Chinese professors at the Wizarding Academy

"What are they trying to do...?"

A hint of helplessness crossed Ken's face; the morning sunlight reflected off his bald head, highlighting the resignation on his face.

However, there was also a hint of relaxation mixed in, even though he had now broken free of the contract and gained apparent freedom.

But in the end, he was once Antinoya's man. It was like a branding wound. No matter how much he tried to avoid it, the mark was still there. Even if the contract was broken, the Antinoya family, especially Jobeck, still had inextricable ties with him.

Ken had some guesses in his mind. He figured that his "teacher" must have been threatened by Joebeck. This was quite normal, since he had been in that family before and was very familiar with their methods and ways of doing things.

"However, the fact that the teacher is still alive is truly remarkable."

"Based solely on the information I gleaned from mind reading, at least two mid-stage first-level experts went to assassinate him, yet he's still alive?"

"That's kind of interesting."

Compared to groping his way through the dangerous academy alone, Ken suddenly felt that being with that decisive and unpredictable teacher wasn't so bad after all. At least the goal was clear, and this teacher was genuinely willing to risk his life to protect his students.

Although his skill level was far inferior to mine, well...

Gu Chen did keep his promise and didn't cause him any trouble, so he's currently quite free.

This feeling of freedom is very rare. Logically speaking, one should not even bother with birds, since these things are not written in the contract.

But for some reason, he had a strong urge that drove him to help.

Perhaps this is what freedom feels like?

He is free; he makes all his own choices.

"I should still go and help. After all, I was once a part of Antinoya's affairs, and I still have many connections to her now."

"Helping Teacher Gu Chen might be a help to me in the future. Joe Beck... he really is a cruel bastard."

Ken finally made up his mind, quickly finished the delicious breakfast in front of him, then got up, dressed, and walked briskly towards Gu Chen's direction.

Meanwhile, Gu Chen was in the warehouse, organizing his gains and making plans.

The map and decryption knowledge provided by Ysera were crucial, not only helping him complete the commission but also enhancing Gu Chen's understanding of the Black Forest.

The power of "Grip of Life and Death" is beyond expectations. It can be used for both offense and defense, and it can also imbue the spells you release with a soul-devouring death aura. Although weak, wizards with insufficient vitality will suffer the torment of constantly losing life.

If one is injured, one can recover using the life magic within the Grip of Life and Death.

Everything seems to be going well...

Besides the wooden house.

"I quite like that wooden house..."

"You've pushed me this far, I'm really going to have to find a way to kill you all."

Jim sat down to rest, meditating. Gu Chen wondered if he could find a way to teach him the "Star Gazing Method".

Although the pressure is immense, based on Gu Chen's own experience, "unyielding will" can always help you fight your way out of seemingly hopeless situations.

There was another thing Gu Chen needed to figure out, and that was the political conspiracy surrounding Jim...

"It worked a little bit last time, I don't know if it will work this time."

Gu Chen planned to give Jim a serving of Shadowmoon Grey Wolf hind leg meat later to see if it could awaken more memories.

Although it's almost certainly related to the royal family of the Kingdom of Lorian, awakening their memories might yield more useful information!

"Time, I need time."

"I can't squeeze out more time, but... I might be able to find a way to create time!"

The biggest problem is time!

"I'm about to meet with Joebeck... What meeting? He's clearly just trying to take advantage of my ignorance of the hunting party to hack me to pieces."

"Who knows, there might be five hundred axemen lying in ambush under the curtain while we're eating."

Gu Chen thought to himself, as one idea after another kept flashing through his mind.

How can I deal with Joebeck's threat during the last two days, at the latest during the "hunting session"?

Moreover, Gu Chen knew he had other matters to attend to, namely Ysera's request.

If the delegation is not handled well and hinders the boss's plans, that would be a real problem.

They must buy themselves time to reach the desolate wasteland... but political intrigue is not so easy to resolve.

Perhaps... we could take the initiative?

A bold idea began to brew in Gu Chen's mind.

