Infiltration

"Captain, Qiye is still only a provisional member. He shouldn't be involved in a mysterious creature purge before becoming a full member." Wu Xiangnan frowned slightly.

Chen Muye shook his head. "Based on the intelligence we currently have, this Mythical Creature specializes in disguise, infiltration, and infection. Its own realm isn't particularly high. Qiye has also undergone half a month of training, and his strength has improved considerably. This is an excellent opportunity for him to temper himself.

"Besides, he used to be a student at Second High School. He's the most familiar with the place, and he's also Liu Xiaoyan's classmate. It would be most natural for him to approach Liu Xiaoyan."

At that, Chen Muye looked at Lin Qiye again and continued, "Of course, you're a provisional member, so I won't force you. If you don't want to go, you can stay behind here."

"I'll go." Lin Qiye did not hesitate in the slightest.

Chen Muye was right. After more than half a month of training, his combat strength had increased greatly. He desperately needed an opportunity to put what he had learned into practice.

Moreover, if he wanted to survive in this dangerous era, he had to become familiar with danger itself as soon as possible. Although Lin Qiye preferred to avoid trouble, he would never give up an opportunity to train himself.

"Then let's begin the operation." Chen Muye stood up, then turned to Li Yifei. "You're going with Qiye and the others."

Li Yifei froze. "M-Me? I'm just an ordinary person... What if..."

"They'll protect you." Chen Muye's tone did not ripple in the slightest. "You've seen that Mythical Creature. Of everyone here, you know the most about it. You have to go."

Hearing Chen Muye's near-commanding tone, Li Yifei nodded with a miserable expression.

"If this operation goes smoothly... I'll give you a chance to join the Night Watchmen." Chen Muye spoke slowly as he walked toward the door.

Li Yifei's eyes immediately lit up!

Lin Qiye was about to leave when Leng Xuan, who had been standing in the corner, suddenly called out to him.

"Lin Qiye."

"Hmm?"

Leng Xuan walked up to him, pulled a pitch-black handgun from behind his waist, and handed it to Lin Qiye.

"This is..."

"Take it. The magazine is full," Leng Xuan said flatly.

"But my marksmanship... What if I accidentally hurt someone?" Lin Qiye's expression immediately turned somewhat ugly.

Leng Xuan gave him a meaningful look, then turned and left.

"The meaning of a gun does not lie only in killing."

Lin Qiye stood there in a daze for a moment, then still slipped the handgun into his pocket and headed toward the passageway.

Twenty minutes later.

Three figures carrying different cases stood before the gates of Second High School, looking utterly troubled.

"Qiye, why are your school uniforms so ugly?" Hong Ying looked down at the red-and-white high school uniform and said disdainfully.

"The girls' uniforms are pretty decent." Lin Qiye pointed at his own blue-and-white uniform. "The boys' uniforms are the truly ugly ones. Besides, whether a uniform looks good depends on the person wearing it.

"On you, it already looks very nice."

Under the sunlight, Hong Ying wore a white short-sleeved shirt beneath her red-and-white uniform jacket, its zipper left open as it fluttered gently in the breeze. Her high ponytail was tied up behind her, and a long Black Box rested on her back. She radiated youthfulness and heroic spirit.

Si Xiaonan beside her was an entirely different sight. She wore a cartoon long-sleeved shirt, with her school uniform tied around her waist like a skirt. Her jet-black hair was tied into two large buns, making her look like a shy, innocent young girl.

Hong Ying blinked at Lin Qiye with a grin. "Little brother Qiye, I didn't expect you to be so good with words!"

Lin Qiye: ...

"The problem now is that the first morning class is already half over. How are we supposed to sneak in?" Lin Qiye checked the time, then glanced from afar at the fierce-looking security guard by the gate.

"And we're carrying these things. We'll definitely be stopped and questioned," Si Xiaonan said softly as she looked at the Black Box in her hands.

"Isn't that easy?" Hong Ying's lips curled upward slightly. She lifted her chin, puffed out her chest, and pointed at the wall over two meters high in the distance. "We climb over it!"

Lin Qiye pondered for a moment, then turned to look at Si Xiaonan, who only reached his shoulder and appeared delicate and frail. "I'm fine with it, but Xiao Nan might have some trouble..."

Si Xiaonan: (-?_-?)

She silently rolled her eyes at Lin Qiye. Her figure flashed, and in the blink of an eye, she had reached the wall. Her toes tapped the surface several times in succession, and her whole body floated upward like a light butterfly!

With the Black Box in one hand, she spun half a turn in midair and landed silently on the other side of the wall.

Lin Qiye: ...

Hong Ying covered her mouth and chuckled. "Qiye, Xiao Nan may look soft and sweet, but she's been with the Night Watchmen for two years already. Don't underestimate her..."

After saying that, Hong Ying also dashed toward the wall. Like a startled swan, she took several steps against the wall and easily vaulted over it, graceful and effortless.

Lin Qiye walked beneath the wall. The images of their dazzling wall-crossing performances flashed through his mind, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

This is a little embarrassing...

He took a deep breath, tossed the Black Box over first, then leaped high into the air. Bracing both hands against the top of the wall, he easily climbed over.

It did not look bad either, but everything suffered from comparison. With Hong Ying and Si Xiaonan's outstanding displays before him, Lin Qiye suddenly felt too ashamed to show his face.

"Mm, not bad. A little handsome, even." Hong Ying returned Lin Qiye's Black Box to him and smiled encouragingly.

Lin Qiye shook his head, only wanting to end the topic as soon as possible. "Then we'll follow the plan. I'll return to my class and approach Liu Xiaoyan at close range. You two go investigate the Dean of Students in the administration building."

"Alright. If anything happens, communicate through the earpieces." Hong Ying pointed at the invisible earpiece on her ear, then turned and left with Si Xiaonan.

After taking two steps, she paused and turned back somewhat awkwardly.

"Um... where is the administration building? And where is the Dean of Students' office?"

Lin Qiye helplessly pointed at the tall building in the distance. "Room 403."

"...So, we say, 'The odd changes, the even remains; determine the signs by the quadrant.' Everyone must remember this mnemonic. Next, let's look at the next question..."

On the podium, a bespectacled middle-aged man held a handout and explained the lesson with great enthusiasm.

Suddenly, a knock sounded at the door.

Tap, tap, tap!

Everyone turned toward the entrance. Lin Qiye, whom they had not seen in over ten days, stood quietly in the doorway, carrying a Black Box in one hand and bowing slightly.

"Reporting in."

"Lin Qiye?" The math teacher was surprised to see him. "Why are you only coming now? Where have you been these past few days?"

"My eyes had some problems again, so I was hospitalized for two weeks."

"I see... Hurry in and take a seat."

The math teacher adjusted his glasses. They had always been quite tolerant toward Lin Qiye, a special student who had previously been disabled, and would not make things too difficult for him.

Under everyone's astonished gazes, Lin Qiye calmly returned to his original seat and sat down.

His Mental Power swept across the surroundings, and his brows furrowed slightly.

"Students, let's continue the lesson..." The math teacher tapped the blackboard, drawing everyone else's attention back before resuming his lecture.

Lin Qiye covertly touched his earpiece, and Chen Muye's voice sounded from within.

"Lin Qiye, how is the situation?"

"I'm already in the classroom." Lin Qiye lowered his voice.

"Can your Forbidden Ruins identify them?"

"Yes."

"What about the numbers?"

Lin Qiye's brows drew together slightly, and his voice became grave.

"Not good..."