Warmth in Isolation
Professor Eleanor Silverskin's earth-shattering declaration of "academic martyrdom" was like a depth charge thrown into the huge cesspool of College City. While it created a stench that filled the sky, it also briefly dispersed the flies that were watching, allowing the mud that had not yet been completely blackened to see the light of day again.
The effect is immediate.
The court and the conservative nobles probably never imagined that this usually austere, serious, and easy-to-deal-with academic professor would become so reckless and unrestrained once he went mad, directly overturning the table of academic ethics and slapping the banner of "debate on truth" in their faces. This instantly turned their perfect script of "easily condemning heresy from the moral high ground" into a disaster scene of "a group of crude warriors and politicians besieging a frail scholar who sacrificed himself for the truth"—even though this "frail" scholar had a stronger voice than a shield-wielding warrior when he shouted.
Public opinion is like the face of a teenager, changing in an instant. Previously dominated by fear and rumors, after experiencing the dramatic conflict of "Professor Yinrui's oath" and "stepping over corpses," some people inevitably began to wonder: Could it be... that Eastern witch... uh, ma'am, is really a little wronged? Could it be that Professor Yinrui has really discovered some earth-shattering secret that we can't understand?
Of course, these whispers were still faint and were quickly suppressed by the more intense backlash from Silas and his cronies, who claimed that "Professor Silver Bud has been deeply bewitched" and that "Eastern heretics are best at mind control." But a crack had already appeared, and it was impossible to return to the one-sided public opinion environment of the past.
The academy's leadership also became ambiguous. While the old dean, Maurice, strictly ordered Eleanor to "remain calm" and "postpone the release of the report," he also used the pretext of "protecting important scholars of the academy" to send additional personnel to "protect" Professor Silverstalk's laboratory, effectively preventing the Inquisition from taking any drastic action. This conciliatory attitude infuriated Silas to the point of almost spontaneously combusting with holy light, but it also maintained a fragile and eerie calm in the academy city.
However, beneath this surface calm, the undercurrents were surging even more fiercely.
The small building where Ling Yao was under house arrest seemed to be the only eerie quiet spot in the eye of the storm. The hustle and bustle outside seemed to be isolated by an invisible barrier, with only the sound of turning pages and occasional brief questions and answers about energy frequencies and spiritual resonance remaining inside.
After being semi-forced to "calm down," Professor Eleanor visited the small building even more frequently. The way she looked at Ling Yao now was no longer as if she were a specimen from another world to be studied, but as if she were looking at a walking treasure trove containing the ultimate truths of the universe—a gaze so intense it could melt even a snowman on the frozen plains. The questions she brought became increasingly tricky, increasingly probing, often requiring Ling Yao to think for a mere 0.01 seconds before answering.
Ling Yao was quite pleased with this. Having a local intellectual proactively help organize and summarize the rules of this world saved her a lot of trouble. As for Eleanor's fanatical gaze? Well, it was similar to the expression on her master Wanxiang Sanren's face when he discovered some unknown alchemy material. She was used to it.
But some people just can't get used to it.
For example, Finn Liver.
This chief disciple of Ling Yao, the number one believer in Eastern metaphysics, and a professional errand boy, has been experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions lately.
On the one hand, he felt excited and proud of Professor Yinrui's courage in standing up for him; on the other hand, his own situation became even more difficult. Before, he was just being talked about behind his back, but now he had become a typical representative of "a misguided youth bewitched by heretics and degenerate scholars." He could feel the burning gaze of "Look, that's the witch's henchman" and the whispers that hid malice as he walked down the street.
When he went to the college cafeteria to get food, the auntie's hand tremors would suddenly worsen tenfold, and a serving of stewed meat would shake until only potatoes remained. When he went to class, the seats next to him were always mostly empty, as if he carried some kind of plague. Classmates who used to be able to exchange a few words with him now avoided him, as if saying even one more word to him would bring bad luck.
This complete isolation left Finn, who was naturally sociable and loved excitement, feeling incredibly stifled and oppressed. He felt like a fish thrown into the desert, completely uncomfortable.
"A bunch of ingrates! Ungrateful! Short-sighted!" Finn couldn't help but complain to Ling Yao every time he came from the temporary residence outside the small building. "Have they forgotten who saved so many people in the Black Forest? Have they forgotten that 'Ling Clan No. 1' helped them pass the test? Even Professor Yinrui said that, and they still believe the nonsense from the court!"
Ling Yao usually just glances at him, then continues fiddling with the magic crystal in her hand or reading a book, occasionally tossing him a remark: "Human hearts are like water, that's normal."
