Chapter 27: The Weeping Stem Grass Incident

In this apocalyptic world, many plants had mutated, and countless unknown plants and animals had appeared.

Even for professionals, identifying a herb by smell at first whiff required extensive experience.

But after the recent Gray Infant Angel attack, knowledge about the monster surfaced in Zhao Zirou’s mind in an instant.

She wasn’t an alchemist, but after years of roaming and adventuring, she was quite familiar with the scent of Weeping Stem Grass sap.

Back when their adventure team was still weak, they had used it to lure Gray Infant Angels and set traps to hunt them.

There was no mistaking it.

To confirm, Zhao Zirou followed the scent to its source and finally found faint traces of milky-white sap on the clothes at Lin Feiyu’s waist.

It wasn’t much, but for a Gray Infant Angel, at such a close distance even a tiny amount was enough.

“Wh-what is it?”

Seeing Zhao Zirou stare grimly at the Weeping Stem Grass sap she had deliberately smeared on her clothes, Lin Feiyu’s eyes were clear and innocent, as if knowledge had never touched her.

Zhao Zirou reached out and touched the stain at her waist. Lin Feiyu instinctively flinched back.

She didn’t like being touched by others, not even her clothes.

Even if the other person was a woman, Lin Feiyu still felt resistant.

Especially since this woman had been neither friend nor enemy to her in a past life. Even if things hadn’t reached that point in this life, Lin Feiyu still didn’t like her.

“Didn’t your classes mention Weeping Stem Grass sap?” Zhao Zirou pointed at the milky-white stain on her clothes. “It can attract Gray Infant Angels and other flying monsters.”

Lin Feiyu nodded fearfully, then quickly shook her head. “The teacher did mention it, but I’ve never seen it…”

That was normal enough.

Most students in Wind City had never left the city. They learned about the outside world mainly through books and what adults told them.

So it was no surprise she didn’t recognize Weeping Stem Grass sap.

But…

“Then how did Weeping Stem Grass sap get on your clothes?” Zhao Zirou stared at her. “Miss Lin, think carefully. Did anyone touch you along the way, or was there anything unusual?”

Lin Feiyu felt a surge of joy in her heart, but on the surface she remained calm and pretended to think.

Zhao Zirou watched her expression shift from deep thought to sudden realization, then to a timid, hesitant, evasive look. “What did you think of?” she asked.

“That…” Lin Feiyu said hesitantly. “I, I don’t know… there didn’t seem to be anything unusual… except…”

“Except?” Zhao Zirou urged. “Don’t keep me in suspense. This concerns your life and everyone’s safety, Miss Lin. I hope you’ll tell the truth!”

Otherwise, she would have to use some methods.

She wouldn’t go so far as to hurt Lin Feiyu, but the process definitely wouldn’t be pleasant.

With Lin Feiyu’s beautiful, delicate appearance, Zhao Zirou honestly didn’t want to interrogate her.

“It’s just… Yu Ni, and Quan Anrong and the others…”

Lin Feiyu maintained her kind, innocent little-flower persona. Even now, she didn’t say anything bad about the two.

She simply recounted how the two had cornered and threatened her outside the city wall earlier, and how they had knocked her down as she fled just now.

“Other than that, no one else touched me.”

“Really?”

“Mm.”

From what she observed, Lin Feiyu didn’t seem to be lying. Her delicate appearance easily stirred a protective instinct.

But as an apocalypse knight, Zhao Zirou had a feeling the girl was lying.

Not about the Gray Infant Angel, though.

It was the feeling Lin Feiyu gave her, like someone wearing a mask. The weakness and beauty she showed were just a surface, and underneath seemed to hide a poisoned needle.

Like the deadly traps in the wild.

‘Maybe I’m overthinking it… she’s just a student…’

Besides, in this apocalyptic world, a truly innocent little flower would die horribly. If Lin Feiyu did have some cunning, it was a way to protect herself.

Zhao Zirou convinced herself of this, but to be safe, she still went to find Xu Ming to learn more.

“From what I know, Feiyu isn’t lying,” Xu Ming said.

Whether it was the usual record of Lin Feiyu being bullied by Yu Ni and the others at the academy, or the way the two had cornered her by the car door outside Wind City’s walls, everything pointed to something off.

Add in Lin Feiyu’s reputation as an innocent little flower…

Even some of the girls nearby who disliked her beauty and popularity had to admit she was a total pushover.

With this corroboration, Zhao Zirou believed about seventy or eighty percent of what Lin Feiyu had said. But she also learned something unexpected.

There was another female student named Gu Qianqian who often bullied Lin Feiyu. Before departure, she had sneaked off with Lin Feiyu beside the vehicle for about a minute, and no one knew what she did.

Although Lin Feiyu had implied suspicion toward Yu Ni and Quan Anrong throughout, Zhao Zirou felt it necessary to investigate this Gu Qianqian as well.

After all, Weeping Stem Grass sap was no joke.

“To smear that stuff on someone on purpose, to lure a Gray Infant Angel attack, that’s not simple jealousy or bullying.

“That’s murder!”

“No matter whether the culprit is a student, a teacher, a guard, or anyone else, we must investigate thoroughly and bring them to justice!”

That was what Zhao Zirou said to Commander You Wende.

After hearing her report, You Wende, who had initially not paid much attention, turned serious.

He didn’t care whether ordinary students lived or died, but Lin Feiyu was a top student of the year. Even without a powerful background, she was someone the academy watched closely.

And this grade also had young masters and ladies like Zu Xingyu. If someone targeted them and splashed Weeping Stem Grass sap everywhere, the consequences were obvious.

So You Wende looked furious. “To think there’s such trash among the students. Miss Zhao, just arrest all the suspects and interrogate them!”

“For everyone’s safety, and to eliminate hidden risks, I’ll order them restrained immediately.”

“These students aren’t tough. A few whips and they’ll confess everything!”

Zhao Zirou looked at him with contempt. This bastard director was truly a bastard.

Back when she was a student, this bastard hadn’t even been a director yet, just a teacher, and she’d heard he had a bad relationship with students.

Now it seemed he really didn’t treat students as human beings.

Zhao Zirou snorted. “No. Right now we only have suspicions, no solid information. Doing that will only make the students suspicious and panicked.”

“And without evidence, you can’t just arrest and interrogate people.”

“If the culprit isn’t one of them, you’ll only alert the real culprit and let them flee or hide deeper.”

You Wende was malicious but not stupid. Thinking it over, he realized she had a point. “Then what do you suggest?”

“Hold off for now. Don’t act rashly. Keep everything as usual,” Zhao Zirou said. “I’ll track and investigate these suspects. I believe we’ll have results soon.”

Zhao Zirou was capable. Tracking and investigating a student would be simple.

You Wende thought about it and agreed. “Fine, we’ll do that for now.”

Zhao Zirou added one more thing. “Don’t forget to have extra guards tonight. The battle just now might attract other monsters to attack in the night.”

“I know.” This time You Wende didn’t dare be careless.

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