When Owen addressed Yan Huan, Ye Shiyu narrowed her eyes slightly.
She realized that almost everyone else included "President" when addressing Xiao Huan. Only Owen called him by his first na.
These subtle forms of address, actions, and expressions were actually subjective signals released by a person:
Signals of rejection.
"Gongzi, does Xiao Huan not get along with your boyfriend?"
The mont Ye Shiyu asked, Gongzi smiled awkwardly beside her and replied.
"It is not really that they do not get along. If I had to pinpoint a reason, it might have sothing to do with the Student Council election last sester."
"Did Owen also run for the Student Council this term?"
"Yes, but he lost to President Yan."
Gongzi tapped her chin with her index finger and guessed.
"The Far Moon Student Council is elected at the beginning of the school year, so in theory, freshn who just enrolled can also run. However, there has never been a precedent for a freshman to be elected; it has always been the upperclassn from the Inner Campus in their second, third, or fourth years.
"Perhaps because of this, so of the senior students from the Inner Campus felt a bit uncomfortable, especially since the managent team President Yan later nominated was almost entirely from the Outer Campus.
"Fortunately, he chose Sakuramiya Hitomi as the vice president later on, otherwise..."
Ye Shiyu did not finish listening to Gongzi's words. Instead, she had already picked out the extraneous parts of her statent like removing bones from a fish.
She only heard one thing:
This person had a problem with Xiao Huan.
'Having a problem with Xiao Huan ans having a problem with , and if you have a problem with , then do not bla
for ruthlessly controlling you.'
Thinking this, the gaze she directed at Owen below once again lost its human warmth.
"Whoosh..."
At this mont, dark clouds gradually gathered above Linn, tinging the air with a thick, damp chill.
Below, Owen suddenly felt a chill run down his spine for so unknown reason.
But the next second, a wave of warmth surged into his heart, causing him to rub the back of his head in confusion.
He glanced at the dark clouds in the sky and thought to himself.
'So it is about to rain.'
Linn had recently entered its rainy season, so rain was a common occurrence.
The Little Finger on An Le's shoulder flicked its tongue, looking at the warm halo radiating around Owen. It was clearly getting a bit greedy.
But after glancing at An Le beside it, it sighed speechlessly.
"President."
A Student Council referee walked up from the side. Yan Huan glanced at the ti on his stopwatch and grumbled inwardly.
'10.02 seconds... In my previous life, the world record set by Usain Bolt was only 9.58. Owen is just a college student. Is he even human?'
Myau-chan quietly materialized on his shoulder, glanced at Yan Huan, and spoke.
"This is because he carries a certain amount of Fate, ow. One manifestation of Fate is exactly this: talent beyond ordinary people."
"I think I heard you ntion that before?"
Myau-chan nodded and replied.
"Yes, I said that the hosts chosen by the Modifiers are all girls possessing Fate. Moreover, by targeting people with Fate, they obtain more Desire as sustenance."
"That sounds a bit too mystical, doesn't it?"
"It is just a term to help you understand better. Essentially, it is an intangible concept that combines luck, talent, and personality."
Myau-chan swished his tail, exhaling a golden, illusory light in front of Yan Huan.
"Have you not noticed that even without the Modifiers, the abilities of these hosts are extrely outstanding?
"Think about yourself. Not only did you return from the dead, but you also have perfect looks, unmatched intelligence, and endless vigor... All of these are manifestations of powerful Fate."
Thinking about it carefully, it really did seem like what Myau-chan said.
Even setting aside the Modifier and her family background, Ye Shiyu could practically be Ip Man; she knew a little bit about absolutely everything.
The sa went for Spencer. She had strong athletic talent and was extrely sensitive to emotions.
Bai Yi could even compose two songs by herself in a very short amount of ti...
All of these were manifestations of strong Fate.
But Yan Huan suddenly thought of sothing and asked.
"According to what you said, shouldn't An Le also have Fate? Why does it feel like she doesn't have any outstanding traits?"
"Hmm, maybe it has sothing to do with that Modifier being forced to change hosts, ow?"
