Reboot Arc — Chapter 256: Shiyan and I Are on the Same Team!

“An ace?” Mo Xing patted his chest. “How do you walk without making a sound? You scared me half to death!”

“There is a sound when I walk. I simply conceal it.” Zhang Zhihao smiled calmly, then walked past Mo Xing and gave Mentor Chen Muci a slight bow. “Good morning, Mentor Muci.”

Before Zhang Zhihao could finish, Mentor Chen Muci sprang forward and embraced him, her face alight with joy.

“Little Zhang, it’s been ages! I’ve missed you terribly!” Mentor Chen Muci exclaimed.

“I only finished your class this morning,” Zhang Zhihao said flatly. “Also, Mentor, you’re being a little too enthusiastic. People might get the wrong idea if they see this.”

“Who cares? Anyone with an objection can come fight me!” Mentor Chen Muci replied with a smile.

“No, no, I wouldn’t dare object.” Mo Xing suddenly blurted it out from beside them.

The moment the words left his mouth, he regretted them.

He had no idea why he had said that without thinking, and now both of them were staring at him curiously.

“Little Mo Xing, you’re adorable,” Mentor Chen Muci said with a smile.

“Indeed.” Zhang Zhihao smiled as well.

“Uh...” Mo Xing was at a loss for words.

“Everyone, please assemble at Arena Seven.”

A voice suddenly rang beside Mo Xing’s ears. He looked around, only to realize that it was not coming from a loudspeaker. Apart from Zhang Zhihao and Mentor Chen Muci, there was no one nearby.

Where had that voice come from?

“Mentor Su Yunzhou has released the Sound Domain,” Zhang Zhihao explained, as though he had seen through Mo Xing’s thoughts.

“The Sound Domain?” Mo Xing was utterly confused. “What’s that?”

“A domain skill that alters the volume and method of sound transmission,” Mentor Chen Muci explained. “Do you remember the day the results of the freshman assessment were announced?”

“I remember. It wasn’t that long ago.” Mo Xing nodded.

“On that enormous plaza, the mentors didn’t use loudspeakers. They transmitted their message to you through the Sound Domain.”

“Oh... I understand now.” Mo Xing suddenly saw the light. “So it’s basically a skill with a built-in loudspeaker function!”

“More or less, but the Sound Domain is far more complicated than that.” Zhang Zhihao patted Mo Xing on the shoulder. “We’ll discuss it another time. Let’s go assemble first.”

“Oh... all right!” Mo Xing had been about to continue asking questions, but Zhang Zhihao had effortlessly suppressed his curiosity.

Never mind. He could ask about it properly next time.

A short while later.

More than a hundred people had gathered at Arena Seven. Their faces were adorned with all kinds of makeup, and their appearances varied widely, but they shared one common trait: every one of them was an elite of Sacred Sky Royal Academy!

Of course, Mo Xing was the exception.

Mo Xing smiled bitterly inwardly. He was merely a little nobody wedged among one powerful person after another, like a speck of dust floating in the air—unnecessary, and faintly inferior.

“Hey, Mo Xing! You’re here too!”

A familiar voice came from beside him. Mo Xing hurriedly turned around and saw Shi Yan smiling faintly at him.

Shi Yan wore a light-gray T-shirt with a wide neckline beneath a goose-yellow cardigan. Her long black hair was braided behind her head, and a glimmer of liveliness flickered in her deep-blue eyes.

“Ah... it’s been a long time, Shi Yan!” Mo Xing scratched his head. “You look really pretty today.”

“Haha, thank you!” Shi Yan smiled, then asked, “Which group are you in?”

“Well... I’m not sure. I came with Zhang Zhihao and the others...” Mo Xing gestured to the side, only to discover that Zhang Zhihao and Mentor Chen Muci had vanished.

“Where did they go?” Mo Xing exclaimed in shock. Had he somehow lost himself while following them?

“You’re in President Zhang’s group too?” Shi Yan asked. “I’ll take you there. I’m in Group One as well.”

Before Mo Xing could react, Shi Yan had taken him by the wrist and led him toward the crowd.

In the midst of his vague bewilderment, Mo Xing could feel the warmth of her palm through his wrist.

So warm...

Deep within his heart, it was as if a little stream were winding beneath a small bridge, murmuring gently as it flowed.

The people nearby turned to look. Some wore astonished expressions, while others shook their heads and sighed, as though Mo Xing and Shi Yan were the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, meeting for a romantic rendezvous.

Of course, all of this was merely Mo Xing’s subjective impression. He was still hopelessly lost in his own sentimental fantasies.

In reality, quite a few people nearby were glaring at Mo Xing with open hostility. They were admirers of the goddess Shi Yan, as well as outstanding figures in their respective fields. And now they had been preempted by a freshman?

During the freshman enrollment period, they had seen plenty of rumors about Mo Xing and Shi Yan. Every one of them had eventually been dismissed as false information. Yet this fellow Mo Xing was now trying to turn a fake romance into a real one? Did he truly think he could make himself look important? Had he even taken a good look at himself?

At the thought, the muscular men watching from nearby clenched their fists, producing a series of crisp cracks.

Mo Xing, you little punk. We’ll find a chance to teach you a lesson sooner or later!

“We’re here!” Shi Yan released his wrist.

“Oh!” Mo Xing finally snapped out of his fantasies, completely unaware of how much resentment he had just inspired.

Three people stood before him. In the center was the ace Zhang Zhihao, wearing the same calm smile as always. It was like the afterglow of the sun, as though he were saying, You finally made it, Mo Xing.

