The Dawn of the New World

The music resumed upon Xue Meng's "request". It was led by a soothing flute that provided quite an atmospheric backdrop to this gathering of the most powerful individuals on the planet which helped in cutting the tensions in half.

Yet Dai Zhi's raised hand wine glass stayed in that position while his gaze was fixated on Xue Meng for a short while before switching to Hao Xuan.

"You two know each other?" he asked in a low tone of voice, bringing the wine glass back down to his chest.

The female servers also resumed moving in and around the carpets refilling the trays of food and beverages, completely ignoring the recent distraction.

Hao Xuan nodded before walking to the carpet next to Xue Meng and sitting beside him.

"We are acquainted," he said with half a smile, purposefully keeping it cryptic.

Xue Meng snatched a bottle from a passing server and threw it towards Hao Xuan, "Come on, have a drink! HAHAHA! It's boring. Too much talking is boring!"

Hao Xuan caught it out of midair and poured himself a cup before downing it in one go. Xue Meng was drunk off his arse and could barely sit upright but still managed to keep a track of his surroundings through his drooping eyelids.

"HAHAHA! Yea- *Hiccup* that's what I'm talking about! Mo- *Hiccup* -re!"

Hao Xuan took another swig directly from the bottle before putting it down. He had yet to even swallow that mouthful when Dai Zhi's soft voice crawled into his ear.

"You are late. I sent for you ages ago."

*Gulp*

"Well, it's a good thing I don't work you then because otherwise my job might be in danger."

Dai Zhi couldn't help but smile, "Is that what you think? That you don't work for me?"

Hao Xuan tilted his head sideways in mock confusion, "Do I? Last I checked you were just the first guardian like me. Although you can order others around in this world, that still doesn't apply to me."

Dai Zhi's eyes twinkled with a newfound light. It was like he was looking at an animal in a zoo but he hid it well enough that Hao Xuan didn't see the mocking gaze.

"You work for the Academy and until we get back to the beast world, I AM the Academy. You will answer to me, that is your duty."

Hao Xuan met his unwavering gaze and wondered how could someone be so blatantly arrogant and confident. It blew his mind to think that Dai Zhi was under the impression that everything was already under his control.

"I already am fulfilling my duty," Hao Xuan dismissively replied before picking up the bottle to take drink another mouthful but Dai Zhi's response left him frozen stiff for a second.

"And what duty is that? To find the World Spirit or that girl the elves has been looking for?"

Hao Xuan placed the bottle back on the ground. Shocked as he was he didn't let it show.

"Say what you want, it is unseemly for someone of your status to beat around the bush like a coward."

Dai Zhi chuckled and took out a jade medallion from his robe, playing with it halfheartedly.

"Not many people know this but as the first protector, I have the ability to listen in on any communication happening through the identity tokens if the overseer cannot be reached. In fact, they all come to me automatically once he is out of the picture."

Hao Xuan's pupils shrunk to the size of needles. Ryfon was the overseer for the Academy and it had been a while since anyone could reach him. That meant everything that had been happening could have been eavesdropped on by Dai Zhi.

Dai Zhi saw the realization dawn on Hao Xuan and chuckled inwardly.

"But that's not all. I can also completely block and track every single function of your identity token. I'm sure you know but that means that I know where you people are at all times along with everything that you are planning."

'Henrik, you fucking idiot!'

Hao Xuan immediately realized who the oblivious culprit was. Henrik was the only one still trying to desperately reach Ryfon by using the identity token repeatedly. But during that process, he instead became Dai Zhi's unwitting informant.

The Blood Prince could not keep his feelings to himself anymore, not that he was trying particularly hard anyway. Seeing that half-blank half-anxious look on Hao Xuan's face he wanted to laugh uproaringly.

"I'm certain you can come to the next logical conclusion. There is nothing you can do that will have any meaningful effect in the long term. Throw away these ludicrous notions of rebellion that you have picked up somewhere along the way and return to the Academy."

"You belong here, at my feet. You will serve me just like all the others, whether you like it or not."