Chapter 188: 181 Tyrannizing the Trash, Hints of Emperor Ying's Origins【2 Updates】

The source was her own fabricated app, the mobile version of the NOK forum.

It was still that blank avatar, a single number.

[10]: “Have you been to Norton University yet? Why haven’t I heard from people over there that no one has visited recently?”

[10]: “Not to speak out of turn, but don’t think that because you’ve disappeared for two hundred years, the number of people wanting to kill you has decreased. There’s a whole family out there looking for you, the kind that wants to tear you apart limb from limb.”

[10]: “When you go to Norton University, you’d better be careful. They’d rather kill ten thousand by mistake than let a thousand go, no matter whether the one they want to kill is you or not.”

[Diviner]: “Any more idle talk and your anonymous forum will become a real-name system.”

[10]: “…”

[10]: “I was wrong. I’ll remove myself as a friend.”

Ying Zijin logged out of the Diviner account and logged into her burner account, Cola Milk Tea Fries, before slipping her phone back into her pocket.

Naturally, she had seen the private message Xize had sent her.

But now was not yet the time to meet face to face.

The Lorentz Family had withdrawn from the public eye for so many years, and it wasn’t just because Xize had “died.”

Indeed, even her current trip to Norton University was fraught with danger.

Fortunately, in comparison to when she first returned to Earth, her divination abilities had recovered greatly.

Although she was still far from her peak, a trip to O Continent would be much less risky.

Ying Zijin pushed the door and left.

She hoped she wouldn’t run into any other old acquaintances.

**

Meanwhile, the interrogation room.

“Officer, how can you arrest people at random?” Bai Shaoshi’s face was ashen, “What have I done?”

After she was dismissed by Verdant, she became an unemployed drifter.

Although she had some connections in the imperial capital, they weren’t significant enough to oppose Verdant on her behalf.

While she was at home looking for a job, two policemen knocked on her door and brought her here.

“Inciting children to commit crimes, and you say you’ve done nothing?” the officer in charge of taking her statement said with a disgusted look, “You almost ruined the futures of two students about to take their college entrance exams.”

On hearing this, Bai Shaoshi’s heart skipped, and suppressing the thrill in her heart, she tentatively asked, “Officer, what do you mean?”

After learning that Wen Tinglan was Ying Zijin’s younger brother, she had gone out of her way to tell He Xun.

As expected, He Xun immediately revoked Wen Tinglan’s interview eligibility.

The path to Norton University was now thoroughly blocked off for him.

Wen Tinglan’s family was so poor, what else could he do without the college entrance exams?

So Bai Shaoshi gave five hundred thousand to a girl in the science experiment class to help her steal and then destroy Wen Tinglan’s exam admission ticket.

Without the ticket, Wen Tinglan wouldn’t be able to participate in the exams.

She had also heard that he had mental health issues; ideally, he would be so crushed that he couldn’t participate in the future either.

If she couldn’t take down Ying Zijin, surely she could take down Wen Tinglan?

As for what became of Wen Tinglan’s future, that was none of her concern.

If anyone were to be blamed, it could only be because he was Ying Zijin’s brother.

“It was indeed you.” Officers are trained in reading micro-expressions and could deduce from Bai Shaoshi’s reactions roughly what she was thinking, which only made them more disgusted, “Rest assured, the child you targeted is fine, but the one you incited is in real trouble.”

Bai Shaoshi’s face couldn’t hide her disbelief as she blurted out: “Fine? That’s impossible!”

Wasn’t that just a waste of five hundred thousand?

The officer couldn’t be bothered to explain further and picked up the phone: “Hello? Yes, we’ll proceed immediately.”

“I’m sorry, Miss Bai, but we’ve received instructions from above.” He stood up and handcuffed Bai Shaoshi, “Given the severity of your actions, and as the other party is not interested in a settlement, you better stay inside for now.”

“Don’t even think about getting out anytime soon; make a call and get a lawyer.”

Bai Shaoshi’s mind buzzed, and she could barely make out what the policeman was saying afterward.

Her face went pale, and she shivered all over.

Two police officers escorted her out of the interrogation room, conversing in low voices.

“She’s quite something to make the Yi Character Team take action.”

“Anyway, this case is too severe; it must be reported.”

“I remember she’s a teacher.”

“Yes, that’s why the authorities want to revoke her teaching certificate. Nowadays, it seems anyone can become a teacher…”

**

Eight hours later, Ying Zijin arrived in O Continent.

The exact location of Norton University is indeed unknown to outsiders.

Some say it’s hidden deep in the mountains, others say it’s beneath the sea.

But regardless, to gain admission to Norton University, one must take the university’s own designated subway.

It’s quite like those secret bases from spy movies.

So the defenses of Norton University are said to be even more secure than Mist City Prison; without access to this special subway, even someone capable of teleportation couldn’t reach it.

Ying Zijin took a flight from Shanghai City to a major city on the edge of O Continent, then transferred to Norton Town.

The airport was bustling with people from various nations.

Ying Zijin leaned back on the soft seat, yawning with half-closed eyes.

