Undercover

"He's already marked you, like a wolf leaving its scent on prey. He's not making a move yet only because he's still observing, still evaluating. The moment he deems the time right or perceives you as a threat, he'll pounce without hesitation!"

"By then, you'll be completely at his mercy."

"He can choose the time, the place, and the method to deal with you. He might not even strike at you directly—he could go after those close to you..."

Elder Feng didn't finish his sentence, but the implication was clear.

Su Qi's eyes turned cold.

Exactly.

That was the real problem.

He wasn't afraid for himself.

But Liu Yuan was different.

He couldn't watch over his little sister every second of the day.

That "Starbringer" was like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, ready to strike at any moment.

Guarding against a thief for a thousand days was exhausting.

The best solution was to take the initiative—cut off the snake's head before it could strike.

"Fine, fine."

Su Qi finally relented, his face full of reluctance.

"What's the plan? Just know upfront—I'm not doing anything too troublesome."

Elder Feng's heart leaped with joy, and he quickly leaned in, as if afraid Su Qi might change his mind.

"No trouble at all! None whatsoever!"

He swiftly tapped a few commands on the holographic display in front of him, pulling up an encrypted file.

"Based on our latest intel and the 'Gardener' clues you provided earlier, we've made a startling discovery."

Elder Feng's expression grew serious.

"We suspect the Starbringer is hiding in a place none of us would expect."

"Where?" Su Qi asked.

"Starcrest Academy. In Demon City."

Elder Feng enunciated each word deliberately.

"The academy?"

Su Qi was surprised.

Setting up their stronghold in a school? These people had a twisted sense of humor.

"Exactly." Elder Feng nodded, a flicker of admiration in his eyes. "The most dangerous place is also the safest. A brilliant play on the 'hiding in plain sight' tactic."

"Starcrest Academy is one of Demon City's top three elite academies for the awakened. Their martial exam results are outstanding every year, and they've even sent many talents to the Arcane Institute. It's backed by dozens of powerful families and corporations, with a tangled web of connections reaching deep into Great Xia's upper echelons."

"Using it as a base is the perfect cover. They can easily access the newest generation of top-tier prodigies, handpicking those they can corrupt or recruit—even influencing the future direction of Great Xia's awakened society."

"If we recklessly send investigators, their vast network would block us at every turn. We'd learn nothing and only alert them."

Su Qi understood.

"So, you want me to go?"

"Not to investigate." Elder Feng shook his head, a sly, fox-like grin spreading across his face.

"To go there and... stir the pot."

Su Qi: "..."

That description was brutally straightforward.

"You don't need to seek them out. Just by being there, they'll come to you."

Elder Feng explained.

"Think about it—a mysterious powerhouse who trained a 'Legendary'-tier genius like Yun Huang and casually shattered a testing pillar, suddenly dropping into their territory. How would they react?"

"What would that Starbringer, who's so fond of 'interesting toys,' do?"

"To them, you'd be the brightest, most glaring spotlight in the dark. They couldn't ignore you if they tried."

"Sooner or later, they'll reveal themselves—whether as friend or foe, whether to recruit or eliminate you. They'll hand you the answers on a silver platter."

The plan sounded... surprisingly low-effort.

Su Qi stroked his chin, considering it seriously.

"What about my sister?" he asked, voicing his biggest concern.

"Don't worry about that." Elder Feng had clearly prepared for this. "Liu Yuan can go with you as your 'teaching assistant.' We'll handle all the paperwork—flawless, no loopholes."

"Or she can stay in my courtyard. No one would dare cause trouble there."

"How's the pay?" Su Qi asked next.

Elder Feng's eye twitched.

"...High! Special consultant level—Great Xia's highest pay grade!"

"Any benefits?"

"...Yes!"

"Room and board included?"

"...Included!"

"Deal."

Su Qi agreed without hesitation.

Bringing his sister along, free room and board, a fat paycheck, and solving a major problem in the process?

This deal was a steal.

Elder Feng exhaled deeply, feeling like he'd just closed a trillion-dollar negotiation.

He quickly sent an electronic dossier to Su Qi's phone.

"Here's the intel on Starcrest Academy. We'll prepare your cover identity and background shortly."

"Your public persona: a reclusive master secretly trained by the military, specializing in 'esoteric cultivation techniques,' only recently emerging into the world."

"Your course will be called 'Practical Sourceflow Construction.'"

"Wait here for a bit."

About half an hour later, Elder Feng returned.

He handed Su Qi a brand-new ID card embedded with a special chip.

"Your backstory? A genius unrecognized."

"Great Xia failed to see your worth."

Su Qi took the sleek black card, flipping it in his hand. The gilded letters displayed his name and title: "Starcrest Academy Special Professor."

"Professor Su..."

He savored the title—it had a nice ring to it.

"Is the academy any fun?" he asked offhandedly.

Elder Feng paused, then gave a wry smile. "I don't know about fun, but I do know it's dangerous."

He pulled up the academy's internal layout, pointing at several names circled in red.

"Xiao Ya, the current headmistress. A woman with a spotless record and formidable skills. On paper, she has no ties to the 'Heralds.'"

"But we've uncovered that she was once the prized student of a high-ranking 'Gardener'—now deceased."

"Zhao Hong, the academy's dean of discipline. A retired officer with an impeccable service record, but his last assignment was guarding a Source Realm that later suffered a massive, unexplained 'Taint' outbreak."

"And this—the eldest son of the Li family, the most influential student council president. His family is one of the academy's biggest sponsors, and the Lis have recently moved suspiciously large sums overseas. We suspect Heralds involvement."

Name after name, face after polished face—each possibly concealing the deepest darkness.

"That academy is like a giant sieve. They gather Great Xia's brightest talents, then use every means—coercion, temptation—to sift out the weak-willed or ambitious, turning them into their own."