Myau-chan blinked, looking at Yan Huan as he spoke.
"The amount of Fate on that Tong Yingying is massive, even much more than this Owen right in front of us."
"..."
'Sister Tong?'
'That alcoholic?'
'Seriously?'
Yan Huan was half-believing and half-doubting, but he did not dwell on it. He simply snapped back to reality and shifted his gaze to Owen in front of him.
Glancing at the furious Spencer beside him, he figured she must have acutely sensed Owen's negative emotions towards her, which triggered a direct stress response.
After pondering for a second, he looked at Owen and spoke.
"Club President Owen, you know you are tricking Spencer, right? According to the rules of the Club War, private bets outside of the official draw are not allowed."
Owen looked at Yan Huan, nodded, and said with a smile.
"I know that, but I never intended to take their points in the first place."
An Le, who was hugging Spencer from behind, paused slightly and asked in confusion.
"Then why did you..."
Owen rely walked toward Spencer and chuckled.
"I just simply find you annoying, Spencer."
"Tch!!"
Feeling the contempt and mockery packaged beneath his sunny smile, veins bulged on Spencer's forehead. It seed like An Le wouldn't be able to hold her back for another second.
But the next second, just as Owen was about to walk past Yan Huan, Yan Huan gently reached out and pressed down on Owen's shoulder.
Owen tried to lightly pull away but surprisingly couldn't break free from his grip. He cast an astonished glance at Yan Huan, whose body was wrapped in a sun-protective jacket.
Yan Huan also turned his head, his gaze eting Owen's.
"..."
Owen thought for a second, then smiled at Spencer and said.
"Spencer, I train in long-distance running, and you are not a professional. We can call it even on that front.
"As for the boys versus girls thing, I know that when it cos to fighting, relying on explosive power and strength, those guys are no match for you. So, let's just drop this issue with , alright?"
Spencer frowned. In front of her, Owen's smile slowly faded as he continued.
"I didn't beat you for any other reason. Out of respect for Yan Huan, I am just giving you a reminder: show a little restraint. Don't be too domineering."
"..."
He pointed a finger at Spencer and stated.
"The Jinshi Group is powerful, but this is Linn, not Ying Country. You aren't the only big player around here."
"What does this have to do with my family?!"
"Then that is perfect. Neither of us will rely on our families; we will let the Club War decide the winner. I will be waiting for you in the finals. We will compete again through a direct draw then, how about it?"
Having said his piece, Owen turned his head to Yan Huan and asked.
"Are you satisfied with that, Yan Huan?"
Yan Huan didn't reply; he rely released his shoulder. Owen muttered a "Thanks."
Imdiately after, he turned and walked toward the stands.
Up in the stands, the students from the Inner Campus erupted into cheers, swarming around him like they were welcoming a triumphant general.
"It had to be Club President Owen! He completely crushed Spencer's spirit in that race!"
"Aweso! I just love seeing Spencer get taken down a peg!!"
"..."
Yan Huan cast a glance in that direction before turning back to Spencer, who had been released by An Le. Her sky-blue eyes simultaneously looked back at him.
Because Yan Huan had gradually grown accustod to wearing a mask when dealing with hosts.
But at this mont, he suddenly thought of sothing.
His facial expression faltered slightly before returning to natural.
Consequently, his trademark smile vanished, leaving his expression rather faint and unreadable.
Spencer stared at him. After a second of silence, her gaze darted away, and she pouted, muttering softly.
"Thanks for helping ..."
Yan Huan watched her, checking once again to see if that inexplicable sense of disgust arose within his heart.
Sure enough, there was nothing at all.
An Le ran over with a face full of relief, still chattering endlessly about the Club War, completely oblivious to the exchange of glances between the two in front of her.
"Thank goodness we had your help, Xiao Huan. It is about to rain, which will probably affect the competitions. We are currently ranked exactly eighth. If we had lost even one more point, we wouldn't have made it to the second round..."
Spencer secretly stole a glance at An Le, only just belatedly rembering the matter of the Club War.
