Chapter 1772: Magic Academy's Oriental Exchange Student 03

"Laisuo, hello."

Jin Chen finally found Laisuo on a particularly remote riverside stone path.

He sat alone there, and only a very observant passerby could notice; Jin Chen guessed he might have used some kind of concealment dark magic.

After all, Laisuo is really good-looking, so it's hard not to notice him.

【Detected villain in this world, triggering Blackening Value, currently Blackening Value: 70!】

【Mission requirement: Blackening Value must be reset to zero, change the villain's tragic ending.】

A clear voice interrupted Laisuo's contemplation; puzzled, he looked up, and the delicate eyebrows and eyes beneath the wide hat brim showed fear.

He watched Jin Chen sit down, his face full of the thought 'How could this person see me?'

Jin Chen returned a brilliant smile.

Laisuo silently averted his gaze, feeling it rude not to return a greeting; his crimson eyes fixed on the flowing river, his eyelashes drooping low, he softly said, "Hello."

The elementary department's term had almost half a year passed; Laisuo naturally knew Jin Chen, whose impression was: mysterious and handsome, but strength at the bottom among the Oriental exchange students.

But he had never spoken a word; in fact, he hadn't spoken to most of the class, so when the term just started, Teacher Luna thought he was mute.

After saying hello, Laisuo shifted a bit to the side, hoping this Oriental exchange student wouldn't bring up another topic.

"Teacher Luna said today's training, it'd be best to find a compatible combat partner."

Jin Chen seemed not to notice Laisuo's small movement, his dark eyes full of smiles, he exclaimed eagerly, "I think Laisuo is the perfect combat partner; would you like to team up with me?"

Laisuo pondered for a few seconds, then slowly replied, "Is it because you and I are both bad at this?"

Jin Chen: "……"

"No, actually I'm not bad." Jin Chen tried to salvage his image, patting his slung cloth bag, "I'm really strong, Laisuo; I can get you today's credit bonus."

Laisuo stayed silent for a full ten seconds this time.

A young dark mage lacking experience, obviously still too naive, hadn't learned to save face.

He rummaged in his magic bag and handed over the end-of-month evaluation record to Jin Chen.

The envelope opened, and gleaming gold lettering boldly displayed a line before Jin Chen's eyes.

— Jin Chen, last place in the elementary department!

Jin Chen closed his eyes.

Probably because the Oriental exchange student's expression was too complicated, Laisuo thought he'd been hurt by his own action, pinched a corner of the record, pulled it back, head down, and quickly said, "Sorry."

He comforted, "I'm second to last."

That should be a bit better, Laisuo thought.

"Since you're so sorry, as compensation let's team up."

Jin Chen, flexible and adaptable, extended the invitation again, "Thank you, Laisuo, for your understanding."

Laisuo:??

His eyes widened.

Laisuo slightly pulled his hat down, looking dubiously at Jin Chen; though his gaze wandered and he dared not meet eyes, he clearly expressed a meaning.

Is this really still about compensation?

Jin Chen politely said, "Actually, this is a special Oriental friendship etiquette."

【Push one's luck?】

No, it's "the devil is one foot high, the Dao is ten feet high."

【……】 used here is really too precise.

Laisuo doesn't know that distant Oriental continent.

Anyway, I inadvertently hurt his self-esteem, and besides, Teacher Luna said we at least need to find a teammate.

If Jin Chen doesn't come find him, today he'll definitely be alone again… although he actually hopes for that.

Laisuo nodded, gathered courage, and answered, "Okay."

After saying that, he quickly turned back to stare at the river, then after a moment took a bottle of magic potion from his magic bag, nudging it with his fingertip toward Jin Chen's hand.

"Restorative potion?" Jin Chen wondered, but accepted it, smiling and asking, "Is this a team‑up gift?"

His smile looked hotter than the sun; Laisuo glanced quickly then looked away, stammering, "Difu said he'd beat me today; if you team with me, you'll end up facing him."

Preparing in advance is better than ending up with a bruised face.

Jin Chen's hand on the potion bottle involuntarily stopped, his mouth twitching.

Laisuo is really that pure; a dark mage with Blackening Value 70, instead of beating him up in secret, prepared a restorative potion.

"Look! Isn't this our class's loser and his reserve? Holy Emperor above, you're not actually planning to team up, are you?"

A loud mocking voice interrupted their leisurely chat, followed immediately by the sound of approaching footsteps.

Laisuo swiftly pulled his hat back on, thinking resentfully, "Originally I could have spent today peacefully."

"No, Zhudi, you forgot? The esteemed Laisuo might very well be the legendary dark mage; be careful he uses dark curses!"

"It's really infuriating; the Dean hasn't even expelled Laisuo yet."

Comments like these, Laisuo has heard almost every day since being suspected of being a murderous dark mage.

Laisuo hugged his knees, back to the two speakers, not wanting to look back, but in his peripheral vision he saw Jin Chen, also facing away, flick his fingertip, releasing a mysterious golden flash.

Immediately after, two consecutive cries of pain came from behind.

Laisuo, surprised, cautiously turned his head and widened his eyes again.

The two trash‑talking students' heads plunged into the ground like precisely thrown spears.

"I heard the pure soil by the forest river can cleanse little monsters' filth; since your mouths are so dirty, go wash them too."

Jin Chen smiled narrowly.

"Ugh!!" The two struggled with their hands on the ground for a long time but couldn't get out, letting out frustrated grunts in the damp soil.

Laisuo glanced quickly at Jin Chen, and indeed he seemed quite satisfied with this effect.

Well... what a strange ability.

Laisuo rubbed his trouser leg with his fingertips, inappropriately but habitually starting to space out, just like a groundhog's ability that makes people dig into the ground and pull up radishes.

It can make people shut up without causing actual death.

The studious Laisuo has already been pondering what magic could achieve this effect.

"Judy, what's wrong with you guys?"

Aliya, who was passing by with her friends, noticed the situation here and hurried over to help.

It was also precisely because of Aliya's soft exclamation that almost all the students who heard it noticed and gathered around.

Jin Chen: "......"

The protagonist suffers from this ability that attracts bees and butterflies.

【Normal, light-element mages are so scarce they're treasures of the whole continent.】

Besides, Aliya is like an angel in the eyes of the classmates.

Aliya's friends pulled the two classmates out; the two, covered head to toe in dirty mud, stood half a meter away and thanked Aliya, fearing the mud would sully her.

"Thank you so much, Aliya, you're truly timely."

Aliya curled her golden eyes, her words like a gentle, warm breeze: "No need to thank me, Judy, what happened here?"

The atmosphere began to turn strange, all the students' gazes fell on Laisuo; although they still didn't know the truth, he was suspected of being a dark mage! The most evil existence!

Jin Chen stepped forward half a step, shielding Laisuo behind him: "No need to thank me, I did this."