Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Meng Shijiu poured a little into a cup. The fragrant scent of gardenia was not pungent, instead emitting a soothing, light aroma.

Meng Shijiu found a stool and sat down. When he looked up, the crowd around him had suddenly swelled.

Meng Shijiu: ?

The cheap plastic cup didn't really match his demeanor, but the Alpha was calm and composed, his movements elegant and casual, as if he were holding a golden goblet or jade cup. The transparent beverage seemed to transform into nectar, jade liquid, or golden dew.

Seeing the Alpha's sweeping gaze, some lowered their heads while others turned away. Not a single one made eye contact with Meng Shijiu, and even the faint murmurs of discussion grew quieter.

Meng Shijiu's gaze fell on the volunteer sitting beside him.

Guarding the support station was an Alpha who looked quite young, probably around 30 years old.

The average lifespan in Lottelance was nearly 200 years. See told Meng Shijiu that if he was willing, he could stay in this world until the end of his natural life.

Meng Shijiu clapped flatly: Wow.

See didn't catch the sarcasm: ":D"

The Alpha lying on the lounge chair had a light-colored baseball cap covering his face. He seemed to feel the cold easily, wearing a dark leather jacket in this weather. A volunteer badge was pinned to his sleeve, and a comic book was tucked into his large pocket, just barely peeking out.

But with more people around, it easily got hot.

The Alpha was woken up by the heat and extended a slender hand.

On his right hand, he wore an exquisite green pinky ring. The black metal was carved with a lifelike lotus, and the deep green gemstone at its center shimmered faintly like fireflies rising on a summer night.

His distinct, pale-knuckled fingers rested on the brim of the baseball cap and lightly pulled it down.

Another volunteer, a Beta male, hurried over, sweating profusely: "Brother Shen!"

The Beta seemed to want to say something but glanced at Meng Shijiu warily and fell silent, standing to the side.

The Alpha called "Brother Shen" didn't respond.

He had a handsome, fox-like face with narrow eyes and rosy lips, carrying a flirtatious, seemingly smiling air.

As if shaking off sleep, Shen Huaixu narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the crowd before settling on the person most likely responsible for the sudden gathering.

That person was sitting right next to him.

The strikingly handsome silver-haired Alpha sat composedly under the many gazes. His too-long hair was casually tied up, and his exquisite features were generously exposed to the sunlight.

He held a cup of gardenia tea in his hand. His blue-green eyes held leisurely, shallow ripples, like a green fir tree growing towards the sun.

Even more like a white-furred kitten that loved basking in the sun.

Shen Huaixu could see the fine golden patterns in his eyes.

"Classmate," Shen Huaixu said.

The other party ignored him.

More aloof than imagined, Shen Huaixu thought to himself. Kittens are all aloof.

Shen Huaixu: "Handsome."

Meng Shijiu turned his head.

Dust motes danced like specks of light in the sunlight, and the air purifier nearby hummed dully.

Facing the silver-haired Alpha directly made one even more aware of the breathtaking refinement of his features—and the chill in his light-colored eyes, not deliberately displayed but still impossible to ignore.

Shen Huaixu smiled at him.

Meng Shijiu was also sizing up the other person.

The other was an Alpha.

His soft, ebony-black hair faintly revealed dark green patterns. He wore an irregular black earring on his right ear, which shimmered subtly with a peacock-blue gleam.

Shen Huaixu had rare heterochromia. His left eye was filled with soft, moon-like radiance, while his right eye held a violet, rose-like hue.

This added an intellectual quality to his wild, fox-like face. When he smiled, it was mysterious and gentle, yet mixed with an unknown, eerie danger.

It was Meng Shijiu's first time seeing heterochromia, and his gaze lingered on the man's face for a few extra seconds.

When Shen Huaixu smiled, very faint laugh lines appeared at the corners of his eyes, like a sly old fox scheming: "Here for the exam, classmate?"

Meng Shijiu: "Ah. Yes."

Meng Shijiu glanced at the Beta still standing to the side, his gaze pausing briefly on Shen Huaixu's pinky ring.

Meng Shijiu: "Who's this?"

