Chapter 8: Gifted Talent
The man before him pressed forward step by step. Jiang Chenyan’s brows knit tightly, and his knuckles tightened slightly.
The System was anxiously spinning in his head: [Host, this situation doesn’t look right. What do we do?]
“What’s there to be afraid of?”
He looked up at Qi Bai, a faint smile hooking his lips. “Senior, I’ll give it to you. What’s the rush?”
Qi Bai didn’t buy it for a second. His eyes narrowed slightly, a flash of sharpness in his pupils as he reached out directly. “Hand it over.”
The smile on Jiang Chenyan’s face vanished instantly. His eyes darted quickly behind Qi Bai. “Roommate… what are you doing here?”
Qi Bai instinctively spun around, but behind him was nothing but empty spaceânot even a shadow. Realizing he had been tricked, his gaze turned icy, and the aura around him grew heavy.
When he turned back, the spot where Jiang Chenyan had been was empty. Only a rapidly fading afterimage remained.
[Host, your speed is incredible! Forget short-distance sprints; youâd probably take first place in long-distance too!]
Jiang Chenyan didn’t bother being humble. He raised an eyebrow. “How did you know I took first in the 1000m dash during my middle school entrance exams?”
The System choked for a moment, only managing a dry: [Heh…]
Jiang Chenyan was in a good mood. He turned his head and shouted back toward the distant direction: “Senior, let me off this once! It’s just a pack of cigarettes! I heard smoking isn’t allowed on campus!”
Perhaps provoked by Jiang Chenyan, Qi Bai’s speed was incredibly fast. He closed most of the distance in a few strides, appearing as if he were about to catch up.
Jiang Chenyan steeled his heart. He gritted his teeth and ducked into a side path. Noticing the grass was tall, he cleanly tossed the pheromone converter into it. The dense grass swallowed it completely, leaving no trace.
Just as he turned back and exhaled in relief, he bumped into the suddenly appearing Shen Shiyue. He couldn’t help but be startled. “Why are you here?”
Shen Shiyueâs expression was normal. “I was afraid Senior Qi would make things difficult for you.”
Jiang Chenyanâs heart skipped a beat. His eyes involuntarily flickered toward the grass, unsure if Shen Shiyue had seen anything.
However, since the other didn’t ask, he would act as if he didn’t know.
“Youâre quite concerned about me.”
Shen Shiyue nodded. “Youâre my roommate, and my friend.”
“Itâs definitely more than that.” Jiang Chenyan smiled. He stepped closer, deliberately narrowing the distance between them.
How could they just be friends? They had to escalate to “brothers.”
Shen Shiyue stopped talking. He felt like Jiang Chenyan was flirting with him, but he lacked the evidence.
Jiang Chenyan was too lazy to keep running. He simply stood in place, chatting with Shen Shiyue while waiting for Qi Bai to catch him.
One could hide for a moment, but not forever. If he didn’t let Qi Bai vent this anger, the man would never let him go.
Seeing Jiang Chenyan standing there quietly, Qi Baiâs usually cool face was terrifyingly dark, and the air pressure around him was low.
This was the first time he had been provoked to such anger.
Seeing him like this, Jiang Chenyan restrained himself a bit. He let out a light cough and explained, “Senior, I really didn’t lie to you. My roommate really did come.”
As he spoke, he glanced at Shen Shiyue.
Qi Bai was moved to a cold, icy laugh by these words. “You not only have a sharp tongue, but youâre also very good at causing trouble.”
“Not at all. I follow the principle of ‘I won’t attack unless attacked’.”
Jiang Chenyan spoke the truth. “Senior, they were the ones who cyberbullied me first.”
Qi Baiâs expression didn’t soften. “I know all that. But you can’t hack the forum because of it.”
Jiang Chenyan cursed softly in his head. Knowing is useless if you let things ferment anyway.
“Mm, I hacked the forum.” He admitted that much. “But the cyberbullying can’t be forgiven. Unless thereâs a collective apology, I won’t restore the forum.”
Qi Bai’s brows knit instantly, his tone deepening. “Are you threatening me?” He took a step forward, closing in on Jiang Chenyan. His sharp gaze fell on the other’s pocket. “Take out what’s in your pocket.”
His intuition told him it wasn’t cigarettes. As for what it was? One look would tell.
Jiang Chenyan pulled the cigarettes from his pocket and handed them to Qi Bai. “It really is cigarettes.”
