When Senior and Leonard brought the examiner to the secluded alley, Qin Ran stood there expressionlessly. Beside him lay the overturned handcart, its glass cover fallen where it had stood. The Little Rainbow Cake, the reward for the top-ranked freshman, had long since vanished.
"What happened?"
After sweeping his gaze over the scene, Senior had a rough idea of what had happened.
"My food was eaten."
That was Qin Ran's answer.
He sounded as though he were simply stating a fact.
"Don't worry."
"The school will give you equivalent compensation."
"They..."
Senior reassured Qin Ran, confronting the suspicion in his own mind. Then his gaze returned to the three bodies-no, the two remaining bodies. One had already been reduced to ashes.
"They planned this. These two were working together, but the one who hit the wall was the mastermind. The one on the ground was a pawn."
"And the one who came later?"
"I don't know. All I know is that he was very good at stealth and very fast. While I was fighting the mastermind who hit the wall, he stole my food and ate it as he ran."
"So... I couldn't control my anger."
Qin Ran explained.
He had altered a few details, but the account remained perfectly reasonable.
At least, that was what the traces left at the scene suggested.
Leonard walked over and gave his friend an almost imperceptible nod.
"Leave this to us."
"2567, go back to the E5 Teaching Building first."
"Do you need someone to show you the way?"
Senior asked.
Qin Ran did not answer. He simply turned and left.
He had achieved his goal. There was no reason to stay.
Another serving of food that would make him stronger would soon be his.
Although food of this kind offered only a