C9 Data Vision

After a moment, the Tai Chi diagram in Luo Yan's pupils began to fade away.

Yet, it didn't vanish entirely.

The white light seeped into the depths of Luo Yan's crimson eyes, transforming into minuscule, dust-like silver symbols that constantly shifted.

They encircled his pupils.

In a second or two, the symbols settled into place.

They ceased to change.

Then, the white light receded, leaving no trace of abnormality.

Luo Yan was momentarily taken aback, sensing that this was somehow related to the diamond-shaped white jade he had absorbed on his journey.

The white jade had displayed a similar pattern.

With doubts lingering in his mind but no immediate answers, he decided to shelf his questions for later.

Exiting the dormitory, Luo Yan noticed many of his peers exploring his room.

There were gasps of surprise and wry smiles.

He proceeded along the corridor wall, heading towards the logistics department.

Abruptly, he halted.

A stout figure blocked his path.

It was the same hefty individual whose head he had injured during the academy's examination.

The bulky youth was Chen Yongsong, who had fortuitously scored 83 points, making him one of the qualifiers.

Chen Yongsong caught sight of Luo Yan.

The memory of Luo Yan using his blood to lure ticks sparked his fury.

Yet, he managed to restrain himself, shooting Luo Yan a venomous glare before ducking into his dormitory.

The room was designed for four, furnished with two bunk beds.

Chen Yongsong tossed his luggage onto the top bunk but chose to sit on the bottom one, intent on claiming both spaces for himself.

Just then, his roommates entered.

They were Lee Zhe and Xiao Yun, scoring 81 and 85 points, respectively.

Their similar scores meant they were assigned to the same room.

After shutting the door, they exchanged introductions.

The leaner of the two, Lee Zhe, spoke up, "Chen Yongsong, how about meeting someone influential?"

Chen Yongsong, still sour, responded dismissively, "What influential person?"

"Lo Beichen, the son of Venus Heavy Industry's CEO."

Chen Yongsong's head shot up at the mention.

In Magemoor City, Venus Heavy Industry was a name known to all.

The construction group responsible for building most of the infrastructure and public facilities in Dungeon City was making waves.

Moreover, Lo Tianyi, the head of Venus Heavy Industry, had poured a significant amount of money into his campaign for the position of City Lord this year.

His arch-rival was none other than Di Zheng, the commander of the Exploration Corps!

It was quite the revelation that the son of such a prominent figure was in the same cohort.

Chen Yongsong, a man of humble beginnings, immediately stood up with a smile on his face and said, "Well, what are we waiting for?"

Shortly thereafter, in a double dormitory room, Chen Yongsong met with Lo Beichen.

Without hesitation, Lo Beichen brought out fine wine as a welcoming gesture.

After three glasses, Lo Beichen, with a smile, broached the subject, "Yongsong, I need a favor from you."

Chen Yongsong, flattered, asked, "What can I do for you, Brother Luo?"

"I plan to give Luo Yan a piece of my mind," Lo Beichen said with an even tone.

Chen Yongsong immediately suspected that this had something to do with Lo Tianyi's bid for City Lord, especially since Luo Yan had been introduced by Di Zheng, the commander of the Exploration Corps and Lo Tianyi's foremost opponent.

"Brother Luo, what's your plan?" Chen Yongsong recognized the potential in this rare opportunity.

He was aware of his own capabilities. Despite his fortunate admission to the academy, standing out was no small feat.

If he succeeded in this task for Lo Beichen, he would be looked after in the future—no more worries about the necessities of life.

Lo Beichen, with a chilling gaze, lifted his wine cup and said, "Take him down, or even 'accidentally' kill him."

Chen Yongsong gasped, shocked at Lo Beichen's ruthlessness.

"What, are you scared?" Lo Beichen asked, looking at the plump man before him.

Chen Yongsong forced a laugh, "Brother Luo, are you sure this is the right move?"

"Just keep quiet about my involvement afterward," Lo Beichen assured him.

"If you end up in jail, I'll make sure you're bailed out. You don't think I'm incapable of that, do you?"

Lo Beichen chuckled, savoring a sip from his glass of exquisite wine.

Nearby, Lee Zhe and Xiao Yuan also offered their support.

"Yongsong, remember how that Luo kid took advantage of you during the academy's entrance exam? You haven't forgotten, have you?"

"He used your blood to attract a tick and made it kill itself, while he breezed through the test."

"But do you know what people are saying about you?"

"They're calling you a fool, saying you were played by a savage and still have the nerve to show your face at school."

Chen Yongsong felt the sting of these words and anger surged within him. He downed his wine in one gulp and declared with a steely tone, "Brother Lo, consider it done!"

With that, the matter was decided.

After Chen Yongsong and his companions left,

Lo Beichen's roommate,

a fair-faced young man, cautiously inquired, "Brother Lo, should we give the old man a heads-up about this?"

Lo Beichen gently swirled his wine glass and replied,

"The Luo fellow was recommended by Di Zheng."

"He even scored the highest on the entrance exam."

"Why do you think Di Zheng would do that?"

"He's trying to show everyone that he's got the vision, that he's the one to lead Magemoor to greatness."

"That's why I'm going to take down that savage Luo Yan."

"To bolster my father's position."

"And really, killing a surface dweller is no different than squashing an ant."

"Would you bother telling your parents about an ant you've stepped on?"

With that, he gave his roommate a look.

The young man showered him with compliments, no longer daring to bring up notifying Lo Tianyi.

...

Upon returning to his dormitory, Luo Yan had acquired a new backpack.

