Chapter 17 : Chapter 17
Chapter 17
The hairs on Xie Chang’an’s body instantly stood on end.
Instinctively, he reached for the Tang Saber on his back. But when his hand grasped nothing, he suddenly remembered—because the Tang Saber was too conspicuous, he had not brought it out of the academy.
This situation…
Xie Chang’an felt a deep sense of danger.
He immediately slipped his hand into his jacket and tightly gripped the dagger he had brought as a substitute.
The mysterious man watched his abrupt series of movements with obvious amusement in his eyes. In Xie Chang’an’s own words, the man’s attitude felt like someone watching a child threaten him with a toy knife.
“Relax.”
The mysterious man turned toward the bar and elegantly ordered a Bloody Mary.
Realizing the two of them knew each other, the bartender’s expression visibly improved. He had almost thought some bumpkin had wandered in just to see the world.
“Get another glass of orange juice for our adorable little friend,” the mysterious man said.
“Of course, of course,” the bartender replied eagerly.
Even though orange juice did not bring much profit, the profit from a Bloody Mary was extremely high. Today’s work was not in vain after all… The bartender hummed happily to himself as he walked briskly toward the kitchen.
The dance hall became even quieter.
Xie Chang’an forced himself to remain calm as he observed his surroundings. The nearest customer was more than twenty meters away. That person would easily be able to escape the dance hall if a fight broke out.
He had deliberately disguised himself for this trip. The chance of being identified was quite low.
Should he gamble?
Xie Chang’an asked himself silently.
“I told you not to be so nervous.”
The mysterious man merely glanced at him and immediately saw through his thoughts. Sitting leisurely on the high stool, he lightly tapped the table with his fingers.
“I am the first Infected you have encountered, right?”
His voice was like the deep notes of a cello—low and resonant, carrying a strangely intoxicating magnetism.
Xie Chang’an’s hand, which had been tightly gripping the dagger, relaxed slightly without him realizing it.
“Who are you?” Xie Chang’an asked cautiously.
“Someone who, like you, came out to look for Infected,” the mysterious man replied unhurriedly.
His gaze wandered across the rows of exquisite liquor bottles in the bar cabinet, as if he were considering what to drink next. Beneath the black mask, his crimson eyes appeared and disappeared in the shadows, leaving only the cold and sensual line of his jaw.
The loud, flamboyant music of the dance hall returned to Xie Chang’an’s ears.
After a moment of silence, Xie Chang’an slowly placed his hands back on the bar counter, as if offering a gesture of goodwill. However, even when he tried to appear friendly, his posture remained stiff.
“You look like a bumpkin who has never seen the world,” the mysterious man sighed, shaking his head.
Then he rolled his eyes slightly and muttered with mild regret,
“Well… most people in our circle are like that…”
“Relax,” he said with a teasing smile. “I will cover all your expenses tonight.”
“I do not need you to pay for me,” Xie Chang’an stubbornly replied.
Yet somehow, he felt a faint sense of reassurance.
He thought: He does not seem like a bad person. Perhaps I can obtain information about the Infected from him…
But how had he discovered him?
Xie Chang’an felt nervous.
If he did not quickly understand the reason, the peaceful campus life he had finally obtained might vanish.
Silence surrounded the two of them until the bartender returned from the kitchen. He flatteringly placed several base liquors used to mix a Bloody Mary on the counter and began performing an elaborate show of mixing the drink.
So boring, Xie Chang’an thought.
But the mysterious man was quite an appreciative spectator. He clapped with interest, tipped the bartender generously, and then dismissed him.
“Money really can solve many problems,” the mysterious man said thoughtfully while watching the bartender leave.
“If he knew that money was taken from a corpse, it would be even more interesting.”
Under the bar lights, the Bloody Mary looked like flowing blood spurting from a human body.
But a cocktail named after blood could never compare with real blood.
And the young man sitting before him carried such a strong scent of blood that it seemed he had just attended a feast of slaughter.
The rumored Infected would never appear again.
Xie Chang’an looked at him disapprovingly.
He asked directly, “How did you know I was an Infected?”
The mysterious man did not answer immediately. He stirred the Bloody Mary slowly.
“Kid, do not fall for such a simple trick. Do you know how many people are watching us?”
“You are a student, right?” he suddenly said.
“How do you kn—no…”
Xie Chang’an hurriedly covered his mouth.
But the effort was useless.
Having already figured it out, the mysterious man tapped his mask theatrically and said in a deep, teasing voice,
“Allow me to describe you: a bumpkin who has never entered a real city.”
“That is enough!” Xie Chang’an lowered his voice, anger flashing across his face. “That has nothing to do with my question.”
The mysterious man teased him.
“And why should I answer you?”
“Well… naturally… I…”
Xie Chang’an choked on his words, his face turning red.
This was not the first time he had been rendered speechless in an argument. The previous time had been when Zhou Que had humiliated him in front of everyone.
