The Frail Guide Who Devoured an Entire Pollution Zone

Chapter 85: Chapter 85: I’m an Involved Party Too

Qi Qin placed great importance on the Heiyu Alliance’s development, and Xu Ruming’s main point truly resonated with him.

Xu Qingsui frowned slightly, her opinion of Qi Qin plummeting.

’It seems Qi Qin really is biased.’

With a dark expression, Qi Qin gave Xu Qingsui an order and continued, ”If those rumors are indeed false, then you need to find a way to set the record straight. Don’t let them spread any further.”

”As for the fight, perhaps you needed to vent, but the fact is you laid hands on them. And all of you...”

As he spoke, Qi Qin’s gaze suddenly shifted to Xu Ruming and her group, who were gloating over his criticism of Xu Qingsui.

”In this matter, the party that instigated the incident bears the primary responsibility. Therefore, you will all be punished. Go to the confinement chamber for one day! Quiet your minds, and in the future, learn to mind your own business.”

After all that talk, the first to be punished were, surprisingly, Xu Ruming and her group.

Qi Qin’s decision left Xu Qingsui momentarily stunned. ’Maybe he isn’t completely unreasonable after all.’

’And although he had a lot to say to me, there was no actual punishment. It seems I came out on top.’

Xu Qingsui looked at Qi Qin in surprise, not understanding his true intentions.

’Isn’t he on Xu Ruming’s side?’

Upon learning they were being sent to confinement, Xu Ruming and her group were all dumbstruck.

While the punishment wasn’t physically painful, being stuck in a sealed room for an entire day was mental torment.

And on what grounds was Xu Qingsui merely warned and ordered to dispel the rumors, while they were the ones sentenced to confinement?

The more they thought about it, the more incensed they became, feeling it was completely unfair.

Seething with resentment, they wanted to argue but didn’t dare say anything to Qi Qin.

In the end, the group surrounded Xu Ruming. It was her plan, so now that there was trouble, she had to get an explanation for everyone.

”Xu Ruming, you’re the one who asked us to back you up. Now we’re being sent to confinement! This can’t be the end of it.”

”Exactly! Why does Xu Qingsui get off with a slap on the wrist while we’re the ones getting locked up? You have to go make things clear to Elder Qi.”

Xu Ruming was already unhappy with Qi Qin’s punishment. With everyone now surrounding her and demanding an explanation, she felt like her head was about to explode.

Unable to vent her displeasure on the other female members, Xu Ruming could only turn her fury back on Xu Qingsui.

”Elder Qi, this is unfair! Never mind the damage Xu Qingsui has already done to our Alliance’s reputation—she fought too! For the sake of fairness, you should punish her as well!”

”If you only punish us, we refuse to accept it.”

”As for the rumors, there’s no smoke without fire. I’m positive these stories only started spreading because of her moral depravity. You can’t let a person like that ruin our Alliance’s reputation! You should expel her from the Alliance and banish her from Zone 9.”

When she had first joined the Heiyu Alliance, she had been expelled by Lu Jingyu—all because of Xu Qingsui.

Xu Ruming had harbored a grudge about it ever since. Now, she had finally found an outlet and wanted to make Xu Qingsui experience exactly what she had gone through.

She glared viciously at Xu Qingsui, then turned to face Qi Qin, the hostility in her eyes still blazing. This immediately made Qi Qin frown.

’This Xu Ruming!’

’If it weren’t for... I wouldn’t have wanted her in the Alliance either.’

Suppressing the disgust in his heart, Qi Qin was about to speak when an icy voice suddenly cut through the hall.

”By that logic, I’m one of the parties involved. Does that mean I should be expelled from the Alliance and banished from Zone 9, too?”

As soon as Lu Jingyu’s voice rang out, the crowd naturally parted, creating a path. All the onlookers stared as he walked into the assembly hall.

The moment they saw Lu Jingyu, the female members who had been mobilized immediately lowered their heads in guilt, not daring to look at him.

Xu Ruming felt a pang of fear, too, but thinking of the person who had her back, she immediately straightened her spine.

”Captain Lu, what are you saying? You’re the face of our Alliance now. How could anyone expel you!”

”Furthermore, I believe in your good character, and I am also well aware of Xu Qingsui’s morals. I know you must have been deceived by her to have gotten so close. I trust that once you see her for who she truly is, you will distance yourself from her.”

Lu Jingyu stared coldly at Xu Ruming, the disgust in his eyes unconcealed.

”I have eyes, I can see her character for myself. I don’t need your judgment. Your character, however, constantly finds new ways to lower my expectations. It makes me more and more certain my initial decision was correct—you are fundamentally unfit to join the Heiyu Alliance.”

With that one sentence, Lu Jingyu trampled all over Xu Ruming’s pride.

Xu Ruming’s face turned a dark, furious red. Her mouth moved several times, but she couldn’t utter a sound.

Ignoring Xu Ruming, Lu Jingyu glanced at Xu Qingsui. The moment he turned toward her, the chill in his eyes was replaced by warmth.

”Sorry, I’m late.”

Xu Qingsui shook her head gently. ’I didn’t really get the short end of the stick,’ she thought. ’In fact, I even got to land a few punches on Xu Ruming.’

’Judging by how the fight went, I wouldn’t mind if Xu Ruming tried this a few more times.’

’I’ll just consider it collecting interest for the bullying the original owner of this body endured.’

Lu Jingyu looked Xu Qingsui over from head to toe, sighing in relief only after confirming she wasn’t hurt.

He hadn’t been around for the past few days, busy with some minor affairs.

It wasn’t until Meng Donghua came to notify him just now that he found out Xu Ruming had actually gathered a group to corner Xu Qingsui.

He had rushed over, his heart pounding with anxiety the whole way, terrified that Xu Qingsui would be injured.

Now that the weight in his heart had lifted, it was time for him to ensure justice was served for Xu Qingsui.

’It seems my initial thinking was wrong. If I had cleared up the rumors earlier, they couldn’t have been exploited by people with ulterior motives and turned into a weapon against Xu Qingsui.’

Turning to face Qi Qin, Lu Jingyu’s eyes instantly grew colder.

”Elder Qi, we’re seeing each other quite frequently these days. It must be difficult for you. You’ve been uninvolved in Alliance affairs for so long, yet now you have to step up to pass judgment on mere rumors.”

Lu Jingyu’s icy voice made one’s heart tremble just listening to it.

Qi Qin’s brow tightened. ’My judgment just now wasn’t deliberately aimed at anyone. Did I still manage to provoke this titan?’

”Jing Yu, you know me. The thing I value most is the Alliance’s development. The rumors circulating outside have become too intense lately. I was just asking Xu Qingsui to put an end to them. That’s not asking too much, is it?”

No matter what, Elder Qi’s status was still a factor. Although he was intimidated by Lu Jingyu, he didn’t want to lose face in front of so many people.

Lu Jingyu shook his head. ”Of course not. However, I am also one of the parties involved. If Elder Qi wanted to demand an explanation, he should have called for me as well. What does it say when you only target one person?”