These words sounded profound and enigmatic, but Finn felt they were somewhat perfunctory. He was seething with anger, but had nowhere to vent it, so he channeled his grief and indignation into motivation, working even harder to help Ling Yao with various chores, while cautiously guarding against possible attacks from the shadows—although he figured that if there were any attacks, it would most likely be Miss Ling protecting him.
However, just when Finn thought the whole world had abandoned them, an unexpected warmth crept in quietly, almost like a "secret rendezvous."
It was a dark and windy night... well, just an ordinary late night. Finn had just finished checking the warning runes around the small building (drawn casually by Ling Yao, and a million times more effective than the academy's magic barrier) and was about to go back to his room to sleep when he suddenly heard a very faint, rhythmic knocking sound coming from the corner of the wall.
Three long and two short, repeated twice.
Finn jumped, realizing this wasn't the sound of wind. He immediately became alert, pulled out the only "faint light illumination talisman" that Ling Yao had given him that he had successfully drawn, and tiptoed closer to the corner of the wall where the sound was coming from.
"Who?" he asked in a low voice, his heart beating a little fast.
There was a moment of silence outside the wall, then a lower, slightly gruff voice came through: "Lever, kid? Is that you? Shh—keep your voice down!"
The voice sounded familiar. Finn paused for a moment, then cautiously peered through the crack in the wall. By the faint moonlight and the light of the runes, he saw a large, unshaven face with wary eyes.
"Uncle Berg?!" Finn almost cried out, quickly covering his mouth. The person who arrived was none other than Berg, the mercenary Ling Yao had rescued from the jaws of a swamp crocodile!
“It’s me!” Berg recognized Finn and visibly relaxed. Then he quickly shoved a bulging package wrapped in oilcloth through the wall. “Here! A little something from the brothers! Fresh horned beef and a few loaves of black bread, good stuff to stave off hunger! Eat it sparingly!”
Finn instinctively took it; it felt heavy and slightly warm. His nose stung, and he almost cried. At a time like this, a bite to eat was more precious than anything else.
“Uncle Berg…you…this is too dangerous! What if the people at the court find out…” Finn was both touched and worried.
"What's there to be afraid of!" Berg said, though his voice was low, his tone was still arrogant. "Miss Ling saved my life! Mercenaries may not have much else, but they're loyal! Those bastards in black leather shoes at the inquisition only dare to bully honest people! Tell Miss Ling that most of the brothers in our Iron Shield Mercenary Group think highly of her! It's just that things are a bit tense right now, so we can't do it openly. If you need anything, the usual rule: send a message under the third loose brick on the west wall!"
After saying that, without waiting for Finn to say anything more, Berg patted the wall and, like a nimble fat cat, disappeared silently into the night.
Finn stood there, clutching the bag of food, feeling a warm glow inside, as if he had downed a large glass of strong liquor in the dead of winter.
This is just the beginning.
The next day, Finn found a small cloth bag under the third brick on the west wall. Inside were a dozen low-level magic cores, which were not of the best quality but had pure energy, and a note written crookedly that read, "Thank you for saving my life. This is a small token of my gratitude." It was unsigned.
Two days later, he found a small package of rare medicinal herbs wrapped in a clean, soft cloth in the same place. It was the same kind of herb that Ling Yao had mentioned before, saying that "this thing in this world is somewhat interesting."
One morning, Finn opened the door to the small building and found a basket of fresh fruit, still glistening with dew, placed at the entrance, with a badge bearing a knight's emblem underneath—in Karl Iron Shield's style!
These gifts, from mercenaries, anonymous students, and even that simple-minded knight, varied in value and form, but they all conveyed the same message: We remember your kindness, and we believe in you.
These things may not be able to change the overall situation, nor can they truly alleviate the enormous pressure faced by Ling Yao and Finn, but they are like the occasional light of a lighthouse on a dark sea. They may not be able to illuminate the entire route, but they can tell those who are sailing: you are not alone, there is still a shore ahead.
Every time Finn handed these things to Ling Yao, he couldn't help but ramble on about their origins, his tone filled with barely concealed excitement and pride.
"Miss Ling, look! Uncle Berg sent some meat! Hey, that old guy's got a real sense of humor!"
"I wonder which classmate gave me this magic core! Although the quality is so-so, the sentiment is priceless!"
"That muscle-bound idiot Karl actually knows how to deliver fruit? It must be their butler's idea!"
Ling Yao's reaction remained indifferent. She would put away the magic cores and herbs, occasionally picking up a piece of fruit, taking a bite, and commenting, "Acceptable" or "Not quite right." But the observant Finn noticed that the seemingly unyielding, icy aura surrounding Ling Yao seemed to melt slightly in the face of these insignificant little gifts. She seemed to spend more time reading and studying, and when she occasionally simulated energy trajectories in the air, the movements of her fingers seemed more fluid and natural.
