The Mighty Mage
Chapter 293: Exposing The Lie

Chapter 293: Chapter 293: Exposing The Lie

"This... this is ridiculous!" she spat, "Qi Zhaoyu is nothing but an actor—hired by Gu Jin to deceive all of you!" She looked at the crowd, appealing to them with a look of betrayal.

"Can’t you see? She’s paid him to spread these lies and steal my glory!"

Qi Zhaoyu met her gaze steadily,

"An actor? Auric, I would never stoop to such deceit. If you are truly the hero you claim to be, then surely you can tell us the words you use to address your own subordinates."

Auric’s confidence wavered, but she forced herself to respond, her tone faltering.

"Words? What kind of a question is that?" She scoffed, then forced a smile as she answered with forced nonchalance.

"I call them ’skeletons,’ of course."

A ripple of disappointment spread through the crowd.

Some faces darkened, their expressions shifting from doubt to disdain.

The faintest smirk tugged at Gu Jin’s lips, and she folded her arms, watching with growing amusement as Auric stumbled in her attempt to maintain her facade.

Qi Zhaoyu chuckled, a sound that held no humor, only sharp-edged irony.

"Skeletons?" he repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"So you’re telling me that’s how you, the supposed ’real Auric,’ refer to your own loyal soldiers?"

Auric’s face twisted in confusion, and she shifted uneasily under the weight of his gaze.

"Yes! That’s what I said, isn’t it?" she snapped, her voice defensive.

Qi Zhaoyu shook his head, an amused smile playing on his lips as he addressed the crowd.

"The real Auric," he explained, "calls her loyal soldiers ’Skelly.’ Not ’skeletons,’ as this woman just claimed."

He swept his gaze over the crowd, his voice steady and confident.

"Anyone who truly knows the real Auric would know that simple fact. And this woman," he added, his gaze hardening as he looked back at Auric, "is nothing but an imposter."

Auric’s face drained of color, her mouth opening and closing as if searching for a retort, but none came.

Her fists clenched tightly at her sides as she grits her teeth, struggling to keep her anger in check.

The crowd was silent for a moment, processing Qi Zhaoyu’s words.

Then a man near the front let out a low growl, his eyes narrowing as he glared at Auric.

"You lied to us," he said, his voice filled with disgust.

"You played us all, just to steal the credit from the true hero!"

A woman beside him nodded, her expression hardened with resolve.

"The real Auric would never forget such a detail," she said, her voice laced with bitterness.

"You’ve deceived us, Auric."

Auric took a shaky breath, her eyes darting around the crowd, hoping to find some spark of sympathy or support.

But every face she saw was filled with suspicion and disappointment.

Her carefully woven web of lies was unraveling before her eyes, leaving her exposed and defenseless.

"Wait!" she shouted, desperation coloring her voice.

"You have it all wrong! I—" But before she could continue, Qi Zhaoyu stepped forward, cutting her off with a cold, unyielding glare.

"Enough," he said, his voice laced with finality.

"You’ve had your chance to explain yourself, and each word you’ve spoken has only revealed the depth of your deceit."

He turned to the crowd, his voice rising with conviction.

"The true Auric stands before you—and her name is Gu Jin."

Qi Zhaoyu moved swiftly, his hand outstretched to seize Auric, but in a flash, she threw a small object to the ground, and in an instant, smoke engulfed the space.

The crowd gasped, shielding their eyes as the thick cloud of gray obscured their vision.

When the smoke finally began to clear, Auric was nowhere to be found.

Qi Zhaoyu let out a frustrated sigh, his jaw clenched as he scanned the area, his gaze darting from person to person in hopes of catching even the faintest trace of the impostor’s escape route.

"Find her!" Qi Zhaoyu’s voice boomed as he urged the people around him, pointing to the scattered alleyways and streets.

"Search every corner! She must be hiding somewhere nearby!"

The crowd, motivated by his words and still seething from the betrayal, joined the search, fanning out through the narrow alleys and darkened nooks of the city square.

