A massive floating shuttle soared through the clouds.
Shen Ye had intended to sleep through the journey, but the stiffness in his neck and shoulders kept him awake.
Just as he was starting to drift off, his phone suddenly vibrated violently.
He had no choice but to pick it up.
Zhao Yibing?
—Girl, can’t you at least let me sleep first?!
Shen Ye couldn’t help but yawn.
When he opened the message, a photo instantly appeared on the screen.
Zhao Yibing was holding an entrance exam notification, her smile as bright as a blooming flower.
She seemed a little different.
Was it because of her striking purple hair?
Or the deep eyeshadow that outlined what used to be her clear and innocent eyes?
Or was it the indescribable gloom in her expression?
“Shen Ye, I also got a chance to take the entrance exam for the Three Great High Schools.”
“Let’s meet up.”
Shen Ye immediately became alert.
For some reason, he felt that something about this didn’t quite add up.
“Boss Qian, did you know that there’s another girl from our school who qualified for the Three Great High Schools’ entrance exam?”
Shen Ye asked.
Sitting beside him, Qian Rushan was reading a newspaper. Hearing this, he snorted and said:
“I only just found out. Apparently, the girl is a genius who has been kept hidden until today.”
“Kept hidden by whom?” Shen Ye asked.
“The Archaeology Association,” Qian Rushan replied.
Shen Ye nodded slightly.
In this world, the Archaeology Association was an extremely significant organization.
It was responsible for excavating ruins, uncovering humanity’s past, and even seeking out ancient legacies, weapons, and martial techniques. It held immense power.
Zhao Yibing has such connections?
No, that’s not right.
If she had always been so highly placed, why would she have bought me breakfast every day?
Did she really like me?
—If she really liked me, why would she have stepped on me when I was in trouble?
It didn’t make sense.
From his memory, she had never shown any extraordinary talent or abilities.
Could it be…
A face flashed through Shen Ye’s mind—Chen Haoyu.
Chen Haoyu was dead.
Then what about Zhao Yibing?
Right, Xiao Mengyu had been investigating this matter all along. She would have a better grasp of the whole picture.
But he had made Xiao Mengyu cry earlier.
The girl had originally planned to leave with him, but after he said something, it was like she had been slashed with a sword—she ran off in tears.
Would she still be willing to talk to him?
Shen Ye hesitated for a moment but still sent Xiao Mengyu a message:
“Do you know Zhao Yibing?”
After a brief pause, Xiao Mengyu’s reply came immediately:
“You arrived late, so you didn’t see—she’s dead.”
Dead?
How did she die?
Shen Ye was stunned. Feeling that this couldn’t be explained properly over text, he simply took a screenshot of Zhao Yibing’s photo and message and sent it to Xiao Mengyu.
His phone suddenly vibrated.
—It was Xiao Mengyu’s call!
“Hello?” Shen Ye answered.
“Where are you?” Xiao Mengyu asked directly.
“On the shuttle—heading to the exam,” Shen Ye replied.
“I’m taking the entrance exam too. We’ll talk when we meet,” Xiao Mengyu said.
Shen Ye said, “Alright, I should be there in—”
“Twenty-seven hours from now,” Qian Rushan’s voice came from behind the newspaper.
“Got it,” Xiao Mengyu said.
Sensing that she had something important to discuss in person, Shen Ye nodded and said,
“See you then.”
Xiao Mengyu’s tone turned serious: “Remember—never meet Zhao Yibing alone, no matter what. Keep my words in mind.”
“Alright,” Shen Ye replied solemnly.
The call ended.
Qian Rushan peeked out from behind his newspaper.
“That voice sounds familiar,” he murmured with curiosity.
“Xiao Mengyu,” Shen Ye said directly.
Qian Rushan nodded and hid behind his newspaper again.
His voice came from behind it:
“At 3:25 AM last night, a sword aura shot into the sky above Baijiang in the city outskirts.”
“Upon investigation, it was determined to be Xiao Mengyu from the Luo family who unleashed it.”
“The AI intelligence confirmed that she had made a breakthrough in swordsmanship.”
“After her breakthrough, she performed 49 consecutive sword techniques on the river’s lone peak, then walked across the water with her sword and drifted away.”
Shen Ye keenly picked up on something and immediately asked,
“She broke through? But why was she already practicing sword techniques? We’re still in middle school, yet all we learn is basic body training.”
Qian Rushan replied, “She’s been training in swordsmanship since childhood.”
“Training since childhood? Isn’t martial arts only taught after entering high school?” Shen Ye questioned.
“She’s from a noble family. They have their own sword techniques and begin training from a young age,” Qian Rushan explained.
That made sense.
For ordinary people, the only way to learn martial arts was to enter high school.
But noble families began grooming their children from an early age.
They were truly ahead from the starting line.
Noticing Shen Ye’s thoughtful expression, Qian Rushan added:
“Also, noble families train their children in ‘comprehension’ and ‘resonance’ from a young age. You guys won’t start learning those subjects until high school.”
Shen Ye sighed, “That’s an overwhelming gap.”
“Actually, you’re also from a noble family,” Qian Rushan casually remarked.
Shen Ye chuckled, accepting the comment without dispute.
