Chapter 183 : Chapter 183

Chapter 183: The Obsessed Shop Manager Xia Li

After a brief chat, Big Sis Bai received a message and bid me a somewhat apologetic farewell.

“It's okay, my place is so close anyway, it's just a few steps home, Big Sis Bai doesn't need to specifically walk me back, goodbye.”

I said, pushing Big Sis Bai's back gently.

Since she had something to attend to, she couldn't be delayed by me, otherwise, my sin would be too great.

“Sigh Alright then.”

Bai Yu smiled and shook her head, finally leaving reluctantly.

“You two have a really good relationship.”

Watching the interaction between me and Bai Yu, Senior Ying Shiqian remarked from the side.

“Indeed, in the Witch Academy, Big Sis Bai treats me the best. She was the one who brought me to the Witch Academy back then.”

I gave a positive response to Senior Ying Shiqian's remark.

But just as I was about to say more, I was stopped by Shop Manager Xia Li.

“Little Han, come here for a moment, I have something to tell you.”

“Eh? Okay, Shop Manager.”

I didn't expect the shop manager to suddenly speak to me.

Actually, my contact with the shop manager in the bakery wasn't much, sometimes I even kept a respectful distance, perhaps due to her status, or perhaps because we didn't interact much.

It felt like she cared more for Tan Han, which others might see as favoritism.

After all, we were in the same club, and the president favoring another person, but I understood it very well.

I wasn't particularly familiar with Shop Manager Xia Li, at least I spent more time with Senior Ying Shiqian and the others.

Moreover, it seemed that Tan Han was brought here by the shop manager herself, so it was understandable that she cared more for her.

And now, seeing the threads of Destiny on her, I seemed to understand the reason.

“It's not convenient to talk here, let's go to the back.”

Xia Li looked at the situation in the shop and eventually led me towards the back door.

Behind the bakery, apart from the back kitchen, the rest of the area belonged to the Bakery Club. I used to wander here when I was working part-time.

“Shop Manager, where are we going?”

I followed Shop Manager Xia Li quietly, not knowing what she wanted to do.

I quietly followed behind Senior Xia Li, but this seemed to be a very good opportunity.

I carefully counted the threads on Senior Xia Li.

Although they were wrapped around her exaggeratedly, after a careful count, there were only eight or nine of them.

And the most conspicuous one was the one wrapped around her neck.

I carefully reached out my hand and plucked the thread.

The end of the thread swayed as my finger plucked it.

This feeling was very magical.

The threads of Destiny were not affected by external forces, such as wind, clothes brushing against them, or the swaying from walking, but they moved when I plucked them with my hand.

I pinched the end of the thread, and it was pulled out by me as if unraveling a cocoon.

But at this moment, Shop Manager Xia Li suddenly spoke with her back to me.

“Little Han, you must be very curious about where I'm taking you, right?”

“Eh? Ye… yes, Shop Manager, where are you taking me? If it's just to say something others can't hear, we could just find any spot here, right?”

I was startled by the senior's reaction, but I quickly recovered and acted as if nothing had happened.

After all, what I was doing wasn't something I could openly talk about, which was equivalent to doing something with a guilty conscience, right?

“I'm planning to take you to my little treasury. I suppose Shiqian and Yihan must have mentioned my little treasury to you often, right?”

“Eh? That's true.”

I nodded honestly.

The seniors did often mention the shop manager's little treasury.

I heard it contained everything, even the so-called Transcendent Knowledge.

But why was the shop manager suddenly taking me to her little treasury?

“I want to ask you for a favor, Little Han. It's not that I'm being partial, but about you joining my Bakery Club…”

“And then?”

I watched as the shop manager turned around, about to say something with that tone, but she paused.

Then, I looked at the thread of Destiny in my hand; it had gone from being taut just now to limply draped over my hand.

“Ahem… what was I about to say just now? Oh, you've been in the Bakery Club for a while, and I've neglected you before. You won't blame the shop manager, will you?”

Xia Li's expression was a bit odd at this moment, and even the way she spoke was not the same as before.

And I saw all of this.

Did the shop manager change so much after a thread of Destiny was undone?

Based on her previous sentence starting with “It's not that I'm being partial,” the following words should have been something like “so what if I am partial,” that's how the development should have been.

Since the shop manager herself admitted she was partial, then thinking back, had I been treated unfairly?

If there was no comparison, then naturally there was no unfairness.

If there was a comparison then naturally there was.

Especially after comparing with Tan Han…

I constantly reminded myself not to think about those treatments I should supposedly receive.

Any benefits and special treatment given by others were, in the beginning, done because they felt it would be profitable for them.

Otherwise, I was afraid my heart would be completely shattered by the imbalance, but I knew very well that the only one who could hurt my heart was myself.

As long as I ignored some things, and even watched coldly from the sidelines, then it had nothing to do with me.

It seemed that most things could be solved this way.

When faced with others' sarcasm, nitpicking, and veiled insults, as long as you replied with a faint “oh,” the other party would most likely jump in anger.