Qi Bai stared at the ordinary pack. His brows didn’t loosen. After a moment of hesitation, he reached out to take it. His fingers felt the texture of the hard paper casing. He opened it to see neatly arranged cigarettes; there was nothing special about them.
He glanced at Jiang Chenyan’s pocket again. The spot that had been bulging was now flat and empty.
Qi Baiâs frown deepened.
“Youâd better not play tricks.”
” Iâm not.” Jiang Chenyan looked completely open and honest. “Since thereâs nothing else, my roommate and I will head back.”
Qi Bai was moved to an angry laugh by this “impenetrable” attitude. He suppressed his rage and said, “Come with me to the Academic Affairs Office.”
He really couldn’t grasp Jiang Chenyanâs mindset. The guy had clearly caused trouble, yet he showed no panic at all.
This time, Jiang Chenyan didn’t resist and followed along.
Qi Bai thought Jiang Chenyan had seen reason, but he was wrong. Jiang Chenyan was simply curious about the “faces” the military academyâs higher-ups would show when faced with this mess.
When they left, Shen Shiyue also followed. Jiang Chenyan asked why. The answer was simple: having a companion would at least make Jiang Chenyan feel more at ease.
At those words, Qi Baiâs steps paused. He looked up at the two standing side-by-side. A flash of coldness crossed his eyes. Forming a clique?
The high-level leadership of the Alliance Military Academy was not ordinary. Most were veterans of the battlefield or rigorous trials. The stars on their shoulders represented not just rank, but the duty of guarding the Allianceâs borders.
There were “moths,” but most had an inherent sense of scrutiny and expectation for the younger generation.
Thinking this way, Jiang Chenyan realized there was a reason why the protagonist gongs were valued. They were either gifted in tactical deduction or showed potential in core fields like mecha piloting far beyond their peers.
Coupled with high-level pheromones, they naturally received the academy’s favor. In this world where strength was revered, this favor was not baseless indulgence, but a precise tilting toward absolute power.
Jiang Chenyan and Shen Shiyue followed Qi Bai into the Academic Affairs Office.
The lighting inside was cool-toned. Despite the low-voiced discussions, there was a sense of low pressure.
Several professors with graying temples sat at the desk, their gazes falling on Jiang Chenyan.
A professor wearing gold-rimmed glasses spoke first: “You were the one who hacked the forum?”
“Yes.” Jiang Chenyan admitted it frankly. He looked up to meet the professorâs scrutiny. “They cyberbullied me first. I was just returning the favor.” He paused. “Therefore, I don’t believe I did anything wrong.”
The room suddenly fell into a dead silence.
The professor with the gold-rimmed glasses was clearly the most authoritative. His gaze accidentally swept over Shen Shiyue standing to the side and suddenly froze. It was replaced by an imperceptible flickerâlike surprise, or perhaps a form of realization.
After a moment of silence, the professor suddenly turned back to Jiang Chenyan. “How did you manage to hack into the forum system?”
Facing the groupâs scrutiny and probing, Jiang Chenyan showed no hint of cowardice. “Maybe itâs talent.”
The moment the words fell, the room erupted.
Even Qi Bai, who had been tense, couldn’t help but look at Jiang Chenyan. Quite the ego.
The professor pushed his glasses up. “Confidence is a good thing for a young man, but don’t be overconfident. The forum has indeed accumulated many problems, and there are management loopholes; we are aware.” He paused before shifting the topic. “But even so, using hacking skills to take down the whole forum is, in the end, inappropriate. Itâs against the rules.”
However, he had to admit that if everything was as Jiang Chenyan saidâbased solely on talentâthen this kid was indeed impressive.
“Talent?”
The one who said this was someone Jiang Chenyan didn’t recognize. However, this person was the youngest among the professors. His features were upright, but his brow carried a hint of hostility. He had an air of majesty that came from battle.
He stared heavily at Jiang Chenyan. Jiang Chenyan felt uncomfortable under the gaze and instinctively pursed his lips, only to hear the other person slowly add: “I want to see if this talent can withstand a real test.”
Jiang Chenyan: “?”
For some reason, several of the respected old professors laughed in unison, their eyes filled with the look of someone watching a good show.
The young professor didn’t seem to notice the atmosphere. He only stared at Jiang Chenyan, his tone flat: “Whatâs your email? I’ll send you a set of exam papers.”
Jiang Chenyan: “…”
“You want them to apologize? What method do you plan to use?”
