Chapter 76
Chapter 76
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 76 – Lan Qi’s Substitute Envoy2024-05-22 — Author: Poor Xixi
At one end of the long stone bridge before Infernal Corridor Academy.
Baron Sánchez recalled what the Inspectorate had told him: the original principal of the academy should have already been transferred away.
Now, standing before him was a demon able to command both the vice principal and the entire upper faculty—surely the newly appointed, temporary principal.
To earn the obedience of so many high-ranking demons in an academy of this level… one could not help but wonder what kind of background she possessed.
“May I ask,” Sánchez inquired smoothly, “how should I address you, Madam Principal?”
“You may call me Lan Fu,” replied the Great Poet of Love, smiling radiantly.
It was a name Lan Qi had thought up on the spot, a casual alias.
But she did not dislike it.
Her voice was like sweet red wine—an intoxicating sound carrying both provocation and temptation. It seeped into the mind, loosening reason, making even the Guardian Corps demons grow dazed. Their gazes wandered unconsciously toward her.
“Miss Lan Fu, might I trouble you to restrain your voice a little? It is… dangerously potent,” Baron Sánchez said with a slight shake of his head.
Though he could sense that this acting principal’s rank was very low, Sánchez did not dare underestimate her.
This demoness carried a terrifying gift for musical sorcery. The charm within her voice, able to pluck at heartstrings at will, could not be described by a mere first-rank title.
The Great Poet chuckled softly, raising a fingertip to cover her lips. Then she glancedback at the vice principal.
The vice principal nodded, understanding her meaning at once.
“Lord Baron Sánchez, to cooperate with your inspection, we have already ordered all students to gather in the teaching district. Until your patrol is finished, none may leave their classrooms. Furthermore, a great number of teachers will patrol the corridors, and any student found straying will be executed without mercy.”
The vice principal stepped forward and declared this solemnly.
“Excellent.”
Sánchez’s expression did not shift, though inwardly he had not expected the academy to cooperate so fully.
“Thank you, Madam Principal, for your assistance. Then, next, I will have the Inspectorate officers replace your teachers in the patrols. I trust you have no objection?”
After all, preventing students from slipping away was not something that could be entrusted to the academy. However sincere they might appear, the risk of deception remained.
“Of course not,” the Great Poet answered with an elegant nod.
…
Elsewhere—
In the academy’s uppermost office.
The high vaulted ceiling carried a weight of history. A chandelier cast warm light upon dark wooden floors. A marble fireplace faced a comfortable armchair and a broad desk. Upon the desk lay an old spellbook, its cover worn, its corners curled by time.
It had been delivered by a magic instructor. Within were incantations for handling the fur of magical beasts.
Lan Qi sat in the principal’s chair, leaning back against dark leather cushions in perfect leisure.
Other demon students brought here were gathered silently on the far side of the office, watched closely by several fifth-rank demon teachers. None dared to make a sound.
“Great Poet, the rest is up to you,” Lan Qi said calmly, speaking in his heart to the one linked to him.
“You really do know how to order me around… but leave it to me,” came the Great Poet’s delighted response, her voice resonating within his mind.
Cooking and cleaning she would never do—but matters like this, perfectly suited to her nature, she embraced with enthusiasm greater than Lan Qi himself.
“I hope you can give our blood emissary a most… healing experience,” Lan Qi murmured in blessing.
Then he ceased to disturb her. Too much chatter, and she would grow impatient.
This was a task matching her specialty. All Lan Qi needed was to lay out the plan—her performance would certainly exceed expectation.
The Great Poet was a pure-blooded demon. With her standing as his substitute envoy, there was no fear of the blood emissary uncovering any flaw of race.
Back when Talia had unsealed the Lament Psalms, she had—without Lan Qi noticing—slipped a trace of her blood into the ritual, breaking the ancient seal.
Talia believed Lan Qi ignorant of it. But in truth, he had known well. The Psalms were bound with a complex demonic seal array—an ancient relic, likely left behind by a high demon, destined through the currents of fate to find Talia. Only she could awaken it.
As a result, the Great Poet—who received part of Talia’s blood—now shared the same exalted lineage.
Even the vice principal, when first seeing her, had been shocked that Lan Qi could summon and contract with such a being.
But since he was the Inspectorate’s special envoy, such mysteries ceased to surprise.
Lan Qi sat upright, flipping through official documents, occasionally scribbling notes.
After a while, he raised his head toward the spacious front hall of the office.
“Students, just a little longer, and you’ll be free to return to your classes.”
He looked upon the gathered students, standing stiff as though in military drill, and spoke gently.
Lan Qi was certain: the remaining four challengers were among them. He just did not know which ones.
Earlier, he had personally led teachers from classroom to classroom. With each inspection, his exploration progress soared.
If, upon stepping into a classroom, the Shadow World’s progress bar did not move at all—
Then only two possibilities existed:
Either that room had already been challenged.
Or… challengers were inside right now, attempting it.
Thus, all such students were brought into the principal’s office. That way, the blood emissary could not possibly discover humans disguised among the ordinary classes.
Yet none of the students dared respond to Lan Qi’s words.
It was their first time in the principal’s office, face-to-face with the head of the academy.
“Relax, relax. Next time something like this happens, I won’t let you sit here in boredom.”
Lan Qi spoke more for the challengers’ sake, to ease their nerves.
Then, glancing toward a nearby teacher, he added casually:
“What do you think of building a swimming pool here in the office? The space is so wide—leaving it empty seems a waste. Imagine pool parties for the students.”
The demon teacher stood stiff as a statue, cold sweat dripping down. He could not tell if the principal was joking or serious, and dared not reply.
Even if he ignored every other absurdity—what lunatic student would dare sneak into the principal’s office just to swim?!
Lan Qi only smiled wryly, returning to the stack of papers before him.
On the Shadow World’s interface, his exploration progress now read:[Mission Target 1: Academy Exploration Progress over 60%. Current Progress: 1200%]
Over eleven hundred points had been earned simply through his inspection as principal.
Lan Qi nodded in satisfaction. This world’s score and rewards should prove quite generous.