Chapter 55: Chapter Fifty-Four: He Arrived Too Late

The Han Yi Academy enrollment point wasn't exactly deserted at this time.

Compared to other academies, this place indeed had the fewest people—only a handful were asking questions.

One thing was certain: over ninety percent of the students here ranked in the bottom one hundred.

So the enrollment teachers were very idle; they knew this wasn't their academy's official enrollment period yet.

They would only begin recruiting after the other academies had mostly finished taking students.

"You're Fang Chong? Especially Especially Ai Xi?" The Han Yi Academy enrollment teacher, seeing Fang Chong and Especially Especially Ai Xi arrive, jumped to his feet in shock.

These two students ranked fourth and fifth overall in four consecutive rounds of assessments.

Based on their scores, they should have gone to Zhenyu Academy—why were they here at Han Yi Academy?

"Yes, Teacher, we both want to join Han Yi Academy," Fang Chong said.

"Ah…" The enrollment teacher paused, then burst into joy, "Of course, of course! Warmest welcome! I'll get you the intent forms right away…"

He was genuinely ecstatic—when had Han Yi Academy ever recruited a top-five student?

This time, not only had they recruited one, but two at once.

If they didn't give him a raise and promotion after this, it would be unthinkable.

"Hey, isn't that Fang Chong and Especially Especially Ai Xi?"

As Fang Chong and Especially Especially Ai Xi sat down to fill out their intent forms, many students noticed.

One ranked fourth overall, the other fifth—these two were filling out forms at Han Yi Academy, the last-place academy among the Top Ten Starry Sky Academies? Were they really planning to join Han Yi Academy?

That didn't make sense.

Immediately, curious onlookers rushed over; when they confirmed these two truly intended to join Han Yi Academy, they were stunned.

Could Han Yi Academy be hiding some profound martial art? Or had they developed a brand-new gene serum?

Neither seemed likely—Han Yi Academy primarily focused on martial arts, with gene serums as a secondary field. That's precisely why it had declined year after year.

"Do you think Ding Huan might be going to Han Yi Academy?" A wildly imaginative student felt he'd uncovered the secret.

This remark struck like thunder, jolting everyone awake.

Right—if Ding Huan wasn't going to Han Yi Academy, why would Fang Chong and Especially Especially Ai Xi join it?

"Impossible—if Ding Huan were going, why is only Fang Chong signing up? Where are Lü Zi and Li Wanran?" A rational voice in the crowd raised a question.

"Heh, did you see Lü Zi and Li Wanran signing up here? They might already have been secretly recruited."

Everyone looked around—they truly hadn't seen Lü Zi or Li Wanran.

In fact, Qin Qiang and Zeng Yi hadn't anticipated that taking Li Wanran and Lü Zi away privately would cause this effect.

Though a few students had seen Lü Zi and Li Wanran leave with the two deans, no one was thinking rationally now.

Most had settled on one belief: Ding Huan was about to emerge—and he would emerge at Han Yi Academy.

Even though the Gene Alliance was currently hunting Ding Huan, once he became a mentor at Han Yi Academy, the Gene Alliance would have no right to continue the manhunt.

If they dared to pursue Ding Huan further, it would mean war with Han Yi Academy.

Even if Han Yi Academy ranked lowest, it was still one of the Top Ten Starry Sky Academies—the Gene Alliance wouldn't dare treat it lightly.

Then the enrollment hall, designed for mutual selection, became bizarre: hundreds of people surged en masse toward Han Yi Academy.

The other academies stared in disbelief—what was happening?

Han Yi Academy's enrollment teachers were stunned too—what was going on?

Fortunately, they quickly recovered: no matter what was happening, they had to enroll students first.

"Zheng Jin? You're sixth overall in this year's assessment?" The Han Yi Academy enrollment teacher was hit again by a wave of joy.

The fourth, fifth, and sixth overall ranks in this year's Top Ten Starry Sky Academies enrollment assessment had all been claimed by Han Yi Academy.

Then came tenth, twelfth, fifteenth…

In the end, the last student Han Yi Academy recruited ranked ninety-second.

Not even Zhenyu Academy, under normal circumstances, could ever attract such high-quality students.

…

Ding Huan didn't know that a single suggestion he gave Fang Chong had triggered a small-scale butterfly effect, leaving Han Yi Academy overflowing with profits.

Any school, once its student body grows strong, gradually becomes powerful itself.

Zhenyu Academy was proof—because its student quality improved year after year, it was now far stronger than the other nine academies in the Top Ten Starry Sky Academies.

At this moment, Ding Huan had entered Yiling City.

Yiling City was relatively well-known because the Qu family was famed for cold weapon forging.

After the outbreak of gene beasts, cold weapons had grown increasingly valued.

Huaxia had five major cold weapon brands, and the Qu family was among them.

