It's over if you sleep in class later, it's not like he's the one going up to teach.

Elder Feng listened to Jiangxia's explanation about "borrowing power from the tiger," but his brows furrowed slightly.

Simulating the aura of a certain entity?

A disposable card?

Enough to scare off a divine projection?

Even a three-year-old would hesitate before believing such a tale.

If it were truly that simple, the Great Xia Nation wouldn't have struggled so much on the Heavenly Abyss defense line, nor would so many soldiers have sacrificed their lives.

What kind of terrifying existence were these deities?

Even the mere descent of their gaze carried divine will, enough to crush the minds of ordinary superhumans. How could such beings be fooled by simple tricks?

Elder Feng had personally experienced it once—the overwhelming sense of insignificance rising from the depths of his soul, like an ant gazing at the stars.

That was no mere intimidation by aura, but an absolute suppression of life's hierarchy.

After a moment of contemplation, his fingers tapped lightly on the table as he spoke calmly, "Jiangxia, do you remember the specific attributes of that card you mentioned? For example, did it explicitly state which entity's aura it was simulating?"

Jiangxia's rank was still too low.

He wasn't privy to the core details about the deities.

Even among deities, there were differences.

First, their names were not to be taken lightly—they often represented the authority they wielded.

For instance, the Lord of Verdure was likely inferior to the Lord of Azure Skies.

Elder Feng quickly checked which deity's projection had descended upon Jiangxia City.

The answer came swiftly—his authority bypassed any restricted information.

The Lord of Ashes...

Just from the name alone,

Its rank was undoubtedly high.

On the other end of the call, Jiangxia seemed surprised by Elder Feng's probing but answered promptly, "I remember, of course! How could I forget something like that?"

His voice carried traces of the astonishment he'd felt at the time. "The card was a one-time consumable, and its effect description was very brief—just one line: 'You can transform into the projection of a certain entity for two seconds.' I even took a photo of it and submitted it along with the incident report. After all, scaring off a divine projection, even if it was a fluke, was no small feat."

"'A certain entity'..." Elder Feng mulled over the phrase, his expression growing graver.

From Jiangxia's description, he keenly picked up on an inconsistency.

If it was just "a certain entity," how could Su Qi have accurately determined that the card's simulated aura would be enough to intimidate a divine projection?

That made no sense.

Unless the kid was truly gambling with his life—but from Elder Feng's brief interactions with him, Su Qi didn't seem like a reckless gambler.

Elder Feng's voice remained steady, betraying little emotion. "Jiangxia, if it was a transformation, what kind of aura did he manifest? Or rather, what specific impression did that aura leave on you? After all, something capable of repelling a divine projection must have been extraordinary."

Jiangxia hesitated on the other end, as if searching his memory.

"Well..." he said uncertainly, "I wasn't actually at the scene at the time..."

Hearing this, even Elder Feng's decades of composure cracked. "Are you telling me that during such a major incident, you, the local guardian, weren't even present?"

"Don't call me 'teacher' anymore."

"Just call me 'old fool.'"

"Who even are you?"

Jiangxia's voice grew sheepish. "Who would've thought the leader of the invaders would use his own life as bait to lure me away..."

"Fair enough. Even if you had been there, you'd have been useless."

Jiangxia swiftly changed the subject. "At the time, the scene was chaotic. The divine projection's oppressive presence was so overwhelming that no one dared to look up. As for the aura Su Qi transformed into... honestly, no one got a clear look."

He paused before adding, "When he showed me the card afterward, it had already expired, turning into scrap. My conclusion was mostly based on the outcome—since the divine projection retreated, the card must have worked."

Jiangxia continued explaining, trying to make his logic sound more coherent and consistent with his earlier assessment.

Elder Feng listened silently, not interrupting.

"As for the specifics of the aura... Teacher, I've never personally encountered a higher-tier deity. How could I possibly describe what he transformed into... Huh?"

Mid-sentence, Jiangxia's voice cut off abruptly, as if someone had choked him.

Faint breathing sounds came through the communicator, and Elder Feng could almost feel Jiangxia stiffen in realization.

