To Lin Luo, revealing his whereabouts for the past three days was an incredibly unwise move, perhaps even courting death. Generally speaking, he should have done everything to avoid contacting the Library, thus potentially bypassing the nvpuzhang's suspicion. However, that was only the general case.

The nvpuzhang's power was immense, but one must never underestimate her intellect. A qualified Shā Rén Jī requires wisdom as much as strength, and she was no ordinary Shā Rén Jī.

There are very few true simpletons in Gensokyo; aside from 9 and 10, most residents are B-rank individuals possessing both intelligence and strength, with several Sages among them. While Sakuya might not rank as a Sage, she was undoubtedly sharp. Trying too hard to sever ties from three days ago might ironically draw more attention to her suspicions.

“Teacher Lin Luo has been on Library Island for three days. What has captured your attention so strongly that you haven’t even come to school?” Sakuya smiled faintly, her question seemingly casual, yet a subtle, fleeting hostility glinted in her eyes.

Lin Luo pretended not to notice, sighed with a look of utter misfortune, and lamented, “Ah, I originally intended to look up some materials, but unexpectedly ran into some trouble on the way. I ended up trapped in the Library’s lowest levels for three whole days. If I hadn't been lucky, I probably would have been buried alive there. Just look at me now—alas, such bad luck.”

As he spoke, he gestured towards his clothes with a dejected sigh. They were muddied and dusty. Though he had attempted some cleaning upon leaving, his current attire, while not completely filthy, was certainly not clean.

This was precisely why Lin Luo hadn't "lied." One had to consider who Sakuya was—the nvpuzhang. Washing, cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping… there was almost no chore she didn't handle. Such a person, even if she couldn't map out every speck of dirt on someone’s clothes, could certainly discern some clues.

Furthermore, Lin Luo had spent three full days in the Library, inevitably absorbing some of its scholarly aura. Sakuya frequently cleaned the Library for MuQ, so she would be intimately familiar with that scent. If she noticed even a thread of evidence, and Lin Luo claimed he hadn't been there, well, even if Sakuya couldn't confirm Lin Luo was the one who attacked her that day, the suspicion would certainly stick.

“Is that so? What a pity. I happened to be at the Library three days ago as well,” Sakuya remarked.

“Teacher Sakuya was there too?” Lin Luo immediately put on an expression of astonishment, lamenting, “That truly is a shame. If I had gone with Teacher Sakuya then, perhaps I wouldn't have been trapped in the Library. Sigh, now I have to serve as an intern teacher for another semester because of this whole incident—it’s truly tragic.”

“Heh heh, then Teacher Lin Luo should take this lesson to heart. It’s best to avoid places you shouldn't go in the future,” Sakuya advised.

“I will remember that. I will never go to Library Island alone again without an acquaintance accompanying me. That place is truly vexing,” Lin Luo shook his head, his face full of helplessness.

“Since that’s the case, I’ll take my leave now. I still need to prepare for the third-year classes today. Goodbye.”

“Understood, Teacher Sakuya, goodbye.”

With that, Sakuya nodded and departed calmly. Once her figure vanished, Lin Luo headed toward his dormitory. Upon returning home, he took a shower and immediately collapsed into sleep.

Not long after he fell asleep, Sakuya’s figure suddenly materialized outside his dorm, though she made no move to enter. She shook her head and left.

“He doesn’t seem to be lying, nor are there any suspicious movements. Have I truly been overly cautious? Speaking of which, it couldn’t have been him anyway; the opponent that day, despite her tragic physique, was definitely a girl. So… is it a teacher or a student at this school? Ah, things might be getting complicated…”

About five minutes after Sakuya left, Lin Luo opened his eyes. Cold sweat coated his forehead. “My Lady Nvpuzhang, you are perhaps too cautious. Not only are you tailing me after questioning me, but you even spied on me sleeping! If I didn't have the Perception Field, I might have actually been caught red-handed by you.”

Lin Luo felt immense pressure. He had thought everything would end after the interrogation, but the PAD Chief had trailed him for a full half hour. Frankly, he had been genuinely worried that the Lady Nvpuzhang might just charge in and forcibly push him onto the bed.

“Although I was extremely anxious for a long time, perhaps now she won't suspect me anymore,” Lin Luo stroked his chin, frowning inwardly. “But what exactly is she investigating that requires such secrecy? Judging by her current attitude, she certainly won't tell a stranger. Sigh, winning over the Nvpuzhang seems to have become troublesome as well…”

After thinking for a while without any concrete leads, Lin Luo decided to stop dwelling on it and fell back to sleep. Having stayed in the Library for three days and three nights, though he hadn't felt it then, he was truly exhausted now that he was back.

“I hope I have sweet dreams. Lian, I haven't seen you in my dreams in so long. Won't you come over for a session?”

...

