Chapter 184: Worked Hard, But Missed the Mark

Gu Weilan shook her head and yawned. “I don’t think that’s likely. Lorenzo just found out that this was a joint application submitted by the academies.”

The implication was very straightforward: Did the female Shen Zhiqiu really have the ability to pass information to the higher-ups of the academies?

Shen Mianzhou also thought of this. Frowning, he hurriedly explained, “Female Master, when I was severely injured before, my Mother was extremely worried about me. So, I told her I was fine, and that after using your Bloodline Purification Bath Liquid, my physical functions had become much stronger than before.

“The reason I’m worried my Mother might have leaked this news… is because I disclosed to her that the military sent a large number of Beastman Warriors over because you added something good to the production line at the Bloodline Purification Bath Liquid factory. Therefore, they would scramble to come help us relieve the pressure, and I would return home safely.”

After hearing this, Gu Weilan gave a slight nod.

On the other side, Lorenzo Snow, who had been woken up early in the morning, shook his head at Gu Weilan after investigating.

“It wasn’t your Mother,” Gu Weilan stated. “She didn’t even tell a single Beastman about this.”

A blush crept onto Shen Mianzhou’s cheeks. On one hand, he was ashamed of doubting his own Mother; on the other, he was immensely relieved that she wasn’t the one who leaked the news.

Zhan Heng threw his hands up. “Xie Jing knows better than I do what kind of Beastman the female Xie Jinglan is.”

Xie Jing pursed his lips and joined the group chat directly using his Light Brain. “My Mother does seem like… the kind of Beastman who would do such a thing.

“She is the type who doesn’t care whether she gains any benefits or not, as long as her opponents are having a hard time.”

Gu Weilan looked at Lorenzo again.

Lorenzo’s slender fingers were already flying across his screen, moving so fast they were a blur. He let out a long breath. “The female Xie Jinglan… She didn’t receive any news about this. Although she has tried many ways to keep an eye on our Female Master.

“However… well, she didn’t put much effort into monitoring Uncle Zhan Ci’s side this time, so she’s entirely unaware of this matter.”

Gu Weilan pursed her lips. She thought it was simply too laughable. Xie Jinglan had been keeping tabs for so long, only to find absolutely nothing. With that level of professional competence, if she were tailing celebrities on Blue Star, she would be squeezed out by other paparazzi and left starving within half a month! This was nothing short of unprofessionalism.

After secretly gloating, Gu Weilan suddenly froze. She wondered who had leaked the news if it wasn’t Xie Jinglan.

Lorenzo’s expression also turned grim. “This matter… was spearheaded by the Central Beastman Academy…”

At this, Zhan Heng, Shi Lingfeng, Xie Jing, Shen Mianzhou, and even Gu Weilan herself raised their eyebrows and widened their eyes. What did that mean? Had their Female Master, Gu Weilan, been backstabbed? The academy wasn’t even supposed to know about this in the first place!

Lorenzo’s fingertips flew across the screen as the seconds ticked by.

Two minutes later, Lorenzo spoke up. “It was… Gu Yaoqing who found out!”

Gu Weilan’s first reaction was to wonder who that was. Her second reaction was to wonder how he had found out. Her third reaction was that, even so, the academy still shouldn’t have backstabbed her!

Taking a deep breath, Lorenzo tossed the information he had found into their temporary video group chat. “See for yourselves.”

Everyone quickly discovered that Gu Yaoqing had merely seen Housekeeper Zhan Ci leaving with Grandma Shi on campus. He then combined this observation with the discussions on the major military academies’ forums, which stated that the four wormholes were currently running rampant and highly active, causing severe problems.

The combat department students at the military academies were all worried that the front lines wouldn’t hold. They also feared that the Insect Clan was adopting a siege-and-ambush tactic. Consequently, the academy cadets from the combat and command departments began to analyze and explain the situation. If a large number of troops were mobilized to defend the four wormholes, the front line forces would be stretched thin. A massive swarm of the Insect Clan would definitely break straight through the front lines. But if a large number of Beastmen weren’t dispatched to defend the four scattered wormholes, those wormholes would continuously send out an endless stream of Insect Clan reinforcements.

