Chapter 60: Turning Point

He did not pay attention to Mo Li's sarcastic remarks.

He had witnessed and personally experienced various oddities of the information explosion era; Lin Ke knew that facing such public opinion attacks, either authorities debunk rumors, or ignore them.

Authoritative debunking requires an individual or organization with status and credibility to step forward, and solid, reliable evidence is needed to prove that "so-and-so actually did not secretly film."

Such situations are commonplace.

Often, even authoritative debunking is useless.

Debunking is debunking, but people just don't believe it—what can you do?

This rumor will spread anyway, and it will spread even more fiercely.

Lin Ke couldn't find anyone or any organization to endorse him and serve as an authority to debunk rumors; even if he could find them, he wouldn't bother.

People who enjoy spreading rumors mindlessly,

Should be ignored, met with indifference.

These eight words are Lin Ke's principle for handling this wave of public opinion attacks.

Even when facing Mo Li's teasing, it's the same.

Ignoring is ignoring; say what you will.

Mo Li also didn't want to be boring; she skipped the topic and asked about some questions that arose yesterday while reading materials and documents.

Lin Ke was happy to answer those questions.

Along the way, they asked and taught each other, soon arriving at the experimental building.

After passing two security checkpoints, they entered the lab and changed clothes as required.

After completing the preparatory work, the two entered the botany lab.

Throughout, Mo Li alone performed the operations—observing, recording, administering treatment, and recording again.

With experience, Mo Li now appears quite proficient; it's estimated that soon she won't need Lin Ke's accompaniment.

Then, Lin Ke will have some extra time to allocate to other matters.

After checking the equipment and facilities, putting away what should be stored and closing what should be shut, confirming there were no problems, the two didn't linger.

Leaving the experimental building and heading to the teaching building, the number of pedestrians on the way gradually increased.

Passing Newbloods, whether freshmen or sophomores, juniors, or seniors, anyone who had recently seen discussions about Linke Grand on the "forum" would almost certainly cast him a strange glance.

Curiosity, doubt, anticipation, excitement, contempt, disdain.

All kinds of emotions, everything present.

At this moment, Mo Li was not like before in the cafeteria, happily eating melon seeds and even throwing in some sarcastic remarks.

Instead, she held her head high, chest out, eyes sharp, and for each person whose strange gaze she caught, she locked eyes and gave them a hard stare.

Her action was undoubtedly a clear-attitude response and counterattack.

Thus, amid the strange atmosphere, Lin Ke and Mo Li walked into the classroom.

The two had just sat down in their usual seats, the center of the second row.

Five brothers immediately gathered around.

After a night's recovery, the swelling on their faces had subsided, injuries were not visible, only a faint bruise remained.

"Boss..."

The five brothers spoke in unison, bowing as they spoke.

This posture was genuinely intended to establish their subordinate relationship in front of everyone.

As long as Lin Ke slightly couldn't let go of face, or his response was somewhat vague, they could use his banner to continue acting recklessly.

Whether you acknowledge it or not, we do.

As for why the five brothers still dare to come and provoke Lin Ke,

because up to now, Lin Ke has never actively targeted or oppressed anyone.

Even if they came last time looking for trouble, they just got beaten, injuries not serious, and each walked away with two Magic Stones.

If they encountered someone coming to provoke them, even if they didn't dare break the other's leg, they'd still have to vent their anger fiercely.

Magic Stone?

Not to mention giving them a Magic Stone, even a copper coin must be snatched from them!

Good people deserve to be pointed at with a gun.

Lin Ke, hearing this, took a deep breath, slowly raised his head, and scanned the five individuals one by one.

Lin Ke knew exactly what the five brothers were scheming.

He had clearly refused last night, yet they came again?

This is taking him for a fool!

His gaze had turned utterly indifferent, as if endless anger were hidden deep within his black, abyss-like eyes.

Since personally killing Enrique, after a certain thread in his heart snapped, Lin Ke's temperament has become markedly colder and harder.

With the full-power activation of the Brain Seal Technique, the aura emanating from Lin Ke's entire body instantly shifted from cold-hard to cold-severe, even fierce and lethal.

Threads of killing intent slowly seeped from Lin Ke's eyes, straight toward the five scheming individuals.

During this period, his mental power growth also made his gaze like a blade, almost substantive, increasing the intimidation it brought.

The surrounding air actually became noticeably stagnant.

"Get lost!"

Lin Ke's voice was icy, each word deliberate as he rebuked: "Don't think I don't know what you're thinking; if I hear anyone outside causing trouble under my name, don't blame me for being impolite."

The five brothers, about to raise their upper bodies, were shaken by Lin Ke's unhidden killing intent, breaking out in cold sweat and trembling in their legs.

"Yes... yes, Boss!"

The spokesperson among the five brothers replied with a trembling voice: "Sorry, Boss! Sorry for disturbing you, Boss!"

They got a bucket of cold water, received a torrent of threats, and the five brothers turned and left.

Their arrival was suspicious, their departure neat.

But there is no doubt that the five brothers' actions will definitely pour hot oil on the already heated public opinion.

On the way to the corner seats, the five brothers started arguing, their voices fairly loud, letting Lin Ke hear everything clearly.

"I told you, don't listen to that person's nonsense; the boss said he wouldn't take us, so he definitely won't! Yet we insist on coming back to try again!"

"Who says otherwise? That person hides his face, refusing to show it—definitely not a good guy."

"Sigh! It's all my fault; I was blinded by profit, causing everyone to upset the boss."

"What can we do? Where else can we find someone to back us up?"

"How about we go back to the Newblood Mutual Aid Society?"

"Pah! Are you even human? Only a dog would go back!"

"Woof woof~"

Lin Ke fell into thought.

It seems the five brothers are indeed of the type who pretend to be foolish but are not actually crazy in their conduct.

They appear silly and laughing, crazy and foolish, clumsy and stupid, always making mistakes, but in fact they are very sharp, not at all stupid.

They can seize the moment, catch a toad and squeeze out its urine, and timely resolve trouble, never truly inviting disaster upon themselves.

Last night and this morning, two attempts at probing and testing.

The probing failed, they didn't get the expected result, and immediately gave a subtle hint:

"Boss, someone wants to mess with you! They're even inciting us brothers to be their pawn!"

Must say, the five brothers have a perfect grasp of when to advance or retreat; the killing intent rising in Lin Ke's heart gradually subsided a bit.

He had just genuinely wanted to find a chance to kill the five brothers.

So annoying!

The five brothers, unaware they had just strolled through a life-and-death juncture, lowered their voices gradually and stopped being noisy.

At this moment, Mo Li nudged Lin Ke with her elbow, furrowed her brows, obviously encountering a problem.

When the five brothers approached, she had been continuously looking at her Portable Smart Brain.

"What's up?"

Lin Ke first composed his emotions and killing intent, then asked softly.

"Mina Havcheck invited us to meet."

Mo Li said, "Today at noon, in the Library. She said she has something very important to tell us."

This is truly a sudden and coincidental turn of events.

A book recommendation for a friend:

《While Devouring, I Slay Myriad World Protagonists》

A fanfic of Swallowed Star, starting at the Grand Nirvana apocalypse; the protagonist's golden finger can simulate challenging myriad world protagonists, gaining all their abilities and treasures, initially obtaining Lin Lei's Dragon Blood Warrior bloodline; if you've read Swallowed Star and Panlong, you can check it out!

Recommend a Swallowed Star fanfic, original Grand Nirvana apocalypse plot; starting with beating up a one-year-old Lin Lei baby to obtain the Dragon Blood Warrior bloodline.

(End of chapter)