Wry: I'm a Big Villain, Opening with the Annihilation of the Astral Express Crew

Jiang Mo thanked them again, knowing full well that this was merely a transaction.

He left his nominal home that very day.

Chapter 52: Reunited with Bronya

The first thing Jiang Mo did was walk into a clothing store.

He then changed out of the tattered, patched-up clothes he had been wearing, selecting a set of dark, understated casual wear that fit him well.

The boy in the mirror was somewhere between a child and a young man, with delicate features, save for his eyes, which were too deep and didn't quite match his age.

Next, he used the Winter City Coins from Natasha's parents and the ones he had brought himself to rent a small apartment in a relatively quiet corner of the administrative district in their name, as a temporary base.

Jiang Mo was now the de facto controller of Wildfire, using Natasha to control the flow of resources in the Underworld, making it easy to get some money for daily expenses.

Countless threads, centered on the apartment he was in, quietly spread out.

The

Golden Threads of Fate

began to weave a new network.

Although with his current mental strength, he could only maintain a Golden Thread coverage of about one block, it was enough for now.

Jiang Mo strolled along the streets of the Upper District.

In stark contrast to the dark and dilapidated Underworld, the air here was fresh, the light bright, and the streets wide and clean.

Blue skies and white clouds, with the distant snow-capped mountains clearly visible, were as beautiful as a painting.

The buildings in the administrative district were towering, full of mechanical punk style, and mechanical creations that they were proud of could be seen everywhere.

The shop windows displayed a dazzling array of goods, exquisite pastries, gorgeous clothes, and glittering jewelry, all showing the affluence of the people in the Upper District.

The people on the street were well-dressed and composed, completely different from the numb and vigilant residents of the Underworld.

Children played in the square, and the fountain sparkled with a seven-colored rainbow in the sunlight.

Jiang Mo even saw the sign for the Goethe Grand Hotel and the iconic dome silhouette of the Golden Theater in the distance.

He walked into a restaurant, where the food was plentiful and fragrant.

The waiter was polite and guided the guests to their seats.

He ordered a hot soup and bread, the taste of which was far superior to the rough food of the Underworld.

"How... extravagant."

Jiang Mo didn't feel much envy.

This prosperity was built on the endless exploitation of the Underworld.

After settling down in the Upper District for several days, Jiang Mo bought the Upper District's most widely circulated newspaper every day to learn about its dynamics.

On this day, a news headline that took up half a page caught his attention.

"Guardian Cocolia to Attend Belobog Academy's Centennial Anniversary Ceremony with Daughter Bronya Rand."

The report mentioned that Cocolia was a graduate of this long-established academy, and that Miss Bronya Rand, as the Guardian's heir, was currently in her sixth year at the academy.

The accompanying picture was a photo of Cocolia and Bronya at a public event.

In the photo, Bronya was wearing a school uniform.

Her silver-gray hair was meticulously styled, and her expression was cold, like an ice queen from a TV series.

"Belobog Academy..."

Jiang Mo put down the newspaper, thinking.

The little girl he used to slide down the slide with at the orphanage had now transformed into the daughter of the Guardian, attending the best academy in all of Belobog.

And this, was exactly as he had expected.

"Sixth year..."

Jiang Mo slightly curled the corners of his lips.

The next day.

Jiang Mo found his nominal foster parents again.

He needed their help to complete the transfer procedures to enter Belobog Academy.

"Transfer? To Belobog Academy?"

Natasha's mother was a little surprised.

"That's a school for nobles and elite children, and the admission requirements are very strict."

Jiang Mo said calmly, "I believe it's not difficult with your connections in the Upper District."

"As for tuition and related fees, I will take care of it myself."

He took out a small bag of Winter City Coins, enough to pay for a year's tuition and fees.

Natasha's parents looked at each other and finally agreed.

For them, the less this "adopted son" had to do with them, the better.

If entering the academy as a boarder would keep him from coming to their door, they would be happy to see it happen.

Jiang Mo was already thirteen, the age when he should normally be in seventh grade.

But he had specifically inquired and confirmed that Bronya was indeed in sixth grade.

So, when filling out the transfer application, he still chose to apply for sixth grade.

On the day of enrollment.

Jiang Mo, dressed in a brand-new Belobog Academy uniform, was led into the sixth grade (A) classroom by his homeroom teacher, Ms. Matilda.

