Rise of The Demon General

Chapter 226: Chapter 226. To Go or Not to Go?

Standing at the center of the main plaza was a group comprised of several students. Most of these students Amon had never officially met, but he knew them all. The reason he knew them was because he had gone around and furtively checked on them. These were the well-known members of the old factions.

Twelve people gathered there. Five were from the Nobles faction. They were Gao Tien, Gao Sou, Gao Xiong, Yan Woo, and Wu Chun. Three were Xian Yang, Xian Mei, and Ling Tao from the Virtuous faction. A woman named Zhong Xia was from the Astute faction. Lin Fung from the Bloodless faction. Wei Cao from the Heroic faction. The last one was an adult who Amon guessed to be a teacher. Amon didn’t know this teacher, but the teacher shared similar facial characteristics to Gao Tien and Gao Sou.

At first, Amon wondered if this group gathered here for a different purpose than him. He was about to move away when he heard Ha Gild’s voice.

”Teacher Gao Xi! Good morning! I see you have gathered everyone. Good! Good!”

Ha Gild came and greeted the adult in the group whom Amon didn’t recognize. They laughed and chatted for a short moment before Ha Gild asked, ”So, is everyone ready to leave?”

”Tutor Ha Gild, what is the meaning of this?” Amon asked.

Ha Gild turned to Amon with a confused expression.

”How dare you speak so rudely, you impudent student!” Gao Xi scolded Amon.

Ha Gild waved for Gao Xi to calm down. He then asked Amon, ”I don’t understand. Do you have a complaint, student Lin Mo?”

”I certainly do,” Amon answered. ”These people are not the ones you said are joining the group.”

Ha Gild turned and looked at the other students. ”Now that you mentioned it. They certainly are not,” he said. He took out the parchment he showed Amon two weeks ago.

He asked Gao Xi, ”Teacher Gao Xi, are these students the ones going on the mission? They are different from the list you gave me.”

Gao Xi came to look at the parchment in Ha Gild’s hand. He made a surprised expression before saying, ”I’m sorry, Tutor Ha Gild. It seems I’ve given you the wrong list. This is the list of students doing a different project for me. Forgive my carelessness. This is the correct list.”

Gao Xi gave Ha Gild another parchment. After looking at the parchment, the older tutor nodded. ”The names are correct this time, but there are two students here but not on the list.”

”I’m just here to wish good luck to my uncle and cousin,” Gao Tien said.

”I’m the same. I’m sending my sister off,” Xian Yang said, referring to Xian Mei.

”Okay. Because the slot for this mission is only ten students; Eight senior students, one junior, and one freshman,” Ha Gild said.

Amon could see that Gao Xi only pretended to be surprised about the parchment. He knew damn well it was the wrong parchment. Amon did not doubt the uncle mentioned by Gao Tien was this teacher.

’Bloody hell, it’s a trap!’ Amon thought.

”Tutor Ha Gild, I want to quit this mission,” Amon said.

Ha Gild again looked at Amon with a confused expression. ”Why?” He asked.

”Student Lin Mo!” Gao Xi exclaimed. ”You are not allowed to leave the mission at the last minute like this! Do you expect us to delay the mission and look for a substitute? If you insist on quitting, we will penalize 10,000 academic points from you.”

Amon clenched his fist. He couldn’t afford to lose more academic points when he was so in need of them. But if he went along with this mission, his life would be at risk. Comparing the risks between the two options, preserving his life was, of course, the priority. He had no choice but to take a loss on his academic points.

He was about to tell Ha Gild he insisted on not going with the mission when a voice interrupted them.

”Everyone has gathered. This looks fun! Luckily, I’m in time to join!”

Everyone turned to the voice and saw five people approaching. Amon knew them all. Four were students. They were Zhuan San, Tuang Yin, Wu Di, and Xa Jien. The last one was one of the female teachers, Yong Ling. The one who spoke just now was Zhuan San.

Gao Xi looked at these four students with a hostile gaze. He then turned to Yong Ling, ”Teacher Ling, why are you here?”

”Why? To join your mission, of course,” it was Zhuan San who answered the question.

