Chapter 21: Graduation

"Are you satisfied now?"

In the hallway outside the classroom, the bald teacher looked at the hawk-eyed man and his two colleagues, his tone blunt and inhospitable. "Students dying in an instance happens every graduating class; Wang Cheng’s death is just one of many. I know he had certain connections, but you are with the Bureau of Special Affairs! You came all the way to the Fourth Academy over the death of a single person to throw your weight around in front of students. You... have gone too far!"

"Teacher Wang, don't put it so harshly." The hawk-eyed man pointed toward the ceiling. "We have orders from above; there’s nothing we can do. Besides, you and I both know that someone with Wang Cheng’s background could never really be treated like an ordinary student. His life is far too precious."

"I don't care about that! The results are already out, and you can leave now." The bald teacher’s voice was cold and sharp; he clearly had no interest in discussing the topic further.

Certain unspoken rules had existed since ancient times; they had simply taken on different forms in the present, and they were not things he could control.

"Results? Ha, that’s not necessarily true." The hawk-eyed man’s gaze sharpened. "This graduating class opened their invitations almost simultaneously, so their player IDs should be very close, even consecutive. Yet, not a single person encountered Wang Cheng. Teacher Wang, do you really think that’s possible? And..." He added, "This E-rank lie detector I have is not absolute. Even a novice player can find ways to bypass its mechanics and tell a lie—for example, by using psychic-type items or superpowers that increase mental resistance or evade detection."

"What are you trying to say?" The bald teacher glared into his eyes.

The hawk-eyed man did not flinch, his own gaze equally piercing. "I heard that six students in this class awakened superpowers. One student, Lin Ye, awakened No. 212: 'Dark Eye,' which allows him to exert subtle psychological suggestions through eye contact. This Lin Ye happens to be the top scorer in the assessment and ranked third in the instance. I’ve made inquiries; he once had a conflict with Wang Cheng."

"‘Dark Eye’ doesn't have the effect you're describing," the bald teacher frowned.

"‘Dark Eye’ indeed does not," the hawk-eyed man said, "but what if ‘Dark Eye’ was just a disguise? What if Lin Ye’s true superpower is much more powerful? Lin Ye happens to have a motive, doesn't he?"

"I am warning you! This is a school! Allowing you to question my students just now was the limit of my patience." The bald teacher’s tolerance seemed to be at an end. "If you continue to act recklessly, don't blame me for being unkind!"

"Threatening us won't work," the hawk-eyed man laughed. "I will report what happened here. How Wang Cheng’s uncle—our Deputy Director—chooses to handle it is not for me to decide."

"You think you’re the only one who can report this?" The bald teacher sneered. "I will also report your behavior today to the Director. I’d like to see how your Deputy Director justifies this."

...

Eight o'clock in the evening. Songhe Tower.

In a private room, Cao Yu, Chen Ran, and Zhou Fan raised their glasses together in celebration. "Happy graduation."

After tonight, they would be heading their separate ways. Although they would likely all remain in Fourth City, the city was vast; if they didn't make an effort to stay in touch, they might not see each other for years.

Cao Yu looked at Zhou Fan and smiled. "This place isn't cheap. You’ve gone to a lot of expense tonight."

"The Bureau of Special Affairs pays very well, and we’re about to start our jobs, so what’s a little expense?" Zhou Fan chuckled. "As long as Brother Cao is happy, the money is well spent."

"When did you learn to be such a sycophant?" Chen Ran teased. "And with that tone... I have a feeling you're on your way to becoming a corrupt official."

"What are you saying! What are you saying!" Zhou Fan grumbled, then turned to Cao Yu. "Brother Cao, where did you put down for your job placement?"

"I’m from the Meishan District, so naturally, I chose the Meishan District," Cao Yu replied.

"Uh... the Meishan District?" Chen Ran was the first to show surprise. "Why would you choose such a chaotic place? I thought you’d chosen our district, so I didn't even ask... but now that it's settled, there’s no changing it."

"There was no need to change it," Cao Yu smiled. "I grew up in the Meishan District; the people I know are all there. It’s not a place I can just leave."

"Don't worry so much, Miss Chen," Zhou Fan chimed in. "With Brother Cao’s ability, I suspect that whether the Meishan District remains chaotic or not will be entirely up to him."

"I told you not to call me 'Miss'," Chen Ran looked at Zhou Fan carefully. "You... I really didn't notice before, but your ability to bootlick is truly top-tier."

"When did telling the truth become bootlicking?" Zhou Fan sighed softly. "The world is drunk, and I alone am sober."

"That’s enough out of you!" Chen Ran couldn't take it anymore and changed the subject. "By the way, what do you two think about what happened this afternoon?"

"What is there to think? That idiot Liu Xiong must be suffering from jealousy and rabies!" Zhou Fan spat, his tone filled with disdain. "He saw Brother Cao doing well and had to take a bite. His heart is so narrow it’s pathetic! If I run into him in an instance, I’ll be sure to make him regret it."