She may not care about the world's praise or criticism, but this simple trust and kindness that persisted even in dire straits was clearly not meaningless.
After some time, this "underground support" activity finally reached its "climax".
One moonlit night, Finn was once again drawn to the corner by a familiar knocking sound. This time, however, the sound coming from outside the wall was two hushed voices arguing.
"I knew it should be placed on the east wall! It's more concealed there!"
"Bullshit! The third brick on the west wall! Boss Berg made it crystal clear! Did a goblin bite your ears?"
"You're the one who got eaten by goblins! I'm just being cautious! What if the Inquisition's sentries figure out the pattern?"
"Hidden sentries my ass! Everywhere around here that could hide has already been scanned eight hundred times by Miss Ling's... uh... that kind of 'divine sense'! Even the flies that are there would be males!"
Finn was dumbfounded. That voice... was it Squad Leader Ron and another mercenary?
He quickly coughed.
The argument outside the wall immediately ceased. After a moment, Squad Leader Ron's voice rang out, tinged with embarrassment: "Ahem... Liver kid? Are you there?"
“Yes, yes!” Finn replied quickly.
Then, he saw something huge, stuffed in a sack, being shoved through the wall with a lot of effort? It almost cracked the wall!
"What...what is this?" Finn was stunned; it was quite heavy!
"Shh! Keep your voice down!" Ron's voice was tense and smug. "Great stuff! The brothers chipped in to get this! The latest miniature elemental extractor from the Alchemy Workshop! It's refurbished, but it works perfectly! Professor Silverstall mentioned before that we needed more sophisticated instruments, right? This thing should be of the best use!"
Finn nearly dropped his jaw to his feet. An elemental extractor?! This thing is one of the core pieces of equipment in an alchemy lab; even a secondhand one is incredibly valuable! The mercenary brothers have really gone all out!
"This...this is too valuable! Captain Ron, we can't let you..."
"Stop talking nonsense! Just take it!" another mercenary interrupted him gruffly. "How many brothers' lives has Miss Ling saved? This little thing is nothing! If I wasn't worried about attracting too much attention, I would have carried the guild's big one over here!"
Ron chimed in, "Exactly! Hurry up and put it away! Don't let anyone see it! Tell Miss Ling and Professor Yinrui to use it freely! If it breaks... uh... we'll figure something out!"
After they finished speaking, the two quickly slipped away, concealing their achievements and fame.
Finn stared at the massive sack, almost half his height, feeling both touched and troubled. How had this thing been moved into the building so quietly?
In the end, he had to use a "lightness talisman" given to him by Ling Yao, which he originally intended to use to save his life, before he could drag this "warm burden" back to the small building with great effort.
When Ling Yao and Professor Eleanor, who happened to be there that evening to discuss a problem, saw the huge thing Finn dragged in, they were both stunned.
Professor Eleanor stepped forward and opened the sack. When she saw the clean, well-maintained instrument inside, which was spotless despite some signs of use, her eyes lit up instantly, like a hungry wolf spotting a piece of meat.
"My God! It's an MK-III elemental extractor! It's a bit old, but its precision is even better than the one the academy gave me!" She excitedly stroked the cool metal casing, as if caressing a lover's cheek. "With it, I can try to separate that sample of mixed cursed energy! My God! Who sent this? It's a godsend!"
Finn straightened his back and proudly recounted the righteous deeds of his mercenary brothers.
Professor Eleanor listened with deep emotion, and finally sighed, "Unexpectedly, those who gave us the greatest support in the end were these mercenaries who are usually looked down upon by the so-called high society. It seems that wisdom and conscience really have nothing to do with status or position."
Ling Yao, who had been silent, walked to the instrument, ran her finger lightly across an energy conduit, and nodded slightly.
"The equipment is acceptable."
"People are more interesting."
Her gaze seemed to pierce through the walls, looking towards the people in the distance who were silently watching over this place in the darkness of night.
The warmth found in isolation is often more touching than the prosperity found in favorable circumstances.
This simple trust and support from the grassroots, though perhaps weak, is as resilient as silk, quietly weaving into a net, becoming another bond that Ling Yao can linger over in this unfamiliar world, besides recovering her strength.
Of course, it would be even more interesting if this bond could cause her less trouble and give her more magic cores.
Ling Yao thought to herself, casually absorbing a low-level magic core given to her by a mercenary into her palm. Feeling the faint but pure energy within, the curve of her lips seemed to soften by a mere 0.001 degrees compared to usual.
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