Data Vision

After a moment, the Tai-Chi symbol reflected in Luo Yan's pupils began to dissipate.

But it didn't vanish completely.

Those pale rays of light sank deep into the crimson depths of Luo Yan's eyes.

Transforming into countless silver-white symbols, fine as dust, constantly shifting.

Distributed around his irises.

After a second or two, that ring of symbols stabilized.

No longer changing.

Then the white light faded, leaving no trace of abnormality.

Luo Yan froze for a moment, vaguely sensing that this was connected to the piece of Diamond White Jade he had absorbed along the way.

Because that white jade had displayed the same pattern.

He harbored doubts, but for now had no answers, so he could only set it aside.

Stepping out of the dormitory.

Luo Yan saw many classmates touring their own rooms.

Some exclaimed in surprise, others wore wry smiles.

He walked along the corridor wall, heading toward the Logistics Department.

Suddenly he stopped.

A stout, heavy figure stood ahead.

It was the fatty whose head he had cracked open before the Academy Exam.

The fatty's name was Chen Yongsong. He had scraped by with 83 points, becoming one of the qualified candidates.

He also spotted Luo Yan.

Remembering how Luo Yan had used his blood to lure Wolf Ticks.

Rage surged in his heart.

He held himself back, shot Luo Yan a vicious glare, then ducked into his own dormitory.

The dormitory was a four-person room.

Furnished with two bunk beds.

Chen Yongsong immediately tossed his luggage onto the upper bunk, but sat down on the lower bunk.

Clearly intending to claim both levels for himself.

Just then, his roommates entered.

They were Li Zhe and Xiao Yun.

One scored 81, the other 85.

The three had similar scores and were assigned to the same room.

After closing the door, they introduced themselves.

Then the leaner Li Zhe took the initiative: "Chen Yongsong, want to get to know a big shot?"

Chen Yongsong was in a bad mood and snapped, "What big shot?"

"Luo Beichen, son of the boss of Qiming Heavy Industry."

Chen Yongsong's head shot up.

Everyone in Guangling City knew Qiming Heavy Industry.

It was the construction conglomerate that had built most of the Undercity's infrastructure and public facilities.

Moreover, this year Qiming Heavy Industry's boss, Luo Tianyi, had gone all out to run for City Lord.

His biggest rival was Di Zheng, the commander of the Ground Exploration Corps!

To think the son of such a big shot was in the same cohort.

Chen Yongsong, born of humble roots, immediately stood up, plastering on a smile: "Then what are we waiting for?"

A short while later.

In a two-person dormitory.

Chen Yongsong met Luo Beichen.

The other man directly brought out fine liquor to entertain him.

After three cups, Luo Beichen smiled and said, "Yongsong, there's something I'd like your help with."

Flattered, Chen Yongsong replied, "Brother Luo, what is it?"

"I want to teach that Luo Yan a lesson." Luo Beichen's expression was calm.

Chen Yongsong immediately guessed this might be related to Luo Tianyi's campaign for City Lord.

After all, that Luo Yan was introduced by Commander Di Zheng.

And Di Zheng was Luo Tianyi's biggest rival!

"Brother Luo, what do you want to do?" Chen Yongsong knew this was a rare opportunity.

He knew his own limits.

Even though he'd scraped into the Academy, standing out there was no easy feat.

If he pulled this off for Luo Beichen.

He'd have his backing from now on—at least, food and clothing wouldn't be a worry.

Luo Beichen raised his wine glass, his gaze icy. "Cripple him, or even 'accidentally' kill him—either works."

Chen Yongsong sucked in a cold breath.

He hadn't expected Luo Beichen to go this far!

"What, scared?" Luo Beichen glanced lightly at the fatty.

Chen Yongsong gave a dry laugh. "Brother Luo, is that appropriate?"

"Relax. As long as you don't rat me out afterward."

"Even if they throw you in jail, I'll get you out."

"You don't think I can't do that, do you?"

Luo Beichen chuckled, taking a small sip of the fine wine in his cup.

Nearby.

Li Zhe and Xiao Yuan chimed in too.

"Yongsong, that kid Luo used you during the Academy Exam—you haven't forgotten that, have you?"

"He used your blood to lure the Wolf Tick into suicide, and waltzed right through."

"But do you know what everyone says about you?"

"They all say you're a complete fool, used by a savage, and still have the nerve to enroll."

Chen Yongsong's old wound was ripped open, and fury flared. He downed his wine in one gulp and growled, "Brother Luo, I'm in!"

And so it was settled.

After Chen Yongsong and the other two left.

Luo Beichen's roommate.

A pale-faced youth asked cautiously, "Brother Luo, should we give Old Master a heads-up about this?"

Luo Beichen swirled his wine glass lightly and said.

"That Luo guy was recommended by Di Zheng."

"He also scored the highest in the Academy Exam."

"Why do you think Di Zheng did that?"

"He's telling everyone he's got an eye for talent, that he's the one who can lead Guangling to glory."

"So I'm going after that savage named Luo Yan."

"To back my dad up."

"Besides, killing a savage from the surface."

"What's the difference from stepping on an ant?"

"Would you tell your parents about stepping on an ant?"

With that, he glanced at his roommate.

The pale-faced youth hurriedly flattered him, not daring to bring up informing Luo Tianyi again.

When Luo Yan returned to the dorm, he had an extra backpack.

He'd used his credits at the Logistics Department to exchange for a 'Red Poison' suppressant, along with Steel Wire, a Handheld Grinder, and other odds and ends.

The former cost 2 credits.

The latter pile of stuff, on the other hand, only cost 1 credit.

That suppressant could keep the 'Red Poison' in check, preventing it from worsening or flaring up.

But the effect only lasted a month.