*You’re quite the flatterer yourself...* Chen Ran thought, her expression subtle. She didn't tease him this time, as she also detested Liu Xiong. If they met in an instance, she would definitely sabotage him at every opportunity.

Chen Ran continued, "I meant Wang Cheng’s death. Do you think it was an accident, or was it man-made?"

"I think it was man-made," Zhou Fan said seriously. "We opened our invitations together, and our player IDs are close, yet none of us ran into Wang Cheng. Does that make sense? Someone is definitely lying. I just don't know how they managed to bypass the lie detector. It’s impossible that they just happened to have an anti-lie item, right?"

"I also think it was man-made. Anything we can think of, the Wang family can certainly think of too," Chen Ran warned Cao Yu. "The Wang family won't let this go. Cao Yu, your instance evaluation was the most impressive and your performance the most outstanding; you might be targeted, so be careful."

"Don't worry, I’m the least likely suspect," Cao Yu said, no concern showing on his face. "Think about it. We three went to the same instance and gave the same answers. What are the odds that all three of us would happen to have anti-lie items to pull off a deception?"

"Hmm... looking at it that way, Brother Cao’s suspicion is indeed low," Zhou Fan speculated. "Could it be Lin Ye? He was the top performer in the assessment, ranked third in the instance, had a conflict with Wang Cheng, and awakened a superpower. He has both the motive and the ability."

"Lin Ye... that is a real possibility," Chen Ran mused.

Both then turned their expectant gazes toward Cao Yu.

Cao Yu: "..." *We're out of the instance, and they're still treating me like their 'external brain'?*

He didn't give a definitive answer, only a reminder: "You’re right that Lin Ye is a strong possibility. Furthermore, he likely hid his true superpower. He’s careful but has a flamboyant personality; we were likely caught in the crossfire today. And if we can think of it, the Wang family can too. Suspicion is enough. Lin Ye will be ‘specially looked after’ by the Wang family from now on. You two should stay away from him. Getting involved with someone who invites that much trouble will only bring you misery."

Lin Ye was a commoner student, and because of his flamboyant personality, he was seen as a massive eyesore by the wealthy and powerful students. It was precisely because Lin Ye was out there drawing all the fire that Cao Yu was able to go with the flow and throttle his performance, settling for fourth place in the final assessment. After all, some of the elite students at the Fourth Academy were truly annoying; they seemed to feel that if they didn't flaunt their superiority every day, they might die. He had no energy to play house with those idiots.

"Of course, the Wang family is just as bad, throwing their weight around," he lowered his voice and added, "We don't interfere because we are too weak and currently lack the power to draw a line between right and wrong. Just make sure you don't actually become one of them."

"I understand, I understand," Chen Ran said. "Is this what you often call 'a gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall,' and 'when poor, cultivate one's own virtue; when prosperous, help the world'?"

"Oh, little Chen, your awareness is quite high, isn't it?" Cao Yu smiled.

"Cao Yu, even if your suspicion is low, you still need to be careful," Chen Ran ignored his teasing tone and said seriously. "Those high-and-mighty figures aren't exactly known for their magnanimity; they care deeply about their reputations and are particularly fond of taking their anger out on others."

"Don't worry, I have a sense of proportion," Cao Yu said. "Let’s not talk about this anymore. I plan to leave school first thing tomorrow morning. What about you two?"

"I’m heading home tonight!" Chen Ran’s lips curled up. "Humph, I have level-six cultivation aptitude; I can't wait to go home and start training!"

"Does your family have a Visualization Map?" Zhou Fan asked, surprised.

To enter the Immortal Path, evolution points are equivalent to spiritual energy—they are the basic resource. But to cultivate, one needs more than just spiritual energy; one needs a technique. The Visualization Map is the foundational technique for the early stage of the Immortal Path, acting as a guide for evolution. Fourth Academy graduates only gain access to such resources once they join the Bureau of Special Affairs.

"My big brother obtained a Visualization Map as a reward from an instance," Chen Ran said with anticipation. "Once tonight is over, I’ll be a little fairy."

"..." Cao Yu said, "You’d better stick to 'Queen,' it sounds better."

"Are you ever going to let that go?" Chen Ran said, disgruntled.

"No, this time I’m quite serious," Cao Yu raised his glass. "Let’s not talk about that anymore. Cheers!"

"Cheers!"

"Happy graduation!"

There was excitement in their eyes and joy on their faces. As their glasses clinked together, it was as if the future they were looking forward to was already echoing back to them.

...

The next morning, Cao Yu picked up his packed suitcase and left the Fourth Academy by school bus.

After nearly five months, he had finally officially graduated.

It was time to go home.

Cao Yu was in no rush to enter an instance to earn evolution points or accumulate achievement points. One of the reasons he became a player was that his younger sister had been targeted by a gang leader. According to his original plan, he intended to clear a few instances to accumulate enough strength before handling the matter.

But then... he activated the system.

Now, he possessed the "Seven Kill Soldier Lord," his evolution level had reached 5%, he had moved past the novice stage, and he had highly compatible gear at his disposal... the original plan was no longer necessary.

Now, he just wanted the thrill of the battle.