Chapter 3: Traitor
In the Grand Hall, many great elders stood, about thirty of them. They all had traditional Chinese long moustaches and beards completely white with age, adorned with wrinkles. Additionally, they carried an expression of understanding, an air that spoke of experience.
Xiao Lei was not late; he arrived on time despite being delayed in bringing some tomatoes. Passing through the main gate discreetly, he took his seat slowly and steadily.
‘Pfft, anyone from the outside would think that these elders embody experience. Just look at their act,’ Xiao Lei knew more than anyone that these so-called elders, except a few, were also slackers, albeit quite terrible ones.
Once, he had caught one of the elders disguised and eating meat in some inn. If not for his careful observation, the elder would have escaped. But he was smart and caught him. To date, he is extorting spirit stones from the poor old man.
It wasn’t challenging to tell who it was. Elder Ming was his name, and even now, he stared at Xiao Lei with spiteful gazes combined with a clenched left fist.
‘That brat. Just looking at him pisses me off.’
As if understanding Ming’s words, Xiao Lei stared right at him and then moved his lips. Being an elder, he could read lips quite easily, especially if done extremely slowly.
Reading Lei’s lips, Ming couldn’t help but grow angrier. This was what he told him, “Turn the other way if it pisses you that much.”
If he were holding a vase, it would have long been broken.
‘This insolent brat. Leave respect, he doesn’t even consider me as his equal! Ugh, why!? Just why? Why out of all, it had to be him who caught me?’ Elder Ming wanted to bang his head on the ground.
Xiao Lei was enjoying this moment. A sly smile was on his face, his teeth slightly visible on one side.
He would have kept the ridiculous smile on his face if not for the loud announcement made.
“The Nameless Pathway, Divine Sword, Master Li Hao has arrived!” As this announcement was made by one of the announcers, everyone present in the grand hall, from minute position holders to the very high elders, stood up.
All the young disciples, the elites, and a total of 3,000 gathered top-class students stood up and bowed in respect.
From the left hallway, there came the man whose name roared far and wide. He had long brown neatly combed hair that fell till his waist, deep brown pupils with similar brown eyelashes, and smooth, refined skin. If not for him, Xiao Lei would surely have been known as the most handsome man in the sect!
A sword sheathed rested on his waist to his right. The black robe with a dragon inscribed on the back with green and red ink made him stand out even more.
His gaze was calm, and his walk even more elegant, but slow. After taking his time, he walked up to his seat and turned towards everyone.
With a deep, masculine, and powerful voice, he said, “Let’s sit down.”
While the youngsters and rookies sat down instantly as he said that, as if following orders, the elders waited for him to be seated first.
As Li Hao sat down, the elders too took their positions.
“Let’s begin; we-”
And with that, the general rites started.
It was to facilitate the winners of warriors' duels, both within and outside. Along with that, it was to welcome the newcomers, 100 this time.
It was going to take a long time, and Xiao Lei was bound to get bored. But he discovered something that he could never forget.
‘I can use the analysis function, can’t I?’ he recalled the function from the tons of knowledge that had been imparted to him.
‘Keke, then isn’t this the perfect opportunity to use it?’
As mentioned, right now, top contributors had been gathered. His peers, juniors, and even seniors, many of them had gathered. Using the analysis function to find out their levels, their strengths, and perhaps even weaknesses - Xiao Lei couldn’t find a better time than now.
“Zhu Wang, from the Sixth Division of the Hall of Poisons, under the tutorship of Elder Tao, has achieved the 3rd spot in the Battle of Poisons at the Tang Sect. Please come forward.”
An 18-year-old male walked up the staircase, taking measured steps. His breathing was irregular and could be felt by the elders, revealing how nervous he was in front of the great patriarch.
Casually, Xiao Lei used the analysis function on him, but he could hardly believe what he found.
《Stats》
» Name: Zhu Wang
» Cultivation: Earth Rank, 10 Stars
» Title: Traitor
» Bloodline: Poison Cicada
» Race: Human
《Attributes》
{Stat points: 0}
» Qi: 105
» Strength: 12.9
» Perception: 12.6
» Agility: 11.3
» Dexterity: 12.4
» Stamina: 18.5/18.5
» Intelligence: 16
» Vitality: 14
» Charm: 9
While everything was mentioned in normal white texts, the specific word: ‘Traitor’ was in red and glowing. It was as if Xiao Lei could click on it.
Instinctively, with his eyes, he decided to click on it and by doing so, a set of notifications popped up.
Ding!
[You have discovered that Zhu Wang is a traitor.]
[Zhu Wang, a disciple from the Poison Hall, has committed a huge crime by betraying the sect.]
[Quest: The traitor must be punished.]
[1. Find out about his deeds.] [Incomplete]
[2. Make him confess his crimes.] [Incomplete]
[Warning: If you do not do this, then the traitor might harm someone close to you.]
The warning wasn’t necessary. Lei was already going to dig up the matter, of why the system had tagged him as a traitor. But as he read the last line, his motivation and determination only became stronger.
‘A traitor eh? Bad day, my system can see through your disguise.’, Lei thought to himself with a gaze filled with spite, anger and rage. It made his blood boil and turned his eyes reddish, blood vessels clearly visible at the edge.
‘Harming someone close to me? We’ll see about that.’
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