177 Something Seems Wrong

It was the next day at the Jianlan Underground Palace. As the eerie door opened slowly, darkness surged, and the smell of ancient dust surged forward. Sinister wind came from the darkness and snuck into the collars, causing one’s scalp to go numb.

"So cold…" Bart shivered subconsciously. Hearing the small sounds in the darkness, his face paled slightly. "Professor, is this really part of the Academy?"

"Don’t make such a fuss. There are haunted places even in the Academy," Ingmar replied lightly.

The middle-aged man wore a spotless long coat and had attractive features. His long hair had grayed due to studying Revelations for so long and was tied behind his back, making him seem elegant and mysterious.

Whenever he looked into the darkness, his expression became disdainful and proud. As the director of the School of Revelations and an important member of the school board, he could not stand having something out of his control.

Every year, Jianlan Underground Palace would carve out a sky-high budget from the school board for no reason. And yet, it had never handed in a report. It was absolutely absurd. Who knew what was going on in there?!

"Is your student ready?" The guard at the door glanced at Bart’s pale face and chuckled. "Do as you please. I’m leaving now. There’ll be someone inside to guide you." Perceiving the disgust in Ingmar’s eyes, the guard chuckled lightly and turned to leave.

"Pretending to be mysterious," Ingmar huffed as he watched the man walk away. If not for the special circumstances, he would not even be willing to come. Every time he saw Dominic’s cold eyes, he felt humiliated. This was the only place those old war dogs could pretend to be powerful.

At this thought, Ingmar became even more upset. "Bart, stop spacing out. It’s highly difficult to enter the library of the Royal Academy of Music. You must know that our school has given a lot to win this chance for you. Don’t let me down."

Bart nodded quickly.

"Good." Ingmar ordered coldly, "Remember the titles I’ve told you. Don’t be like the disgrace of the Academy and come out empty-handed."

"I will take use this opportunity well." Bart’s eyes were determined.

"Very good." Ingmar nodded. "The school anniversary is soon. You must prepare beforehand so you won’t be defeated by a student taught by that blasphemous and crippled Abraham. This time, we’ll show the old cripple our true colors, understand?"

"I understand…" Bart rubbed his still-hurting chin and his eyes turned sinister. "I understand."

"Then go." Ingmar watched as Bart walked past the doors and the corner of his lips curled into a smile. One day, that blasphemous old guy who dared to disagree with him would be forced out the Academy.

-

An eerie wind blew. Footsteps echoed in the dark passageway as Bart raised his lantern and looked around in confusion. He could still hear the small broken sounds around him and could not help but tremble. This place was just too creepy.

He rubbed the ring on his finger and gathered his courage. This time, his professor had given him the quota of the School of Revelations so he could enter the library and read the handwritten music scores collected there.

Though they were scores below the Resonance level, they were all personally handwritten by previous saints. They contained the soul and mysteries of music scores. Readers could grasp the melody and strength much faster than the average person.

Ingmar had tailored a book list for this reason. As long as Bart learned all of the melodies according to the list, his skills would skyrocket. These scores were templates carefully chosen by Ingmar to help Bart further grasp his unique music score: the first movement of the Crown Sonata. If he was able to use it to break into the Musician level and be blessed by the gods, there would be even better things waiting for him.

There were only twelve hours, but it did not mean he had no other choice.

Bart squeezed the ring on his forefinger and smiled faintly. This was the ‘secret memorizer ring’ that he had spent a fortune on. Once activated, it would increase the wearer’s comprehension and memorization abilities. There were also hidden ways to record what the user read and saw into the gem. Even if copying was forbidden, he could still duplicate the files without a sound! The day he officially entered the Musician level would be the day that Eastern b*stard and his useless teacher was kicked out the Academy!

A ruthless look flashed past his eyes. The School of Revelations had been enduring the humiliation brought on by the History Department for all this time. That old cripple had strayed and stubbornly insisted on researching his interpretation thing, ignoring their kindness, refusing to return to the right path. Karma would get him one day!