Elder Feng didn't rush him. He knew Jiangxia had likely stumbled upon the crux of the issue.

The kid wasn't slow-witted—he just sometimes got too caught up in surface-level explanations, assuming he'd grasped the truth without digging deeper.

After a long pause, Jiangxia spoke again, his voice strained. "Te... Teacher... Are you suggesting..."

He seemed to be considering a terrifying possibility.

"In other words... I couldn't describe it because I've never seen it..."

His words grew faster, as if he'd backed himself into a logical corner, the implications becoming more alarming the more he thought about it.

"So, the person who made that card... has seen it?"

"Otherwise, even by sheer luck, they couldn't have crafted something like that?"

"And it had to be convincing enough that the Lord of Ashes wouldn't see through the deception at a glance?"

"And Su Qi knew that the card wasn't just 'a certain entity'—it had a specific target! Damn it, I was too busy being shocked and cleaning up the mess to notice!"

The more Jiangxia spoke, the more his voice trembled with dread, tinged with regret.

Before, he'd thought Su Qi was just audacious, stumbling upon incredible luck with a special card to bluff his way out.

Now, the term "luck" felt like an insult to the truth.

But with Elder Feng's guidance, he realized the glaring holes in his earlier report—so glaring that it now seemed laughable.

Yet a new question arose...

A young man in his twenties, from the slums of Jiangxia City, with a spotless life record—how could he have access to something of that caliber?

Elder Feng remained silent, letting the realization sink in.

Some things were better understood when pieced together oneself.

On the other end, Jiangxia's breathing grew heavier. After a long silence, he asked, "Teacher... If that's really the case... then Su Qi... he...?"

Elder Feng exhaled slowly, his tone carrying a trace of solemnity. "There's definitely something off about him."

"But not necessarily in a bad way—at least he's still on humanity's side."

"I'll find ways to interact with him more in the coming days, probing subtly for answers."

"So, Jiangxia, think carefully. Aside from 'transforming into a certain entity,' was there any other description on that card? Even minor patterns or residual energy signatures?"

"Photos! I took several photos!" Jiang Xia's voice suddenly rose in pitch. "At the time, I thought those cards looked a bit strange, so I made sure to document them! I'll find them right away and send them to you! Elder Feng, with your vast experience, you might be able to spot something unusual!"

"Mmm." Elder Feng acknowledged with a hum, lifting his teacup for a sip. The tea had gone slightly cold.

The situation was likely more complicated than he had initially anticipated.

Elder Feng's heart began to race uncontrollably.

A strong premonition gripped him—he felt as though he had stumbled upon some extraordinary secret.

And that fleeting yet overwhelming pressure he sensed from Liu Yuan earlier? Now that he thought about it, it probably hadn’t been an illusion.

After ending the call, Jiang Xia immediately scrambled to locate the photos.

Meanwhile, Su Qi was leading Liu Yuan around his temporary residence in the city, letting her take in the space.

"It's... passable," Su Qi remarked flatly.

Once settled, the first thing Su Qi did took Liu Yuan by surprise.

He called her to his bedroom door.

"Wait outside. I’ll call out—see if you can hear how loud it is."

Liu Yuan blinked, momentarily confused, but obediently nodded. "Okay."

Once she stepped out, Su Qi called from inside the room, "Hey, hey, hey—can you hear me?"

His voice wasn’t particularly loud, but it wasn’t quiet either.

A moment later, he opened the door and looked at Liu Yuan. "Well?"

Liu Yuan shook her head, her expression blank. "Brother... did you just say something?"

Su Qi raised an eyebrow.

"Not a single sound?"

"Nope," she confirmed.

Su Qi fell into thought.

The soundproofing was even better than he’d expected.

Seemed Elder Feng had put real effort into this.

He must have known some people—and some matters—weren’t meant to be easily overheard.

Satisfied, Su Qi nodded. "Alright, that’s all."

He walked to the window, gazing at the darkening sky outside, his mind eerily calm.

---

The next morning.

Su Qi was deep in sleep, his brows slightly furrowed as if trapped in an unpleasant dream.

"Brother! Time to wake up!"

A bright voice jolted him awake.

