The Mighty Mage-Chapter 424: Call Logs

"Oh? But I happen to be her professor," he stated shamelessly, gesturing toward Gu Jin.

"And when it concerns my student’s well-being, I most certainly have the right to interfere."

Gu Jin shot him a glance, slightly irked by his declaration, but chose not to refute it. If he wanted to meddle, so be it.

Long Yifan stepped forward, his stance relaxed but undeniably commanding.

"Since you insist that the hotel had no part in this, then simply provide the call logs," he suggested.

"That should clear up any misunderstandings."

The front desk manager’s lips pressed into a thin line before he scoffed.

"Hotel policy states that we only disclose our call logs to law enforcement or high-ranking officials. We don’t hand them over to just any Tom, Dick, or Harry who walks in demanding to see them."

Long Yifan sighed, shaking his head with a look of mock disappointment.

"Ah, I see. So the hotel is willing to protect its own interests but refuses to cooperate when it comes to proving its innocence? That’s quite the contradiction."

The manager’s jaw tightened. "I have nothing to prove to you."

Long Yifan smirked.

"No, you don’t. But if I were to call in a few ’high-ranking officials’ myself, I wonder how long this establishment could maintain its reputation."

The front desk manager folded his arms, his expression unwavering.

"Go ahead, call whoever you want. I don’t care who you bring here—I’m not showing you the call logs. Hotel policy is hotel policy."

Inwardly, he felt smug.

The hotel’s owner had personally given the directive to ensure Gu Jin’s stay remained unpleasant.

Even if Gu Jin was from the prestigious Gu family, their influence was centered in the capital, far from Fujio City.

Here, they held no sway. He was confident that nothing would come of Long Yifan’s threats.

Long Yifan, however, only smiled.

He was about to press the issue further when, suddenly, a passing guest halted mid-step, his eyes widening in shock as he stared at Gu Jin.

"Wait... Are you—Gu Jin?!" the man exclaimed, his voice carrying across the lobby.

Gu Jin turned slightly, raising an eyebrow, but before she could respond, the guest’s face lit up in pure excitement.

He nearly slapped his own hand in disbelief before pointing directly at her.

"You are! You’re Gu Jin! The Gu Jin who saved Fujio City from the parasite disaster!" he shouted.

The moment his words rang out, the atmosphere in the lobby shifted. Heads turned. Conversations ceased.

People began whispering to one another, their gazes snapping toward Gu Jin.

Then, as if a dam had broken, a murmur swelled into a roar as more and more people realized who she was.

"It’s really her! The one who used undead warriors to fight the parasites!"

"She saved my family when the city was under siege!"

"Oh my god, I can’t believe I’m seeing her in person!"

Within moments, the once-calm hotel lobby turned into a frenzied crowd.

People pushed forward, their faces filled with awe and gratitude.

A middle-aged man immediately fell to his knees, tears welling in his eyes.

"Lady Gu Jin, you saved my wife and daughter! We owe you our lives!" he cried, bowing his head deeply.

"Please, let me shake your hand!" another woman pleaded, her hands trembling with excitement.

A young man holding a notebook and pen practically shoved his way to the front, his face flushed.

"Miss Gu Jin! Can I have your autograph? Please, please! I never thought I’d meet you in person!"

More voices joined the growing chorus, and suddenly, hands extended toward Gu Jin from all directions, clutching paper, notebooks, even scraps of fabric in a desperate bid to get her signature.

Some dropped to their knees, overwhelmed by emotions, while others tried to merely touch the hem of her sleeve, as if to confirm that she was real.

Gu Jin blinked, caught off guard.

She had known that her efforts during the parasite disaster had gained some attention, but this... this was something else entirely.

Without thinking, she numbly reached for the offered notebook and began signing, her mind still reeling from the sheer number of people gathered around her.

Just as she handed back an autograph, a small tug at her dress caught her attention.

She looked down to see a little girl, no older than five, with large, adoring eyes staring up at her.

The child hesitated for a moment before stepping closer.

