C22 Two Choices

When Liang Mu first learned of it, he was somewhat surprised, as the Praepostor in the movie was supposed to be Marcus Flint. Despite being an underground passage, it was quite spacious, with a ceiling height of at least three meters. Along the way, the torch-lit path was adorned with enormous statues, medieval armor, and artworks.

The expansive space and unique layout didn't feel oppressive. If not for the moss in the crevices of the walls, one might never guess it was underground. Eventually, the Praepostor halted by several ancient, battered wine barrels. Around the corner was a massive French window, pitch-black outside. Yet, the torchlight revealed the dark waters of the lake below—it was clear they had arrived beneath the Black Lake.

"We're here," announced Nick Phil, pulling Liang Mu's focus away from the recently updated panel. Only then did he notice he was at the rear of the first-year group, alongside Malfoy and Vincent Crabbe. He had been too engrossed in the data panel before.

Nick Phil turned to the first-year Little Wizards with a warm smile and instructed, "Tap your wand against the third brick next to the wine barrel. This week's password is 'Green Snake'." He then demonstrated the action.

As the password was uttered, the spot where the wand had struck shimmered like a ripple, revealing a circular door. Beyond lay a corridor that, despite its length, was neither damp nor musty. Instead, it boasted a large noticeboard and rows of cubbies housing trophies, delicate ornaments, and books. The lamps suspended by chains cast a soft green glow, lending the corridor an understated yet noble ambiance.

Indeed, Liang Mu thought the corridor's decor alone made it a desirable place to live. Considering that Slytherin housed the offspring of many wealthy families, it was far from the damp and dreary place of rumors. Beyond the corridor, the common room was impressively vast, styled in Gothic elegance. Its walls of black marble were draped with an array of tapestries, and the crystal-carved transparent ceiling appeared magically enhanced, allowing a view of the lake and its inhabitants even at night.

The centerpiece of the room was a towering fireplace, adorned with a massive carved snake head, and above it, a statue of Slytherin shrouded in shadow by a wizard's hat, rendering its features indistinct to Liang Mu.

Around the room were three long tables, surrounded by various styles of sofas, as well as individual tables and chairs. Towering bookshelves lined the walls, contributing to the room's spacious feel. The ceiling was festooned with chandeliers and other decorative items.

Off to the side of the lounge, a series of wide steps ascended, presumably leading to the bedrooms.

The lounge was now full, with the upperclassmen wizards having settled into their seats. This left Nick Phil, his female Praepostor, and the first-year Little Wizards standing alone.

The Slytherin Quidditch team was seated at the center of the room, while others sat at a distance, forming a semicircle, as if they were an audience at a play.

Nick Phil's expression turned grim as he eyed Marcus lounging on a central leather sofa.

Striding up to Marcus, Nick Phil's voice was a low growl, "What are you trying to pull, Marcus? The school year has barely started."

"There's no need to worry, Praepostor Nick Phil," Marcus retorted, unfazed by Nick Phil's anger. He casually crossed his legs and gestured with an open hand, "We're simply acquainting them with the rules early on. This way, they won't be caught off guard when they break them, saving us the trouble of explaining things one by one later."

Observing the standoff between Marcus and Nick Phil, and the onlookers who seemed to be enjoying the spectacle, Liang Mu's brow furrowed. He had anticipated the discord between Slytherin and the other houses and had devised numerous strategies to exploit it, such as inciting conflict between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor.

Liang Mu had also considered strategies for the internal rivalries within each house. After all, aside from mastering Potions, his primary goal for the first year was to unify Slytherin.

Yet, he hadn't expected the internal strife among the 'little snakes' to be so intense, signaling that his plans would need significant adjustments, possibly at a cost.

Nevertheless, the notification panel that had appeared during the school song had already altered Liang Mu's plans, or rather, it had enhanced the likelihood of success and bolstered his resolve to implement changes.

Liang Mu took note of the small groups around him when he suddenly felt someone tugging at his clothes. Glancing down, he saw Malfoy standing beside him, his small hand clutching the hem of his robe. It was clear that Malfoy was nervous; the tremble in his hand was palpable.

Without hesitation, Liang Mu took hold of Malfoy's wrist and pulled him to hide behind Vincent Crabbe and another player. Their sizable frames provided excellent cover, drawing everyone's attention away from them and towards Marcus.

