42: bodyguard

Lin Xi sat across the desk, glaring at Xiao Xu with wide eyes and a huff.

He questioned loudly, "Xiao boy, give me an explanation. Why did someone dare to openly assassinate my student right here in the school? Which power has such a long reach that they've stretched it all the way here?!"

He slammed the mahogany desk with a deafening thud. Xiao Xu looked at it with some heartache before saying, "Elder Lin, don't be so anxious. Isn't Su Ze fine now? Besides, there's really nothing I could do about this hand reaching in..."

"Hmph, have you found out their background? It wasn't those little runts from Fusang?" Lin Xi asked with a cold snort.

"It really wasn't them this time." Xiao Xu took a stack of files from a drawer and placed them on the desk.

Lin Xi reached out to take them and began flipping through. Xiao Xu continued, "I pulled Combat Class Teacher's entire file as quickly as possible after the incident. Everything from his birth until his death today is recorded in great detail. We can basically rule out any possibility of him having contact with the Fusang Dark Guards."

In fact, he had known for a long time that this matter had nothing to do with the Fusang Dark Guards. The reason he had questioned him just now was to give him a nudge and test his reaction.

As for the person who truly instigated Combat Class Teacher... Lin Xi slammed the information onto the desk with force.

"The Jiang Family! So it was you!"

The Jiang Family of the Imperial Capital's Four Great Families. In Combat Class Teacher's records, they were the only ones he had contact with. As an orphan, Combat Class Teacher had received aid from the Jiang Family since he was a child.

The fact that the Jiang Family would let Combat Class Teacher, who had such a clear connection to them, plot against Su Ze showed how unscrupulous they were.

As a rising family, they had the capital to be arrogant, even if they were relying on others.

"Are you sure it's them?" Lin Xi asked, becoming unusually serious.

"Of course, there's no evidence. Combat Class Teacher committed suicide without confessing anything, but... his bank account did receive a large sum of money recently."

"But that can also be explained. After all, Combat Class Teacher has been receiving support from the Jiang Family since he was young. Perhaps someone took him in as a godson, so sending him some money would be reasonable."

Lin Xi said furiously, "But it's not reasonable for him to strike at Su Ze immediately after receiving the money!"

"The Jiang Family, hmph! Just a family of sycophants!"

Xiao Xu shrugged and said helplessly, "There's nothing we can do. Who told them to find such a powerful backer?"

"But it's also because of this that they want to possess power that truly belongs to them. They moved against Su Ze because of his Diamond-rank Demonic Beast."

"His initial goal wasn't to kill Su Ze. It was likely to cripple him or cause the Golden Feather Phoenix Bird to go out of control. That way, the Jiang Family would have an excuse."

"Hmph, does the Jiang Family even deserve a Diamond-rank Demonic Beast? As long as I'm here, they shouldn't even think about it! It's not like I don't have a backer myself!"

As the only rising family among the Four Great Families, the Jiang Family didn't have the deep heritage and status that the other families possessed.

Yet they were still able to maintain their position within the Four Great Families because they had a very close relationship with another Level 100 War God of Great Xia.

Because of this, even the other three families had to be wary of the Jiang Family.

After all, that individual was notoriously lawless and completely unscrupulous.

While others feared the Jiang Family, Lin Xi did not. After all, that other Level 100 War God was his student.

"You're certainly not afraid, Elder Lin, but Su Ze might not be so lucky..."

Before Xiao Xu could finish, Lin Xi interrupted, "He's my student now too, which makes him that kid's junior brother. If his junior is in trouble, I don't believe he'd dare to stand idly by!"

"Besides... I'm enough to deal with ordinary people!"

"That's good, that's good..." Xiao Xu agreed.

"Alright, now that I know who the mastermind is, I should be going."

When Lin Xi pushed open the door to the principal's office, the cleaning lady was still standing there with her broom, watching him. Only after confirming he wouldn't vomit again did she pick up her bucket and drag her mop away.

Lin Xi watched the cleaning lady's departing figure, then looked back at Xiao Xu sitting behind the desk before shaking his head and leaving... On the other side, Su Ze, who had just finished being bandaged in the infirmary, saw an unexpected person.

"Captain Guo? Why are you here?" Su Ze asked, looking somewhat surprised.

He hadn't expected the news of his injury to reach the other's ears so quickly. Clearly, there were informants for the Daxia Spirit Guard within the Beast Taming University.

"I heard you were targeted, so I came specifically to check on you," Guo Linshan said as he looked Su Ze up and down, confirming he was in one piece.

As the captain of the Daxia Spirit Guard responsible for the safety of all Beishan City, appearing to visit Su Ze when he wasn't in mortal danger clearly showed how much he valued him.

Then Guo Linshan barked angrily, "Even the school's teachers have been infiltrated by others. How is Xiao Xu even running things as principal? And to think he guaranteed me you'd be safe in this school."

"Since your strength has reached the standards for joining the squad anyway, why not stop studying this crap and join the Great Xia Spirit Guards with me? It'll definitely be safer than here!"

But Su Ze shook his head and firmly refused, "No thanks, Captain Guo. I still have many things to learn. As for joining the Spirit Guard, let's wait until after graduation."

He hadn't forgotten that his initial goal was to investigate his parents' disappearance at Azure Dragon Beast Taming University.

Now that he had finally met the old man Lin Xi, who likely knew the details of what happened back then, Su Ze was naturally unwilling to give up now.

Moreover, he truly had learned a lot from Lin Xi.

Seeing his firm attitude, Guo Linshan didn't push further. "Alright, but I must take responsibility for your safety. Sun Hao, come in!"

"Yes!"

As soon as Guo Linshan finished speaking, a one-armed man walked in from outside.

Su Ze remembered him; he was the Great Xia Spirit Guards member who had been attacked by the Fusang Dark Guards at Tianyun Volcano.

Su Ze had even saved his life.

At the time, both of his arms had been severed. Now, his left arm was still wrapped in thick gauze and held in a sling, and the visible parts of his arm were covered in dense scars.

"Brother Su Ze, I've finally met you. You're my savior. If it weren't for you, I would have died long ago!" Sun Hao stepped forward and said warmly.

Guo Linshan explained from the side, "Both of Sun Hao's arms were severely injured. We treated them as quickly as possible, but in the end, the nerves in one of them died..."

"Normally, he should have retired in this condition, but he was unwilling and I couldn't force him. It just so happens that I can send him to your side to protect you, which can also be considered a way to repay the debt."

"I know you're very strong since you've contracted a Diamond-rank Demonic Beast, but he has extensive experience and can help you identify many hidden dangers."

"Furthermore, his salary, lodging, and meals will still be provided by the Great Xia Spirit Guards, so you don't need to worry about that."

Since things had been put this way, how could Su Ze possibly refuse?

Thus, Guo Linshan didn't stay long before hurrying back to handle official business, leaving Sun Hao to guard Su Ze.

The two looked at each other, feeling a bit awkward for a moment.

Especially when Xu Yao came looking for him.

Fortunately, Sun Hao gave Su Ze a "don't worry, I understand" look and then walked out of the room.

He hadn't left completely; Su Ze's sharp perception could tell he was still nearby, protecting him.

But at least the atmosphere was no longer so awkward.