Rather than passively waiting for Joebeck to set up an ambush at the hunting party, it's better to take advantage of the moment when he thinks he's still in the Black Forest or has just returned and hasn't settled in yet, and catch him off guard!

"No... So much time has passed, Joe Baker must have already received news of the assassination's failure."

"He'll definitely increase his defenses, or perhaps..."

"Or will he try to send his strongest warrior to kill me before I've even established a foothold?"

"Given the abilities Joe Baker has demonstrated so far, the fact that he was able to obtain my information and whereabouts means he must understand my purpose in going to the Black Forest: to implement the 'blood transfusion' method. And since I was able to return from the Black Forest unscathed, I must have succeeded."

Gu Chen had originally dismissed the idea of ​​launching a preemptive strike, but upon reflection, he suddenly felt it was absolutely necessary!

"Yes, I will take the initiative!"

"It's obvious from Joebeck's perspective that I'm not someone to be trifled with, and that I'm beyond the capabilities of ordinary low- to mid-level first-tier wizards!"

"And if talent is enhanced, it's like a ticking time bomb!"

Yes, if you offend someone, and it's the kind of offense where you openly intend to kill them, what will they do next if they escape your pursuit?

Those who are a bit reckless can just charge straight in!

The smarter ones will keep growing, and one day they'll break through!

To be honest, Gu Chen really wants to kill this damn Antinoya family.

He had inexplicably been drawn into this nonsensical political conspiracy, and to be honest, he didn't care at all what these people were thinking.

Gu Chen's idea has always been simple: to live well, to have a place in this wizarding world, and for his students to achieve good results!

Now, Gu Chen felt that the anger in his heart was truly burning fiercely!

If he can severely damage or even eliminate the troublesome Joebeck before the Hunting Tournament, he can focus on dealing with the dangers of the Dead Wasteland and the mission to seize the Source Crystal!

Inflicting heavy damage on the other party might cause some trouble, but it doesn't matter!

As long as the other party is afraid of you, they will not dare to easily attack you!

The essence of negotiation is having leverage, and Gu Chen's ability to kill the other party is, in a sense, his biggest leverage.

After dealing with the troublesome Joebeck, he can focus on completing the commission, both to repay the favor and to find a new way to improve his talent.

"That's the decision."

Gu Chen nodded. He didn't have much time right now. After calculating the gains and losses in his mind, he made up his mind.

Kill, or rather, severely injure, this Antinoya's Chobeck!

A complete stranger, whom I've never met, has relentlessly pursued me for his own purposes, without any prior grudge.

Although the moral standards of everyone in Gray Tower were not particularly high in Gu Chen's eyes, since the other party was preparing to kill, Gu Chen assumed that the other party was prepared to be killed as well!

This method is relatively simple and direct. Compared to developing slowly, it carries extremely high risks, but the rewards are equally huge!

The gamble was that the opponent's strongest fighter would go out to find him, and Gu Chen took advantage of the opponent's absence to launch a sneak attack!

Gu Chen's gaze gradually became firm and sharp.

He hates being passive, and he hates being treated like prey that can be manipulated at will.

"It wasn't my first time killing someone in the Black Forest, but it was my first time hunting."

"I hate this feeling of being manipulated like this... I want to become a hunter."

Gu Chen took a deep breath, clenched his fist, and made a creaking sound, which startled Jim who was standing next to him.

"Teacher, are you... are you alright?"

"It's alright, just focus on meditating."

This reminded Gu Chen that Jim's safety was equally important, as this student was Gu Chen's most stable source of analysis.

"I can't go to the cafeteria. There's a high chance I'll be targeted on the way. Even if I survive, Jim won't."

"Killing me might just be a side effect; killing Jim is the most important thing."

Gu Chen thought for a moment, then decided to put Jim in the cafeteria.

No, that won't do. The cafeteria has already considered this kind of bug. They require a two-day waiting period after each private room reservation before they can make another one. It's not acceptable for someone like me to treat the cafeteria as a safe haven for making connections.

Jim seemed to have become his biggest weakness, but Gu Chen had a sudden inspiration.

What's there to be afraid of? Just leave it with Ysera, won't that solve the problem?