See: "Don't know, not in the plot."

Before Shen Huaixu could speak, Meng Shijiu pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from inside his jacket and patiently smoothed it open.

He placed his nineteen-point test paper boldly in front of Shen Huaixu, pressed the empty plastic cup onto the paper, and stood up.

"For you," Meng Shijiu said to the heterochromatic Alpha.

As he stood, the line between sunlight and shadow swept across his silver hair like silk. His lowered eyelashes were like a refreshing downpour.

The Alpha walked out of the support station.

See was puzzled: "Was there any need to give that?"

Meng Shijiu: "The authentic work of the future savior."

Meng Shijiu: "Collectible value: five stars."

See: "Okay, Savior, you can't even get into the school right now..."

Meng Shijiu: "."

See: "What are you thinking?"

Meng Shijiu: "Thinking about when to take you apart."

See: "TAT"

The Alpha's dashing departing figure soon disappeared down the street. Shen Huaixu didn't call after him, and the surrounding crowd began to disperse.

The Beta whispered: "Principal Shen..."

St. Mary's Academy, as the premier institution of Lottelance, enjoys the highest level of resource allocation: an enormous budget, top-tier laboratories, vast collections of rare and unique books, the largest research station base... Beyond that, it monopolizes social networks, boasts a superior campus environment, and holds educational privileges.

—It is both a hall of academia and a pyramid of future power.

Beneath its glamorous surface, hidden undercurrents swirl. Factions are everywhere, resources are unevenly distributed, and power is traded...

Shen Huaixu has been here for three years and has already glimpsed much of the academy's dark, damp underbelly.

Shen Huaixu cut him off with a wave. The baseball cap spun once in his hand before he pressed it onto his jet-black hair, the falling shadow obscuring those striking heterochromatic eyes.

A finger wearing a pinky ring picked up the 19-point exam paper.

The Alpha's handwriting was like chiseled strokes, flowing across the page with the sweeping momentum of an autumn wind scattering withered leaves.

—St. Mary's Academy's theoretical exams offer both paper and electronic versions. Nowadays, most people use the electronic version, and the archaic paper format is rarely used anymore.

The scent of ink mingled with a faint aroma of grass and wood, seeming to seep from the thin paper.

In the signature space, the three large characters "Meng Shijiu" bore slightly indented strokes, the ink shimmering with golden traces under the light.

—This suddenly reminded Shen Huaixu of the identical gold flecks in that Alpha's jade-green eyes, cold and sharp.

Shen Huaixu murmured, "The surname Meng..."

The questions on the theoretical exam were randomly generated from a massive database, with only AI-generated reference answers and experienced exam graders.

Shen Huaixu's gaze shifted from the signature to the first question.

"Please analyze the phenomenon of the sharp increase in AO gender opposition in society from multiple perspectives and provide corresponding solutions. (17 points)"

Meng Shijiu:

"Perspective: The contradiction between the growing emotional needs of contemporary society and the insufficient, imbalanced development of effective information.

Solution: It is recommended to address the contradiction head-on. The government can provide appropriate guidance, intensify AO conflicts, increase discussion, and encourage public participation. Many truths emerge from contradictions."

"AI Score: 1 point

Instructor Score: 2.5 points

Weighted Score: 1.9 points"

A faint twitch appeared at Shen Huaixu's temple.

His eyes quickly scanned the next question.

[Starting from the 'wave-particle duality' in the quantum mechanics discipline of the ancient century, please attempt to explain the transmission mechanism of ABO pheromones. (5 points)]

Meng Shijiu's answer to this one was quite lengthy, filled with many formulas Shen Huaixu couldn't understand a word of.

—Wasn't this question on the second page, fifth question of the [Essential Common Knowledge for Public Exams], nicknamed the Little Pink Book? The answer is that pheromones can be transmitted in the form of "waves" and received in the form of "particles."

Who is this de Broglie?

Next question.

Shen Huaixu patiently continued reading.

"Please discuss the ethical issues of AI applications in medicine. (20 points)"

This time, Meng Shijiu's response was relatively brief.

