Chapter 48: Lin Xinyan’s Doubts

Lin Xinyan had already had dinner with Jing Xin, so she set aside the char siu buns that Shi Ji brought, planning to reheat them later in the evening. The thought of being eligible for promotion to A-level hero filled her with a sense of guilt. Setting aside the Tisila incident, the credit for Gesila’s defeat clearly belonged to Shi Ji. Lin Xinyan felt like she had unfairly claimed the hero points.

She handed a chair to Shi Ji, inviting him to sit down, and then passed him the magazine she had been reading.

“Would you like to take a look?”

Shi Ji took the magazine, his attention immediately drawn to the cover. The image of Tisila’s head and the two collapsed high-rise buildings were instantly recognizable to him.

“So, it’s about this incident. The news has been covering it for days. I don’t need to read it. Besides, I have a great hero sitting right in front of me, and she’s so beautiful. How could I focus on anything else?”

Shi Ji’s words made Lin Xinyan laugh. Though his tone was playful, there was truth in what he said. Lin Xinyan was indeed known as one of the most beautiful women at Yinshi Academy. Her laughter was genuine, though it wasn’t due to vanity.

After a brief laugh, Lin Xinyan’s expression became more serious.

“Shi Ji, there’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you. I’m not sure if I should.”

Lin Xinyan was conflicted. She was desperate for answers about who had killed Tisila. She suspected Shi Ji, but then again, she wasn’t sure. This was the root of her dilemma.

Shi Ji, who had come to regard Lin Xinyan as a true friend, didn’t hesitate and responded cheerfully, “Go ahead, ask away.”

Encouraged by Shi Ji’s openness, Lin Xinyan bit her lip, thought for a moment, and then slowly spoke.

“Actually, I want to know if the Tisila incident was also because of you.”

Despite his carefree appearance, Shi Ji was far from foolish. When he first encountered Gesila, he hadn’t expected to later meet Lin Xinyan and become good friends. Reflecting on it, he considered it a fortunate twist of fate. Knowing Lin Xinyan’s inquisitive nature, he decided it was better to be cautious this time. Admitting his involvement with Gesila was one thing, but confessing to taking down Tisila, especially with the collapsed buildings, could land him in serious trouble. 

“No, that wasn’t me. The boss gave me a day off, so I went to the park. When I heard about the anomaly, I headed over, but by the time I got there, it was already taken care of. Then I got your call. I have no idea who did it.”

Shi Ji’s demeanor was calm and nonchalant as he narrated his story, showing no signs of guilt.

Lin Xinyan accepted his explanation without further suspicion.

“That makes sense. That anomaly was almost at the Devil level. Even for you, it would have been tough to handle. I’ve heard that X-level heroes are elusive. Maybe one of them took care of it.”

With her doubts cleared, Lin Xinyan felt relieved. She then remembered her upcoming promotion to A-level hero and felt the need to share this with Shi Ji, regardless of whether she felt happy or guilty about it.

“By the way, my hero points have reached the threshold, and I’ve been given the opportunity to be promoted to an A-level hero.”