Chapter 4

You need a network tool capable of complete self-concealment before daring to search online for information.

This is not excessive caution, but rigorous logical reasoning.

First, it can be determined that the Special Affairs Administration has existed for a long time, specializing in handling anomalies and suppressing information.

From their perspective, online monitoring is undoubtedly a crucial component.

Whether someone survives an anomaly and posts their bizarre experience online, or someone gets entangled in an anomaly and vanishes, with family members seeking help online—both warrant the Special Affairs Administration's attention.

This means every online platform has been equipped with detection systems.

Once keywords like "Special Affairs Administration," "Shadow Realm," or "Divine Offspring," or their pinyin abbreviations, are detected, they are automatically reported.

They are first reviewed by AI programs or designated personnel to determine if they relate to anomalies, then manually rechecked.

Even input method software, document software, and cloud storage software are under surveillance, with sensitive terms linked across platforms.

This can be referenced from mobile apps: type something into a search engine, then open an e-commerce platform, and you're highly likely to be pushed related products.

Li Cheng cannot rely on the Special Affairs Administration's unprofessionalism.

He put the USB drive into his pocket, stepped out of the cafeteria, and had walked only a few steps when a teacher called out, "Two students, can you help me carry some books?"

"Oh, sure."

The speaker was the computer teacher, whom Li Cheng recognized; he immediately walked over and picked up a bundle of textbooks from the ground.

Ye Jiaying also came over, picked up another bundle of books, and tilted her head with a smile: "What a coincidence."

"Yeah, really a coincidence."

Li Cheng nodded numbly, about to ask Ye Jiaying to hand the books to him, but the words died on his lips.

"Students, please carry the books to the third-floor research room in the Science Building. Thank you."

After speaking, the computer teacher pulled out his buzzing phone, answered the call, and began chatting with school administrators.

"Let's go."

Ye Jiaying stepped forward, her plaid skirt swaying gently, emitting a faint lavender scent.

Li Cheng walked silently beside her, suddenly troubled—why hadn't the school administrators extended this tree-shaded path, made it longer, more winding?

"Are you participating in the New Year's cultural performance this year?" Ye Jiaying asked with a smile. "I heard you play guitar?"

She was the class Chinese representative and cultural committee member; planning the New Year's cultural performance fell within her duties.

"Not bad."

Li Cheng cleared his throat, feigning nonchalance. Thanks to his aunt and uncle's intensive parenting, he'd taken many extracurricular classes as a child; playing guitar was among the few hobbies he'd picked up.

"So, how about we form a band?"

Ye Jiaying asked: "I play cello and drums, Han Letian plays keyboard, Mu Yulu plays bass, and you're the guitarist."

"You play drums too?"

Li Cheng suppressed his inner excitement and asked, pretending not to know.

He already knew the girl played instruments—he'd long ago pieced together clues from her QQ space and other social platforms: her birthday, favorite music, movies, food, and more.

"Of course I do. I'm pretty good, actually."

Ye Jiaying chuckled: "So, are you in?"

"Yeah!"

Li Cheng nodded vigorously, his mind spiraling uncontrollably.

On a noisy stage, himself in a sleek black trench coat, stepping out with cool swagger, strumming his guitar with wild flair, drawing countless screams from the crowd, electrifying the entire venue.

The enthusiastic audience waved glowing sticks, forming a shimmering sea; behind him, Ye Jiaying pounded the drums, gazing at him with adoration.

Thump!

A dull thud shattered Li Cheng's daydream; he instinctively tilted his head, the lingering pain from the impact still on his skull.

A colorful Wilson basketball, worth at least eight thousand, bounced off his forehead, skipped once on the ground, then rolled into the nearby grass.

"Sorry, bro, my bad."

On the basketball court, a tall, handsome guy in a Gucci T-shirt waved at him with a grin: "You okay?"

Luo Zhengxin, a second-year student from Class 10, whose family runs a well-known cosmetics company, is also handsome and serves as a forward on the school basketball team.

The basketball court was separated from the shaded path by considerable distance, with a row of trees blocking the view—how could it possibly be an accident?

Most likely, it's because months ago, he arranged a heart of roses outside the school gate, confidently declared his love to Ye Jiaying in public, and was politely rejected.

"Hey, bro, you alright? Don't zone out."

"You can't even handle a little bump?"

"Dude, can you toss the ball back?"

The boys playing basketball with Luo Zhengxin all chimed in; the boys and girls watching from the sidelines grinned, clearly enjoying the spectacle.

"What a jerk."

Ye Jiaying frowned, muttered under her breath, set down the books, and reached out to rub Li Cheng's forehead: "How's it feel? Does it hurt?"

The intimate gesture stiffened Luo Zhengxin's smile.

He pretended nonchalance, tugged at his collar, and flipped out his platinum Saint Laurent pendant.

"I'm fine."

Li Cheng, who had slit his own throat the night before, was no passive doormat; a sudden surge of dark rage rose within him, yet his face remained smiling.

He calmly set down the textbooks, casually picked up the Wilson basketball, tossed it lightly in his hand, and said to Luo Zhengxin on the court: "I'm throwing it now—can you catch it?"

