The Demon King is unfathomable

Chapter 362 is titled "The Trap of Desire"

In Professor Hector Wren's office, the fire crackled in the fireplace, casting a warm glow on the neatly arranged, heavy books.

The air was filled with the calm scent of parchment and old ink; everything was in perfect order, just like Hector's own imposing and dignified demeanor.

At that moment, however, the solemn professor felt as if the flames of the fireplace were scorching his back, just like the burning holy light.

Prince Colin's casual question was like a cold needle, precisely piercing through his carefully maintained composure.

"We can't spend all the money on the 'girls,' can we?"

Hector felt his heart skip a beat.

He was merely a scholar responsible for academic and teaching affairs, not a treasurer, much less a sage who held power within the Council of Sages.

He wasn't even one of the sages' acquaintances.

This problem was like a red-hot iron, handed to him casually. He didn't know whether to accept it or not, and for a moment he didn't know what to do.

Forcing himself to put on a stiff smile, the old professor gave a vague reply.

"Uh... that's impossible. According to the investigation department of the Great Sage's Tower, most of it has been recovered and used to compensate the families of the victims whose places were taken."

Even he himself felt guilty listening to this evasive and evasive explanation.

However, upon hearing this, Luo Yan showed a look of conviction and nodded approvingly: "That's good. The fairness of the Academy is admirable."

Seeing that His Highness the Prince seemed to accept the explanation, Hector felt a sudden sense of relief, though he was caught off guard.

At this moment, Luo Yan gently placed the newspaper in his hand on the coffee table next to him.

He leaned forward slightly, his clear eyes fixed on Hector—the gaze of a scholar peering into the mysteries of the illusory realm.

“Professor, as you know, besides being a prince, I am also a ‘scholar.’” His tone was gentle and sincere. “I admire your ability to find every victim and provide compensation; such kindness is unimaginable elsewhere in the Empire. But… could you tell me their names? Just to satisfy my curiosity.”

This statement, like a perfectly precise scalpel, silently struck at the heart of the matter.

Hector's forehead instantly broke out in a fine layer of sweat.

name?

How could he possibly know the names of those victims!

Moreover, it's obvious even to a fool that those three million gold coins were already divided up long ago. Who would keep the gold they salvaged in a vault?

The numbers themselves are fabricated, so a real list is even less likely. After all, what if a fabricated list were created, and the actual victims found themselves not on it?
Even a professor as detached from worldly affairs as him is perfectly clear-headed; any claim of "avoiding the real issue and focusing on the trivial" is just that—a claim.

However, even after he had carefully secured the steps, the prince still wouldn't come down, which made him very upset.

Hector's facial muscles twitched, eventually settling into a bitter, pleading smile.

“Your Highness, this...this involves the privacy of many students. The Academy has strict confidentiality regulations, and I have no right to access it. You can only ask the Sage Council; they may know something.”

The scholar, who had been roaring in fury on the snowfield, looked at Luo Yan with an almost pleading expression, even lowering his voice by eight octaves.

"Let's... talk about your future life and work arrangements, please? I'm begging you!"

The unspoken meaning is nothing more than—

If you're looking for trouble, don't drag me into it. I'm just someone who studies virtual realms!
For a professor of such high standing in the Tower of Sages to utter words like "I beg you," is undoubtedly to humble himself.

Luo Yan didn't want to make things too difficult for him, but out of curiosity, he glanced under the desk and was pleased to find that when he gently shook the bell, the two legs really did clamp together.

This switch works pretty well!

Seeing this, Luo Yan knew that the time was right.

It's pointless to bully the weak. Hector wasn't weak, but he was indeed an honest man, and bullying an honest man who has no choice in the matter is not a righteous act.

He stopped pressing, leaned back into the soft sofa, and put on that gentle, harmless smile again, as if everything that had just happened was merely the inappropriate curiosity of a scholar.

The problem is like a stone thrown into a deep pool; the ripples it creates will eventually spread outwards and reach the ears of the person who truly needs to hear it.

