When Yu Jing walked into that meeting room, she hadnโt expected both of her students to be such wildcardsโone-liner queens who left the whole room speechless with just a sentence.
โShen Ning,โ she prompted gently as their homeroom teacher, โtry thinking carefully. Anything you rememberโno matter how smallโis helpful.โ
โIโm just being honest. They were only average Tier 1sโaggressive, sure, but not stronger than other students. If everyone had fought back during the ambush, it probably wouldโve come down to who had more people.โ
Shen Ning had almost added that fighting them felt about the same as sparring during gym classโbut then she remembered that weakling Xiao Snow, and thought better of it.
Someone on the screen said:
โBut you were alone at the timeโcompletely outnumberedโand still achieved a flawless victory.โ
โIโฆ Iโm different.โ
And she was different. Sheโd opened a starter pack before going to the mall and was already at the peak of Tier 1. Most students werenโt even mid-tier yet.
Sitting to the side, Luo Kangsheng looked like he wanted to speak several timesโprobably to mention Shen Ningโs special circumstancesโbut the old principal subtly stopped him.
It didnโt matter what the researchers wanted. Ling Academy was Shen Ningโs guardian, and that meant she was one of their own. Now that their girl had proven herself, they had to protect her, no matter what.
โAlright, thank you for sharing, Shen Ning,โ the man on the screen said. โIn that case, letโs follow Ling Academyโs approachโrestrict student outings and ensure their safety on campus.โ
Others were about to agree when Xu Chuyao interjected:
โNot necessarily.โ
Everyone turned to look at her again.
โItโs obvious that the organization behind the Spire graffiti controls more than just the Clown Gang. The gang might even be their weakest pawn. I donโt know what their goal is, but itโs probably not to cancel our school breaks.โ
Just that one statement darkened the room again.
โExcellent insight, Xu Chuyaoโand you too, Shen Ning. Thank you for your efforts,โ the square-faced man said.
Yu Jing knew what that kind of comment meant: the real meeting was about to begin. Time for the students to leave.
So, she stood and politely escorted the girls out. Even she wasnโt qualified to stay for what came next.
As they walked out of the admin building, Xu Chuyao looked back, curled her lip, and muttered:
โHmph, bunch of smooth talkers. Said theyโd โtake my analysis seriously,โ yet they kicked me out early. If they really respected it, theyโd have let me stay.โ
Yu Jing, still a bit tense, chuckled despite herself.
โIf you keep being right, they might give you a seat at the table.โ
The table.
โTch. As if Iโd want it by then.โ
Only Shen Ning stayed quiet, walking in silence. She didnโt feel much about the whole meeting. It was like sheโd gone through the motions, said a few things, and that was it.
As for the students who were killed in those attacksโwell, same as yesterday: Their safety wasnโt my responsibility. She felt nothing.
Yu Jing dropped them off near the classroom building, telling them to return to their dorms when the next announcement came and not to wander off. Then she left for her own tasks.
Xu Chuyao stretched, yawned, then glanced at Shen Ning. Shen Ning glanced back.
โWhat are you staring at? Letโs go!โ the thunder girl said righteously. โIโm not some map drawn on your back!โ
โโฆโ
โ
Back in the admin buildingโs meeting room, Xu Chuyaoโs last analysis was only briefly discussed before being set aside.
It wasnโt that they didnโt take her seriouslyโit just wasnโt the kind of topic they could solve here and now. The real solution would come from each cityโs private think tank.
Right now, they were focused on another crucial issue:
โThe Clown Gangโor more precisely, the group symbolized by that Spire graffitiโwho are they? And what do they want?โ
Excellent questionsโjustโฆ not ones with easy answers.
โExiled rebel factions?โ
โUnaffiliated rogue spirit-wielders?โ
โCould they be traitors hidden within the upper echelons?โ
Everyone was tossing out guesses, but none of it was backed by solid analysis or evidence.
If Xu Chuyao were here, maybe she could offer somethingโฆ
But then again, maybe not.
She hadnโt quite figured this part out yet.
She didnโt even have the โmapโโhow was she supposed to โspinโ a proper theory?
Shen Ning’s mood lightened quicklyโbecause as they walked, Xu Chuyao started humming again.
Her sweet voice, paired with an old pre-cataclysm pop song, was soothing and bright. The kind that lifted your spirits just hearing it.
But as they neared the dorms, Xu Chuyao suddenly stopped. Her humming cut off, her footsteps paused.
Shen Ning opened her mouth to ask what was wrongโonly to look up and find the thunder girl smiling at her, cute and pretty, with that crafty little grin on her delicate face.
โSo? Was it nice?โ she asked sweetly.
A flash of memoryโlike a camera shutterโwent off in Shen Ningโs mind. A strange flutter tickled her heart for no reason.
โโฆNot bad,โ she said.
Xu Chuyao’s lips curled into a mischievous smirk.
โAha, I get it! โNot badโ means it was very good~โ
Pfft. As if I wouldnโt understand your language by now.
Shen Ning didnโt argue. She wasnโt like Xu Chuyaoโif someone guessed right, she didnโt bother denying it.
โYou see, Iโm pretty, well-endowed, super smart, sing well, my personality isโฆ okay, not too badโand did I mention Iโm well-endowed?โ
Xu Chuyao spun in a little circle, her dainty steps practically dancing. Her light skirt fluttered in the breeze, occasionally revealing the perfect contrast of white thigh-highs against soft skin.
It was a cute sight.
Butโฆ didnโt she repeat one of those “advantages”?
โSoโฆโ she leaned in with a playful yet teasing tone, โwhat do you think about me?โ
Shen Ning answered instinctively:
โI think I wannaโโ
โHuh?โ
โ…Nothing.โ
Shen Ning rubbed her temples.
Ugh, damn that reflection, yelling โjust do herโ nonstopโnow my brainโs fried. Almost slipped up out loud…
Thankfully, she hadnโt said it clearly. Judging from Xu Chuyaoโs wide-eyed innocent look, she probably didnโt hear.
โNo, no, I definitely heard something. You just said… you want me to be your girlfriend, right? Sure! I agree!โ
And with that, she twirled away, bouncing all the way back to the dorms.
โDonโt forget to bring me a gift tomorrow, okay? A present for your girlfriend~โ
โฆWhat?
Shen Ning stood there in a daze.
Did she really just say yes?
โWanna do youโ and โwant you as my girlfriendโโdo those two things sound alike?
โฆWell, okay, maybe kind of. Same vibe, different delivery.
โ
Meanwhile, in the girlsโ dorms, Xu Chuyao walked in just ahead of her, patted her chest in relief, stuck out her tongue, and wore an expression of lingering fear.
โJeez, that was terrifying. Suddenly saying you wanna do meโ? I donโt even know what I did to deserve that.โ
Come onโdid they really think Xu Chuyao had hearing problems?
No way she didnโt hear exactly what was said.
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At least she’s smart enough to actually know her chastity might be in danger.