”I’m not asking you, student. Know your place!” Gao Xi returned with hostility.

”It is as he said, teacher Xi,” Yong Ling replied. ”I will be accompanying you to oversee this mission.”

”This is absurd! Why am I not informed about this?” Gao Xi turned to Ha Gild.

Ha Gild scratched his head. He seemed to have no clue as well. He told Yong Ling, ”Teacher Ling, I’m happy if more students embark on this mission, but the budget the principal granted me is just enough for ten students. I don’t have the clearance for extra academic points to reward additional participants.”

”There is no need to worry about that. I will provide the clearance.”

Another voice was heard. They looked up and saw Lao Zen. He flew down and landed among them.

”But... But..., Head tutor Lao. These students are all freshman students,” Gao Xi stammered. ”They will just be a hindrance to the mission.”

”Isn’t the mission just to survey?” Lao Zen asked. ”These extra participants will only observe. They won’t get in the way.”

”That’s right, Teacher Gao. There is no need for you to worry about us,” Zhuan San said. ”Even though we are freshman students, we are all among the top ten. We know how to take care of ourselves.”

”I didn’t ask you!” Gao Xi hissed at Zhuan San. He thought this student was very impolite.

”Teacher Xi, I will be the one responsible for these freshman students,” Yong Ling said. ”You don’t need to worry about them.”

”That is beside the point...! Head Tutor Lao Zen, please rethink this!” Gao Xi pleaded.

Lao Zen gave Gao Xi the hand signal to stop. He said, ”I have spoken. These freshman students will join the mission. If you are not satisfied, I will pick a replacement teacher to accompany Teacher Yong in this mission.”

”I...,” Gao Xi was at a loss. He glanced at Gao Tien, who made a subtle nod.

”Fine... they can come,” Gao Xi had no choice but to accept.

”By the way, student Lin Mo. Do you still wish to quit?” Ha Gild asked Amon.

Amon looked between the original group and Zhuan San’s group. Other than Tuang Yin, he couldn’t say that he knew the other four from Zhuan San’s group well enough, but at least he knew they never meant him harm and were not part of the old factions.

”Boyfriend, we can finally go on a mission together!” Tuang Yin told Amon. ”You’ve always prevented me from joining you. You are not going to quit now, are you?”

Amon ignored her. He continued to ponder his options. With Yong Ling present, the risk to his life had been greatly reduced. He didn’t know the two teachers’ cultivation, but comparing the danger he detected from the two, he could tell that Yong Ling was stronger.

”What’s the matter, brother Lin Mo? Don’t tell me you are not going?” Zhuan San asked. ”I intentionally asked to join because I heard you are doing this mission. It will be pointless if you are not going.”

”Same with me, haha!” Wu Di exclaimed.

Amon ignored the two. He was still evaluating the risks and gains of going on the mission compared to the certain losses if he quit the mission. He didn’t think for long. He was not an indecisive person.

”All right, I’ll go,” Amon said.

”Of course, you will!” Tuang Yin clasped Amon’s shoulder.

”Phew, I never expected my mission to cause so much fuss even before it started. Are we ready to go now?” Ha Gild asked, but then he noticed Gao Xi and the original group were clustering a small distance away. They seemed to be discussing something. Ha Gild shook his head. It seemed the fuss had not yet ended.

Amon noticed an interesting point from the original group. They were clustering together except for two people, Lin Fung and Wei Cao. These two were still standing nearby. They didn’t join Gao Tien’s group. He surmised from this incident the Bloodless and Heroic factions weren’t among the groups that set this trap for him.

Even so, he didn’t consider the two as friendlies. Everyone in the Lin Clan except for Madam Lin’s camp didn’t see him favorably. He believed this Lin Fung was the same. As for Wei Cao, he could safely assume everyone from the Wei Clan was hostile.

After a minute, the original group finally returned. Gao Tien and Xian Yang didn’t come with them. The two left after finishing whatever discussion they had.

”Are you all finally ready to go?” Ha Gild asked. There was annoyance in his tone.

”The ones from my side are ready,” Gao Xi said.

”Same,” Yong Ling said.

”Praise the Gods,” Ha Gild responded. ”Follow me!”