The enormous Flying Shuttle soared through the clouds.
Shen Ye had wanted to sleep the whole way, but his neck and shoulders ached, keeping him awake.
Just as he was starting to feel drowsy, his phone suddenly vibrated.
He could only pick it up.
Zhao Yibing?
Girl, could you please let me get some sleep first!
Shen Ye couldn't help yawning.
He opened the message, and a photo appeared on his phone.
Zhao Yibing held an entrance exam notice, her smile radiant as a flower.
She seemed somewhat changed.
Was it her long hair, dyed a striking purple?
Or was it the heavy eye shadow outlining her once-clear, bright eyes?
Or that indescribably gloomy air in her expression?
"Shen Ye, I got a chance to take the entrance exam for the Three Great High Schools too."
"Let's meet up."
Shen Ye was wide awake at once.
For some reason, he kept feeling that something about this wasn't quite right.
"Mr. Qian, another girl from our school qualified for the Three Great High Schools' entrance exam too. Did you know?"
Shen Ye asked.
Qian Rushan, who was reading a newspaper beside him, grunted at his question and said:
"I only just found out myself. Apparently, that girl has an astonishing gift. She's been kept under wraps all this time and was only revealed today."
"Kept under wraps by whom?" Shen Ye asked.
"The Archaeological Association," Qian Rushan said.
Shen Ye nodded slightly.
In this world, the Archaeological Association was an extremely important organization.
It was responsible for excavating all kinds of ruins, seeking humanity's past, and even searching for inherited knowledge, weapons, martial techniques, and other things left behind from ancient times. It wielded immense power.
Zhao Yibing had connections like that?
No.
If she'd stood so high above everyone all along, why bother buying me breakfast every day?
Did she really like me?
But if she really liked me, why would she kick me when I was down?
It didn't make sense.
According to his memories, she had never displayed any astounding gifts or talents.
Could it be...
Chen Haoyu's face flashed through Shen Ye's mind.
Chen Haoyu was dead.
Then what about Zhao Yibing?
Right, Xiao Mengyu had been investigating this all along. She knew more about the overall situation.
But I'd made Xiao Mengyu cry earlier.
The girl had originally been planning to leave with him, but after what he said, she had slashed her sword and run off crying.
Would she still speak to me?
Shen Ye hesitated, but still sent Xiao Mengyu a message:
"Do you know Zhao Yibing?"
He waited a moment.
Xiao Mengyu's reply came immediately:
"You arrived late, so you didn't see it. She died."
Died?
How had she died?
Shen Ye froze for a moment. Feeling that this would be difficult to explain, he simply took a screenshot of Zhao Yibing's photo and messages and sent it to Xiao Mengyu.
His phone suddenly vibrated.
It was a call from Xiao Mengyu!
"Hello?" Shen Ye said.
"Where are you?" Xiao Mengyu asked directly.
"On a Flying Shuttle-heading off to take the exam," Shen Ye said.
"I'm taking the entrance exam too. Let's talk when we meet in a bit," Xiao Mengyu said.
"Okay. I'll be there in about-" Shen Ye said.
"We'll reach our destination in twenty-seven hours." Qian Rushan's voice came from behind his newspaper.
"All right, got it," Xiao Mengyu said.
Knowing she had things she wanted to tell him in person, Shen Ye nodded and said:
"See you in a bit."
Xiao Mengyu cautioned him in a solemn voice, "Remember-never meet Zhao Yibing alone, no matter what. Make sure you remember what I said."
"Okay." Shen Ye grew serious too.
The call ended.
Qian Rushan poked his head out from behind his newspaper.
"I feel like I've heard that voice somewhere before," he murmured, his face full of curiosity.
"Xiao Mengyu," Shen Ye said outright.
Qian Rushan nodded and hid his face behind the newspaper again.
His voice came from behind it:
"At 3:25 this morning, a streak of sword energy shot into the sky above the White River on the outskirts of the city."
"An investigation found that Xiao Mengyu of the Luo Family had unleashed it."
"The intelligence system determined that she'd made a breakthrough in her sword techniques."
"After her breakthrough, she performed forty-nine sword moves in succession atop a solitary peak in the river, then walked across the river with her sword in hand and drifted away."
Shen Ye keenly picked up on something and immediately asked:
"A breakthrough? Why can she already use sword techniques? We're all in junior high school, but we only learn basic physical training methods."
"Although she hasn't started high school yet, she's practiced swordsmanship since childhood," Qian Rushan said.
"Since childhood? Don't you only get the chance to learn cultivation methods after entering high school?" Shen Ye asked.
"She comes from an established family. They have swordsmanship legacies, so naturally, they started training her as a child."
So that was it.
Ordinary people would only get a chance to learn cultivation methods in their lifetime if they got into high school.
But the children of established families began practicing from childhood.
They truly won at the starting line.
Seeing the thoughtful look on Shen Ye's face, Qian Rushan added:
"Also, children from established families start training their 'comprehension' and 'resonance' from a young age. You probably won't encounter coursework in those areas until high school."
Shen Ye sighed. "That's an enormous gap."
"Actually, you're from an established family too." Whether intentionally or not, Qian Rushan rubbed salt in the wound.
Shen Ye smiled, showing tolerance and understanding toward his remark.
