Undercurrents on Campus

The dying embers of the sunset stained the sky a sickly orange-red. The final bell dragged out its long note, humming through the empty corridors of the school building. Xiang Yi slung his backpack over one shoulder and blended into the surging crowd of students, deliberately falling a few steps behind. The lingering smell of hospital disinfectant on him mixed with the faint bitterness of fresh textbook ink, making him seem utterly out of place among the noisy, restless teenagers.

The crowd scattered like a receding tide. Xiang Yi turned into the alley he had to pass through on his way home, squeezed by two rows of aging apartment buildings until only a narrow strip remained. The farther in he went, the more greedily the tall walls on either side swallowed the light. Faded graffiti peeled from the walls, twisting in the deep shadows, while the air carried the nauseating sour stench of the dumpsters.

Three clearly overage figures sauntered out from behind a corner piled with broken furniture and discarded cardboard boxes like hyenas that had scented blood, completely blocking the way ahead. The leader had straw-yellow hair, and his earring glinted cheaply in the dim light. He crooked his mouth into a vicious grin. "Yo, isn't this the young master who just got out of the hospital? Why the rush? The brothers are craving a smoke and running short on cash. Lend us some pocket money."

Xiang Yi stopped, as though nails had been driven into the concrete beneath his feet. He recognized that face. During gym class yesterday, this was the one who had cheered the loudest beside Zhang Hao. His hand hanging at his side curled slightly, his nails nearly digging into his palm. His heart pounded wildly in his chest for an instant before cold willpower forcibly suppressed it.

Yet his face showed no ripples. He merely adjusted the heavy strap of his backpack. "I don't have any."

"You don't?" Another thug, tall and skinny as a bamboo pole, sneered as he stepped closer. The shadow he cast nearly swallowed Xiang Yi's still-slight frame whole. "Won't we know after searching you? Young Master Zhang said your family's sitting on mountains of gold and silver. You won't miss this little bit!" A large-knuckled hand, its nail beds packed with grime, shoved brazenly into Xiang Yi's school uniform pocket.

The last sliver of light at the mouth of the alley was cut off completely. Xiang Yi's lashes lowered deeper into the heavy shadows, while the violence he had forcibly suppressed in his chest burned through every nerve like a red-hot branding iron. Fragments of memories from his past life, of being meek and submissive, tore madly against the humiliation he felt now. Endure? Or... a cold command formed deep within his consciousness: Lanling King, cripple that hand.

Just as those filthy fingertips came within half an inch of the rough fabric of his uniform, an icy, bone-deep resolve flashed through the depths of Xiang Yi's eyes—Now!

"Aaargh—!!!"

A shriek so agonized that it changed pitch completely tore through the dead silence of the alley! The skinny thug's outstretched hand seemed caught in invisible iron pincers and froze in midair. His wrist bent inward at a bizarre angle no human joint could possibly reach! The crisp, teeth-grating crack of bones dislocating drove into everyone's ears like an ice pick!

"My hand! My hand—!" The skinny thug clutched his limp wrist, hanging as though all the bones had been pulled from it, and shook violently from head to toe. Snot and tears smeared his face. He looked around in terror, but the alley held nothing but silent brick walls and foul-smelling garbage.

The sneers on Yellow Hair and his other companion's faces froze instantly, then were completely swallowed by immense, incomprehensible fear! Like cats whose tails had been stepped on, they slammed into the cold, hard wall behind them. Their eyes bulged as though they might split open, scanning every corner and every shadow in panic. "Who?! Who the fuck did that?! Come out! What kind of skill is playing ghost?!" Yellow Hair's voice trembled out of tune, nearly breaking into tears.

Xiang Yi remained where he was, his backpack hanging properly from his shoulder. He did not even glance at the skinny thug rolling around on the ground and wailing. His gaze, as calm as a frozen lake, rested on Yellow Hair's face, twisted by terror. Dim light divided his face into blurred planes of light and dark, but his eyes alone were bottomless, like pools holding icy depths.

"Zhang Hao sent you?" His voice was quiet, yet it strangely pierced through the howling and ragged breathing in the alley, carrying a weight that made hearts tremble. "Go back and tell him."

He took one small step forward. His shoe scraped faintly over the rough concrete with a soft rustle. That insignificant sound made Yellow Hair and the other thug shrink backward again like startled birds, their backs pressed tightly against the cold wall.