Bart had already decided. During the school anniversary celebration, he would make the d*mned Easter—the disgrace of the Academy—kneel before him. "You’ll have to pay sooner or later," he murmured, clenching his fist.

The entrance to the library was before him. Bart felt the bag of money he had prepared beforehand for the manager and nodded in satisfaction. Good, the plan was perfect.

As long as he had a warm smile and offered the generous sum at the right time, he believed the manager would make things easier for him. At this thought, his lips curled into a smile and he pushed the door slowly.

And so, he opened the door, and saw the ground covered in marbles…

-

In the library’s vast empty space under the warm lighting, columns of old bookshelves radiated with mysteriousness. The shelves rose like trees, extending to the limit of his vision. He could not see the end. But in the office area at the entrance, the tables and chairs had been pushed to the side into a careless pile. What replaced them were marbles scattered all over.

A figure sat amongst the marbles with its back to Bart. It grasped marbles and studied the situation attentively, not even noticing that Bart had entered. Then with a soft sound, the marbles suddenly started rolling even though there was no wind. They crashed against each other, producing crisp sounds. It was extremely strange.

In the eerie atmosphere, Bart felt his hair standing up. "Excuse me," he asked in a trembling voice after gathering his courage, "is the library’s manager…"

"Sh!" The squatting figure raised a finger, telling him to shut up. Bart could only shut his mouth awkwardly and wait in his spot in fear.

After thinking for a long time, the person flicked the white marble in his hands. The marble left his hand but jumped dramatically on the ground! Endless clatters sounded instantly. Along the way, all black marbles were forced away and began rolling randomly. They created complex crisscrossed lines, hitting each other, but all landed inside a chalked circle in the end. None missed.

"Tsk." It seemed like someone had made an upset sound.

"Ah, I won without meaning to again?" The manager whistled proudly and wagged his finger. "Don’t be a sore loser. Pay up, pay up..."

There was the sound of a child’s cold humph. Then a few old collector bottle caps fell out of thin air, landing at the manager’s feet, as if saying scornfully, "Take it!"

"Hey, you should be more polite. You don’t have the manners of a gambler." The manager picked up the caps without looking down on it at all. "We agreed that ten bottle caps can be exchanged for one copy written by a saint. Don’t go back on your words."

Slam! An ancient yet thin pamphlet appeared out of nowhere and was slammed down like a fly swatter, falling onto his face—"Take it!"

"…Whatever, I won’t bother with you." The manager took the book from his face and sighed. Then he flipped through, nodded and rolled it up carelessly before stuffing it in his pocket! He took it for himself!

This guy’s movements were so smooth and natural. He did not feel bad for taking public property at all! Bart’s eyes reddened but he pretended not to see. Instead, he made a note of this corrupted b*stard in his mind.

"When I get out, you’ll be waiting to be interrogated by the school board!" Bart thought angrily. But for some reason, he felt that the figure looked so familiar. There was something wrong…

"Was there someone asking for me?" The manager yawned and looked back lazily. His eyes lit up instantly. "Oh, what a coincidence. I know you!" With that, the white-haired youth smiled his trademark hearty smile. "Bart, how may I help you?"

"You—you—you…" Bart gaped at the youth, feeling like he was in another nightmare again. He could not help but yell out the name, "Ye Qingxuan! Why is it you again?"

"Oh, you don’t know?" Ye Qingxuan chuckled in embarrassment. "Starting today, I’m the manager of the library. How is it? Are you happy? Are you surprised?"

It felt as if a steel hammer just wacked him in the face. Bart felt his vision go black and he almost coughed up blood. "Impossible!" He was speechless. "Just—just you…you can…in your dreams!"

"You’ve misunderstood me. Mr. Dominic forced me to come. I had no other choice." Ye Qingxuan sighed, his expression sad and depressed. "Maybe it’s because I’m too attractive? Being attractive is so annoying."

Bart’s face turned beet red. It looked as if he was going to die from holding his breath. For some reason, he felt a deep stomach ache.

What was that saying? It was like he had been cursed!