But I wasn't cold enough to be like that to the shop manager.

“It's fine, and thank you, Shop Manager, for helping me when I was in difficulty. I don't really care about the other things.”

I responded with standard nonsense.

Then I threw away the thread I had just unwound from the shop manager.

I didn't know what the difference was between this thread of Destiny and the one I couldn't shake off.

Since it could entangle Shop Manager Xia Li, it might be able to entangle me too.

But I soon discovered that I couldn't get rid of it.

At this moment, it was following me just like that other strand of Destiny.

“So that's what you think. Our Bakery Club didn't have many members before. I've been a hands-off boss for a long time and haven't fulfilled my responsibilities. Recently, a lot of new members who followed the trend have joined, seemingly all because of you and Tan Han. It scared me so much that I don't dare to promote my club everywhere like before. I'm really afraid I can't manage it.”

As Xia Li spoke, she led me to a place I had never been to before.

“Hold on.”

Xia Li brought me to a wall.

At first glance, this wall didn't look any different; it was just a wall on one side of the deep end of a corridor.

But since Shop Manager Xia Li stopped here, it meant there was a hidden mechanism.

And without waiting for the shop manager to make a move, I used my Spirit Vision to see through this place.

As expected, this was not a normal wall.

It seemed to be some kind of alchemical item?

It was very large, the size of a door, or maybe it was a door integrated into the wall?

Behind the door was a huge space.

It wasn't that there was a hidden room behind this wall, but that there was a superimposed space behind this door.

Even if you looked from behind this wall, it was still a wall.

The key was to enter the space behind it through this door.

It felt somewhat similar to the entrance of Fengqing Street, but the difference was also obvious.

As Xia Li took out her magic wand and tapped it on the wall, the shadow of a door appeared on the wall.

I had already seen through this marvelous method with my Spirit Vision.

It was like watching a magic trick whose method was already known, but the moment it was performed, it still felt a bit amazing.

“This time, both you and Tan Han made it to the end of the Newcomer Competition. I really didn't expect that, especially the first battle where you faced Tan Han. I was even more surprised and astonished.”

“I was also caught off guard by what happened at the arena today, but in the end, I was the one who brought Tan Han to the Witch Academy, so I'd like to ask you for a favor.”

“A favor?”

I looked at Shop Manager Xia Li, and a bad feeling emerged in my heart, especially when she mentioned that she brought Tan Han to the Witch Academy.

She couldn't possibly be asking me to hold back in the upcoming matches no, that's not right.

Most people thought Tan Han could overpower me.

Perhaps she was asking me to help Tan Han?

Or maybe to not fight with Tan Han for first place?

I quietly waited for the shop manager's words.

Did these words come from her heart or from the interference of Destiny?

“Yes, the upcoming exchange competition with over 20 academies is a rare grand event in the entire history of the academy. Although I feel it was organized a bit hastily this time, you can't deny that so many academies have participated.”

“So…”

I continued to ask.

“So… Little Han, you are the only newcomer in this batch who can stand by Tan Han's side at this stage. I would like to ask you, in the exchange competition, if possible, could you lend Tan Han a hand?”

“Uh… ahem, haha, Shop Manager, what are you talking about?”

I coughed lowly and then gave an awkward laugh.

How did the plot develop exactly as I had predicted?

“Then what about me?”

“Little Han, I'm sorry. I know this academy exchange competition is a very important grand event, but this is, after all, a game between academies. Tan Han is the most likely person from our Witch Academy to become number one in this exchange competition. If there is no internal strife between you two, and even with your help…”

“Shop Manager then what about me?”

I leaned against the wall, gradually sliding down to a squat in the corner between the ground and the wall, and then emphasized again.

“Little Han, I think I've made myself very clear…”

“Why can't I be the one to win the championship? Actually… I might not be that much worse than Tan Han, right?”

“But the battle between you two…”

“I only used some standard consumption spellbooks, you know. The most commonly used spellbook was even Fireball. But Shop Manager, if you paid attention to my matches, you should at least know that my spellbooks are not limited to these. I even have high-consumption spellbooks. I haven't used those means at all.”

I directly interrupted Shop Manager Xia Li.

I wanted to see just how astonishing her words could get.

And then I wanted to see what exactly prompted Xia Li to say such things.

“But your Magic Power Source…”

“Has already reached over seven hundred. On this point… I won't trouble the Shop Manager to worry about it.”

I smiled and interrupted the shop manager again.

Then I stood up.

I just felt that I had a new idea at this moment.

To be honest, I actually had a pretty good impression of Xia Li.

I was more willing to believe that this was the interference of Destiny, just like the words Tan Han said to me at that time.

Didn't she end up running to me to apologize?

Presumably, the current shop manager was at a loss for words after being refuted by me on this point.

She should be thinking of other ways to persuade me, right?

Or would she use forceful means?

But compared to these, I wanted to try something else.

“Shop Manager Xia Li, I'm actually a worldly person too. I know you care a lot about Tan Han, but Senior Xia Li, you also need to understand what you are doing now. You are stifling the desire for first place for a newcomer who is just as enterprising and full of hope as Tan Han.”