Lin Luo slept until the next morning before waking up. Given his current physique, he hadn't expected to sleep that long, but the Book of the Root was incredibly draining on the spirit; even after such a deep sleep, his Power hadn't fully recovered.

“As expected, anything related to the Root is the domain of gods, demons, and ghosts. This Ancient Magic, while seemingly simple, isn't something easily mastered. To thoroughly integrate it will take quite some time… When does summer vacation start?”

Lin Luo shook his head and tore open a packet of instant noodles in his dorm to replenish some HP. He had initially thought that after a brief period analyzing the world's rules in this magic world, life would be quite leisurely. But after being dragged into this matter with the Book of the Root, he felt time was becoming insufficient.

“In a few days, once Evangeline is in a better mood, I’ll have her bring out the Time House. Hoarding such a treasure is just wasteful. What a spendthrift.”

After eating, Lin Luo took some time to visit the school bathhouse for a relaxing hot spring soak. He had planned to return to his dorm immediately after bathing to continue studying the Book of the Root, but on his way back, he heard some unwelcome news that completely derailed his original plans.

“Damn it, in the original story, didn't she sneak away? Why is she willingly going now? I wonder if Negi saw her and didn't stop her. Even if she isn't part of your harem, you should care more about your own students! Damn it, I guess I have to handle this myself.”

Rushing back to his dorm, Lin Luo changed into a brand-new suit and immediately dashed towards the train station outside the school. His target: the amusement district on the west side of the Academy City.

There was a place in the amusement district called "Warmth"—note that "Warmth" here was not an adjective but a proper noun, specifically the name of a café, or more precisely, a couple's café.

Lin Luo was currently seated in a tea restaurant opposite Warmth. His purpose for being here wasn't to drink tea or coffee, but to watch people and step on them.

His gaze was fixed on a young woman seated by the window inside the café. She was wearing a bright kimono; though her makeup was minimal, she appeared quite lovely, possessing an elegant demeanor reminiscent of a refined Yamato Nadeshiko.

Seeing that the time was right, Lin Luo pulled out his phone and dialed a number casually.

“Teacher, is it time for work?” A young man’s voice replied on the other end, laced with excitement.

“Yes, have you all made the necessary preparations?” Lin Luo asked the person on the line.

“We’ve been ready for ages! Your salary is so high, Teacher, just tell us what to do and we’ll do it… Uh, just nothing illegal, please.”

“I’m not asking you to do anything illegal. Listen carefully, you only have one task… You can see Warmth, right?”

“Of course, we can see it. We’re right next to Warmth; it takes less than ten seconds to run over.”

“Good. Leave one person to maintain contact with me, and everyone else take up your positions and wait. When I say ‘move,’ you bring away the man who is about to enter Warmth. Use whatever method you need, but just get him away. You don’t need to beat him up; just make him look so disheveled he’s too embarrassed to face a woman.”

“That’s it? Simple enough,” the voice on the phone was full of confidence, then it chuckled as if savoring a schadenfreude. “Teacher, is that man your love rival? I’ve only seen this method of yours on TV before, always used against rivals.”

“Stop rambling. Just focus on the job. If you do well, I’ll send another payment your way.”

“Heh heh, Teacher, you are so generous! But even if you didn’t pay, we’d still do a good job. This kind of thing is quite amusing; we never get chances like this normally. Your love rival is truly unlucky to have crossed you.”

“Not one, there are several.”

“Wow, Teacher, your girlfriends must be amazing to have so many people fighting over them!”

“Nonsense…” As he spoke, Lin Luo suddenly saw a sedan pull up beside the café. A man in his mid-thirties stepped out, quickly compared the person to a photo on his table, and immediately spoke into the phone, “The person is here. He’s the one in the white clothes. Move!”

As soon as he finished saying "move," Lin Luo saw two high schoolers who had been window shopping suddenly sprint forward from about ten meters to the right of Warmth. With a quick dash, just as the man reached the entrance of the café, without a word, each seized one of his arms and swiftly disappeared down the street. The man didn't even manage to speak before being dragged into a small alley.

Are you guys Usain Bolt? Even Lin Luo was slightly stunned by the sight. It seemed that even ordinary people who were students of Mahora weren't to be underestimated.

“Very good, I’m very satisfied with your speed… Here comes the next one, see him? The one in the black clothes.”

Almost identical to the previous scene, two high schoolers grabbed the man's arms and vanished quickly, but this time they came from the left.

“Here they come again. Wait, there are two this time—they’re actually twins! Move!”

Two middle-aged men, looking identical and appearing to be in their mid-to-late thirties, hadn't even reached the café when four or five high schoolers swarmed them from the surroundings. They were holding cans of various colored art paints and immediately drenched the twins. In an instant, the two formerly elegantly dressed successful individuals were transformed into walking human canvases.

Lin Luo nearly burst out laughing. These high schoolers were too talented! After this treatment, forget meeting women, those two probably wouldn't dare show their faces in public.

