The Mighty Mage
Chapter 324: Rumors

Chapter 324: Chapter 324: Rumors

Gu Jin, despite her unconscious state, seemed to instinctively follow Long Yifan’s instructions.

Her body, though fragile, responded to the energy fluctuations within her.

Deep within her mana world, the swirling green energy found itself drawn toward the core of her being.

Slowly, the invasive energy began to merge, reshaping itself into something that Gu Jin’s body could utilize rather than repel.

Long Yifan observed her with a sharp yet tender gaze.

Although Gu Jin remained unconscious, her faint breaths steadying over time assured him she was fighting her battle internally.

Still, her recovery was going to take time—days, perhaps.

......

The next few days.

Gu Jin remained unconscious, her body still struggling to stabilize as she instinctively worked to guide the energy into her mana world.

Long Yifan stayed by her side, maintaining his protective aura and preventing any disruptions to her fragile recovery process.

Unbeknownst to them, outside the tent, rumors were beginning to circulate.

Gu Aihan, had taken note of Gu Jin’s absence during the group’s tasks.

"Did you notice?" Gu Aihan began, her voice a mix of mock concern and derision. "Gu Jin hasn’t lifted a finger to help us in days. Always playing the weakling, isn’t she?"

A nearby student frowned, confused. "What do you mean? She’s unwell. Even Long Yifan said she needed rest."

Gu Aihan scoffed.

"Rest? Please. That’s just an excuse. Don’t you see how she’s milking this for attention? Acting like she’s frail so everyone else has to pick up the slack. I bet she’s doing this on purpose to avoid contributing."

The other student hesitated but didn’t argue.

Gu Aihan’s words planted seeds of doubt in a few listeners, and the whispers began to spread among the group.

By the third day of Gu Jin’s unconscious state, the tension among the students had reached a boiling point.

When another student hesitated to carry out their assigned task, muttering something about "Gu Jin faking it," Yan Mei’s patience snapped.

"What did you just say?" Her voice cut through the air like a blade, silencing the group around her.

The student, startled by Yan Mei’s sudden outburst, stammered, "I-I didn’t mean anything. It’s just... you know, Gu Aihan said—"

Yan Mei’s sharp glare made the student swallow their words.

"Gu Aihan said what?" Yan Mei demanded, her tone cold and uncompromising.

She turned, spotting Gu Aihan lounging against a tree with a smug expression. Yan Mei strode up to her, her presence commanding.

"Gu Aihan," Yan Mei began, her voice low and steady, "care to explain why you’re spreading lies about Gu Jin?"

Gu Aihan smirked.

"Lies? Oh, come now, Yan Mei. I’m just stating the obvious. Gu Jin hasn’t done anything for days. It’s not fair for the rest of us to carry her weight."

Yan Mei’s fists clenched at her sides, but her voice remained level. "She’s unconscious because she’s recovering from a life-threatening situation. If you had any sense, you’d realize that."

Gu Aihan crossed her arms. "Life-threatening? Sounds dramatic. Maybe she just—"

"Enough!" Yan Mei’s voice rang out, silencing everyone within earshot. She stepped closer to Gu Aihan, her eyes blazing with anger.

"If I hear you spreading another word about Gu Jin, I’ll make sure you regret it."

Gu Aihan’s smirk faltered slightly. "Are you threatening me?"

Yan Mei’s lips curved into a cold smile.

"A promise, not a threat. You’ve always had an issue with Gu Jin, but this? Spreading baseless rumors while she’s fighting for her life? That’s a new low, even for you."

The students around them watched in stunned silence, the tension thick in the air.

Gu Aihan opened her mouth to retort but found herself at a loss for words under Yan Mei’s fierce glare.

"Listen carefully, Gu Aihan," Yan Mei continued, her tone sharp as a blade.

"If you so much as whisper her name in that mocking tone again, I’ll make sure you’re too busy regretting it to start any more rumors. Are we clear?"

Gu Aihan scowled, her pride clearly wounded, but she didn’t argue further. Instead, she turned on her heel and stalked away, muttering under her breath.

Yan Mei’s intervention had a ripple effect.