Luo Zhengxin grinned confidently: "Go ahead."

He stood tall, a head taller than Li Cheng, whose slender frame clearly showed he rarely exercised.

Luo Zhengxin already imagined how he'd catch the ball with effortless grace, turn, lean back, and sink a perfect three-pointer.

Seeing the other's confidence, Li Cheng smiled faintly, gripped the basketball with his right hand's five fingers, and as he released it in a gentle toss, he applied a slight twist with his fingertips.

The basketball fell at a slow speed into Luo Zhengxin's right palm. Just as he was about to grip it with both hands, he noticed a spinning force still clinging to the ball.

"!!!"

His palm was involuntarily carried along, his wrist suddenly twisting back, and he slammed the back of his own hand hard into his face.

Bang!

After a muffled thud, Luo Zhengxin's nose bled freely, his palm went limp, and the basketball dropped to the ground.

"."

The court fell silent. In everyone else's eyes, Luo Zhengxin had easily caught this slow ball, then suddenly smashed the back of his hand hard into his own nose and made it bleed.

It was a shriek from a girl at the sideline that brought everyone back: "Ah! Brother Zhengxin's nose is bleeding!"

His playing buddies and the sideline spectators crowded around, asking if it hurt, handing him water and tissues, helping wipe the blood. Someone even ran to call the school doctor.

"Hey, buddy, you okay? Don't space out. You're not gonna be done in just from one hit, are you?"

Li Cheng's expression was startled. He returned those words from earlier, and seeing the court in an uproar, picked up his textbook again and, as if nothing had happened, walked off toward the science building with Ye Jiaying.

"You're not allowed to leave!"

A pair of brightly dressed boy and girl pushed through the bushes and blocked Li Cheng's path.

Qiu Yingxun, Qiu Yourong. These two were the star figures of Class Eleven (the so-called overseas-return class). Their family ran a Shangshi Company, even richer than Luo Zhengxin's. It's just that... their orientations were a bit odd.

Whether brother or sister, both could develop feelings for the same sex and the opposite sex at the same time.

"You made Brother Zhengxin's nose bleed, and you think you can just walk away like that?" the brother, Qiu Yingxun, said righteously, stretching out the palm still stained with Luo Zhengxin's blood and clapping it on Li Cheng's shoulder.

"What if you disfigure him? Can you afford to pay for that?" the sister, Qiu Yourong, said loudly: "He's going to play in the NBA someday!"

"The NBA cares about ball skills, not looks."

Looking at this handsome but inexplicably foolish rich brother-sister pair, Li Cheng said solemnly: "Of course, I don't doubt Comrade Luo's ability. He'll eventually reach the achievements of my idol, Kobe Bryant.

By the way, Kobe won 5 NBA championships, 1 regular-season MVP, 2 Finals MVPs, 4 All-Star Game MVPs, 2 scoring titles; was selected to the All-Star starting lineup 18 times, All-NBA teams 15 times (First Team 11, Second Team 2, Third Team 2), All-Defensive teams 12 times (First Team 9, Second Team 3), and died once."

Qiu Yingxun and Qiu Yourong stood in place, listening dazedly to this whole spiel. Only after Li Cheng and his companion had walked far out of sight did they come back to their senses and stomp their feet in fury: "You're not allowed to leave!"

"Don't stop him!"

Luo Zhengxin poked his head out from among his solicitous classmates and shouted in a muffled voice, stopping the Qiu siblings from chasing Li Cheng.

As the school team's forward, failing to catch a slow ball and making his own nose bleed was already embarrassing enough.

If the matter blew up further and the other students found out, his reputation would be completely unsalvageable.

When people mentioned him in the future, they'd say it like this: "Hey, you know that Luo Zhengxin from our school's basketball team, the one who said he was going to play in the NBA?"

"Yeah, what about him?"

"He got hit by a ball and his nose bled, and he lay in the school clinic all afternoon. Doctors from all over the city came to give him specialist consultations. After half a day of emergency treatment they finally stopped the bleeding. The next step is to tackle the century-level challenge of figuring out how to cut his hair without anesthesia."

Climbing the steps of the science building, Ye Jiaying glanced back at the unconvinced Qiu siblings and couldn't help laughing. "Those two are so funny."

"Right? There's a kind of pure, innocent stupidity in their eyes, like hamsters."

Li Cheng couldn't help laughing either. He walked into the faculty office, set his books down, and clapped his hands.

Outside the window, green trees formed a shady canopy, the evening glow was brilliant, the broadcast played lilting music. On the field, some people practiced running, some pulled at the pull-up bar until it nearly broke. Boys wandered in groups, excitedly discussing newly released video games. Girls clustered in threes and fives, chatting about MBTI tests on Xiaohongshu.

You could also faintly see young couples strolling in the grove, their fingers interlocked, murmuring sweet nothings they never tired of. The moment they spotted a teacher approaching, they hastily let go and stood far apart, pretending not to know each other.

A scene of vibrant life, where all things strove to grow, lay right before one's eyes.

(End of chapter)