Cangmang Asks the Way 1: Guardian of the Lamp

The campus of Jixian Middle School appeared tranquil and orderly under the autumn sun, but the air inside the classrooms of the gifted youth program seemed to be taut by an invisible string. The noise during breaks could not seem to conceal the darkness growing in certain corners.

The conspiracy was quietly finalized behind the artificial hill in the small garden during lunch break. Zheng Tao leaned against the cool, damp rocks of the artificial hill, his gaze sweeping over the two "allies" who blindly followed his lead.

"Tiger, did you bring the things?" Zheng Tao's voice wasn't loud, but it carried a condescending tone. Zhao Xiaohu immediately pulled a brand-new silver object from his pocket—a sleek, metal-cased fountain pen with a foreign brand logo, gleaming with a cold and refined luster in the sunlight.

"Brother Tao, look, my dad brought this back from the provincial capital not long ago, it's a Parker pen, it's really expensive! Most people have never even seen one." He had a proud look on his face, as if he were showing off a treasure.

Zheng Tao took the pen, weighed it in his hand, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth: "Not bad. That's exactly the kind of inconspicuous but valuable thing I want, something that will make that country bumpkin look shallow."

He handed the pen back to Zhao Xiaohu and instructed, "The first period this afternoon is PE, and the classroom will be empty. Yaowu," he turned to Wang Yaowu and said, "be quick and slip this pen into the innermost compartment of Cang Tianci's schoolbag, or the deepest part of his desk drawer, while everyone is on the playground. Make sure it's not easily spotted at first glance, but it will definitely be found during a search."

Wang Yaowu patted his chest heavily: "Don't worry, Brother Tao, I guarantee it will be done without anyone noticing. I've already checked it out; there's a loose thread in one of the side pockets of his tattered canvas backpack, so it'll fit perfectly." Thinking of Cang Tianci's impending disgrace, he almost couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Zheng Tao nodded in satisfaction, then gave a final instruction: "Xiao Hu, after the item is 'lost,' you need to put on a convincing performance, make it seem real. I will 'uphold justice' and guide everyone in the search. Remember, our goal isn't just to get him punished by the school, but to expose his 'honest and hardworking' facade. Let everyone see that this so-called 'top scholar in both literature and martial arts' is nothing more than a greedy, dishonest hypocrite. Once the seed of doubt is planted, he won't be able to continue being so smug."

"Understood!" Zhao Xiaohu and Wang Yaowu replied in unison, their voices filled with barely suppressed excitement.

The whistle blew for the first period of the afternoon, signaling the start of PE class. Students rushed out of the classroom and headed for the playground. Wang Yaowu deliberately lingered until the very end, waiting until everyone had left the first floor and were heading to the playground before quickly turning back and shoving the cold Parker pen into Cang Tianci's backpack. Just as he slipped the pen into the loosely woven side pocket, he heard footsteps approaching from the corridor. He froze, ducked low, and held his breath, his vest instantly soaked with cold sweat. The footsteps faded into the distance; it was just students from another class passing by. He breathed a sigh of relief, then glanced around before crouching low and slipping out of the classroom, running quickly towards the playground.

This physical education class consisted of a physical fitness test. Ms. Yang (a young and capable female teacher) blew her whistle and organized the students for tests in sprints, standing long jump, and other events. The results were astonishing. Cang Tianci displayed exceptional abilities far exceeding his peers in running and jumping events; his speed, explosiveness, and coordination were all near perfect, easily leaving all the male students in the gifted youth program far behind.

Looking at the data recorded by the stopwatch and measuring tape, Teacher Yang's face was filled with surprise and admiration: "Good, very good! Cang Tianci, your physical fitness is outstanding!"

Those who had questioned his appointment as sports committee member, especially Wang Yaowu and a few other boys, now turned pale and then flushed, extremely embarrassed. Wang Yaowu stared intently at Cang Tianci, who was the center of attention, his teeth clenched, his heart filled with jealousy and resentment: "Hmph, let you be smug for now, you'll see later."

The demeanor of Song Wei and her classmates contrasted sharply with the embarrassment of Wang Yaowu and his group. They all beamed with pride. When Teacher Yang learned from the students' excited chatter that Cang Tianci was actually a student at the county sports school, specializing in Wushu Sanda (Chinese kickboxing), and had just won a gold medal in the provincial competition, she was even more astonished. She smiled and said to Cang Tianci, "So you're a Wushu champion! No wonder you're so amazing. Tianci, could you give us a demonstration of your skills and broaden our horizons?" Hearing this, the students excitedly joined in with applause.

Unable to refuse their enthusiastic invitation, Cang Tianci walked to the center of the arena. He took a deep breath, and with a swift movement, first executed a clean and beautiful side somersault, followed by a series of graceful back handsprings. These fluid and elegant movements instantly drew cheers from the crowd.

Wow, that's amazing!

"One more, please."

……

The students weren't satisfied with just watching and demanded another set of punches. Students from other classes on the playground were also drawn over by Cang Tianci's spectacular performance. They joined in the cheering, creating a lively and bustling scene.