As a high-ranking member of the Martial Arts Group, Qian Rushan naturally didn’t want him to leave the organization and return to his family.
So he would say things like this.
But it was also true—
He was about to graduate from middle school, yet he had never accessed any of his family’s legacies or received any specialized training.
“Xiao Mengyu broke through and can walk on water.”
“—That means her movement techniques have also advanced.”
Qian Rushan sighed, “Truly a young prodigy.”
“Let’s drop this topic. I’m going to sleep. Wake me up when we arrive,” Shen Ye said, stretching.
Just as he pulled down his sleep mask, his phone vibrated again.
A new message popped up on the screen:
“Shen Ye, I’m about to head out for the exam. Why don’t we go together?”
It was another message from Zhao Yibing.
But you’re already dead.
Are you dead or not?!
—Seriously, I haven’t slept at all. Can you stop messaging me?!
Shen Ye thought for a moment, scrolled through his photos, and finally replied:
“You go ahead. I’m at Nanshan Temple, burning incense and hiking. Tonight, I’ll have dinner at Fahai Seafood. I won’t be leaving until the day after tomorrow.”
There was no response from the other side.
A few minutes later—
Shen Ye picked a photo from a past visit to Nanshan Temple and posted it on his social feed.
Before long, a notification sounded.
Someone had left a comment!
Shen Ye reached out and tapped the screen.
—”What a coincidence, I’m also visiting Nanshan. I didn’t see you earlier. Where are you now?”
It was a message from Zhao Yibing.
—I just posted a photo of Nanshan, and now you’re also at Nanshan?
Yeah, right!
We guys are all pure and kind-hearted, but when we’re out and about, we need to stay sharp, keep our eyes open, and protect ourselves.
That’s something to always remember.
Shen Ye put his phone aside, pulled down his sleep mask, and took the chance to catch up on some rest.
Before long.
He fell into a deep sleep.
Memories long buried resurfaced one after another as he slept, replaying in his mind.
Darkness.
Snowflakes drifted down in the manor.
He stood under the roof, listening to the distant sound of firecrackers.
Suddenly.
Two little girls came running in panic, sobbing as they ran.
A hunting dog was chasing them from behind.
Hunting dogs are usually fierce—once they attack, they can tear open their prey’s throat in an instant.
Not good!
Shen Ye saw himself rush forward, stepping in front of the two girls.
The scene flashed.
A hospital.
He was wrapped up like a mummy.
The doctor’s voice echoed from the hallway:
—”He’s lucky to be alive…”
—”…Just an inch off, and…”
—”Still not out of danger yet…”
Another flash.
Who knows how much time had passed.
He was now half-reclining on a hospital bed, nearly recovered.
The two little girls came to thank him.
They chatted happily.
After he recovered, the three of them spent most of the winter break playing together.
Then the break ended.
They had to go home.
He had to go home too.
“We have a card for you.”
The two girls said.
He also took out a greeting card as a parting gift.
After that, they never saw each other again.
Ten years passed in the blink of an eye.
Ten years…
They had all grown up.
They never met again.
Their lives had taken completely different paths.
Someone patted him.
Shen Ye opened his eyes, groggy.
“What?”
“I figured you’ve slept enough. Let’s go eat. We’ll be flying all day—come on!” Qian Rushan said.
Shen Ye snapped out of his thoughts and realized he was indeed hungry.
“Got instant noodles?” he asked.
“In your dreams! You think you need to eat instant noodles when you’re with me? Let’s go, we’re getting something good,” Qian Rushan said.
“Boss Qian, so generous!”
Shen Ye immediately stood up.
He followed Qian Rushan out of his seat, walking down a spacious, spotless corridor. They pushed open a door and entered the dining area.
“Wow, this place is huge,” Shen Ye remarked.
“Obviously, this is the most advanced, most luxurious large-scale air shuttle,” Qian Rushan said as he led them to a seat.
A beautiful flight attendant brought over the menu.
Qian Rushan ordered seafood porridge.
Shen Ye ordered ribs with rice, roasted lamb hooves, twenty beef skewers, and an iced cola.
“You’re not even eating a single vegetable? You can’t just eat meat—don’t tell me you’re trying to save me money on food?” Qian Rushan said.
“Boss Qian, look, this is a vegetable.” Shen Ye picked up a garlic.
Before long.
Their food was served.
They dug in.
Shen Ye was so hungry his stomach was practically sticking to his back, but he had slightly overestimated his appetite. In the end, he couldn’t finish a few skewers of beef.
Suddenly.
A voice spoke from the side:
“Excuse me, why are these skewers left over? Are they still edible?”
Shen Ye turned his head.
The speaker was a small, dark-skinned young man with a buzz cut.
He looked to be about the same age as Shen Ye, and his eyes were locked onto the skewers on Shen Ye’s plate, his throat moving as he swallowed.
Shen Ye was about to reply when he suddenly realized—it was a tricky question to answer.
Wait.
Hold on.
He finally caught on.
“Are they still edible?”
This sentence carried multiple meanings.
First.
Are these still good? Would eating them cause an upset stomach?
Second.
Can I have them?
Third.
Are they free?
From the context, it was clear the guy meant the second one, with a hint of the third.
—This guy’s got some nerve!
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