Chapter 50: Personality

Me?

Xueqiu replayed the memory fragments.

The “snake” had been sliced like a carrot, but that was surely Xia Yin’s doing.

His Contract, ‘Yinglong,’ could cut within a certain range.

She didn’t know how it sliced through air, but she couldn’t believe she’d done it.

“Maybe… you remembered wrong, Senior?” Xueqiu asked timidly.

“No, no, it was definitely you,” Xia Yin insisted, then paused as if struck by a thought. “Oh, right—did you feel lighter, less clumsy?”

“Not saying you’re heavy—probably 40-45 kilos—but did it feel like your vision cleared, like that?”

Xueqiu still didn’t get it.

If she’d really made those two cuts, she hadn’t felt anything.

Except her focus locked on the Shadow Ghost.

And that light feeling deep inside.

The thrill of revenge?

The Shadow Ghost that hurt her had died in Qingtan.

“We should head back, or it’ll be hard to explain. I don’t know when you learned it, but having it’s better than not,” Xia Yin said.

“Maybe you can use ‘Yinglong.’ Maybe you won’t just be a boring healer anymore.”

“You’re getting stronger.”

With that, he left her, heading back to the meeting room.

—

Old Gu’s impromptu sweep lasted about 45 minutes.

No potential intruders were found.

None of the researchers had the ‘Yanmo’ Contract.

After further discussion, Xueqiu and the others were sent back to their rooms.

They were here for a practical internship—24/7 surveillance wouldn’t do.

In the double room, Xueqiu took a hairdryer from the drawer and plugged it in.

The place felt like a standard hotel, with sofas, desks, and essentials, minus TVs.

The room had two single beds.

If Xia Yin were here, he’d crack pointless jokes while she dried her hair or stare blankly.

But he was likely in another double room, temporarily Old Gu’s roommate.

Only Su Xi remained behind Xueqiu.

Su Xi sat at the desk, writing something.

In Xueqiu’s mind, Su Xi was a second-semester sophomore, set to become a junior soon.

Unlike Xia Yin, who’d repeated years, Su Xi was normally admitted and had joined several field missions.

What kind of person was Su Xi?

Honestly, Xueqiu didn’t know.

So far, her connections revolved around Xia Yin.

Carlos was his senior and friend, Ou Ziyun his rival, Su Xi his close ally…

Without Xia Yin, she’d only know Chang Mu and Chisaki, fellow early-admission freshmen.

But they were miles away—or in another realm.

“I’m turning off the light,” Su Xi said ten minutes later, her voice neutral.

Xueqiu, in bed under thick blankets, replied, “Mm.”

The lights went out, plunging the room into darkness.

That was the only thing she’d said since returning, having mechanically completed her bedtime routine.

“Asleep, Xueqiu?” Su Xi’s voice came through the dark.

Xueqiu recalled Xia Yin asking something similar—“Not asleep yet, right?”

He and Su Xi seemed to share a knack for guessing her thoughts.

She’d wanted someone to talk to.

“Senior’s not asleep either,” Xueqiu said, rolling over.

She noticed Su Xi sitting against her mattress, motionless, deep in thought.

“How’s living with Xia Yin these months?” Su Xi asked, curious.

Usually a caring older sister, she now seemed like a gossip-hungry roommate.

“He’s good to me,” Xueqiu replied dryly.

“Yeah, Xia’s good to everyone. He bickers with Ou Ziyun constantly, always opposing her, but… maybe it’s a front.”

Xueqiu paused. She knew “front,” but it felt odd applied to Xia Yin.

He was a talkative slacker, skipping classes when he could, disinterested in everything, always with a “go without me” attitude.

That was her image of him, but Su Xi suggested it was a facade.

“You mean Senior’s pretending?” Xueqiu asked after thinking.

“Nah, Xia’s just Xia. He helps when you really need it, but if you cling, he’ll stay put until you think he’s useless,” Su Xi said, her tone like she was reminiscing about an old friend.

“Has he helped you, Senior?”

“Of course, in many ways.” Su Xi paused for a minute before continuing.

“If I said I came to the Academy because of Xia, would you be surprised?”

“No,” Xueqiu said honestly after a moment.

“Heh, not what you’re thinking. When we met, he kept praising my long, pretty hair and nice voice… but he didn’t know I didn’t like that version of myself.”

Xueqiu peered toward Su Xi, but the darkness hid everything.

“I told him my parents graduated from the Academy, now Pivots at other branches. I wanted to be like them, but they didn’t want that for me.”

“Xia said he had no reason or duty to decide for me, but that day he brought a suitcase, saying if I wanted to go, pack and leave with him for the Academy.”

“I was a bit defiant. First thing I did there was cut my hair—shorter than now—because he liked it long.”

Xueqiu hesitated.

She recalled Xia Yin saying he liked long, dark hair—not entirely a joke, it seemed.

“Later, he didn’t react much. My anger faded, so I asked how to become like him.”

Xueqiu’s heart skipped.

“He’s S-rank, always has been. He taught me the sword for a year or so… I’m still grateful.”

“So, Xueqiu, what’s Xia to you?”

“Benefactor,” Xueqiu said after thinking.

Su Xi chuckled softly, as if saying, “You don’t have to say it—I get it.”

“To me, he’s… like, what? Like sharing a small umbrella in the rain, letting himself get half-soaked to keep the other dry.”

“So, Xueqiu, seize your chance…”