Qu Yi's address was in Xiuhu Community, Zhenqiong Road, Yiling City—a mixed high-rise and villa neighborhood.

The Qu family wasn't poor; they lived in the very first row of villas.

Compared to their wealth, living here was relatively low-key.

After entering the community, Ding Huan quickly found Villa No. 5.

…

"Auntie, Yi Yi has already left—don't cry anymore," Qu Fei, eyes swollen with tears, comforted a middle-aged woman.

The woman was Qu Yi's mother, Yan Quan; she was filled with regret, for she had agreed to let Qu Yi go to Puhai. If Qu Yi hadn't gone to Puhai, none of this would have happened.

"Auntie, you said Ding Huan is from Luohe?" A slightly overweight middle-aged man asked.

He was Qu Yi's father, Qu Yonghe.

"Yes, many now know his identity—his real name is Ding Xiaotu, the young master of Bai Yu Group. Later, he was driven out by Ding Jie, the adopted son of Bai Yu Group's Ding Baishan, and changed his name to Ding Huan," Qu Fei replied.

She had already sent someone to He Luo to inquire about Ding Huan.

Qu Yonghe fell silent; even if they found Ding Huan now, they could not save Qu Yi.

"Is Qu Yi here?" A sudden voice entered the room, startling everyone inside.

"Who came here looking for Qu Yi?" Qu Yonghe stood up.

Could it be the Gene Alliance? If it were the Gene Alliance, the Qu family might not even preserve Qu Yi's remains.

"I'll open the door." Wen Xing, who had been guarding Qu Fei and Qu Yi, quickened her steps and opened the front door.

At the door stood a young man with a blue satchel on his back and a light beard on his face.

"Who are you?" Wen Xing sized up the young man before her and asked, puzzled.

She quickly realized it, exclaiming in delight, "Are you Teacher Ding Huan?"

Ding Huan wiped the beard from his face with a casual motion and smiled, "That's right, I'm Ding Huan. I came specially to see Qu Yi—is she well?"

Hearing Qu Yi's name, Wen Xing's excitement cooled; no matter how capable Ding Huan was, he could not bring back Qu Yi, who was already dead.

"Teacher Ding?" Qu Fei heard Wen Xing's words and rushed out in a few steps.

When she saw it was truly Ding Huan, her eyes reddened and she said, "Teacher Ding, I'm sorry—we shouldn't have doubted you."

Ding Huan waved his hand, "I'll go see Qu Yi."

Qu Fei shook her head, "It's too late. Yi Yi is gone."

Ding Huan had no heart to stay outside talking—he stepped forward and rushed to Qu Yi's side.

When Ding Huan saw those eyes again, his nose grew sharp with ache.

Those eyes, once untouched by dust, like a clear spring, now dimmed and dull, shadowed with sorrow and an indelible gray.

The unclosed eyes seemed to speak of the filth of this world and the torment of living.

They also seemed to speak of how insignificant life and dignity were before the powerful.

Ding Huan's entire body trembled slightly; bitterness blurred his eyes, and rage filled his whole being.

In his past life, those untainted eyes had given him light before dimming. In this life, those clear eyes had dimmed again.

And he, powerless.

He had once believed that restarting his life would change the things he had regretted for a lifetime—but now he was back at the starting point.

Perhaps he himself had changed, but he had not changed the woman who gave him light.

If this is all it means, what is the point of his second chance? He would never forgive himself for this failure.

If Qu Yi had merely lost her sight, Ding Huan would have given her his own eyes—willingly.

But Qu Yi had perished. Then what meaning did his thanks in Anhe County hold?

Qu Yi did not need his thanks—what she longed for, he had failed to give her.

"Thud!" Ding Huan collapsed to his knees, too late.

He lifted Qu Yi's cold, pale hand, trembling—not his body shook, but his heart.

Qu Yi's mother, Yan Quan, seeing Ding Huan's grief, could not hold back her tears again—her unfortunate Yi Yi.

Qu Yonghe, Qu Fei, and the others stared at Ding Huan in shock; they did not know what relationship he had with Qu Yi, why he grieved so deeply for her death.

Watching Ding Huan clutch Qu Yi's hand, his whole body trembling, silent tears streaming down, Qu Fei's heart clenched—she regretted once more having blocked Qu Yi from meeting Ding Huan.

"Was my daughter hiding that she had a boyfriend?" Qu Yonghe stared, stunned, at the grieving Ding Huan.

As if sensing her hands held by Ding Huan, one of Qu Yi's eyes seeped a dim blood, then her eyeball slowly dissolved away.

"No…" Ding Huan could no longer suppress his terror—he did not want Qu Yi's eyes to vanish, he did not want Qu Yi to disappear.

For this was not merely Qu Yi's death—it was the beginning of his own faith and belief crumbling.