Xiang Yi slightly raised his chin, his gaze like tangible chains locking onto Yellow Hair's panicked eyes. In the deeper shadows of the alley, so dark they seemed capable of swallowing light, a faint ripple like a wave flickered and vanished. An indescribably chilly aura, like a venomous snake crawling up from the abyss, silently coiled around Yellow Hair's neck—instantly, goosebumps rose across his exposed skin. His breathing caught for a moment, as though an invisible, freezing hand had seized his throat!

He shuddered violently, his teeth chattering uncontrollably.

"Provoke me again," Xiang Yi said, every word clear as ice beads striking frozen ground, carrying a biting chill, "and it won't just be a hand that gets broken."

He did not look at them again. Turning sideways, he calmly walked past the skinny thug curled up and wailing, between the two thugs trembling like quails. His steps were steady without the slightest sway. As he passed through the last lingering orange-red glow of sunset at the alley entrance, the hem of his school uniform stirred gently.

Only after Xiang Yi's figure had completely disappeared into the noisy, brightly lit crowd down the street did Yellow Hair collapse to the ground with a thud, as though every bone in his body had been removed. He gasped for breath, cold sweat instantly soaking through his cheap T-shirt. He looked at his companion's twisted wrist, then stared in horror toward where Xiang Yi had vanished, as though an abyssal beast capable of devouring everything lurked there. A chill that reached into his bones and could not be dispelled gripped his soul tightly.

In the deepest part of the alley, within the darkest corner formed by abandoned wooden crates, the air silently rippled in a circle so slight it was nearly imperceptible. The outline of a figure almost perfectly merged with the darkness appeared for the briefest instant, then vanished completely, as though it had never existed.

The dinner table at home was filled with the warm fragrance of food. His mother, Lin Wan, placed a tender, flavorful braised rib into Xiang Yi's bowl. Her eyes held irrepressible concern, and her voice was gentle. "Xiao Yi, how did you feel at school today? Can your body handle it? If you feel unwell, don't force yourself. It's fine to rest for a few more days."

The frozen lake in Xiang Yi's heart remained perfectly still, but his face seemed to switch to a precisely crafted mask. He looked up, and a warm smile instantly filled his clear eyes like a stream thawing in spring. He flashed the brilliant, cloudless smile of a twelve-year-old boy. "Mom, I'm fine! Really! The doctor said I recovered especially well. I'm even more energetic than before I got hurt! Today's math test was pretty hard, but I still got full marks!" His tone was light and proud, and he even deliberately puffed out his slightly thin chest. (That was thanks to the unprecedented clarity and agility of thought brought by his increased mental power. Those complicated formulas seemed to come alive, flowing and combining on their own in his mind.)

"Really? That's wonderful! My son is the smartest!" The worry on Lin Wan's face was instantly replaced by pride. She could not help reaching over to rub his soft hair. "But you still can't study so hard that you wear yourself out. Your health comes first."

Xiang Haishan, who had been reading the newspaper beside them, set it down. His gentle gaze carried approval. "Health is the foundation of everything. You need to study step by step. Here's some good news: the company's little trouble has been completely resolved, all thanks to the crucial evidence sent by that unknown kindhearted person." Relief filled his voice, as though a thousand-pound burden had been lifted, and even the exhaustion between his brows had faded somewhat.

"That's great, Dad!" Xiang Yi's voice was full of pure, childlike delight, as though it were the best news in the world. He stuffed a large mouthful of rice into his mouth, his cheeks puffed out as he mumbled, "I knew it! Bad people never get a good ending!"

Xiang Haishan and Lin Wan exchanged a glance, their eyes both filled with the warmth and relief of survivors after a disaster.

After dinner, Xiang Yi returned to his neat little room. The instant the door closed behind him, the soft brightness on his face receded rapidly like an ebbing tide. He walked to the window without turning on the light. Outside, the countless lights of the city resembled stars scattered across a vast sheet of black velvet, distant and cold, reflecting the same cold scrutiny in his eyes.

He closed his eyes, and his consciousness sank into that boundless space of awareness. A pale-blue system interface floated silently before him.

[Mental Power: 28/100]

[Energy Points: 100]

[Hero: Lanling King (Loyalty: 120%)]

With a thought, Lanling King's information panel unfolded: [Status: Slight fatigue (continuously consuming mental power to maintain invisibility)]. Xiang Yi's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. The afternoon's intervention, combined with sustained stealth, had consumed more than he had expected.

