Chapter 124: The Art of Gaslighting
Chapter 124: The Art of Gaslighting
The scarred instructor standing beside Elder Liang stepped forward and pointed an accusing finger at Solomon. He demanded immediate disciplinary action to set an example for the rest of the first-year disciples.
Nods of agreement rose from the other blue-robed cultivators crowding the ruined doorway. They insisted the boy was mocking the sect’s authority and treating the rules like a joke.
Pavilion Leader Jin raised a hand to silence the complaining teachers. He looked away from Solomon and turned his attention to his subordinates.
"You are focusing on the wrong issue," Jin stated. "If a first-year student was genuinely dragged out of his bed and smuggled down the mountain against his will, we have a fatal security flaw. Someone breached the Sword Pavilion."
Elder Liang lowered his wooden staff and narrowed his eyes at the pavilion leader. He opened his mouth to argue, perhaps wanting to point out the obvious fabrication.
Jin simply stared him down until the older man closed his jaw.
"We need to find out exactly who is responsible for this breach," Jin continued, pacing across the stone floorboards. "Our patrols failed. The perimeter guards saw nothing. We must investigate the structural integrity of our defenses before we waste time arguing over a student’s punishment."
Solomon recognized the perfect opportunity to escalate the situation. He leaned forward on the mattress and offered a helpful nod.
"I have to agree with Pavilion Leader Jin," Solomon chimed in, keeping a straight face. "The people who grabbed me knew exactly where I was staying. They bypassed all the main corridors and somehow navigated the hidden blind spots perfectly. It really seems like someone from inside the pavilion must be working with them."
He gestured toward the group of scowling instructors. "They knew the guard rotations. They managed to ambush a student and haul him all the way to Tianfeng City without tripping a single alarm. An outside group could never pull that off without inside help."
[IceWaterKat: HE IS BLAMING THE TEACHERS LMAO]
[Last_Fables: Solo Man is gaslighting the entire sect.]
[User12: rubbing salt right into the wound.]
[GoonLord: THE AUDACITY OF THIS GUY!]
[BloodKnight: A masterful diversion. Turn the enemy’s attention inward.]
The instructors exchanged sharp glances. A few of the younger cultivators took a half-step away from their peers.
The faculty began muttering among themselves, questioning each other’s whereabouts during the midnight shift.
Jin maintained a neutral expression while watching the chaos spread among his staff. He knew the boy was spinning a web of lies to escape a penalty. Yet, utilizing the fabricated story to tighten the pavilion’s security protocols benefited the sect in the long run.
"We will conduct a full internal review," Jin announced to the room. He pointed at the scarred instructor. "Gather the patrol logs for the entire evening. I want a detailed report on every single person who entered or exited the disciple quarters tonight."
Solomon patted Eden’s Penance and smiled at the hovering owl. He had successfully turned a blatant rule violation into an official faculty investigation.
Pavilion Leader Jin crossed his arms and observed the silver-haired boy sitting on the edge of the mattress. "You must be completely exhausted after fighting through that arena. Go to sleep. Your formal training will begin tomorrow."
Solomon rubbed the back of his neck and stood up from the bed. "I am not tired. I will head straight to the training grounds once I get washed up."
"I strongly advise against that," Jin countered, narrowing his eyes. "Proper rest is absolutely necessary for your body to develop and recover from physical trauma."
The pavilion leader scrutinized Solomon’s posture, fully prepared to deliver a stern lecture regarding muscular fatigue. But he quickly closed his mouth.
The boy displayed absolutely zero physical signs of exhaustion. His eyes were bright, and his stance remained perfectly balanced. Solomon looked exactly like someone who had just woken up from a very refreshing nap.
Jin dropped his arms to his sides and let out a defeated sigh. "Wash yourself," Jin instructed, turning toward the broken doorway. "Get some breakfast from the dining hall, and then report to the courtyard for your training."
The pavilion leader and the two elder instructors stepped out of the room. They walked down the stone corridor, leaving the ruined wooden door hanging from its hinges.
Solomon tapped his floating blue interface and checked his viewer count. "I guess it is just us again," he said to the bronze owl hovering nearby.
The translucent screen instantly filled with complaints from his remaining audience.
[GoonLord: I CANNOT DO THIS ANYMORE! I HAVE TO WORK IN TWO HOURS!]
[LazyCat: honestly same. I have been watching you for way too long. my eyes are burning.]
[User12: I haven’t slept at all because of this stream. I am logging off.]
[GamerGuy: going to pass out on my keyboard. catch you later Solo Man.]
The viewer count at the top of the screen plummeted rapidly. The dedicated fans finally abandoned the broadcast to salvage their own schedules, leaving the channel mostly empty.
Solomon waved at the camera lens. "Get some sleep, guys," he told the drone.
He grabbed a fresh change of clothes from his academy inventory. He desperately wanted to hit the baths and scrub the dirt and blood from his skin.
The owl fluttered its wings and followed right behind his shoulder.
Solomon stopped in the middle of the room and scowled at the floating bird. The academy rules promised the camera would automatically capture his back or switch to appropriate viewpoints to protect his modesty.
He still completely refused to let a mechanical eye monitor his movements while he bathed.
Tapping the shop icon on his interface, he navigated through the magic shop’s holographic catalog. All shop items were categorized into various grades and tiers depending on their time duration and overall effect. He scrolled through the list until he found the Null Orb.
The item appeared on the screen as a dark, swirling sphere. Purchasing the object would temporarily pause the live stream for exactly five minutes. The system enforced a strict weekly limit of two purchases for this specific item.
Solomon spent a fraction of his newly acquired wealth and bought both of them without a second thought.
[10,000 Points deducted!]