Light of Hope: Luo Ya's Complex Inner World

Light of Hope.

Gu Yan arrived at this place.

Gazing at the suddenly transformed scenery, he clenched his fists, his eyes filling with an inexplicable intensity.

Is this the power of the Power of Night? Truly...

!!

Hiss... No.

Gu Yan shook his head, his brows furrowing.

Something’s off—why would he even think that way?

The Power of Night was merely something he occasionally used to impersonate the Night King.

The only reason he had resorted to the dagger the previous two times was because it was the surest way to eliminate those two.

Tch.

A possibility crossed Gu Yan’s mind—could the Power of Night already be influencing his perception?

Damn it.

No wonder the Leng Family had warned him that the dagger could corrupt the mind.

Seemed like he’d have to be more cautious from now on.

Just then—

"Young Master."

Old Gao, having received prior notice, was already waiting there.

Witnessing the miraculous means of Gu Yan’s arrival left Old Gao deeply awed.

Noticing Gu Yan’s dazed state, Old Gao spoke up, "Principal Luo wishes to confirm the training plan and some specific requirements with you."

"Young Master? Are you alright?"

Gu Yan seemed a bit off, making Old Gao worry if he had been pushing himself too hard lately.

Snapping out of it, Gu Yan took a deep breath and shook his head. "I’m fine."

After a pause, he smiled at Old Gao. "Let’s go take a look."

"Understood, Young Master."

......

.........

Arriving at the towering structure of Light of Hope, they entered the principal’s office.

Luo Ya, with no other choice, had reluctantly thrown herself into work.

Seated on the sofa, Gu Yan smiled at Luo Ya’s displeased expression. "How’s the work treating you, Principal Luo?"

"Hmph. How could being forced into anything feel good?"

Luo Ya snorted but didn’t neglect the matter at hand—after all, her son was still in Gu Yan’s grasp.

She placed a thick stack of documents on the table and said coldly, "Take a look."

"If it meets your approval, Light of Hope will operate under my training methods from now on."

"From martial artists’ diets to personalized cultivation techniques, training regimens, scheduled class competitions, reward systems..."

"Along with class divisions and management protocols for new recruits—everything’s outlined here."

Old Gao stepped forward, retrieved the documents, and handed them to Gu Yan.

The latter skimmed through them briefly.

A glint of satisfaction flashed in his eyes as he remarked, "As expected of Master Ya. When it comes to martial arts, you’re truly unmatched."

If this material were posted on the martial arts forum, it would undoubtedly cause an uproar.

It meticulously detailed a standardized progression for martial artists, from beginner stages to advanced cultivation—a dream come true for the lazy.

However, it also included some extreme measures, like certain inhuman training methods.

[Handy Tips for Breaking Through from Postnatal to Innate Realm]

Endure subzero temperatures while tempering the body and teetering on the brink of death. If the breakthrough isn’t achieved by the time the heart stops, have someone revive you immediately—then repeat the process.

Seriously? Artificially forcing breakthroughs through life-and-death situations?

Good thing my people have all been enhanced by the Claw Cells, boosting their physical prowess and talent.

Otherwise, we’d have a pile of corpses.

Luo Ya remained silent, as Gu Yan’s words held truth.

She was a theorist, yes—but that didn’t mean she couldn’t be a practitioner.

Setting the documents aside, Gu Yan stood with a smile. "We’ll proceed with your plan."

His immediate agreement caught Luo Ya off guard. Hesitantly, she rose to her feet. "Really? Even the parts where..."

Before she could finish, Gu Yan cut in, "It’s fine. Shitou and the others can handle more than you think."

After all, they’ve all been modified by the Claw Cells.

Luo Ya, misinterpreting his words, assumed Gu Yan was some heartless monster. She had drafted those methods purely as theory—how could she actually subject children to such brutal training?

After half a day of interaction, she’d learned that the children of Light of Hope were all orphans.

Seeing kids the same age as her son...

Luo Ya couldn’t help but feel a pang of sorrow.

To think... at an age when they should be in school, these children had been snatched up by the devilish Gu Yan and forced into martial arts.

If she made their lives even more miserable, she’d feel utterly inhuman.

But since Gu Yan insisted...

She’d simply omit the most extreme methods.

Nodding, she said, "Understood."

Gu Yan gave a brief nod in return and headed for the door. "Alright, I’ll go check on the kids."

Suddenly, he paused and glanced back at Luo Ya. "Care to join me, Principal Luo?"

"How well have you gotten to know the children?"

If the principal wasn’t familiar with Shitou and the others, it’d be hard to carry out certain tasks.

Luo Ya initially wanted to refuse accompanying the man who’d taken her son hostage.

But... driven by some inexplicable urge...

She wanted to see how the children viewed Gu Yan. So she nodded and followed. "Fine."

.......

........

Since Light of Hope had undergone renovations, the teaching buildings had been refurbished and put to use.

Class A.

"Brother, when do you think the Master will come see us?"

After modifications from the Claw Cells and months of training, the first batch of Light of Hope members—including Shitou and Little Bai—had shed their initial naivety.

Their eyes now carried a steady resolve, their bodies radiating the aura of postnatal martial artists.

The Claw Cells seemed to have accelerated their physical growth, making them appear two or three years older.

Shitou, with his clean buzz cut and solemn expression, replied sternly, "Little Bai, the Master is a busy man. That he visits us occasionally is already a blessing."

"Don’t act like a child—be more mature. And class is about to start. Return to your seat."

"As members of Class A, we must uphold its standards."

Little Bai’s eyes turned downcast. "Okay..."

Seeing her dejected look, Shitou softened. "Don’t be upset. After training this afternoon, I’ll treat you to milk tea."

"Really?!"

Her spirits instantly lifted.

Just then—

Creak~

The classroom door opened.

"Master, this is Class A. With class about to start, everyone should be here."

"Heh, good."

The familiar voice sent a ripple of excitement through the room.

Murmurs rose among the students.

Shitou and Little Bai exchanged glances, their eyes alight with disbelief and joy.

Sure enough—

The next moment, Gu Yan stepped inside.

Every gaze in the room locked onto him.

He walked to the front, scanned the students, and greeted them warmly. "Hm, everyone’s in high spirits."

"Did you all miss me these past days?"

"I do!"

"Sir, I've already become a first-rate martial artist!"

"Sir, I planted a pot of flowers yesterday—I wanted to give them to you!"

"Sir..."

Everyone rushed to share everything about themselves.

In their eyes shone both reverence and longing for Gu Yan.

To them, Gu Yan had given them a new home—a new life.

More than just their leader, he was like a parent to them.

Outside the house, Luo Ya stood frozen, staring at the scene.

Gu Yan's influence... was this immense?

Weren’t the children supposed to resent or fear him?

And yet... Her gaze lingered on Gu Yan as he gently crouched beside the children, chatting warmly with them.

His expression glowed, radiant as sunlight.

Gu Yan... Is this yet another mask you wear?