering ancient secrets in silence.
The air itself felt frozen—wordless, heavy with tension.
Lan Qi shifted his gaze from the paintings to the senior art professor, Mogut. A faint smile played at his lips, his eyes shining as brightly as the stars of night.
By the latter half of the lesson, the other two students had begun answering smoothly on their own. Lan Qi neither offered them help nor made things difficult.
When class ended, they quickly collected their credit coins and hurried out, leaving only Mogut, Lan Qi, and Huperion in the classroom, discussing the matter of Lan Qi’s reward.
“…State your request. If it lies within my power, I will do my best to grant it.”
Professor Mogut finally spoke after a long silence, a deep glimmer flashing in his black eyes.
He truly had no idea what could possibly be given to Lan Qi as a reward.
Even the highest record before now—21 points—had only earned the right to take anything available from the art department.
But this was a special time. The vice principal had just warned them that everything must be handled strictly according to the rules. Even if Lan Qi demanded something outrageous, he would have to accept it.
And besides, the boy’s natural gift for art intrigued him—he had no wish to suppress such rare talent.
“I wish to ask you two questions. Will you promise to answer honestly, without reservation, and clear my doubts?”
Lan Qi asked with polite composure, showing not the slightest hint of arrogance despite his flawless performance.
“I can. By the honor of the Kalpas family, I vow to answer truthfully to the best of my knowledge.”
After a brief hesitation, Mogut solemnly accepted.
It seemed like such a modest request, not troublesome at all—clearly, this student’s road would lead far.
Yet—
Just as Mogut began to relax, Lan Qi’s question crashed down like thunder in his mind.
“Tell me, in your view, what will be the greatest crisis to befall this academy soon—and what, in your eyes, is the turning point?”
Lan Qi’s tone was firm, his gaze locked intently upon the professor.
He had secured Mogut’s solemn oath, so he could afford to ask directly, even boldly—pressing straight to the heart of the matter.
But what Lan Qi had not expected was just how violently the professor would react.
“You—how could you know?”
Mogut’s voice cracked into a near shout. His eyes bore into Lan Qi, as if suddenly recognizing something, yet refusing to believe.
In that moment, recalling Lan Qi’s uncanny wisdom, boundless talent, and fathomless composure, a terrifying suspicion began to rise within Mogut’s heart.
He dared not ask outright, but his chest pounded violently, as though it would burst.
Pieces of the puzzle were beginning to fall into place.
“Professor, you shouldn’t answer a question with a question.”
Lan Qi’s voice cut through steadily.
Of course, he couldn’t allow this senior professor to learn that his knowledge came from the Shadow World and clues found in the music classroom.
All he needed was for Mogut to fulfill their agreement faithfully.
“—!”
The professor flinched. Facing Lan Qi’s deep gaze, his heartbeat raced even further out of control.
He tried to read those emerald eyes, but found nothing—no hint, no secret. They were like flawless gemstones, unyielding to his probing.
He bowed his head, forcing himself to breathe steadily, regaining composure.
At last, he sighed deeply.
Everything about this radiant demon matched the description the vice principal had spoken of—the emissary dispatched from the Demon King’s castle.
And this “emissary” now seemed to be reaching out, probing for contact with the academy’s higher echelon.
Indeed, apart from the vice principal, only the senior professors knew of the emissary’s existence. And the only way for a student to meet a professor alone was to clear a difficulty-3 classroom.
Which Lan Qi had just done.
Mogut realized: whether Lan Qi truly was the emissary or not, since he had sworn the promise, he must now speak the truth.
“Yes. Our academy faces a grave crisis. And tonight, it may erupt.”
Mogut confessed at last, his voice heavy with resignation and worry. His eyes flicked back to Lan Qi, nervously awaiting his reaction.
“Before long, a vampire envoy will arrive at the academy, investigating whether humans may be hiding among us.
If they are discovered, none of us in the administration will escape responsibility.
If there truly is such a problem, then the only one who can save us… is the emissary from the Demon King’s castle.”
His gaze lingered on Lan Qi with quiet hope, as if the final words were meant directly for him.
If this really was the emissary… surely by now he would reveal himself.
“……”
But Lan Qi remained expressionless, as though deep in thought, carefully processing the flood of information.
Beside him, Huperion forced her features into calm, though her mind screamed in turmoil.
The Demon King’s emissary?Could it be that silver-haired demon Lan Qi killed in the royal restaurant?
So this hidden plot of the Shadow World was actually a tangled struggle: “a human disguised as a demon within the academy,” “leaders who fear being implicated,” “a vampire envoy seeking humans,” “the Demon Realm’s inspectorate unwilling to cross the vampires,” and “the emissary of the Demon King” all locked in conflict!
For challengers, the only path to survival was to grasp the intelligence early, maneuver between the factions, and seize a sliver of life in the cracks of demonic rivalries.
A life-and-death challenge, a horror game demanding the utmost in strategy, courage, and survival instinct.
Realizing just how many hidden foes lurked in this fourth-tier Shadow World, Huperion felt a chill pierce her bones.
And yet—
She now saw a danger none of the demons or vampires had foreseen.
Lan Qi.
With his own strength alone, he had already stirred these murky waters into utter darkness.
“……”
Without a word, Lan Qi reached into his coat and drew out the black jade seal he had taken from the silver-haired demon’s corpse.
He held it up before Mogut’s eyes.
Silent. But silence spoke louder than any words.