Chapter 56: He Came 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 filled their quotas.

"You're Student Fang Chong? Student Especially Especially Ai Xi?" The Han Yi Academy enrollment teacher stood up in shock upon seeing Fang Chong and Especially Especially Ai Xi arrive.

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 blinked, 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 enrolled a top-five student?

This time, not only had they enrolled 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 Star Blue 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 Teacher Ding Huan might be going to Han Yi Academy?" Someone with a wild imagination felt he'd uncovered the secret.

This remark struck like thunder, jolting everyone awake.

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

"Impossible—if Teacher 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, have you seen Lü Zi and Li Wanran signing up here? They might already have been internally 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 have 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 from seclusion—and his emergence point was 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 him further, it would be tantamount to declaring war on Han Yi Academy.

Even if Han Yi Academy ranked lowest, it was still one of the Top Ten Star Blue 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 scorers in this year's Top Ten Star Blue Academy assessments were all now in Han Yi Academy's hands.

Then came tenth, twelfth, fifteenth…

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

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

…

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

Any school, once its student body grows strong, will gradually grow stronger itself.

Zhenyu Academy is proof—because its student quality has improved year after year, it is now far superior to the other nine academies among the Top Ten Star Blue Academies.

At this moment, Ding Huan had already 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 high-rise and villa mixed community.

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. Had Qu Yi not gone to Puhai, none of this would have happened.

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

He was Qu Yi's father, Qu Yonghe.

"Yes, many now know his identity—his real name is Ding Xiaotu, the heir 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 him.

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 doorway 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 with confusion.

She quickly realized and cried out 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 Qu Yi 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 cry 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—Yiyi is gone."

Ding Huan had no interest in staying outside to talk—he strode quickly to Qu Yi's side.

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

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

The eyes, unclosed, seemed to speak of the filth of this world and the torment of being alive.

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 fury filled his heart and soul.

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—poor, suffering Yiyi.

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

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

"Was our 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 demise—it was the beginning of his own faith and conviction collapsing.

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