Chapter 08
Church
Mu Lan was holding too tightly.
Three of Lin Yan’s finger joints were firmly gripped by him.
The close contact between two different individuals’ skin made it seem as though temperature and scent could be transmitted between them. Under Mu Lan’s excessive pressure, a faint redness surfaced at Lin Yan’s fingertips.
Lin Yan’s hand carried a pale pink hue.
Just a very light layer—like tiny, scattered blossoms blooming on green branches in the snow.
Mu Lan stared at the redness on the back of Lin Yan’s hand. His breathing unconsciously grew heavier. He swallowed with difficulty, his sharp canine teeth pressing against the soft flesh inside his mouth. When he spoke again, a sheen of tears filled his eyes, his voice becoming softer and more pitiful:
“Ge, are you really going to break up with me?”
Only then did Lin Yan finally snap out of his shock.
The sound of the wind was quiet.
From Mu Lan’s perspective,
he could clearly see Lin Yan’s lowered eyelids.
Fragments of light floated at the corners of Lin Yan’s eyes, softening some of his usual cold sharpness.
Lin Yan looked at Mu Lan gripping his hand. His pitch-black pupils reflected Mu Lan’s disheveled state as he spoke indifferently:
“Let go.”
Mu Lan stared at Lin Yan strangely.
Lin Yan really didn’t seem to know about their relationship—as if… he had become a completely different person.
Instinctively, Mu Lan tried to probe again, tightening his grip on Lin Yan’s hand. “Ge, you—”
Lin Yan’s gaze turned colder. He grabbed Mu Lan’s wrist with his other hand and broke free from his hold.
A sharp pain shot through Mu Lan’s wrist. For a brief moment, a dark expression flashed across his face as he subconsciously began to speculate about Lin Yan’s change.
Among the phoenix trees, a reptile let out an angry sound.
Someone must be raising snakes in the forest, Lin Yan guessed. He didn’t look at Mu Lan again and walked away.
The high-collared sweater constricted Mu Lan’s neck. Even breathing felt difficult; every breath he took seemed to carry Lin Yan’s cold scent.
Mu Lan stared absentmindedly at the ground covered in phoenix leaves.
Lin Yan, Lin Yan… how could that idiot Lin Yan… become like this?
Before Mu Lan could figure anything out—
the cold presence that had left returned, brushing against his fingertips. His calf was lightly—but not gently—kicked by Lin Yan. A tingling numbness spread into his blood and bones, making his whole body tremble.
Lin Yan reminded him, “You’d better head back early.”
—If you leave too late, you might get eaten by snakes.
Mu Lan lifted his face with difficulty. A flush spread across his cheeks, tears clinging to his eyelashes. Just as he was about to speak, Lin Yan had already disappeared from his sight.
Mu Lan’s expression instantly darkened.
—Lin Yan had definitely changed.
.
Aurora’s examination system was strict.
Theory, experiments, and papers—all three had to reach at least a C grade to avoid receiving a D.
For now, Lin Yan’s primary goal was to achieve a C.
The professors weren’t too demanding of first-year students—over sixty in theory, completing experiments within the required time, and writing a paper that made sense.
For Aurora students, these requirements weren’t difficult.
Nobles had been immersed in such education from a young age, while top students were naturally gifted.
Before transmigrating into the book, Lin Yan had never seriously attended school.
It could take him half a day just to organize a mind map for a single subject.
The old library was located in a remote area.
There was no air conditioning inside, and the lighting wasn’t harsh. Only a few scattered people occupied the corridors. The atmosphere was quiet—occasionally punctuated by the sound of turning pages, the soft scratching of pens, footsteps, and the bubbling of a water dispenser.
Lin Yan wore a light coffee-colored vest uniform, his back naturally straight. He liked incorporating his own thinking into studying—writing down questions on A4 paper, substituting them into problems, and then rediscovering the key points of each chapter.
Studying was a long-term process.
When Lin Yan first entered the old library, he had been drowsy. But the more he studied, the more energized he became. He immersed himself so deeply that he even felt he could skip lunch and continue reading the next chapter.
When Lin Yan put down his pen and picked up another book, he heard the boiling water and belatedly reached for his cup. After drinking some warm water, he finally felt a tangible sense of hunger and blinked his dry eyes unconsciously.
Fortunately, Aurora provided meals all day.
That saved him from going hungry.
The only troublesome thing was—
the bullying that the original host had suffered fell onto Lin Yan without the slightest deviation.
Every day, Lin Yan outwitted and dealt with the bullies.
At this stage, their methods were simple.
They isolated him by pulling other students away.
Coincidentally, Lin Yan preferred a quiet environment, so he calmly maintained his normal routine.
The bullies mapped out his movements—
classroom, dormitory, cafeteria, and the old library.
Four points forming a line.
They began setting obstacles along his usual routes.
But none of these obstacles worked.
Verbal provocations earned no response from Lin Yan.
Those who acted physically ended up getting beaten by him instead.
Even if they locked him in a restroom, he could open the door without a key and drag the bullies inside.
Most importantly,
every bully sent to provoke him would return to the group in a dazed state—sometimes giggling foolishly, more often wandering unconsciously, as if waiting for a chance encounter.