To the right stood Xia Ningxin, the Ice Queen. She gently combed her pale-golden hair with one hand. Her entire body still radiated a chill, though it was no longer as bitterly cold as before. Perhaps because Zhang Zhihao was beside her, their opposing warmth and cold had reached a harmonious balance.

As for the person on the left, he had regular features and bright, alert eyes. A small mole rested on his square face. Around his short, bristling hair was tied a black-and-white headband bearing letters. Beneath his black checkered shirt, he wore a white T-shirt, and his whole person seemed brimming with vitality.

“Hello, Mo Xing.” Noticing him, the young man walked over and extended his right hand.

“Hello!” Mo Xing hurriedly shook it, only then noticing the many scars covering the other man’s arm. He could not help being startled.

“Wh... why do you have so many scars?”

“Just minor injuries. Think of them as ordinary marks,” the man explained.

“R... right!” Mo Xing drew a deep breath and wondered how many battles this person must have endured to bear so many scars.

“I’m pleased to meet you, Mo Xing, and...” The man paused, then turned toward Shi Yan and gave her a slight nod. “Vice President Shi Yan.”

“Yes, I know you,” Shi Yan replied. “We met during the student council recruitment interviews.”

“You’re also a new member of this year’s student council?” Mo Xing asked in surprise. “May I ask your name?”

“Wu Dance.” The man introduced himself.

“Wu Dance? That name sounds familiar. I think I’ve heard the upperclassmen mention it before.” Mo Xing scratched his head, unable to remember where.

“He was ranked first in this year’s freshman assessment,” Shi Yan explained.

“What? First place in the freshman assessment?” Mo Xing cried out in astonishment.

“It was only a ranking.” Wu Dance waved his hand. “I was merely a little luckier than the others. In truth, my strength is about the same as that of many people in my year.”

What the heck?

Did he really have to be this modest?

He had only been a little luckier?

His strength was about the same as that of many others in his year?

Were all the great figures these days so low-key?

“All right.” Zhang Zhihao walked over. “Now that you all know one another, let me make this clear: the five of us will form one team for the upcoming Dragon Fang Island operation. We’ll have to look after one another.”

“Understood, President Zhang!” Wu Dance replied.

“Sure! I’ll be counting on everyone!” Mo Xing nodded.

“It should be fine, I suppose.” Shi Yan’s gaze drifted elsewhere.

“Let’s hope so,” Xia Ningxin answered curtly.

It was an entirely normal exchange, yet Mo Xing could not shake the feeling that something was wrong.

Ordinarily, when two acquainted girls met, they would at least exchange greetings. But after Shi Yan and Xia Ningxin met, they neither looked at nor spoke to each other. It almost seemed as though there were some conflict between them.

It had been the same the last time, in the passage outside the Hades Training Grounds. When the other student council officers saw Xia Ningxin, they all saluted her. Even the arrogant Li Qingchi had yielded three points. Yet Shi Yan had not even spared her a glance.

There had to be some misunderstanding—or perhaps some deep-seated grudge.

“Has everyone arrived?”

A voice rang beside Mo Xing’s ears. He came back to himself and saw Mentor Su Yunzhou standing at the very center of the arena. He wore a golden robe embroidered with dragons, while rings of purple light of various sizes revolved around him.

That was the Sound Domain!

“I summoned everyone here because there is an urgent matter,” Su Yunzhou announced. “The plan has changed. The situation on Dragon Fang Island has grown critical, and Hanchuan Academy hopes that our academy will dispatch reinforcements at once.”

“Therefore, return tonight and pack your belongings. Assemble here at six tomorrow morning. The academy has arranged an airship to take you on the expedition to Dragon Fang Island!”

“Yes!” everyone shouted in unison.

“Good. Dismissed.”

Su Yunzhou waved his hand, and his entire body transformed into a streak of violet light before vanishing from the center of the arena.

The crowd began filing away from the arena. No one raised an objection. To them, this sort of thing seemed perfectly normal; they were evidently prepared for expeditions at any time. That, at least, surprised Mo Xing.

“Let’s go back to the dormitory.” Zhang Zhihao patted Mo Xing on the shoulder.

“Oh, all right.” Mo Xing nodded, then glanced at Shi Yan.

“See you tomorrow!” Shi Yan returned his gaze with a smile.

“See you tomorrow!” Mo Xing replied.

“See you all tomorrow!” Wu Dance waved.

“Remember to pack everything and arrive on time,” Zhang Zhihao said with a smile.

“Of course!” Wu Dance answered.

“Mm,” Xia Ningxin said curtly.

As the sun sank in the west, the five of them departed in the direction of their respective dormitories.

...

Deep into the night.

The third underground level of Sacred Sky Royal Academy.

The Crystal Prison.

Constructed from Silence Stone, which restrained elemental power, the Crystal Prison was where the academy confined its dangerous inmates.

A young man lay on the wooden bed inside, both hands shackled by Silence Cuffs. He wore a relatively clean prison uniform, his eyes closed as though meditating on something.

“You’ve come?”

He suddenly spoke.

The person outside the cell paused. The oil lamps along both sides of the corridor gave off a dim light that concealed the visitor’s face.

The young man did not open his eyes. He simply continued to lie there. He was intimately familiar with that presence. He knew exactly who it was—an old friend more familiar than anyone else.

The visitor took a string of copper-colored keys from a pocket. Seven keys of different lengths swayed in the air, chiming crisply.

The visitor said calmly:

“Long time no see, Li Qingchi.”