"S-So it's you, Professor Wang." Shen Liang's voice was unsteady, the words leaving him in a relieved exhale. The terrifying presence belonged to his professor, not some otherworldly assassin. Yet, the relief was short-lived. The man standing behind him was still a powerhouse whose mere attention felt like a physical weight.
A single drop of cold sweat traced a path down his temple as he turned to face the man. Wang Hao's hand came to rest on his shoulder—a simple, almost casual gesture that carried the implicit pressure of a mountain.
Wang Hao adjusted his glasses with his free hand, the lenses flashing opaquely. "Ho...? Was that [Double Cast]?" he murmured, his voice a low hum of intellectual curiosity. "Even an imperfect manifestation is... unprecedented." A wide, unnerving grin spread across his face, devoid of warmth and full of avaricious interest. "You will aid the academy's research. We will provide you with sufficient resources, of course. Do not worry."
The offer was framed as a command.
"I'll—" Shen Liang began, but was cut off.
"No! If he goes, then who w—" Hua Ruyan's voice, sharp with a sudden, protective impulse, sliced through the air. She caught herself immediately, cutting off her own sentence and snapping her mouth shut, a faint flush of embarrassment on her cheeks. "...Nevermind."
Wang Hao's gaze didn't waver from Shen Liang. "So? The offer stands." The unspoken threat was clear: Refusal is not an option.
Shen Liang's mind raced, the temptation of resources warring with the fear of becoming a lab rat. He saw a path, a compromise that would buy him time and autonomy.
"I accept!" he said, the word decisive. "But I request a five-month deferral, Professor."
Wang Hao's eyebrow twitched upwards, a flicker of surprise and perhaps respect in his predatory gaze. "Hmph...? So you plan to conquer the mid-term evaluation on your own terms first. A bold stipulation. Very well. I will contact you when the time is right." With a final, evaluating look, he turned and walked away, the oppressive aura leaving with him.
[You have been inflicted with [Fear]. All stats decreased by 10%.]
The system message flashed in the corner of his vision, a cold, clinical confirmation of what his body already knew. Only when Professor Wang's oppressive presence had completely receded did Shen Liang allow himself to breathe. He stood frozen, the confident facade he'd mustered for the negotiation utterly shattered. His heart hammered against his ribs like a trapped bird.
"...Shen Liang?" Hua Ruyan's voice, laced with concern, finally pierced through his static-filled mind.
He waited a beat, forcing his voice to steady. "Yes?"
"Are you okay? You don't seem well."
"Just... a little tired, that's all." It was a weak excuse, and they both knew it. "The class is ending soon. I think I'll take an early break today."
[The effect of [Fear] has worn off.]
The sudden return of his full strength was almost as disorienting as the debuff itself.
"I see..." Hua Ruyan replied, her eyes lingering on him with unspoken understanding. She knew it was more than fatigue.
...
Without a moment's delay, Hua Ruyan sprinted through the academy's corridors, her shoes echoing on the polished floors. She didn't bother knocking, shoving the door to her father's personal study open with a frantic energy.
"Father!"
Hua Muzhen looked up from his reports, his pen clattering onto the desk. The sight of his usually composed daughter in such a state was alarm enough. "Ruyan? What's happened?"
Catching her breath, the girl stood before him, her expression deadly serious. "Father, we must announce the Guardian Selection results. Immediately."
Hua Muzhen's brow furrowed. "...Why the sudden urgency?"
"The academy," she said, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "They're already moving to take him. Professor Wang personally offered him a position in the research division. If we don't claim him first, we'll lose him."