Chapter 137: Approaching the Academy Administration, Unraveling Sinister Schemes

Chapter 137: Approaching the Academy Administration, Exposing the Deceptive Plot

The Academy Administration Office, located in the depths of the academy, was a two-story building with gray tiles and white walls. At this moment, it was tightly surrounded by a group of menacing guards. Before Lin Shiya even drew near, she could hear shouting from within, punctuated by the sharp sound of shattering porcelain. Her heart sank, and she quickened her pace.

"Halt! Who goes there?" A guard blocked Lin Shiya’s path, his tone abrasive. His hand rested on the hilt of his blade, his eyes filled with vigilance. Master Fang and the others behind Lin Shiya immediately gathered around, the atmosphere turning tense and confrontational.

Lin Shiya’s gaze was like a torch. She swept a cold glance over the group and said in a deep voice, "I am the new top scholar, Lin Shiya. I have urgent matters to investigate regarding the chaos in the academy. Do you dare to block my way?"

"So what if you’re the top scholar? We are the ones in charge here now!" another guard sneered, drawing his blade halfway. Its cold light flickered. "If you know what’s good for you, get out, or don’t blame us for being impolite!"

"Impolite?" Master Fang stepped forward, shielding Lin Shiya with a hint of mockery in his tone. "Do you clowns really think you can act so recklessly here?"

The two sides stood in a standoff, the air thick with the scent of gunpowder. Suddenly, the main door of the office was kicked open with a bang, and a bloated, panicked man came stumbling out, crawling on his hands and knees. It was Administrator Li of the Academy Administration. His clothes were disheveled, and a clear handprint was visible on his face.

"Lord Lin... Lord Lin, save me!" Upon seeing Lin Shiya, Administrator Li acted as if he had found a lifeline, scrambling to her feet and clutching her legs tightly. "They... they are trying to silence me!"

Lin Shiya frowned, about to ask a question, when a roar erupted from inside the office: "Who dares to make a scene here?" Master Qian, a man in a green robe with a goatee, stepped out, followed by several guards holding clubs, looking fierce.

Seeing Lin Shiya, a glint of malice flashed in Master Qian’s eyes. He sneered, "So it is the top scholar herself. What brings you here? Do you also want a share of the spoils?"

Lin Shiya’s expression was icy. Looking directly at him, she said, syllable by syllable, "Master Qian, you had best explain why you are preventing me from entering the administration office."

Master Qian scoffed, ready to retort, but stopped when he saw Lin Shiya draw a scroll of paper from her sleeve and slowly unfurl it.

"What is that?" A flicker of unease rose in Master Qian’s heart, and he asked instinctively.

A cold smirk tugged at the corner of Lin Shiya’s mouth as she held the scroll aloft. "Master Qian, you should take a look at this first."

The scroll fluttered in the wind, displaying clear evidence of the Academy Libationer Zhao’s dereliction of duty, along with letters detailing his secret collusion with conservative officials. Master Qian’s face turned deathly pale; his lips trembled, but he could not utter a single word. The surrounding guards exchanged glances, their previously fierce expressions replaced by fear and hesitation.

"Master Qian, now that both human and material evidence are here, what do you have to say for yourself?" Lin Shiya’s voice was cold and firm, piercing like midwinter ice. "The chaos in the academy is a matter of great importance. As the top scholar, it is my duty to investigate this thoroughly and restore order to the academy!"

Master Qian’s face shifted between green and white, fine beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead. He knew the situation was lost, yet he remained unwilling to surrender. Gritting his teeth, he hissed, "Even if you have evidence, so what? You shall not step one foot into this office today!"

Before he could finish, the guards behind him brandished their clubs and rushed toward Lin Shiya. Her gaze hardened; she moved in a blur, nimbly dodging the attack. Master Fang and the others immediately joined the fray, engaging the guards.

Seeing this, Lin Shiya acted with lightning speed, grabbing Master Qian by the sleeve. "Master Qian, where do you think you are going?"

Master Qian struggled violently but could not break free from her iron grip. He glared at her with venomous hatred. "Lin Shiya, you had better let me go, or you will surely regret this!"

Lin Shiya sneered, meeting his gaze without fear. "Regret? I, Lin Shiya, never do anything I would regret!"

She shoved Master Qian aside and charged straight into the administration office. As soon as she entered, she caught the acrid scent of thick smoke mixed with the smell of burning paper. Her heart sank; she realized the situation was dire and dashed up to the second floor.

In a room on the second floor, flames roared and thick smoke billowed. A man in black was tossing stacks of documents into the fire. The raging inferno consumed the paper, emitting crackling sounds.

Seeing this, Lin Shiya roared, "Stop! What do you think you are doing?"

The man in black spun around at the sound, dropped the documents, and turned to flee. But how could Lin Shiya let him escape so easily? She lunged forward, blocking his path. "Who are you? Why are you destroying these documents?" she demanded sharply.

