The Mighty Mage
Chapter 518: Jin Mu’s Location

Chapter 518: Chapter 518: Jin Mu’s Location

The silver-haired elder narrowed her eyes. "So you’re saying she’s not your girlfriend?"

Wen Xue smiled faintly. "If you want her to marry me now, then no—I won’t claim her as my girlfriend."

The elders fell silent.

His answer wasn’t clear. Not really. He hadn’t confirmed anything, but he also hadn’t denied everything.

There was a long pause before the long-bearded elder let out a quiet sigh.

"This isn’t the time to push," he said at last. "Let her go for now."

The others exchanged glances, then gave reluctant nods.

Wen Xue stepped aside and looked at Gu Jin.

"Come on," he said gently.

Gu Jin, without another word, walked beside him, and together they left the hall, leaving behind four very confused, slightly frustrated elders and a quiet pressure that still lingered in the air.

As soon as they were far enough from the elder hall, Gu Jin turned her head slightly and looked at Wen Xue.

"When will you be free to make more predictions?" she asked. "And when will you tell me about Long Yianna... and my cousin, Jin Mu?"

Wen Xue ran a hand through his hair, his expression thoughtful. Then he gave a small smile.

"I’ll meet you tomorrow. Just outside your university gate. I’ll explain everything there."

Gu Jin gave a silent nod, then turned and walked away without another word.

As soon as her figure disappeared, Wen Xue let out a long breath. He pressed a hand against his chest and muttered under his breath, "I just want to live... and when Long Yifan returns, I swear I’m hiding."

He sighed again, his expression full of quiet dread.

.............

The next morning

The sun rose softly over the city, casting a golden hue over the campus buildings. Students were moving about, chatting and laughing, but Gu Jin walked calmly through the halls of the university, her face as emotionless as ever.

She arrived at the principal’s office and knocked once before stepping inside.

Principal Lan was sitting behind his large wooden desk. His eyes lit up the moment he saw her.

"Gu Jin!" he said warmly. "Come in, come in."

She stepped forward and bowed politely.

The principal smiled even wider. "I’ve seen the reports. Your performance during the semester ranking truly brilliant. I’m lucky to have a genius like you at this university."

Gu Jin only nodded, her expression still distant. She didn’t feel much. Praise didn’t warm her heart. It hadn’t in years.

Principal Lan didn’t seem to mind. He reached into a drawer and pulled out a small, glowing token. It shimmered with a fiery aura.

"This," he said, holding it out to her, "is a token of the Heavenly Flame Trial. You may now try your luck. If you pass the levels, you’ll be allowed to climb higher, and each level comes with rare and powerful resources."

Gu Jin took the token and examined it briefly.

"You’ll have to fight for those resources," Principal Lan added. "The higher you go, the more valuable the rewards. Only the strong can claim them."

Gu Jin gave a simple nod, slipping the glowing token into her storage pouch. She was about to turn and leave when the principal raised his hand.

"Wait a moment, Gu Jin," he said. "There’s something else I’d like to ask."

Gu Jin paused and looked back at him, her expression unreadable.

"We’re preparing the list for the upcoming International Combat Magic Tournament for junior year. Are you interested in joining?"

There was a brief silence as Gu Jin considered it. Her eyes lowered for a second, then looked up again with quiet certainty.

"Not for now," she replied. "I’m focused on the International Alchemist Competition. Once I win there... then I’ll join the combat team."

Principal Lan’s smile grew wider. "As expected. You’re wise to focus on one thing at a time. That’s what makes you different."

He stood up and gave her a firm nod, repeating, "Very smart, Gu Jin. Very smart."

She gave him a final bow and left the office.

..........

Outside, the afternoon sun was starting to dip. Gu Jin waited near the gate, standing alone as students rushed past, finishing their day.

Wen Xue.

He walked up slowly, his usual relaxed expression missing. Today, his face was tense, eyes slightly sunken as if he hadn’t slept well.

Gu Jin immediately picked up on it.

"What’s wrong?" she asked. "You look... serious."

Wen Xue glanced around, his voice low. "We can’t talk here. This will take time—and the place needs to be private."

