December 20th.

The seven-day training suspension that Lu Cheng promised Shi Jingyi had ended.

After he entered the training room, Shi Jingyi immediately called him over. She was also quite concerned about this matter.

"Lecturer, I haven't practiced these past seven days," Lu Cheng said. "Apart from feeling a bit unaccustomed to it, I didn't experience any significant discomfort. This means I'm not addicted to the spores, right?"

Shi Jingyi looked at him for a few seconds. "Is that so?"

"Yes."

"...Go to your own seat."

"Okay."

Lu Cheng turned around, secretly letting out a sigh of relief.

What he didn't know was that Shi Jingyi watched his retreating back, her gaze holding both disappointment and worry.

How could she not tell he was lying?

It's just...

Shi Jingyi sighed inwardly. She knew that even if she exposed him, it would be useless except for making Lu Cheng feel embarrassed.

Being unable to persist for even seven days indicated that Lu Cheng was already showing symptoms of addiction.

As his lecturer, she didn't want to watch an outstanding student be harmed by the rules.

But this time, even the official authorities were helpless against the rule, only able to repeatedly persuade the public through various channels every day. What could she, a mere lecturer, do?

If Lu Cheng had been willing to frankly admit he broke the rule, perhaps it would have been better.

To correct a mistake, one must first recognize that it is a mistake.

Lu Cheng choosing to deceive meant he didn't believe his rule-breaking was wrong.

Shi Jingyi reined in her emotions and continued with today's lesson.

After class, Lu Cheng proactively came to find her.

She thought that after some internal struggle, he might want to tell the truth.

But that wasn't the case.

"Lecturer Jingyi, I have already mastered everything you are currently teaching. May I ask if there are any more advanced topics?"

Lu Cheng was eager in his heart. He felt that with his progress, which far surpassed others, Shi Jingyi might look at him with new respect and teach him more refined knowledge.

Just like how, over two months ago before Yelanka dropped out, Guan Tong gave her private, intensive training.

He had been quite jealous back then.

Now he wondered if he might have a similar opportunity.

"Building a solid foundation is more important than rushing ahead," Shi Jingyi said calmly. "You should consolidate your knowledge a bit more."

Hearing this, Lu Cheng couldn't hide his disappointment. He muttered "I understand" in a low voice and left the classroom.

Shi Jingyi watched his hurriedly departing figure and frowned.

She knew Lu Cheng was dissatisfied. But knowing he was dependent and addicted to the spores, would continuing to increase his training pace not make him even more reliant on the boost the spores provided?

It's just that her well-intentioned concern seemed completely lost on Lu Cheng. Instead, he thought she simply didn't want to teach him more advanced things.

...What exactly should be done about this?

Just as Shi Jingyi was troubled, a young woman suddenly walked in from outside the door. Standing at the doorway, she lightly knocked on the doorframe with her fingers and smiled. "Hello, Lecturer Jingyi."

Shi Jingyi looked over. "Hello. And you are?"

"I am a member of the Ascendant team under the Countermeasures Research Office, Silver Fox," the woman said, taking out an ID. It had her photo, codename, and the name of her affiliated unit.

The ID looked very new, probably issued just a few days ago.

"What brings you to see me?"

"Yes. The official authorities sent me to understand the situation regarding a friend of yours, Lecturer Jingyi."

Shi Jingyi's heart stirred. "Which friend?"

Silver Fox said, "It's that substitute teacher you recommended, Teacher Guan, Guan Tong."

...

At the same time, special personnel were sent to question several people related to Guan Tong.

Wang Yan and her daughter Chen Na, Xu Xiaotian, Li Meng...

Besides these people known to have met him after the Doomsday Rules, there were also inquiries within his social circle from before the Doomsday Rules.

This included his surviving classmates.

"Understand Guan Tong's situation?"

In an interview room at one of the Pinglu City Police Department's offices, Fang Qian, wearing a Police Department duty uniform, looked in surprise at the investigator from the Countermeasures Research Office who had come to find her.

"Yes," the investigator said, holding a tablet with a lot of information listed on it.

