Chapter 132: Disturbances in the Dark of Night

"Fanny, Brian, what are you two doing?" Lisa’s voice came from behind, her eyes scanning Han Shuo and Fanny with a suspicious look.

"Nothing, we weren't doing anything." Fanny glared at Han Shuo, pointed toward her laboratory, and turned to walk inside. As she raised her hand, the space ring Han Shuo had given her was clearly visible. Han Shuo felt a surge of joy, realizing she had accepted his gift. Her gesture toward the lab was an invitation for him to wait for her there.

Not intending to linger, Han Shuo nodded at Fanny with a silly grin and headed off toward her laboratory.

After waiting for a while, Fanny returned once the trial ground session had ended. She opened the door and let Han Shuo in, her expression returning to its usual composure. "Alright, what is it you want?"

Although Fanny acted as she always did, both knew their relationship had undergone a subtle change. It was now nearly impossible for her to maintain the strict dignity of a teacher in front of him.

Wearing a cheeky grin, Han Shuo teased, "Don't be so serious!"

Fanny shot him an annoyed glare. "I have to be serious with you, otherwise, if I give you an inch, you’ll take a mile, and your hands would start wandering."

The ambiguity in her tone felt less like a teacher addressing a student and more like lovers flirting. Even though she was scolding him, Han Shuo felt a profound sense of satisfaction.

However, despite his delight, Han Shuo’s willpower had been tempered through constant training, and he knew when to prioritize. After a moment of thought, he began to ask Fanny about the various magical difficulties he had encountered recently.

Seeing him pose questions, Fanny’s expression turned solemn as she resumed her role as a teacher, explaining the concepts in great detail. Watching his diligence—he could now even cast the intermediate necromancy spell 'Bone Prison'—she appeared even happier than he was.

After a long while, Fanny sighed, "With your aptitude, it seems you will reach the level of a Senior Mage before long. Even some of the questions you're asking now require me to think before I can answer. I can no longer just blurt out the answers like I used to. It seems there won't be much left for me to teach you soon."

A good student brings a teacher unparalleled fulfillment, but Han Shuo’s rapid progress also placed pressure on Fanny. After all, she was only a Senior Mage herself; in terms of strength, she was now only one level above him. The speed of his advancement was beyond her imagination, and the thought that she might soon have nothing left to offer him filled her with a sense of helplessness and discomfort.

"Heh. No matter when it is, you will always be Fanny, the teacher who brought me into this world and taught me everything. Even if our relationship changes one day, the fact that you are my teacher will never change," Han Shuo said with a smile, his mind sharp enough to guess her thoughts from her changing expressions.

Fanny shook her head and sighed, her beautiful brows furrowing with worry. "In our Babylon Academy of Magic and Warriors, there are only two of us teaching the Necromancy department—myself and Gene. We are both just Senior Mages. Once you have learned everything we know, your progress will certainly be hindered without guidance. That is what I am worried about!"

"You're overthinking it. By the time that day actually comes, perhaps there will already be a better solution. There is no need to worry about it for now." Han Shuo clearly felt her concern, but with the existence of the Cemetery of Death, he believed that as his strength grew, he would be able to venture deeper into it, where he felt certain he would find ways to become even stronger.

Hearing this, Fanny seemed to relax. She nodded with a smile and said, "Perhaps you are right; I am indeed looking too far ahead. Alright, it’s getting late. If you have nothing else, go practice your magic. I need to go have dinner."

"How about we go together?" Han Shuo suggested with a wicked glint in his eyes.

"Hmph, in your dreams. I won't compromise until you become a Senior Mage. Now, get out! Nothing good ever comes from you staying here." Fanny laughed, waving her magic wand to shoo him out.

Han Shuo didn't rush. He played along, backing toward the door, but just as he was about to be pushed out, he suddenly moved with lightning speed, embraced Fanny, and gave her a quick kiss. Amidst her blushing confusion, he laughed heartily and escaped.

"You brat, I’ll get you for this sooner or later!" Fanny muttered, slamming the laboratory door shut with a loud *bang*.

Just then, Han Shuo’s heart skipped a beat as he heard a faint sound of heavy breathing. He silently deployed his three wraiths, which drifted stealthily toward the source of the noise.

He saw the Earth Knight, Clark, hiding near a railing in the distance, his typically handsome features twisted into a mask of rage and hatred. It was a look Han Shuo recognized all too well—the same expression Fitch had worn before seeking his revenge.

A chill ran down his spine. He realized he was in a difficult spot; he had already witnessed the power of an Earth Knight. While his own strength was advancing rapidly, he knew he was no match for a warrior of that caliber on his own. Being targeted by such a man was indeed a significant problem.

Contemplating a solution, Han Shuo slowly walked toward his dormitory, with Clark following closely behind. It wasn't until Han Shuo entered his room that Clark silently departed. Through his wraiths, Han Shuo observed the look on Clark’s face and knew he would not let this go.

