Chapter 545: Enquiry Meeting
After everyone was seated, Yu Mei cleared her throat and began with the main topic. “First of all, Xiao Lin, please tell us about everything that happened after leaving Dawn City. I hope for a truthful report, so do not conceal anything.”
Looking at Yu Mei’s meaningful gaze, Xiao Lin glanced at the other monitors who were not far away. He immediately understood that the question had already been asked to the others; if he concealed anything, he would just cause distrust.
There was nothing much to hide anyway. Xiao Lin started recalling, and slowly recounted everything, from riding the griffins to Rosa Kingdom and their promise with An Fumin, then to being ambushed and kidnapped. Then, he told of him working with the emba.s.sy to look for the other monitors before ending the story at the siege and the defense of the city.
However, Xiao Lin had done something there, and concealed Ibeiya’s matters. After all, the other monitors knew nothing about it, and it would be part of the amba.s.sador’s debrief anyway.
No one interrupted him, and there was a long silence after that. Yu Mei and the student union president did not speak, and everyone’s gazes landed on the few old folks sitting at the back. It was obvious they were the main actors of the questioning.
After a few minutes, a somewhat younger man cleared his throat before starting his questions. The questions were a little strange, asking about who made the decision to ride griffins, and whether or not he had prior ties to An Fumin. Then he asked how they chose the route after arriving at the Rosa Kingdom, the timing of the night attacks, and how the villagers looked.
If one did not pay special attention, he might not have remembered it, but as Xiao Lin’s Academic Genius improved, his memory became shocking, and clearly remembered many of the details.
That caused the other monitors to have awkward expressions, because their initial answers were all very vague. However, the questioner did not care about that, and after finishing his questioning, he nodded slightly, showing that he was done.
“If there are no other questions, shall we end things here?” Yu Mei took the chance to stand up and speak.
“Hold on, Xiao Lin. How do you view what happened this time?” a lanky old man suddenly interrupted, drawing some strange looks from the others, but no one said anything.
“Are you sure you want me to say? To be honest?”
“Xiao Lin!” The student union president coughed drying, throwing a glare to motion for Xiao Lin to speak properly.
Xiao Lin shrugged, saying, “Fine. First of all, someone knew about our entire journey. Even within the royal city, it was obvious our opponents knew everything about us. I’m not suspecting anything, but don’t you think that, instead of questioning us, you should be investigating our intelligence department?”
“So you think we have a traitor?” The old man helped Xiao Lin put his words into a more direct manner.
Xiao Lin said nothing, rolling his eyes. He did not say that, and he did not mean to directly convey it. However, that direct accusation still caused a shift in everyone else’s expressions. The old man was unperturbed, but his words seemed to carry a form of pressure, continuing, “What? Why aren’t you continuing? You want to say that we have someone who sold your information to the natives. You think we betrayed Dawn Academy–no–betrayed humanity?”
The old man was definitely not benevolent; the pressure from his gaze seemed to be aimed directly at Xiao Lin. Only when two people’s skills were too distant to be compared could such a pressure be formed. Xiao Lin had felt it from the dean before, but this was much more condensed.
“No, I’m not pointing fingers at anyone! Nor am I challenging anyone! However, please open your eyes and properly look at what Asabanor did in the Rosa Kingdom. If we don’t stop him, the consequences will be unimaginable.” Xiao Lin forcibly fought the churning of his internal organs and shouted out; only with his shouts could he slightly reduce the pressure the old man was forcing on him.
After he was done, even Yu Mei and the student union president were looking at him strangely, as if they wanted to remind him of something. However, no one had the chance to speak under that old man’s pressure.
Only after several minutes pa.s.sed did the tension in the room suddenly disappear. As if he had suddenly been relieved of a thousand kilo burden, Xiao Lin’s entire body relaxed. His panting felt like he had just survived a calamity.
The old man already withdrew the pressure he unleashed, and calmly looked at Xiao Lin, “Young man, I know of your potential. In fact, your future will go much further than all of us old folks that are about to die combined.”
Pausing, the old man’s words suddenly turned stern. “But that’s still in the future. You’re still too weak now, and you right now have no right to give your opinion on anything. The dean, that old fart, protects you, and I can understand it, nor do I mind giving you some benefits, but do not challenge my limits!
“Do you think I wouldn’t know about you intentionally hiding the vampire girl becoming the queen? Do you think I don’t know of your conflict with Asabanor? Those are not things you can interfere with!”
Xiao Lin unreservedly locked gazes with the old man. From the man’s tone, he was definitely someone big. There were not many who dared to call the dean an old fart in Dawn Academy.
“The meeting will end here; this matter should never have been something the little kids could interfere with. We’ll send them back to Dawn Academy this evening. Other than that, I’m issuing an order under my authority. First-year student Xiao Lin, from today until he graduates, will not be allowed to enter the colonial territories.” The old man issued the order leaving no room for objection, ignoring Xiao Lin’s angry glare, and no one dared to voice any objections.
“Dismissed.”
As the crowd slowly dispersed, looking at the old man beginning to leave, Xiao Lin immediately ran after him. However, Xiao Lin was stopped mid-way, and could only shout, “There’s still the box. Whoever you are, you at least need to investigate it harder!”
“Don’t worry about that. You’re very special to us. Just graduate; that will be your greatest contribution to Dawn Academy. Don’t disappoint the last wish that old fart made before he left.”
Xiao Lin had wanted to object, but the old man’s last words stunned him. After losing his focus for a moment, he shouted in anger, “What did you say? Last wish? What happened to the dean! What is going on with the dean right now!”