Chapter 318

"I don't know if Captain Shanshan is willing to part with it? We can discuss the price."

Shanshan Yingshu was clearly stunned.

He looked in the direction Natsume Chikage pointed, his gaze falling on that old wooden sword covered with dust and even somewhat decaying at the edges.

Just... this?

He never expected that the "request" proposed by the other party after going around such a big circle would be so... insignificant.

This wooden sword had been stored in the force for a long time, its origin unknown, and usually no one cared about it, even being too old to be used as a practice prop.

Instead of letting it accumulate dust here and finally becoming trash, it was better to use it to exchange for an opportunity to completely settle the matter and protect the club's reputation.

This was simply a "transaction" that was too cost-effective to be cost-effective.

Shanshan Yingshu almost didn't have any hesitation, his tense face immediately relaxed, even carrying a trace of relief.

"So Natsume-kun has the elegant hobby of collecting antiques, you should have said so earlier."

His tone was much lighter, waving his hand to signal.

"This wooden sword has a long history and is nearly decaying, and we were planning to clean it up anyway. If Natsume-kun doesn't mind it being old and is willing to treasure it, it's a good home for it."

He turned to those few members who were still stunned and shouted:

"What are you still standing there for? Go get the wooden sword, wipe it clean, and give it to Natsume-kun!"

"Yes! Captain!"

Those few members woke up like a dream, scrambling to run over, carefully taking the heavy old wooden sword from the sword rack, wiping the dust with their sleeves, and then respectfully holding it with both hands to Natsume Chikage.

"Thank you, Captain Shanshan, for your fulfillment."

Natsume Chikage thanked him politely, reaching out to take the wooden sword.

It was heavy in his hand, the wood grain rough, carrying traces of time erosion, but the sword shape was still straight.

The moment his fingertips touched the sword body—

【You have obtained the ownership of the 'Decaying Wooden Sword', do you want to register it now?】

【Yes/No】

A familiar prompt appeared in his field of vision.

Natsume Chikage suppressed the ripples in his heart, holding the wooden sword in his hand with a normal face, not choosing "Yes" immediately.

There were too many people here, not a good time to handle "special equipment."

Shanshan Yingshu saw him take it, the stone in his heart finally landed for the most part, but he still asked somewhat worriedly:

"Natsume-kun, then about today's matter..."

Natsume Chikage held the wooden sword naturally at his side, a reassuring smile on his face.

"I think the matter is already very clear."

His tone was determined, starting to "set the tone" for the whole thing.

"Captain Shanshan, you manage the force strictly and have strict requirements for some lazy members. That's why you arranged for them to conduct 'extra public training' in the hallway on the old building—a place everyone can see—during their rest, as a punishment and to motivate others."

He looked at those few members, and the latter nodded desperately.

"They absolutely didn't want to go themselves, and there was no bad intention at all. They just obeyed the captain's orders and practiced hard there."

"And the series of 'ghost story' phenomena that followed were completely a 'multiple coincidence' that no one could predict and no one was at fault for, composed of light and shadow, mirror surfaces, school emblems, and specific time angles."

He summarized, looking at Shanshan Yingshu with clear eyes.

"A 'coincidence' that no one could predict and no one was at fault for."

"And how would the teachers and the students of the swimming force blame a pure 'coincidence' and a few students who obeyed orders and practiced hard?"

"Captain Shanshan, you say... isn't that the truth?"

Those few members' eyes lit up, as if they saw a brand new, bright world.

It could be explained like this?!

How did they not think of it!

Classmate Tengyuan Kui was stunned listening to this, her small mouth slightly open, her face filled with the shock of "this also works?"

Jinweitong's face, which almost never had an expression, had the corners of her mouth twitching upward by a pixel imperceptibly, a trace of extremely faint light called "interesting" flashing in the bottom of her eyes.

Shanshan Yingshu's frowned eyebrows completely relaxed, the gloom on his face disappeared, and even a trace of irrepressible approval and celebration appeared.

