As Elliot Lee’s figure completely disappeared outside the door, only the low hum of the rotating star map and the sound of heavy breathing remained within the circular hall.
The doubts and anxieties that had been suppressed to maintain the situation now spread uncontrollably.
Tangris walked to the Vice Principal’s side, his brow furrowed and his voice kept very low, carrying an irrepressible confusion.
“Master, how exactly do you view this freshman? A Grade A without Divine Sense… this is too abnormal. The Board of Directors pushed him in so forcefully; could he be a ‘needle’ they’ve planted? To test us, or worse?”
The Vice Principal did not answer immediately.
His deep gaze seemed to pierce through time and space, landing on the distant past.
He slowly raised his hand, his withered fingers tapping the air.
A projection of an old file emerged, showing an Oriental man with a bright smile and sharp eyes who bore a faint resemblance to Lin Yu.
“He isn’t some ‘needle,’ Tangris.”
The Vice Principal’s voice carried the raspy quality of age.
“Do you remember the ‘Operation Pathfinder’ in the South American rainforest twenty-some years ago where we suffered heavy losses?”
Tangris’s body jolted.
Of course he remembered.
That was one of the pains that Thanatos Academy had been unwilling to mention for the past twenty years.
His gaze fell upon the Oriental man in the projection, and a name buried long ago escaped his lips.
“Lin Wantian… He is Lin Wantian’s son?”
The Vice Principal nodded slightly, and the projection dissipated.
“Yes. Lin Wantian and his wife were among the few survivors of that operation. They were also the greatest contributors and… victims.”
He paused, a trace of gravity and confusion appearing on his aged face.
“To be honest, even I cannot completely see through all the Board of Directors’ intentions with this move, but it is definitely not as simple as planting a spy.”
“Perhaps this child will bring us unexpected surprises. He might be the one we have been waiting for… ‘The One’.”
He used the term with a specific meaning.
“That one-of-a-kind genius—a man whom even the gods would fear, someone who can truly kill a god.”
Incredulity was written all over Tangris’s face as he looked at the Vice Principal.
“But… compared to this Lin Yu who doesn’t even have Divine Sense and has just stepped through the gates, X is much more like that genius, isn’t he? He is more gifted than anyone else here, possessing the purest determination to kill gods! Moreover, he has already proven it in Greece — he defeated the resurgent Three Goddesses head-on and conquered the ‘Fates’ Spinning Wheel.’ That was an unprecedented feat!”
The Vice Principal shook his head slightly, his gaze turning toward a vast and unknown territory within the holographic star map.
“It is hard to say, Tangris. Talent and fate have never been a simple math problem. Wasn’t X just a green boy when he first arrived at The School? At that time, we all thought he was just a young man with grand ambitions but no ability. No one expected him to reach such heights. So, have some expectations, Tangris. I am old, and you will be old one day too. The future and the world will eventually be handed over to them.”
The Vice Principal finally stood up slowly, his figure appearing exceptionally tall and vigorous in the dim light.
He patted Tangris on the shoulder and spoke in a deep tone.
“There is no need to jump to conclusions too early. Whether he is a piece of fine jade or a common stone, a seed carrying destiny or insignificant dust, he needs the storm to temper him and the battlefield to prove him. We are fighting against gods who have existed since ancient times. Any faint possibility that differs from the past is worth our vigilance, and worth our… anticipation.”
Tangris stood still, watching the direction where the Vice Principal had vanished.
He looked again at the glaring red dot on the star map.
Finally, he took a deep breath, and the confusion in his eyes was replaced by a resolute determination.
He pressed his communicator, his voice returning to the cold hardness and efficiency of the Operations Director.
“Notify the support team to gather at Hangar 3 as planned. Notify the freshman, Lin Yu, to report to the command center and then proceed to Hangar 3. All personnel depart in one hour. Target: Mediterranean Sea, coordinates North Latitude 32°30′, East Longitude 30°30′.”
***
On his third day at The School, under the guise of familiarizing themselves with the campus, Lin Yu and Li Hao were still walking aimlessly.
Ahead of them was a peaceful little lake.
A tributary of the River Cam was incorporated into the territory of Thanatos Academy here, and the river water displayed an unnatural deep green.
They were walking on a closed corridor bridge, a bizarre combination of modern and classical styles.
The skeleton was a cold alloy, but it was wrapped in an imitation antique wood texture.
Their feet rested on completely transparent reinforced glass; walking on it felt like being suspended above the deep water.
The light was filtered by special materials, appearing soft and cold.
In front of them was The School’s massive Arena, its bowl-like silhouette shimmering with a metallic cold light in the sunset.
Li Hao pointed at The Arena and looked at Lin Yu.
“Do you think the inside is used for people with superpowers to fight…”
Suddenly, his words were cut off by a sound.
The sound had no clear source; it was more like… resonance.
It was as if every molecule of the corridor bridge itself was vibrating in sync, emitting a unified, cold frequency.
The walls trembled, a slight hum came from the glass underfoot, and even the air seemed to become thick — the broadcast of the AI Vigus announced its arrival through physical intrusion.
**[Student Lin Yu, please pay attention. Emergency mobilization order.]**
Li Hao’s mouth remained open in the shape of his last syllable, but his voice had stopped abruptly.
He snapped his mouth shut, his neck turning toward Lin Yu like a rusty gear, notch by notch.
His pupils reflected Lin Yu’s equally startled face.
**[Please report to the Operations Department command center immediately and then gather at Hangar 3. You have been assigned to a Grade A mission. Repeat: please report to the Operations Department command center immediately and then gather at Hangar 3.]**
Every word was clear and steady without any inflection.
For that very reason, it felt all the more unquestionable.
Li Hao reacted as if he had been burned.
“Wh-what is that?”
His voice suddenly spiked in pitch, losing its tone.
“A Grade A mission? Look-Looking for you? Aren’t we just supposed to choose classes and learn about The School?”
Lin Yu’s brow furrowed tightly.
A Grade A mission?
He had known that this was some kind of superpower school for less than one week, and he hadn’t even participated in any courses.
Now, The School was actually telling him to join some Grade A mission.
“Who knows? I can only go and see. Go explore on your own,” he said, turning on his earpiece.
“Vigus, do you have a map?”
“No need for a map. I will lead the way for you, Student Lin Yu.”