"Shen Senior, hello. I'm a third-year student. My name is Lily Roding. Luo Feis, the captain of the second team, is my brother. It's very nice to meet you." Lily Roding looked shy, her voice soft, her eyes full of admiration for Shen Qi.
Shen Qi turned his head to look across the lake, only retracting his gaze after Lu Zhi's back disappeared around the corner. The silver-grey eyes, filled with the refracted light from the lake surface, appeared exceptionally cold. He said faintly, "Move aside, you're blocking my way."
Lily Roding's face instantly turned pale.
However, Shen Qi completely ignored her, his gaze never lingering on her for even half a second. The breeze that swept past Lily Roding carried the same coldness as his presence, as cold as snow. His figure soon vanished around the corner.
Lily Roding lowered her head in silence, biting her lower lip tightly.
...
Meanwhile, Lu Zhi didn't know the way to the cafeteria, so he quietly followed Luo Shiyu.
The school provided three meals for free. After breakfast, students were required to be at the freshman classroom at eight o'clock sharp to commence a week of studies.
As for what they would be studying, Lu Zhi did not yet know.
While he was pondering this, he took a sip of his porridge, but was unexpectedly patted on the shoulder from behind. He immediately choked and started coughing, "Cough, cough, cough, cough..."
"Wang Caotian! Look at what you've done. Apologize to him!" Xia Zhi's exasperated voice came from behind.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. Are you okay?" Wang Caotian sat down opposite Lu Zhi, looking remorseful.
Lu Zhi waved his hand and, after recovering, said, "It's fine. I was just lost in thought and a bit absent-minded."
Wang Caotian breathed a sigh of relief, opened his mouth, and then suddenly scratched his blonde hair, asking shyly, "So, uh, what was your name again?"
Xia Zhi smacked him on the back of the head and said angrily, "You were talking to him for ages last night, and you still don't know his name."
Wang Caotian bared his teeth, rubbed the spot, and muttered, "I, I was just chatting too enthusiastically and forgot to ask."
Xia Zhi rolled his eyes and sat down opposite Lu Zhi, extending his hand in a friendly gesture and smiling, "Hello, my name is Xia Zhi. I'm in my second year. You can call me by my name or Xia Senior."
Lu Zhi extended his hand and also revealed a faint smile, "Hello, my name is Lu Zhi. I'm a freshman who just passed the test yesterday."
"Me, me, me, my name is Wang Caotian. You can also call me Wang Senior." Wang Caotian shook Lu Zhi's hand up and down a couple of times before Xia Zhi slapped it away, saying, "Act normal."
Wang Caotian grumbled, daring not to speak out.
"Pfft..." Lu Zhi couldn't help but chuckle and say, "You two have such a good relationship."
Xia Zhi appeared easygoing and mild-tempered, but was actually quite individualistic. Wang Caotian, on the other hand, looked fierce and unapproachable, but was a talkative social butterfly.
Xia Zhi and Wang Caotian said in unison, "Who has a good relationship with him."
After saying that, the two of them paused, then glared at each other.
Lu Zhi: ...
Lu Zhi changed the subject, "Wang Senior, I heard Xia Senior say last night that you have a re-examination this morning. Good luck."
Wang Caotian's face immediately fell, "Sigh, don't mention it. This is really worrying me."
Lu Zhi finished his porridge and asked, "Is your re-examination difficult?"
Xia Zhi answered for him, "It's not difficult, he's just too slow and didn't remember the important knowledge points."
Lu Zhi blinked in surprise, "Huh? Is there a written exam too?" He thought the academy's tests were all about physical combat.
"Sigh, don't bring it up. I came to this academy to escape exams in the first place. Who knew I still couldn't escape fate's arrangement." Wang Caotian looked dejected, then changed the subject, "Speaking of which, I remember the first class for freshmen is learning theoretical knowledge points." He said with sympathy, "Good luck, brother, I'm rooting for you."
Lu Zhi smiled, glanced at the time, and said, "It's almost time. I'll head to the classroom first. Let's chat again when we have time."
