Chapter 1789: Temporary Departure

This was bound to be only the beginning, and Fu Qian had zero interest in sticking around for a group discussion.

Nor was he worried that Brother Weixuan, freshly emerged from seclusion, would interpret his departure as a guilty conscience.

Professionals had their own reasons for doing things.

Showing up decisively just now to stabilize the situation was simply fulfilling his duty as an instructor to prevent further casualties.

Leaving straight after, he believed, had clearly conveyed his refusal to get involved in the spectacle.

Besides, he had already given Brother Weixuan the opinion he wanted.

The Emblem certainly wasn't a random doodle, and his subsequent explanation had been entirely true.

That mark indeed came from the Angel Dungeon he had previously explored.

Given his own mission there, anyone who actually went to investigate it now would most likely find nothing.

But just because the Academy couldn't find anything didn't mean the Night Watchers wouldn't.

Since the latter used every possible method to prevent ancient faiths from returning to the world, they had to have a solid grasp of what those ancient faiths actually were, right?

Regardless of whether that information was classified as top secret.

This was clearly the perfect opportunity to test the Night Watchers' stance and uncover some ancient secrets.

"Should I relay this latter part to Dean Li as well?"

Ji Liushuang listened intently, asking with a solemn expression.

Even though she didn't recognize the design in her hands, she had clearly realized that Professor Fu hadn't left the scene because he was bored. Rather, he had spotted something and knew the situation was far from simple.

It made sense. Given a scene like that, whatever lay behind it couldn't possibly be ordinary.

"Of course. However, beyond the title of 'Angel,' I don't know much else. Its exact meaning remains unclear for now."

Fu Qian nodded, deciding not to burden Classmate Liushuang with any more secrets.

As for whether revealing this information would expose him?

The Angel Dungeon over in the Wasteland wasn't exactly top secret. How many people had gone inside back then?

Siren was even seriously exploring and developing the site. What would knowing a little related information prove?

"Understood. I'll take this over now and hand it to Dean Li once they finish."

Silently repeating the title "Angel," Ji Liushuang carefully tucked away the paper bearing the Emblem. She had no objections to Professor Fu's instructions.

"And if Dean Li or the others look for you later?"

She paused just before stepping out the door, seemingly remembering something.

"Just tell them I stepped out for a bit and will be back soon."

Fu Qian waved goodbye, though he didn't even bother to lift his rear off his seat.

......

[Warning, leak—]

The research assistant quickly departed. In the now-quiet Laboratory, Fu Qian casually removed the Emissary.

The Warehouse operated as stably as always, though this time the warning only managed to sound halfway.

After confirming that the bloodstains on the mask had mostly faded over the past few days, Fu Qian slipped it right back onto his face.

His surroundings blurred and shifted. When he reappeared, he was standing on the Bookstore Second Floor.

Traveling back and forth between the two locations was certainly convenient now.

He could conduct his scientific research without worrying about it impacting his business empire.

Gazing out at Shangjing as it began a new day, Fu Qian stretched and headed downstairs.

His so-called "stepping out for a bit" naturally didn't mean taking a trip to the Wasteland to check if the Angel Dungeon was still there, or trying to track down the Blind Idiot Trio.

Given the exaggerated spectacle of the meteor shower, there was no way the Night Watchers hadn't noticed.

And Chief Yuan of Shangjing had been eagerly waiting for news.

That didn't mean Fu Qian was planning to open for business today, however.

Click—

Pulling open the doors of The Bookstore, he stepped out onto the street, following his memory to grab some food.

His severe injuries hadn't fully healed; he couldn't afford to slack on his nutrition.

As for the expenses?

He hadn't returned to the Laboratory early just to draw. After rushing around for days without time to file for reimbursement, wasn't it perfectly normal to misappropriate a little funding?

......

"Mister Fang."

He had barely finished devouring the pile of food he's bought when someone knocked on the closed doors of The Bookstore, calling out softly.

Chief Yuan, who visited every day but had never bought a single book, naturally wouldn't be this polite. The visitor was her secretary, Classmate Xiao Ming.

Seeing that the owner was not only inside the closed shop but was also happily gorging himself on a feast, Xiao Mingyue let out a visible sigh of relief beneath her shock, standing there respectfully to greet him.

"Hello."

Though there had been some minor unpleasantness previously, how could Fu Qian stoop to the level of an inexperienced youth? He immediately stepped out from behind the counter to open the door, even offering a smiling greeting.

"Hello... is this a good time? The Chief would like to invite Mister Fang over for a chat."

Unfortunately, the pleasant demeanor of a Demigod only seemed to make Xiao Mingyue more nervous. She weighed every word carefully as she relayed Chief Yuan's request.

"Let's go."

Fu Qian's easygoing mood persisted, showing no signs of feeling slighted.

It wasn't strange that Chief Yuan had sent her secretary to invite him rather than rushing over to The Bookstore herself as she usually did.

The Bookstore had no anti-eavesdropping measures. Having heard the news of the meteor shower, she was clearly reeling in shock and wanted to discuss some sensitive topics.

......

"You..."

Sure enough, upon arriving at the Chief's office in the Night Watchers Base, the slender figure behind the desk immediately locked eyes with him, her expression a mix of complex emotions.

As for Classmate Xiao Ming, who quietly closed the door behind them, she had been so nervous on the way over that she was practically sweating.

"It's been a few days, but you look as elegant as ever, Chief Yuan."

Fully fed and in excellent spirits, Professor Fu casually exchanged pleasantries as he walked over and took a seat.

"This is far too absurd. An actual meteor shower... how on earth did you do that?"

Yuan Shan finally spoke, directly expressing her inner shock.

"I just pushed a button. It was the Prison Archangel who was too cooperative."

Fu Qian waved his hand modestly, declining to take the credit.

"So, what exactly did the reports say?"

He was quite curious about how the Night Watchers were defining this incident internally.

"So far, they've only provided a detailed description of the events, emphasizing the Feathers left scattered all over the ground afterward."

Yuan Shan shook her head. His comment about "cooperation" wasn't difficult to understand. Fu Qian had already explained it previously when they were wondering why the enemy had retreated.

This incident proved once again that their previous judgment was correct: the enemy's time-looping ability had to be activated in advance and could not be canceled.

And during that process, he himself was also affected by it.

"Furthermore, the Academy has already denied that their instructors were responsible, and they've requested the Night Watchers' full assistance in the investigation."

As she mentioned the Academy, Yuan Shan's gaze toward Fu Qian grew somewhat complex.

Additionally, it sounded like Yuan Fang and the others had been very cautious in their reports, avoiding jumping to any hasty conclusions.

"The Prison Archangel should be dead by now."

In contrast, Fu Qian openly admitted his deep understanding of the situation without any hesitation.