The orange-yellow lights flickered as quite a few people waited by the elevator entrance.
"What's going on, why isn't it here yet?" the woman with golden short hair frowned deeply, showing her impatience.
"Don't know, Lina, huh~" Her companion yawned, her attention still on the prank video she scrolled through on her personal terminal.
"Ahahaha, look how funny this guy is..." Her exaggerated laughter mixed with the noise from the terminal, causing the people around them to frown.
"Let see."
Lina leaned over, and the two of them comnted on the characters in the video, satisfying so illusory sense of superiority.
[Elevator access has been restored and operation will resu shortly. Please wait a mont, residents.]
After a long sequence of flashing lights, a broadcast finally ca from the ceiling.
"After waiting over ten minutes, it's finally working."
"Probably because so large spaceship landed. Ground control," a veteran resident speculated.
"But can a large spaceship be loaded and unloaded so quickly? I rember it takes at least an hour."
"Hard to say. Maybe it's sothing else, like that ti 'Fla Sugar' Prin Coco ca over, they had control for half an hour until her flight pod descended underground."
"Never mind that, let's get in. It's probably going to be crowded now." The crowd entered the elevator.
Outside the massive Skylight of Payin City, a flying vessel resembling a grey giant bird landed on the ground, the rotating vector nozzles below dispersing a cloud of dust until it finally ca to a steady halt and the engines died down.
Soon after, a squad of soldiers in white exoskeleton armor quickly deployed, securing and sealing off the area around the vessel.
So people erged from the elevator around the Skylight and, due to the temporary lockdown, gathered by the fence to watch the grey vessel.
Its wings were wide and slate-grey, and the sturdy body was extrely well armored. This was a military flyer from within the Federation, not a new model but not one just anyone could call upon either.
"Which big shot has arrived now? Normally, the use of such transport would be logged within the Federation. Even high-ranking officials wouldn't do this—they just use their private planes," soone remarked.
"No idea. For a small place like Payin City, the last notable event was 'Prin Coco' visiting two months ago. Lots of people envied her then." Soone raised their personal terminal to take pictures and started chatting.
Elevators by the Skylight opened and closed continuously as another group of people erged.
"Ugh, annoying, having to squeeze together with all these disgusting n," two girls who stepped out of the elevator complained, covering their mouths and noses in disgust.
"What happened over there, why are so many people gathering?" talked one of the girls, pulling Lina with her to see.
"Probably so kind of maintenance, that's what you get with small places like this. Once I have money, I'm definitely moving to the south side," Lina said, waving her hand in irritation, clearly disdainful of places like Payin City. She considered herself worldly, and it was inconceivable that she would end up mixing with these lower-class people.
Ever since she had been unmasked and fled from that gathering, she had been boiling with resentnt for the past two months, eager to leave this place.
She couldn't stand even a second more, it was so repulsive, she thought over and over again.
As for the incident that day, she never thought she was wrong, but instead blad it on Hexia hiding so many tricks up her sleeve and even bringing in reinforcents. How could she argue alone against so many classmates? It was sheer bullying, and she was the victim.
"Just you wait. I bet you didn't even get into Irene Academy. Even if those classmates still rember old ties, in a few years, who will care about you? If it weren't for the thought that you might beco a doctor one day, and they might need your help in the future, who would care about you, the cornered jar with such a devious mind," she thought bitterly more than once.
Just the thought of graduating and joining an enviable corporation while Hexia remained confined to the lower areas of Payin City filled her with a sense of pleasure, and her distress subsided a little.
While the two were asking people nearby about the situation outside, soone suddenly shouted, "Look, there go three cars!"
The locked armored surface on the ground rose and opened, and three Hover Cars passed by the Skylight, heading for the parked vessel.
The first and last vehicles were likely for protection, while the middle one seed to carry an important person.
Suddenly, Lina caught a glimpse of a silhouette flashing by inside one of the Hover Cars. Although it was not very clear due to the dark tinted glass, it still brought to mind a na she loathed.
No way, I must be seeing things. It must be because these days have been too hard. Ah, if only I had listened to 'his' persuasion and moved to the South Third District earlier. But without 'his' help renting a place there, it would be too costly to move myself. I might as well wait until school starts in a few days.
Ever since that day, Senqueerde had been facing one trouble after another at work, which led to him acting much colder towards Lina, even getting impatient. However, Lina made sure to keep her situation confidential through her friends, so Senqueerde was unaware of the source of his misfortunes.
Standing there, Lina began to daydream again about her wonderful high school life ahead, moving to the warm and comfortable south, not having to live in the Northern Hemisphere battered by toxic rain, perhaps eting so wealthy young heir... Such anticipation. And then rembering Hexia, stuck in Payin City without having gotten into the Academy, she felt an urge to laugh.
Indeed, her choices were correct. These thoughts were sweet like honey, fuelling her disdain for those rigid peers who couldn't let loose.
Finally, the three cars ca to a slow stop under the flyer, and the doors gently lifted.
"Look, who is that?" the astonished voice of a passerby interrupted Lina's blissful daydream.
"Such a beautiful girl, it's a pity we can only see her from behind." Soone was holding a high-definition cara, recording the scene. Many people crowded around to watch, and Lina squeezed in too.
