Chapter 153 Obey! Let Me See!
"Oh? Really? So, according to you, I've wronged you?" Jing Hongchen sighed.
Fan Yu couldn't admit to stealing the blueprints, so he instinctively straightened his chest and spoke with conviction, "Of course! I would never admit to something I haven't done. I've been researching soul tools with He Caitou this whole time I never stole any blueprints, right, He Caitou?"
He Caitou steeled himself and responded, "Yes! Teacher has been researching soul tools with me all along; he never stole any blueprints! I can personally vouch for that with my own honor!"
Even as he spoke, He Caitou silently reassured himself, Taking blueprints isn't stealing. When it comes to soul engineers, how could that be considered theft?
Hearing He Caitou's words, Jing Hongchen immediately shifted his gaze to him. In fact, ever since He Caitou arrived as an exchange student, Jing Hongchen had noticed that his skin was unusually dark.
In the Sun Moon Empire, not all nobles had dark skin, but those with dark skin were always nobles. If He Caitou weren't a student from Shrek Academy but a native of the Sun Moon Empire, Jing Hongchen could have easily identified him as a noble.
Jing Hongchen studied He Caitou for a moment before speaking. "Actually, if I dared to arrest you, it's because I'm confident. After all, you're representatives sent by Shrek Academy, and both sentimentally and logically, you count as half guests. I must give Shrek Academy some respect. However, what you've done today has crossed the line."
"Hand over your storage soul tools and let me take a look."
Fan Yu's expression changed slightly upon hearing this. He spoke angrily, "Dean Jing, I come from Shrek Academy, not the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy. You just said it yourself Shrek students studying in the Sun Moon Empire should be considered half guests. Since when does a host have the right to inspect a guest's storage soul tools? Is this how the Sun Moon Empire treats its guests? And what if you don't find any blueprints? Will you compensate me for the damage to my reputation?"
He was increasingly convinced that Jing Hongchen was simply trying to trick him. As long as he refused to admit anything and maintained the stance of an innocent man being wronged, he should be able to get through this.
"Fine. If I don't find any blueprints, I will compensate you. I'll even gift you a rank nine soul tool." Jing Hongchen waved his hand nonchalantly.
A rank nine soul tool was indeed incredibly valuable. Even for Jing Hongchen himself, crafting one would take months due to the complexity of the core magic arrays within.
But since Fan Yu and He Caitou had definitely stolen the blueprints, the so called compensation was never going to happen. That was why he could speak with such confidence.
Fan Yu froze. Is Jing Hongchen really this confident? Why isn't he following the usual script?
At this moment, his righteous indignation and sense of injustice faltered. He suddenly felt trapped agreeing to the inspection would be bad, but refusing would make him seem guilty.
"No objections? Then I'll start checking!" Jing Hongchen reached toward Fan Yu.
"No!" Fan Yu tried to resist.
"This is the Sun Moon Empire, not Shrek! Obey! Let me see!"
Jing Hongchen forcibly removed the storage ring from Fan Yu's finger and dumped its contents onto the ground. Instantly, a pile of soul tool blueprints appeared before everyone's eyes.
Several researchers rushed over, picked up the blueprints, and their expressions changed dramatically.
"Aren't these my designs? He even stole my work? How shameless! Are all Shrek Academy students thieves?"
"Fan Yu! What have you done? Without these blueprints, how am I supposed to catch up to Xuan Ziwen's achievements?"
Hearing these words, Fan Yu lowered his head in despair, his posture slumping. He didn't care much about his own ruined reputation, but what if Shrek Academy's reputation was dragged down with him?
"He Caitou! It's your turn."
Jing Hongchen's sharp gaze fell on He Caitou. "Let me inspect your storage soul tool."
He Caitou was completely numb at this point. He hadn't expected to be caught the same day he stole the blueprints.
Realizing he had no way to resist, he reluctantly handed over his storage ring. Jing Hongchen dumped its contents in front of everyone, revealing yet another pile of blueprints.
"You two are cut from the same cloth!" An elderly soul engineer with white hair exclaimed angrily. "I even mentored you when you first entered Mingde Hall!"
"Hall Master, you can't let this go! We must demand justice from Shrek Academy!"
"Yes! We must hold them accountable!"
Hearing the researchers' outcry, Jing Hongchen promised, "Rest assured, I will make sure Shrek Academy gives us an explanation. I will arrange for people to inform them of this theft immediately!"
After saying this, he turned toward Fan Yu and He Caitou. "As for you two, you will be detained at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy until Shrek Academy comes to retrieve you."
Several days later.
Shrek Academy.
Qian Duoduo wore a troubled expression as he looked toward Xuan Zi. "Elder Xuan, Fan Yu and He Caitou have been arrested by the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy for stealing soul tool blueprints. What should we do now?"
Before sending the exchange students and their supervising teachers, Qian Duoduo had discussed possible ways to advance Shrek Academy's soul tool research with Fan Yu. One of those methods had been stealing blueprints, as it would accelerate development.
But he hadn't expected the theft to be exposed!
Now things were getting complicated.
With Xiao Hongchen and the others still at Shrek Academy, the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy wouldn't dare to go too far against Fan Yu and He Caitou.
However, Shrek Academy was clearly in the wrong, and its reputation had already suffered because of this incident.
Xuan Zi sighed. "Regardless, we must ensure their release. The future of Shrek Academy's soul engineering division depends on Fan Yu and He Caitou. Especially He Caitou he's far too important. If I recall, you've already selected him for the Extreme Single Soldier Project, correct?"
Qian Duoduo's expression grew solemn. "Yes. Right now, he's the most outstanding young talent we have in the soul tool field. My plan is to train him into an ultimate soldier capable of changing the tide of battle single handedly. If the Sun Moon Empire is demanding we retrieve them, we'll likely have to pay a price to get them back."
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