Cost of Tardiness

 Mo Sen was carefully controlling his steps. He was trying his best to not walk too quick, looking straight ahead and not even sparing a single glance to his left or right.

It was truly a humiliation for him to be discovered previously. However at present, Mo Sen felt that his calm appearance could, at least, score ninety points. But a part of him was aware that this ‘ninety point’ appearance of him was instead causing his walking to appear very unnatural. It even caused Lu Ping to let out a laugh which later on sparked a crisis in the cla.s.sroom. .

Mo Sen never antic.i.p.ated that he was about to see the individual who was supposed to be left far behind. As soon as he turned his body and began to think about what to do next, he saw Lu Ping coming out from the cla.s.sroom’s window.

Loathsome brat, he is escaping in the middle of a lecture!

Mo Sen was furious, he completely ignored the fact Lu Ping actually never even go to the cla.s.s in the first place. In these three years, it was already an extremely rare occasion.

However, as he watched Lu Ping walking on the road with no other soul in sight, he suddenly felt his mind reeling.

This….seems like my chance?

Students at this time are in cla.s.s and there are very few active people present in the inst.i.tute. Using this opportunity, I should ask Lu Ping to come to a desolate place. No, could I reduce the risk even more?

Right, it has to be this way.

A plan was forming in Mo Lin’s brain at a lightning fast speed. He accelerated his speed and went around a big tree to adjust his frame of mind. Then, he began to head directly towards Lu Ping as if nothing was amiss.

“Eh? Mo Sen Laos.h.i.+. We meet again.” Lu Ping made a hand gesture as a greeting, implying as if the situation was very unexpected.

“ You are not in the cla.s.s? Why are you here?”  Mo Sen said with wrinkled brows. This was planned by him in advance, supposedly a good opening scene. He seemed unusually natural and unusually fair.

“Oh. Students said: who don’t want to hear, get out of the cla.s.s. So I left.” Lu Ping said.

“Huh….”  Hearing such an honest answer that can leave people dumbfounded, Mo Sen forgot what he planned to say next.

“Incompetent and Ignorant!” He eventually thought he should probably say these words as these words seemed to be harsh and criticizing at the same time.

(Tl: Actually he used an idiom which roughly translates as Incompetent and Ignorant.)

Lu Ping smiled.

“ Anyway, you have nothing to do. Help me for a moment and I will forgive you a little for spoiling my Dormant Fire Lotus.” Mo Sen was beginning his plan.

“ Oh, ok. What is the matter?” Lu Ping asked.

Hooked the bait so easily! Mo Sen was very proud of himself. He immediately said “ Ten o’clock. No, ten and a half o’clock actually. Come to the Flower Garden in the North West region. You know where?”

“ I know.”

“Hm,  ten and a half. Don’t forget.” Mo Sen again reminded.

“ Actually, I don’t have anything better to do right now. Wouldn’t it be better to go now?” Lu Ping said.

Hearing an unexpected reply made Mo Sen a bit panicky. Of course going now won’t do, he needed to accomplish everything in the form of an accident.

“ No need!” Mo Sen denied it in an unquestionable tone of voice. “ You are not required yet. Come again at ten thirty. Later.”

“ Then……ok” Lu Ping hesitated a little but eventually accepted Mo Sen’s arrangements.

Mo Sen let out a long sigh in his mind.  “Ok, Later.”

“Yes, goodbye Mo Sen Laos.h.i.+.”

Mo Sen nodded a little. As Lu Ping was departing, Mo Sen followed him with his eyes for as long as his figure could be seen. Then, he turned around and dashed towards the Northwest region. This garden is the strangest location in the Zhai Feng inst.i.tute. Garden’s planning is also not too good. But that is the work of a Landscape Gardener. Mo Sen is a Gardener. Although these names differ by just one word, their work differs a lot. What he excels in is, to grow and nurture all kinds of plants and flowers. This is not particularly a well-received garden. However, Mo Sen frequently comes here to do some odd cultivation(Tl: plants) experiments. He is very familiar with this place.

During this time phase, there is no way that there would be people here.

After hurrying up to the garden, he confirmed the time with a quick look. Nine thirty-five, and as he did he was even more convinced about how perfectly he had s.h.i.+fted the time from ten to ten-thirty.

Fifty-five minutes should be enough, right?

Mo Sen’s brain was already working on a plan to create an accident. He decided to make use of an observing pavilion inside the garden. This pavilion had already survived too long. n.o.body is likely to suspect an accident caused by the collapse of this pavilion. He would modify this pavilion in accordance with his requirements.

After studying the composition of observing pavilion, he began to set his hands in motion. He was moving his hands like a busy bee while his head was fully covered with sweat, however, the time was flying away. After accomplis.h.i.+ng the first section, he took a glance at the time.

Ten Fifteen!

Forty minutes have pa.s.sed just like that?

Mo Sen was greatly alarmed. The rate of time consumption had far exceeded his imagination. He completely overestimated his capability to pull down a building. He also didn’t dare to use Soul’s Power for a.s.sistance as it would leave behind traces.

15 minutes! It seems a little too late now. However what one can achieve depends on his own efforts!

Mo Sen didn’t give up. Instead, he accelerated his movements. His efficiency was increased by a lot, but making it on time would still be extremely difficult.

Perhaps, that youngster would be late?

Mo Sen was unwilling to give up halfway. As he considered every kind of possibility, he decided not to stop. He was constantly paying attention to the incoming road. Ten and a half o’clock:  Lu Ping was still nowhere to be seen. Mo Sen was ecstatic. This unreliable guy, he will definitely arrive late. Come a little more late, five minutes and I could finish this.