She nodded, not asking questions. Instead, she followed him in silence.

Soon, they arrived at the same hidden room where they’d met before—quiet, soundproof, protected by sealing runes. Wen Xue closed the door behind them and activated the spell, dimming the outside world.

Gu Jin turned to face him.

"Tell me."

Wen Xue didn’t speak right away. He walked to the center of the room and let out a deep breath.

"Gu Jin," he said finally, "what I’m about to tell you... you need to be ready for it."

Gu Jin’s jaw tensed. She clenched her fists.

"I am ready," she said softly.

He gave a nod, then looked her in the eye.

"I’ll start with your cousin... Jin Mu."

A flicker of emotion passed through Gu Jin’s eyes, but she stayed silent.

Wen Xue continued, "She was kidnapped. Three months before."

Gu Jin’s breath hitched slightly. "By who?"

"By Gu Aihan."

This time, her face grew cold.

"She did it to stop him from telling the truth," Wen Xue explained. "Jin Mu knew something—something big. Something about what really happened in your family. She couldn’t let her talk."

"About the baby swap?"

"Maybe." Wen Xue answered in an uncertain voice.

Wen Xue hesitated for a moment, then continued, his voice low.

"Gu Aihan... she gave the order to eliminate Jin Mu."

Gu Jin’s body stiffened. "Eliminate?"

"She told her subordinates to blow her up. The plan was clean—no body, no evidence."

Gu Jin’s breath went cold.

"But," Wen Xue said quickly, "Jin Mu isn’t dead."

Gu Jin blinked. "She survived?"

Wen Xue gave a slow nod. "She used a forbidden artifact. A one-time emergency talisman—it created a teleportation gate just before the explosion."

Relief washed over Gu Jin’s face, subtle but real. Her shoulders eased slightly, though her voice stayed sharp.

"Where is she now?"

"That’s... where the problem begins," Wen Xue said grimly. "The artifact threw her far away. She ended up in a different country altogether. A place we have no direct contact with."

Gu Jin narrowed her eyes. "Then we find her."

"I tried," Wen Xue said, frustration flickering in his eyes. "But as she was trying to escape that area, she was captured by a private institute."

Gu Jin’s face turned dark. "Captured?"

Wen Xue nodded.

"They thought she was a spy. Her mana readings were unstable because of the artifact. Her clothes were burned, and she had no identification. She looked... suspicious to them."

"And they didn’t let her explain?" Gu Jin asked coldly.

"They didn’t care," Wen Xue replied. "They drugged her, locked her up... and it took her boyfriend two weeks to track her down and break her out."

There was a pause before he added, "But things got worse."

Gu Jin’s voice was icy. "Worse, how?"

"They lost their passports during the escape. And that country has strict surveillance. Without ID, they can’t get shelter, transportation, or cross borders."

Wen Xue’s face looked troubled. "Right now, they’re hiding in an old smuggler’s village by the sea. It’s a place where criminals go to disappear."

Gu Jin’s fists tightened again.

"They’re staying with criminals?"

"Yes," Wen Xue said. "Because that’s the only place where the authorities don’t look."

Gu Jin was silent for a long moment.

Wen Xue went on, "The worst part is... the institute released a false report. They claimed Jin Mu was a fugitive from a different city. She attacked the guards. Her boyfriend, too. So now, even if they try to come forward, they’ll be treated like criminals."

Gu Jin took a deep breath. Her eyes gleamed with fire.

"They saved their own lives," she muttered. "And now the world treats them like they’re villains."

Wen Xue nodded. "Exactly."

Gu Jin looked up. "What do we need to do?"

"I’m trying to get them fake documents and arrange transport, but I need time. Their location changes every few days to avoid detection. And the sea around that area is stormy... It’s not easy to reach."

Gu Jin’s voice was cold but steady. "Then give me the map. I’ll go myself if I have to."

Wen Xue looked at her seriously. "Not yet. It’s too dangerous, even for you. You’d be risking everything. But I promise, I’ll keep tracking them. When the path is open, I’ll take you straight there."

"No need, I will look for her on my own. After all, she got in this mess because she was trying to get justice for me."

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