Elder Feng's voice was heavy.

"This is a hundred times more terrifying than outright destruction and slaughter."

"They're digging up the very roots of our nation."

"The most horrifying part is that we only recently discovered it... they've hidden themselves too well."

Su Qi listened without much reaction.

He simply opened the detailed document and skimmed through it quickly.

Tianxing Academy was located in the suburbs of the capital.

The academy operated under a fully enclosed management system.

It was equipped with every conceivable facility, from top-tier cultivation chambers to the most luxurious entertainment venues—nothing was lacking.

Su Qi’s gaze lingered briefly on the "Faculty Benefits" section.

"Private ocean-view villas, dedicated butler service, globally air-shipped ingredients..."

He nodded in satisfaction.

"Not bad. The perks here are good—no wonder they’ve poached all your people."

Elder Feng: "..."

He felt like his earlier solemn emotional buildup had been completely wasted.

This guy’s focus was always so... unconventional.

"What about my sister?" Su Qi asked again.

"If you wish, Liu Yuan can be assigned as your teaching assistant," Elder Feng replied. "She’ll have unrestricted access to all areas of the academy and can audit any course. Of course, if she prefers, she can also directly enroll in the top class."

"No need. Being an assistant is fine."

Su Qi refused without a second thought.

Studying was exhausting—far less comfortable than idling around as his assistant.

Besides, she wasn’t the studious type anyway.

"Very well," Elder Feng said, not pressing further. "All procedures will be finalized within three days. We’ll follow a proper process—moving too fast might arouse suspicion. You can report directly to the academy."

"Special circumstances call for special measures," Elder Feng said, locking eyes with him. "The fewer who know about this, the better. On the military side, only I will maintain direct contact with you. Inside the academy, you’re free to act as you see fit—no need to report to anyone or adhere to any rules."

"Your mission is simple."

Elder Feng stared at him, enunciating each word.

"Stir the waters."

"Force every fish hiding in the depths to the surface!"

Su Qi yawned.

"Yeah, yeah. Got it."

He pocketed his phone and stood up.

"If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back now. Oh, by the way, Old Feng—when’s the money you promised coming through?"

Elder Feng felt a vein throbbing at his temple.

He took a deep breath and forced out the words through gritted teeth.

"Now. Immediately. Right this second!"

He grabbed his communicator and dialed the military’s chief financial officer directly.

"Hey! Transfer a ‘special talent recruitment fee’ to a secure account—yes, the S-level encrypted one. How much? Start with 500 million!"

The voice on the other end cracked in disbelief.

"...500 million?! Elder General, this... this requires approval—"

"I approve it!" Elder Feng roared. "I’ll take full responsibility if anything goes wrong! The transfer must be completed within five minutes! We’ll sort out the paperwork later—if it’s rejected, I’ll cover it myself!"

Hanging up, he turned to Su Qi, forcing a smile that looked more like a grimace.

"Satisfied?"

Su Qi’s phone vibrated with a bank notification.

Seeing the string of zeros, he finally flashed a genuine, radiant grin.

"Very satisfied."

"Elder Feng, you’re a legend!"

He gave a thumbs-up, then sauntered away contentedly.

Watching his leisurely retreating figure, Elder Feng exhaled heavily and collapsed into his chair, feeling utterly drained.

Exhausting.

---

Three days later.

A black military hovercar glided silently to a stop before Tianxing Academy’s grand entrance.

The doors opened, and Su Qi stepped out, holding Liu Yuan’s hand.

For once, he was dressed in clean casual wear, though his perpetually drowsy expression still clashed with the academy’s solemn atmosphere.

Liu Yuan, meanwhile, gaped wide-eyed like an excited child, taking in the sights of the legendary elite institution.

Towering academic buildings, shimmering defensive arrays pulsing with energy, and students radiating formidable auras—everything here exuded futurism.

"Professor Su, President Xiao is waiting for you in her office," said a polished young woman, evidently the president’s secretary, who had been waiting for them.

Her eyes flickered with barely concealed surprise at Su Qi and Liu Yuan, but her professional smile quickly returned.

Clearly, she hadn’t expected the "specially appointed professor" with a mythic résumé—personally endorsed by high leadership—to be such a... laid-back young man.

"Lead the way," Su Qi said offhandedly.

Following the secretary across the vast plaza and manicured pathways, they arrived at the top floor of an elegant administration building.

The president’s office.

A knock.

"Come in."

A melodious yet authoritative woman’s voice answered.

Pushing the door open, they were greeted by floor-to-ceiling windows framing a breathtaking skyline.

The office was tastefully minimalist, suffused with the subtle fragrance of fine tea.

Behind the desk stood a stunning middle-aged woman in a white tailored suit, her demeanor poised and graceful—President Xiao Ya.

"Professor Su, welcome to Tianxing Academy."

Xiao Ya extended her hand, her smile warm and disarming.

Yet Su Qi caught it—a faint, deeply masked scent, akin to that of the demonic flower from the Black Forest.

Elder Feng’s intel was correct.

This fish was bigger than anticipated.

Su Qi shook her hand lightly.

"President Xiao."

His expression remained lazily indifferent.

A glint of shrewdness flashed in Xiao Ya’s eyes.

She, too, was sizing him up.

An unspoken duel had begun the moment they met.

"Professor Su, you must be weary from your journey," Xiao Ya said kindly, withdrawing her hand.

"Your residence in the Serene Court Villas has been prepared, along with your teaching schedule."

She handed him a timetable.

"‘Practical Applications of Sourceflow Architecture’... What an intriguing title."

Her tone carried a note of curiosity.

"I’m quite curious—what exactly will you be teaching in this course?"

Su Qi took the schedule, stuffed it into his pocket without a glance, and yawned.