After five minutes:  Wait it’s still a bit wrong. But he still hasn’t arrived. I have a little more time, better correct it once more. Come more late you fool!

After ten minutes: But it’s still a bit wrong. However, the guy has not arrived yet. Very well, you will pay for your own tardiness. This really was an exquisite kind of sarcasm

Fifteen minutes: Huff! Finished. This guy is actually fifteen minutes late. Truly unreliable, just because of this reason, he has wasted his opportunity to live, truly sad.

After accomplis.h.i.+ng everything he required, he let out a long sigh. Although he was completely covered with sweat, but he wasn’t tired at all. He began to eagerly wait for Lu Ping’s arrival, expecting that he would be smashed by the collapse of the pavilion.

Wait, Wait and more Wait.

Mo Sen felt that his plan to trap Lu Ping was extremely perfect. He was extremely pleased with himself. Ninety points! He once again rewarded his plan with a score of ninety.

However, within a blink of an eye, it was already eleven o’clock. It was already half an hour past the agreed time, but there were still no signs of Lu Ping.

Truly disappointing, he doesn’t keep his words. Moreover, he even disrespects the time….

Mo Sen continued to curse Lu Ping in his mind. Another half an hour, Lu Ping still hasn’t shown up.

Don’t tell me……………this guy a.s.sumed ten thirty o’clock as in night’s ten thirty.

As he carefully recalled, he realized that he’d never really emphasized early morning.

Wait till evening’s ten thirty? That sounds too stupid. I should come again in the evening. However, there is yet a simple possibility, if he somehow shamelessly comes after an hour. Then?

I should probably wait for another hour!

After pondering in different directions, Mo Sen finally came to this conclusion. Thus an hour later, Mo Sen left the Northwest Garden starved and tired. Even his legs were trembling as he walked on the pathway that leads to the inst.i.tute’s dining hall.

Old age and unremarkable physical strength. Although he is in the realm of seventeen Heavenly Layers combinedly made by adding up layers of different souls, his Strength’s soul which is essentially related to the true essence of physical body is not even at the first Heavenly Layer. This is hereditary, though. His whole family’s perception towards Strength’s soul is exceptionally slow.

He didn’t dare to use soul’s power before and had solely relied on his physical body. This definitely wasn’t easy on his body. At first, a feeling of excitement was supporting him, but after two hours of wait, this support had disappeared long ago.

At this moment, all Mo Sen desired was to have his fill and then take a nap on the beautiful earth. However, just by chance, he stumbled upon Lu Ping and Su Tang as they were walking out of the dining hall.

“Lu Ping!” Mo Sen suddenly regained some spirit.

“ Mo Sen Laos.h.i.+.” Both individuals simultaneously paid their respects.

“ I suppose, you didn’t forget the matter I entrusted you, right?”

“ Of course, I haven’t.” Lu Ping said.

Mo Sen’s mind relaxed. Looks like this youngster truly thought that I was talking about evening’s time.

“ Don’t Forget.” Mo Sen was not willing to say anything more than this. All he wanted to do was to eat and then go to sleep. But, as soon as he intended to leave, he heard Su tang saying:

“ What matter?”

Disaster!!

Mo Sen’s heart suddenly tightened.

Great idea! Why I had to open my mouth in front of Su tang. Now that Su Tang has asked, Lu Ping would obviously spill out the beans, and then, there would be an accident in the evening, wouldn’t it allow people to make some connections?

What should I explain to go around it?

As Mo Sen was deeply weighing his options, just at that time, some people could be seen shouting and running on the pathway. “ It’s not good !”

“What?” Yelling and commotion attracted the attention of a lot of people. They went after the source to make some inquiries.

“ Pavilion at the Northwest region’s 18th park has collapsed.”

“ Oh! Was someone injured?”

“ Surprisingly no one was injured. However, after inspection, Master Huo Fu said that someone damaged the structure of the pavilion.”

“ Eh? Who would do such a thing?”

“ Currently unknown. The investigation is still ongoing, though. Master Huo Fu said that the damage to the structure was not done with the intention of collapsing the pavilion, rather was done to fulfill a different purpose by exploiting the collapse of the pavilion.”

“ What could it be? Oh! To injure someone.”

“ Yeah, you bet.”

“ There is actually such a person within the inst.i.tute.”

“Yeah, it’s too terrible. Who could it be?”

“ Did you see someone going over that side in the morning?”

“I don’t know.”

The news was spreading. Everyone had different opinions about it. Students were commenting on it. Discussions were going on everywhere around Mo Sen.

“Mo Sen Laos.h.i.+, Mo Sen Laos.h.i.+?”

“Huh!’ Mo Sen suddenly returned to the earth and discovered that Su Tang has managed to come beside him at some point in time. He doesn’t know how many times she had called out to him prior to this.

“ What happened to you? You look quite bad.”  Su Tang asked in a deeply concerned voice.

“ I….I am all right. Just a little tired from working too much early morning. I just need some rest.”

Mo Sen said.

“ Then, should I see you back?”

“No need, no need. Just do your own work!”

“Ok, then take care of yourself.”

‘Take care’, ‘Take care’, Mo Sen repeated these two words in his mind. For him, meaning implied by these two words was completely different. How should I take care of this matter? Should I go and confess? I was doing it in order to help Su Tang by getting rid of a degenerate, the inst.i.tute would be considerate. No! If it was from the perspective of an individual, then it might have worked. But from the inst.i.tute’s perspective, just because someone wanted to eliminate the influence of one student on others, he would eliminate the student itself? This is completely groundless on the basis of moral ethics. I might have gone too far!

While he was losing his mind, Lu Ping’s voice suddenly arrived in his ears from behind “ Mo Sen Laos.h.i.+, should I still go to the 18th garden?”