For a brief moment, perhaps only a fraction of a second, Lin Ruoyan's shocked gaze met Liam's.
What kind of eyes were those?
They were calm yet carried a hint of savagery, a look of indifference toward both his own life and his enemy's.
Why isn't he dodging? Why isn't he blocking?
Why is his first reaction to take my sword head-on and then stab me in return?
Lin Ruoyan had been enrolled for over three years and had fought against divine servants before. But even when facing those fanatic zealots, none had been like Liam.
He couldn't stop. The chain around his waist pulled him toward Liam as if it wasn't his intention to thrust his sword but rather Liam's intent to be stabbed.
"Stop! Hold!"
In that instant, Cain called off the match. The space around them distorted, freezing Lin Ruoyan's sword and Liam's blade in the air, unable to move. The scene was telling enough—a bronze sword halted at Liam's abdomen, while Liam's blade was a hair's breadth from Lin Ruoyan's throat.
Had Cain been even half a second late, there would have been bloodshed—one wounded, one dead.
"Liam... wins!" Cain announced.
Lin Ruoyan stood stiffly on the platform, drenched in cold sweat, his eyes barely daring to glance at the blade near his neck.
Just a little more... so close!
Years of hard training and relentless discipline, growing stronger day by day, dreaming of one day becoming a protector of the world. And yet, just now, he realized how close he had come to death.
Too close!
Hearing Cain's voice, the clarity slowly returned to Liam's eyes, bringing him back to his usual demeanor.
"Sorry, I got caught up in the moment. Didn't hold back," he said, lowering his blade and offering Lin Ruoyan a slightly apologetic smile.
It was almost like a form of battle aftershock. Once Liam entered combat mode, he reverted to the state he was in while defending the stadium—no room for holding back. Those three hours of brutal combat had etched their lessons deep into his bones.
Lin Ruoyan watched Liam transition from a cold, ruthless combatant back to his lazy, friendly self in a second. Feeling a bit embarrassed, Lin Ruoyan forced a strained smile.
"It's alright... I just wasn't as good as you. You're... very strong."
After speaking, Lin Ruoyan naturally took a few steps back, putting distance between himself and Liam, as if standing too close to him was dangerous.
Comparing Liam's relaxed demeanor now to the cold, violent eyes during the fight, Lin Ruoyan almost thought Liam had a split personality.
He had only one thought in his mind: This guy is too dangerous. Never cross him in the future.
The fight, though seemingly long, happened in a flash. To the students in the audience, it looked like Liam and Lin Ruoyan exchanged a few polite words, and then the fight was suddenly over. Many didn't even catch what happened, feeling a bit let down. They had hoped for a spectacle of flashy abilities clashing but were disappointed by how quickly it ended.
But clearly, there were some sharp-eyed individuals present. On the stands, many senior students who had clearly seen the fight felt a chill run down their spines.
"This kid... freshman chief? Seriously? His killing intent is terrifying."
"Where did Dean Mo find this monster? Is this even a student? I'd believe you if you told me he was a serial killer."
"Better not provoke him... Seriously, don't. What did we get ourselves into this year?"
On the stands, the senior students fell into a hushed silence. From now on, they etched Liam's laid-back face into their minds.
This is definitely a wolf in sheep's clothing!
As the crowd gradually dispersed, this year's freshman celebration ended in a rather strange way. Many students recorded the final match, and over the next few days, the footage would be all over the campus forums.
Liam, the freshman chief, had firmly established his position. At this point, Ryan approached Liam to chat, shaking his hand in the process...
And of course, Liu Peng, the odd one out, came over as well.
"Big bro! You saved me that day! Wahhh, I'm so grateful! From now on, if you ever need anything, just let me know!" Liu Peng exclaimed, clutching Liam's hand, tears and snot running down his face.
Liam: ...
"I'd appreciate it if you acted normal. And don't call me big bro…"
Liu Peng: "Sure thing, boss. Anything you need me to do?"
Liam: "Just stay out of the way."
Liu Peng: "But boss, it's really hot outside. The only way to cool off is to go inside and turn on the AC."
