Chapter 564: Meeting Up (5)

Luo Qi stared at the area on the map flickering between red and blue, his fingers subconsciously tapping lightly on the table. He had always wanted to find that place, but that was no longer the most important issue at hand. The most important issue now was why it had to be Du Zhengyi.

Luo Qi silently pondered why they were so insistent on luring Du Zhengyi over. Du Zhengyi was right; the current situation had already transcended personal grudges. Even if Han Yi hated Du Zhengyi to death, he could not drive a setup of this magnitude.

The last person to come to Kongsang Mountain happened to be Du Tingxiu. Du Zhengyi said Du Tingxiu was not his father, and Han Yi thought he was, but that was not important. What was important was the commonality between them that never changed: the Du Clan bloodline. Luo Qi knew the characteristics of this bloodline—the most ancient bloodline, the one closest in kinship to the Ancient Mages. Du Zhengyi's old captain said that when he was younger, he had once opened several Seal Lands with Pei Shu. A Mind Mage might be able to solve the Seal's passwords and unlocking procedures, but it still required the Du Clan bloodline to act as the key.

He suddenly remembered Zhao Jiaozhu smugly saying that he also had the Du Clan bloodline, but he was too unlike a member of the Du Family. Perhaps it was precisely because his bloodline was already thin that he could not open the Seal Land himself; he needed someone with a closer blood connection.

Luo Qi's fingertips tapped twice on the tabletop with a "clack-clack," reining in his thoughts. He looked up at the girls and said, "Are you two going home, or are you going to play in the city for a few more hours?"

Guan Xinyue looked at Liu Ziyi, and Liu Ziyi looked up and said, "In the city? You mean you don't want to take us further? I can go or stay, but can you be certain you won't need me later?"

"You heard what they said; it might be very dangerous here," Luo Qi said.

Liu Ziyi did not snap back at him. She held a spoon in her mouth, pondered for a moment, and said in the tone of someone stating experimental results, "It's not a big problem. As long as we don't spend the night outside, the probability of encountering danger I can't avoid is less than ten percent, but the probability that you will need me is at least seventy percent."

Wen Lin looked at her and laughed, "That's really arrogant."

Liu Ziyi said, "When I say I can avoid it, I mean avoid it; it doesn't mean I can win. I can protect myself, and therefore I can protect Xinyue. Let's get this straight: first, I am only a Technical mage, so if we encounter danger, I will take Xinyue and run away immediately. I won't resist at all, and I won't be able to look after anyone else. Second, if you guys can't return tonight, I will leave before dark. Staying out overnight is unwise."

Luo Qi nodded. He could tell that Liu Ziyi had come prepared this time, unlike when they had suddenly fallen into the Sandbox. When a mage like her said she could escape, it carried significant weight. However, he saw Guan Xinyue heave a sigh of relief, as if she really wanted to come along. At this moment, Wusu said to her gently, "Don't be afraid, I'm still here."

Luo Qi didn't know what to say; Guan Xinyue's face had turned red. Fine, whoever Wusu spoke to in that manner would be unable to handle it. He rubbed his nose and stood up. "Let's go."

"Wait a moment." Shi Qian suddenly took a step forward, knocking over the retro round stool. "Entering the mountain is absolutely unwise."

Luo Qi turned his head and glanced at him. "You can go home."

Shi Qian stared into his eyes and stammered. Luo Qi looked at him intently for a few seconds, and a layer of fine sweat immediately broke out on Shi Qian's forehead. Luo Qi shifted his gaze, and Shi Qian abruptly took a step back.

Luo Qi chuckled. "Really interesting. Why are you so panicked? It's hard for me to pry into a Battle Mage's mind under normal circumstances, but you're like a clam that's cracked open itself, with a pearl inside. Seriously, it's funny how desperately you're covering up that uncomfortable secret. I won't look inside casually; I'll keep my curiosity in check, but stop provoking me. Resisting the urge to pry you open is really bothering me."

Shi Qian's face turned bright red, worse than Guan Xinyue's. A heavy sense of shame flashed across his face. Luo Qi felt a bit sorry for him, but at this moment, it was truly annoying. Luo Qi suddenly stepped forward. He was short, but Shi Qian was such a big fool that he actually retreated a step along with him. Luo Qi impatiently grabbed the clothes on his chest. "I advise you to go home now, take a shower, and get a good night's sleep. Your judgment is correct; don't get involved in my business."

He gave Shi Qian a push, cursed in a low voice with an ugly expression, and turned to the others. "Mage Wusu is coming with me, right? Is Wen Lin going?"

Wusu nodded gently and elegantly, completely unaffected by the livid Mind Master.

Wen Lin stood up, glanced at Shi Qian with displeasure, and said readily, "Of course, I still have to be your driver. I'm the most familiar with the Pendragon Station that can still be used here."

"Wen Lin," Shi Qian pleaded painfully, but the female mage's will was like steel and could not be shaken at all.

Luo Qi turned and walked toward the door without caring. He stopped by the lollipop vending machine at the entrance, paid via WeChat, and intended to draw a lollipop. Just then, he heard Shi Qian behind him say, "Then I'm going too!"

Luo Qi turned back in astonishment and glared at the stubborn man. Was there really someone so desperate to chase girls that they didn't care about their life? With a complexion that looked like he wouldn't live past three episodes, Luo Qi really wanted to go find Du Zhengyi right now and bet him three lollipops that Shi Qian wouldn't even get a kiss before he died.

You can't talk sense into a ghost who wants to die. Luo Qi didn't want to pay him any mind and turned back to focus on gambling with the lollipop machine. He bought three times in a row, dispensed a whole handful of lollipops, and stuffed them all into his pocket.

Wen Lin's car was parked outside, illegally. It was a seven-seater Toyota Prado. Luo Qi opened the door and found that the third row of seats had been expanded significantly by Magic. Liu Ziyi and Guan Xinyue climbed into the back seat, split their earphones, and planned to binge-watch shows without being disturbed. Wen Lin intended to drive, so Luo Qi gave the seat next to her to Shi Qian and sat in the second row with Wusu.

"We'll go to the nearest hub station first, then come out from the station as close as possible. After that, we'll still have to walk for about an hour." Wen Lin started the car skillfully and said, "That's just a preliminary estimate; the specific situation depends on the actual road conditions. There are basically no roads in that place."

"Just enough time for a nap," Luo Qi said. He found a comfortable position in the seat and smiled at Wusu. "Right? This time is perfect for teaching me how to sleep."

"Eww~" Wen Lin shuddered. "There's an underage girl in the back."

Wusu smiled quite elegantly. "Have you always been this opportunistic with your learning?"

"It's just that my foundation isn't very solid, and the academic school doesn't really like me like this," Luo Qi said indifferently. "Help me fall asleep."

(End of chapter)