The students who had been swayed by Gu Aihan’s rumors began to feel ashamed of their doubts.

Quiet conversations turned into support as they realized the truth: Gu Jin’s absence wasn’t laziness but the result of something far more serious.

Some even took turns helping Long Yifan keep watch over her, offering what little assistance they could.

Though Long Yifan mostly declined their help, his stoic nods of acknowledgment were enough to reassure them that they were doing the right thing.

Yan Mei, meanwhile, kept a close eye on Gu Aihan, ensuring that no further rumors took root.

Gu Aihan was so angry that she almost spit blood.

How could she bear to see Gu Jin protected by Long Yifan? She wished to rush to Gu Jin and kill her.

However, her rational mind formed a different plan.

Since Long Yifan loved to take care of Gu Jin, she could smear his reputation instead, right?

With that thought, Gu Aihan started to spread rumors about Long Yifan getting seduced by Gu Jin.

The next day, rumors about Long Yifan and Gu Jin had spread like wildfire.

It began with a whisper, a small seed of suspicion planted by Gu Aihan, but it quickly grew into a full-blown gossip storm.

The students in the safety zone, still uneasy about the dangerous forest surrounding them, had little to distract them from the drama that was unfolding.

It started innocently enough—someone remarked on Long Yifan’s unwavering attention toward Gu Jin and how he had been by her side for the past few days, never leaving her even for a moment.

But as time passed, these comments took a darker turn, and the whispers grew louder.

"I mean, think about it," one student said, eyeing Gu Jin’s tent, where she still lay unconscious.

"She acts so cold, right? But who knew she had this kind of... influence over Long Yifan?"

Another student, who had been standing nearby, frowned but was hesitant to speak up.

"Wait, are you saying that Gu Jin seduced him?"

"That’s exactly what I’m saying," the first student replied, lowering their voice so no one else could hear.

"I don’t know how she did it, but look at her. She’s been practically bedridden for days, and Long Yifan has been here the whole time, acting like he’s her personal bodyguard. Don’t you think that’s strange?"

One by one, more students gathered, drawn to the conversation. Some stood in silence, while others began murmuring their own thoughts, exchanging glances as the idea took hold.

"Yeah, she always seemed so cold and noble, but who would have thought she’d be hiding something like this?" another student added.

"I mean, think about it. She’s making Long Yifan ignore Gu Aihan, his fiancée, while she’s here, unconscious. Who does that?"

"It’s obvious now," someone else chimed in.

"She’s probably been seducing him the whole time, playing the victim so she could have him all to herself."

The accusations seemed to snowball with each passing minute, each student eager to add their own spin to the gossip.

"She probably started flirting with him behind Gu Aihan’s back. And now, look—she’s got him completely under her control. Doesn’t even care about Gu Aihan anymore!"

The group began laughing, snickering at their own theories, as the bitterness and envy they had been harboring toward Gu Jin for her aloofness and beauty took on a new shape.

At first, Yan Mei had been unaware of the rising tension. She had been sitting by Gu Jin’s side, monitoring her condition, when she overheard one of the students’ remarks. Her eyes narrowed as she stood, walking toward the group.

"You all need to stop," she called out, her voice firm but calm.

"What are you even talking about? Gu Jin is unwell. Long Yifan is only helping her because he’s concerned for her well-being."

The group fell silent for a moment, but the damage had already been done.

The rumors had taken root, and no one seemed to believe her.

"Concerned? Or is it more than that?" one of the students replied, a mocking tone creeping into their voice.

"It’s been days, and Long Yifan hasn’t even looked at Gu Aihan. Don’t you think that’s strange?"

"I don’t know," another student muttered.

"I mean, we all know Gu Jin’s been working the whole time, trying to stay in everyone’s good graces. But now? Now it’s like she’s been pretending all along."

"Exactly!" someone else exclaimed.

"She’s been playing us, acting all innocent so Long Yifan would take pity on her. And look where we are now—she’s got him doing everything for her."

The scornful looks turned toward Yan Mei, who had been standing her ground, trying to quell the tide of gossip.

But now, as the students started questioning her and Gu Jin, her resolve faltered.

How could she defend Gu Jin when everyone had already decided the truth for themselves?