The Entry-plundering Demon Hunter

Chapter 210: Chapter 210: Trust

”Well, well, you two are back already?”

Just as Wei Shang and Feng Lei returned to the academy,

they had just opened the door to their dorm room.

There was Wei Nan, sitting in the living room watching TV.

Wei Nan glanced back at them and nodded with a smile.

”Just got back. Are you guys done with your cultivation?”

”Yeah, just finished. We didn’t train for long before coming back. We were wondering if you’d accepted a mission yet...” Wei Shang said, walking into the living room and sitting down next to Wei Nan.

His eyes darted toward Lin Yi’s room.

”So, where’s Lin Yi? How come he isn’t out here watching TV with you?”

”Him? He’s always been a homebody. Likes to stay in his room by himself. Don’t worry about him!” Wei Nan replied with a laugh.

Wei Shang nodded, his gaze falling upon the television.

It was a movie—an action film.

Uncle Long’s comedic yet classic martial arts moves always managed to make you laugh when you least expected it.

Wei Nan had always been a huge fan of Uncle Long, watching his movies over and over again.

He had seen every single movie Uncle Long had ever starred in.

He’d lost count of how many times he’d rewatched them.

But for Wei Nan, they never got old.

About ten minutes later, Wei Shang spoke again. ”So, did you guys accept a mission?”

”Hm? A mission? Yeah, we did!”

Wei Nan snapped out of his daze, nodding with a smile.

”You all took one? What star level?”

A glint flashed in Wei Shang’s eyes as he pressed for details.

”3-star. Didn’t you tell us it’s best to start with a 3-star mission for our first time?”

”Lin Yi took a 3-star one too?”

Wei Nan nodded. ”Yep, all 3-star missions!”

”So when are you planning to go to Jail City? It just so happens that Feng Lei and I were also thinking of heading over to finish our enrollment missions.

Why don’t we all go together? We’d have company, and we could watch each other’s backs!”

Wei Shang said quickly with a smile.

’Isn’t this the perfect opportunity?’

’As long as we take Lin Yi and his friends to Jail City, and help them complete their enrollment mission, I can definitely earn Lin Yi’s complete trust.’

’Once I have his trust, this protection detail will be a whole lot easier.’

’And I might even score some points with Old He.’

However, Wei Nan just picked up the remote and said with a smile, ”Brother, I can’t make the call on something like this. It’s really up to Lin Yi.”

”Besides, aren’t you two local students? And you’re both already at the 3-star realm!”

”Maybe it’s better if we go our separate ways. If you came with us, I’m afraid we’d just slow you down!”

With that, Wei Nan turned off the TV.

He stood up from the sofa and said, ”I’m going to my room to rest for a bit. I’ll leave you two to it.”

Wei Nan walked around the sofa and went back to his room.

Wei Shang’s face was a picture of frustration.

That Wei Nan kid looked big and burly, like a brainless oaf.

But after interacting with him, he realized something.

Wei Nan was extremely vigilant, especially toward them, the local students.

He was deliberately keeping his distance.

”They’re on their guard against us,” Wei Shang muttered.

Feng Lei nodded. He wasn’t a man of many words.

But even he could see the wariness in Wei Nan’s eyes.

And the distance he was intentionally creating between them.

”I’m heading back to my room.”

Without another word, Feng Lei turned and walked back to his own room.

...

The moment Wei Nan got back to his room,

he eagerly grabbed his phone and sent a message to Lin Yi.

Wei Nan: Those two are back. They just told me they want to go to Jail City with us...

In Lin Yi’s room,

he wasn’t cultivating at all.

He was playing with Xiaoqi when his phone made the sound of a water drop.

He picked it up and took a look.

Lin Yi: Did you agree?

Wei Nan: How could I possibly agree? I told them you’re the one who calls the shots!

Lin Yi: ...

Lin Yi: You’re just setting me up, always kicking the trouble over to me... By the way, did you notice anything when you were talking to them just now?

Wei Nan: Not really. In fact, I think that Wei Shang guy seems pretty sincere. It doesn’t feel like he’s trying to screw us over. You think it could be a misunderstanding? Maybe he’s the best of a bad bunch, different from the other local students?

After reading Wei Nan’s reply,

Lin Yi fell silent.

It hadn’t even been a full day since they’d met Wei Shang.

However, the enthusiasm Wei Shang showed, and how overly familiar he was,

really didn’t seem like he had any intention of harming them. Even the things he’d told them about the academy and the basic information about the missions...

...had all been confirmed by Qin Zhaoxue.

Wei Shang hadn’t lied to them; everything he said was the truth.

For a local student to be so completely open with a few students from the Old District...

...was enough to prove his sincerity.

But Lin Yi still felt there was more to Wei Shang and Feng Lei than met the eye.

He just couldn’t put his finger on what the problem was.

After a long pause, Lin Yi finally replied: We’ve only known them for a day. It’s too early to make a judgment, and we can’t just trust someone so easily. Let’s interact with them for a few more days and see.

Lin Yi: The original plan stands. Meet at the academy’s main gate at eight tonight. We’re going to Jail City!