He never expected that Natsume Chikage not only solved the ghost story, but even thought so thoroughly and flawlessly about how to "explain" and "end" it afterward.

He really deserves to be the one who can solve the "Seven Great Mysteries."

But thinking of the most critical hidden danger, he still lowered his voice and asked for advice humbly:

"What Natsume-kun said is very true, it was me who was too impatient. They were just adding practice, nothing else."

"However... the 'surveillance recording' you mentioned just now... if a teacher happens to check it on a whim, I'm afraid..."

Natsume Chikage smiled knowingly, his tone relaxed:

"Captain Shanshan is overthinking."

"The school's surveillance system has limited storage space, usually clearing old data actively on a fixed cycle, such as every year or two, to save resources."

"In the absence of any sudden events requiring review, those unimportant daily images will likely disappear automatically after everyone graduates for a session or two."

He turned the topic slightly, his tone still peaceful, but carrying a clear sense of boundaries.

"Of course, the premise of all this is that similar 'coincidences' and 'misunderstandings' will never happen again."

"Otherwise, once there is something that needs investigation, and the past records are turned over, that will be another matter."

"I think, Captain Shanshan, and these few classmates, should all understand what I mean, right?"

Shanshan Yingshu felt relieved in his heart, a smile of complete relief finally appearing on his face, nodding heavily.

"Understand! Of course I understand!"

Those few members were even more grateful, bowing deeply to Natsume Chikage, their voices somewhat choked:

"Thank you! Really thank you very much, Natsume-kun!"

"We will definitely train seriously in the future, never be lazy, and will never be called by the captain for 'special extra practice' again!"

"Sorry for the trouble!"

Natsume Chikage nodded slightly, and before leaving, he seemed to remember something, reminding softly:

"By the way, Captain Shanshan."

"The drama force borrowed us the mirror, and the swimming force is even a direct party to the event."

"When I left, they seemed to have some doubts about our 'preliminary conclusion'."

"To avoid deepening misunderstandings and creating unnecessary rumors... I suggest you'd better take these few 'extra practice' classmates and go over personally as soon as possible, and explain the 'complete truth'—the 'consensus' we just reached—to them clearly and sincerely."

He looked at the sky outside the window.

"It's better to deal with it as soon as possible while they shouldn't have left yet and the matter hasn't spread."

Shanshan Yingshu heard this, his expression solemn, nodding and thanking Natsume Chikage solemnly again.

"Natsume-kun considers it thoroughly, I will do it right away. Really, thank you very much!"

He turned around, restored the captain's majesty, and shouted at those few members:

"You guys, what are you still standing there for? Follow me!"

Those few members no longer resisted at this moment, answering in response, hanging their heads and following the captain quickly, heading toward the drama force and swimming force.

Watching them leave.

Natsume Chikage and the others also left the Jiandao Force.

Classmate Tengyuan Kui recalled the things just now, let out a long sigh of relief, patted her chest, then tugged at the corner of Natsume Chikage's clothes, lowering her voice and asking with a face full of confusion:

"Natsume-kun... they clearly did bad things."

"Why do you still... help them cover it up?"

Natsume Chikage gently rubbed the simple wooden sword in his hand and shook his head.

"It's not covering up, it's conversion."

"Tearing the face today and making the matter big, we are indeed on the side of 'justice'."

"But the result is that the Jiandao Force's reputation is swept away."

"And we will become a thorn in the side of the entire Jiandao Force, and even those who sympathize with them."

"In the three years of high school, it may add a lot of unnecessary trouble and hostility."

"And now dealing with it like this, the truth is limited to a controllable range, the Jiandao Force preserves its reputation and morale, Captain Shanshan owes us a big favor, and those students feel grateful rather than resentful toward us."

"Our Collection Force not only solved the event, harvested friendship and potential help, but also obtained the 'collection' I wanted."

He looked at the wooden sword in his hand.

"This is called 'leave a line today, meet well in the future'." ===== CHAPTER 319 =====