The uniform consisted of a dark blue jacket, a white shirt, and was impeccably tailored.

"Alright, class, settle down," Ms. Matilda said, clapping her hands.

She was a kind-looking middle-aged woman.

"Today, we have a new student joining our class. He's an excellent student who transferred from the Underworld, so let's all get along well."

Jiang Mo stood on the podium, his gaze calmly sweeping across the young faces below.

Those eyes held curiosity, scrutiny, and even a hint of disdain.

He gave a slight bow. "Hello everyone, my name is Jiang Mo. I look forward to learning with you all."

As he spoke, his gaze was drawn to the second-to-last seat by the window.

The girl sitting there had silver-gray hair and a delicate profile.

She was intently focused on the book in her hands, as if everything outside was irrelevant to her.

It was her, Bronya.

Jiang Mo had thought that Bronya would be surprised to see him transfer.

However, when Bronya felt his gaze and looked up.

There wasn't a ripple in those beautiful gray-blue eyes.

She simply nodded lightly, then lowered her gaze again, continuing to focus on her book as if he were an insignificant stranger.

Jiang Mo's brow furrowed slightly.

Ms. Matilda looked around the classroom.

"Jiang Mo, you can sit in... um, that empty seat next to Bronya."

"Peter has taken a long sick leave."

Jiang Mo "Mmm"ed, and walked straight to the seat.

Of course, this was no protagonist halo or coincidence.

Before, during the few days waiting for the enrollment notice, Jiang Mo had not been idle.

He had also used various means to find out information about the teachers and students in Bronya's class.

He noticed that the seat next to Bronya was originally occupied by a somewhat mischievous and troublemaking rich kid named Peter.

One evening before enrollment, Jiang Mo "ran into" Peter in a secluded alley that Peter always passed through after school.

The alley was dimly lit and deserted.

As Peter grumbled about the heavy workload of the day and kicked a roadside pebble, a dark shadow appeared behind him.

Jiang Mo didn't even let Peter see his face.

Relying on his strength, far exceeding that of his peers, he deliberately controlled his strength, cleanly and neatly striking Peter on the back of the neck with a chop.

Peter didn't even groan before collapsing softly to the ground, his schoolbag scattered beside him.

After confirming that he wasn't dead, Jiang Mo quickly left.

The next day, Ms. Matilda announced that Peter had suffered an unexpected injury, but it wasn't life-threatening. However, he would need long-term hospitalization and probably wouldn't be able to return to school this semester.

An empty seat was thus created.

Jiang Mo sat down next to Bronya.

The faint scent of ink and books emanated from the girl.

He turned his head, a well-placed gentle smile on his face.

"Hello, classmate, I'm Jiang Mo."

"I'm very happy to be your desk mate. I look forward to learning from you."

Bronya raised her eyes again, this time her gaze lingered on his face for less than a second.

Her voice was clear, cold, and calm, without much emotion.

"Hello."

Then, she didn't look at Jiang Mo again, as if he were a puff of air.

Chapter 53: Start the Capture

The gentle smile on Jiang Mo's face didn't change, but he was puzzled in his heart.

She doesn't recognize me?

What's going on here?

Has she forgotten? Or is she deliberately pretending not to recognize him?

He didn't think this was just a coincidence.

The time he spent with Bronya at the orphanage, that friendship, shouldn't have faded to this extent, even after all these years.

His gaze swept inconspicuously over the dark blue satchel hanging from the corner of Bronya's desk.

On the flap of the bag, a line of names was written in thread, in a slightly childish but painstakingly standard font – [Bronya Rand].

The name was hers, and the person was her.

So where exactly was the problem?

Jiang Mo stopped trying to initiate conversation. He took out his textbook from his brand-new bag, spread it on the desk, and pretended to listen attentively.

However, all his attention was focused on the silver-haired girl beside him.

The

Golden Threads of Fate

quietly converged, like invisible tentacles, gently reaching out towards Bronya.

He tried to sense her emotional fluctuations, her subtle reactions.

The information that came back made him frown slightly.

Her heartbeat was steady, her breathing even, and all her physiological signs indicated a state of calm.

On an emotional level, it was even more silent.

She really didn't seem to have any special reaction to his appearance just now.