The man did not speak; instead, he pulled a dagger from his robes and lunged at her. The cold steel glinted with murderous intent. Lin Shiya was startled but quickly dodged. The blade grazed her cheek, leaving a thin trail of blood.

Fury ignited within her. As she prepared to counterattack, a shout came from behind: "Stop!"

Master Fang had arrived just in time, his long sword sweeping into the fray. The blade flashed like a dragon, cutting through the air with a chilling light. With swift, decisive movements, he forced the guards back. The surrounding thugs dared not act rashly, and the tension intensified.

Lin Shiya took the opportunity to rush the man in black, her hands moving like eagle talons to seize the dagger from his grip. Their bodies grappled in the narrow space, movements tense and rapid. Though the man was fierce, Lin Shiya’s reactions were faster. With a sharp tug, the dagger slipped from his hand and fell to the floor.

Lin Shiya snatched it up and pressed the blade against the man’s throat. "Move again, and you won't see tomorrow's sun!"

The man’s face paled with terror, his body trembling. Lin Shiya’s eyes flashed with a cold, piercing light as she quickly searched his robes, finding a roll of partially burned documents. Though the edges were charred, most of the content remained legible.

She unfurled the papers, noting the dense records of the conservative faction's financial transactions within the academy, along with other critical information. Her heart stirred—this was the very evidence she had been seeking.

She tucked the documents into her robes and refocused on the man. "You may have destroyed part of these files, but what remains is enough to expose your conspiracy."

Master Fang, having dealt with the guards, walked over to her, breathless. His gaze fell upon her with concern. "Are you alright?"

Lin Shiya looked at him with gratitude and shook her head with a smile. "I'm fine. Thanks to your timely arrival."

Master Fang offered a gentle, tender smile. "As long as you are safe, that is all that matters. These corrupt officials will receive the punishment they deserve sooner or later."

The atmosphere between them softened, the surrounding tension dissipating. Just then, Lin Shiya looked down at the documents, her brow furrowing slightly. "These financial records..." she murmured to herself, her tone carrying an air of decisive determination, "We might soon be able to find the true mastermind behind the academy's chaos."

As the man in black listened, the two of them stood silhouetted against the dim firelight, appearing remarkably resolute.

"No matter where you are hiding, I, Lin Shiya, will root you out and restore the academy’s integrity!" Her voice echoed through the administration office with unwavering resolve.

Under the flicker of the flames, Lin Shiya carefully reviewed the salvaged documents. Every line of text stung like a needle. Accounts, dates, locations, names... The details wove together into a vast web, and at its center, several names emerged: Vice Minister of Rites Wang, the son of the Minister of Revenue, Zhang, and—the Academy Libationer Zhao himself.

"So that’s how it is..." Lin Shiya took a deep breath, clutching the papers tightly, her eyes burning with rage. She turned sharply to the man in black, who had been subdued by Master Fang, and barked, "Speak! What did they promise you to make you act as their accomplice and harm the academy?!"

The man, already terrified out of his wits, stammered out the whole story under her interrogation. It turned out that these men, driven by greed, had colluded with internal staff to embezzle academy funds and even orchestrated the chaos to frame others. He was merely a negligible pawn in their game.

Lin Shiya organized the man’s confession and the damaged files, then strode out of the administration office to the academy square. The students were still gathered there, whispering amongst themselves. Seeing Lin Shiya appear, they immediately went silent, all eyes turning toward her.

Lin Shiya took a deep breath and spoke in a ringing, resonant voice: "Students, I have uncovered the truth behind the chaos in the academy!" She held the documents high, her tone firm and powerful. "The true culprits are Vice Minister of Rites Wang, the son of the Minister of Revenue, Zhang, and... the Academy Libationer Zhao himself!"

The crowd erupted in shock. The students looked at Lin Shiya in disbelief; they could hardly fathom that their seemingly virtuous Libationer was the mastermind.

"That’s impossible!" one student cried out. "The Libationer is a man of great integrity, how could he do such a thing?"

"Indeed, there must be some mistake!" another agreed.

Lin Shiya ignored the skepticism and continued, "I know this is hard to accept, but the evidence is irrefutable and leaves no room for sophistry!" She displayed the confession and the documents to the crowd, each word landing with the weight of truth.

As the truth was revealed, the students' anger could no longer be contained. They roared with righteous indignation, chanting slogans demanding justice and the punishment of the guilty.

Watching the scene, Lin Shiya felt a complex mix of emotions. She knew this was only the first step. Though the chaos had momentarily subsided, the true challenge had just begun. How to thoroughly purge the corruption within the academy and restore order was the greatest hurdle before her.

Night fell, and the academy gradually returned to silence. Lin Shiya stood alone by the window, gazing at the distant stars, lost in thought. Suddenly, a knock at the door broke the stillness. She opened it to find Master Fang standing there, holding a letter.

"Shiya," Master Fang said, his tone grave. "I just received word..."

Lin Shiya took the letter, unfolded it, and her expression changed instantly.

"How could this be..." she whispered.