Ghost Exorciser: The Oust Fake Heiress Strikes-Chapter 351 - 349: Compensation

This was not something that could be repaid with polite words.

Principal Wayne stepped forward.

"As compensation for what happened, we would like to offer you something."

He took out a card and extended it toward her.

Lana glanced at it briefly. "I don’t need money," she said flatly. "I have more than enough."

Principal Wayne chuckled softly. "This is not a money card."

He held it up slightly. "It is an entry card to the Mystic Realm."

Lana’s eyes sharpened.

"Each year, every university is allowed to send three students into the Mystic Realm," Wayne continued.

"They are usually the top three. Spineridge University, as an international institution, receives ten such cards. I requested one additional slot this year."

He paused. "This extra card is for you."

Lana looked at the card again. Then she looked at Axel.

He gave her a small nod. There was unmistakable joy in his eyes.

He was genuinely pleased for her.

She accepted the card.

Principal Wayne watched her carefully, then his expression turned serious.

"This card is compensation for the damage you suffered," he said. "Now, I would like to reward you separately for the assistance you provided to Spinebridge University."

Lana’s brows furrowed slightly. "A separate reward?"

Lana did not intend to refuse the reward.

On the contrary, a quiet anticipation stirred in her chest.

’If he is offering it so formally... then it must be something worthwhile.’

Principal Wayne, his expression still strained beneath that courteous smile, reached into his coat and took out a thin sheet of dark parchment.

The surface shimmered faintly, as if dusted with silver powder. He stepped forward and handed it to her.

The paper felt unusually cold in her fingers.

Lana lowered her gaze.

A strange symbol was inscribed across the center, ancient, sharp-edged strokes that seemed almost alive. She could not decipher it.

She waited. She knew Wayne was deliberately allowing suspense to build.

Finally, he spoke.

"This is a cryptic authorization document issued by Blackleaf Bank."

Lana’s eyes flickered slightly.

"As long as you submit this to Blackleaf Bank," he continued slowly, "you may request cultivation resources for any stage you require. Even for a Celestial Core stage breakthrough... or above."

The room fell silent. Compared to money, this was something infinitely more valuable.

Resources were not something that could always be bought with currency. Some spiritual herbs, rare cores, and breakthrough materials required connections, permissions, and influence.

Even with billions in hand, one could not always obtain what one needed. But this paper...

It bypassed all of that. Lana’s eyes widened slightly.

"So with this document," she murmured, "I can request resources for any cultivation stage... regardless of their value?"

Wayne nodded once.

A faint thrill ran through her veins. ’This... changes everything.’

Before she could say anything further, Shelley stepped forward. Her movements were slower than usual, her eyes still faintly red. She extended a sleek black bank card toward Lana.

The metallic surface reflected the light.

Lana blinked. "What is this?"

Shelley inhaled quietly.

"It contains three billion dollars. Two billion are what I lost during the incident. The remaining one billion is compensation... for what you did for me."

Lana looked at her for a long moment. Then she reached out and accepted the card, only to push it back slightly.

"I’ll take the two billion," she said calmly. "The extra one billion... I’ll return it to you. You came to save me that day."

Shelley’s lips trembled faintly before she shook her head.

"You may not know this," she admitted, her voice tightening, "but I was the one who schemed against you. I spread those rumors on the forum."

The air grew heavy. Shame flooded her face as she lowered her gaze.

Lana, however, simply chuckled softly. "That sounds like something you would do."

Shelley looked up, startled.

"From the moment you challenged me," Lana continued lightly, "I already knew you were the one behind it."

Shelley’s eyes widened. "You knew...?"

Lana nodded.

"Even so, you still had a chance to kill me that day. You could have made my fall look accidental. No one would have suspected you."

Her tone grew steadier. "But you didn’t."

Shelley’s fingers tightened at her sides.

"You showed responsibility. That proves that even if you’re a little scheming... you’re not a bad person."

Shelley let out a bitter laugh. "Are you really saying good things about me right now?"

Lana smiled faintly. "Don’t misunderstand. I’m not in a hurry to praise you."

For a moment, the tension in the room loosened.

A few of the others couldn’t help but laugh quietly.

Lana, sitting pale against the pillows yet speaking with such blunt honesty, looked unexpectedly vulnerable. There was a softness about her now, an openness that made her seem almost fragile.

Yet her presence still carried weight.

She looked around at everyone and spoke seriously.

"Instead of dwelling on the past, we should think about the future. We need to make sure something like this never happens again."

The atmosphere shifted. One by one, they nodded. After a brief, casual conversation, most of them left.

Only Principal Wayne remained. The door clicked shut behind the others, leaving behind a subdued quiet.

Wayne exhaled slowly. "I owe you both an explanation."

Axel leaned back against the wall, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.

Lana listened attentively.

"It was Bella," Wayne began, his voice low. "Along with Tan... and Teacher Yumi."

Lana’s eyes sharpened. Bella. The vice principal. And Wayne’s wife.

"You mean... your own wife planned this?" Lana asked softly.

Wayne gave a bitter smile. "I never thought she would betray me."

He rubbed his forehead.

"She had been mixing small doses of hallucinogenic compounds into my medicine for months. The dosage was subtle. Gradual. Once the hallucinations began, I felt everything was under control. I believed there would be no mishaps as long as she was by my side."

His voice carried a self-directed mockery. "I was wrong."

He continued,

"To avoid suspicion, she constantly mentioned doctors and healers. At the same time, she subtly assured me that my condition was simply fatigue. Temporary exhaustion."