Through a mix of guessing and bluffing, Gu Yaoqing connected all these details and made a forum post. Then, he privately messaged the academy cadets from various major military academies. Under the homepages of their respective institutions, these cadets incited more combat department students to join the initiative, declaring that they also wanted to go to the front lines!

Gu Yaoqing also reached out to professors from the combat department and those who were at odds with Andrew. Together, they contacted the professors at the Military Academy.

Although they loathed Andrew, they patted their chests and guaranteed that the Bloodline Purification Bath Liquid was indeed a good thing. A Bloodline Purification Bath Liquid infused with Gu Weilan’s specially blended potion would be even more precious! Some of these professors had privately ordered Cultivation Liquid specially blended by Gu Weilan’s own hands, and they knew it was on a completely different level from the products coming off the academy’s production line. One was at the excellent level, and the other was at the Super Selection Level.

Upon hearing this, those military academies decided they had to get a piece of the pie! Thus, with the First Military Academy ostensibly taking the lead and the other major academies echoing their support, the joint application was submitted.

Gu Weilan pursed her lips. Wow. If Gu Yaoqing hadn’t done all of this just to mess with her, she would have applauded him for his masterful strategizing!

Zhan Heng’s expression was gloomy, Xie Jing’s eyes were ruthless, Shen Mianzhou’s face was cold, and Shi Lingfeng clenched his jaw. They all thought simultaneously, “This boy absolutely cannot be spared!”

Gu Weilan curled her lips in annoyance. “So they schemed to take advantage of me, right? How shrewd! They’re entirely too cunning for their own good!

“They must be banking on the fact that I’m around the same age as them and definitely wouldn’t want to see them get hurt. With hundreds of females among them, they figured I certainly wouldn’t have the heart to watch them die due to a lack of strength… Are they harboring those kinds of thoughts?

“What a brilliant diversion of conflict! The Alliance’s higher-ups still wronged us. We’ll settle that score separately!

“These academy cadets don’t seem poor, do they? Selling them the liquid at six hundred million a set is already incredibly generous of us!

“Because normally, they would have absolutely no channels to get their hands on this kind of Bloodline Purification Bath Liquid infused with my special potion!”

Shi Lingfeng nodded. “Alright, I understand!”

Looking at the faint dark circles under Gu Weilan’s eyes, Zhan Heng couldn’t help but feel a pang of jealousy. “The Female Master must be sleepy, right? Leave the rest to us. Go catch up on your sleep, Female Master.”

Gu Weilan shot Zhan Heng a coquettish, sidelong glance. “You’re so jealous, I can smell it from here!”

Shi Lingfeng also glanced at the red marks on Gu Weilan’s neck, his fingers tightening. However, he changed the subject. “Then, will the Female Master still tell Mrs. Rong, Old Mrs. Bai, and Vice Admiral Wu about this?”

Gu Weilan nodded. “Yes! Outwardly, the First Military Academy took the lead, so they are the ones sticking their necks out.

“There’s no need to let them know that someone from my alma mater backstabbed me, but I suffered a loss, and they need to know that!”

Zhan Heng swept his gaze up and down Gu Weilan. “I’m afraid you’re thinking about Mrs. Rong’s and Old Mrs. Bai’s great-grandsons, aren’t you? That’s why you’ve been so reluctant to cut off contact.

“It makes sense. We’re covered in dirt and grime all day long. How could we possibly be as good-looking as them?”

Gu Weilan couldn’t suppress the corners of her mouth from lifting. It was her first time seeing Zhan Heng express his jealousy so openly in his words. “How could that be? It’s you guys I’m thinking about in my heart. I keep in touch with the two old ladies because they’ve genuinely been quite good to me.

“Besides, they were the ones who took the lead in contacting us about this matter. I’ve already conceded profit and sacrificed so much. I’ve suffered a loss. If I don’t go to them to cry and complain, who else can I make a fuss with?”