Chapter 61: The Source

Wang Zen could not believe it. He saw Chu Jiahai with his luggage and had heard Lu Daomeng calling his name but he still could not believe it.

“But Jiahia is not the leader!”

“And how would you know, huh?” Lu Daomeng gave him a sidelong glance.

“Well… I…” Zen shut his lips tight as Jiahai came closer.

“Wang Zen?” Jiahai said when he was nearby.

“Jiahai, I need to talk to you!” Zen said, grabbing a hold of Jiahai and dragging him away.

“Wang Zen!” Lu Daomeng said as Zen dragged away Jiahai, leaving a trail of Jiahai’s luggage behind.

“Sorry teacher, please give us a moment!”

“That boy is trouble,” Lu Daomeng whispered to himself.

When Zen was sure he was from earshot, he stopped. “Jiahai, what are you doing? Hy are they calling you the ring leader?”

Jiahai looked away. “I know what I’m doing.”

“Then make me understand. Why are you taking the fall for Xuan Bao.”

Jiahai kept quiet for a few moments. “Xuan Bao offered to make a partnership with my family if I take the fall for him.”

“What? But… Why would…”

“You know my family is struggling.” Jiahai said. “A partnership with the Xuan family could stop my family’s decline.

“But Jiahai…”

“Please trust me,” Jiahai said. He smiled at Zen’s concerned look and patted him on the shoulder. “It has been good being your friend.”

Zen opened his mouth but Jiahai left before he could say anything else.

“Alright sir,” Jiahai said as he approached Lu Daomeng, “I’m ready to go.”

“Jiahai, good.” Bao said, the tense look on his face easing once he saw Jiahai. “What did Wang Zen want?”

“Nothing,” Jiahai answered quickly.

“How is it any of your business what Wang Zen wanted from Jiahai, “Xaun Bao?” Lu Daomeng said.

“I was just asking out of interest, sir.” Xuan Bao gave a friendly smile to the teacher.

“Alright then Jiahai,” Lu Daomeng said. “I will escort you off the academy premises.”

“Wait!”

Everyone stopped and looked at Wang Zen.

“Chu Jiahai is not the ring leader,” Zen said.

“Quiet, Wnag Zen!” Bao growled.

Jiahai looked at Wang Zen pleadingly.

Lu Daomenng narrowed his eyes at them. “Wang Zen, there are only two parties who could make that kind of claim with any credit, either one of the accused or the source of Xu Hao information. Ou’re not one of the accused and since Xu Hao is not here, we cannot ask her to confirm what you’ve said with her secret source. So what your saying has little weight in this situation.”

The place fell quiet, as if Lu Daomeng was waiting, daring them to speak further. When the silence persisted, he sighed. “Come Jiahai, let’s go.”

Jiahai nodded and made to move.

“Wait!” Zen said again, throwing a spanner in the proceedings. “Teacher said my word has no credibility in this case, but teacher is wrong.”

“What do you mean, Wang Zen?”

“I… I am Xu Hao’s source.”

Everyone gasped at this.

“Lies!” Bao shouted.

“Teacher Lu Daomeng, you can ask her or even Hao Meng, they’ll support it.” Zen said, looking down, not daring to look at any of the people he had just admitted to betraying. “As the source, I am telling you that Chu Jiahai had nothing to do with this.”

“You-You rat!” Bao shouted before charging forward. His fist and forearm rippled dangerously with energy, as if it was radiating heat.

Lu Daomeng stood between him and Zen and grabbed the fatter boy’s wrist his arm vibrated when he held on to Bao’s wrist and he eventually lost his grasp on the attacking boy’s wrist and was sent stumbling back.

“I’ll kill you!” Bao shouted as he barrelled towards Zen at a great speed.

Zen instinctively raised his hands for a fight. Bao’s fist was stopped a few inches away from his face, the vibrating energy sending Zen’s teeth chattering. Zen looked up and thankfully saw that Lu Daomeng had recovered and was holding Xuan Bao back by the scruff of his shirt.

“Get your hands off me, you filthy commoner!” Bao turned, his other arm rippling with energy ready to strike Lu Daomeng.

Lu Daomeng gave him no chance, using his hold on the fat boy to off balance him and throw his on his back. Daomeng slammed his foot into the boy’s chest, killing all the energy he was emanating and keeping him pinned on the ground.

“I am a commoner,” Lu Daomeng said in a voice so calm, that it was dangerous. “However, before you hurl insults at me, I suggest you remember that this commoner is your superior, both in power and in position.”

Bao stopped struggling under the adults foot after hearing the dangerously calm tone in Lu Daomeng’s voice.

Lu Daomeng let him up after some time. “Everyone, go back to your dorms, including you, Chu Jiahai! This matter will need further investigation.”

Bao looked at Wang Zen, who had cast his eyes to the ground at his feet. “Wang Zen, I will not forget this.” Bao said as he began walking backwards to leave, his face leaving the artificial light around him, casting it in darkness. “You will pay for this, you bribeblood!”