After bidding farewell to Xia Zhi and Wang Caotian, Lu Zhi arrived at the freshman classroom ten minutes early. However, upon seeing more than twenty new students, a flicker of surprise crossed his dark eyes.
It seemed the freshmen were tested separately. He had thought it was just the few of them that day.
There were no familiar faces in the class, except for Luo Shiyu. But there were no empty seats beside him, so Lu Zhi chose a corner by the window and sat down, quietly observing the whispering freshmen.
Including himself, there were twenty-eight students in total, with several unfamiliar faces from other countries.
At exactly eight o'clock, when the teacher walked into the classroom precisely on time, everyone was stunned. The room was so quiet that the sound of a needle dropping could be heard.
Lu Zhi looked at the person on the podium in astonishment. It was Shen Qi?
"From today onwards, I will be your teacher for seven days." Shen Qi's handsome face was as indifferent as when Lu Zhi first saw him, as if nothing could affect him.
His silver-grey eyes were devoid of emotion, but suddenly they locked onto Lu Zhi's gaze. He said, "Lu Zhi, come up."
All the freshmen in the class abruptly turned their heads to look at him.
Under everyone's gaze, Lu Zhi forced himself to walk up to the podium step by step and stammered, "Hello, Teacher Shen."
Shen Qi handed him a tablet and sat down on the chair placed on the podium, propping his chin with one hand and said, "Take attendance."
For some reason, although it was a very ordinary posture, Shen Qi somehow exuded an air of elegance and nobility.
It inexplicably reminded Lu Zhi of Him.
"What, you don't even know how to take attendance? Do you need me to teach you?" Shen Qi raised his silver-grey eyes.
The invisible pressure jolted Lu Zhi back to attention, and he began marking the attendance, "Li Mingxuan."
"Here."
"Huang Wencai."
...
After calling out all twenty-seven student names, Lu Zhi marked his own name as well, then placed the tablet on the podium and said, "Teacher Shen, everyone is here."
Shen Qi's wandering thoughts returned. He nodded, "Go back to your seats."
Lu Zhi quickly returned to his seat, but after Shen Qi's gesture, he could still feel the eyes of the freshmen subtly observing him.
*Snap—*
A photograph of superimposed circles appeared on the large screen, drawing the freshmen's attention away from Lu Zhi.
Lu Zhi secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Longkan." Shen Qi said concisely, getting straight to the point, "This is the lesson you need to master today."
The freshmen all showed expressions of surprise and confusion.
Lu Zhi furrowed his brow, wondering if it was possible. Did they already know the secret of Longkan?
"Teacher Shen." A female student raised her hand, her eyes sparkling as she stared at Shen Qi, and said, "Longkan is a blessing bestowed upon humanity by the gods. To receive the gods' blessings, one must pay with effort and sacrifice. Longkan is a trial ground bestowed by the gods upon humanity."
Lu Zhi: ...
Although he knew that the perception of Longkan by many humans had been subtly influenced, upon closer consideration, it felt terrifying.
Another male student chimed in, "Teacher Shen, what Lily said is correct. Longkan is a miracle that brings hope to people."
"Is that so?" Shen Qi's gaze was indifferent, and suddenly the corner of his mouth curved into an arc.
For some reason, Lu Zhi saw a lot of sarcasm in that smile that didn't reach his eyes.
Lu Zhi pursed his lips and couldn't help but say, "Longkan is not a miracle; it is a cage that brings destruction to humanity and devours human lives. It is a grotesque object that humanity needs to destroy."
Amidst everyone's repeated claims that Longkan was a blessing from the gods, Lu Zhi's words were like a bomb, churning up the waters.
Shen Qi's cold eyes finally showed a trace of emotion.
"What nonsense are you spouting?" The girl named Qiu Lili couldn't help but accuse him loudly, "If you don't understand, shut your mouth. Stop seeking attention!" httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
Lu Zhi frowned, "I'm just telling the truth."
Unfortunately, the gazes of these people were filled with mockery and disdain.