Wei Nan: Got it. I’ll let Zhou Qi, Sun Tao, and Shen Mengyi know!

...

In the next room.

”Elder He, it’s not that I’m not trying, but those kids are as cunning as they come!”

”I feel like I’ve bared my soul to them, telling them everything I could and couldn’t say.

I thought I’d earn their trust, but who would’ve thought they’d keep me at arm’s length?”

”Who can I even complain to about this bitterness in my heart? I’m the one who’s feeling wronged here!”

Wei Shang said into the phone, his face full of grievance.

The moment he finished, Old He’s voice came from the other end of the line.

”Wronged my ass! Wei Shang, do you even have a brain?”

”I told you to befriend Lin Yi so it would be easier to protect him up close!”

”And what do you do? You make them even more suspicious of you! If you’d used your brain just a little, things wouldn’t have ended up like this!”

”Who spills that much information to someone they just met? Even if you were going to tell them, you should have found the right time to reveal things little by little! But no, you were so ’enthusiastic’ you just blurted it all out!”

”Besides, you’re a local student. The way local students treat those from the Old District—are you telling me you don’t know, or that they can’t see it?”

”I wouldn’t have even said anything if you’d acted all high and mighty. But you actually...”

On the other end of the line, Old He was so angry he was speechless.

After a long moment, he continued, ”Are you up to this or not? If not, then just pull out. I’ll arrange for someone else to take over your assignment!”

”No, no, no! Elder He, I can do it! I swear I can!”

”Don’t worry, I will definitely gain their trust!”

”This is just the beginning, right? I was just being careless!”

”Just give me a few more days, and I promise I’ll become best buddies with Lin Yi and his group, okay?”

Hearing that he might be replaced, Wei Shang panicked and immediately refused.

The Town Martial Department had a rule.

If any member of the Town Martial Department was replaced during a mission,

it meant the mission was a failure.

And mission failure meant facing disciplinary action.

This punishment was severe enough to make them lose their current identity, status, and everything they had.

All their efforts would be for nothing, and they would have to start over from scratch.

That was something no one in the Town Martial Department could accept.

When they received a mission, they would do everything in their power to complete it.

They would never allow the word ”failure” to be associated with them.

Old He was silent on the phone for a long moment before he said coldly, ”If you can’t gain Lin Yi’s trust within three days, you can wait to be replaced!”

”Yes, yes, yes, Elder He, I promise I’ll complete the mission...”

Wei Shang was so scared he broke out in a cold sweat, nodding and agreeing profusely.

It wasn’t until he heard a BEEP BEEP BEEP that Wei Shang finally hung up the phone.

He raised a hand to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead.

”How did it go? What did Old He say?”

Feng Lei, who had been sitting beside him the whole time, quickly asked.

Wei Shang glanced at him. ”You know what Old He’s personality is like!”

”Lin Yi’s group is suspicious of us. Old He wants to replace us, and that means the mission would be a failure, right?

So I just had to beg and plead to get us one more chance!”

”Old He said we have three days to gain Lin Yi’s trust, or else what’s waiting for us... is still being replaced!”

Feng Lei: ”...”

”I just don’t get it. What’s gotten into Old He? He’s just a student from the Old District. Even if his talent is good, it’s not to this extent, right?”

”Making us provide close protection is one thing, but to be this strict about it?”

Feng Lei was also finding it hard to understand.

Wei Shang shot him a look. ”You might not know, but I think I’ve figured a thing or two out!”

”Oh? Then let’s hear it!” Feng Lei’s interest was piqued.

Wei Shang was silent for a moment, then whispered, ”Martial God!”

”Martial God? What do you mean?” Feng Lei was baffled.

”I’m telling you, can’t you use that brain of yours for once? Have you forgotten about the white tiger appearing in the sky two months ago?” Wei Shang was on the verge of shouting.

But Feng Lei just nodded calmly. ”I haven’t forgotten. What about it?”

”Holy shit... why is talking to you so exhausting?”

”The White Tiger! The Star Constellation White Tiger! It’s a sign of a Martial God descending to the mortal world, called the White Tiger Martial God!”

”Old He and the others were in the Old District before, searching for the Martial God!”

”After the martial arts exam ended, Old He, the Old Beggar, and the others all returned without a word.

And now, they’ve given us this mission to protect this student named Lin Yi!”

”Do you get it now?”

After he finished, Feng Lei just nodded, his expression still calm.

”I get it. You’re saying that student, Lin Yi... he might be... the White Tiger Martial God?”

Wei Shang nodded repeatedly. ”Exactly! You finally understand!”

”Besides that, I can’t think of any other reason why the two of us would be assigned to protect a student from the Old District!”

”It’s very likely. He is the White Tiger Martial God!”

”Mm, now that you put it that way, it’s highly possible. His talent, Old He’s attitude, and the mission assigned to us... he very well could be the future White Tiger Martial God!”

”But then again, how are we supposed to gain his trust?”

Wei Shang: ”...Wait. When it’s time for dinner, we’ll knock on their door and ask them to eat with us!”

”There’s nothing that can’t be solved at the dinner table. Gaining their trust is no different!”