This bizarre transformation terrified the rest of the group. The more “knowledgeable” ones labeled it as “Eastern Gu sorcery.”
For a time, the bullying subsided significantly.
But while reality quieted down, the anonymous forum boiled over with trending posts.
【Topic: Did LY get plastic surgery?】
【1L: Damn, can plastic surgery have this kind of effect?】
【2L: Feeling dizzy】
【3L: Rational analysis—L hasn’t left campus, and the school hospital doesn’t even offer plastic surgery】
【4L: L has black hair and black eyes, an Easterner. Easterners can use Gu. Maybe L used magic potions to make himself better-looking, then planted Gu in everyone who got close, and finally ate them】
【5L: @LostInTheFog here’s an online course I found for you, bro. That’s as much as I can help】
【6L: Are you also showing symptoms of being cursed?】
【7L: L’s eyes can hypnotize, definitely!!! The previous L is already dead. This L is a fusion of an owl and a succubus. How can a human have L’s monstrous strength?! L is like a trained assassin machine!】
【8L: Are you insane?】
……
【23L: By the way, L hasn’t been insulting Aurora lately. He’s actually studying seriously now. Looks much more pleasing】
【24L: Even more pleasing without a boyfriend】
【25L: That’s a dangerous and degrading thought. Don’t think like that—because that’s exactly what I’m thinking】
【26L: Did everyone forget the F4’s red card? What about their followers? Not listening to their masters anymore?】
【27L: Exams are coming】
【28L: I planned to block L at the library, but then I saw he was studying seriously—quiet, nice handwriting, even drinks water on his own. After drinking, he even blinks. Only bad habit is eating lunch too late. I wasn’t planning to study, but somehow I finished reviewing a chapter】
【29L: I ran into L once—he just ate vegetables, meat, and rice. Only cost ten federal coins. If it were me, I wouldn’t let him eat such cheap stuff】
【30L: Did everyone forget the F4 red card?】
【31L: Once in class, his deskmate explained a problem to him, and L even gave him an orange】
【32L: Damn】
【33L: Plenty of people are allergic to oranges, you know】
【34L: Off-topic. The OP asked if L had plastic surgery】
【35L: His clothes are cheap too. If it were me, I wouldn’t let him wear such cheap things】
【36L: A bunch of immoral people】
……
【89L: …mysterious Eastern Gu sorcery】
……
While Lin Yan went to eat lunch,
the old library filled up with people centered around him—wave after wave, like a zombie siege.
His seat was still empty.
Calmly, Lin Yan returned with a supplementary book in his arms and sat down, preparing to study the next subject.
As he lowered his head, he noticed a boy standing in front of his desk.
He frowned slightly.
Lin Yan didn’t like being disturbed. He dropped his pencil, looked up at the boy, and silently signaled him to speak.
His face was expressionless. His black pupils reflected the other person. When he looked directly at someone, his features—like they had been sketched with a pencil—became even more striking, cold and detached.
A heavy swallowing sound echoed.
The boy deliberately avoided looking at Lin Yan’s face, yet couldn’t help wanting to glance up. Struggling to remain calm, he whispered:
“Lin Yan, the F4 are about to return. What do you think?”
His voice was very soft.
But the library was so quiet that even the sounds of turning pages and footsteps paused for a moment.
Only the bubbling water dispenser made a gurgling sound.
Out of habit, Lin Yan reached for his cup.
The next moment, he processed what the boy had said and raised his eyelids in mild disbelief.
He took a sip of water. Moisture gathered on his pale pink lips.
His expression grew even colder as he replied perfunctorily:
“I’ll look with my eyes.”
Not wanting to waste time, Lin Yan directly dismissed him.
The library gradually returned to motion—pages flipping noisily like scattered falling leaves, shuffling sounds somewhat irritating. But as the scratching of pens resumed, calm returned, though many gazes remained fixed on the window-side seat.
Lin Yan had already entered a focused state.
He could barely hear anything outside, proceeding with his studies methodically.
By the time he finished several chapters,
it was already getting dark. The library was still packed. Slinging his bag over one shoulder, Lin Yan frowned faintly—he had chosen the old library for its quiet, but judging by today’s crowd, he would need to find a new secluded place tomorrow.
Classrooms—too crowded.
The new library—too many borrowers.
The laboratory—base of the original protagonist and F3. Unless necessary, he had no intention of becoming part of their “play.”
Moreover, Lin Yan felt that Mu Lan was… not quite normal.
As he eliminated noisy study locations one by one, before he could think of a suitable place, he noticed a flood of spam emails.
【Need money? I have plenty】
【Study materials—refer to Federal Press publications】
【Want to change dorms?】
【Need a boyfriend? I’m a duke, 186 cm, handsome, skilled】
……
【How much to keep you? (My family is powerful)】
【Can you hit me once? You can step on me too (my background is great)】
【I can protect you】
【Master, I’m your lost puppy, woof woof】
【How much for one night】
……
What a mess.
Aurora had its own forums and chat apps, but professors assigned tasks via email, so Lin Yan rarely checked the others. He had no idea who leaked his email.
