The Vast River, Empty and Boundless, Cannot Wash Away Injustice

At such a close distance—

Su Cheng saw the full appearance of the mysterious masked girl—the student council president—clearly for the first time.

She wore a neat school uniform, standing straight and dignified, paired with pure white tights that accentuated her sacred and untouchable aura.

Her black hime-cut hair further emphasized her noble and elegant demeanor, though her face was hidden behind a silver mask.

Through the mask, only a pair of beautiful eyes were visible—eyes that seemed to hold boundless wisdom and decisiveness. Under her gaze, it felt as though no scheme or deception could escape her keen perception.

Moreover, those eyes… as if they had already laid bare all of Su Cheng’s secrets.

Though her emotions were concealed behind the mask, her imposing presence and dignified aura were impossible to hide. Even when she did nothing but sit quietly reading, an inexplicable pressure weighed heavily on those around her, as oppressive as a towering mountain.

It sent chills down his spine. He subtly averted his gaze, turning to Ailiya instead, his mind racing.

A wave of shock surged within him—in that moment, he truly grasped just how terrifying the student council president before him was.

Her presence alone was enough to make his heart skip a beat.

How could this be…?

Su Cheng’s pulse pounded wildly. This kind of setting, something straight out of novels and anime, was unfolding right before his eyes in reality. The absurdity of it all was… unbelievable.

Killing intent, aura, demeanor—

Now, he truly understood what those words meant.

That brown-haired girl…

Wasn’t she the one who had just acted alongside the blonde?

Seeing Ailiya, another wave of absurdity and despair washed over him.

Of course, things wouldn’t end so simply.

Now, she had even brought the student council president into this.

What was this?

After toying with him, were they going to treat him like a criminal?

Did the world really have no room left for him at all?

Was his life really going to end like this—ruined by the whims of the wealthy, condemned to spend the rest of his days behind bars?

How utterly ridiculous.

A deep sorrow filled his heart, but he refused to give up. After all, he doubted the student council president would stoop so low as to indulge in such a cruel game.

So he spoke up: "Senior, I don’t know what you’re talking about. But the other senior you were with just confirmed it was all an act—I was only playing along."

"An act?"

Ailiya’s lips curled into a sneer, her voice laced with fury. "I’m with her every day. Who she knows and doesn’t know—do you think I wouldn’t be aware? The fact that she suddenly asked such a question can only mean you planted some kind of false idea in her head. Otherwise, why would she suddenly act so out of character?"

"I didn’t." Su Cheng shook his head immediately. He couldn’t fathom why this girl was so fixated on targeting him, but he refused to back down. "If you’re accusing me of feeding her false information, where’s your proof?"

Ailiya narrowed her eyes, glaring at him with gritted teeth. "The president is right here, and you still dare to lie?"

Her voice was icy, the temperature around them seeming to drop. "Yesterday, at the supermarket entrance, you sold us milk. If you keep denying it, we can pull up the surveillance footage right now."

The moment those words left her mouth, Su Cheng froze as if struck by lightning.

So that was why—despite the supermarket being fully stocked with walnut milk, someone had insisted on buying his.

Now, everything made sense.

This had been a trap from the very beginning.

From that moment on, he had been set up.

His heart twisted violently.

No—this couldn’t be happening. Why?

Why was he being treated like this?!

He had never done anything wrong, never taken advantage of others.

He had even helped people when he could. Yet now, he was being falsely accused of "committing a crime."

His fists clenched involuntarily, a surge of anger making him wish he could awaken some world-ending system and punch the planet into oblivion.

"President, look—he can’t even defend himself anymore. Hurry up and have him arrested!"

Ailiya urged the student council president beside her, her eyes never leaving Su Cheng, as if afraid he might flee or resist.

A deep sense of sorrow and resentment welled up inside Su Cheng. He took a slow breath, closed his eyes briefly, then reopened them, forcing himself to calm the storm of emotions within. Only then did he turn his gaze to the student council president, who had remained silent all this time.

Even now, she stood there quietly.

Without doing or saying anything, her mere presence exuded an overwhelming authority.

"Your current physical condition doesn’t seem well. I recommend you rest first."

She spoke, her voice detached and devoid of emotion, yet it sounded almost ethereal to the ears—soothing, making one forget all troubles, leaving only comfort and tranquility behind.

Su Cheng was taken aback.

He had expected her to call security immediately, or at least interrogate him with a scrutinizing gaze.

But contrary to his expectations, she shifted the topic entirely—expressing concern for his health.

"President, is now really the time to worry about that? We need to detain this suspicious person first, then call the police!" Ailiya pressed impatiently.

Yet the student council president ignored her, merely casting a brief glance in her direction—a glance that instantly silenced Ailiya. Then, she turned back to Su Cheng, her tone still devoid of emotion:

"Based on my current assessment, neither of you is lying. Therefore, there may be a misunderstanding at play here."

Su Cheng stared at her, stunned.

Ailiya, however, paled. "President?! What are you saying?! What misunderstanding could there possibly be?!"

"Silence."

The student council president’s soft utterance carried an undeniable weight. Then, she stepped closer to Su Cheng, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I suggest you go see a doctor first. If your condition doesn’t improve, you can come to the student council. We’ll arrange further medical examinations for you."

Su Cheng stared blankly into her bright eyes behind the mask. They seemed to radiate justice and genuine concern, allowing him to sense her noble character and sincere care.

Though the mask hid her face, it couldn’t conceal the radiant humanity she exuded—making her appear even more saintly and beautiful.

"I… I’m fine, there’s no need—"

Su Cheng tried to refuse, but she cut him off. "Don’t push yourself. You worked hard to get into this school, didn’t you? Don’t let your family’s efforts go to waste."

"Ailiya, come with me."

With that, the student council president led Ailiya away. Though Ailiya continued shooting resentful glances back at Su Cheng, she had no choice but to follow obediently.

"Phew—"

Su Cheng finally exhaled in relief, watching the dignified figure grow smaller until she disappeared around the corner. Only then did he look away.

That figure—perhaps it was admiration he felt. Or maybe reverence.

Through words and actions, the other party made him feel the deepest kindness within, a pure and visceral touch.

Having such a leader in this school is truly fortunate.

…………………………

On the other side.

"Junior, the way she acted—it was like she was terrified you’d snatch that boy away just now," the short-haired girl standing beside the literary-minded girl remarked with a sigh. "Even though none of us are close, she seemed to know us all too well. How strange."

The literary girl stared at the retreating golden-haired figure ahead, her lips pressed into a tight line, her gaze inscrutable.

She found it odd too.

And that boy—he inexplicably lingered in her thoughts.

Just then, the student council president and Ailiya appeared, leading Cornelia away. The three of them headed toward the school building, soon vanishing from sight.

The literary girl lowered her eyes, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear as she murmured, "It is strange..."

But before she could finish, the short-haired girl turned to her, excitement lacing her voice. "Let’s follow them! Maybe we’ll uncover the truth!"

Yet the moment she spoke, her eyes locked onto the black-and-gold ring on the literary girl’s ring finger. Her pupils constricted, her playful expression hardening into something graver. With clear surprise, she asked, "Where did you get that ring?"