However, Xu Zhen remained anxious. She couldn't relax, fearing the lightning might strike and obliterate the entire building, and flooding could arrive at any moment.
If she stayed in the academy any longer, things could turn dire.
Xu Zhen waited outside, wanting to see Xu Qianchun come out so they could quickly find a place to take shelter.
After all, she had done almost everything she could.
She shivered in the wind and rain, watching many people raise their arms to shield themselves from the downpour as they left.
But after waiting for a long time, and when no one else came out, there was still no sign of Xu Qianchun.
Where was Xu Qianchun?!
Xu Zhen felt a surge of frustration building within her!
Her teeth chattered from the cold, yet still, there was no sign of Xu Qianchun.
With no alternatives, Xu Zhen gritted her teeth and ran toward the tree trunk, gripping the branches as she climbed, tilting her head to avoid the rain. She noticed an opening next to a wall and struggled to roll herself inside.
Her luck held; as soon as she entered, a flash of lightning illuminated the dark clouds outside, followed by a thunderous crash. She didn't know where it struck, but thankfully, it wasn't on this tree.
Inside, the second floor was already accumulating a significant amount of water that had entered through the ceiling and windows.
The sound of dripping filled the room, creating a quieter atmosphere compared to the chaos outside; one could still hear the rain falling and the howling wind, but it wasn't overwhelming.
Xu Zhen breathed a sigh of relief and stepped further inside.
Her footsteps splashed in the water, and just as she was about to call out Xu Qianchun's name, she heard a commotion ahead.
Xu Zhen quickened her pace, only to find a little girl in a blue-and-white uniform crying. She must be a classmate of Xu Qianchun.
The girl was locked in a room, surrounded by dark walls that seemed to be made of iron. There was only a small window in the center, revealing a tall bookshelf filled with densely packed books.
It was too secure; this must be a place for storing important books.
Xu Zhen didn't want to waste time, so she ran over and shouted at the girl leaning against the window, "Classmate!"
The girl looked up at her, and soon a few others gathered around, peering through the window to see Xu Zhen.
Seeing so many people, Xu Zhen quickly asked, "Have you seen Xu Qianchun?"
One of them, who wasn't crying, responded, "Yes."
Xu Zhen pressed, "Where is she? How did you all end up in there?"
A few more students came forward and explained that those who had jumped from the tree had been saved by Xu Qianchun; she had used her little sword to cut an opening, allowing everyone to escape into the trees.
Originally, they all could have made it out.
However, at that moment, someone who had been clamoring to challenge Xu Qianchun suddenly started fighting with her. This person, wielding a weapon from who-knows-where, chased Xu Qianchun all the way into the book hall.
The concerned classmates followed to see what was happening and ended up getting trapped inside.
Xu Zhen felt a surge of frustration; she wanted to shout at whoever had picked this moment to cause trouble.
Chapter 39: Thirty-Nine Treasures?
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