The reception room.
The conversation continued.
After a moment's thought, Xiao Mengyu asked:
"You're a member of the Shen Family. Have you ever made enemies of anyone from another aristocratic family?"
"No," Shen Ye said firmly.
"I know your parents have already distanced themselves from the Shen Family's center of power, and I know you rarely go back. But on those few occasions when you returned to the Shen Family for New Year's, did you offend anyone?"
Xiao Mengyu persisted with her questions.
"I never liked competing with others for things, even as a child-so I'm certain I never offended anyone. Besides, I got along very well with everyone whenever I went back," Shen Ye said.
Then he sighed again.
"What was that sigh for? Did something occur to you?" Extremely perceptive, Xiao Mengyu asked at once.
"Qian Rushan once told me something-'Beware of people with ill intentions. They warrant more caution than monsters.'"
"So I was thinking, maybe I don't think I have any conflict with someone, but they might not see it that way."
Shen Ye spoke his mind.
Xiao Mengyu considered this, then nodded.
At that moment, she noticed Shen Ye's tension and glanced at the bartender watching her from nearby.
-She seemed to have inadvertently let a little killing intent slip out.
That was discourteous.
Her brows, like distant mountains lightly brushed with ink, relaxed. Her slender hands left her sword hilt and folded gently before her, and her voice softened as well:
"Sorry, I got a little emotional."
Her killing intent vanished completely.
"What you just said makes sense."
"Thinking about it, an ordinary person couldn't possibly place an order on the Assassin Alliance's Bounty Platform and hire an assassin to kill someone."
"I'll investigate the people you met in the Shen Family."
"If you learn anything on your end, please contact me at any time."
"All right," Shen Ye said.
Xiao Mengyu took out her phone, and they exchanged contact details.
There was nothing more to say.
Shen Ye stood up to see Xiao Mengyu to the elevator.
Suddenly remembering something, Xiao Mengyu stopped and said:
"Oh, one more thing."
"Please, go ahead," Shen Ye said.
"If you discover who's behind this, please don't stop investigating just because they're powerful or have a formidable force behind them."
"You can come to me anytime."
She flicked her sword out, then sheathed it again with a clang.
Shen Ye saw only a blur and couldn't make anything out.
Ding.
The elevator arrived.
"Then let's stay in touch." Xiao Mengyu gave a slight bow.
"Ah, all right," Shen Ye said.
The elevator doors closed.
She was gone.
-But what had she just slashed?
Shen Ye looked back.
At some point, the reception room had filled with people.
He truly had no idea where they had all been hiding earlier.
They crowded together before the broad, bright floor-to-ceiling windows, all gazing up outside.
What were they looking at?
Curious, Shen Ye followed their gazes.
In the clear blue sky above the city, a hazy sword shadow hundreds of meters long had appeared.
-Had she made that with her slash?
That was just too-
"Terrifying."
Someone spoke behind him.
Shen Ye turned to see Qian Rushan standing there with his arms folded, his expression a mixture of envy and fear.
A few minutes later.
The professionals in the reception room had dispersed.
"When she arrived, I specifically asked her something."
Sitting across the table, Qian Rushan spoke in the manner of a big brother looking out for his people.
"What did you ask her?" Shen Ye asked.
"Whether she would attack you," Qian Rushan said.
"What did she say?" Shen Ye asked.
"She said that since her brother had even given you his password, he clearly wanted you to live on, and she would naturally honor his last wishes."
Qian Rushan shrugged and continued, "She also said you were a victim too, and she wouldn't make things difficult for you."
"She's reasonable, then," Shen Ye said with relief.
"She's the most outstanding member of the Luo Family's current generation. Even among all the great aristocratic families, she can be considered one of the best," Qian Rushan said.
"Is she still in school? Or is she working already?" Shen Ye asked.
Qian Rushan's gaze suddenly turned rather strange.
"She's starting high school this year too. She should be in the same year as you."
"Huh?" Shen Ye exclaimed in surprise.
"Yes. Children of aristocratic families often have secret legacies and begin their training when they're little. Their comprehension and resonance far exceed those of ordinary people their age."
"As for her, she just graduated from junior high this year and is about to start her first year of high school. She should be taking the same entrance exam as you."
After speaking, Qian Rushan stole a glance at Shen Ye.
That girl was simply too outstanding.
The gap between people was so vast that even he had felt a little discouraged by that giant sword shadow, let alone Shen Ye, who was her age.
"Don't lose heart. There's always been a gulf between aristocratic children like her and ordinary students," Qian Rushan consoled him.