He didn't even need to know who that person was.

The pressure from the Holy City has been subtly transmitted, and now it's time for the shadowy figures lurking in the shadows to weigh the situation. They need to give up something in response to this pressure.

Money and honor could not buy him, but this prince was a scholar and had a keen interest in the most abundant and cheapest form of knowledge in the academic world.

Luo Yan picked up his teacup, gently blew on the steam, and said calmly.

"Then let's leave it at that... for your sake."

Hector finally breathed a sigh of relief, especially the last sentence about acknowledging his favor, which gave him a sense of satisfaction that "all his efforts weren't in vain."

Prince Colin is quite easy to talk to.

And then I can report back to the council.

That phrase "investigate to the end" really caused him a lot of trouble. If he hadn't been so angry that he couldn't save face, he wouldn't have been pushed to the forefront by the council to do things for the prince.

Wiping his sweat with a handkerchief, Professor Hector continued nervously.

"So... regarding the dormitory, meditation room, and other benefits, although your rank is only tutor, after careful consideration, we have decided to still provide you with living arrangements according to professor standards—"

Luo Yan coughed lightly, and Professor Hector, whose legs had just relaxed, instantly tightened them again, continuing to speak rapidly.

"Of course! Not just the treatment befitting your status! Your work will also be relatively free, and most importantly, you'll be involved in experiments! Right? That's what you care about most! Rest assured, we've prepared the best resources for you—"

“I’m not very interested in things that money can buy, but I’m quite interested in what lies behind the virtual world. As you know, besides being a prince, I’m also a scholar who’s passionate about exploring new worlds. Perhaps the profound mysteries can help me temporarily forget about worldly pursuits.”

Professor Hector's face instantly turned bitter.

“Your Highness, a noble person like you should have a soul with a limit far greater than that of a lowly person like me… I don’t understand why you are so obsessed with the illusory realm?”

"It's just out of interest," Luo Yan smiled faintly. "I had a habit of looking around when I was on the continent of Gana. You can blame it on my childhood being full of curiosity."

Professor Hector remained silent for a long time before giving a wry smile and saying...

“Curiosity… Your Highness, your curiosity is too expensive. The Void Realm is the highest level of resource in the Academy. Even a scholar like me, who has dedicated most of his life to the Academy, only has one. Why don’t you take my Mage Tower to satisfy your curiosity?”

Luo Yan looked at him in surprise.

"Is this true?"

Professor Hector fell silent instantly.

No way! That's his lifeline. He's counting on the things behind the Void Realm to help him break through the Diamond level bottleneck!
His lifelong regret was that his soul level was insufficient.

Although the energy in the virtual realm he was assigned wasn't pure, it was enough for him to slowly climb upwards along this rope... and this was practically his only hope in this life.

If Prince Colin's goal is his mage tower, then let him make a scene. The Great Sage's Tower can't be destroyed by a few words.

No matter how dazzling the emblem of the Holy City may be, the council of the Academy is not weak and easily bullied!

They really think they're emperors!
Seeing Professor Hector with his legs spread apart, seemingly intending to give up, Luo Yan guessed that he had pressed the switch too hard, so he lowered his posture a little.

"I was just joking. You don't have to share your cake with me, but you can go to those people who have more cakes."

"I don't need much, just a small piece, you could even think of it as—a slice of cheese on a whole cake."

Seeing that Professor Hector remained unmoved, Luo Yan smiled and threw out the last piece of bait, which he had prepared long ago.

"And think about it again. I'm not really one of you. I'm just a passerby. Once my curiosity is satisfied, I'll pack up and leave. In the end, who benefits from my virtual realm and research? Isn't it you who helped me get it?"

Hector was startled and sat bolt upright in his chair, excitedly closing his legs that had been spread apart.

"Is that really true?!"

Then he'll be very motivated!

Luo Yan smiled and took a sip of tea.