"Yeah, right!"
Seeing this, Yan Huan smiled slightly. Without lying, he simply said.
"Just fulfilling my duties as the Student Council President."
"..."
Spencer remained silent. After thinking for a mont, she pulled a small pig-shaped cookie from her pocket and shoved it into his hand.
"Sothing tasty for you..."
Yan Huan froze for a mont before reaching out to accept it.
anwhile, An Le blinked, looking at Spencer on her left, then at Yan Huan on her right.
Finally, she shifted her gaze down to the small cookie in his hand.
The Little Finger coiled around her neck imdiately gave a deadpan stare and grumbled.
"Wait a minute, why does it feel like the atmosphere has beco a bit ambiguous?"
Spencer belatedly glanced at An Le beside her. Feeling a guilty conscience, she pulled out another cookie and handed it over.
"Sothing tasty for you too..."
"Ah, thank you, Spencer!"
Looking at the cookie being offered to her, the confusion on An Le's face instantly vanished, replaced by a bright smile.
"It is just your imagination, Little Finger. Look, Spencer gave one to
too!"
"Heh."
Yan Huan glanced at the current weather, thinking to himself that today's Club War would probably have to be suspended.
He took out his mobile phone, opened Plane, and tagged Sakuramiya Hitomi in the group chat, asking her to notify the various departnts to prepare to call it a day.
But after tagging her several tis without any response, he raised an eyebrow.
Yurianna: "President, it seems Sakuramiya had so family matters today and didn't co to school! I will go notify the other departnts!"
'She didn't co?'
Yan Huan: "Alright, thanks for the trouble."
Then he sent a cat emoji.
He put away his phone and looked up at the sky.
It was going to rain again.
As an artificial mariti city, Linn's area was actually constantly expanding.
The oldest regions were the South Ward, Luoqiao District, and Kyogo Ward; the rest of the new districts were completely man-made.
The only exceptions were the four outer islands surrounding Linn, which were natural islands originally rising from the sea.
Because of this, the outer islands possessed many natural landscapes absent from the main island of Linn. Yan Huan's elentary school frequently organized field trips to these outer islands.
At this mont, on Vermilion Bird Outer Island, Linn.
"Crash..."
The fierce winds over the sea swept curtains of rain against the coastal reefs. Beyond the beach, past the lush greenery swaying violently in the wind, lay the urban area of Vermilion Bird Outer Island.
Inside the city, on the ninth floor of a hotel.
Nara hurriedly walked out of Room 0927, dragging a suitcase. As she walked, she put on her sunglasses and a face mask.
Her phone beeped constantly in her hand. A text ssage from an unknown contact stood out glaringly:
"The Red-Haired Demon is coming for you, run!"
"..."
Nara glanced at her phone and, not daring to linger, quickened her pace.
The roar of the rain outside was deafening, and the gloomy weather brought down Nara's mood.
"Tch... it really is true that it never rains but it pours. Of all the tis, why did it have to rain now?"
Just as she was anxiously heading toward the elevator, the ergency stairwell door ahead suddenly opened, and two burly n walked out.
On the necks of the two n, just above their collars, wing tattoos were distinctly visible.
They glanced at Nara in front of them and asked.
"Excuse , which way is Room 0927?"
Beneath her sunglasses, Nara blinked and pointed behind her.
"That way."
"Alright, thanks."
Nara stepped aside, allowing the two of them to pass.
Just as Nara breathed a sigh of relief and prepared to walk past them, one of the burly n suddenly glanced back at her.
He suddenly caught sight of the top of a tattoo peeking out from the back of Nara's neck.
His expression shifted slightly as he imdiately shouted out loud.
"It is her! Sakayori Mina!!" But the very next second, a suitcase smashed violently into his face, sending him crashing to the floor.
"Fuck!"
Before the other burly man could react, Nara delivered a fierce kick to his abdon. The blow made his eyes roll back as he dropped to his knees, clutching his stomach.
Nara didn't look back; she simply sprinted wildly toward the elevator.
"Ding~"
"Ninth floor."
