The Mighty Mage
Chapter 332: Realization

Chapter 332: Chapter 332: Realization

"When you asked me to cause trouble during the first hunting session, I thought you had lost your mind." Jung Shao spoke as he draped his arms around Long Yifan.

Long Yifan rolled his eyes, "If I didn’t instruct you all to put up a fight in front of others, we would never know the gossip in different groups."

Yu Jin was a beloved captain but many secretly were against him, so they went to Jung Shao, thinking of him as allies.

Then there was Sheng Han and Yan Mei who mingled in women’s groups and collected intellect from the women.

"But Yifan, why didn’t you tell me you can’t swim?" Yu Jin asked with a confused expression.

If they knew that Long Yifan couldn’t swim, they would have helped him out earlier.

Long Yifan didn’t speak instead he turned to Yan Mei and asked, "Thank you."

Yan Mei waved her hand, "After all, you paid me for standing up for Gu Jin every time."

Long Yifan smiled.

"Now now, Yifan are you truly going to stay outside the campsite?" Professor Meng asked interrupting the friend’s reunion session.

Long Yifan nodded with a serious expression.

Professor Meng sighed, "Yifan, think about it, though you are powerful, what if you encounter Supreme Rank Beast?"

Long Yifan smiled, "Don’t worry. I have a teleportation array with me."

Looking at his friends with whom he grew up and the Professor who taught him everything since his childhood, Long Yifan was filled with gratitude.

Just then Sheng Han returned from Gu Jin’s room and asked,

"I have changed Gu Jin’s clothes, now can you answer our questions."

All the others were tensed when they heard Sheng Han’s words. Long Yifan was silent before nodding, "Fine."

Sheng Han didn’t waste any time and asked, "Do you love Gu Jin?"

Straight to the point.

"Does it matter?" Long Yifan asked softly.

Sheng Han nodded seriously, her gaze fixed on Long Yifan.

"It matters," she said softly, "especially if Gu Jin might become our sister-in-law in the future. We need to know where you stand."

Long Yifan’s expression faltered for a moment, a fleeting vulnerability surfacing before his usual stoic demeanor returned.

His bitter smile deepened, but he remained silent for a moment, staring at the floor as if searching for the right words.

Finally, he spoke, his voice low and tinged with regret.

"Gu Jin told me that if I dared to love her, she’d break my heart. Those were her exact words. And I... I don’t blame her."

Yu Jin, who had been leaning back on the sofa, straightened, his expression equal parts curiosity and incredulity.

"Why would she say something like that? What did you do to make her so angry?"

Before Long Yifan could respond, Yan Mei, who had been silent until now, stepped forward, crossing her arms.

Her sharp gaze fixed on Yifan, and her words came out cutting and precise.

"Do you really want to know, Yu Jin? Because the truth isn’t pretty."

She turned her attention to the rest of the group, her voice carrying a hint of anger.

"Long Yifan took Gu Aihan’s side in front of everyone, even though it was Gu Jin who saved his life during that drowning incident. He stood there, silent, while Gu Jin was ridiculed and undermined.

And when Gu Aihan repeatedly attacked Gu Jin—both physically and emotionally—he did nothing. He let it happen, bound by some ridiculous promise."

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence as Yan Mei’s words hung in the air.

The expressions of the others were unreadable, a mix of shock, disappointment, and something close to pity.

Finally, Yu Jin broke the silence, his tone uncharacteristically serious.

"Is that true, Yifan? You really stood by and let all that happen?"

Long Yifan didn’t flinch under their gazes.

He had expected this reaction and prepared himself for the judgment in their eyes. He nodded slowly.

"It’s true. I didn’t harm Gu Aihan because of a promise I made long ago. I thought I was doing the right thing, protecting my integrity. But in doing so, I failed Gu Jin. Again and again."

Sheng Han let out a heavy sigh, rubbing her temples.

"Yifan, there’s a difference between keeping a promise and enabling someone who doesn’t deserve your protection.

You’re holding onto the past so tightly that you’re blind to the damage you’re causing now.