"You said it yourself, the descendants of the Colin family are not lacking in soul levels. We are born to enjoy the worship of the imperial people. Do you really think I would lock myself in a mage tower like you to study extraordinary power, just to survive a few more years? As long as I don't make any big mistakes, I will probably still be a prince in my next life. What do I need magic for, to show off my extraordinary power to mortals? What you can do with magic, I can do with a single word."

These words, though crude, were not without merit. Though unpleasant to hear, they struck a chord with Hector, making it difficult for him not to breathe rapidly.

That makes sense!

Which prince would stay in a harsh, cold place to pursue his studies?

Is the wine from the holy city not fragrant enough?
Even the knights of the Kingdom of Rhodes know how to enjoy life better than these scholars!
Professor Hector remained silent for a moment, then gritted his teeth and made his decision.

"I'll try to persuade the higher-ups for you!"

Luo Yan made a clinking gesture with his teacup, smiling and whispering.

"Then I look forward to your good news."

Hector wiped the sweat from his forehead for the third time, puffed out his cheeks, and took a few deep breaths, seemingly to cool down the sweltering air in the room.

It looks like the fireplace is really hot.

His gaze fell on the notes on the table, and then he suddenly remembered something and casually mentioned it.

"By the way... regarding your daily life, since your compensation is based on professor standards, in addition to the apprentices assisting your experiments, we have also prepared six personal assistants for you. When would be a convenient time for you to choose?"

"No need." Luo Yan smiled faintly, gently placed the teacup back on the ceramic tray, and got up from the soft sofa.

Sarah, who was waiting to the side, did not need him to say anything. She took the initiative to step forward and respectfully straightened his wrinkled cuffs and collar.

Even when acting, her manners and sensible nature are impeccable.

Looking at the old professor, whose face was expressionless but who was actually incredibly envious, Luo Yan casually said goodbye.

"You don't need to worry about that." "I trust my people."

……

Just as Hector decided to gamble on Prince Colin's curiosity, in a meditation room located in another corner of the Great Sage's Tower, ghostly figures were flickering on the walls constructed of sound-absorbing stones.

In stark contrast to Professor Hector's ink-smelling office, this meditation room, steeped in mystery, felt like another world altogether.

The room was devoid of any unnecessary furnishings. There was no fireplace or bookshelves, only a round table made from a single piece of obsidian and a few cushions.

The only lighting comes from crystals suspended in the air.

The crystal emitted a dim, dark purple light that flickered like the breath of a living being, casting an ever-changing shadow over everything in the room.

Professor Arist Thorne, sitting cross-legged on the cushion, had his eyes tightly closed, inhaling and exhaling in rhythm with the changing light.

With his regular breathing, wisps of white vapor drifted from his mouth and nose, merging with the dark purple crystal, before returning to his body with an even purer aura.

During this process, his spirit seemed to be sublimated, and his wrinkled old face, which was like a corpse demon, also relaxed and became slightly rosy.

The young apprentice, Skyein, stood quietly before the old man, his hands at his sides, his eyes filled with envy.

What was floating in front of Professor Alistair at this moment was not a magic lamp or an enchanted quartz, but a strange object from the Void Realm—something that would make even Professor Hector drool!

Simply sitting beside it and meditating, one can feel the surging power of the soul, flowing continuously into the sea of ​​consciousness like a tide!
Of course, the power within the virtual realm is not limitless.

It is said that the energy required to raise the souls of ten thousand ordinary people to the Iron level is barely enough to raise the soul of one Silver level person to Gold level.

For a diamond-level powerhouse like Alistair, the energy required to advance is even greater.

His incredibly pure soul was like a bottomless pit; no matter how many crystals were poured into it, it could never be filled. He could only try to draw more from the illusory realm.

At this moment, Skyein was like a dog that hadn't eaten for three days and three nights, watching his fat master sitting on the table, feasting heartily.

To be honest, he did consider sneaking a puff while Professor Alistair was meditating, but he only dared to think about it.

