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Chapter Two: The Silent Threat

The next day arrived with an overcast sky, casting the campus in a dim, pallid light. Chu Wanning made his way through Sisheng College, his gaze sharp as he scanned his surroundings. Every corner held the potential for danger, and every face was a possible threat. But the blueprint remained his top priority.

He found himself back in the gym after classes, under the guise of "organizing equipment." His real purpose was to search for hidden passageways or compartments that might conceal Shen Qingqiu’s blueprint. He had barely started his inspection when the familiar creak sounded again. This time, he froze, listening.

“Mo WeiYu, if that’s you, step out,” he said, his voice echoing against the walls.

Silence.

He straightened, eyes narrowing as he scanned the shadows. The feeling of being watched lingered, prickling the back of his neck. Someone was there—he could sense it—but no one responded. Taking a measured breath, Chu Wanning returned to his search, though his instincts remained alert, his every movement careful and deliberate.

After nearly an hour of finding nothing but dust and old gym equipment, he decided it was time to expand his search to other parts of the school. Just as he was leaving the gym, he nearly collided with a student.

"Ah—Mr. Chu," the student stammered, eyes wide as he backed up quickly.

"Watch where you’re going," Chu Wanning muttered, stepping past him with a scowl. But as he moved away, he felt the faintest sense of a presence behind him, something cold and watchful.

It’s just nerves, he told himself, though he wasn’t convinced.

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That evening, after hours, Chu Wanning found himself in the school’s archives, sifting through files on the history of Sisheng College. The blueprint could be in one of the older, more secure sections, possibly in a hidden compartment. As he flipped through pages, his phone buzzed, its screen illuminating with a message from Shen Qingqiu.

"Still haven’t found it? Disappointing."

A muscle in Chu Wanning’s jaw tightened. He typed back a brief, controlled response. “The blueprint will be retrieved. Stop worrying.”

As he resumed his search, he became aware of a faint movement in the corner of his eye. His head snapped up, his gaze landing on the reflection in the glass window across from him.

Mo WeiYu.

The boy stood outside the archive room, silent and still, his dark eyes fixed on Chu Wanning through the glass. There was something unsettlingly intense about his expression—like he was observing Chu Wanning’s every move, dissecting every detail.

Chu Wanning straightened, keeping his face impassive as he slowly approached the door. But by the time he opened it, the corridor was empty. Mo WeiYu had vanished.

That boy...

With a sigh, Chu Wanning decided to return to his apartment, his frustration mounting. The blueprint’s absence wasn’t his only problem—Mo WeiYu was proving to be an increasing distraction. Chu’s instincts were rarely wrong, and they screamed at him that the boy wasn’t as harmless as he appeared.

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The following morning, Chu Wanning awoke to a cold, clear dawn. As he stepped onto the school grounds, he noticed a small gathering of students near the gym. They murmured amongst themselves, casting wary glances toward a figure in the distance.