Spending 1 credit a month to suppress the 'Red Poison'—Luo Yan thought it was a good deal.

Back in the dorm.

He shut the door and got to work.

Using the Handheld Grinder, he began processing the Steel Wire, sharpening its edges.

This process was tedious, but in three years on the surface, Luo Yan had done far more boring work than this.

As long as he could survive, he was willing to do anything.

Time passed amid the repetitive labor.

He wondered if his eyes were playing tricks on him.

Luo Yan suddenly noticed that on the steel wire he was polishing, a set of numbers had appeared: 86.

And as the edge of the wire reddened, thinned, and sharpened, the number kept rising.

90... 94... 100.

Luo Yan quickly stopped.

He looked elsewhere.

When his gaze landed on the French window, he immediately obtained data: width 5 meters, height 2 meters.

He looked at the other furniture.

More and more numbers leaped into Luo Yan's eyes.

Besides length and width, there were now height, incline, and thickness.

An overwhelming flood of data from nowhere made his eyes burn with discomfort.

Luo Yan quickly closed his eyes.

After a moment.

He opened them again.

Looking around, no numbers appeared.

This...

Luo Yan tried activating his 'Qi Gazing Eyes'.

Soon, a slight heat prickled his eyes.

Everything in his field of vision turned transparent, leaving only lines, and around those lines that outlined the shapes of objects, various data emerged once more.

Luo Yan was both startled and delighted.

He was certain that his 'Qi Gazing Eyes' had undergone some kind of change.

Yet he had no idea where this change came from.

Suddenly.

Luo Yan recalled the Tai-Chi symbol from before.

He quickly found a mirror.

Looking in it.

In his own crimson eyes, around the pupils, a ring of silver light dots appeared.

This was an anomaly that had never existed before.

And as he looked at himself in the mirror.

Luo Yan also saw his own gray life aura.

But unlike usual.

Within this human-shaped life aura, other colors had appeared.

One ring of fiery red, one ring of bright yellow.

Two kinds of light.

When Luo Yan's gaze fell on the ring of fiery red light, a set of numbers surfaced nearby: 108.

And when he stared at the ring of bright yellow light, he got another set: 97.

What did these two sets of numbers represent?

Or rather, what did the fiery red and bright yellow lights.

Each signify?

Luo Yan closed his eyes, deactivating his 'Qi Gazing Eyes'.

Now he could be sure that his pupil technique had mutated.

While retaining its previous functions, it had also gained the ability to see through obstacles and a digitized field of vision.

Especially the latter.

It could provide detailed, precise numbers.

Additionally, the gray life aura now had two more colors of light.

That must be some kind of important symbol.

Hmm, after class tomorrow, he could ask the teacher for guidance.

But...

The diamond white jade, the Tai-Chi symbol, the Pupil Technique mutation.

These three things should be connected.

Looking at it this way, the reason the Pupil Technique mutated must be related to that diamond white jade.

What exactly is that thing?

Luo Yan shook his head, habitually setting aside the questions he couldn't figure out.

He fixed the sharpened steel wire near the French window.

Then he set up other "Safety Measures."

He busied himself like this until evening.

Night deepened.

Chen Yongsong, Li Zhe, and Xiao Yuan carefully left their dormitory.

They took a detour.

Arriving near Luo Yan's dormitory.

Staring at the distant French window, Chen Yongsong pulled out a bottle of liquor.

Gulp gulp, he chugged it down, finally pouring the rest over himself.

Instantly, he reeked of alcohol.

"Hey, is this plan of yours really going to work?" Chen Yongsong glanced uncertainly at his roommates.

Li Zhe grinned. "No problem at all."

"Once you go in and waste that guy, we'll show up 'just in time.'"

Xiao Yuan nodded. "We'll say you got drunk, went on a rampage, and hurting someone wasn't your real intention."

Hearing them out, Chen Yongsong nodded and pulled out a dagger.

This was something Luo Beichen had sent over.

Very sharp.

One swipe across the neck.

And it'd be done.

After the instructions, Chen Yongsong, reeking of alcohol.

Crept up near the French window.

Gritting his teeth, he charged forward.

Smashing through the window!

The sound of shattering glass rang out.

Chen Yongsong had already crashed into the room.

But just as he entered.

He suddenly felt a chill on his neck.

As if something had swept across it.

He didn't think much of it.

In the first moment, he lunged for the bed placed beside the window.

Chen Yongsong raised the dagger, ready to stab down onto the bed.

But at that moment.

His vision suddenly plummeted.

The next second.

He saw the floor, saw under the bed.

And.

Saw a pair of eyes.

A pair of crimson eyes.

Luo Yan wasn't on the bed—he was under it!

Chen Yongsong's scalp went numb, and he wanted to scream.

But no sound came out.

And then, his vision froze, gradually blurring.

Finally losing all light.

One by one, lights flickered on in the student dormitories.

Footsteps echoed in the corridor.

Outside, Li Zhe and Xiao Yuan hurriedly scrambled through the wide-open French window.

They didn't forget to shout.

"Chen Yongsong, are you okay? We told you not to drink so much, but you wouldn't listen. Now you're drunk, right?"

They stepped over the glass shards scattered across the floor, using the dim glow of the streetlamp outside.

And saw Chen Yongsong's back facing them.

Then, with a crash, his burly body slammed to the ground.

A sudden gush of blood sprayed out, painting a fan-shaped crimson stain.

Only then did Li Zhe and the other see that Chen Yongsong's head had fallen beside the bed.

His eyes stared straight under the bed.

And, right before their eyes.

A thin steel wire stretched across.

Blood beads still dripped from it.

A moment later.

From Luo Yan's room, two sharp, piercing screams rang out!