Chapter 243: Compassion
After agreeing to go to the top of the mountain, Albert and the others waited in a room together while Shi Lan prepared their drink.
"So, what are we going to do next?" Gin asked.
"Well, Natasha should focus on her cultivation right now, considering you’re the weakest among us." Albert looked at Natasha with a serious expression. "At the very least, I want you to reach the same level as Gin right now."
"It will take a while, though."
"I know. I’ll help you from time to time, so I don’t think it will take you more than a month to reach Gin’s level."
"I don’t have any problem with that." Natasha nodded with a serious expression.
"As for Gin, I want you to focus on your study about this Array stuff first. Do you think you can be an Array Master soon?"
"Well, everything is already similar to what I’ve learned. After training my accuracy, I should have no problem in becoming an Array Master. By the time she gets as strong as me, I would probably have gotten that title," Gin explained.
"Good." Albert nodded.
"How about you, Teacher? Do you know what you’re planning to do for the next thirty days?"
"Yeah. I’m planning to leave this place."
"Leave?" Gin furrowed his eyebrows. "You’re going to be targeted by that guy, you know. I perfectly understood that type of guy. He would come and ambush you with a bunch of people. Even if you defeated him or killed him, the people behind him would come after you."
"I know." Albert nodded. "However, I still need to do it to shift their attention to me. Currently, I’m far stronger than any of you guys. So, I will make them focus on me first, allowing you to gain some peaceful time to cultivate. Don’t worry. I’ll protect both of you here until you are strong enough."
Gin had a gentle smile on his face, knowing this was what Yale and the others felt this whole time. They felt secured because Albert would take all the blames for all the ruckus they created. Luckily, no one was selfish enough to take Albert’s kindness for granted. Just like Yale, he wanted to repay Albert back.
"I understand. I’ll do my best to make sure I’m ready." Gin nodded.
Little did they know, or Albert might be the only one who knew that Shi Lan was hiding behind the door this whole time, eavesdropping in their conversation. She was carrying a tray filled with four tea cups outside, but before she entered, she happened to listen to their conversation.
In this little conversation, she realized that Albert was a careful guy that didn’t want too much problem. But because she was adamant in following the rules, they needed to pay the price.
For this kind of problem, it was clear that they could simply leave the peak and gain the attention of the first and third elder, asking them both for protection. Those two should be enough to handle this problem.
Despite getting into trouble, Albert didn’t utter a single word about her as if he never blamed her. However, it made her awful because he was supposed to blame her for all of this. She had even begged him to stay.
’Master. What should I do right now?’ Shi Lan muttered inwardly.
Unfortunately, nothing came to her mind. In the end, she entered the room before the tea became cold.
And the first thing she did was to apologize while taking out a space ring, handing it to Albert.
"I apologize for being so adamant with the rule. I should have known better than rules are dead and people are alive. I should be more flexible. I don’t know what I can do to make up for it, considering Su Family is a colossal family that can be compared to a medium sect." She sighed, disappointed in herself.
Albert glanced at her expression before taking the Space Ring, realizing she had put a hundred thousand Spirit Stones inside.
Albert took ten thousand of them according to the bet and handed the Space Ring back to Shi Lan.
"Here you go. I have taken ten thousand Spirit Stones according to the bet."
"Eh?" Shi Lan felt even more awful that Albert didn’t take the Spirit Stones as compensation.
"Teacher..." Gin looked at Albert with a worried expression. The money was important to them. In fact, it was a huge fortune, considering they only got 50,000 Spirit Stones from those cultivators that infiltrated this place. After receiving twenty thousand for themselves, the rest was split for other people that wanted to infiltrate this continent.
So, getting a hundred thousand Spirit Stones would be beneficial for him.
That was why Gin was subtly hinting to take the rest of the Spirit Stones.
However, he only got another lecture from Albert as it reminded him of a scene in his past life.
It was when someone was giving money to the people. Those who wanted to receive it often abused the situation to get more. In his neighborhood, one of the people that got their shares taken away ended up resorting in criminal activity to get some things to get by.
That was why he wanted to fix all his mistakes in his last life, not only about his night life but also his every day life.
"Gin. Take everything you deserve, not everything is given to you." Albert sighed and looked at Shi Lan. "If Miss Shi Lan still feels bad about it, you can spend the money for whatever... maybe you can just go to random people and use it to help them cultivate. They might be a genius that is hidden from the world, simply because he’s only trying to survive and doesn’t put a thought to cultivation...
"There are many things that you don’t realize until you meet them. That’s why I shall take only the bet between us. Well, if you still think it’s bad, I will take another ten thousand Spirit Stones for Gin. However, that’s all. Natasha didn’t bet with you after all," said Albert with a calm tone.
"That’s..." Shi Lan was stunned when she listened to Albert’s explanation. She never thought Albert had such a kind heart. In a world where strength mattered, Albert’s mind was indeed weird. Yet, she couldn’t help but be drawn to this man for his compassion.