His eyes flew open, still dazed, taking a few seconds to register his surroundings.

It was Liu Yuan.

"Brother! If you don’t get up now, you’ll be late for class!"

Su Qi rubbed his eyes and rolled over, his voice thick with sleep. "Not going..."

"What?"

Liu Yuan seemed not to have heard him clearly.

"I’m exhausted. Just a little longer."

A few seconds of silence passed.

Su Qi thought she’d given up and was about to drift back to sleep when Liu Yuan’s voice sharpened. "No way! It’s the first day of the semester—you can’t skip! At least give the professor some face!"

Su Qi paused.

Why couldn’t the professor just pretend he was there and return the favor?

And then—

His blanket was yanked off.

Grudgingly, Su Qi dragged himself to the bathroom.

The mirror reflected a tired but still strikingly handsome face.

He brushed his teeth, nearly nodding off mid-stroke.

"Brother, hurry up! We won’t have time for breakfast!"

Liu Yuan’s voice rang out again.

"Coming!" Su Qi spat out the toothpaste, hastily splashed water on his face, and threw on fresh clothes.

Liu Yuan stood with her hands on her hips, cheeks puffed out like an indignant little hamster.

"Brother was planning to sleep till noon again!"

Su Qi shot her a glare. "You talk too much."

The two dawdled their way out the door, the morning sun already glaringly bright.

"Brother, slowpoke, we’re gonna be late~"

Liu Yuan bounded ahead, full of energy.

"We still need to grab breakfast—skipping it is bad for your stomach."

Su Qi, still half-asleep, let her take the lead.

"Brother, didn’t you sleep well last night? You’ve got dark circles."

Su Qi gave her a withering look. "What do you think?"

Liu Yuan expertly navigated the winding alleys, leading Su Qi to a narrow but lively lane brimming with the scent of street food.

"Brother, this is the place! I scouted it out yesterday!"

She pointed to a modest breakfast stall, her face practically glowing with "praise me" anticipation.

The shop was small, its simple tables already crowded with hurried office workers and locals.

"Two sweet soy milks and two orders of shengjian bao, please!"

Though she didn’t quite get why the menu measured portions in "orders," she recited it faithfully.

"Coming right up!"

The middle-aged owner moved with practiced efficiency, his booming voice full of vigor.

Soon, steaming breakfast was set before them.

The sweet soy milk wafted gentle warmth, its sweetness perfectly balanced.

The shengjian bao were small but golden and crisp on the bottom, plump and white on top, sprinkled with green scallions and black sesame seeds—almost too pretty to eat.

Liu Yuan picked one up, carefully nibbling a tiny hole to let the scalding broth inside cool.

"Brother, these are super juicy—be careful not to burn yourself!"

She didn’t forget to warn him.

"So? Good, right?"

Her cheeks bulged like a squirrel’s, stuffed with food.

Su Qi glanced at her, said nothing, and grabbed another bao.

Though his face remained impassive, his chewing sped up noticeably.

Liu Yuan noticed, her lips curling into a smile.

She knew it—nothing couldn’t be fixed with good food. And if one meal didn’t do it, two would!

Su Qi polished off his share in record time, downing the soy milk to the last drop.

After a brief wait—

"Let’s go." He stood.

"Brother, did you check the schedule?"

Su Qi didn’t even lift an eyelid. "Nope."

"..."

Liu Yuan nearly choked. "Then why are you walking ahead...?"

"Forgot."

Su Qi’s reply was characteristically brief.

Thankfully, Liu Yuan was used to his perpetually lethargic attitude.

Anyone else might’ve been driven to frustration by his indifference.

And Su Qi?

Motivation?

He thought he’d run far enough to catch a break.

But trouble had chased him down anyway.

Under the circumstances, expecting enthusiasm was a stretch—most people wouldn’t even have the energy to breathe.

"Our first class is 'Card Theory Fundamentals'... in Building A, Room 301."

Su Qi made a noncommittal sound and closed his eyes again.

Whatever. Fundamentals or not, he’d just sleep through it.

Wasn’t college all about skipping when you could and napping when you couldn’t?

It wasn’t like he had to teach the class.