"I couldn't be happier," Shen Ye said with a shrug. "She's on my side now. Once I find the mastermind, she'll be able to help."
"That's true," Qian Rushan said with a nod.
"I didn't sleep well last night. I'm going back to catch up on sleep. We can talk later if anything comes up." Shen Ye stood and stretched.
"Go ahead. Tomorrow, I'll arrange for a few teachers to explain what you need to watch out for during the exam."
"Thanks, then."
Shen Ye returned to his dorm room.
He really did lie down on the bed and sleep, only waking around noon.
After a cold shower, the grogginess and exhaustion from staying up all night were swept away.
Refreshed, Shen Ye sat on the sofa and began concentrating on reviewing everything that had happened recently.
Xiao Mengyu's appearance meant the situation had reached its most dangerous point.
If the enemy really was someone from an aristocratic family-
He fully understood how deadly that would be.
Aristocratic families.
They stood at the very highest level of all human civilization.
The other party could casually throw out a sum of money and employ someone from the Assassin Alliance to buy his life with ease.
Who could it be?
Could it really be someone I met as a child?
That's too ridiculous.
But I still need to investigate carefully.
Shen Ye closed his eyes and immersed himself in his memories, going over everything he had experienced and everyone he had met over more than a decade.
Unfortunately, he found nothing.
His childhood memories were very hazy.
Looking back now, he only remembered returning to his grandfather's house for New Year's and playing with a group of children his age.
The original Shen Ye had been very considerate of other people's feelings.
He probably didn't offend anyone.
Have I missed anything that happened recently?
That day, I went to the hospital to visit Chen Haoyu. He was away receiving treatment, so I waited in his room.
Since the High School Entrance Exam was coming up, I took out a book and studied while I waited.
The room went dark.
At the time, I thought there had been a power outage, or that Chen Haoyu had finished his treatment, and instinctively looked up toward the door.
The door opened.
An empty hospital bed slid along the corridor.
That eerie Long-Haired Woman crawled out from beneath the bed.
Strange-
Was there no one else around when the curse took effect?
In a hospital that big, surely someone would have been on duty in the Inpatient Department.
Shen Ye's eyes snapped open.
...No!
In his memory, a scream of utter terror had clearly come from the corridor!
Who saw that scene?
Over the past few days, he had only just arrived in this world. Everything was unfamiliar, his body was still weak, and the police were investigating, so he hadn't given it much thought.
But now that he was reviewing everything-
That scream meant there had been a witness.
What did the witness know?
Luo Feichuan was dead, the murderer had been executed, and the entire case had been closed.
So no one would investigate the witness anymore, would they?
Shen Ye slowly stood up.
No.
This concerns my safety. I have to investigate.
But what do I have that would let me investigate?
-Even someone as outstanding as Luo Feichuan died.
I haven't even graduated from junior high. I can't even fully execute Deer Walk Beneath the Moon, an elven soldier's movement technique.
I have no attack skills.
All I have is a gun.
Am I supposed to get into a gunfight?
Sorry, I've never learned to shoot either.
Shen Ye slowly sat back down and regained his composure.
He opened his phone, found Xiao Mengyu's contact information, and told her about the witness.
Xiao Mengyu soon replied:
"I'll investigate immediately. Wait for my news."
-That's more like it.
Why put myself in danger when there's a Great Swordsman available to help?
But I really do need to learn some attack moves as soon as possible.
After all, there won't be a Great Swordsman beside me to help every time.
Ultimately, you have to rely on yourself!
"Hey, Big Skeleton, do you have any more Nightmare Crystals-the kind with skills?" Shen Ye asked.
Sometimes you can rely on the undead too!
"All I have are undead skills. You aren't undead, and you don't have soulfire power, so you can't use them," Big Skeleton replied.
"Didn't you give me one with Deer Walk Beneath the Moon before?"
"I found that one by chance."
Shen Ye sank into thought.
Will I only have a chance to learn attack moves after starting high school?
I can't afford to wait.
-I can't just run every time someone tries to assassinate me.
From the looks of it, he still needed to go to the Nightmare World to get some Nightmare Crystals.
The Nightmare World...
He had already obtained an entry today, but he could still open the Gate and go in again.
-Entering the Gate again on the same day would not earn him an evaluation entry, but he could do other things.
Such as searching for Nightmare Crystals.
Then I'll make another trip next!
Shen Ye made his decision.
(Thanks to Big Pineapple Little Apple for the Alliance Leader tip. Once I have more written, I'll post an extra update for you. Thanks, boss!)