Meng Shijiu:

"Solution:"

Shen Huaixu: ?

Shen Huaixu: Who is Solution?!

Shen Huaixu scanned question after question, his frown deepening.

Until.

The Alpha's gaze stopped on the final question.

In the shadow, a subtle, misty glint appeared in the violet of Shen Huaixu's right eye.

"From a management perspective, analyze what you would do if the apocalypse were imminent and you were the chief executive of a first-tier region. (17 points)"

For this question, every point in Meng Shijiu's answer was perfectly by-the-book. But in the end, he crossed out all his answers, leaving only two words.

—Not centralized power, not contingency plans.

"Beg him." —The sheer absurdity of these two words was like a suona suddenly blaring in the middle of a piano sonata.

...Beg him? Who does "him" refer to? Before the apocalypse arrives, who could begging possibly help? A god?

Yet Shen Huaixu, staring at the answer sheet, suddenly fell into deep thought. His fingertip hovered over the paper, not touching down for a long time.

...

The phrase "imminent" in the question prompted Meng Shijiu to cross out all the answers he had originally written.

To him, the so-called apocalypse, once signs of its emergence appear, is never separate from human factors. Recognizing these human factors, in Meng Shijiu's view, is almost an essential quality for a leader.

If by begging others, begging the very culprit responsible for it all to stop, one could prevent the disaster from the very beginning, Meng Shijiu advises you to compromise.

—Because he has seen what those disasters look like.

But if it were Meng Shijiu himself, he would probably still choose the answers he crossed out.

He would choose to make amends.

...

...

20:25, only five minutes left until St. Mary's Academy's admission confirmation deadline.

Meng Shijiu's terminal pinged.

On the banks of the Blue Agate Gilded River, the shimmering water reflected the shadows of magnolia blossoms. Light and floral shadows intertwined, creating a dreamlike, hazy night.

Meng Shijiu stood by the river, watching the boats.

The youth's figure was as graceful as jade, his aura like distant mist over green mountains. The hazy moonlight outlined his elegant and upright silhouette, like a phantom from a painting.

Meng Shijiu: "I bet it'll stop."

See's electronic voice said in a flat, mechanical tone, "According to the navigation rules published by the Gilded River, boats only dock at the shore every five vessels. This one will pass directly under the bridge."

Meng Shijiu: "Tch."

Only after the elegant lacquered flower boat had sailed past the bridge did he nonchalantly open his terminal.

"Hello, Student Meng Shijiu. Due to questions regarding the assessment of your exam paper, your admission qualification has been re-reviewed. Your enrollment application has now been exceptionally approved. Congratulations on your admission to St. Mary's Academy, Second Year. Please confirm on the official website as soon as possible. Verification Code: 1234******. Recommender: Shen Huaixu."

Moonlight enveloped the tall Alpha. The iris school emblem in the upper right corner of the terminal message, used for authenticity verification, emitted a faint golden glow.

Meng Shijiu's gaze lingered on the last name. An image of heterochromatic eyes smiling faintly surfaced in his mind.

"This works too..." Meng Shijiu murmured.

See: "This works too..."

Came without any effort.

It's fate. Meng Shijiu sighed.

He'd been out wandering until the stars faded before coming home; Meng Shijiu put a finger to his lips for Butler Lin, who had been waiting, indicating he didn't need to open the door.

Butler Lin was a gentle male Beta, getting on in years, who had been at Frost Manor for many years—keeping watch over the empty villa by himself for many of those years.

The gray eyes behind the resin lenses smiled gently, the silver spectacle chain swaying slightly. He placed his right hand over the family crest on his chest and gave Meng Shijiu a slight bow.

His straight black tailcoat traced an elegant arc in the air.

Butler Lin disappeared from Meng Shijiu's view.

In Butler Lin's impression, for most of the time since he was a child, the second young master was like a silent whale, his eyes devoid of luster, showing neither sorrow nor joy, silently and slowly swimming toward the dark abyss.

Ever since Meng Shijiu returned from abroad after his eyes were healed, a lazy smile often played on his lips, like a carefree, unrestrained, yet soft-hearted youth.

