I can see experience bars after being transported to another world.

As evening fell, Holger found Lu Yuan.

The captain of the Night's Watch looked grim, his brow furrowed and his lips pressed into a straight line.

"Come out and speak."

His tone was brief, tinged with suppressed anger.

Lu Yuan followed him to a corner at the end of the corridor, where there was no one else around.

Holger leaned against the wall, arms crossed, and remained silent for a few seconds.

"Tonight's cleanup is canceled."

Lu Yuan frowned slightly.

Why?

"Someone is putting pressure on us." Hogel's voice was low, with a hint of gritted teeth. "Inside the Tower of Learning, some instructors have complained to Imperial Headquarters that we Night's Watchmen are 'overstepping our authority in dealing with students,' and are demanding a halt to all purge operations."

"Overstepping his authority?" Lu Yuan repeated the word.

"Yes, they don't care about those students at all." Hogel's tone was angry, but more so helpless. "It will take us at least a day to report this, and by then, the people from headquarters will have already arrived."

He gave a cold laugh.

"They know how to exploit loopholes in the rules."

Lu Yuan remained silent for a moment, processing this information.

"When will the people from Imperial Headquarters arrive?"

"Tomorrow at noon." Hogel's gaze sharpened. "Once they arrive, we won't be able to get involved."

He paused, then looked at Lu Yuan.

"The three days we fought for were cut in half by someone else."

"Who?"

Holger simply shook his head and did not answer.

There are some things that even he cannot say.

"There's one more thing," Holger lowered his voice even further, "We're short-handed tonight; many brothers have been reassigned elsewhere."

He glanced at Lu Yuan, his gaze meaningful.

"Patrols in the outer areas will be much less frequent."

Lu Yuan understood the implied meaning.

"you mean..."

"The transfer order hasn't been lifted yet," Hogel said with a hint of uncertainty, "but if anyone wants to leave tonight, I doubt anyone will stop them."

He patted Lu Yuan on the shoulder, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

The footsteps gradually faded away, disappearing at the end of the corridor.

Lu Yuan stood there, pondering his next move.

I'm leaving tonight.

Can't wait any longer.

He was about to go back to his room when he suddenly heard footsteps in the distance.

The footsteps of the Night's Watchmen are not right; the rhythm is off.

Lu Yuan raised his head alertly, his gaze fixed on the depths of the corridor.

A figure is walking this way.

He wore a dark blue robe and had a harsh expression.

It was the same person I saw during my patrol during the day.

Lu Yuan's hand rested discreetly on the revolver at his waist.

The man seemed to notice his movement and gave a fake smile.

"Don't be nervous, I'm just here to say hello."

He stopped a few steps away and looked Lu Yuan up and down.

"You're the night watchman who was seconded here?"

Lu Yuan didn't answer, he just stared at him.

The moment the research started, gray and white text appeared at the edge of my field of vision.

[Observation Target: Alchemy Department Instructor (Caught in Knowledge Pollution)]

[Extraordinary Path: The Knowledge Path]

[Status: A fellow who reaches into the sea of ​​knowledge to draw water—at least his courage is commendable.]

Lu Yuan's gaze darkened slightly.

Knowledge pollution.

The problems at the Tower of Learning are indeed not just limited to students.

"Let me introduce myself." The man bowed slightly, his movements carrying a deliberate elegance. "Calvin Morton, Alchemy Instructor."

"What is it?" Lu Yuan asked in a flat tone.

"It's nothing serious," Calvin said with his smile unchanged. "I just came to check on my Night's Watch colleagues who were on secondment, to see if they need any help."

His gaze drifted toward the corridor behind Lu Yuan, as if he were searching for something.

"I heard you live in the outer area? The conditions there are quite basic. How about I arrange a better room for you?"

"No need," Lu Yuan said, blocking his view. "I'm quite comfortable here."

Calvin's smile froze for a moment, but he quickly returned to normal.

"That's good."

He paused, his tone tinged with a hint of probing.

"By the way, some alchemy students have recently gone missing, and we're investigating them one by one. Have you seen anyone suspicious?"

"no."

"Really?" Calvin's gaze lingered on Lu Yuan's face for a few seconds. "I heard some students have come to the Night's Watch. I wonder if it's true."

Lu Yuan's expression remained unchanged.

"I don't know."

"If anyone harbors a missing student..." Calvin's tone became meaningful, "...they will be punished according to the rules of the Tower of Knowledge."

He took a document out of his pocket, unfolded it, and handed it to Lu Yuan.

"You can take a look at Chapter Seven of the Internal Regulations of the Tower of Learning."

He pointed to one of them, his voice neither hurried nor slow.

"The advisor has the right to recall students registered under their name, and no one may obstruct this process."

He raised his head and looked directly at Lu Yuan.

"Laurena Caster's academic record is still in the Alchemy department. Her advisor is very worried about her."