Jiang Chenyanâs brow furrowed. “Wherever they insulted me, they have to take it back.”
“Those foul words on the forumâthey have to scrub them clean, line by line, themselves.”
Jiang Chenyanâs eyes turned cold as he stated his perceived reality. “If they don’t apologize, I don’t mind hacking the forum again.”
The air in the room froze again.
These words were blunt and carried a reckless streak of ruthlessness. It made even the professorsâwho had seen many stormsâfreeze for a moment.
This kid truly dared to say it, and truly dared to do it.
Showing one’s sharp edges isn’t necessarily a good thing. These “old foxes” could see clearly that Jiang Chenyanâs uncompromising stance meant he was going to head-butt his way through.
But this might not be good. Who didn’t know this matter was rooted in Xie Huaijin? The Xie familyâs roots in the Alliance Military Academy were deep and intertwined; it was someone Jiang Chenyan couldn’t afford to provoke.
One could only say Jiang Chenyan was too sharp and stubborn. He didn’t know how to hide his blade, which made it easy for him to cut himself.
Several professors exchanged looks, and one waved a hand, granting permission to leave.
The three were about to step out when a voice came from behind, directed at Shen Shiyue: “You stay behind.”
The two paused, both looking at the named Shen Shiyue in surprise.
Jiang Chenyanâs brow furrowed, a flash of confusion in his eyes.
“System, what part of the plot is this?”
[How would I know? Most of the plot is summarized briefly, picking the ‘plot’ out of the ‘meat’…]
[Though I have to say, reading the original work made my face flush.]
Jiang Chenyan: “…”
Can someone please format this idiot system?
…
Only Jiang Chenyan and Qi Bai were left outside. The light in the corridor was softer than inside, casting a golden rim around their hair.
Qi Bai looked sideways at Jiang Chenyan, his voice still icy. “I thought you would be smarter.”
He hadn’t expected Jiang Chenyan to take such a hard stance, leaving no room for negotiation.
Jiang Chenyan sneered and leaned against the wall. “Would going soft make them bow their heads?”
“Senior, if you have something to say, say it directly.”
A layer of frost covered Qi Baiâs eyes, as cold and indifferent as the man himself. “Xie Huaijin won’t let you off.”
He paused, believing Jiang Chenyan was truly overestimating himself. “Taking it this far… do you intend to make the whole school your enemy?”
The wind from the window gap blew into the corridor, carrying a bit of chill.
Jiang Chenyan pursed his lips and didn’t respond.
Seeing his silence, Qi Bai calmly declared the ending he had already envisioned: “In two weeks at most, you won’t be able to hold on.”
Jiang Chenyan knew clearly that Qi Bai was reminding him, but only reminding him. He wouldn’t meddle in other people’s business.
The coldness that permanently clung to Qi Baiâs features and the lack of extra warmth in his speech made him distant. Jiang Chenyan could have memorized the book and still not understood what kind of person he was.
The two parted on bad terms. Jiang Chenyan sent a message to Shen Shiyue, saying he was heading back first.
At this hour, most students were napping. Jiang Chenyan retrieved the pheromone converter from the grass.
Back in the dorm, he carefully placed the converter in the bedside drawer and locked it.
He collapsed onto the bed, not even bothering to take off his shoes, and fell fast asleep.
When he woke up, the sky was already dim. He was still alone in the dorm; Shen Shiyue hadn’t returned.
The more he thought about it, the more he couldn’t sit still. He grabbed his coat and headed out, specifically taking a narrow, rarely used alleyway as a shortcut.
Halfway there, a sharp pain suddenly came from the back of his neck, as if struck by something hard. Jiang Chenyan didn’t even get a chance to see the assailant before his vision went black and a sack was thrown over his head.
He was pushed into an elevator. The numbers climbed, eventually stopping near the top floor.
The moment the sack was removed, he scanned the area by the dim light from the window. He estimated they were at least ten floors up.
The door opened and he was shoved inside. He froze. In his line of sight was a massive water pool taking up most of the room.
Before he could react, his ankle was suddenly gripped by an icy hand.
His body stiffened. Just as he was about to bend down and break free, he was violently yanked backward, falling into the water.
With a loud “Plop!”, the bone-chilling water instantly swallowed him.
He wanted to curse out loud.
He suddenly kicked out, striking the person who grabbed him. He seemed to have hit the mark, as the other person let out a muffled groan.
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