By perfect timing, the elevator doors had just opened.
Nara sprinted all the way, diving straight into the elevator and leaning against the back wall, gasping for breath.
"Whirrr..."
As the elevator doors closed, Nara breathed a sigh of relief. Leaning against the wall, she took out her phone and sent a ssage to the unknown contact.
"I am running as fast as I can! The first floor is definitely blocked off; I have to find a way out from another floor."
After sending it, she finally relaxed a little.
Looking up, she suddenly realized there was a person wearing a baseball cap standing inside the elevator.
The person didn't turn around. rely staring at the elevator buttons, they reached out a hand and asked.
"Which floor are you going to?"
"..."
"How about the eighteenth level of hell?"
"Where is there an eighteenth level of..."
Mid-sentence, Nara suddenly froze.
As if realizing sothing, she hastily raised her gaze to the person in the baseball cap staring at the buttons.
After a careful look, Nara vaguely noticed a few strands of red hair spilling out from beneath the baseball cap.
Upon seeing that crimson hair, her pupils contracted, and she was so terrified that she scrambled back into the corner.
The person simply pressed a random button and pulled off the baseball cap.
A mane of rose-red hair cascaded down, revealing an emotionless face as she turned her head.
It was none other than Tong Yingying.
"What, long ti no see, don't you recognize
anymore? Sakayori Mina."
Nara stayed completely silent, but the very next second, she struck.
Tong Yingying let out a sinister smile. Her right leg blurred into a shadow as she accurately pinned Nara's wrist against the wall with her foot.
"Bang!!"
The entire elevator shook violently.
"Crack-crack-crack!"
Nara's face drained of color from the pain, and the knife she had drawn clattered onto the floor.
"Little fox, still only relying on these petty tricks... Speak. How did you get word that I was coming to catch you? Soone by my side has been contacting you privately, haven't they?"
"..."
Tong Yingying wasn't surprised when Nara refused to answer. She rely beckoned with her finger and said.
"Co. Beat , and I will let you walk away today."
"It's a deal?"
Tong Yingying smiled disdainfully and replied.
"It's a deal."
"Ding-dong, Level B1."
"Crash!!"
In the underground parking lot, the elevator doors had barely opened.
Nara took a brutal elbow strike squarely to the chest and was hurled out of the elevator, bruised and battered.
She barely managed to stabilize herself in mid-air, landing with a beautiful spin, only to find a shadow already looming over her.
Tong Yingying, without a single wrinkle in her clothes and her face full of bloodlust, had already lunged right in front of her!
Nara's pupils contracted slightly, forced into taking the offensive.
A high kick sliced through the air with a whistling sound, aiming straight for the head of Tong Yingying, who had just closed the distance.
"Swish, swish!"
Tong Yingying's eyes didn't even blink, but her right hand moved as if it had a mind of its own, completely seeing through Nara's attack and rising to et the incoming right leg.
Her palm caught Nara's full-force kick, yet Tong Yingying's body didn't sway an inch; only the crimson hair framing her cheeks fluttered slightly.
"You..."
Seeing her kick caught effortlessly with one hand, Nara couldn't hold back her shock.
"Heh~"
Nara imdiately tried to use the montum for a front kick with her other leg to create distance, but Tong Yingying smirked dismissively. Her left hand shot up, thrusting straight toward Nara's face.
Nara went pale and was forced to abandon her counterattack. She frantically raised both hands, gripping Tong Yingying's wrist tightly to prevent the hand from advancing further.
However, she was completely overpowered by the trendous force behind that arm. Losing her center of gravity entirely, she was slamd straight into the ground.
"Bang!!"
A muffled thud rang out as she hit the floor. The tiled floor cracked slightly, and a sharp, excruciating pain shot up Nara's back.
What was more fatal was that despite using both hands, Nara couldn't stop Tong Yingying's single arm. She was grabbed by the throat and pinned firmly to the ground.
"Cough... I surrender... I surrender... Sister Tong, your skills are superior, I admit defeat..."