“You grew up in an environment far too simple,” the mysterious man commented, shaking his head.
“But you should be grateful that you met me.”
He elegantly set down his glass, rested his chin on his hand, and fixed his gaze on Xie Chang’an like a predator studying its prey.
“I happen to need a spy.”
“What?” Xie Chang’an did not hear clearly.
“I can tell you how I knew,” the mysterious man said with a faint smile.
“Every Infected gains a talent after infection—something comparable to an Ability.”
He lightly tapped his mask with his fingertip.
Behind the dark mask, his crimson snake-like pupils glowed faintly, radiating a mesmerizing, soul-stealing allure, as if a single glance could capture one’s spirit.
“And my talent happens to allow me to sense your presence.”
His eyes darkened slightly.
“Although these mutated eyes also make it difficult for me to appear during the day. After all, who would wear a mask for no reason?”
“Does that mean…” Xie Chang’an’s voice trembled slightly.
“You have not mutated,” the mysterious man said with a faint smile, watching him with amusement. “But you also have no talent.”
“You have nothing.”
“Other than the fact that you can no longer be infected—you have nothing.”
Xie Chang’an inhaled sharply.
For him, this was already the best possible outcome.
He could not imagine a future where he was expelled. His world was too small, and his understanding of life beyond the walls was far too limited. He had no idea how he would survive such a life.
The mysterious man clapped exaggeratedly.
“Congratulations on escaping the fate of becoming an Infected.”
“But you have not completely escaped it.”
Xie Chang’an suddenly looked up.
Before he could react, the man’s masked face was already inches away. The crimson vertical pupils examined his expression carefully, while slender fingers pressed lightly against the corner of his lips.
“I just happen to need a spy inside the Third Ability Academy.”
The mysterious man smiled faintly.
“I assume you will agree, right?”
“After all, if your identity as an Infected were exposed, you would find it impossible to survive.”
“My request is not much. I only need you to find the location of the World Book.”
“Do not think that just because the detection device cannot identify you, everything will be fine,” he added with a threatening smile.
“After all, I can identify you.”
“I am a cadre of the Dawn Society. My testimony carries great weight.”
“They would rather kill a hundred by mistake than let a single Infected connected to the Dawn Society escape.”
He paused, hesitating slightly.
“Or perhaps I should introduce my organization first?”
The mysterious man withdrew his fingers and smiled with faint mockery.
“Li Yuan. Codename: Raven.”
“You can simply call me Li Yuan.”
“After all, this codename… is far more famous than my actual name.”
***
The real world, a university girls’ dormitory.
“Yan Yan, Ability Hunter has updated!” a roommate shouted to Lin Yan on the upper bunk.
“I am not reading it… I will never read it again…”
Lin Yan groaned in protest as she collapsed on her bed.
“If I cannot resist reading it again this time, I will wash my hair while standing on my head!”
“But I think the new character this time is very charming,” the roommate said regretfully.
“And the ending of this volume stopped at such a perfect cliffhanger that I really want to read the next volume.”
Lin Yan suddenly sat upright.
“The second volume finished?”
The roommate nodded.
“Yes. The chapter that just updated is the final chapter of Volume Two. I did not expect the author to end it here. The plot is quite interesting.”
“I am really glad you dragged me into this series.”
Lin Yan blinked in shock.
“Wait… what?”
Her roommate’s unexpected answer left her completely stunned.
Leaning over the bed, Lin Yan asked in disbelief, “Did you not think Xie Chang’an was a reckless idiot? Did you not think his actions were ridiculous?”
“A little,” the roommate shrugged casually.
“But the author also jokes that Xie Chang’an is a bumpkin. And when I thought about it carefully…”
“His behavior actually fits his character setting.”
“That is it? You are just letting it go like that?” Lin Yan asked suspiciously.
“Do you really think this manga is good? You are not just trying to comfort me, right?”
“I am serious—”
Another roommate looked at Lin Yan speechlessly.
“If you do not like it, that is fine. But do not insist that others dislike it too.”
Lin Yan immediately protested.
“When did I ever—”
“Alright, Qingqing,” the roommate who had called her earlier interrupted helplessly.
“Yan Yan has just become a little paranoid because of all the usual manga tropes.”
Lin Yan’s eyes immediately filled with tears.
“Xia Xia…”
Wu Xia could not help laughing.
In a gentle voice, she said, “Why not just read it? I do not read mangas often, but judging from the comments, the latest chapter is really good.”
Lin Yan nodded eagerly.
“Okay.”
She hurried down from the bed and ran toward her desk.
While her laptop was starting up, a message from a close friend she had not contacted in a long time suddenly appeared.
【The latest chapter is amazing! There are so many shippable CPs in this shonen series! I can barely contain my excitement! Author, update faster so I can start producing fan content!!!】
Lin Yan gradually calmed down.
This time, she opened the manga website with genuine anticipation.