As a manager at the Human Martial Arts Group, Qian Rushan naturally didn't want him to leave the group and return to his family.
That was why he had said that.
But it was also true-
He was about to graduate from junior high school, yet he had never been exposed to any of his family's legacies, much less received any nurturing or training in any area.
"After her breakthrough, Xiao Mengyu could walk across the river."
"From the looks of it, she made a breakthrough in her movement techniques too."
Qian Rushan sighed in admiration. "Heroes truly do emerge young."
"Enough of that. I'll get some sleep. Wake me when we get there." Shen Ye stretched.
He had just put on his eye mask when his phone vibrated.
Another message appeared on the screen:
"Shen Ye, I'm about to leave for the exam. Why don't we travel together?"
A new message from Zhao Yibing.
You're already dead.
Are you dead or not?!
I really haven't had any sleep. Please stop messaging me!
Shen Ye thought for a moment, searched through some old photos on his phone, then replied:
"You go ahead. I'm burning incense at Southern Mountain Temple and doing some hiking while I'm here. I'm also going to eat at Fahai Food Stall tonight. I won't leave until tomorrow or the day after."
There was no reply.
A few minutes passed.
Shen Ye selected an old photo from a trip to Southern Mountain Temple in his album and posted it to his social feed.
A notification sounded soon afterward.
Someone had left a comment!
Shen Ye tapped it.
"What a coincidence! I'm visiting Southern Mountain too. I didn't see you earlier. Whereabouts are you now?"
It was a comment from Zhao Yibing.
I only just posted a photo of Southern Mountain, and now you're on Southern Mountain too, Zhao Yibing?
Like hell I believe you!
We boys are all rather innocent and kindhearted. When we're out and about, we need to keep our eyes open, stay on our guard, and protect ourselves.
I'd better remember that.
Shen Ye put down his phone, pulled on his eye mask, and seized the chance to catch up on sleep.
Soon.
He fell into a deep sleep.
Those distant memories stirred one after another as he slept, resurfacing in his mind.
Darkness.
Snowflakes drifted through the estate.
He was standing beneath the eaves, listening to firecrackers in the distance.
Suddenly.
Two little girls came running in a blind panic, crying as they ran.
A hunting dog was chasing them.
Hunting dogs were generally very vicious. Once they pounced on their prey, they could tear its throat open.
Oh no!
Shen Ye saw himself rush forward and shield the two little girls.
The scene flashed past.
In a hospital.
He was wrapped up like a rice dumpling.
The doctor's voice came from the corridor:
"Lucky to be alive..."
"...another inch to the side, and..."
"Still not out of danger..."
The scene shifted again.
He didn't know how much time had passed.
He was propped up in a hospital bed, almost recovered.
The two little girls came to thank him.
They all chatted happily.
After he recovered, the three of them played together for most of the remaining vacation.
Winter vacation ended.
They had to go home.
He had to go home too.
"We have cards for you."
The two girls spoke.
He also took out greeting cards as farewell gifts.
From then on, they never saw each other again.
Ten years passed in a flash.
Ten years...
We had all grown up.
We had never seen one another again.
Our fates had also become entirely different.
Someone beside him patted him.
Shen Ye opened his eyes and asked groggily:
"What?"
"You look like you've had enough sleep. Let's get something to eat. This flight's going to take all day. Come on!" Qian Rushan said.
Shen Ye came to his senses and realized he really was hungry.
"Got any instant noodles?" he asked.
"Instant noodles, my ass! You think you need to eat instant noodles with me around? Come on, let's get something good," Qian Rushan said.
"You're really generous, Mr. Qian!"
Shen Ye immediately perked up.
He rose from his seat with Qian Rushan, followed him down a wide, clean corridor, pushed open the door, and entered the dining room.
"Wow, it's so spacious in here," Shen Ye marveled.
"Obviously. This is the most advanced, most luxurious large Flying Shuttle there is." Qian Rushan found them seats and sat down with him.
A beautiful flight attendant brought over the menus.
Qian Rushan ordered seafood congee.
Shen Ye ordered pork ribs with rice, roasted lamb trotters, twenty beef skewers, and an iced cola.
Qian Rushan said, "Not even a single green vegetable? You can't just eat meat-there's no need to save me money on a little food and drink."
"Mr. Qian, look. This is a vegetable." Shen Ye picked up a clove of garlic.
Before long.
All the food was served.
The two dug in.
Although Shen Ye was ravenous, he had still somewhat overestimated his eating prowess. In the end, a few beef skewers remained, and he simply couldn't eat any more.
Suddenly.
A voice came from beside him:
"Sorry to bother you. Why are these meat skewers left over? Can they be eaten?"
Shen Ye turned to look and saw that the speaker was a small, skinny boy with dark skin and a buzz cut.
The boy looked about his age. His eyes were fixed on the skewers on Shen Ye's plate, his throat bobbing.
Shen Ye was just about to answer when he suddenly realized it wasn't so easy to respond.
No.
Wait.
He gradually caught on.
"Can they be eaten?"
Taken literally, that question contained several meanings.
First.
Was this food good or spoiled? Would it upset his stomach?
Second.
Could he have this food?
Third.
Was it free?
Judging by the context, the boy meant the second, along with the third.
-This kid was kind of interesting!