93: Chapter 93 There are no hidden feelings

It was eight or nine in the morning, and the sun was already hanging high in the sky.

With a soft click of the key turning in the lock, Qin Ding pushed the door open. However, as soon as one foot crossed the threshold, he froze in place as if hit by an immobilization spell.

"Awoo?" [Boss, why are you blocking the door? If you're not going in, move aside.]

Da Hei, blocked behind him, grew impatient. It stretched out a furry paw and pushed the door open a bit wider.

In that instant, its gaze passed over Qin Ding's back and took in the situation inside the room.

Immediately after, this usually fierce black wolf shrank back in a rare display of hesitation.

By the doorway, Bai Muxue was sitting upright on a chair, facing the entrance. At her feet, the usually lazy Spirit Fox was crouching on the ground, its vertical pupils staring straight at the doorway, exuding an icy, scrutinizing chill.

For some reason, a sudden chill shot through Da Hei, as if it had been caught red-handed doing something bad.

It subconsciously licked its dry lips, obediently retracted its paw, and sat down beside Qin Ding's feet, tail drooping, quietly waiting for its boss to break the ice.

"Hmm?" The commotion inside the room woke Bai Muxue from her light slumber.

She slowly opened her eyes. The moment she looked up, her gaze met Qin Ding and Da Hei standing at the door. She blinked, and after confirming she hadn't seen wrong, her previously quiet figure suddenly sprang up.

Clang!

The chair was knocked over by the force of her rising, emitting a harsh sound.

Qin Ding, who had been wondering how to explain himself a second ago, suddenly felt a fragrant breeze rush towards him. The next moment, his body sank as a warm, soft figure crashed into his arms.

That familiar, cold scent like cedarwood drifted into his nostrils, strangely smoothing out the bit of awkward anxiety in his heart.

"Mu Xue, you've been here… waiting since last night?" Qin Ding's voice was a bit hoarse.

"Not since last night." Bai Muxue buried her face in the crook of his neck and rubbed against it gently. Her fair cheek pressed against his mud-stained skin without a hint of disgust, only relieved relaxation.

"I came back the moment the Federation issued the announcement yesterday morning."

Thank you… thank you, Heaven, for not taking this person away from me again in the same way.

Qin Ding's arm, which had been suspended in mid-air, paused for a moment before finally lowering slowly. He gently wrapped it around her back and patted her twice. Just as he was about to speak, he was choked off by Bai Muxue's words.

"You reek of rotting mud and water. There is no place outside the East City that smells like a swamp."

"Did you just come out of a Spirit Realm? A swamp Spirit Realm, at that?"

The development of events was completely outside of Qin Ding's expectations. His Adam's apple bobbed as he rested his chin on her slender shoulder and nodded, appearing slightly clumsy.

"Yeah, a swamp Spirit Realm. Killed someone, helped someone, and managed to get some Spirit Beast resources that Da Hei can use. The person I saved also owes me a reward."

Upon hearing about killing and helping someone, Bai Muxue's expression changed instantly. The relief in her eyes vanished, replaced by a familiar, cold sharpness.

She abruptly broke free from Qin Ding's embrace, dragged Qin Ding and Da Hei into the room, and slammed the door shut with a bang.

"Tell me, who provoked you."

About a quarter of an hour later, Qin Ding briefly recounted the events of the Spirit Realm, including what City Lord Mo Qian had said.

Bai Muxue sat quietly on the sofa, her cold Aura undiminished. Only when she looked up at the tear near Qin Ding's shoulder and the newly healed wound did the frost in her eyes quietly melt, turning into a trace of heartache.

"You killed that many Spirit Beasts?" She spoke softly, her tone devoid of blame, instead carrying a trace of complex approval. "Ah Ding is amazing."

Then, she changed the subject, aiming straight for the core of the matter.

"However, just listen to what City Lord Mo Qian said and leave it at that. He has no intention of nurturing you; he just wants to be a spectator, waiting to see if you can grow. This is the usual style of most high-ranking Federation officials."

"As for that Enforcer from Tianshui City… since he believed what Cui Yan said, and assuming no one tipped him off, he basically won't be able to react because his heart is already dead."

"But if he wakes up and comes looking for you soon, then there can only be two sources of the leak."

Bai Muxue stared intently at Qin Ding. "Either it's Cui Yan, or it's the mayor of our Chang City."

Qin Ding listened very carefully, and it was precisely because of this focus that he caught something unusual in Bai Muxue's words.

The common failing of most high-ranking Federation officials? Is Mu Xue's teacher a high-ranking Federation official?

Combined with the bond they had shared since childhood, Qin Ding asked without a moment's hesitation the second the thought crossed his mind. "Mu Xue, is your teacher a high-ranking Federation official?"

Bai Muxue was clearly stunned for a moment, then regained her composure and nodded frankly.

"Yes, Teacher Dugu Meng, Vice President of the Breeder Association in the Federation City. A very powerful Breeder." Speaking of this past, a smile appeared on her face.

"Remember that notebook I gave you? I started collecting information about the Life and Death Contract on various official forums last year."

"That was also when I met her, and the reason I became her student was that she discovered during our chats that I could chime in on a variety of topics."

"Even that phrase about the common failing of most high-ranking Federation officials was something she told me. High-ranking Federation officials don't care who you are or what your status is; they only care about whether you have the ability."

Bai Muxue shrugged.

"It seems our top student is not only a top student in Chang City, but also outside of it, being able to win over such a big shot."

Qin Ding blinked. After digesting this bombshell of news, a sincere smile appeared on his face.

Just as the two were talking, Da Hei, crouching to the side, was enduring the Spirit Fox's hair-raising stare. It couldn't help but cast a pleading look at Qin Ding for help.

However, its boss was pretending to be blind, even deliberately turning his head to avoid its gaze.

"Woo..." [You big black dog, you have no idea how worried Mu Xue was about you…]

Da Hei: ? What the heck? Who's worried about me? Bai Muxue is worried about me? I believe she's worried about me, but how did those words come out of your mouth?

A look of astonishment flashed through its dark wolf eyes. In an instant, Da Hei saw through the Spirit Fox's intentions. Without exposing it, it pitifully lowered its head and looked up at the Spirit Fox.

"Woo..." [It's my fault for making sister Mu Xue worry. I won't do it next time. It's just that my back hurts so much, and Boss won't even put medicine on it for me…]

Seeing this, the Spirit Fox on the ground widened its black-bean-like eyes. It panicked and darted to Da Hei's side, gently pressed its little paw against Da Hei's belly, then hurriedly ran behind it and blew gently on the wound.

"Ying..." [Big black dog! You can't die! You're my only friend, don't die!]

Huh?! A friend?!

Hearing this, Da Hei's eyes widened sharply. It had only been faking it before, but now it was actually dying a little.

There will be an extra update tomorrow, an extra update for your five-star reviews.