[Increase Qingran's trust in the user by 5%]
Qingran was sitting leisurely. He was fishing, this time alone. Usually, he fished together with Mu Tianzheng. Since Mu Tianzheng's death, he had been fishing alone. The atmosphere was no longer the same. It felt quiet and boring.
Qingran hadn't caught a single fish. He was about to go home, but suddenly someone sat next to him. He turned and saw that it was Lin Xian.
"You like fishing too?" asked Lin Xian.
Qingran frowned, puzzled by the question. "Shouldn't I be the one asking that? I always fish here every weekend. I've never seen you before," he complained.
"I'm always here on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays." Lin Xian took out some bread and handed it to Qingran. "I brought a lot. Go ahead and take some! Fishing while eating is quite enjoyable."
Qingran took the bread, but he was suspicious there might be poison mixed in. He sniffed it—nothing seemed strange—but he stayed alert. Some poisons had no scent.
When Qingran was about to return the bread he was holding, suddenly Lin Xian stood up and pulled his fishing rod. He was in a tug-of-war with a fish. Within two minutes, he managed to win the struggle. The fish he caught was quite large—about the size of an adult's arm, half the length of one.
"Fishing isn't just about waiting. It's also about how you move the hook and bait. Without both, you'll only catch tiny, stupid fish," explained Lin Xian.
Qingran didn't believe him. He thought Lin Xian just got lucky. But that assumption was quickly crushed when Lin Xian caught another fish of the same size. Qingran hadn't caught a single one in over two hours. Naturally, he began to reconsider what Lin Xian said.
"No. That must've just been another stroke of luck," he whispered to himself.
At first, he was still confident that it was only luck. But then he saw Lin Xian catch six more fish, all the same size. Even five minutes after catching the sixth, Lin Xian reeled in another fish—this time even larger.
This one was the size of an adult's calf. Qingran was stunned, speechless. He couldn't say it was just luck anymore since Lin Xian had caught seven fish. Meanwhile, he had none.
Lin Xian looked at Qingran. "Do you want to know the trick?" he asked.
Qingran hesitated, silent for a while. Then he nodded and finally accepted Lin Xian's offer. With a sly smile, Lin Xian began to explain to Qingran the basics he needed to learn. After that, he explained the bait he used and how to move it correctly.
Lin Xian explained slowly, in great detail, which made Qingran wonder how Lin Xian could explain things so clearly. With just one explanation, Qingran could already imagine it in his head. Although, in practice, he still failed.
"Take it slow. Everything takes time. Just like when you trained with the spear. You didn't get it right in the first five tries. Enjoying the process is part of the fun," said Lin Xian.
Qingran nodded. He kept trying again and again. He improved each time he followed Lin Xian's advice. Lin Xian just sat next to him, watching. From the side, Qingran felt Lin Xian looked more mature than him.
Sometimes he even sounded wiser. Even though he was only 14 years old. That age was usually full of ego and self-centeredness. No matter what happened, I'm the best and the greatest. Even willing to cause trouble just to feed that ego.
Lin Xian didn't seem like that at all.
[Increase Qingran's trust +5%]
[Increase Qingran's trust +5%]
[Increase Qingran's trust +10%]
Lin Xian saw the notifications pop up on his system screen. He wanted to laugh out loud, but he stayed calm because doing that would make Qingran look at him strangely. That wouldn't be good for his mission. He just waited patiently for the right time to start asking questions.
[Increase Qingran's trust in the user by 25%]
That was pretty good. It meant Qingran was no longer suspecting him. Even if he hadn't gained 100% of Qingran's trust, this result was the best so far.
"I found something suspicious," said Lin Xian, starting the conversation again.
Qingran turned to him, curious. "What do you mean?"
Lin Xian stayed silent for a few seconds to raise Qingran's curiosity. "I think I found a clue... about who set up Senior Mu." He said it in a hesitant voice, as if he wasn't sure about telling it. But it was still loud enough for Qingran to hear.
Qingran's eyes widened in interest. "What do you mean?" he asked again.
Lin Xian waved both his hands. "No, I just... forget it! I don't want to assume things. That would be unethical. If it's just an accusation, I could be punished."
Qingran said loudly, "Don't worry! I'll stand by your side. Just tell me—what did you find?!" His eyes were full of determination.
Lin Xian gave a slight smile. Just as he wanted. Qingran was now in the palm of his hand. He only needed to add a little spice, and everything would go according to plan.
"Master Mu was set up by one of the outer disciple instructors. Have you heard about how his body changed?" Lin Xian asked.
Qingran nodded. "Yes."
"It was the Mad Devil Pill. A forbidden pill that disappeared a thousand years ago. Whoever takes it becomes many times stronger, but the side effect is losing control and transforming into a demon-like being." Lin Xian explained with a shiver. "Senior Mu was in the patriarch's residence because he was chasing the one who had that pill. He wanted to catch him, but was misunderstood."
Qingran furrowed his brow. "He chased someone into the patriarch's wife's quarters? That makes no sense—or do you mean..."
Lin Xian waved his hand. "No. It's not what you think." He took a deep breath. "The pill user ran there not because it was his residence, but because the patriarch's quarters are a forbidden place. By going there, Senior Mu was supposed to stop chasing. That was the trap! He got baited and captured."
Qingran frowned even more. Lin Xian's story sounded odd. Some parts even seemed completely illogical. Like a foolish theory. But that was exactly what Lin Xian wanted.
"It's just my guess, and maybe that's why it sounds ridiculous. But somehow, I truly believe Senior Mu was framed. I want to uncover the truth to make up for Mu Yueran's death," he added, his expression gloomy and downcast.
Qingran patted Lin Xian's head. "You're a good kid. Whether your guess is right or not, your sincerity is clear."
[Increase Qingran's trust +15%]
[Increase Qingran's trust in the user by 40%]
"If anything's bothering you, feel free to tell me," said Qingran.
Lin Xian turned to him and nodded. "Thank you."