Exchanging Information

Qin Siyang sat down in the end.

Li Tianming had neither a reason to kill him nor the ability to do so.

If he used [Violence], he was confident he could kill Li Tianming in a single strike, even if the man was a sequence level three [Shaman].

He would hear what Li Tianming had to say.

Li Tianming took off his glasses. Without the lenses shielding them, his small, somewhat lecherous eyes instantly became piercing, filled with untold stories.

"Qin Siyang, I've laid all my cards on the table because I want you to trust me, rather than think I approached you to get something out of you."

"If you don't want anything from me, why talk to me?"

"Hmm... you have a point. What I mean is, I have no intention of harming you. On the contrary, I can help you."

"Help me? How?"

"I can help you hunt gods and get into university."

"You're in the [Phantom Assassin] sequence, right? That sequence is extremely well suited to combat. You can hunt gods outside the Safe Zone and earn god-hunting points. Not only will those help with your university applications, but they'll also have a lasting impact on your future."

"More importantly, hunting gods can earn you enough money to pay your university tuition. You should know that tuition isn't cheap. Plenty of students have had to turn down their offers of admission because they couldn't afford it."

"Turn down their offers? The [Sequence Education] forum clearly said universities offer scholarships to outstanding students and those who need financial assistance."

Li Tianming smiled. "Qin Siyang, have you heard the saying, 'There's no such thing as a free lunch'? Why should they give you a scholarship instead of someone else? Just because your grades are a little better and your family is a little poorer? Is the Safe Zone really so short of sequence ability users that it needs you?"

"Schools aren't charities. Every school built after the apocalypse has substantial interests tied up in it. Things are very complicated behind the scenes."

"If you want a scholarship, you have to pay a price. As for what that price is, that's not so easy to explain."

"...All right. I understand."

Qin Siyang had assumed universities in this world were similar to those in his previous life and would provide aid to students from poor families.

He had seen on the forum that good universities offered plenty of scholarships, enough to cover both living expenses and tuition, so he hadn't given the matter much thought.

After hearing Li Tianming's explanation, he immediately realized things weren't as simple as he had imagined.

"Principal, why do you know so much about sequence universities? At your age, you shouldn't have had a chance to attend one."

Li Tianming leaned back against his chair. "I was once the associate dean of a university."

"Associate dean?"

"Yes. Later, I was framed and transferred to this miserable place to serve as principal."

"So, as I said, my sequence ability can help you hunt gods. My past experience can help you get into university."

"You need my help, just as I need yours."

Qin Siyang shook his head. "Principal, I appreciate you telling me all this, but I don't think I need your help."

"You don't?" Li Tianming gave him a knowing smile. "Never mind the distant future. Right now, you must be wondering how to earn god-hunting points, aren't you? The [Phantom Assassin] sequence is highly sought after. The moment you register, plenty of people will come asking you to join their teams. Do you know which one to choose?"

Qin Siyang lowered his head slightly, studying the smiling Li Tianming.

The man hadn't seen his browsing history, yet he knew exactly what problem Qin Siyang was facing.

He really was a seasoned old fox.

Compared with his previous life, the world now was more complicated and more chaotic.

But one thing hadn't changed: no one at the top was a fool.

Olof was like that, Qian Wendao was like that, and so was Li Tianming.

Every one of them had left a deep impression on Qin Siyang, making it impossible for him to grow arrogant simply because he had been reborn.

Even after living two lives, he still wasn't confident he could emerge unscathed from a battle of wits with these masters of intrigue.

"Qin Siyang, there's no need to be afraid. I simply know a little more than you do. That's how I was able to guess."

"As your educator, it's only natural for me to offer you guidance."

"We can choose a suitable god-hunting team for you together. If necessary, I can even lend a hand and go outside the Safe Zone with you to hunt gods..."

"Wait."

Qin Siyang interrupted Li Tianming.

"Principal Li, you said something just now that I thought was very apt: 'There's no such thing as a free lunch.'"

"I now know how you can help me. Next, I want to know what you need me to do."

Li Tianming nodded. He stopped listing his advantages and gave Qin Siyang a solemn look.

"I want you to help clear my name."

"Because of this trumped-up charge, I lost my position and my power, and my wife left me. I want you to help me get back on my feet."

"Help you get back on your feet? Me?"

Qin Siyang pointed at himself in disbelief, unable to imagine what had possessed Li Tianming to say that.

Even Li Tianming, a sequence level three ability user, had been brought firmly to heel and was dutifully serving as the principal of [Ju'an School].

And he actually expected a final-year high school student to help clear his name?!

Did he really take me for an idiot?

"Principal Li, if that's what you want, I'm afraid I can't help you. I'm a student who only just awakened as a sequence ability user. I may be a little proud of myself, but I'm not so arrogant that I don't know my limits."

"If even you're helpless, there's absolutely no way I can get involved!"

"Goodbye."

There was no reason to continue talking to Li Tianming.

Qin Siyang rose to leave.

However, his legs were immobilized again, preventing him from leaving.

"Principal Li, there's no point in keeping me here with a trick like this. Once your skill wears off, I'll still leave."

Li Tianming sighed. "You really are clever. Far cleverer than I thought."

"There was something I found strange earlier. I kept wondering whether I was overthinking it. How could an eighteen-year-old high school senior have so many secrets? Now it seems the problem wasn't with me."

Qin Siyang's heart tightened. He didn't know what Li Tianming was about to say.

"Principal Li, what do you mean?"

"My ex-wife is also a sequence ability user."

"As it happens, she's in the [Phantom Assassin] sequence, just like you."

"But there's one way in which she's different from you. When I restrained her with my [Earth Bind] skill, she lost control of her entire body and couldn't say a word."

At that, Li Tianming raised his head and met Qin Siyang's eyes.

"Unlike you. Not only can you speak freely, but the movement of your upper body isn't affected at all."