Calmly, he blocked the spam.
He felt nothing—no anger, no embarrassment. If these so-called “gentleman” nobles could discard morality to send such messages, why should he waste emotions on them?
If anything, he thought—
these people were really… quite boring.
Aurora covered a vast area.
It was said that walking along its outer perimeter at a normal pace would take 128 uninterrupted hours. Fortunately, Aurora had a well-developed humanitarian system—three cafeterias distributed in an equilateral triangle, with food getting more expensive on higher floors.
For now, Lin Yan could only afford the first floor.
But the food tasted good—one of the few comforts amid his otherwise monotonous routine of studying and dealing with troublemakers.
Aurora also offered a public course: Theology.
Before the Federation was established,
the imperial family largely followed Catholicism. As a royal military academy, Aurora introduced theology courses to cater to them. Even after the war ended and the Federation replaced the empire, the course remained as a public elective.
This time, the class was held in Saint Erbi Church.
Built by the royal family, it was inaccessible without a royal token.
Professor Lucius, who had ties to the royal family and was a devout Catholic, had obtained a token—but students were restricted to the southwest corner of the first floor.
Saint Erbi Church was magnificently constructed—
Gothic architecture, sculptural reliefs, a resplendent golden dome, murals, and lifelike statues.
A dense crowd gathered at the entrance.
Even nobles looked curious, let alone top students who had never seen royalty—though that wasn’t entirely accurate, since F2 himself was of royal descent.
After the war, the monarchy weakened into a constitutional system. During this period, the Empress’s brother—ancestor of the Shen family—cut ties with the royal family, changed his surname to Shen, and embedded himself in political circles. Through generations of strategic marriages with military leadership families, the Shen family remained at the forefront of power.
F2 was named Shen Nie.
When Shen Nie was born, relations between the Shen family and the royal family had already been restored. From a young age, he represented the royal image in media.
He studied foreign languages early—
reading international newspapers every morning, mastering languages and geopolitical networks. At sixteen, he attended a peace conference on behalf of the royal family. Despite the chaotic mix of languages, he maintained composure and earned widespread praise.
Rumor had it—
he had mastered eighteen languages and could switch between them effortlessly in speeches.
【No matter how critically one judges Shen Nie, one can only be convinced by his bearing and upbringing.】
Professor Lucius lectured passionately.
Amid the flood of information, Lin Yan found himself unusually drowsy. Resting his chin on his hand, he tried to stay attentive, but the religious content and praise of the royal family only made him more tired.
In the moment between closing and opening his eyes—
class was over.
Sleepiness left a faint moisture in his eyes, reddening his eyelids. Swaying slightly, he stood up. He seemed to hear gasps and chairs scraping, but paid no attention, heading outside for fresh air.
As he left, he noticed several suspicious figures from the corner of his eye.
After recent encounters, Lin Yan quickly guessed their identities—and his eyes lit up.
He could skip theology class.
Sure enough, not long after reaching the side corridor,
he was locked in a resting chamber by the boys. Hearing pushing and footsteps outside, he calmly took out a math test paper and began working.
The math professor, Bert, assigned daily tasks.
But the original host had accumulated three months’ worth of unfinished work.
The latest notice was clear—
if Lin Yan didn’t complete his assignments within a week, he wouldn’t be allowed to take the final exam.
He had three days left to make up everything.
He enjoyed learning.
For now, he didn’t want to leave school.
Conveniently, Professor Lucius didn’t check attendance, and theology had no final exam.
While finishing math, he also had an excuse to avoid hearing F2’s “Mary Sue” achievements.
A win-win-win.
Lin Yan silently praised himself.
Perhaps because the F4 who had issued the red card were about to return,
bullying intensified again. The closer their return, the more frequent the harassment.
Unable to deal with Lin Yan, the bullies resorted to old tricks—sneaking around, cutting off power, trying to use darkness to break him.
But they miscalculated again.
Lin Yan calmly continued solving problems.
The sound of his pen was like branches brushing snow.
Mathematics required talent.
After reviewing Aurora’s past exams, Lin Yan concluded: 60% basic knowledge, 20% extended, 20% advanced.
To reach a C, he couldn’t lose points on the basics.
He stared steadily at the paper.
Light filtered through the narrow high windows, shifting slowly. Uneven patches of light fell across his eyelids, pale enough to reveal faint blood vessels.
Below, shadows gathered. Above, light grew brighter.
In the highest chapel, dim light revealed dark stone pillars and carved wood.
At the center stood a statue—veiled, with thorns and shackles wrapped around its feet, as if cloth had been turned into marble by alchemy.
Hidden in the shadows, Shen Nie sat tall, eyes closed in prayer.
At noon, sunlight streamed through the stained glass windows. White doves fluttered, bells rang, and light seemed both vivid and unreal.
Shen Nie opened his eyes.
His shadow stretched along the wall. His fitted tailcoat outlined his muscular frame.
A servant bowed and spoke softly.
Shen Nie slightly lifted his gaze, made the sign of the cross, and said in a refined, almost sorrowful tone:
“Ah Fei is always causing trouble.”
“Let that poor student out.”