They scoured every hidden corner, every shadowed alcove, calling out to one another and combing through the city with fierce determination.

But after nearly an hour of searching, it was clear that Auric was gone.

Some of the townsfolk started to filter back to the main square, their faces weary and disappointed, casting frustrated glances at Qi Zhaoyu, who stood silently, his expression dark with frustration.

Finally, Gu Jin raised a hand,

"Enough," she said softly, her voice firm yet warm. "Let her go. She’ll resurface one day—impostors like her always do. And when that day comes," she added with a smirk, "we’ll be ready."

Qi Zhaoyu turned to her, his shoulders dropping in relief and slight resignation.

"I’m sorry, Gu Jin," he said quietly, his voice tinged with regret.

"I really wanted to bring her to justice today. She tried to take everything you earned...everything you truly did for these people."

Gu Jin gave a small chuckle, brushing off his apology with a wave of her hand.

"Don’t worry yourself over it, Qi Zhaoyu. People like her are fleeting. She might’ve stirred things up, but the truth won out in the end."

Her gaze shifted toward the place where Auric had vanished, her expression unreadable.

"Sometimes, it’s better to let those who crave attention simply fade into the shadows they belong to. Justice has a way of catching up with them eventually."

Qi Zhaoyu looked at her, admiration glimmering in his eyes.

He hadn’t expected such wisdom and restraint, especially after the way Auric had tried to smear her reputation.

But Gu Jin seemed unshaken as if such tricks were merely minor inconveniences on her journey.

He found himself moved by her sense of composure and her humility, unaware of the subtle glint of amusement in her eyes.

In truth, Gu Jin had taken her own precautions.

Unbeknownst to anyone, she had sent one of her skeletal warriors to slip into Auric’s shadow just before the smoke bomb had gone off.

This soldier, unseen and silent, would remain with Auric, gathering information and tracking her every move.

Gu Jin knew precisely where Auric was now, and with each step the imposter took, Gu Jin was privy to her whereabouts.

She allowed herself a quiet, satisfied smile, her inner thoughts concealed beneath her calm exterior.

One by one, the townsfolk began to approach her, their face filled with gratitude.

The elderly man who had confronted Auric stepped forward first, his expression earnest and filled with remorse.

"Miss Gu Jin," he said, bowing his head, "we misjudged you. It was wrong of us to let her words sway our trust so easily. We are so sorry for doubting you."

Others followed suit, murmuring apologies and words of thanks.

"You saved us," one woman said, her eyes welling with tears.

"We saw it with our own eyes, yet we still allowed her to cloud our judgment. Please, forgive us."

Gu Jin’s heart softened as she listened to their heartfelt apologies, and she lifted her hand, gesturing for them to calm down.

"Please," she said, her voice kind but steady, "there’s no need to be so formal or apologetic. You were only protecting yourselves—anyone would want proof in the face of danger. What’s important is that we’re all safe now."

The crowd, however, seemed determined to express their gratitude.

A young man stepped forward, his face flushed with determination.

"Miss Gu Jin, if there’s anything we can do for you, please, tell us. You risked your life for us—you saved our families and our friends. Just tell us how we can repay you."

Gu Jin paused, considering their words.

Her mind raced as she thought of the possible futures that lay ahead.

Despite her current goodwill, there was a reality she could not escape: one day, the truth of her necromantic abilities might come to light.

If the government or even the military learned of her powers, they could easily turn the people against her, branding her as a dangerous necromancer.

A plan formed in her mind, and she smiled softly, looking at each person in the crowd.

"All I ask," she said slowly, choosing her words carefully, "is that if I ever face unfair accusations or injustice in the future, you remember this day and the work I’ve done for you.

Stand by me when I need your support, should that day come. I promise I will never do anything to betray this city or harm its people."

Her words were met with silence at first as the crowd processed her request. Some exchanged glances

To them, Gu Jin’s request was merely a token of humility, a modest gesture from a hero who deserved far more than they could ever repay.

They couldn’t possibly imagine a day when someone like Gu Jin would be persecuted or wrongly accused.

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