My lord, this subordinate is unharmed. Lanling King's steady voice rang directly in Xiang Yi's mind, carrying a trace of barely detectable concern. The three men have been dealt with cleanly. No traces remain that could be followed. Xuan Weizi has already infiltrated Zhang Hao's residence to observe him.

"Good work." Xiang Yi's response was solemn and clear. "Your condition matters more. Return to the system space immediately and rest. Before your mental power recovers to a safe threshold, there is no need to remain deployed on standby."

As you command. Lanling King's figure bowed slightly within the system space, then turned into a stream of shadowy light and merged into a designated energy-rest area. A [Resting] marker appeared beside the status bar, while the mental power recovery rate displayed: [+0.5/minute].

His gaze returned to the precious 100 Energy Points. With a thought, he summoned the shop interface glowing faintly. An array of dazzling icons slowly scrolled past. Most were shrouded in mysterious gray mist, while only a few beginner items gave off weak yet enticing light.

His sharp gaze locked onto one of them: [Basic Energy Crystal]. The icon depicted an irregular multifaceted crystal containing what seemed to be a slowly rotating blue nebula. Price: 50 Energy Points.

[Basic Energy Crystal: Contains high-purity mental energy. Absorption permanently increases the host's mental power limit (5–15 points). Requires approximately 3 hours of sustained focused guidance. Warning: Excessive absorption or interruption during guidance may cause mental shock and consciousness damage.]

This was it! A bright gleam flashed in Xiang Yi's eyes. Mental power was the foundation upon which everything was built! The fulcrum that could pry open power itself!

"Exchange for [Basic Energy Crystal]!"

[Confirm consumption of 50 Energy Points?]

"Confirm!"

[Exchange successful. Deducted: 50. Remaining: 50. Item issued to system space.]

A crystal the size of a pigeon egg, transparent as the purest blue crystal, appeared from nowhere at the center of the system space. It radiated a soft yet profound blue glow, as though a miniature starry sky had been imprisoned within it. Blue energy flowed and rotated inside the crystal like a living thing, releasing pure fluctuations that made his soul instinctively crave it.

Xiang Yi suppressed the excitement in his heart and did not absorb it immediately. He went to his desk and sat down, spreading open a thick math exercise book. He picked up his pen and began solving problems seriously, the tip making soft scratching sounds across the paper. He was waiting—waiting for a moment of absolute safety, when no one could disturb him.

Time slipped quietly away beneath his pen. More than half the lights outside the window went out, and the noisy city gradually sank into silence. The background noise from the living room television disappeared, followed by the faint sound of the master bedroom door closing. Xiang Yi waited patiently for another half hour, until the entire house sank into sleep-like stillness, with only the regular, distinct ticking of the second hand on the wall clock.

He put down his pen and softly exhaled stale air. Rising, he moved as lightly as a cat in the night, walked to the door, and silently locked it. Returning to the bed, he sat cross-legged, his back straight as a pine.

His consciousness sank into the system space and locked firmly onto the floating blue crystal radiating enticing starlight. "Absorb!"

Bzz—!

It was as though a drop of scalding blue ink had suddenly fallen into the calm sea of his consciousness! A vast, pure, gentle warm current surged violently into the core of his mind, then rushed through every corner of his limbs and body like a thawed spring river bursting free!

"Ungh!" Xiang Yi let out a suppressed groan, his body instantly tensing. It was not pain, but an indescribable swelling sensation of being filled with ultimate energy, like cracked, parched earth completely flooded by surging spring water. Every cell rejoiced as it drank in that sweet nourishment. Wherever the warm current passed, traces of fatigue and mental sluggishness were swept away, replaced by a light, lucid sensation and a sharp awareness that seemed able to perceive the finest details.

He gathered all his will and carefully guided the rushing torrent of energy, slowly circulating it along the route described in the foundational section of the Returning to the Hidden Formula. After the initial surge, the warm current became tame and controllable, like a domesticated stream, washing over and nourishing the source of his mental power again and again.

His consciousness seemed to leave his heavy body behind, floating and sinking through a warm, full ocean of blue energy. He could clearly "see" the boundaries of his mental world gradually being pushed outward and expanded by an invisible force beneath the continued impact of that abundant energy. The boundaries became clearer and broader. On the system interface, the [100] representing his mental power limit began to flicker vaguely before settling steadily like a branded mark—[110]!

