Class was over.
Students filed out of the classroom one after another.
Xia Lun wasn’t in a hurry. He, along with Aina and Liyana, were the last to leave.
So was the old professor named Enlaisi.
"Xia Lun."
Just as Xia Lun was about to step out the door, Enlaisi suddenly called out to him.
"Is something the matter, Professor?"
Xia Lun stopped and finally took a proper look at the professor.
Enlaisi appeared to be in his fifties or sixties, his hair half-gray, with few wrinkles on his face—likely due to good upkeep.
He wore a gray jacket over a light yellow short-sleeved shirt, paired with jeans. A small pipe rested in his chest pocket, and his other pocket bulged slightly, holding a spare pair of glasses.
For his age, it was rare to see someone dressed so fashionably, let alone a historian.
After all, in most people’s minds, old professors who studied history were the epitome of stuffiness.
Enlaisi took out his pipe, pulled a pinch of tobacco from seemingly nowhere, packed it into the bowl, and snapped his fingers. A small flame flickered at his fingertips as he lit the pipe, exhaling a slow stream of smoke.
The whole motion was smooth, elegant, and effortlessly cool—Xia Lun couldn’t help but stare.
"Pretty slick, huh?" Enlaisi chuckled between puffs. "I used to be quite the playboy back in the day… My body might be old now, but my spirit hasn’t aged a day."
"Honestly… I wouldn’t have guessed," Xia Lun replied.
During lectures, the professor occasionally cracked jokes, and Xia Lun had assumed it was just an act to connect with the younger students. Turns out, that was just how he was.
Enlaisi removed his glasses, and his demeanor shifted instantly—from a scholarly old professor to a silver-haired charmer who’d seen it all.
"When I was young, I was just like you—surrounded by admirers," Enlaisi remarked, eyeing Aina and Liyana beside Xia Lun.
"Xia Lun and I are just friends," Liyana clarified.
Enlaisi gave a knowing smirk. "I don’t believe in such things as ‘just friends’ between men and women…"
Liyana deadpanned, "I’m gay."
Enlaisi, one hand braced against the lectern and the other holding his pipe, bent over in a coughing fit, nearly choking on his smoke.
Liyana helpfully patted his back.
After a moment, he straightened up, catching his breath. "Alright, now I believe you."
Then, Enlaisi turned his attention back to Xia Lun.
"Xia Lun, the theory you brought up in class today was quite intriguing… I’d like to know—was that your own speculation, or did you hear it from someone else?"
His playful demeanor vanished, replaced by a serious tone.
It was something he’d recalled himself… but Xia Lun obviously couldn’t say that.
"I overheard it in a tavern," Xia Lun lied casually.
"Oh… a tavern, was it?" Enlaisi’s brow furrowed slightly.
"Is something wrong, Professor Enlaisi?"
"Nothing major." Enlaisi waved a hand dismissively. "Recently, a group called the Twilight Apostles has emerged—a dangerous cult. They’ve been spreading rumors about the Hero, and what you mentioned in class bears an uncanny resemblance… So, I wondered if you might have crossed paths with one of them."
"That sounds terrible. I’d rather not get involved with any cultists," Xia Lun feigned concern.
In truth, he’d love nothing more than for them to seek him out—so he could ask them directly.
Aina watched Xia Lun’s performance with amusement.
"Which tavern did you hear this in?" Enlaisi pressed. "I’ll have Headmaster Wolund send someone to investigate."
Xia Lun hesitated, then forced out, "Kro City."
Having been out of touch with the world for so long, Kro City was the only place he could name with confidence—unsure which other cities still thrived or had faded into history.
"Kro City… That city does have deep ties to the Hero. It’s very possible those fanatics have a presence there," Enlaisi mused.
Xia Lun studied Enlaisi thoughtfully. "Professor, have you dealt with these Twilight Apostles before?"
"Ah, yes." Enlaisi didn’t deny it. "A few of my old colleagues in the history department became Twilight Apostles. They even sent me letters, trying to recruit me… That’s why I’m wary of them."
His explanation held no obvious holes.
"What kind of people are they?" Xia Lun asked, curious.
"Cultists—by definition, they’re not exactly sane." Enlaisi took a long drag from his pipe. "But under normal circumstances, they seem perfectly ordinary. In their letters, I couldn’t detect anything off. I had no idea they’d joined the Twilight Apostles… Yet, to revive the legendary Hero, they’d sacrifice anything, commit any atrocity."
Xia Lun said, "You should be careful, then."
"Thank you, I will." Enlaisi nodded gravely, then added, "I know full well that what they’re trying to resurrect isn’t the Hero Xia Lun—it’s something far more sinister. The true Hero would never seek revival at the cost of innocent lives. If that were the case…"
He glanced meaningfully at Xia Lun.