Given Clark’s strength as an Earth Knight and his background in the Dark Forest, Han Shuo knew that if he were to attack, it wouldn't be a childish trap like Fitch’s. Once Clark struck, it would be a thunderous, overwhelming blow—he would surely aim to ensure Han Shuo never had a chance to recover, leaving no one alive.

Clark and his brother Claude shared very similar personalities: outwardly upright and bright, but inwardly dark and treacherous. Han Shuo had already realized this and remained on high alert.

That night, instead of staying in his room, Han Shuo hid in an old storage closet, leaving a wraith in his dormitory to see if Clark would attempt a lethal strike. The closet was dirty and cluttered, and though Han Shuo’s body had grown larger and stronger, he forced himself to stay there for the sake of safety.

In the dead of night, Han Shuo meditated to focus his mental energy. Once his mind was clear, his entire being seemed to merge with the darkness. His breathing and heartbeat slowed to an incredibly faint rhythm; were it not for his body heat, he would have been indistinguishable from a corpse.

His meditation speed was far faster than before. Even though he had been prepared for it, the sheer velocity at which his mental energy condensed left him stunned. He realized his mental cultivation must have far surpassed that of an ordinary mage.

Hours passed, and just as the cold night was ending and Han Shuo began to think he had overreacted, his wraith finally detected Clark. Unlike the stealthy approach of an assassin, Clark made no effort to hide, dressed in his daytime attire. His expression was grim as he strode toward the dormitory, moving so silently he didn't alert a soul.

Reaching Han Shuo's window, Clark lunged, leaped into the air, and landed gracefully inside the room.

"Although there is no concrete evidence, my brother Claude's disappearance must have something to do with you. Don't blame me for being ruthless; you are simply too annoying. After today, you will also disappear, and Fanny will never be able to find a trace of you again." After whispering to himself, Clark dashed to the bed and stabbed his sword down with lightning speed.

He had stuffed pillows under the blankets earlier to make it look like someone was sleeping there. Clark’s sword pierced the bedding with a soft *thud*. When he realized something was wrong and threw back the covers to find only pillows, his expression shifted.

After a moment of shock, he restored the room to its original state and retreated, intending to leave the way he came.

Just then, the wraiths stationed nearby detected another figure. This person moved like a shadow in the night, clinging to the walls of the teaching building, watching Clark’s every move from afar.

Han Shuo initially thought they were accomplices, but when the mysterious figure began tailing Clark, he realized the man’s target was actually the Earth Knight. Han Shuo was stunned; he hadn't realized there was so much hidden intrigue within the Babylon Academy of Magic and Warriors.

Watching Clark and the shadow head toward the Knight Academy, Han Shuo feared his wraiths might lose track of them due to the distance. He rushed out of the storage closet and followed from a safe distance, observing them through his wraiths.

Once they reached the Knight Academy, Clark entered a room and sat down in silence. It was the room where he had previously spoken with Duke; it seemed to be his current residence. The shadow that had been tailing him lingered for a moment after watching Clark enter, then silently glided toward another part of the academy.

Han Shuo assigned one wraith to monitor Clark’s room, one to keep watch over his own surroundings, and the third to trail the mysterious shadow.

Before long, the shadow climbed to the roof of a secluded building in the Knight Academy, pried up a few tiles, and dropped inside.

"You've returned." In the dim room, Lawrence sat with a cup of hot tea, speaking calmly to the shadow that had dropped from the ceiling.

Han Shuo was shocked. He never expected the shadow to report to Lawrence. As the son of the Empire’s Minister of Finance, Lawrence had bought black iron ore from him recently—a time when they had even sparred, and Han Shuo had held a favorable opinion of him. He never imagined Lawrence would have someone tailing Clark.

Suddenly, Han Shuo recalled what Candida had told him the first time he visited the Dark Citadel: that Lawrence’s identity was unusual and that being too close to him could lead to immense trouble. Candida had hesitated to reveal the deeper truth about him.

Seeing this scene, Han Shuo realized that Lawrence’s identity was far more than just the son of a Finance Minister. A mere minister’s son would not be worth such a warning from one of the three leaders of the Dark Citadel.

"Yes. Clark just left his room and went to the Necromancy dormitory area. He entered one of the rooms, seemingly intending to kill a student. However, I saw him walk out looking dejected, and I heard no signs of a struggle. I suspect he didn't find his target," the shadow-like figure reported.

Lawrence became interested. Looking at the shadow in the dark, he asked, "Oh? That is quite strange. By the way, which room did Clark enter? Tell me."

After the shadow identified Han Shuo’s dormitory, Lawrence was taken aback, then let out a curious, enigmatic smile. "So, he was targeting Brian? Heh, interesting, very interesting. It seems I should go have a proper talk with Brian."