The Mighty Mage-Chapter 475: Surprise Attack

"I heard the forest trail has glowing mushrooms at night!" said Zhou Lei.

"We should have a picnic!" Zhao Lili added.

They all turned to Gu Jin.

"You’re coming too, right?" Lin Yue asked.

Gu Jin shook her head. "No. I’m tired."

Zhou Lei grinned. "Okay, captain!"

"Take care of yourself, Captain Gu!" Qiao Feng laughed.

They waved goodbye and ran off to plan their adventure.

Gu Jin walked back to her dorm quietly.

It was quiet in the hallway. The sky outside was orange, the sun slowly going down.

She opened the door to her room.

As soon as she stepped inside, her eyes narrowed.

Something felt wrong.

The air was too still. Too quiet. Her eyes scanned the room quickly.

Gu Jin didn’t move any further.

Her voice was calm, but cold.

"Who’s there?" she asked.

Silence. She waited.

The air shifted slightly behind the curtain near her bed.

Then, without warning—whoosh!

A dark shadow shot out from behind the curtain, moving fast like a blur. A blade made of black energy flashed toward Gu Jin’s back.

But she was faster.

Gu Jin spun around and jumped back. The blade missed her by inches, slicing the air.

The attacker wore black clothes and a mask. His eyes glowed faintly purple. He moved like a shadow—silent and deadly.

"A shadow assassin?" Gu Jin thought, narrowing her eyes.

The assassin didn’t speak. He charged at her again, this time moving even faster.

Shadow energy wrapped around his arms as he aimed a strike toward her chest.

Gu Jin didn’t dodge this time.

Instead, she raised her hand, and thick vines burst out from the floor, glowing green and purple.

They wrapped around the assassin’s legs, slowing him down. Poison mist leaked from the vines, making the air sting.

He cut through them with a slice of his hand, but Gu Jin was already moving.

She summoned fire next, hot and bright. Flames roared around her like a shield, then shot forward like a whip. The assassin dodged, rolling across the floor.

He growled lowly.

Then suddenly, dark spikes made of shadow appeared from the walls. Gu Jin jumped and rolled, dodging them narrowly.

"He’s strong. Really strong," she thought. "He’s definitely a Heaven Rank mage... maybe even about to break through to Transcendent Stage..."

But Gu Jin wasn’t scared.

She raised her hand again, and lightning crackled between her fingers.

Thunder element. Sparks flew and slammed into the assassin’s side. He grunted and flew back.

Then Gu Jin whispered something under her breath, and a figure appeared beside her.

It was her undead warrior. Greenish skin. Hollow eyes. A creepy smile.

It raised its hands, and the floor cracked.

Earth spikes shot up around the assassin, blocking his path.

But Gu Jin didn’t stop there.

As the undead raised its hand again, a ball of eerie black fire formed above it. It flew straight toward the assassin.

He barely dodged it, but the edge of his cloak burned.

The assassin’s eyes widened.

"So many elements...!" he gasped. "Poison... fire... thunder... chaos... and undead?! What are you...?!"

Gu Jin didn’t answer.

She flicked her fingers, and more vines came out from the ground, this time glowing with even more poison.

They wrapped around the assassin’s arms and legs, tying him up completely.

He tried to teleport into shadows, but her chaos element disrupted his magic.

He was stuck.

Panting, the assassin glared at her, but Gu Jin stepped forward and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"You’re done," she said coldly.

The next thing he knew, she was dragging him out of the dorm, his body tied tightly by glowing vines. He couldn’t move.

Just as Gu Jin stepped outside, someone else appeared.

It was Zhao Lili.

She had a snack in one hand and looked like she had just come from laughing with friends.

She froze when she saw Gu Jin... and the man tied up behind her.

"Huh?" Zhao Lili said, blinking. "Who’s that?"

"An assassin," Gu Jin said calmly.

"I’m taking him to the camp director."

She started walking again, but Zhao Lili held up a hand.

"Wait, wait!" she said, laughing nervously. "That’s not an assassin! That’s my... my bodyguard!"

Gu Jin stopped and turned.

Her eyes narrowed.

"According to camp rules, no one is allowed to bring outside people in," she said. "So, how do you have a bodyguard?"

Zhao Lili scratched her head, giggling awkwardly.

"Ah... well, he’s my shadow bodyguard. He’s supposed to protect me secretly. You know—family stuff."