Xia Lun played along. "If that were the case…?"
Enlaisi burst into laughter, clapping Xia Lun on the shoulder. "Then I might as well believe you’re the real Hero, Xia Lun!"
Leaving Xia Lun "stunned" in place, Enlaisi waved and strode off, thoroughly pleased with himself.
"HAHAHA!" Liyana doubled over, clutching Xia Lun’s shoulder as she laughed uncontrollably. "This is priceless, Xia Lun! Coming here with you was definitely the right call."
"Is it really that funny?" Xia Lun brushed her hand off.
"Absolutely! If—just if—Professor Enlaisi ever finds out the truth about you, I can’t even imagine the look on his face…"
...
As evening approached, Xia Lun returned to his dorm.
Calling the sprawling estate before him a "dorm" felt like an understatement.
Xia Lun had intended to live in the same student apartments as everyone else, but Wolund had insisted on this place, calling it a token of respect for his lineage.
After some persuasion from Aina, Xia Lun had relented.
"Ugh, I’m exhausted. I’m turning in—won’t disturb you two." Liyana shot Xia Lun a mischievous grin, gave his shoulder an encouraging pat, and vanished on the spot.
Xia Lun entered his room, acutely aware of a pair of burning eyes locked onto him.
He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Uh… Aina?"
"I’m here."
Aina pressed close, her arms encircling Xia Lun's neck.
A vampire's body temperature should naturally be slightly lower than a human's, but the Aina in his embrace was clearly an exception.
Then, the Demon King unfurled his crimson wings.
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
with countless casualties. As a top-tier gamer, Liu Xuan volunteered to join the fight, intending to dominate with his skills, but instead he obtained the hidden class: [Pacifist]. Unable to attack. Unable to use active skills. Fortunately, with each level gained, he acquired a new passive skill. And so, armed with a body full of passives, Liu Xuan slaughtered his way through the battlefield of ten thousand races! [You attacked Liu Xuan] [You gained the debuffs: 'Poison', 'Fear', 'Burning', 'Bleeding', 'Freeze', 'Silence', etc.] [Your attack speed has been reduced by 99%] [Your armor and magic resistance have been reduced by 99%] Warriors of the Ten Thousand Races: How the hell am I supposed to fight this?!
ive and Ruthless] Before his transmigration, Ye Xuan was playing a game called "Severing Emotions to Attain the Dao." The game's core wasn't about leveling up by fighting monsters, but about conquering various "bad women" with wicked personalities and cold, fickle natures. There was only one method to conquer them: stay unwaveringly by their side, then die at a critical moment, driving them to madness after losing the protagonist. The higher their level of regret, the higher the player's score. To dominate the server, Ye Xuan conquered all the bad women. In the early stages, he showered them with boundless tenderness, only to choose to sacrifice himself for them later, making them weep bitterly and drown in regret. Among them were: Xia Lengyue, the unfaithful immortal wife who chased after powerful men and discarded her husband like trash. Ye Qingcheng, the Demonic Venerable of the Joyous Union Sect, who appeared pure and innocent but was, in reality, promiscuous. Wu Lingxiao, the Empress of the Great Xia Dynasty, who lusted after men and loved maintaining a harem. Bai Qiangu of the Endless Demonic Sect: a bloodthirsty mass murderer. However, when the protagonist transmigrated into the game world, he made a horrifying discovery. Eight hundred years had already passed. The bad women he had conquered had now each become deities and revered ancestors. Faced with the endless stream of toxic women coming for him, Ye Xuan could only rely on his god-tier acting skills to carve a path of survival through this world of treacherous women.
agon king storylines. At the start, I obtained the "Ultimate Lackey System" - the more I act as a lackey, the stronger I become. What else could I do? I chose to become the personal henchman of the ultimate villain, Su Muwan. I provoke all sorts of chosen ones, snatch away their opportunities, and commit every evil deed imaginable. You ask who's behind me? Hmph! You're not worthy of knowing my lady's name! ...... ....... I am Su Muwan, the eldest daughter of the Su family. Since childhood, I've possessed extraordinary talent in martial arts, which led to my arrogant and domineering personality in my past life. I was even foolish enough to repeatedly challenge those favored by heaven, ultimately resulting in a tragic death. In this life, I must behave and absolutely cannot walk the same path again!! However... SLAP!! "So you're the Dragon King, huh?!" When I saw my little lackey swagger over and viciously slap the Dragon King who was hiding his identity, I felt my heart sink. Su Muwan's suspended heart finally died as she watched Qin Luo, her utterly loyal lackey, standing before her. She fainted on the spot from shock. Heaven is determined to destroy me!! (Pure love 1v1, light-hearted, no angst, single female lead, villain, reincarnation, lackey)
