Second Form

Chu Fei silently watched Liu Tingyun. Beyond her seductive, fiery figure, she also exuded dominance.

Was this what a true Awakened was like?

Faced with Liu Tingyun's domineering words, Feng Yuan could only swallow her anger and suppress her rage as she spoke as steadily as possible:

"Liu Tingyun, don't push people too far!

Your Greedy Wolf Team's internal conflict has nothing to do with us."

Liu Tingyun took a bottle of Superbrain Potion from some passerby teenager, swept her gaze around, and smiled at Zhao Xiaofeng. "Zhao Xiaofeng, right? Come, hold out your palms."

Zhao Xiaofeng trembled.

Liu Tingyun's voice was gentle. "Will you hold them out yourself, or should I tear them off for you?"

Zhao Xiaofeng glanced at the silent Feng Yuan, then finally held out both hands.

After one glance, Liu Tingyun sneered at Feng Yuan. "Feng Yuan, Zhao Xiaofeng's fingerprints are on this bottle of Superbrain Potion!"

Chu Fei was instantly awestruck. She could match fingerprints with just one look? This was an Awakened!

Feng Yuan fell silent.

Liu Tingyun asked Zhao Xiaofeng, "How much did you give Tang Zhengang in total?

Think carefully before answering. Once I determine that you're lying, you'll bear the consequences yourself."

Zhao Xiaofeng glanced once more at the silent Feng Yuan and said tremblingly, "Five thousand in cash, plus two bottles of Superbrain Potion.

He was promised another twenty thousand in cash and two more bottles of Superbrain Potion after it was done. But I was planning to welch on the rest."

Liu Tingyun nodded slightly and said to Feng Yuan, "Feng Yuan, hand over another twenty thousand in cash and four bottles of Superbrain Potion, and we'll let this matter go.

What do you think?"

"Fine! I'll have Zhao Xiaofeng bring them over shortly."

Feng Yuan turned and left with Zhao Xiaofeng.

As they turned away, Chu Fei noticed that Zhao Xiaofeng's back was already soaked through.

Was this what it felt like to have someone backing you up?

Once Zhao Xiaofeng and Feng Yuan had gone far away, Chu Fei hurriedly thanked her.

Liu Tingyun turned to look at Chu Fei, smiling brilliantly as she reached out, grabbed his cheek, and pinched, tugged, and pulled it.

Chu Fei: ...

"Haha, little guy, you're as steady as a popsicle. You're so calm that even I can't read your thoughts."

Chu Fei took two steps back and explained, "Panicking won't solve anything. It's better to deal with things calmly."

"Not bad, not bad. I'm starting to like you a little. Oh, right, you know each other, don't you?"

Chu Fei turned to look at the other boy, then nodded and shook his head. "He was with Huang Dapeng and Tang Zhengang back then. May I ask this senior brother's name?"

"My name is Sun Xiangqing."

Liu Tingyun said, "Chu Fei, Sun Xiangqing will be the one contacting you from now on."

"Alright." Chu Fei answered calmly.

Chu Fei was too calm. Instead, Sun Xiangqing felt a trace of unease—The first two were both taken out. How many days can I still live? Even though I'm already Quasi-Awakened, I've never killed anyone!

Before long, Zhao Xiaofeng came running back, bringing twenty thousand in cash and four bottles of Superbrain Potion. After handing them to Liu Tingyun, he immediately bolted again, as though demons were chasing after his life.

Liu Tingyun watched him with a smile for a while, then beckoned Chu Fei and Sun Xiangqing over. "Let's change locations."

When they reached the edge of the cliff, Liu Tingyun spoke leisurely. "Chu Fei."

Chu Fei looked up.

After waiting a moment, Liu Tingyun finally asked, "Why do you think the Flying Cloud Battle Team is targeting you?"

Chu Fei remained calm as he answered, "On the surface, it's because my grades are too good and I've always kept Li Honggang and Lu Hong beneath me.

But Tang Zhengang came to my door last night, and that made me realize things weren't so simple."