Before leaving the hall, Butler Lin turned his back to Meng Shijiu and offered a reassuring smile.

Meng Shijiu raised his hand and opened the door a crack.

After a long pause, Meng Shijiu cautiously stepped his right foot inside.

"Click"

The door was pushed open from the inside.

A tall figure blocked Meng Shijiu's path, a pair of deep purple eyes as quiet and profound as the deep sea.

Meng Shijiu promptly withdrew his right leg.

"Brother."

He smiled at Meng Shiyan, his jade-green eyes fixed unblinkingly on him.

A long stalemate ensued.

A low sigh came from beside the door.

Seeming both helpless and resigned.

Watching Meng Shiyan's retreating back, See asked, "Is it really okay? What if your brother finds out you secretly signed up for school?"

Meng Shijiu: "."

Meng Shijiu: "?"

Meng Shijiu yawned, his eyelashes slowly unfurling like delicate flower buds, and walked up the steps. "Who exactly wanted me to attend this school in the first place?"

See: "Teehee."

See: "Host, are your eyes really okay?"

Meng Shijiu pushed open his bedroom door. Moonlight streamed through the window onto the light green bedspread. He turned on the light. "They're fine."

See spun half a circle in Meng Shijiu's mind before suggesting, "Let me run a diagnostic for you."

Meng Shijiu: "Alright."

—

SM (Sancta Maria) Forum

+Fun Zone+

"Hot" "Explosive" "Heard Principal Shen recommended a kid from the slums for admission this year, a second-year student. True or false?"

"OP" Open the Door: "Seems like just an ordinary B too (This year's general admissions probably don't have any Alphas with A-level psychic power. Principal Shen wouldn't recommend someone below A-level, right? Reasonable speculation is it's a Beta with high psychic power.)" "Attachment 1: A blurry image (appears to be an electronic application approval notice, signature area pixelated)"

"1L" Cloudy Paradise: "Suggest OP go anonymous. Betas will come sniffing around soon."

"176 replies in thread collapsed"

"After review, this comment has been deleted. 16 users banned from commenting, 0 accounts suspended. Clean Forum Action, We Walk Together. [Rose]"

"2L" Cilantro Ice Cream is Super Sweet: "Does being anonymous on SM even mean anything?"

"3L" Sitting Too Long Makes You Drunk: "Mod Ba is as formidable as ever, planning to live in the principal's office?"

"In-thread reply" "OP" Open the Door: "[Heart] [Heart]"

"4L" Spring Roll Worth Ten Thousand Taels: "Couldn't it be an Omega?"

…

…

"32L" Who Castrates Who: "Don't derail the thread. It's true. No news probably means Principal Shen wants to keep it quiet, afraid this B will get bullied."

"33L" User8023: "As if, who cares about him? He's too dirty to even polish my shoes." [Likes: 196] [Dislikes: 234]

"34L" AAA Check Portfolio for Samples: "Upstairs, agreed."

…

"67L" Good Morning World: "Heard Principal Shen personally went to an exam site to nab someone."

"68L" Qiqi Loves Crafts: "Impossible, Principal Shen doesn't have that kind of time. Spreading rumors? Your dad's gonna die."

"69L" Quantum Salted Fish: "Upstairs is too hostile. I think given Principal Shen's personality, it's not impossible."

"102l": "Then why hasn't anyone said anything about it?"

"103l" We're All As Here: "How many people have actually seen Principal Shen? He rarely even comes to his own college."

...

"109l" "OP" LetMeIn: "I heard there was an incredibly handsome Alpha at the lcgc testing site. No way, is it him?"

"110l" KidTwo: "Got photos?"

"111l" Zero-Sum Puzzle: "Don't believe it. How handsome? Pics or it didn't happen."

"This thread has been locked. A total of 157 users have been muted. Forum Cleanup Initiative: Let's work together. [Rose]"

+SVIP Section+

"New" "Question on the locked thread next door"

"OP" Spring Light s9: "Who locked the thread next door?"

"1l" Anonymous User s3: "Chairman Qian."

"This thread has been deleted by the OP"