Gu Jin crossed her arms.

"Then why was he in my room?"

Zhao Lili gasped dramatically.

"Ahh! Must’ve been a mistake! Maybe he thought it was my dorm. Right, bodyguard?"

The man in vines didn’t move.

Zhao Lili leaned closer to him and gave him a look.

The man cleared his throat.

"...Apologies, young miss," he said, bowing his head toward Gu Jin as much as the vines allowed.

"It was my fault. I entered the wrong room."

Zhao Lili smiled brightly.

"See? Just a big mix-up! He even called me ’young miss’! No need to be so serious, right?"

Gu Jin didn’t reply right away.

She looked at Zhao Lili.

Then, at the man.

Gu Jin looked at Zhao Lili for a moment, then slowly smiled.

It wasn’t a warm smile.

It was sharp. Cold.

"Hmm," Gu Jin said, turning fully toward her. "That’s strange."

Zhao Lili blinked. "What is?"

Gu Jin tilted her head. "As far as I remember... You come from a poor family, don’t you?"

Zhao Lili’s smile froze.

"How could your family afford to hire a shadow bodyguard?" Gu Jin asked, voice calm but her eyes sharp.

Zhao Lili laughed awkwardly. "Ahaha... well, he was cheap! Really cheap. His cultivation is low, that’s why."

Gu Jin nodded slowly.

"Oh, I see," she said, still smiling. "His cultivation is indeed very low..."

She paused, then added casually, "Just at Heaven Rank."

Zhao Lili’s face turned pale.

She opened her mouth, but no sound came out for a second.

Gu Jin’s smile stayed in place.

Zhao Lili quickly tried to recover. "W-Well, maybe he’s just pretending to be strong. Some bodyguards bluff, right?"

But Gu Jin stepped forward.

"If he’s really your bodyguard," she said coolly, "then there should be no problem if I report him to the camp director."

Zhao Lili’s eyes widened.

"At most," Gu Jin continued, her tone still calm, "you’ll be asked to run ten laps around the training field. That’s not too bad."

Zhao Lili’s expression changed.

Her eyes darkened. Her smile disappeared.

She took a small step closer and spoke in a low voice.

"...You should let him go, Gu Jin," she said softly. "Or else I’ll tell everyone your secret."

Gu Jin raised one eyebrow.

"Oh?" she said. "What secret?"

Zhao Lili’s lips curled into a small smirk.

"I’ll tell everyone you’re having an affair with the assassin," she whispered. "That you got caught by me... and then betrayed your lover to cover it up."

Gu Jin stared at her for a moment.

Then she chuckled.

She chuckled softly at first... then laughed.

"Go ahead," Gu Jin said, still smiling. "Tell whoever you want."

Zhao Lili frowned. "You think no one will believe me?"

Gu Jin shrugged. "Let them believe you. I don’t care."

She glanced at the assassin, who still couldn’t move.

"But next time," she said, her voice a little colder, "tell your little pet not to try and kill me if you want to keep the story straight."

Zhao Lili clenched her hands, but forced a smile back on her face.

Gu Jin turned away, starting to walk again.

"Now, if you’ll excuse me," she said, "I have a report to make."

Zhao Lili’s hands trembled at her sides. Her eyes narrowed as she watched Gu Jin walk away.

Then, suddenly, she dropped her snack.

Splash!

The water inside the juice bottle in her hand burst out, floating in the air like a snake.

"I said let him go!" Zhao Lili shouted.

Gu Jin stopped and slowly turned her head.

Zhao Lili raised both hands. The water snake hissed and shot forward, heading straight for Gu Jin’s back.

At the same time, the ground shook slightly.

Thick walls of stone rose from the ground around Gu Jin, trying to trap her in a box.

Gu Jin didn’t flinch.

With a flick of her hand, vines exploded from the earth, smashing the stone walls and blocking the water snake.

But then—

"NOW!" Zhao Lili screamed.

The assassin’s eyes lit up. Purple and black energy burst from his body as he broke the vines holding him.

Shadow tendrils flew out from under his cloak like whips.

He raised his hand and whispered something. A high-pitched ringing sound filled the air, making Gu Jin’s head hurt.

It was sound magic.

Then, the world around her wobbled.

Everything looked strange—warped and twisted.

The assassin had used his psychic powers.

Gu Jin took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. "Illusion magic... sound magic... shadow too? Tch."