Lu Yuan did not respond.

He simply took the silver medal from his pocket and held it up to Calvin.

The medal gleamed faintly in the dim light, its intricate patterns the emblem of Principal Erudite Tower.

Calvin's expression changed instantly.

The smile faded from his face, replaced by a gloomy expression.

The air seemed to freeze at that moment.

Lu Yuan felt an invisible pressure spreading from the other party, as if something was awakening.

He did not back down.

Because the time is indicated by the chest, the hands are now turning slightly.

If Calvin dares to make even the slightest move.

Deprivation will cover his heart.

"I advise you to think this through," Lu Yuan said calmly. "This is Night's Watch territory."

As soon as he finished speaking, several doors opened at the same time.

Three stern-faced Night's Watchmen emerged and stood at their room door, staring coldly at Calvin.

They didn't speak, but their hands were on their weapons.

The oppressive aura emanating from Calvin gradually subsided.

He looked around, then at the medal in Lu Yuan's hand, and his expression stiffened.

"The principal's authorization... certainly carries a lot of weight."

His tone carried a hint of sarcasm.

"However, the people from the Imperial Headquarters will arrive tomorrow."

He took a step back, his gaze meaningful.

"By then, the principal's medal might not be so useful."

After saying that, he turned and left.

A deep blue robe fluttered in the corridor, and the sound of footsteps gradually faded away.

His voice came from afar before he left.

"If Miss Laurina is willing to come back on her own, we would be very happy to welcome her."

Lu Yuan stood there, watching the figure disappear at the end of the corridor.

The night watchmen nodded to him, said nothing more, and went back to their rooms.

Lu Yuan turned around and quickly walked back to his room.

The moment the door opened, Laurina emerged from the corner.

Her face was somewhat pale, clearly indicating that she had overheard quite a bit while hiding behind the door.

"Calvin Morton..." she began, her voice calmer than Lu Yuan had expected, "I know him. He's the head of the Alchemy Department and also my mentor's partner."

She paused.

"They often do experiments together."

Lu Yuan recalled the hint he had just received.

Knowledge pollution.

The same thing as those students who were cleared out.

"If Calvin was also involved in that experiment..." Laurina's voice was soft, "then there are probably more than just one or two people in the alchemy department."

Lu Yuan remained silent.

He had a rough idea of ​​what was happening inside the tower.

The mentor is the true source.

Students are merely experimental subjects for them.

"I'll leave tonight." He looked at Lauren.

"it is good."

Laurena's answer was straightforward.

Lu Yuan walked to the window and lifted a corner of the curtain.

The sky outside the window had completely darkened, the moon was obscured by clouds, and the Bo Xue Tower was shrouded in darkness.

It looks like it might rain again tonight.

Lu Yuan withdrew his gaze and briefly checked his equipment.

"Ready?" He turned his head.

Lauren stood by the bed, holding a small bundle in her hand, her expression calm.

"Ready."

Lu Yuan walked to the door and listened for a few seconds.

The corridor was quiet; there was no sound of footsteps.

He gently opened the door and peeked out.

The corridor was empty, with the magic lamp casting a dim glow and swaying shadows on the walls.

"Walk."

He said in a low voice and walked out of the room first.

Laurena followed closely behind him, her footsteps light and almost silent.

The two walked briskly along the corridor, heading towards the exit of the outer area.

Night fell over the Tower of Learning.

The Night Watchmen aren't the problem; the real trouble lies with the alchemists.

Calvin will not give up easily.

Lu Yuan's gaze swept across every corner of the corridor, wary of any dark blue figure that might appear.

He didn't know if he would be able to leave smoothly tonight.

But there is no better time right now.

The corridor was dark.

The light of the magic lamp seemed to have been partially swallowed by something, leaving only a faint, eerie blue that barely illuminated the path beneath our feet.

Lu Yuan walked ahead, his steps quick.

Laurena followed closely behind him, clutching the silver medal in her hand.

The two walked briskly along the corridor, heading towards the outer exit.

As they turned a corner, they came face to face with a patrol of night watchmen.

Lu Yuan paused slightly.

But the watchmen only glanced at them, then looked away and walked past without stopping.

It was as if I hadn't seen anything at all.

He continued walking, his gaze sweeping across both sides of the corridor.

Then he noticed something.

Not just them.

Not far ahead, another watchman was walking briskly with two young students.

Further away, another night watchman's figure flashed by and disappeared, accompanied by a boy in a school robe.

Footsteps echoed in the darkness, but no one spoke.

Everyone was walking in the same direction.

It turns out it wasn't just Laurena tonight.

The Night Watch is conducting a large-scale evacuation of the "target".

Those students who might have been targeted by their advisors, those who knew too much, were all quietly taken away that night.

So this is what Holger meant by "insufficient manpower".