He had exchanged his credits for an alleviator from the logistics department, along with various items like steel wire and a portable grinder.

The former cost him two credits.

The latter assortment of items only set him back one credit.

The alleviator could suppress the 'Scarlet Poison,' preventing it from worsening or acting up, but its effects would only last a month.

Luo Yan considered spending one credit a month to keep the 'Scarlet Poison' at bay a worthwhile investment.

Back in his dormitory,

he shut the door and got to work.

He began using the grinder to refine the steel wire, sharpening its edges.

The task was monotonous, but Luo Yan had endured far more tedious work during his three years on the surface.

He was willing to do whatever it took to survive.

As he engaged in monotonous work, time slipped away unnoticed.

He wasn't sure if his eyes were deceiving him.

Luo Yan suddenly noticed that a series of numbers had appeared on the steel wire he was polishing: 86.

And as the wire's edge heated up and became thinner and sharper, the numbers continued to climb.

90... 94... 100.

Luo Yan stopped immediately.

He shifted his gaze.

When he looked at the floor-to-ceiling window, he instantly discerned its dimensions: 5 meters wide and 2 meters high.

Then he turned his attention to other pieces of furniture.

More and more numbers sprang to Luo Yan's eyes.

Now, in addition to length and width, there were measurements for height, angle of tilt, and thickness.

The overwhelming influx of data from an unknown source made his eyes burn with discomfort.

Luo Yan quickly shut his eyes.

After a moment,

He opened them again.

Looking around, the numbers had vanished.

This...

Luo Yan attempted to activate his Aura Pupil.

Soon, a slight burning sensation returned to his eyes.

His vision rendered everything transparent, leaving behind only outlines made of lines, and once again, various data points emerged near these defining lines.

Luo Yan was both astonished and elated.

He was certain that his Aura Pupil had undergone some kind of transformation.

Yet, he couldn't pinpoint the origin of this change.

Suddenly,

Luo Yan remembered the Tai Chi pattern he had seen earlier.

He hurriedly found a mirror.

Upon looking,

He saw a ring of silver specks around the red of his eyes, an anomaly he had never experienced before.

Moreover, while looking at his reflection,

Luo Yan could see his life force, a gray aura.

But now, it was different.

The humanoid aura of life now contained additional colors—a band of fiery red and a band of bright yellow.

Two glowing rings.

When Luo Yan focused on the red light, a set of numbers materialized: 108.

When he observed the yellow light, another set of numbers appeared: 97.

What did these numbers signify?

And what about the meanings of the red and yellow lights?

Luo Yan closed his eyes and deactivated the Aura Pupil.

He was now certain that his eye technique had undergone a mutation.

Retaining its previous capabilities, the system now featured enhanced visual obstruction and digitized field of view—particularly the latter, which provided detailed and precise numbers. Additionally, the life aura's gray glow now boasted two distinct hues, likely symbolizing something significant. I'll have to consult my teacher about this after class tomorrow.

The diamond-shaped white jade, the Tai Chi pattern, and the peculiar change in the Aura Pupil technique seemed interconnected. It appeared that the anomaly in the Aura Pupil was linked to the diamond-shaped white jade. But what exactly is it? Luo Yan shook his head, setting aside the baffling questions for now. He secured the sharpened steel wire near the floor-to-ceiling window and proceeded to set up additional 'safety measures,' working late into the night.

In the dead of night, Chen Yongsong, Lee Zhe, and Xiao Yuan stealthily exited their dormitory, making a detour to Luo Yan's. From a distance, Chen Yongsong produced a bottle of liquor, chugging it before dousing himself with the remainder, reeking of alcohol. "Are you sure this plan will work?" Chen Yongsong asked his roommates, doubtfully. Lee Zhe grinned, "Absolutely no problem." "We'll show up 'just in time' after you take care of that guy." Xiao Yuan added, "We'll claim you were drunk and out of your mind—it wasn't intentional harm." Convinced, Chen Yongsong nodded and drew a dagger, a sharp gift from Lo Beichen. A quick swipe across the neck would do the job.

Now reeking of booze, Chen Yongsong approached the floor-to-ceiling window. With a determined grit of his teeth, he charged and crashed through the glass! The shattering noise echoed as he tumbled inside. Yet, as he entered, a sudden coolness brushed his neck, as if grazed by something unseen. Not pausing to consider it, he lunged toward the bed by the window, dagger poised to strike.

But at that moment, his vision plummeted rapidly. The next second, he saw the floor, the space under the bed, and... a pair of eyes. Scarlet eyes. Luo Yan wasn't on the bed; he was hiding underneath it! Chen Yongsong's scalp tingled with horror, and he tried to scream, but no sound escaped his lips. His gaze solidified, then slowly dispersed, leaving his eyes devoid of any spark of life.

In the student dormitory, lights flickered on. Footsteps reverberated through the halls. Outside, Lee Zhe and Xiao Yuan scrambled through the gaping window, shouting anxiously, "Chen Yongsong, are you okay? We warned you not to drink so much. You never listen. Look at you now, completely wasted, right?"

They navigated across the glass-strewn floor, guided by the dim glow of the streetlights. They saw Chen Yongsong's figure with his back to them. Suddenly, his hefty body crashed to the ground with a thunderous thud, and a geyser of blood erupted, casting a crimson arc across the floor. Only then did Lee Zhe and Xiao Yuan notice Chen Yongsong's head lying beside the bed, his eyes fixed rigidly on the space beneath it.

Right before their eyes lay a slender wire, still dripping with beads of blood. Moments later, two piercing screams erupted from Luo Yan's room.