Time lost all meaning beneath the washing of energy. When the last thread of blue warmth completely merged with the source of his mental power, Xiang Yi slowly opened his eyes.

The sky outside was now dark as ink. The room was silent. He lowered his head and looked at his hands, clenching them before releasing them. There seemed to be no change on the surface of his body, but the world as he sensed it had become entirely different.

His hearing had become exceptionally sharp. He clearly caught his parents' even breathing in the bedroom next door—his father's breath was slightly heavier, carrying a barely detectable sluggishness, as though he had not fully escaped the shadow of the exhaustion he had suffered days ago; his mother's breathing was even and long, like a tranquil lake carrying the peace of deep sleep...

The refrigerator compressor downstairs gave off a faint hum. Far outside the window, he could clearly hear the tires of a night bus rubbing against the road. His vision had also improved drastically. In the darkness, the outlines of the stationery on his desk were several times clearer, every detail distinct.

The more important changes were within. His consciousness seemed thoroughly cleansed by the purest mountain spring, reaching unprecedented clarity and emptiness. His thoughts moved like lightning. Every detail from the afternoon alley incident, Zhang Hao's possible reactions, all kinds of future plans... countless thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant, organized and clearly connected. The lingering trace of mental fatigue from using Lanling King had vanished completely, and his entire mental domain brimmed with a sense of abundant strength.

He summoned the system interface:

[Host: Xiang Yi]

[Age: 12]

[Mental Power: 110/110 (+10)]

[Energy Points: 50]

[Hero: Lanling King (Loyalty: 120%, Resting, Mental Power Recovering: 78/100)]

110 points of mental power... Sure enough, a qualitative leap had brought improvements across the board! The limit had risen by a full 10 points! Intense excitement surged through Xiang Yi. In this world filled with dangers on every side, his foundation for survival had become that much stronger.

He walked to the window and gently pushed it open a crack. The cold wind of the late-autumn night poured in, carrying the scent of city dust, yet it could not extinguish the flame burning in his eyes—that calm, cold light containing unquestionable power.

Power! The path to controlling his fate! Ever since the memories of his past life awakened, the anxiety and urgency that had constantly wrapped around him were slightly soothed by this newfound strength.

He gazed into the deep night. The city's dense lights merged into a blurred, indifferent band of illumination in the distance. Beneath that light lay countless known and unknown dangers—the lurking claws of The Hand, S.H.I.E.L.D.'s omnipresent eyes, and the enormous catastrophes that would destroy the world in the future...

The corner of Xiang Yi's mouth slowly curved into a faint yet incomparably resolute smile.

Outskirts · Abandoned Warehouse District

Night pressed heavily over the chaotic warehouse district on the outskirts like thick, freezing ink. A few dim yellow streetlights swayed in the night wind, casting vast, twisted, dancing shadows like ghosts. The air was saturated with the suffocating, stagnant stench of rust, spoiled motor oil, and damp garbage.

A small figure stumbled out from the depths of a narrow alley piled with discarded tires. It was Yellow Hair. His face was as pale as a wall coated in cheap whitewash, sweat covered his forehead, and his eyes were unfocused. He muttered over and over with nervous desperation, "Ghost... there's a ghost... hand... don't come for me... don't come closer..."

He was running too fast. His foot caught hard on the raised edge of a rusted manhole cover, and he slammed heavily onto the cold, rough concrete with a bang. A searing pain flared across his palms and knees.

He ignored the pain and tried to scramble up using both hands and feet, only for his movements to freeze abruptly. A polished black leather shoe stepped soundlessly onto the filthy, oil-stained ground before him. Yellow Hair's gaze traveled upward along the tailored trouser leg—crisp dark dress pants, the immaculate hem of a suit jacket, and finally a young, handsome face filled with cruel arrogance.

Zhang Hao. He leaned lazily against the door of a sleek, ostentatious black sports car, a cigarette dangling from his mouth. Its scarlet tip flickered in the dark like the eye of a venomous snake. Two muscular men built like iron towers stood behind him, wearing black tank tops. Their exposed arms were covered with fierce tattoos, and their gazes were as savage as beasts.

"Where's the job I gave you?" Zhang Hao's voice was lazy but thick with impatience as he looked down at the miserable Yellow Hair. "Did you collect that sickly bastard's 'tuition'?" He emphasized the word "tuition" heavily, dripping with malicious mockery.