Professor Alistair dared to let him stand here partly out of trust in him, but partly to test his composure.

This is a diamond-level powerhouse!
There are countless layers of restrictions and traps in this meditation room alone!
The allure of advancing to the Steel grade is certainly tempting, but you also need to be alive to walk out of here.

He didn't want to end up like his junior, Milos, who burned his life for the school only to die a humiliating death like a stray dog.

Just as Skyein was trying to distract himself and avoid being tempted by the illusory treasure, Professor Alistair, who had his eyes closed, suddenly opened his cloudy eyes.

Almost immediately, Skye knelt on one knee, suppressing his envious expression and bowing respectfully like a servant to his master.

"professor."

"Get up."

Professor Alister first gave the young man an approving look, then took off his single-lensed glasses, which didn't have much of a prescription, and continued in a hoarse voice, "Tell me what they talked about."

"Yes, Professor."

Sgein nodded respectfully and then began his report.

That emotionless tone, like a taut string, recounted word for word everything that had happened in Hector's office—

From Prince Colin's casual question about three million gold coins to the precise tracking of the "list of victims," ​​and finally the tacitly agreed-upon transaction.

As Arist Thorne listened to Skyein's report, he casually wiped his monocle while coldly observing the young man's expression.

Without the glasses obscuring his vision, the scholarly calmness in his eyes vanished, replaced by the shrewdness of a businessman and the sharpness of a politician.

Skyein, a "magician" of the Tower of Great Sages, is a student of Professor Hector Raine and a member of the "Thorne Society".

His extraordinary power was only at the Bronze level, which was inconspicuous in the academic community full of geniuses, but he could always accomplish tasks that even Gold-level experts could not handle.

not only that.

This guy is also good at discovering promising newcomers and handling unexpected out-of-control events. He is decisive and ruthless, never dragging things out or getting himself into trouble.

With such a talented and ambitious person, Hector, that cowardly, stingy, and pretentious guy, certainly couldn't keep him. After all, the latter couldn't even feed himself, let alone others.
Alistair simply beckoned with his finger, and the kid immediately understood his implication and switched sides in a matter of minutes.

As for why such a talent wasn't brought under his wing, but instead left to be "fostered" by that idiot Hector, it was certainly because it was not only easier to "use" him, but also safer.

If this kid doesn't do things properly, it's Professor Hector's oversight. Let him bite like a mad dog; it has nothing to do with him.

even--

Sgaine himself was aware of this, and loyally handed the dog leash to Alistair, willingly becoming his servant.

Arist values ​​his ability highly and has already planned to give him a little bit of the vast resources of the Void Realm before long, so that this loyal pawn can touch the threshold of the Steel level at the age of thirty, and then break through to the Silver level, and soar to the sky.

Of course.

By then, this kid should officially become my student as a teaching assistant.

After all, seeing his apprentice suddenly break through his bottleneck, even the dumbest donkey like Hector should have realized what was going on.

For talented individuals, Aristotle would not only not exploit them, but would also protect them, and while holding their weaknesses, would help them rise to a position no lower than Hector's.

This is a tacit understanding.

This is also one of the reasons why he, who is not short of money at all, still maintains the old business of "fate adjustment" - this business can bring him far more than just a few gold coins.

Both he and Skyein were intelligent people who had been tested by the corrupt world of academia, and intelligent people are well aware of each other's cards.

"...Finally, Professor Hector promised to secure Prince Colin's access to the 'Virtual Realm' in exchange for settling the matter."

After finishing his report, Sgein stood with his hands at his sides, saying no more.

Alist listened patiently to the report, a cold smile creeping onto his lips as he casually remarked.

"It seems that Hector, that stupid donkey, is actually quite clever. He knows that if he can't persuade Prince Colin, it will be his turn."

These words were spoken casually, yet they made Skye involuntarily hold his breath and subconsciously tense his body.