Liam: "Then go inside!"
Liu Peng: "Alright, boss. Should I bring you breakfast tomorrow?"
...
And thus continued the antics of this persistent pest.
Meanwhile, Vice Dean Tang Jinyi grabbed Cain's sleeve, her expression severe as she held him back.
"What's with this child? What has he been through?"
"He's so young! How could he have such intense killing intent? You said he made significant contributions a few days ago. What kind of contributions?"
Cain was silent for a few seconds before responding, "Due to special circumstances, he had to defend a place alone, fighting divine servants for over three hours."
"All in all... there were at least a hundred bodies. That battle pushed him into the Fifth Realm. Even I didn't expect him to manage so well."
Hearing this outrageous number, Tang Jinyi gasped, gritting her teeth, "How could you let this happen? He's still so young. His mental state isn't fully developed. How could you...!"
"We had no choice. At the time, none of us could stay there..."
"Still, there must have been another way. You..." she began, but Cain suddenly glanced toward the student crowd and quickly pulled away from Tang Jinyi.
"Let's talk later. I need to find someone first! I'm worried they might stray off course."
With that, before Tang Jinyi could react, Cain disappeared from her sight.
As she moved further away from the noisy field, Lila walked alone toward the dormitory building. In a dark corner, she clenched her fists.
Her right fist pressed hard against the wall, scraping it to the point of drawing blood, but she didn't even feel the pain.
When she had hidden in the basement that day, she clung to the ceiling, listening to Liam's every move in his battle. Today, sitting in the front row, she had watched Liam's cold gaze utterly suppress the senior students of the Eastern Academy.
She didn't know why, but she felt that her goal was becoming increasingly distant.
Now, whenever she thought about what she had said and thought when she first met Liam, she felt like a fool, tormented by a sense of regret.
What now? Why is it so hard to catch up? How can I ever surpass him?
I want to surpass him, so why do I still need his protection when danger arises!?
Ever since the assessment, she had spent every waking moment developing her abilities and training herself, allowing herself only six hours to sleep and an hour to eat.
But why does it feel like the gap is only widening?
Is it impossible for a B-rank to catch up with those geniuses? But I'm not just any B-rank!
And he was just an E-rank back then!
Thinking this, Lila punched the wall hard, but the pain in her hand couldn't compare to the anxiety and anguish in her heart. Tears slowly welled up in her eyes.
Just then, a voice spoke behind her.
"Child, what are you thinking?"
"Does your hand hurt? Don't be in such a rush."
Hearing the voice, Lila couldn't help but be startled. She hurriedly wiped her tears, realizing someone had seen her in a vulnerable state. She turned around and, recognizing the familiar white-bearded old man, greeted him with slight panic.
"Dean, hello."
"What's this, child? Have you been crying?" Cain asked, his tone sounding as if he had expected this.
"No, I didn't sleep well yesterday, and I got up early for the freshman ceremony today. I was planning to go back and catch up on sleep," Lila said, rubbing her eyes hard, refusing to admit the truth.
Cain didn't press her, instead asking a different question.
"Your mother is Jiang Yuérú, right? An S-level superhuman with the Fire Phoenix ability, a peak Sixth-Realm superhuman currently serving in the United Human Alliance?"
Lila didn't respond verbally, but her slight nod indicated she was confirming.
"Let me guess. You've been watching Liam, haven't you? You want to use him as your training target, right?"
"You grew up with your mother around. Haven't you always wished to become like her someday?"
"But you've found that, no matter how hard you try, it seems impossible to reach her level. Even though people around you say you're a genius, you always feel like your goals are out of reach."
"So much so that the harder you try, the more distant those goals become…"
Cain spoke like a mind-reading devil, each word cutting into Lila's heart like a knife.
She didn't say anything, her face expressionless, and replied, "No, there's nothing to compare. I'm not feeling well. If you don't have anything else, I'd like to go back now."
With that, she turned to head toward the dormitory.
