Winter kept her grip on Mei Lin's chin for a few more seconds.
Afterwards finally she let go, but the cold stayed on Mei Lin's skin like a mark.
"Listen carefully," Winter said, her voice flat and heavy. "You have one chance to fix this."
Mei Lin's head lowered fast. "Y-yes… yes, Vice Principal…"
Winter didn't soften.
"You will find out who erased the assassins. You will bring me a name. A clue. Anything."
She paused, letting the silence hit hard.
"And you will do it within seven days."
Mei Lin's breath caught. "S-seven…?"
Winter leaned down slightly, her shadow falling over Mei Lin.
"If you fail again," she said, her voice low and cold.
She paused.
"I will break you myself."
The temperature in the room dropped so fast Mei Lin's breath turned white.
Mei Lin knew exactly what that meant.
Mei Lin dropped to both knees on the frozen floor, her forehead almost touching it.
"I… I will not fail," she said, voice shaking.
Winter turned away.
"See that you don't."
Mei Lin's eyes widened the moment the words hit her.
She walked toward the door, leaving a thin trail of frost behind her.
It felt like the cold in the room had climbed straight up her spine. Her hands shook hard enough that her nails scraped against the floor.
She opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out at first.
Only a small breath.
"I… I understand," she finally managed, voice barely there. "I… won't fail again. I swear it."
Winter didn't respond.
She turned away. The wooden panels crackled softly under the cold she left behind. Mei Lin stayed kneeling, too scared to lift her head until she heard the faint sound of the door sliding open.
Winter stepped out without looking back.
Only then did she whisper to herself, almost shaking:
"I… I need to move fast."
The door finally closed behind Winter.
But Mei Lin didn't move at first.
She stayed kneeling, her hands pressed to the cold floor, trying to breathe. Her heart wouldn't slow down. It kept hammering in her chest like it wanted to break out.
After a few seconds, she pushed herself up on shaky legs.
She started pacing—back and forth, back and forth—her hands locked behind her back. Her steps were uneven, almost clumsy. Every breath came out quick and thin, like her lungs couldn't grab enough air.
"What do I do… what do I do… what do I do…" she muttered, her voice cracking each time.
She walked faster.
Her robe brushed against her legs with every turn, the cold still clinging to the fabric. Her head felt hot even though the room was still cold. Her fingers dug into her palms so hard she could feel her nails leaving marks.
"She gave me seven days… seven…"
Her mouth twisted. "How am I supposed to find someone who erased everything?"
She stopped walking for a moment, gripping her hair with both hands.
Then anger hit her all at once, rising so fast it made her chest tighten. She felt heat rush up her neck, her hands curling on their own as the frustration finally broke through her panic.
"This is all Shen Yan's fault!" she shouted, voice shaky and loud. "That useless idiot! That trash!"
She kicked the small stool near her, sending it skidding across the room. Her breathing turned harsher, her chest rising and falling too fast to control.
"Why was he even there?! Why didn't he just die like he was supposed to?!"
She grabbed the fruit plate next and threw it at the wall. It shattered, pieces scattering across the floor. The warm basin nearby cracked when she slammed her fist into its side, water splashing everywhere.
Her hair stuck to her face from the wild movements, but she didn't stop.
"He ruins everything! He always did!"
Her voice trembled into a scream.
"And now I'm going to be punished because of him!"
She kicked the recliner chair she had been laying on earlier. The silk cushion fell off and slid across the frost-coated floor.
Mei Lin's breath hitched, her throat tight.
Tears pushed into her eyes, not from sadness but from sheer frustration and fear.
She leaned forward, hands on her knees, gulping for air.
Her voice cracked into a whisper, filled with rage she couldn't swallow.
"I will find whoever helped him…"
Her nails scraped the wood beneath her feet.
"And I will kill them first."
She stood up straight again, shaking but determined.
"And then Shen Yan… I'll finish him myself if I have to."
The room around her was a mess—broken dishes, water on the floor, stool overturned, the chair half-tilted, herb bowl spilled, frost everywhere.
But Mei Lin didn't look at any of it.
Her eyes were fixed forward, burning through the fear.
She had seven days.
Seven.
And she would not be broken by Winter.
Mei Lin stood in the center of the wrecked room, breathing hard. The anger still twisted in her chest, but she forced herself to focus. She wiped her wet hair back and straightened her robe, even though her hands were still shaking.
She lifted her right hand and tapped her fingers against her wrist in a short, sharp rhythm.
That was the signal.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then the shadows in the far corner stretched slightly, as if someone stepped out from inside them.
One figure appeared first, rising from the dark patch on the floor.
A second followed right after, slipping out from the dim space beneath the window. The third formed beside the door, their outline sharpening until their body became clear.
Three figures appeared almost at the same time. They arrived without a single sound, their steps light enough that the floor didn't even creak when they formed.
Each one wearing a plain black uniform that clung to their bodies without a wrinkle. Their masks covered their faces fully, leaving only their eyes visible—eyes that didn't blink even once.
These spies were personally chosen by Winter for Mei Lin.
They weren't ordinary helpers or campus students.
They were trained shadows who followed Winter's orders directly.
All three dropped to one knee the moment they formed fully in the room.
"You called," the one on the left said, head lowered.
Mei Lin tried to stand taller, pretending the shaking in her legs had stopped. "Yes," she said, her voice low. "I need information. All of you will move now."