As expected, after suffering this disaster, the twins immediately cursed and climbed into their car, speeding away, while onlookers quickly gave them a wide berth.

“Hmm, here comes the next group, three of them this time. You guys are getting more capable! Go, my High School Corps, wipe them out!” Lin Luo commanded excitedly into the phone. Sometimes, dealing with 'enemies' didn't require brute force; other methods could be far more satisfying.

This time, the targets attempting to enter the café were also successful gentlemen, dressed sharply in impeccable suits, radiating cheerfulness. However, shortly after they stepped out of their car, seven or eight high schoolers, both male and female, rushed out from the surroundings.

One female student was dressed flamboyantly—though this was mostly due to heavy makeup, not outright exposure. She clutched a large (clearly fake) pregnant belly, pulled one of the men toward her, and began smearing tears and snot onto him… Even without hearing, Lin Luo could guess what she was probably saying.

Faced with the pointed stares of the surrounding passersby, the man’s face turned ashen with anger. He ripped off his now filthy suit and angrily scrambled back toward his car.

Meanwhile, the drama on the other side was equally spectacular. Female students surrounded another man, showering him with curses. Although Lin Luo couldn't make out the words, the man's expression suggested he desperately wanted to disappear. After less than a minute, he fled as if driven mad.

The last man was surrounded by four boys. One would pat him on the shoulder, another would stroke his cheek with a leering smile, as if teasing an honest citizen. More horrifyingly, one of the boys held a plastic rod and kept poking the man’s rear end.

This man had probably never encountered such a situation before; he froze instantly. Facing the continuous harassment from the four boys, terror dawned on his face, and he began to tremble uncontrollably. Finally, he actually… he actually started crying.

A successful middle-aged gentleman was reduced to sobbing openly on the street after being teased by four high schoolers?

Spit-take! Lin Luo finally burst out laughing. While the high schoolers were certainly talented in wickedness, this man was a bizarre specimen—to cry in public over being teased… Holy hell!

Just then, a tall, robust xiōngguì emerged from the crowd of onlookers. The moment he stepped out, the four high schoolers instinctively took a few steps back.

“Damn, an unexpected challenger has appeared!” Lin Luo frowned immediately. If the xiōngguì brother decided to "draw his sword to help those in need," Lin Luo might have to lend a hand, as those high schoolers were acting under his command—they were his students, after all.

But to Lin Luo’s surprise, the xiōngguì big brother did not start beating people. Instead, he walked up to the successful gentleman, gently stroked his cheek, his eyes radiating soft light, and then he spoke a single sentence.

From his lip movements, Lin Luo could tell he was saying: “Darling, don't cry. I’ll protect you from now on.”

He recognized the situation, and he felt a strong urge to vomit.

Outside, the four high schoolers, who were just pretending to harass the man, now looked at the xiōngguì like they had just seen the King of Hell. In the blink of an eye, they shrieked and fled.

Those who pretended to engage in gay behavior were routed when confronted by genuine comrades.

“Teacher, did we go a bit too far?” a boy’s uneasy voice came from the phone. Their actions had arguably changed the course of a man’s life—from front to back.

“No, you just helped him discover his true interests. That’s a good thing, a great merit, so don't worry about it; you should be happy,” Lin Luo soothed.

“Then I feel relieved.”

Watching the xiōngguì and the successful gentleman leave arm-in-arm outside, Lin Luo didn't know what to say. His plan had inadvertently created a devoted gay couple. This kind of thing… this wasn't just screwing someone over; this was leveling up the act!

After sending off several more groups, Lin Luo counted the photos on the table—fifteen in total, perfectly matching the groups he had dealt with. He then told the high schoolers to disperse.

“Fifteen men! Not a single one under thirty years old! Headmaster, you old scoundrel, I’ll definitely get back at you in a devious way someday!” Lin Luo muttered through gritted teeth, tossing all the photos into the trash can before walking toward the café across the street.

Inside the café, the young woman in the kimono remained seated in the same spot, calmly watching the street, but her eyes were filled with mirth, as if she had just witnessed something delightful.

“Oh, Konoka, what a coincidence,” Lin Luo approached and greeted the kimono-clad girl.

“Ah, Teacher Lin Luo, what are you doing here?” The young woman was Konoka Konoe. Hearing Lin Luo’s voice, she turned around with an expression of surprise.

Before Lin Luo could answer, she stood up abruptly and said excitedly, “Teacher, you won’t believe it! All those men who came for the arranged meeting just now encountered the most ridiculous things! Their faces… Hahaha, it was too funny!”

As she spoke, she held her stomach and giggled uncontrollably.

P: Mahou Sensei Negima! is inherently a comedy, so this section should naturally feature lighthearted and amusing events. As for whether it will escalate into something serious, we’ll wait and see. Also: Given the level of bromance in this chapter, do you dare to vote?