“Shop Manager, when you told me about this, I should have been very angry, but you are the shop manager, and I respect you very much. You want me to give up the path I am on, which is impossible in itself. And you brought me to your little treasury, your meaning is actually very clear, right? And I understand your meaning.”

I immediately seized the initiative, and the words I spoke made Shop Manager Xia Li, who was listening, feel a little at a loss.

But this was all nonsense I made up.

What path I was on?

What stifling ideals?

It was all fabricated.

I didn't aspire to these things.

After all, all these honors were empty.

When I knew about the existence of the script, I should have known that fighting for these was meaningless.

Even if those were fake, only my understanding of the transcendent and the power I held in my hands were not fake.

Of course, I was serious about the last sentence regarding the shop manager's little treasury.

Under the influence of the seniors, I was indeed very interested in the shop manager's little treasury.

Especially that so-called Transcendent Knowledge.

Actually, I also had a piece of Transcendent Knowledge, but I still don't know what this thing can do.

But I know it is currently “sleeping” inside my body.

I usually don't dare to touch it, for fear that it will cause me trouble.

When facing unknown things, it's natural to be careful.

“Shop Manager, there is only one thing in your little treasury that I'm interested in.”

“What is it?”

Xia Li asked at this moment, but she quickly had the answer.

“Transcendent Knowledge, you know.”

I said with a smile, “The shop manager values Tan Han very much. Presumably, you can do many things for her, right? Transcendent Knowledge is just a thing after all. If you give this to me, I am willing, even wholeheartedly willing to help Tan Han.”

I said this to the shop manager.

Actually, with this sentence, I was also measuring the value of Transcendent Knowledge in the shop manager's eyes.

What Big Sis Bai told me about Transcendent Knowledge before made it sound like a flood or a fierce beast, but now I had come into contact with a second piece of Transcendent Knowledge.

I didn't mind seeing how important it was in a person's heart.

“This… this is not okay…”

At this moment, Shop Manager Xia Li's face was full of entanglement and struggle, “Change it for something else. I have a lot of Magic Power Sources, I also have spellbooks! High-consumption spellbooks! Super-consumption spellbooks! Yes! Super-consumption spellbooks, the most important reward this time is this! I can also give it to you in advance!”

“Shop Manager, you're being too formal. That's a one-sided reward from the Witch Academy. This time, the exchange competition is jointly held by so many academies, the rewards will definitely not be calculated this way.”

I smiled and gently refuted Xia Li.

At this moment, Xia Li felt a bit obsessed, somewhat like Tan Han at that time, and this made me even more certain about this matter.

I looked at the gradually tightening threads of Destiny.

At this moment, Shop Manager Xia Li truly looked like a marionette.

But without the one around her neck, she now looked a bit absurd and ridiculous.

“Shop Manager, Transcendent Knowledge is just a collectible in your hands, but it can play a greater value in my hands.”

“No… no… that's for Tan Han… what, what am I saying…”

“Is that so…”

Listening to the shop manager's almost incoherent words, I felt it was a bit of a pity.

So this was really prepared for Tan Han.

Could this be considered a future script that I dug up myself?

“Then Shop Manager, you give this to me, and I will help Tan Han. And in the future, I will find a piece of Transcendent Knowledge myself and return it to Tan Han. Shop Manager, you know my strength, and I will have the ability to find another one in the future.”

I continued to speak, “I can sign a contract, otherwise, I will return the piece of Transcendent Knowledge you gave me to Tan Han.”

“A contract?”

It seemed that this point touched Xia Li.

“Yes, Shop Manager, a contract. We can sign a contract. Can you let me see the so-called Transcendent Knowledge? After I see it with my own eyes, we will sign the contract. The content will be as I just said. With my assistance, I think in this exchange competition, no one should be our opponent, right?”

“Okay! But you can't go back on your word!”

Xia Li said with a conflicted tone, as if she had made a huge decision, but her body was more honest than her mouth, having already arrived in front of the huge safe in the innermost part of her little treasury.

And I also followed the shop manager into her little treasury.

Although it was called a little treasury, it was surprisingly large inside.

There were all sorts of things, and as the shop manager said, there were Magic Power Sources, spellbooks, alchemical items, transcendent items, so many things that I was dazzled.

I even saw a safe dedicated to stacking Arcanite Gold and Mithril coins.

The inside of the safe could also be seen clearly with my Spirit Vision.

But I shouldn't be doing this right now.

There was something more important to do, which was to help the shop manager untie the threads of Destiny.

When they were all untied, I suppose the shop manager would have a miraculous change, right?

“Hmm? Little Han, what are you doing behind me?”

Xia Li asked when she saw my unusual behavior.

“Oh, it's nothing, it looks like a loose thread, I'll help you get it off.”

“A loose thread? Impossible, my clothes were custom-made not long ago, it's impossible for there to be a mistake like a loose thread!”

As I pulled off the thread of Destiny on her right arm, her hand, which was busy opening the safe, also paused, stopping its movement.