Chapter 15: Dragon Invasion

“You passed out on the rooftop.
I brought you back.”
Zero held a glass of water, her face as cold as frost.

“Thanks…”
Bai Ci sat up, taking the glass from Zero and sipping twice before speaking.
“Sorry… for the trouble…”

Zero’s porcelain skin gleamed under the light, her expression unchanging.
She didn’t seem like someone who’d lie.

“Are you okay?
Should you get checked at a hospital?”
Zero asked, her voice indifferent.

“Thanks… I’m fine…”
Bai Ci shook her head.
Being knocked out by some random person felt… annoying.

She glanced at Zero again—maybe her roommate was actually kind.
Not only did she bring her back, but she also thoughtfully offered water…

“Thanks…”

“You’ve said that three times.”
Zero handed her an appointment slip.
“I booked you a checkup at Harvard Medical School.
Three o’clock this afternoon.
Don’t forget tomorrow.”

Bai Ci looked at the name and number on the slip, feeling an unexpected warmth.

Zero lay on her bed.
Moments later, her steady, rhythmic breathing reached Bai Ci’s ears.

The next day, around ten, Zero was brushing Bai Ci’s hair.
She meticulously adjusted every detail of Bai Ci’s school uniform.
The dark green uniform hugged her body, accentuating her slender waist.
Her chest stood out prominently, and the knee-length skirt revealed just enough to highlight her rounded hips.

Bai Ci thought Zero was overdoing it.
It was just a hospital visit, not a date.
Why so formal?

But Zero was looking out for her, so Bai Ci held her tongue, letting her fuss with her long hair.

“Done.
Go.”
Zero opened the dorm door.

As Bai Ci left campus, her phone pinged—a new campus post.

The post mentioned two things.
First, today was Chen Motong’s birthday.
Second, Caesar had bought a truckload of roses.
Attached was a photo of a hefty bill with Caesar’s flamboyant signature.

Another notification caught her eye—a red-dotted message from Nono.

[Dear Bai Ci:

Tomorrow night, there’s a banquet and social dance at Amber Hall, 6:00 PM.
If you’re free, come eat.
Caesar says he wants to talk.

Wear formal attire.
Friendly reminder: school uniforms don’t count.
You can rent a dress at the college theater.

Nono]

But… if it was Nono, wouldn’t she write something like: [Hey, junior, Amber Hall’s got a banquet tonight.
You coming?]

That felt more like her style…

No wonder Caesar picked tonight for the Amber Hall event.
It was Chen Motong’s birthday.
Bai Ci had thought he was just flexing Student Union power for the freshmen.
Turns out, he was throwing his girlfriend a birthday party…
He was pretty good to her.

A black CC1000 train left Cassell College.
Its silver-vine-patterned body gleamed, gliding along the tracks like a sleek eel in water.

Meanwhile, in a Chicago hotel room…

A young girl sat alone, her hair mussed from sleep.
She wore expensive silk pajamas, lounging against the headboard.
A white pillow, slightly dented, propped her up.
Her long legs sprawled across the bed, a laptop resting on them.

“Bai Ci’s left Cassell College!
What a good kid, heading out hours early for her appointment!”

The girl grinned at her screen.

The display showed an elegant European-style train carriage.
Victorian wallpaper lined the walls, intricate and reeking of wealth.

Bai Ci sat on a dark green leather seat, staring out the window.
The scenery blurred past, her eyes empty of emotion.

“Long Legs, Lu Mingfei’s been reassigned.
Send your coordinates to the Hunters.”

“Mission officially begins!”

The girl stood outside the university, hesitating.
Her face betrayed visible nerves as she paced.

Her English wasn’t great…

At the gates of this world-famous university, she felt a sudden urge to back out.

American students passed by, all confident and vibrant.
Their colorful hair shone in the sunlight.
As an Asian girl with black hair and eyes, shy and awkward, she felt out of place.

‘Do I really have to go in?’
Bai Ci wavered.
Her body seemed fine.
A few more hours, and she’d probably be fully healed.
But then she remembered—this was Zero’s appointment.
Probably someone she knew.
Ditching might not look good.

“Miss Bai Ci?
I’m the doctor Zero arranged.
Are you here for your visit?”

A tap on her shoulder startled her.
Relieved after hearing the words, she nodded firmly.

“Please, follow me.”
The doctor politely led her into the hospital.

The checkup was mind-numbingly dull.
Bai Ci flipped through some pamphlets.
The doctor occasionally spoke to her, thankfully in Chinese, though not fluently.
She got the gist—her body wasn’t just fine, it was remarkably healthy.

That night, as Lu Mingfei danced with Zero, Bai Ci stepped out of the hospital.
She looked at the dark sky…

The banquet was probably over by now.

Bai Ci sighed, leaving the campus and boarding the train back to Cassell College.

As she started to doze, her phone rang.
She pulled it from her jacket.
A text from Norma flashed on the screen—Dragon invasion!

Bai Ci snapped awake.

“These damn dragons couldn’t wait until I finished Nono’s birthday banquet to invade?”

Caesar glanced at the text, tossed his phone aside, and rubbed his forehead.
His golden hair fell loosely, his face a picture of frustration.

Muttering “sht” under his breath, he downed his amber liquor, set the glass aside, and strode out of Amber Hall with a serious expression.