Following

The evening self-study session was nothing out of the ordinary.

By this time, most students had already finished their homework—or at least copied it.

Today’s assignments weren’t particularly heavy anyway.

After completing his own work, Lin Mo closed his eyes.

His spiritual sense was now refined enough to envelop the entire classroom.

Students in the back snacked quietly, while those in the front pored over reference books, getting a head start on their studies.

Talk about competitive.

But then again, students who made it into Guangba weren’t the type to slack off—not in grades, nor in discipline.

It was, after all, a top-tier high school.

Of course, there were always a few gifted slackers hiding in the corners, glued to their phones.

Even they, however, kept glancing nervously at the classroom doors.

Though no teacher supervised the session, a passing dean or vice-principal could spell trouble for them.

The self-study period was nearly over. Lin Mo turned his head slightly, his gaze settling on Chu Miaomiao behind him.

He’d already planned to look into her situation, and now that the system had issued a mission, it was all the more reason to investigate.

Focusing his spiritual energy, he left a subtle mark on her—essentially a spiritual GPS tracker.

It would allow him to sense her location even beyond the range of his spiritual perception.

Though, for now, that was all it could do.

Lin Mo wasn’t yet powerful enough to monitor her in real-time.

By all accounts, he was still just an ordinary Qi cultivator.

Yet, the moment the mark took hold, a dull ache pulsed through his temples.

Chu Miaomiao had three days left before her supposed suicide.

But Lin Mo was certain the trigger wouldn’t come on the final day.

......

School let out.

It was unusually late for the first-years, and many parents had come to pick up their kids.

Most students, however, headed home on their own.

Goat City was a metropolis, and Guangba was right in the downtown area—safety wasn’t much of a concern.

As Lin Mo descended the stairs, Fang Jun caught up to him.

"Lin Mo, you’re heading the same way, right? Let’s walk together."

Lin Mo shook his head.

"Can’t. Forgot something at home. Gotta catch the metro before it closes."

Fang Jun didn’t press further, just gave him a light pat on the shoulder.

"Alright, I’ll head off first then."

"Sure."

With that, they parted ways.

Outside the school gates, the crowd was mostly first-years. Lin Mo’s eyes briefly flickered toward the Bentley waiting for Jiang Yunlu—and the car idling for Chu Miaomiao.

Jiang Yunlu noticed Lin Mo standing by the roadside but hesitated to greet him. Drawing the driver’s attention would be unwise.

Instead, she willed him to notice her first.

His gaze did sweep past her, but it lingered for barely a second before moving on.

"Hmph!"

She climbed into the car.

"Miss, we’re setting off. Please sit tight."

"Understood, Uncle Zhao."

The Bentley glided away under the watchful eyes of the gathered parents.

Jiang Yunlu couldn’t help but steal one last glance at Lin Mo’s profile through the window.

Lin Mo was well aware of her lingering stare.

But he had no intention of making himself known to Jiang Yunlu’s family just yet.

Her household wasn’t one to trifle with.

From what he knew, while her background wasn’t all-powerful, it carried significant weight in Goat City.

By their second year, a reckless first-year had once pursued Jiang Yunlu—showing up at her classroom, ambushing her at the school gates, the usual antics.

When her family caught wind of it, the boy transferred out soon after.

I heard his family had suffered a major upheaval.

Whether it was true or not, Lin Mo didn’t want anyone keeping a constant eye on him—that would be troublesome.

The car carrying Chu Miaomiao soon drove off.

Chu Miaomiao was still thinking about the story Lin Mo had told her that morning.

It differed quite a bit from the serialized version she had been reading.

"What’s on your mind, Miaomiao?" The woman in the driver’s seat wore a sharp office outfit, the very image of a career-driven woman.

The mother and daughter could almost be mistaken for twins—at least in terms of their figures.

Chu Miaomiao snapped out of her thoughts. "Oh, nothing much. Just thinking about a novel’s plot."

Ms. Chu sighed. Her daughter was introverted and loved reading novels—fortunately not just romance novels. She read everything, which at least made her less likely to be swayed by some smooth-talking boy.

The car soon entered a rather luxurious residential complex.

Unbeknownst to them, a taxi pulled up just outside the gates.

"Alright, we’re here."

Lin Mo paid the fare and got out, casually approaching the security booth.

"Hey, did you see that? The mother and daughter in Unit 9, 15th floor—what a pair, huh?"

"Hard to miss with headlights that big."

"Man, if I could have a night with either of them, I’d do ten years in prison, no question."

"Watch your mouth. That girl’s still in high school—three years minimum, death penalty maximum."

"Just blowing off steam, alright? Anyway, I’m off to patrol. Gonna check Unit 9 first."

The conversation ended as a tall but sleazy-looking security guard stepped out of the booth.

He twirled his baton lazily, the very picture of someone with no sense of professionalism.

Lin Tao had only gotten this cushy security job thanks to his uncle’s connections.

Working in a high-end complex meant better pay than most places.

Plus, with enough staff on hand, patrols were mostly uneventful.

After one round, he could just go back and watch TV or read novels.

Life was good.

Just as he reached Unit 9—

Ding.

The elevator doors opened, and two stunning women—one a mature beauty, the other a young girl—stepped out.

They were clearly heading to the complex’s supermarket.

Lin Tao slipped into the shadows, quietly watching their retreating figures.

"Man, if I could just get my hands on one of them..."

But he quickly reined in his lustful gaze.

This was a high-end neighborhood. If anything happened, it really would be the death penalty.

With that, Lin Tao turned and continued his patrol.

In a corner he couldn’t see, Lin Mo also turned away.

His main purpose here was to confirm Chu Miaomiao’s address.

At least for today, she seemed safe.

After all, she showed up at school the next day as usual, still buried in her novels between classes.

Back in the urban village, Lin Mo bought a bowl of spicy soup downstairs. As he carried it upstairs, he ran into Xie Yuling taking out the trash.

"You’re back late," Xie Yuling remarked, showing a rare hint of concern for a friend.

Lin Mo shrugged. "Just went home to grab something. You’re taking out the trash this late?"

"Ugh, I forgot earlier. Was gonna do it tomorrow on my way to school, but Mom wouldn’t let me wait."

Lin Mo thought for a moment. "I’ll walk with you. It’s too late to go alone."

With that, he stood by, waiting for her to come downstairs.

Lin Mo's line of thinking wasn't unfounded.

After all, the urban village was a place where all sorts of people mingled. Even though the crime rate had been dropping year after year, it could never truly reach zero.

"Alright!"