But Cain wasn't about to let her go so easily. He continued, "Liam started with just an E-level ability. You used to think he didn't deserve a spot in the special admissions. Yet in just a few days, he's reached a level you can't even dream of."
"Your mother has an S-level talent, but yours is only rated at B-level."
"You've probably heard people say, 'She's not as good as her mother, but her talent is still impressive,' right?"
"These days, with all the talk about Liam, the fact that you were the first to be beaten by him has probably become a joke, hasn't it?"
"And during that battle a few days ago, being protected by someone you want to surpass, that must have been hard to swallow."
"All these years, living in your mother's shadow, you must feel so unwilling to accept it, don't you?"
One sentence after another, Cain's words finally broke through Lila's defenses. She stopped walking, her slender back trembling, and tears streamed down, uncontrollably falling to the ground.
Cain's words had triggered many memories, and she couldn't control her emotions for a moment.
"Do you want to surpass them?" Cain pressed on.
"Yes..."
"What did you say?"
"I said I want to! I will surpass them someday, even if my talent isn't high enough! Just you wait and see!!!"
Lila spun around, practically shouting, her face covered in tears, which made her usually beautiful face look a bit distorted.
Seeing this child finally let go and start to vent her emotions, Cain fell silent, a hint of a smile appearing on his face.
He raised his hand, creating a special space that enveloped the two of them, with two chairs placed facing each other.
"What if I told you that your talent is no worse than anyone else's in this world? Would you believe me?"
Lila glanced around the space, realizing this might not be the real world. She calmed herself down a bit, sat down in one of the chairs, and shook her head dejectedly.
"Among all the abilities named 'Phoenix,' mine is probably the weakest... I..."
"No," Cain shook his head firmly, looking into her tear-filled eyes. "There are no Phoenixes in this world."
Lila looked up, puzzled.
"If there is one, you might be the only one."
"Phoenixes are meant to rise from their ashes."
"Remember, the heavens gave you a lower starting point than others so that you can write a story of turning things around from the bottom."
"Do you trust me? Would you be willing to become my third personal disciple, despite me being an incompetent teacher?"
Lila sat in her chair, stunned, as if she were on an emotional rollercoaster.
She never expected Dean Cain to come to her and say such things.
"I've had my eye on you for a long time, actually. Your personality is very similar to that of a little girl I once knew…"
"Who?" Lila asked.
"Li Qi."
"You looking at Liam now is exactly like how she looked at Sophia back then."
"The desire for power and the unwillingness to be outdone can push people to excel, but sometimes it can also drag them into a deep abyss. That's why I was eager to find you today."
"Li Qi... is my second personal disciple, whom I consider my daughter. But she might have already strayed onto a dark path."
When Cain mentioned Li Qi, his expression turned sad and pained. He couldn't help but think of that red envelope…
"I might not be a competent teacher. Would you like to hear a story?"
While Cain pulled Lila into his space for a counseling session, Sophia led Liam to an office door.
Liam looked up at the sign—Dean's Office.
"You said we're here to re-evaluate my ability level. Is Dean Mo going to do it?" Liam asked.
"No, the Vice Dean will handle it," Sophia replied.
Liam's eyebrow twitched. Even the Dean's office was given over to the Vice Dean?
Sophia opened the door, and inside, a man was sitting on the sofa, tapping his foot. As soon as he saw someone enter, he stood up.
"Oh! If it isn't the great War God! Hello, hello."
"And the freshman chief! I've heard so much about you. Hello, junior, my name is Jack. You can call me Little Sword or Brother Sword."
The man was incredibly outgoing, with wild long hair and a height similar to Liam's. He extended his hand for a handshake.
Liam wasn't sure what this guy had heard about him, but he felt like Jack had stolen his usual catchphrases.
Before Liam could say anything, Jack continued talking to himself.
"I'm the head of the Public Relations Department. I tell you, our PR department is fantastic."
"Once you join us, it's easy to rack up credits, and the work is light. It's a pretty sweet deal, if you ask me."
Liam: ...
???
Wait a minute, when did I say I wanted to join the PR department?
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GOT IT