Chapter 51: Chapter 51 Turbulence_1
Translator: 549690339
Link found Jasmine’s tone a bit odd.
Exactly how it was odd, he couldn’t pinpoint.
Brushing off the thought, Link got back to the matter at hand: “Don’t rush into this decision, think it over. Helping in the lab will take up a lot of your study time after all.”
“There’s no need to think it over, I’m in,” Jasmine said with an unusually steadfast tone. “Without your guidance, I wouldn’t be able to focus on my studies anyway. And who in their right mind would reject the chance to work in such a high-tech lab? I am well aware of the significance of experimentations for our training!”
“Alright then.”
Link nodded, convinced that Jasmine genuinely wanted to help out in the lab as his assistant, so he didn’t try to dissuade her further.
The lab was kept immaculate by the Intelligent Puppet, so they wouldn’t need to worry about cleaning up.
Without further ado, they quickly left.
The schoolhouse.
As always, Link and Jasmine arrived early at the classroom for self-study.
However, something strange happened.
Almost everyone who entered the classroom after them stole glances in Link’s direction.
Some even huddled together, whispering among themselves.
Link was unfazed. Using the “Mind Closure Technique,” he could control his emotions effectively.
Jasmine, though, wasn’t faring as well.
Halfway through the autumn term, a large portion of Newbloods had been promoted to First Rank Wizard Apprentices, their spiritual power both quantitatively and qualitatively enhanced.
The eyes are the body parts most capable of transmitting emotions and will, hence why we describe someone’s eyes as being ‘bright and spirited’.
With the enhancement in spiritual power, the intensity and richness of the emotions and will conveyed by one’s gaze were naturally boosted as well.
Especially after Jasmine was promoted to a First Rank Wizard Apprentice, her perception became even sharper.
As a result, Jasmine felt an unsettling sensation, as if something was prickling her.
She felt extremely uncomfortable, her scalp tingling.
Unable to concentrate on her studies, Jasmine put down her book and pen, pulled out her handheld device, browsed “Forum” to kill time.
Not long afterwards, letting out a soft gasp, Jasmine nudged Link, handing over her device for him to read what she just discovered.
Link glanced at it, finding his own “photo” and biography displayed on the screen.
The “photo” was a headshot, likely taken within the first two weeks of school.
At the time, Link was sitting in the library’s reading room, staring out of the window to ease the pressure on his brain.
The photographer might have been capturing the library, capturing Link in the process conveniently.
Not until the exam results were released with Link grabbing headlines, did they post the “photo” to ride the wave of his popularity.
However, what bothered Link was not the “photo.”
But rather a remark in the biography, “Suspected behind-the-scenes manipulator of the infighting between Deputy President of New Blood Mutual Aid Association, Rives Francis, and core members, and the prime suspect for murdering Erick Burnalis.”
Not many people knew about these two incidents.
The one most suspicious of spreading this information among the insiders was Mina Havcheck.
Yet, other possibilities could not be ruled out.
For instance…
Link looked up, sweeping his gaze around the room, spotted five familiar figures huddled in a corner, whispering among themselves.
After a thought, Link didn’t wave them over; instead, he stood up and walked over to them.
Who would’ve thought that as Link approached, the atmosphere became somewhat odd.
The five of them first stopped whispering, faces stiffening, then actually began trembling.
“Why are you shaking? I’m not going to eat you.”
Link wore a smile, speaking softly, “How did your exams go? You all seemed to be studying really hard previously.”
These five guys had indeed worked harder than before, ever since they were disciplined by Link’s fists and stare.
“It… It’s okay. We… We all ranked in the top twenty.”
The one who replied was the same guy who pipe up last time, albeit stuttering a little.
Link smiled, of course catching the tremor in the guy’s voice.
He was scared.
That’s more like it.
Not beating around the bush any longer, Link asked directly, “Do you have any idea who posted my ‘photo’ and wrote that remark in my biography on the ‘Forum?’”
Hearing this, the five exchanged bewildered looks, their expressions slightly complex and conflicted.
Link, noticing this, knew he had asked the right people.
However, he didn’t press, just waited quietly.
As he waited, his gaze became increasingly indifferently.
After a brief moment, unable to withstand the pressure, the five grudgingly spoke of what they knew, “Rumor has it that the president of the ‘Newblood Mutual Aid Association’ was investigating these incidents.”
“Got it, thanks!”
Satisfied, Link nodded, patting each of the five on the shoulder, then returned to his seat.
The volume of their conversation was kept low throughout.
Given the secluded location where the five were seated, no outsiders were in the vicinity.
Thus, the early-arriving Newbloods that were in the classroom saw only five prodigies with fifth-rate qualifications behaving not in the least bit arrogant, but rather somewhat humble in front of Link.
As a result, the number of people daring to unabashedly stare at Link dwindled significantly.
Jasmine felt much more at ease thanks to this.
Upon learning that it was the president of the “New Blood Mutual Aid Association” pulling the strings, Link didn’t think much of it.
A Deputy President and a core member fell consecutively.
If he were in the president’s seat, he’d want to get to the bottom of things as well.
Link simply marked on his mental calendar: “On a certain day, in a certain month, of a certain year, the president of ‘New Blood Mutual Aid Association’ crossed me.”
If a suitable opportunity arose in the future for him to exact revenge, that would be perfectly reasonable, wouldn’t it?
For now, let’s focus on class.
The morning lessons ended in an unusually peculiar atmosphere.
As soon as class ended, a rather distressed Jasmine urged Link to leave the schoolhouse.
“Life’s unbearable.”
In the cafeteria, Jasmine grumbled, jabbing her fork into her plate, “We’ve met before, no need to make such a fuss about it. Staring, staring, staring, what’s there to look at!”
Until having to experience it firsthand, Jasmine had no idea how terrifying it was to be the subject of so many curious glances and whispered remarks.
“That’s it!”
Jasmine angrily dropped her fork, hands on hips, “I’ve decided, anyone who dares to look at me like this again, I’ll stare right back!”
Link quietly ate his meal.
After they finished eating, they headed to the residential service building.
People they encountered on the way, whether they were first-year Newbloods or seniors who had seen Link’s “photo” and biography on the “Forum,” would invariably do more than just a single glance.
Just like she said, Jasmine fiercely stared back at each and every one of them.
Who would’ve thought, it worked surprisingly well.
The number of people daring to give them odd looks gradually dropped.
Shocked, Link walked into the shop which he had frequented several times. He spent a chunk of first-grade Magic Stone, four times the quantity of what he bought last time, on Normal Silver Starflower Seeds.
He bought some of every type of seed available in the shop.
Now that he had the materials, he was ready to start the experiment..