The presence of Vincent Crabbe and the other player, coupled with Liang Mu's reassuring demeanor, seemed to ease Malfoy's anxiety significantly. As Malfoy opened his mouth to speak, Liang Mu quickly placed his index finger to his lips, signaling for silence. Malfoy, swallowing hard, remained quiet.

Peering through a gap, Liang Mu observed the two players who had recently joined Slytherin. Despite their outward appearance of being merely eleven years old, they were, in fact, much older.

Liang Mu was now faced with two options. The first was to erupt into action, to resist and fight, defeating everyone present with an indomitable spirit. Liang Mu was well-versed in Magic Spells, capable of rendering his opponents unconscious with ease. With the Magic Medicine he carried, he was poised to be invincible in magical combat. Moreover, he could employ poison—a simple sedative could incapacitate the Little Wizards in minutes. This path would cement his reputation, ensuring no one would dare cross him, and he might even end up sharing tea with Dumbledore that evening. Subsequently, he could establish his own faction within Slytherin and join the fray.

The second option was to lay low, to bide his time under the oppressive shadow of Marcus, who intimidated all the first-year Little Wizards. This would lead to being courted or suppressed by the various factions. As a Slytherin wizard from an elite family, Liang Mu knew all too well that the emergence of a new power would be detrimental to the established order. Even with the backing of the Malfoy family, they would face opposition, particularly during the first two years.

Both options seemed rather extreme, but it wasn't time to decide just yet.

Glancing at his pocket watch, Liang Mu produced two vials of Spirit Protection Potion, passing one to Malfoy. He then downed two bottles of Spirit Recovery Water to ensure his Psychic Force wouldn't be lacking when casting Magic Spells. After all, Liang Mu currently had no magic of his own and was entirely dependent on his Psychic Force to perform Magic Spells.

With preparations complete, Liang Mu turned his attention to Marcus and Nick Phil. Nick Phil hadn't managed to intimidate Marcus into backing down or leaving. Instead, he stayed put, keeping the Deputy Praepostor close by, clearly ready to intervene should Marcus attempt anything rash.

"I know you've all been coddled in your families, pampered like kittens, but in truth, you're nothing more than..."

Marcus's haughty tone and his air of superiority made the Little Wizards in the room uncomfortable. Some displayed looks of fear and timidity, and a few girls even began to cry. The older Wizards observed all this without intervention, whispering and pointing among themselves.

Nick Phil, unable to stand the sight, averted his gaze. He understood such situations were inevitable, and this one had simply arisen sooner than expected.

Some of the new first-year Little Wizards, however, were incensed, like the three Players. They weren't children but mature adults, Players from Paradise who felt a sense of superiority upon entering this Plane.

For instance, while they were protective of Harry Porter at the station, their tone when speaking to him betrayed an unmistakable arrogance, and they consistently led the group. They were not likely to tolerate being bossed around by a mere teenager, still wet behind the ears.

Liang Mu had no interest in the typical posturing and face-slapping scenarios of the academy. He was preoccupied with his own plans, sensing that something had been overlooked, that there was a flaw somewhere.

What could it be?

At this stage in his plan, the objective was to study Potions, to covertly grow stronger and elevate all his Magic Spells and Potions knowledge to a higher level.

Studying in such a systematic way would certainly yield a wealth of knowledge, but was that truly what he desired? Could it genuinely enhance his own capabilities?

The prospect of freely reading the forbidden books was a definite impossibility.

After days of meticulous investigation, Liang Mu had essentially ascertained that the two years allotted by the system were primarily intended to help novice players adjust to their newfound powers and develop a basic means of self-defense.

This wasn't Liang Mu's goal. He had to forge a different path, one that would lead him to instruction from the two most powerful individuals in the Plane—Dumbledore and Grindelwald!

Liang Mu's reflections on his previous life, coupled with his family's research, confirmed that Grindelwald was not dead but rather detained in an undisclosed location in Switzerland. Liang Mu hadn't dispatched anyone to search for the exact place, knowing full well that Grindelwald was a taboo more fearsome than Lord Voldemort himself.

Naturally, to meet Grindelwald 'legally,' his only option was to approach the old bee, Dumbledore, given their ambiguous relationship.

Yet, could his demonstrated talent in uniting Slytherin truly persuade Dumbledore to take him to meet Grindelwald?

Liang Mu's gaze involuntarily drifted to the statue of Slytherin.