There's no need to worry about the other party threatening Jim's safety or anything else, because threatening an apprentice is completely unnecessary for a third-ring wizard.

According to the rules of the wizarding world, wizards who operate in the human world cannot exceed the third rank.

It's fair to say that Ysera has virtually nothing to do with politics; she's practically a perfect safe haven.

As for whether the other party might use Jim to threaten Gu Chen into doing something or something?

There was absolutely no need to worry, because Gu Chen had no choice but to fulfill the request to the Sealing Tower. The methods of a third-ring wizard were terrifying. After witnessing the other party's dreamlike and illusory methods firsthand, Gu Chen knew that he definitely couldn't escape.

Since the commission has to be done no matter what, there's no need to worry about being threatened. Besides, such methods of threatening are too primitive. There's really no need to use an apprentice to threaten a low-level first-ring wizard, especially a third-ring wizard doing this kind of thing...

"Okay... Jim's problem is solved, now for the next step."

Clearly, he now needs information and a sharper "knife".

Information and a knife... it seems the answers can be found in Ken, who is about to return.

"Let's wait a while."

Gu Chen waited quietly. Outside the warehouse, the sun was rising, and Gray Tower Academy was gradually returning to its former hustle and bustle and its usual danger.

But his heart was calmer than ever before, the kind of calm that only someone who has seen the path clearly and is determined to walk it can have.

Before the sun had fully illuminated the darkness, Gu Chen heard clear footsteps.

The sound grew louder as it approached, eventually stopping at the warehouse entrance.

"Teacher Gu Chen," Ken's familiar voice came, still as calm and composed as when they first met, without any change.

"I'm back. The situation outside... isn't good. The people of Jobeck are looking for you like mad dogs, not just in the apprentice quarters, but even in some areas where the formal wizards live."

"The Antinoya family has close ties with some of the academy's management, and your killing of their young lady has indeed caused a huge uproar within their ranks."

Gu Chen raised his head, looked at the tall figure at the door, and a smile appeared on his lips.

"You're back just in time, Ken."

Ken appeared at the warehouse door, backlit by the sparse light outside. He saw that Gu Chen was unharmed, and then glanced at Jim in the corner, who was trying his best to maintain a calm demeanor. He seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

"What are you planning to do next? I can't help you much, I'm only doing this out of friendship."

Ken spoke calmly, expressing his opinion.

Gu Chen did not answer immediately. He walked to the only broken window in the warehouse and looked at the silhouette of the tower in the distance, which looked particularly sinister under the night sky and was shrouded in a gray-black deathly mist.

"Do you know about hunting parties?"

"I know, but I don't know the specific date."

"It's this Sunday."

"While you were talking?"

"right."

"clear."

The two exchanged fluent answers, displaying an inexplicable tacit understanding, and Gu Chen never turned around from beginning to end.

"We cannot sit idly by and wait to die."

Then he turned around, his eyes resolute.

The conversation continued, and thanks to Gu Chen's swift actions and Ken's ability to reduce others' attention, no one knew what they were talking about.

The warehouse was completely silent, except for the occasional roar of an unknown creature in the distance, and a faint killing intent carried on the wind.

Meanwhile, in a luxurious residence on the other side of the academy, Joe Baker was listening to his subordinate's trembling report.

His face was cold and his eyes seemed completely devoid of emotion as he listened quietly to his subordinates' reports.

He sat in a huge, velvety armchair with a luxurious chandelier overhead. On the desk in front of him lay a parchment, which, if you looked closely, would reveal to be the files of Gu Chen and Jim.

Before him, a man dressed in black robes knelt on the ground, his voice trembling with fear, and he said in a shaky voice:

"...Our people...were all wiped out at the cafeteria entrance...we didn't even see how he did it..."

The black-robed man exuded a low-level first-ring magical aura, and he was kneeling on the ground, looking terrified!

"Then what did you come back to say?"

"Did I contact you just to disappoint me even more?"

His voice was cold and devoid of any emotion.

"goodbye."

"Wait, sir, no!"

Magic flowed through the air, and the black-robed wizard instantly turned pale, then his body withered away!