Because they were quite far away and the cara was shaking, they couldn't always get a clear view of the girl alighting from the car. They could only glimpse her gray hair and snowy white dress. When she tried to lift her suitcase, a staff mber stopped her and helped to lift it for her.
"She seems to be saying thank you. How adorable," the bystanders chattered while watching the footage.
As Lina watched the girl in the white dress, surrounded by people like a princess, jealousy writhed within her like a venomous snake, driving her mad.
Why, why does this girl, who is like a block of wood and doesn't know how to please others, and is as timid as a mouse, receive so much love, while I get publicly berated and pointed at!
She must be deceiving everyone. Yes, people like her are the best at fooling others. I was so naive to have been fooled by her act before. It seems she hooked up with so big shot long ago...
Heh, just watch. Once I find out who you've clung to, and I send them the nasty stories and pictures from back in school, I'll see if they beco disillusioned. n always say they don't mind a girl's past, but they're all so petty. I want to drive a wedge between you two and see your relationship crumble.
Afterwards, the girl boarded the large aircraft that was docked, and the white-armored soldiers who had sealed off the area dispersed. Then, with the ignition of the jets, a trendous roar sounded on the ground. Blue flas rushed out fiercely, lifting the heavy and sturdy aircraft slowly into the sky, then it sailed towards the clear blue expanse above.
On the aircraft, Hexia sat by the window, watching the Skylight below becoming gradually smaller, her fingertips gliding across the glass.
"Hello, Miss Hexia, this is the family and residential protection arrangent provided by the Federal Governnt. If you find it agreeable, please sign here," said a woman dressed in a white military uniform, showing her the text and information on a recording tablet.
Because people with the Songstress Talent were so rare, the Federal Governnt had passed relevant laws and policies hundreds of years ago to offer certain protections for those with such Talents, which included the families and living environnts of the Songstresses. However, Hexia's family consisted only of herself, and the protection needed was just for that old house.
After signing, Hexia handed the recording tablet back to the female officer, thinking the matter was concluded. However, it seed the officer had more to discuss with her.
"Moreover, regarding your previous life, the Federal side has also arranged for the confidentiality of records, and those of the school and related personnel. In the process of investigation and data collection, we also discovered so special circumstances."
She then scrolled through the tablet to show the information on Lina, her several companions, and Senqueerde.
"As for those who have previously insulted you, and fabricated and spread rumors and lies, we will deal with them seriously."
"Those people..." In truth, if not for this female investigator's ntion, she had almost forgotten them.
It could be said that after graduating, she rarely had any interaction with those people since she no longer needed to go to school.
"Let them off this ti for the minor offenses. I know they were wrong, but to be overly harsh because of would be bullying by taking advantage of my position, which would be no different from their own conduct," she said slowly, shaking her head as her eyes turned towards the window.
"Let bygones be bygones. I don't want to delve into such matters anymore."
"As you wish," the female investigator bowed respectfully, perhaps also in admiration of the young Songstress's kindness.
Then she stood up straight and placed the recording tablet on her waist.
"Even though you no longer care, so punishnt is necessary, especially for the two main culprits. If we let them go, it would be a disrespect to the laws of the Federation, and we would have a difficult ti explaining it to the Governor of the Star Domain and our superiors."
Seeing that the young girl seed hesitant, the investigator continued, "Please rest assured, Miss Hexia, such punishnt is completely reasonable and will not affect your reputation."
"Then thank you for your efforts," Hexia nodded in response.
Not long after, the iron-gray aircraft entered the stratosphere and slowly disappeared into the distance in the sky.
On the ground, the blockade outside the Skylight was lifted, and people gradually dispersed, still discussing who the fleeting girl could have been. At that mont, a personal terminal in Lina's hand suddenly rang.
"Darling~" Seeing the na on the screen, Lina quickly adopted a delicate and tender tone.
"Cut the crap. Tell what exactly you did at the class reunion, and why even the company president is calling my superior to have fired!"
"If it weren't because I had a good relationship with my boss before, he might not have even told the reason!"
"Uh, that day, it was just a regular class reunion, nothing special," Lina still tried to cover up.
"Heh, you think I would believe that now?"
"Let tell you, Lina, the recomndation I made for you to attend the Turbulence Yi Academy, I made the call, I wrote the recomndation letter. Just as I can make a single phone call to have them withdraw their offer of admission, I can also say I was wrong about you before and ask them to cancel your qualifications. After all, you haven't officially enrolled yet and without a student record, it's very convenient!"
"No, it's not like that. Listen to my explanation..." Lina covered her personal terminal while uttering all sorts of exaggerated descriptions, attempting to twist the story in her favor.
However, after she finished speaking, the personal terminal abruptly hung up, and soon after, a ssage appeared on her screen.
"We regret to inform you, Miss Lina, that due to the notification from the Federal Planetary Investigation Bureau, your character severely fails to et our admission standards, therefore your admission is canceled. Please do not contact our academy again..."
"How... can this be... I am supposed to be superior... I should be the one looking down on that person... why..." Lina leaned against the wall, her face filled with disbelief.
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