Then, without warning, she stood on her toes and planted a soft kiss on Gu Jin’s cheek.

"Thank you, Sister Gu Jin," the little girl said earnestly.

"You saved me and my mommy. I never got to thank you before."

Gu Jin stiffened, her fingers twitching slightly.

The warmth of the child’s kiss lingered on her cheek, unfamiliar yet strangely... comforting.

"When I grow up, I want to awaken an undead element like you!" the little girl declared, her small fists clenched with determination.

For a moment, Gu Jin was at a complete loss for words.

She had faced countless life-or-death battles, defeated formidable enemies, and endured the cold isolation of power.

Yet, standing here, surrounded by people who revered her, and feeling the innocent gratitude of a child—it was almost too much.

A foreign warmth spread in her chest, melting a part of the ice that had encased her heart for so long.

Meanwhile, Long Yifan, who had been watching silently, clenched his jaw. His expression remained composed, but his heart was burning with jealousy.

That little girl had kissed Gu Jin.

He, too, wanted to kiss her.

Before he could dwell on the thought, the man who had first recognized Gu Jin stepped forward, his brows furrowing.

"Lady Gu Jin, what’s going on here? Why were you arguing with the front desk manager?"

Gu Jin, still slightly dazed, was about to wave the question off when Long Yifan took a step forward, seizing the moment.

"Since you’re all so eager to know, I’ll tell you," Long Yifan announced, his voice carrying effortlessly over the crowd.

"Gu Jin has come to Fujio City this time to participate in the National Alchemy Competition. However, despite her status as a guest, the hotel deliberately made sure she couldn’t get any rest."

The crowd gasped, shock and outrage rippling through them.

"What? How dare they?!"

"Is this true?!"

Long Yifan nodded solemnly before gesturing toward the three unconscious individuals sprawled on the floor near Gu Jin’s feet.

"These three were staying in the adjacent room and were deliberately making noise throughout the night.

When Gu Jin asked the front desk manager to intervene, he simply said they wouldn’t listen to him. So, in the end, Gu Jin had to take matters into her own hands."

The murmurs of discontent grew louder, but Long Yifan wasn’t done.

"But that’s not all. These three eventually confessed that the front desk manager was working with them. Their goal was to ensure that Gu Jin didn’t get any proper rest before the competition."

A woman in the crowd let out an outraged gasp.

"Unbelievable! They dare sabotage Lady Gu Jin?!"

"How could they treat her like this after all she’s done for our city?!" another man shouted, his face red with anger.

"She saved us! And this is how she’s repaid?!" a younger woman added, disgust evident in her tone.

The entire crowd erupted in fury. Cries of injustice filled the lobby, and people turned to glare at the front desk manager with open hostility.

Some guests even pulled out their communication devices, ready to spread the word about the hotel’s disgraceful actions.

Gu Jin, who had been watching the chaos unfold, let out a quiet sigh.

She had never sought recognition or praise, but at this moment, she realized that the gratitude of the people she had saved was a powerful force—one she could wield if necessary.

As the uproar in the hotel lobby continued to escalate, a tall, broad-shouldered man in a crisp suit stepped forward from the crowd.

Unlike the other guests, who were filled with righteous indignation, his expression was calm and authoritative.

He reached into his pocket, pulled out a sleek leather wallet, and flipped it open to reveal a golden badge.

"I am Senior Inspector Liu Wei of the Fujio City Police Department," he announced, his voice carrying across the room with effortless command.

"Under municipal regulations, I have the authority to request and review this establishment’s call logs for any investigation related to harassment or obstruction of justice. I expect your full cooperation."

The front desk manager’s smug expression faltered.

He bit his lip, scanning the growing crowd, searching for an escape from this situation.

However, as Liu Wei’s sharp gaze bore into him, he knew there was no easy way out.

"I... I’ll need authorization from the hotel’s upper management," the manager stammered, attempting to stall.

Liu Wei merely raised an unimpressed brow.

"Hotel policy does not override the law. Now, produce the call logs immediately."