Suddenly, her leg was bumped.

She opened her eyes, looked down, and saw a little girl about six years old sprawled out on the ground in the shape of an “X.”

Before she could reach out to help the little girl up, the girl had already scrambled to her feet, patted off the dust, and turned to look at her.

She had Oriental features, but her eyes were a rare icy blue.

Ying Zijin’s gaze paused slightly.

She could only make out the girl’s name but not her age.

Nothing else either.

So, this girl must be no ordinary person.

“Thank you,” said the little girl with a serious expression, “You’re really pretty, kid. You have the style I had when I was young.”

Ying Zijin slowly looked down and reached out to hold the little girl’s right hand, her eyes flickering briefly.

Her bone age was also six.

“But I have urgent matters to attend to today, so I must go,” the girl said as she grasped her hand, not trying to act overly mature but moving with the fluidity of an adult, “I’m off to find my niece.”

Ying Zijin nodded and casually asked, “How old is your niece now?”

“Maybe sixteen, or maybe twenty. Ah, it’s been so long, I can hardly remember. Old age really does a number on you.”

“…”

The little girl stared at Ying Zijin for quite some time, her gaze direct and even somewhat peculiar.

She scratched her head, hesitated, and then said, “So, kid, I think you look quite like me…”

Before she could finish, she was scooped up in someone’s arms.

It was a woman, sounding rather exasperated, “Miss, don’t run around. You’re only six years old. This place is chaotic. What if a human trafficker snatches you away?”

“Alright, alright, I get it,” the little girl retorted impatiently, and once her temper flared up, she forgot what she was going to say.

After waving at Ying Zijin, she was forcibly carried off.

Ying Zijin didn’t say anything. She simply closed her eyes again, continuing to wait for her plane.

**

At night, at the Zhong family mansion.

Zhong Zhiwan brought Mu Chenzhou back from The Bund Scenic Area.

Following Lady Zhong’s instructions, Zhong Zhiwan had been working hard to foster a good relationship with Mu Chenzhou.

Of course, it wasn’t anything romantic.

Zhong Zhiwan was well aware that given Mu Chenzhou’s status, it was impossible for him to marry a socialite from Shanghai City.

So, she harbored no such illusions, not entertaining thoughts in that direction at all.

Though Mu Chenzhou didn’t carry the airs of a capital city’s young master, he was actually quite amiable and even engaged in other topics of conversation with her.

“My mother said she sent me to the Ying Family,” Mu Chenzhou questioned the issue that had been puzzling him, “How did I end up with you, Zhiwan?”

Because the capital had been somewhat unsettled recently, Madam Mu thought it best that he take refuge in Shanghai City for a while.

The main reason, however, stemmed from whispers within the Mu family that Mu Heqing had made several trips to Shanghai City.

Thus, Madam Mu thought maybe she could meet with Mu Heqing in Shanghai City.

Never having been to Shanghai City before, Mu Chenzhou found everything here quite novel.

Zhong Zhiwan pinched her fingers and smiled, “My aunt was concerned that my cousin might annoy you, so she arranged for you to stay here instead. The Zhong and Ying families are related by marriage, there’s really no difference.”

“Your cousin?” Mu Chenzhou was taken aback, “What do you mean?”

“That cousin of mine can be quite exasperating to talk about. She’s not really from the Ying Family, she was adopted. But she puts on more airs than anyone else I know,” Zhong Zhiwan pursed her lips, “At school, she hangs out with the bully and even harasses other students. She once threw a girl straight into a trash can…”

“She doesn’t respect the teachers either. She cheated during the midterm exams and got first place. And now that she didn’t have the chance to cheat, she simply took a long leave and doesn’t plan to attend the final exams.”

“Is that so,” Mu Chenzhou said, sounding disappointed but not adding anything else.

“And…” Zhong Zhiwan’s grip tightened, “she even got her aunt sent to prison.”

Mu Chenzhou was slightly shocked, “Is she really like that?”

“Yes,” Zhong Zhiwan lowered her head, “That’s why my aunt was afraid she might lead you astray, so she didn’t let you stay with her.”

“I understand. Please thank your aunt for me,” Mu Chenzhou nodded and smiled, “But hearing this about your cousin, she doesn’t seem like a good person. You should keep your distance from her in the future.”

Zhong Zhiwan pressed her lips together tightly, “No matter what, she’s still my cousin. I’ll try to get her to change.”

After spending these days with Mu Chenzhou, she realized that he only befriended those who were kind-hearted.

Mu Chenzhou nodded, “Zhiwan, I’m going to video call my mother. You should rest as well.”

He pushed the door open and entered the room Lady Zhong had prepared for him.

Zhong Zhiwan wiped the sweat from her forehead, ready to review her lessons.

There were just twenty days left until the final exams, and with Ying Zijin not taking part, first place would belong to her.

Zhong Zhiwan let out a sigh of relief.

As she turned around, the smile on her face had yet to fade when she saw Elder Zhong standing at the top of the stairs.

Watching her silently, as if he had been there for a very long time.