Chu Fei wasn't lying. He simply hadn't told the whole truth.

Before an Awakened, Chu Fei didn't dare lie.

Liu Tingyun looked gentle and quiet, but she threw around slaps at the drop of a hat. Feng Yuan had been sent into a flashy 720-degree spin by one slap, yet she didn't dare voice her anger.

After hearing Chu Fei's words, Liu Tingyun pondered for a moment before asking, "Before Tang Zhengang came to your door, did you do anything that might have made the Flying Cloud Battle Team nervous?"

"Probably not." Chu Fei looked bewildered. "I'm just a student. I've only been in school for a month. How could I possibly have the ability to make the Flying Cloud Battle Team nervous?

Zhao Xiaofeng did approach me twice about investing in me, but I refused.

Something that minor shouldn't have provoked such a huge reaction from the Flying Cloud Battle Team, right?"

Liu Tingyun thought for a moment, then asked, "Then did you do anything that might have made Li Honggang and Lu Hong nervous?"

"There's too much of that.

Every exam and every morning run, I've always beaten them.

I made another breakthrough in morning runs these past few days and left them far behind.

During last weekend's physical examination, I ranked first in improvement again.

And yesterday, I applied to Teacher Cao for permission to freely enter and leave the office to read; on the way, I ran into Li Honggang and Lu Hong, and they both seemed surprised."

"Wait!" Liu Tingyun narrowed her eyes. "Tell me about yesterday in detail, especially Li Honggang and Lu Hong's expressions at the time."

Chu Fei explained yesterday's "chance encounter" in detail, especially Li Honggang's exaggerated expression.

Liu Tingyun smiled. "I understand now. The Flying Cloud Battle Team's target should be something in the office, but they haven't found it yet.

I was wondering why the Flying Cloud Battle Team was even investing in first-year students. They were being far too impatient. Now it makes sense.

After investing in Li Honggang and Lu Hong, you suddenly emerged out of nowhere. Then you refused the Flying Cloud Battle Team's investment and became a thorn in their side.

And then, by pure coincidence, you gained the right to freely enter and leave the office. That made you someone they absolutely had to kill."

As she spoke, Liu Tingyun seemed to be talking to herself. "The main things that could be kept in a shared office are books. If there really were some treasure, it wouldn't be the Flying Cloud Battle Team's turn to get it.

The greatest possibility is blueprints, memory cards, or something similar tucked inside books. And those books probably aren't particularly important, with few people ever flipping through them."

Chu Fei: ...

Captain Liu was too smart. She had deduced so much from such tiny clues.

After speaking to herself, Liu Tingyun suddenly said to Chu Fei, "Keep an eye on Li Honggang and Lu Hong. If you make a discovery, you'll be handsomely rewarded!"

"Yes." At this moment, Chu Fei could only agree.

"These are for you." Liu Tingyun stuffed all the boxes Sun Xiangqing was holding into Chu Fei's hands. There was at least twenty-five thousand in cash here, along with six bottles of Superbrain Potion.

Chu Fei: ...

The surprise had come too suddenly.

But it was worth too much. He didn't dare accept it instead.

Seeing Chu Fei standing there in a daze, Liu Tingyun smiled again. "These six bottles are your reward and support, as well as an investment in you.

As for the cash, give twenty-five thousand to Cao Liwen. Whatever is left is yours.

Oh, right. Don't tell Cao Liwen about what happened today."

Chu Fei breathed a sigh of relief. Then he asked about the techniques for taking Superbrain Potion—though he had already inquired with Huang Gang, he had to make sure there were no loose ends.

Liu Tingyun casually gave him a few pointers, then... jumped straight off the cliff.

Chu Fei was shocked.

Then he saw a pair of pure white wings suddenly grow from Liu Tingyun's back as she spiraled downward.

"Is that... an angel???"

"The Second Form! It's an ability only Awakened possess. You need to unlock the genes within your body!" Sun Xiangqing watched Liu Tingyun's retreating figure, his face full of envy.

Was this what it meant to unlock one's genes?