The calcium snail manifested another barrier when Jin began another diatribe about Min’s “luck”. The protective shield shimmered in the dim light, reinforcing their safety.
“Silence!” ordered the auxiliary. “Your chatter is bringing them back.”
The shadows over the ventilation shaft confirmed his words, the Shadow Stalkers had returned to their hunting territory. The students held their breath as the beasts passed above them, their presence a palpable weight in the darkness.
The plan seemed to work, the bat-jellyfishes couldn’t detect them through the cover…
Until one began descending toward the small ventilation shaft, its tentacles probing curiously.
‘Should seal it completely,’ thought the auxiliary while preparing his beast. ‘The air will last long enough for…’
A silver feather pierced the Shadow Stalker, which fell lifeless. The precision of the strike was unmistakable.
As if it were a signal, the rest of the swarm began rapidly moving away.
“You can come out,” Zhao’s voice came from above. “The area is clear.”
Zhao and the auxiliaries began carefully dismantling the shelter’s cover. The snail master constructed a calcium ladder for the students to emerge in small groups, each step solid despite its translucent appearance.
“Finally!” exclaimed a boy upon exiting. “I couldn’t stand the smell anymore!”
“Silence,” ordered the lynx auxiliary sharply. “We’re not safe yet.”
The students emerged to find their professor along with the other three auxiliaries. Ren was with them, carrying what appeared to be several skin bags/containers and a crystal emitting some kind of magical wave.
“Carefully,” indicated the lynx auxiliary. “Maintain order and silence.”
Min and Taro practically jumped on Ren when they emerged, their relief evident in their enthusiastic greeting.
“Where were you?” whispered Taro, giving him a small push. “You worried us!”
“What happened out there?” whispered Min, his eyes fixed on the sealed containers. “Why did you leave like that?”
“I wanted to verify something and get the professor’s help,” Ren responded evasively while securing his specimens with meticulous care.
“Verify what?” Taro insisted, his curiosity evident.
“Nothing important… trust me,” Ren adjusted his equipment straps. “There are things better not discussed here.”
“Things like controlling nocturnal stalkers, apparently.”
Luna’s voice startled them. She had approached silently, moving like a shadow herself.
Her eyes studied Ren’s containers with genuine curiosity, her gaze penetrating.
“I… it’s not what it seems,” Ren avoided her penetrating gaze and shifted uncomfortably.
“No?” Luna tilted her head. “Because it seems you weren’t just keeping the Shadow Stalkers away, you were actually doing something… more interesting.”
Ren swallowed hard. The intensity of her stare was unsettling, as if she could see right through him.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he tried to sound casual but failed.
“Mmm,” Luna observed the mushrooms in his hair. “I suppose those sealed containers are full of common earth then.”
“It’s just…”
“And I suppose Professor Zhao just happened to find you on the way back.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Ren insisted, avoiding any direct answers.
“Of course you don’t,” Luna narrowed her eyes, her shadow wolf briefly manifesting behind her.
Taro and Min exchanged confused looks, but Ren could feel cold sweat on the back of his neck.
Luna took another step closer, her voice barely a whisper. “I’ll find out soon… You speak truths and lies at interesting moments, fungus.”
She moved away as silently as she had come, leaving Ren with the uncomfortable feeling that she had seen more than he wanted to show.
“What was that?” asked Min, bewildered by the exchange.
“Nothing… It’s time to go,” Ren changed the subject while the auxiliaries began organizing students for the return. “The carriages are waiting.”
“Pack your things,” ordered Zhao. “The covered carriages await. The expedition is over for this occasion.”
“But what about gathering?” someone protested.
“Safety is priority,” Zhao responded in a tone that admitted no discussion. “Collect everything. We’re leaving.”
Jin seemed about to say something more, but one look from the snail auxiliary silenced him definitively.
This gathering trip had been more than enough for one day.
♢♢♢♢
The students began boarding the carriages, some still excited commenting about the battle, others visibly relieved to be returning. The night’s events had left their mark on everyone.
“What’s in those containers?” asked Jin, eyeing Ren suspiciously before boarding his own carriage. “Did you sneak away to collect what Professor Zhao defeated while the rest of us were fighting?”
Before he could continue, Zhao intervened with a ‘gentle’ tap to Jin’s head. “Those containers are sealed for a reason. And you should be boarding over there.”
Luna observed everything in silence while her shadow wolf manifested nearby, as if ensuring there were no more threats. Her eyes briefly stopped on Ren before turning to join her group of noble girls.
Klein’s group kept apart, though it was evident they were still upset. The incident had revealed too much… The attack hadn’t been random, and they had been a specific target.
Zhao stopped beside Ren as he finished arranging his containers.
“Ren,” Zhao leaned slightly, his voice gentle despite evident exhaustion, his tone having lost the usual formality of classes, “do you think you could do something more with that crystal of yours?”
“Something more?” Ren blinked, protectively hugging one of his containers.
“For the return journey,” Zhao gestured toward the other carriages. “Could that crystal of yours keep the medusas away during the entire trip?”
“Ah!” Ren’s eyes lit up with understanding. “I can keep them away! Just…” he touched his lip, thoughtful. “I just need to go in front…”
“If I stay in the front carriage,” Ren nodded while adjusting the core. “The effect will make them gradually disperse, as if following the male. I just need to keep it active.”
Zhao contained a smile at the childish enthusiasm. “Of course. In fact, I insist you go to the front.”
“Perfect!” Ren smiled broadly before remembering who he was talking to. “I mean… Yes, professor.”
“Also,” Zhao continued as the boy climbed into the carriage, “I want to thank you for your help today. Not everyone keeps calm in a situation like this.”
Ren shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “It was nothing… I just wanted to help…”
“And you did. More than you imagine,” Zhao gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder. “You deserve a proper reward. I’ll see what I can get from the academy that might be useful to you.”
Ren’s eyes widened like saucers. “Re-reward? Like… like cultivation materials?”
“Would that be useful?” Zhao smiled mysteriously. “We’ll see what I can do…”
As the professor walked away to organize the departure, Ren could barely contain his excitement. Academy materials! With luck they would be…
A movement in the nearby shadows caught his attention.
But then he stopped…
“Everything ready?” the snail auxiliary’s voice startled him.
“Y-yes,” Ren looked away from the trees. It must be his imagination.