Campus Battlefield

Li Stark emerged from the lab, rubbing his sore shoulders. Intelligent Particles gathered and dispersed restlessly in his palm, still simulating the energy circuit that had failed during this morning's calibration. Suddenly, the sound of shattering glass came from around the corner, followed by a wave of startled cries.

"Stay back!" Wanda's voice carried a rare note of panic. Li's heart skipped a beat. Intelligent Particles instantly covered his arm as he rushed toward the sound, only to stop short at the classroom door.

Inside the classroom, Wanda stood beside a desk. A beaker in front of her was emitting strange red smoke, several girls were huddled in the corner, and shattered glass littered the floor. "I swear, this was supposed to be an ordinary experiment!" Wanda took half a step back with a test tube raised, fluorescent powder speckling the ends of her hair. "It's just... the reagent ratio was a little off."

Suppressing a laugh, Li controlled the Intelligent Particles into a transparent broom, clearing the floor in the blink of an eye. "Everyone, don't panic. This is our group's new project—" He caught Wanda secretly giving him a thumbs-up and smoothly made something up. "A safety test for a new fluorescent agent."

"Wow, Li, you and Wanda work so well together!" Gwen somehow squeezed up beside him, her blue eyes curving into crescents. Yet when she looked at Wanda, an almost imperceptible sharpness flashed through them. "But for dangerous experiments like this, you should ask me to help next time, okay? After all, I'm one of the Science Club's main members."

Wanda raised an eyebrow slightly and tucked her loose red hair behind her ear, revealing her delicate collarbone. "Of course. Gwen is so enthusiastic; I'll definitely call her next time." Her voice was sweet as honey, yet somehow made the air grow warmer.

After school, Wanda dragged Li into the equipment room. The setting sun streamed through the rusty iron window, gilding the tips of her hair in red and gold. "Can you help me with something?" Wanda waved the hockey stick in her hand. "In gym class tomorrow, I don't want to expose the fact that I'm too strong again."

Li raised a brow as Intelligent Particles flowed out of his backpack and wrapped around the hockey stick. "Hold it steady." At his quiet command, fine patterns appeared along the metal shaft, and its weight sensor began operating. Wanda gave it a couple of test swings, her eyes lighting up. "Did you install an antigravity device?"

"Just a miniature balancing system." Li blinked smugly. "It automatically adjusts resistance based on how much force you use. That way, you won't look too effortless on the field, but you also won't give yourself away."

In gym class the next day, just as Wanda seemingly struggled to score the winning goal, Gwen suddenly bounced over to Li's side and deliberately said loudly, "Li, let's team up for next week's science competition! Just like we used to!" Her ponytail brushed his arm, carrying a crisp, sweet apple scent.

Before Li could answer, Wanda had already walked over with her hockey stick in her arms, fluorescent powder in her hair sparkling under the sunlight. "But Li promised to research quantum entanglement with me." She tilted her head, her innocent gaze hiding foxlike cunning. "And we've already made quite a few interesting discoveries."

Li watched the scent of gunpowder grow stronger between them, cold sweat beading at his temple. The nanoparticles in his pocket wriggled restlessly, as if they too sensed the tension. Gwen bit her lip, then suddenly flashed a brilliant smile. "Oh, right! My family's having a pool party this weekend. You should both come! We can relax a little—maybe we'll find some new inspiration." Her invitation sounded warm, but her gaze remained firmly locked on Wanda.

Wanda's lips curved into a perfect smile. "Of course I'll come. I've never been to such a grand party before. I heard Gwen's pool can change into seven different colors. Just thinking about it makes me look forward to it."

That weekend, sunlight spilled over Gwen's pool, making the water sparkle. Li sat in a lounge chair in a loose T-shirt, watching the two figures nearby. Gwen wore a light-blue bikini as she elegantly showed off a diving move she had recently learned, occasionally waving in Li's direction. Wanda, meanwhile, was wrapped in a red sari, barefoot as she stepped through the scattered patches of light. When the wind lifted her hair, mysterious runes could vaguely be seen at her ankles. She strolled to the poolside, bent down to scoop up a handful of water, and watched the ripples spread between her fingertips, inadvertently revealing a captivating profile.

"Li, come play water volleyball!" Gwen waved at him, droplets on her chest trembling lightly with the motion.

"Wait!" Wanda suddenly caught Li by the wrist. The scent of rose perfume mixed with pool chlorine rushed over him. "Can you put sunscreen on me? I can never apply it evenly." Blinking, she pressed the sunscreen into Li's hand, her fingertips seemingly brushing his palm by accident.

Li felt his heartbeat miss a beat, his feelings racing wildly like a startled deer. He secretly glanced at Gwen and found the knuckles of the hand gripping her volleyball turning white. Gwen took a deep breath and called out with a smile, "Wanda, come play too! It'll be more fun with one more person."

Wanda stood, her sari slipping down to reveal her toned figure. She stepped into the pool, barely causing a ripple on the water's surface. "Sure, but I'm not very good at it. Li will have to teach me more."

The game began. When Gwen served, she deliberately put a little extra force into it, sending the volleyball flying at Wanda at high speed. Wanda's gaze sharpened slightly. Just as the ball was about to hit her, she casually raised a hand and tapped it, but the ball shot back with astonishing speed. Gwen hurried to catch it, slipped, and fell straight into the pool.

"Gwen!" Li and Wanda cried out at the same time. Li was about to dive into the water when Gwen had already surfaced, wiped the water from her face, and forced a smile. "I'm fine. It's been a while since I played, so I'm a little rusty."

Just as the atmosphere was about to freeze solid, another cry rose from the poolside. Several kittens had accidentally knocked over the drinks table, sending colorful fruit juice splashing toward Wanda's sari.

"Watch out!" Li instinctively controlled the Intelligent Particles into a protective barrier, but Wanda's lips curved in a faint smile. Her fingertips swept through the air, and the juice suddenly changed course midair, returning precisely to the tipped-over cups. A chorus of amazement rose from the people around them.

Gwen's eyes widened. "Th-That's incredible, isn't it?"

Wanda shrugged, fluorescent powder drifting from her hair in the breeze. "It's just a little magic trick. When I was young, I watched street magicians perform and secretly learned a few things." She turned toward Li, her eyes carrying a slyness only he could understand—it was clearly a trace of the Chaos Magic she carried.

Li pressed a hand to his forehead as Intelligent Particles gathered above his head into a tiny bitter-melon face. After the party, Gwen walked Li and Wanda to the gate. She grabbed Li's arm and whispered, "Li, I think there's something strange about Wanda. You should be careful around her."

Li patted her hand. "Don't worry. I know what I'm doing." As he turned away, he saw Wanda standing beneath a streetlamp, her red hair shining bright beneath the light as she watched them with a half-smile. Li knew this undercurrent-filled campus battlefield had only just begun, and caught between them, his future school life was destined to be anything but peaceful.