Chapter 60: Fall Guy

He had never hated himself so much before. All he could do was stare at the ceiling. He could not cultivate for his actions had introduced new turmoil into his psyche, making it impossible for him to use Cracked Earth meditation technique. He could not train his body as he was still recovering. All he could do was watch the ceiling as his mind consumed itself in self-loathing and hate.

Zen rolled to his side when he heard someone approaching, glad to be temporarily free from his thoughts. “Jiahai?” Zen said, seeing the flustered expression on his friend’s face. “What’s wrong?”

“Bao and the gang were stopped from framing Chen Jian.” Jiahai said. “And they were almost caught in the act.”

“Were… Were you there?”

Jiahai shook his head. “Bao thought I’d slow them down because of my injuries, so he told me to stay behind.”

Zen held back a sigh of relief.

“But things are still pretty bad.” Jiahai said. “Apparently, Xu Hao led the academy officials to Bao, she said she has a source who told her everything.”

Zen stiffened at the mention of a source. “Did they say who the source was.”

Jiaha shook his head, “Apparently, she’s keeping their identity secret. Bao believes that it is one of us but I don’t. None of us would betray each other. Xu Hao’s source must be someone else!”

“Y-Yeah,” Zen said. “Did they say anything about me?”

“We were mentioned but on the count of you and I being injured and bedridden during the stealing of the pills, I think we may get off a little lighter.” Jiahai folded his arms and furrowed his brow. “Someone is trying to take out us and our friends. Whoever it Is will not be forgiven. Right?”

Zen simply nodded.

Nearly half of Bao’s group was being suspended or having their medicinal pills withheld for their crimes. Xaun Bao was facing the worst punishment for being the ring leader as he was being threatened with expulsion. His fate was yet to be decided as he was fighting the accusations with all his efforts. Everyone was also asking about who Xu Hao’s source was.

Zen knew all of this because of the medical practitioners attending to him. They whispered and exchanged gossip when they thought he was not paying attention or when his eyes were closed in rest but his ears were always open. Once again, a new bout of rumours had risen with his name intermixed. He had always wanted to be spoken about. His name on the lips of the people who would call him a powerful and famous hero. Not the noble who was defeated in 3 seconds by a commoner; not the bathhouse pervert who spied on the city lord’s daughter and certainly not the conspirator who stole from his school to frame an innocent party.

He sighed and rolled on his side in the bed, growing tired of the ceiling. He caressed Shibi, the only real company he has had in the past three days. He had begun to worry about Jiahai. He not seen him since the time he had made him aware of the situation. He had already decided that he would see Jiahai later tonight when he would be discharged. The healers had said that he was close to full recovery and he agreed, moving carried a milder pain then before.

The light had faded and night had fallen. Zen walked beneath the stars, breathing in the cold and fresh air. He was happy to be out of the hospital. He giggled as Shibi zipped around the grass as he made his way to Jiahai’s dorm.

He froze for a moment when he saw a group of people standing by the entrance of the building.

“Shibi,” he said.

The scorch ape climbed to his shoulder before he walked forward. He recognised one a tall figure in the group, wearing a yellow robe, fluttering in the night breeze.

“Teacher Lu Daomeng?” Zen said.

Lu Daomeng turned around, “Wang Zen?”

“What is teacher doing?” Zen asked when Lu Daomeng started looking around.

“I’m waiting for lightning to strike me.” Lu Daomeng said. “When you’re around, it usually means trouble.

Zen grumbled at the joke. He saw a few familiar faces, the people he usually hung around with… plan conspiracies with gathered, even Xaun Boa was amongst the faces. “What is everyone doing here?”

Lu Daomeng arched an eyebrow. “You don’t know. Strange. I’m here to escort the ring leader of the whole medicinal pill debacle. He is being expelled.”

“Xaun Boa?” Zen looked at Bao, who did not look like a boy who was about to get expelled.

“If you said that yesterday… maybe.” Lu Daomeng said. “But there’s the real leader.”

Zen followed Lu Daomeng’s line of sight to see a boy carrying all his luggage.

“Chu Jiahai.”