If you don’t let go, you’ll not only lose Gu Jin but also turn into the kind of person you despise—a scumbag."

Yan Mei, still visibly upset, added,

"And let’s not forget the fact that while you were with Gu Aihan, you developed feelings for Gu Jin.

That’s wrong, Yifan. Even if Gu Aihan cheated on you multiple times, it doesn’t justify how you acted. You’re both at fault, but don’t pretend you’re blameless."

Long Yifan remained silent, their words striking deeper than he cared to admit.

Finally, he let out a slow exhale, his gaze distant.

"I’ll think about it," he said quietly. But in truth, he already knew the answer.

For the past few days, he had spent almost every moment by Gu Jin’s side while she was unconscious.

He had watched over her, tended to her, and ensured her safety.

Despite her lack of response, he had felt an inexplicable sense of peace, a contentment he hadn’t known in years.

She didn’t have to say a word, yet her presence alone was enough to make him feel whole.

In those quiet moments, he had come to a realization.

He wasn’t just protecting her out of guilt or obligation.

He wasn’t waiting for her to wake up because he felt responsible for her suffering.

He wanted to be by her side—not just now, but for the rest of his life.

The thought scared him, but it also gave him a sense of clarity he hadn’t felt before.

Yan Mei’s voice broke through his reverie.

"Yifan, whatever decision you make, just be honest—with yourself and with Gu Jin. She deserves that much."

Long Yifan nodded, his expression resolute.

"I understand. And I won’t run from this anymore."

Then suddenly he remembered something and asked Sheng Han, "Why did you want to kiss Gu Jin?"

Sheng Han was stunned before chuckling, "She looks beautiful."

Long Yifan silently cast a glance in Yu Jin’s direction whose face at some point had turned black and felt balanced in his heart.

Yu Jin glared at Long Yifan, however before he can say anything, his eyes fell on Long Yifan’s face and he asked with confusion,

"Hey...Yifan...where is the mole on the left side of your face?"

On the left side of Long Yifan’s face near the ear, there used to be a mole. But for some reason it suddenly disappeared.

"Don’t know." Long Yifan shrugged. In the past few days he hardly had the time to see his face.

Everyone forgot about the matter and started to chat about some other matters.

The group returned to the campsite, after some time, leaving Long Yifan and Gu Jin behind.

Long Yifan didn’t hurry to walk inside. Instead, he sat on the sofa thinking over a lot of things.

Was the promise truly worth it?

If his mother was here, would she continue to pester him to marry if she knew about Gu Aihan’s cheating streak?

Absolutely not!

His mother loved him the most. She will understand him, right?

Long Yifan stared in Gu Jin’s room direction, before gritting his teeth.

If today he was truly the powerless person as Gu Aihan thought of him and kicked a vulnerable Gu Jin out, wouldn’t Gu Jin and he would have died?

Even if he died, he had no regret, but Gu Jin...Gu Jin can’t die...

His heart tightened at the thought of Gu Jin being vulnerable and still having to defend herself from Gu Aihan’s scheming.

After thinking for a while, he decided to break off the engagement with Gu Aihan and also kill her.

Why kill her? Long Yifan was a saint. If Gu Aihan had just cheated on him, he could have endured but she also dared to harm his Gu Jin, how can he stay silent?

He can bear his mother’s anger, but he can’t let Gu Jin die, because of his indecisiveness.

As for Gu Jin’s love? Well, admiring someone from a distance is better for a person like him.

(Author: Bro got some serious self-awareness.)

With his thoughts cleared up, Long Yifan thought of killing Gu Aihan right away.

But he couldn’t leave Gu Jin for now, so he decided to kill Gu Aihan once Gu Jin regained consciousness.

Thinking so, Long Yifan felt the dark clouds weighing him down suddenly disappear. He felt puzzled,

"Strange...this thought was so easy to realize...so why did I hesitate to realize it till now?"

Long Yifan rubbed his forehead and decided to not think much. He walked to where Gu Jin was and his heart itched.

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