The school day went by like usual. We didn't learn much, as the year was about to end anyway, so it was mainly just a little review of what we have been taught in the past. The only other difference from normal was that I was quite tired, since I pretty much only got about 6 hours of sleep last night. I was planning to just get home and crash immediately, but unfortunately, right as I thought class had ended...
"Oh, and before I dismiss you..." Mr. Wang began, then looked at me sternly. "Student Xuan Kai, the principal wishes to see you after school. Head to the Administrative Campus after our dismissal."
I looked at my teacher with deadpan eyes, but didn't object. The only thing I could do was sigh in exasperation, and ignore all the curious gazes coming towards me.
*****
- 15 Minutes Later, Principal's Office, Administrative Campus -
"So? What did you call me here for, principal Song?" I asked, sitting down directly across from Song Qian Long.
"Well, first of all, there is no need to be so formal, Kai Kai," the old man in front of me said with a light chuckle. "No one else is here, and this room is completely soundproof."
I rolled my eyes. "Please, I'm tired. What do you want?"
"Alright, alright...there's just something I want to ask you," Song Qian Long said quietly as his expression turned serious.
I raised an eyebrow. "I can guess what this is about, but...go on, ask whatever you need to - though there is no guarantee that I will answer."
He sighed. "Right now, the entire city of Shenzhen is in an uproar, regarding the sudden annihilation of the Xuan family. Apparently, some of the day shift guards had been greeted by a huge pile of dead bodies when they arrived at the Xuan family residency, and called the police immediately."
"...Your point?"
Song Qian Long rested his chin on his two hands, clasped together, and gazed into my eyes intently. "Kai Kai...are you the perpetrator behind this incident?"
"And so what if I am?" I shot back with a sliver of killing intent.
The old man before me sighed once again, and replied. "Nothing - I just wanted to confirm with you."
Hearing this, I raised an eyebrow. "Really? A murderer is sitting right in front of you right now, you know? As the number one mage in Shenzhen, should you really be just letting me off?"
"I said before, didn't I?" Song Qian Long said with a sly grin. "I won't interfere in your matters of revenge concerning the Xuan family. That includes the aftermath, as well. Worry not, I won't tell anyone. You are my godson, after all. And besides...I happen to have a personal grudge with Xuan Yang and the Xuan family as a whole, too."
"Kuku...well, whatever. This makes things easier for me, so I thank you for that."
"Hahaha!" he laughed boisterously. "No need for gratitude, my boy. What is family for?"
"Well, we may be so-called family, but that doesn't mean I can just neglect basic courtesy and manners," I replied casually. "In fact...I'll even throw in a little extra information as a token of my gratitude."
"Oh? Do tell." this seemed to have piqued my godfather's curiosity, as he now leaned closer to me with interest.
"Last night...Xuan Yang and his guards weren't the only ones I fought."
Song Qian Long narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean? Who was it?"
I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them again. "...The Midnight Syndicate."
"Them again?!"
I nodded. "Indeed. The member of the Midnight Syndicate I fought last night...he's the same one who attacked me at night a while back."
Song Qian Long clenched his fists. "If he was still alive, I would peel the skin from his bones for daring to harm my godson..."
"Yeah, well...he's dead. I killed him. But that aside...his name - or rather, alias - was Plague, and he let slip some quite...disturbing information."
"What kind?" Song Qian Long asked.
"Something about an invasion on Shenzhen, and eradicating this city completely," I replied. "Apparently, their final goal is to convert the entire world to accepting Dark Magic or something along those lines..."
"Insolent! First they hurt my godson, and now they are planning to raid my city?! Unforgivable!" Song Qian Long yelled, standing up and slamming his palms on his desk. "What's even more unforgivable is the Xuan family, for colluding with a criminal organization behind the scenes! Where do they place their own honor?! Where do they place the honor of this city?! Hmph...they deserve to be annihilated, if you ask me."
