Chapter Thirty-Eight: Sudden Danger

"Lu Ling?"

Nangong Yuchen studied the name with great interest. He had not expected that Lu Ling, with whom he had once clashed at school, would actually pass so many tests and earn a place in the special prodigy examination.

Then, thinking it over, he felt it made sense. After all, if each class was granted one extra slot, then aside from himself and Angel, Lu Ling was indeed the best choice.

At that moment, Nangong Kexin suddenly said, "Yuchen, it’s getting late. I’m heading back to the classroom first."

Nangong Yuchen nodded and walked with his sister toward the classroom buildings, where they parted ways and returned to their own classes.

"Nangong Yuchen!"

As soon as he reached the classroom door, the students already in the room looked at him in surprise. They had heard rumors that Vice Director Guan had expelled him, and yet here he was at school again today.

Nangong Yuchen ignored them and went straight to his seat. But when he passed Angel's desk, he clearly felt that the look she gave him was somewhat strange. He did not think much of it, assuming it must have been because last Saturday, when Angel went to his house, she had been turned away at the door.

"Nangong! You’re finally here. Why haven’t you been coming to class these past few days? I thought something had happened to you!" Le Han looked at his good brother’s return with excitement and could not help asking.

Nangong Yuchen laughed it off, made up a casual excuse to brush it aside, and then asked Le Han about what had happened at school during that time.

After all, even if he told him about that matter, it would be useless and would only worry him, so Nangong Yuchen had no intention of saying anything.

"Hey, last week the slot for our class was taken by Lu Ling. And after he got it, he suddenly grew very close to Tuo Ba Feng from Class One. Especially on Thursday and Friday, not only did the two of them go to the cafeteria together every noon after school, they also started acting even more arrogant!"

On Le Han’s chubby face was a trace of unwillingness, as though Lu Ling’s obtaining the slot still rankled him deeply.

"It’s fine. If those two dare to provoke us again, we’ll give them a proper lesson on Phantom Isle." Nangong Yuchen shook his head indifferently. He had never placed either of them in his eyes, because he knew full well that his real enemies were Lu Shijie and Zhou Lingtian.

"Oh right, Nangong. Last Friday the school announced the rewards for this special prodigy selection. They said that the three students who advance to special prodigy status may each name one condition, and if the school and our city mayor judge it reasonable, they will do their best to make it happen!"

Le Han looked full of wonder, imagining what kind of condition he would ask for if he became a special prodigy.

A million credits? Or two stunning girlfriends?

"A condition?" Nangong Yuchen’s pupils contracted, and his heart began to pound for no apparent reason. He was truly tempted by this reward.

Weren’t his parents imprisoned? If he made that request, would the school agree? And if they did, wouldn’t his parents be able to come out? His family together again...

Thinking of this, he looked at Le Han with rising excitement. "You mean the school and our mayor in Xiaria City will together grant any condition?"

"Yeah, why?" Le Han was startled by Nangong Yuchen’s sudden excitement.

"If the mayor agrees..." Nangong Yuchen muttered to himself, and then, as though he had thought of something, a rare foolish grin slowly spread across his lips.

He had absolute confidence in his own strength. If he entered the illusion realm, then at the same first tier, he could crush them completely.

If that happened, his parents could come back.

At the same time, a similar scene was unfolding in Class One of Grade One. Nangong Kexin was blushing furiously as she looked at Chu Huiyan, seemingly having forgotten that she was in class.

...

When noon dismissal came, Nangong Yuchen was called to the office by Shangguan Luohua and received another scolding.

But this time, no matter how she lectured him, Nangong Yuchen only smiled and nodded, agreeing to everything, as if being punished were a happy thing.

In the end, Shangguan Luohua was left without the slightest temper and could only assign him a few penalties, remind him that the special prodigy assessment on Friday morning had to be passed successfully, and then let him go.

The day quickly came to an end. When school let out in the afternoon, Nangong Yuchen cleaned the classroom by himself. After everything was finally done, he hurried out of the classroom and ran toward the school gate.

He arrived in ten minutes and saw three graceful figures standing at the entrance.

Nangong Kexin, Chu Huiyan, and Xia Ruli.

His day’s excitement vanished the moment he saw Xia Ruli, leaving only awkwardness and a faint sense of guilt, as though refusing her had been some kind of mistake. Nangong Yuchen himself could not understand where such a feeling came from.

"Yuchen, you’re so slow!" Nangong Kexin said first. Though they had only waited for a little over half an hour, the words she had been holding in her heart made her impatient beyond endurance.

"Sorry, the homeroom teacher kept me in the classroom to clean," Nangong Yuchen explained with a smile as he walked over to them.

Just as he came closer, Xia Ruli suddenly spoke. "Nangong Yuchen, how is your injury?"

At her words, Nangong Yuchen froze slightly. He did not know why Xia Ruli had suddenly shaken off her dejection and was now looking at him with those clear, orange-hued beautiful eyes filled with a faint hope.

Had she not only failed to come to terms with it over the past week, but become even more determined?

Nangong Yuchen answered in some confusion, "I’m fine now." He did not need to think to know that it must have been his sister who had spread the story. Although Kexin would certainly not have mentioned the exact reason, he still disliked it somewhat, because he did not want others to know about such things.

But then Xia Ruli came up and said something else, and he froze again.

"Nangong Yuchen, I heard from Kexin that you were hit by a car very badly last week. This is soup I made this morning. I hope it will help you recover your strength."

With her little face flushed red, Xia Ruli stepped forward and placed the thermos in the dazed Nangong Yuchen’s hands, then quickly turned and fled in embarrassment. Looking at her panicked manner, there was not the slightest trace of bravery to be found.

Seeing her leave, Chu Huiyan hurried after her, since the two of them always took the same route.

"Ah, no wonder you carried it all day without letting go. So it was prepared for you?" Nangong Kexin did not know that Xia Ruli had made it for Nangong Yuchen.

After Xia Ruli ran far away, Nangong Yuchen finally came back to himself and asked his sister with a dark expression, "When was I ever hit by a car?"

"Oh, a few days ago, when Chu Huiyan and the others asked me why you hadn’t come, I just found an excuse and said you’d been in a traffic accident, and that I was taking care of you at home so I couldn’t go to class!" Nangong Kexin said calmly.

Nangong Yuchen gave a bitter smile. Hearing it that way, it sounded as though he were the one being taken care of.

Then, looking helplessly at the thermos in his hands, his heart grew heavy, because he had never intended to accept this kindness.

The two of them headed toward the light rail station. Along the way, Nangong Kexin suddenly lowered her head and said in a subdued voice, "Yuchen, do you know about the special prodigy reward?"

"Yeah."

At the mention of it, both of them fell into silence. After boarding the light rail, Nangong Kexin suddenly turned around and said solemnly, "If we can save Mom and Dad this time, I... I’ll forgive you!"

Her voice was filled with hope, yet beneath it lay a faint plea and desire, causing Nangong Yuchen’s body to tremble.

"Don’t worry, Kexin. This time, I’ll definitely rescue Mom and Dad."

Nangong Yuchen’s words were less an answer than a promise.

But just then, the light rail car racing forward suddenly went crashingly still, and at the same time the entire carriage suffered a violent impact, overturning and breaking into two sections.

The passengers inside, still not understanding what had happened, were hurled out at once. If Nangong Yuchen had not, in the nick of time, grabbed Kexin’s small hand, she would likely have fallen through the gap where the carriage had split open and been crushed into pulp.

Screams and cries, blood and terror, spread throughout the entire light rail car.