Helpless, Cang Tianci had no choice but to calm himself, assume a fighting stance, and perform his most skilled Southern Fist routine. His punches flew like the wind, his footwork steady and powerful, his moves fierce and domineering yet fluidly connected. At times, he moved like a tiger leaping from the mountain, at others like a leopard pouncing. The entire routine was executed with incredible power and a formidable, intimidating aura. This spectacular performance drew gasps of amazement from the girls in the gifted youth class and other classes watching. Most of the boys also looked on with admiration at the graceful yet fierce figure in the arena. However, the faces of Zheng Tao and a few others, against the backdrop of the enthusiastic atmosphere, grew increasingly grim and unpleasant.

The bell rang, and the students dragged their tired bodies back to the classroom. Cang Tianci picked up his coat hanging on the railing and walked into the classroom chatting with a few classmates. He had just sat down in his seat, taken a sip of water, and hadn't even had time to wipe his sweat when he suddenly heard a scream:

"Oh no—where's my pen?"

He looked in the direction of the sound and saw Zhao Xiaohu jump up from his seat, his face "pale as death," frantically searching his pencil case, schoolbag, and desk with such large movements that he almost overturned the table.

He said, his voice trembling with tears, "My new fountain pen. My dad just brought it back for me from the provincial capital, a silver Parker pen, it cost several hundred yuan! It was in my pencil case, how could it be gone?"

The classroom fell silent instantly, all eyes drawn to him. The students exchanged bewildered glances, stunned by the sudden "theft" and the enormous sum of "several hundred yuan," a considerable amount for students in the early 1990s.

"Xiaohu, don't panic, don't panic. Look carefully, maybe it fell on the ground or got stuck in a book?" a classmate kindly reminded him.

"No, I've searched everywhere. It was here at noon, how come it's gone after we came back from PE class? It must have been stolen." Zhao Xiaohu shouted excitedly, his eyes scanning the whole class like a night owl searching for its prey. He deliberately paused in Cang Tianci's direction for a moment before quickly looking away, but the implication was all too clear.

"Steal? Who's so bold?"

"A pen that costs several hundred yuan..."

A buzz of discussion immediately filled the classroom, and the students' expressions became surprised and uncertain.

"Quiet!" a stern voice rang out. Squad leader Zheng Tao stood up, frowning, his face displaying just the right amount of seriousness and concern. "Zhao Xiaohu, don't panic. Are you sure you really can't find it? Could you have forgotten it at home?"

"Absolutely not! Brother Tao, I took it out and used it at noon, and it was gone after PE class. My dad bought it for a fortune as a reward for me becoming the class monitor of the gifted youth program. Class monitor, you have to help me find the thief who stole it!"

Zheng Tao looked troubled, hesitated for a moment, and then said sadly, "Classmates, I am heartbroken that this happened. Our gifted youth class is the top group in the county, and yet theft has occurred. This is not only a loss for Zhao Xiaohu, but also a stain on the honor of our entire class."

He paused, then raised his voice: "To maintain the integrity of the class and to clear everyone's name, I suggest we conduct a simple check on the whole class now. Of course, this isn't because I don't trust you all, but precisely to prove the innocence of the vast majority of you. I hope everyone will cooperate."

His words sounded high-sounding, and although many students felt uncomfortable about being searched, they couldn't easily refute him for the time being, under the guise of "class honor" and "proving their innocence."

"Okay, search, we must search, let's start searching from there!" Zhao Xiaohu was the first to jump up and respond, his fierce gaze sweeping over Cang Tianci once again.

Zheng Tao waved his hand, adopting a fair demeanor: "Xiao Hu, don't jump to conclusions. Everyone is a suspect, including me. How about this, to avoid suspicion, the group leaders will cross-check. Li Hao, you're in charge of checking Group Two (Cang Tianci's group). Wang Yaowu, you're in charge of checking Group Four. Zhang Zheng and Chen Xiaoyu, you each check the other's group. The rest of you, please wait outside the classroom to cooperate."

This arrangement sounded relatively "fair," avoiding direct scrutiny of specific individuals by stakeholders. Although the students felt it was a lot of trouble, they had no choice but to comply. After a brief commotion in the classroom, everyone followed Zheng Tao's instructions, temporarily leaving their seats and waiting in the hallway outside the classroom.

Cang Tianci frowned slightly. The keen senses granted to him by the Hidden Dragon Technique and the Finger Profound Hand allowed him to clearly see the fleeting excitement on Wang Yaowu's face and the feigned anxiety yet expectant look in Zhao Xiaohu's eyes. At the same time, he also "sensed" the cold, icy fluctuations of a scheme about to succeed spreading beneath the smooth aura emanating from Zheng Tao.

A clear thought flashed through his mind—this was a setup targeting him. He wanted to protest, but the "ironclad evidence" hadn't appeared yet, and arguing now would only make him seem guilty. Helpless, he could only follow the crowd into the corridor.