Chapter 345 - CONVINCING (IRRITATING) THE HIGH PRIEST

SHEN JI YUN was startled when he saw the tears that suddenly fell down Luo Yan's eyes. He only expected him to show to the High Priest that he was a moon elf so that the priest would be more inclined to help them. Although he had been threatening the NPCs here since earlier, he knew that he wouldn't be able to defeat everyone here no matter how powerful he was. Not to mention, this High Priest would definitely not be an easy opponent.

But he didn't want for his rabbit to suddenly cry. Those pearly tears were simply tugging at his heartstrings. It's like something heavy was pressing down on his chest. Before his brain could think more properly, his body already moved on its own. Pulling Luo Yan closed to him and cupping his face, wiping off the tears flowing down his soft cheeks.

"Sshh… don't cry. It's okay. Everything's going to be okay," he said in the gentlest voice he could possible muster.

Luo Yan was equally startled by Shen Ji Yun's action. He even forgot to act for a second. He blinked at Shen Ji Yun. The other's face was full of worry and nervousness. He actually almost looked frantic. As if he didn't know what to do with seeing him crying. 

"Brother Ji Yun, you do know I'm acting, right?" he whispered in a voice that only the two of them could hear. 

Because the other really looked like he believed that his crocodile tears were real. 

Shen Ji Yun stopped his movements. It's like he suddenly remembered that they were in the middle of doing a task. Of course, Luo Yan was only acting. This was just him using his tears to guilt trip the High Priest into telling them where Rhys was. But even so. 

"I know. But acting or no acting, I still don't like seeing you cry," he said honestly.

Luo Yan stopped himself from smiling. Because if he did, it would totally ruin his acting. But seriously, how could this guy become more and more adorable as time passed by?

"Then Brother Ji Yun should just make sure that you wouldn't do things that could make me cry."

"I wouldn't. I promised," he said automatically, although he had no idea why Luo Yan would suddenly say that. But even if he didn't, he already made a promise to himself the moment he realized his feelings for Luo Yan that he would never make him cry.

[Ah, Mashter, although Eclipse is really proud of your acting skills and is really happy as well to see you and Captain sprinkling dog food, but Eclipse think that you should really get your attention back to the High Priest.] – Eclipse, who had to jump down on the floor when Shen Ji Yun pulled Luo Yan, suddenly interrupted.

Because of what Eclipse said, Luo Yan glanced secretly at the High Priest and saw him observing them. He turned back his gaze to Shen Ji Yun. "Brother Ji Yun, we should get back to the task," he reminded.

"Right. But no more crying," Shen Ji Yun insisted.

Luo Yan smiled inwardly. "Okay. I'll just sniffle a little."

Shen Ji Yun seemed to be still dissatisfied with that but at the end, he still let go of Luo Yan's face and turned to the High Priest. 

"As you can already see, my companion is a moon elf. We came here at the request of the Gatekeeper of his village," he started, repeating what Luo Yan had already said. "If your church is as compassionate and emphatic as you people love to portray yourselves as, then there's no reason why you should refuse to help. Or perhaps, your own agenda trumps over that 'selfless' heart?" 

The High Priest's lips turned into a straight line. One could see that he was not happy with the way Shen Ji Yun was speaking to him. "I suggest you stop with the sarcasm. Because this won't help your cause at all, boy."

Okay. It seemed like Shen Ji Yun was really getting on the last nerve of this NPC – Luo Yan thought. The High Priest even forego the honorifics and just went straight to calling him 'boy'.

Shen Ji Yun also noticed that but he didn't care. He just wanted this to be over and done with. And irritating the High Priest might bring them the fastest result. After all, only under intense emotions could someone reveal a flaw. The same goes for NPCs. If he said the right key words that would go against the beliefs and characters programmed to them, then they would definitely be affected emotionally. And thus, giving him the information he wanted. 

"If you want me to treat you with respect, then you should act according to your status. You're the High Priest of this Tower. The one that should embody all its teaching. And yet here you are, hiding someone who might have indirectly killed a moon elf," he said with a cold expression on his face. "You might as well have killed Finnea for all we know."

The air around them suddenly turned a few degrees lower. The High Priest's long gray hair and beard started to float because of the Mana coming from his body. Even his eyes started to glow.

[Mashter, Eclipse has a feeling that this High Priest is going to attack Captain.] 

Luo Yan agreed with what Eclipse said. So, before that could happen, he immediately spoke in a sobbing voice, "Please, High Priest. We're not here to condemn him. Or any of the people here for that matter. We just wanted to know the truth about what happened to Finnea five years ago. I—" he stopped, gazed down, and then hiccupped. He even pretended to tremble to give the illusion of weakness. "P-please…"

[Mashter, Mashter, his hair and beard are no longer floating. He doesn't even look angry anymore. And he's looking at you gently. Eclipse thinks that your stellar acting is working!] – the little fox described while sitting on the side like some small reporter.

The side report was helpful since Luo Yan was still in the middle of acting and couldn't lift his head.

Then he heard the High Priest sigh. And it was followed by him saying, "Follow me."