Yellow Hair trembled violently, like a frog caught in a venomous snake's gaze. The terrifying scene in the alley that afternoon—the inexplicable crack of his companion's broken wrist, the omnipresent sensation of an icy stare, Xiang Yi's eyes so calm they chilled the marrow—rose vividly in his mind, utterly crushing what little courage he had left.

"Ghost... Brother Hao! There really is a ghost!" Yellow Hair wailed, snot and tears smeared all over his face. He scrambled backward on his hands and feet, desperate to get away from the person before him. "Skinny Monkey's hand... it broke for no reason! The bone fucking poked out! There's something in that alley! Something invisible! That Xiang Yi kid is cursed! He's too damn cursed! He said... if we provoke him again... it won't just be a hand that gets broken!" His words tumbled out incoherently. He shook like a leaf, staring at Zhang Hao in terror as though he were more frightening than any ghost.

"Useless trash! Worthless fuck!" The trace of laziness on Zhang Hao's face vanished instantly, replaced by fury! He suddenly straightened up and drove a vicious kick into Yellow Hair's shoulder! The force was so great that Yellow Hair screamed and rolled away like a battered sack! "A sickly bastard who was bedridden for three months scared you so badly you pissed yourself? And there's a fucking ghost? Did a door smash your brain before a donkey kicked it?!" Veins bulged on his forehead, and his handsome face twisted viciously.

"Brother Hao, it's true! I'm not lying! I swear it!" Yellow Hair curled up on the ground, clutching his agonizing shoulder as he wailed. "The way that kid looked at people... it wasn't human... it was terrifyingly cold... like a knife..."

"Shut up! Spout one more fucking word and I'll kill you!" Zhang Hao cut him off sharply, his chest heaving as he clearly struggled to contain his rage. He took a deep drag from his cigarette and forced down the fury churning inside him. His eyes were dark and vicious as poisoned blades as he stared at Yellow Hair trembling on the ground. "Get the fuck out of here! Stop being an eyesore! If there's a next time..." He shot a cruel look at one of the burly men beside him.

The man immediately stepped forward. His fan-sized hand grabbed Yellow Hair by the back of his collar and roughly lifted him like a chick, dragging him without a word toward a darker corner piled with junk. Yellow Hair's pig-like pleas were muffled tightly by another large hand, leaving only muted whimpers and the chilling dull thuds of fists and feet striking flesh.

Irritably, Zhang Hao crushed the half-smoked cigarette against the shining hood of the sports car, leaving behind a glaring burn mark. He pulled open the door and sat inside. The sports car let out a low roar, its blinding headlights slicing through the darkness like twin swords. Its tires shrieked against the ground as it shot away, leaving only the pungent scent of exhaust spreading through the foul air.

In the passenger seat, Zhang Hao irritably yanked at the school uniform collar choking him, using enough force that his right sleeve slipped down slightly. Under the dim interior lighting, a patch of dark blue-green tattoo was revealed on the inside of his wrist—three twisted, coiling snakes joined head to tail in a bizarre pattern! At the snakes' eyes were two darker dots of ink, as though they absorbed light itself, radiating an ancient, sinister, deeply unsettling chill. It was the secret mark of The Hand!

(Meanwhile, in the quiet bedroom of the Xiang family home, Xiang Yi sat with his eyes closed, concentrating on his senses. A blurry image transmitted by Xuan Weizi suddenly froze in his mind—the cold, bizarre serpent mark on Zhang Hao's wrist! Xiang Yi's mind shook violently! Fragmented memories from his past life surged together in an instant—The Hand! The Five Fingers! Madame Gao! An icy chill shot up from his tailbone and straight to the top of his head!)

Zhang Hao himself seemed entirely unaware of it. He only continued cursing irritably, while his left thumb unconsciously rubbed hard against the tattoo on his right wrist, as though it were a switch that could quell his rage.

He stared fixedly at the maze-like warehouse district roads illuminated by the sports car's headlights. His eyes were as cold as poisoned blades as he ground out in a low roar, "Fuck, Xiang Yi... you sickly bastard... just wait and see!"

The sports car roared away, carrying his twisted rage and the serpent shadow quietly exposed on his wrist, a symbol of endless darkness, disappearing at the end of the warehouse district's tangled roads.

Deeper, thicker night, like cold ink congealing in silence, swallowed the desolate warehouse district—and completely swallowed the serpent-shaped shadow on that wrist, a symbol of misfortune and slaughter.