Those Classmates who Suddenly Disappeared
Chapter 1006 - 106: Caught Between Two Fires

Chapter 1006: Chapter 106: Caught Between Two Fires

After a long journey, Lu Bei and Jin Yi returned to the backyard of a pharmacy in a remote little town, where they found Jian Shen and Lin Xi drinking tea together, laughing and chatting. It seemed that during the time Lu Bei and Jin Yi were away, the bond between these two had grown even stronger.

Lu Bei pretended to cough several times, catching the couple’s attention, and said, "Excuse me for interrupting your sweet nothings, but please be mindful of us bystanders’ feelings, and don’t treat us like we’re invisible, okay?"

Jian Shen gave an embarrassed smile, "Ah, it’s you guys, finally back. I was just discussing with Qian Ye the chances of you becoming the leader of the Martial Arts Alliance."

Hearing this, Jin Yi looked down, somewhat unable to face Jian Shen.

Seeing Jin Yi’s demeanor, Jian Shen and Qian Ye roughly guessed the outcome, but they didn’t mind and offered words of comfort, "Winning or losing is all in a day’s work for a warrior. The most important thing is to grow from this Martial Arts Competition experience."

Jin Yi felt relieved, his greatest fear was to disappoint Jian Shen, his master.

Jian Shen then asked, "How was the Martial Arts Competition? Which round did you reach?"

Lu Bei shrugged, looking helpless, "Jin Yi made it to the semi-finals but lost to the leader of Xuanjian Sect."

Lin Xi was surprised, "To reach the semi-finals on your first Martial Arts Competition, Jin Yi, you’ve done well. At such a young age, your potential is limitless."

Jian Shen nodded in acknowledgment, but he was more concerned about something else, "Since you lost to the leader of Xuanjian Sect, he must have made it to the final round. Tell me who became the leader of the Martial Arts Alliance in the end, don’t tell me it was the leader of Xuanjian Sect."

"If you’re so against him becoming the leader of the Martial Arts Alliance, you should have gone yourself." Lu Bei made an indifferent face, leaving Jian Shen somewhat helpless, "You know well that with the second group of vampires yet to appear, I need to lay low and wait for the right moment to act. That’s why I hoped someone competent would become the leader of the Martial Arts Alliance. Unfortunately, the leader of Xuanjian Sect is narrow-minded and only knows how to hold back his power. He watched the previous leader of the Martial Arts Alliance and the Devil Cult fight to the death, waiting for the martial arts experts to be nearly wiped out before contesting for the position."

Lu Bei nodded, "You’re right, that guy not only wants to be the leader of the Martial Arts Alliance but also to take all the martial artists’ wealth. How despicable." Then, Lu Bei detailed the events of this Martial Arts Competition, making it clear that it was all masterminded by the leader of Xuanjian Sect.

"So what happened in the end? Did the leader of Xuanjian Sect become the leader of the Martial Arts Alliance?" Jian Shen was unable to keep calm, wondering how such a person could lead everyone against the second wave of Western vampires.

Lu Bei shook his head with a light smile, "Since the leader of Xuanjian Sect’s plot was exposed, how could anyone approve of such a leader for the Martial Arts Alliance? Rest assured, in the end, no one became the leader of the Martial Arts Alliance. It was all a pointless struggle."

Hearing this, Jian Shen finally sighed with relief.

Lin Xi interjected, "I suppose Xuanjian Sect is now in disrepute. People like that get what they deserve. Such despicable actions will eventually bring retribution."

"Many people think the same," Jin Yi reflected and then added, "However, we really have to thank someone. He’s the one who first discovered the leader of Xuanjian Sect’s conspiracy and also the one who arranged everything, seizing the opportunity to expose him."

"Oh, is that so? Then we really should thank this person." Jian Shen had just finished speaking when Lu Bei voiced his skepticism, "I don’t see it that way. This guy also made it to the final round. He wanted to compete with the leader of Xuanjian Sect for the throne of the Martial Arts Alliance. He probably exposed the leader of Xuanjian Sect so that he could become the leader himself. Unfortunately, everyone lost interest in electing a new leader, so his plot failed to succeed."

"Is that so?" Jian Shen and Lin Xi were puzzled, feeling like they had missed a good show.

Jin Yi hurried to explain, "That’s not all, this person’s martial arts skills were particularly poor, yet he managed to defeat various experts and advanced to the final round—we couldn’t believe it."

"Poor martial arts skills, yet still won?" Jian Shen couldn’t believe it. Being a martial artist himself, he understood all too well how skill disparity affects the outcome of a fight. Out of curiosity, Jian Shen inquired, "What is this person’s name?"

Lu Bei answered directly, "The man’s name is Gu Fan, supposedly unaffiliated with any sect or school..."

With a ’clack’, a teacup dropped from Lin Xi’s hand, breaking into pieces. Lin Xi’s eyes widened in shock, "What did you say his name is?"

"His name is Gu Fan?" Seeing Lin Xi’s reaction, Lu Bei suddenly remembered something, "He seemed to have mentioned a grudge with you and asked about you."

Lin Xi immediately pressed for answers, "Where is he now? Where can I find him?"

Lu Bei shook his head because he didn’t understand Lin Xi’s reaction, so his reply came out weak, "The Martial Arts Competition ended, and Jin Yi and I left. I guess he’s probably left the Martial Arts Competition too."

"Why didn’t you tell him where I was?" Lin Xi panicked and got up, ready to dash off.

Jian Shen grabbed Lin Xi’s arm and quickly asked, "What’s going on, Qian Ye? Why are you in such a panic? Who is this Gu Fan?"

"I... he... this..." Lin Xi became even more flustered, unsure of how to explain to Jian Shen.

It was obvious to anyone with eyes that Lin Xi was thrown into complete disarray at the mention of Gu Fan’s name—there had to be an out-of-the-ordinary relationship.

"I’ll explain this to you later, but right now I must find him." Lin Xi said this, but even her own mind was in turmoil. She didn’t know how to handle the relationship with her boyfriend from the past life and the one from this life—it was all too complicated.

Jian Shen just looked at Lin Xi, seeing her evasive gaze, he knew that Gu Fan must hold an important place in her heart.

"Okay, I will come with you to look for him." Jian Shen chose to trust Lin Xi unconditionally. After all they had been through, was he still afraid of losing this relationship?

Lin Xi wanted to say thank you, but it was too awkward to voice.

Just as Lin Xi was about to set out on her own to look for Gu Fan, suddenly, Jian Shen’s complexion changed slightly, and he spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.

"What’s wrong with you, don’t scare me." Lin Xi quickly caught Jian Shen, with Lu Bei and Jin Yi coming over to help.

It turned out that Jian Shen, in his eagerness to reach the next level, had been forcefully practicing a higher-level martial arts technique, rushing progress despite the harm it caused. This resulted in aggravated internal injuries, a worrisome situation.

Given these circumstances, Lin Xi couldn’t leave. She had to wait until Jian Shen’s injuries stabilized before she could go in search of Gu Fan.

"I’m sorry, Gu Fan, please wait for me a little longer. I just want to make up for the regrets of the past. That’s all."