Nara slowly let go of the hand pinning her neck and forced a smile.
"...But at the end of the day, is it really necessary for us to fight to the death the mont we see each other?"
"What do you think?"
Tong Yingying stared at her expressionlessly, slowly increasing the pressure of her grip.
"Our old scores haven't even been settled yet. Not only did you not run away, but you actually dared to secretly monitor my employee with caras? Scheming against a college student, and even daring to install surveillance outside his ho?
"And then getting caught red-handed to provoke , huh? I think you are tired of living, Sakayori Mina."
Nara's eyes widened. She pointed at herself, her face the very picture of irrepressible innocence.
"It wasn't ! It's not ! I didn't do it!"
"Cut the bullshit excuses. Did you place those caras or not?!"
"I did, but I really don't like college boys... You know , I prefer older, more mature n!!"
Nara was on the verge of tears. She was truly swallowing a bitter pill in silence, unable to speak out about her grievances.
She worked diligently day in and day out helping the Eldest Miss with everything. Now that things blew up, she had to stop fleeing for her life just to cover for her...
And now, to make matters worse, Tong Yingying mistakenly believed she was so female pervert stalking and monitoring a college boy.
'Eldest Miss, how are you going to repay
for what I am going through right now?!'
"Not you?! Then who is it? Who have you been working for while you've been on the run?"
"No... nobody..."
"Who are you trying to fool? If nobody was helping you, and you hadn't even left Linn, do you really think I wouldn't be able to find you?!"
The pressure on Nara's throat was making her face grow increasingly pale, but she knew she absolutely could not show vulnerability or pain.
Because Tong Yingying was the type who would only get more excited the more she saw her victim suffer.
If she showed pain and begged for rcy...
Her life would truly be over.
Nara was being choked so hard she was seeing stars, her vision starting to blur.
However, she just gritted her teeth and yelled out.
"Tong Yingying!! You know full well that Mama Bai's death had nothing to do with !! I am also looking for the killer!! I refuse to believe no one in the gang ever told you!"
Tong Yingying took a deep breath. She stared at her in silence for a mont before earnestly admitting.
"That's right... I know."
Nara's eyes lit up slightly, as if she had finally found a path to survival.
"So, Sister Tong, there's absolutely no need for you to..."
But the next second, Tong Yingying smiled faintly, leaning closer to Nara, and grinned sinisterly.
"But what can I do? I just happen to really like a certain kid lately, like him way too much. And it just so happens that there is a female pervert lusting after him, so I have no choice but to go out of my way to deal with her properly."
"What... what kind of bullshit reason is that?! You old ox eating tender grass! You just still can't get over the past!!"
Tong Yingying, surprisingly sincere, nodded and said.
"You're right. Not only can I not get over the past, but I am also going to be an old ox eating tender grass... Rather than criticizing my private life, you'd better think carefully about what you are going to do, Sakayori Mina.
"If you don't confess what happened the night Mama Bai was murdered, where you have been all this ti, and who you have been working for, you will be reincarnating as tender grass today."
But even still, Nara rely gritted her teeth and didn't say a word.
"What a pity..."
Just as Tong Yingying sighed and the pressure from her hand gradually reached a lethal level.
From behind, a crisp voice suddenly rang out.
"Let her go! She has been working for
all this ti!!"
Inside the underground parking lot, that voice echoed through the space.
Tong Yingying raised an eyebrow and turned her head to look behind her.
She saw Sakuramiya Hitomi dressed in cherry blossom attire, frowning and glaring coldly at her. Behind the girl stood several bodyguards.
Nara's expression changed drastically, and she exclaid.
"Eldest Miss! Why are you here?!"
"Eldest Miss?"
Tong Yingying mulled over the title as her hand slowly released Nara's neck, her eyes turning toward Sakuramiya Hitomi.
"Are you the Red-Haired Demon?"
Hearing the na, Tong Yingying glanced back at the innocent-looking Nara.
Ignoring her for the mont, Tong Yingying rolled her shoulder and replied.
"What of it?"
