"What?" Jin Lisi couldn't believe it, thinking he heard wrong: "You want to dismiss me from the post of deputy captain, who gave you the right! I disagree, and neither will the other team members."

Naturally, Jin Lisi didn't want to be removed just like that. Though it was only a temporary deputy captain position, it was a matter of face. Especially since he prided himself on being a noble, he cared even more about face. If word of his dismissal as deputy captain got out, he'd lose face at the Knight Academy.

He looked at the other team members, but they were looking elsewhere. None of them met his gaze, and those close to him were lying down at the moment.

Xiao Manxue didn't waste words and took an envelope from her pocket, throwing it to Jin Lisi. Jin Lisi picked it up in confusion, opened the envelope, and took out a letter, reading it carefully.

The letter's content seemed brief. Jin Lisi finished reading quickly, but his face turned even darker, and a hint of anger appeared in his eyes. Finally, he threw the letter on the ground, snorted, and walked out of the room.

Zhu Li picked up the letter in confusion, and the other team members gathered around to read it, each showing a look of understanding. Lin Tian glanced at it too, and saw its content, which roughly stated that if Jin Lisi didn't obey the unified orders, the captain had the right to remove him from the deputy captain position.

The signature was Reina Sword Saint's name. It turned out Reina had left an authorization letter with Xiao Manxue beforehand.

"You've all witnessed what happened tonight. Due to Jin Lisi's recklessness, three team members nearly lost their lives. Today I'm relieving him of his deputy captain duties, and Zhu Li will take over the position," Xiao Manxue announced crisply and decisively.

"Senior, I'm not qualified. Lin Tian performed so well in this rescue operation, he should be the deputy captain," Zhu Li said, a bit overwhelmed and hurriedly refused.

Everyone here was her senior student. The thought of being deputy captain made her a bit nervous. However, she didn't know Lin Tian well. Lin Tian was used to being free and unattached, quite unlike Jin Lisi, who coveted the deputy captain position.

So he too refused, saying, "Miss Zhu Li, you needn't be embarrassed. If it weren't for you guiding us, we wouldn't have found where the relic was, nor could we have found the injured team members in time. If they hadn't received timely treatment, they might have been corrupted by Corpse Poison."

"So your contribution is major, and being deputy captain is well-deserved." Lin Tian hurriedly passed the credit along. His purpose for being there was to investigate vampires, and he didn't want to be bound by a deputy captainship.

"Zhu Li, Lin Tian is used to being carefree and won't take on the deputy captain role," Xiao Manxue said, knowing her pick would naturally be Lin Tian, but understanding full well his hands-off management style.

Lin Tian chuckled, saying, "Haha, you know me well."

Seeing someone get called lazy yet being so happy about it, Zhu Li and the team members were seeing this for the first time, thinking to themselves that indeed, the conduct of an expert is truly unique.

"Alright, senior, I certainly won't let you down." Zhu Li wasn't the kind to dawdle, so she didn't decline further and agreed, speaking with an air that justified her as Xiao Manxue's roommate.

Xiao Manxue nodded satisfactorily, saying, "Very well, that's settled. Let me outline the plan for tomorrow. Tomorrow is the Lavender Festival. If the vampires' goal isn't to kill us and they have another purpose, this festival represents a great opportunity for them."

"For the Lavender Festival tomorrow, the main venue is within the castle's territory. Lin Tian and I will find a way to get in. Zhu Li, you lead the other team members among the crowds, gathering information and handling any emergencies as they arise. Understood?" Xiao Manxue instructed.

"Understood," the team members responded in unison.

"Alright, go rest now, rejuvenate, and be ready for any unforeseen events at any time," Xiao Manxue concluded the meeting.

Once the team had dispersed, Lin Tian said, "What the vampires plan to do is probably related to the events in Sorlin Castle sixty years ago. Whether it's the castle's owner or Granny Mary, their words remain obscure, but they all mentioned one place, the castle. Whatever happened sixty years ago probably took place in the castle. We might just have to meet the castle owner during the Lavender Festival."

"We've thought of the same thing." Xiao Manxue replied.

"Of course, the young Miss and I are always of one mind," Lin Tian chuckled.

"Who is of one mind with you? Get out, get out, we need to rest," Xiao Manxue glanced at Zhu Li, her face turning slightly red, quickly pushing Lin Tian out the door and closing it.

"Senior, I really envy you. You can joke and jest with Lin Tian, but I don't have that kind of rapport with him," Zhu Li said, somewhat sentimentally.

Xiao Manxue was stunned, saying, "You can't be serious about liking Lin Tian, right?"

The young Miss silently cursed Lin Tian, thinking to herself, you bastard, everywhere you go, you attract young, pretty girls. Meanwhile, this 'bastard' had just returned to his room when he sneezed violently, very puzzled, wondering who was cursing him.

Zhu Li nodded assuredly, openly declaring, "I know it's impossible for us, but I still like him. Liking someone feels good, even my heartbeat seems to exist for him. Lin Tian is the only man who makes my heart race."

"Ah, what a silly girl," Xiao Manxue sighed softly, gently hugging Zhu Li.

The night passed quickly. The once quiet little town suddenly buzzed with activity by morning. The noise filled every corner of the streets, penetrated the windows, and reached Lin Tian's ears, waking him up.

Lin Tian got up, opened the curtains and the window, and the early morning sunlight poured right into the bedroom. Seeing the bustling streets, he thought he'd been transported to some bustling city overnight.

Last night's Sorlin Castle was as silent as a ghost town, but by morning, the entire town was lively. Children chased each other on the streets, young girls adorned themselves in floral attire, and young men donned suits, brazenly eyeing the young beautiful girls passing by.

Even the wrinkles on the old people's faces were smoothed out, and everyone was absorbed in the festive joy.

But amidst this grand joyful atmosphere, Lin Tian felt a chill run through him. He hesitated, wondering why he felt this way, hoping it was just a false alarm, Lin Tian thought.

After freshening up, Lin Tian came to the hotel lobby, where Xiao Manxue and the team were already dining. Granny Mary served a sumptuous breakfast, her face wearing a happy expression, utterly different from last night's gloom, as if she were another person.

"Senior, Jin Lisi is missing," Zhu Li reported, coming downstairs.

"Miss Zhu Li, are you talking about your companion? Early this morning, he inquired about the direction to the castle. Could he have gone there?" Granny Mary suggested.

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