I covered my ears, and sighed. "They already are, so could you stop yelling now, old geezer? Nothing's going to come from you doing that except some severe and unwanted damage to my hearing..."
Seeing my pained expression, my godfather immediately settled down, sitting back down in his chair timidly and apologizing. "R-Right...sorry about that, Kai Kai...my anger overtook me there."
"Yeah, uh, I can tell," I muttered in response. "Also, I believe Xuan Yang and the Midnight Syndicate - or Plague, in particular - have been colluding in the dark since long ago."
"Oh? What leads you to that conclusion, Kai Kai?"
I gritted my teeth, as this wasn't a memory I was very fond of. "The assassins who killed my parents a year ago...they were from the Midnight Syndicate as well."
"That is..." Song Qian Long clenched his fists as a vein bulged in his forehead. "Despicable. Truly...despicable."
The old man before me was so angry right now that he couldn't even say anything else but just repeating one word. It was short, but his tone and expression carried all the hatred he held, and conveyed them well enough.
"However, one thing still remains uncertain..." Song Qian Long continued after several deep breaths to calm down. "Just what made the Xuan family cooperate with the Midnight Syndicate? Benefits, perhaps? Hm...but the Xuan family is - no, was - already quite prosperous...I do not really understand."
"Well, my guess is that they struck up a deal somehow," I replied.
"A deal...?"
"Yeah. Xuan Yang hired Plague to assassinate me and be his guard in the meantime, while Plague asked for test subjects in return...that's the explanation that makes the most sense."
"Test subjects? For what?" Song Qian Long asked in confusion.
I sighed. "Remember what happened at the finals of the Main Tournament in the 2nd Year Advancement Exams?"
"Yes...if I recall correctly, that boy - Xuan Kun, was it? He mutated into a monstrous being of some kind after consuming an unknown elixir on the battlefield...which, incidentally, is completely against the rules, but that bastard Liu Jian prevented me from adjourning the match immediately."
I cleared my throat to bring us back on topic. "A-Ahem...anyway, that elixir...it was probably made by Plague. Xuan Yang most likely agreed to using his own son as a lab rat. It's a sickening thought, but knowing him, it's completely possible."
"Indeed...that man already abandoned his humanity long ago when he decided to kill his own brother for his own gain," Song Qian Long said with a sigh. Then, his expression tensed up once more as he continued. "Still...Xuan Kun was Xuan Yang's son, be he was also my student. It seems I have one more debt to settle with the Midnight Syndicate, added to the list."
You have a list of grudges against the Midnight Syndicate? Damn...and I thought I was a vengeful person.
"Obviously, one test subject isn't enough for a sample. Plague was testing for his poison, after all...that maniac," I continued. "The other lab rats are already dead as well...and if I am not wrong, they consist of the elders and previous patriarch of the Xuan family."
"To think that mongrel used his own father as a tool as well...does he have no base line, as a human being?!" Song Qian Long erupted with emotion once more, but composed himself again relatively quickly this time.
I shrugged. "Well, you said it yourself. Xuan Yang abandoned his humanity a long time ago, back when he decided to kill my parents. And now, I had humanity abandon him, by sending him into the depths of hell."
"I said several days ago that I wouldn't interfere in your fight with Xuan Yang...but now I regret that decision," Song Qian Long muttered under his breath. "That bastard...I really wish I could've killed him with my own two fists."
"Hey now, it would be a problem if anyone found out the top mage of Shenzhen murdered the patriarch of one of the Four Great Families of that same city," I said with a chuckle. Then, after a deep breath, I stood up, turned around, and began heading for the door.
"I've already told you everything that needed to be told," I said without looking backwards. "The rest is up to you...the Dragon of Shenzhen."
I strolled out the room, and the door clanked shut behind me.
Now then...I'm really tired. I guess I can finally sleep now, huh? Well, technically, I still have to walk home...ugh. Alright! Wait for me, bed-sama - I'm coming.
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