But Sakuramiya Hitomi showed no fear. She took a step forward, looking straight at Tong Yingying.
"I am Sakuramiya Hitomi of the Sakuramiya family, Nara's employer during this period! And the person who asked her to install those caras was none other than !"
"...Oh, so you are the female pervert who made Yan Huan run to
like a sad, broken-hearted puppy begging for comfort that day."
"Begging for comfort?"
Seeing Sakuramiya Hitomi taken aback, Tong Yingying smiled faintly, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it.
Glancing at Sakuramiya Hitomi, Tong Yingying's eyes beca hazy amidst the swirling smoke.
"That's right. He was so incredibly heartbroken, crying non-stop in my arms... I had no choice but to comfort him properly."
Sakuramiya Hitomi's face paled as ominous images started forming in her mind.
She clenched her fists tightly, her voice trembling as she asked.
"H-how did you comfort him...?"
Tong Yingying exhaled a ring of smoke and gave a light smile.
"Co to think of it, the weather that day was exactly like today... It was raining outside, a lone man and a lone woman sharing a room together. How else would I comfort him? Tch, speaking of which, I even forgot to prepare a cond—"
"Stop talking!!"
Sakuramiya Hitomi's face turned completely white. Gritting her teeth and waving her hand, she sternly cut her off.
Tong Yingying's droopy eyes watched her expression of agony, obvious amusent crossing her own face.
Behind her, Nara, who was still lying on the floor, saw this and her expression changed. She hurriedly spoke up to warn her.
"Eldest Miss! Don't listen to her!! She has been a virgin for ten thousand years. There's no way she'd be that bold... Ouch!!"
Before she could even finish, Tong Yingying's face darkened, and she brutally stomped her back onto the ground. She sneered and said.
"I haven't even settled the score with you for calling
the 'Red-Haired Demon', Sakayori Mina... I don't care what kind of employer you found. Did you really think you were walking out of here today?"
"Nara!"
Sakuramiya Hitomi turned pale and stepped forward, but Tong Yingying, without even turning her head, instantly raised a gun and aid it straight at her.
"Eldest Miss, don't move!!"
The bodyguards behind her all drew their weapons, pointing them at Tong Yingying.
But Tong Yingying wasn't intimidated in the slightest. With a malicious grin, she kept her foot firmly planted on Nara's stomach and stared at Sakuramiya Hitomi.
"Little girl, Sakayori Mina has a criminal record back ho. There's no way you could have legally hired her. If I am not mistaken, her identity with you is off the books, right?
"Allow
to ask: does your family know you have kept such a cunning little fox by your side?"
'This woman...'
'Has she already guessed it?'
Sakuramiya Hitomi furrowed her brows, already sensing just how troubleso Tong Yingying was.
However, outwardly, she rely gave a cold scoff, refusing to reveal even the slightest weakness.
"With the power of the Sakuramiya family, what does wiping a small criminal record an? Furthermore, I am the direct daughter of the Sakuramiya family; no one at ho will object to whoever I decide to hire."
"Is that so..."
Tong Yingying was noncommittal, making it unclear whether she believed her or not.
Just as Sakuramiya Hitomi's mind was racing, trying to figure out a way to break the deadlock, her phone rang.
"Ring-ring-ring~"
It was a call from Plane.
She paused slightly, lowering her head to pull out her phone, instinctively wanting to decline the call.
But as she caught a glimpse of the phone screen from the corner of her eye, she suddenly froze.
"Ring-ring-ring~"
The phone kept ringing. Tong Yingying, holding the gun up, said sowhat impatiently.
"Little kid, don't you know you should mute your phone when talking business?"
"..."
Sakuramiya Hitomi gulped, then turned her phone screen to face Tong Yingying.
The caller ID clearly displayed the na of the person calling:
President.
"...President?"
Tong Yingying muttered the title, her expression shifting slightly.
anwhile, although Sakuramiya Hitomi's face remained pale, the corners of her lips curled up slightly. Looking at Tong Yingying, she gave a light chuckle and said.
"That is right...
"It is a call from Yan Huan."
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