Noticing Skyein's nervousness, Alistair smiled and reassured the young man.

"Don't be nervous, I can kill him without sacrificing you."

Sgein gave a wry smile, lowered his head, and whispered.

“Professor, you don’t need to test me. You have been kind to me. If you want me to die for you, just say the word and I will have no complaints. But... please give my belongings to my parents. They are all things you look down on, but they might be able to help my younger siblings.”

Alister gave him a meaningful look, not pointing out the kid's little scheme of playing the emotional card. After pondering for a moment, he muttered to himself, pursed his dry lips, and shook his head.

"This Prince Colin is more astute than I thought. He's not a fool and not easily fooled."

but--

In terms of intrigue and scheming, the nobles of the Holy City are still a bit weaker than the scholars of the Academy, especially since their naked desires were exposed too early.

This is a common problem among those born into nobility; nobles don't take ordinary people seriously, and they disdain playing mind games with them.

Therefore, the prince's arrogance was so evident in his open greed that he didn't even bother to conceal it.

He put immense pressure on Hector, cornering the stubborn old man and leaving him trembling in fear, but his ultimate goal was nothing more than to extort money from him and gain control of the 'Virtual Realm'.

Now that he had seen the opponent's hand, Alistair had a general idea of ​​what Prince Colin's next move would be.

This is a greedy yet simple person who loves to show off and enjoys being admired, but is generally "harmless".

"...This fits my impression of those nobles in the holy city. They regard the academic community as their backyard, taking whatever they want, and treating the taboos we spend our lives exploring as just another glamorous collectible in their wine cabinet. Their so-called 'curiosity' is nothing more than wanting to show off their innate privileges in front of us scholars, and incidentally extort some benefits from this harsh land to take back as a qualification to boast about."

Arist smiled gently, then turned his gaze to his "beloved disciple" who was waiting for orders, and gave his command.

“Skain, this new tutor needs to be kindly ‘guided’. Since he has a good relationship with Professor Hector, you might as well approach him as Professor Hector’s apprentice.”

“Remember, you must be humble, listen to every one of his lessons, ask him questions he wants to hear, and show admiration in your eyes, just like you do for me.”

"Your primary task is to figure out his 'preferences.' See if he likes rare spellcasting materials, is interested in a female apprentice, or is simply obsessed with the magical gadgets in the virtual world. In short, you must find out his desires by any means necessary, and then report every detail to me truthfully."

"By the way, you can help him with some trivial matters, or even fulfill some of his harmless requests... If you can't solve them, you can come and ask me directly."

At this point, the old professor paused, a sharp glint flashing in his murky, muddy eyes.

"But remember, you must be careful in your actions. Never reveal the existence of the 'Society,' and never mention me. In his presence, you are merely an ordinary apprentice who admires his mentor's talent. I don't need you to do anything unnecessary, understand?"

"Yes, Professor."

Skye accepted the order respectfully without the slightest hesitation, and was relieved that this was such a simple task.

This task couldn't be easier for him. After all, pleasing a show-off mentor was far more comfortable than dealing with a runaway magic apprentice.

Especially now that the entire academic community is full of "admirers" of that prince, he, a mere "mage," doesn't stand out at all in the crowd.

I'll ask a few questions in class first. It's a pity that His Highness hasn't published any papers yet, otherwise I could have done some pre-reading...

Sgein's figure seemed to blend into the shadows of the meditation room, retreating silently until he disappeared outside the door.

The meditation room returned to silence.

Alister put his spotless monocle back on, instantly concealing his sharp gaze.

In less than half a second, he transformed back into the elegant and respected professor of the Yuanfa School of thought, a figure of great refinement and respect among his students and colleagues.

He had no doubt that even if he stood openly before Prince Colin, the prince would never suspect that he, an old gentleman, was the mastermind behind that "minor unpleasantness," and had already woven a web of desire for him.

He was like a burrowing spider, lurking in the shadows where no one knew him...

(End of this chapter)