"You and Guan Tong were high school classmates. Later, you entered the academy as a counselor, and he entered as a substitute lecturer... Then after you resigned from the academy, you joined the Police Department as a duty officer. As far as I know, after the Doomsday Rules began, you are the only classmate who has still had any interaction with him."

Fang Qian shook her head. "Although we've had interactions after the Doomsday Rules, it was just as ordinary classmates, nothing special."

"Is that so."

"May I ask, why is the Countermeasures Research Office investigating him?"

She was well aware of the authority of the Countermeasures Research Office. For this organization to investigate Guan Tong meant the latter must have gotten into some major trouble.

"You need to sign this first."

The investigator tapped the tablet a few times and handed it over. Fang Qian took it and saw it was a page of a confidentiality agreement.

The agreement stipulated that she must not disclose any content involved in this investigation in any form, otherwise she would face severe punishment.

Having to sign a confidentiality agreement meant the matter must be very serious.

Fang Qian hesitated for a moment, then pressed her finger onto it.

"Good."

The investigator took back the tablet and said directly, "Based on some reliable investigations and evidence, we have determined that your high school classmate is the famous 'Shadow' among the Ascendants."

"What?!"

Fang Qian couldn't help but let out a low exclamation, covering her mouth with both hands, her face full of disbelief.

"Judging by your reaction, you were completely unaware of his identity."

"I... Guan Tong is Shadow? This... I really didn't know..."

Fang Qian only knew Guan Tong was very capable, but she never imagined he was capable to this extent.

"We only confirmed his identity recently. So we are currently making contact with people related to him."

After regaining her composure, Fang Qian remembered the news everyone in the department had been discussing these past few days and asked, "Is it because of the assassination incident? You want to find him?"

"That's only one of the reasons," the investigator said. "The official authorities want to re-establish communication with Guan Tong to ask about the situation, but he is currently intentionally avoiding us."

"Then..."

"Don't misunderstand," the investigator said. "We are finding you people who know him not to apply pressure. We just want to determine who among you can contact him, who could help act as an intermediary to convey the official message."

Fang Qian was still reeling from the shock of Guan Tong's identity, unsure what to think.

"It seems you currently cannot contact him?"

"...No. Our relationship is very ordinary."

"Alright, thank you for your time." The investigator stood up. "Please remember the contents of the confidentiality agreement. Also, if you later think of any useful intelligence about him, you can contact me again."

After the investigator left, Fang Qian sat alone in the room for a long time.

Guan Tong is "Shadow"... Then he...

Fang Qian tried hard to recall if there were any clues that might have allowed her to realize it earlier, but there weren't.

Before the first rule even ended, she had been driven out of Guan Tong's house. They didn't meet again until over a year later at the academy.

"Ah."

Fang Qian's mind jolted, suddenly remembering one thing.

It was during the first rule, when she was in Guan Tong's house. Because she was afraid of dying and lost her rationality, she wanted to attack Guan Tong, but he saw through it.

At that time, Guan Tong revealed the hidden rule information, the existence of the Alertness Mint.

She had been very surprised back then and even asked Guan Tong how he knew.

Because that information hadn't spread yet at the time. She only knew because her father, who was a scientist, had broken the rules and secretly called to tell her.

"Guan Tong knew that hidden information back then. But he didn't go online much at the time; he just sat by himself reading books. This means he..."

Fang Qian seemed to vaguely sense some connection.

She knew this piece of information was undoubtedly very crucial.

But...

Fang Qian looked at the contact information the investigator had left on the table and shook her head.

After she and Guan Tong met again at the academy, given the mistake she had once made, anything Guan Tong did to her would have been justified.

But he didn't kick her while she was down. Instead, he even helped her out of a difficult situation. In their final conversation, Guan Tong's words also allowed her to let go of the burden in her heart.

Fang Qian knew she had already let Guan Tong down once; there wouldn't be a second time. Regardless of whether Guan Tong's actions outside were right or wrong, she wouldn't tell the investigator what she had just thought of.