Chapter 30 – Jiang Yushi’s Crisis

When Jiang Yushi arrived at the school, there were still about ten minutes left before her scheduled meeting with Su Lifeng. However, she was already feeling a bit impatient. A joyful smile-something rarely seen on her pretty face since the shipwreck-graced her features.

The laboratory was finally in its preliminary stages… Though the conditions were still somewhat rudimentary and they were short-staffed, it was still a major breakthrough. More importantly, Su Lifeng would soon be working alongside her to research how to deal with those Xenospecies. As she stepped out of the car with a faint smile playing on her lips, many passing students couldn’t help but stop in their tracks, their eyes involuntarily drawn to her.

“Who is that? She’s so beautiful, like a celebrity. I didn’t know Ningnan University had such a stunning girl.” Qiu Yuming, who had already reached the freshman registration desk, followed the gaze of the senior student in front of her and turned her head. She immediately let out a gasp of admiration.

The senior student in charge of reception pushed up his glasses and cleared his throat to snap back to reality. “That’s the number one beauty of the School of Life Sciences, Jiang Yushi. She’s also our School Belle. However, I heard she was involved in that recent disaster. Looking at her expression, she really does look like someone who’s survived a catastrophe. Sigh, it’s a good thing a beauty like Jiang Yushi managed to step out from the shadow of it, otherwise, it would be so pitiful…”

“Oh? Then she’s really lucky. But since this senior is also from the School of Life Sciences, she must know Su Lifeng, right?” Qiu Yuming thought to herself, letting out a sigh tinged with a bit of envy.

The bespectacled senior clearly misunderstood the meaning behind her sigh. He quickly offered a smile and encouraged the cute Junior Sister, “Don’t be sad, Junior Sister. Actually, you’re very pretty too. There will definitely be a spot for you on the School Belle Ranking in the future. Keep it up!”

Qiu Yuming’s eyes widened, and she rolled them in exasperation. “What kind of nonsensical ranking is that… Girls aren’t meant to be judged and rated by you guys! And what do you mean ‘keep it up’? Hmph!”

With a muffled huff, Qiu Yuming snatched the promotional brochure from the bespectacled student’s hand. She didn’t forget to give him one last glare before turning to leave. “Hmph!”

The bespectacled student stood there with his hand still raised, dumbfounded. A female student nearby glanced at him with disdain and shook her head. “Serves you right! Destined to Die Alone!”

Jiang Yushi was completely oblivious to the complex looks directed her way-looks filled with admiration, sympathy, and curiosity. She walked silently to the school gate and looked down at the time.

She was waiting here because she wanted to see Su Lifeng the moment he arrived. Of course, there was another reason that was easier to convince herself of… Since they were going to be partners from now on, she should show more respect, right? Even though Su Lifeng definitely wouldn’t care about such things.

However, after barely two seconds, Jiang Yushi felt the light in front of her being blocked. She looked up in confusion. Logically speaking, while most students would be curious about a disaster survivor like her, they shouldn’t easily approach her to talk, regardless of their motives. How could someone be here so soon…

“I’m a Reporter.” A man wearing a suit and a hat stood before her. The moment she looked up, he thrust an ID badge in front of her eyes. “Li Yi. My name is Li Yi…”

Jiang Yushi frowned immediately and tried to walk around him. “Sorry, I don’t accept interviews.”

Li Yi froze for a moment. He stepped forward to block her again, holding out the badge once more. “Reporter.”

Seeing that students nearby were already stopping to watch, Jiang Yushi felt a surge of annoyance. She decided to just ask, “Are you from Shencheng TV Station? You’re relying on just this as proof? Where is your Press Card? Your Shencheng TV Station has tried to interview me at the hospital several times and been rejected every time. Why did you follow me all the way to the school?”

She fired off several sharp questions in a row, hoping to make this persistent Reporter back off.

But to her surprise, Li Yi froze again. He paused for a moment, then raised the badge once more. “Look at this. I’m a Reporter. You can let me into your car, or come with me…”

“Stop following me!” Jiang Yushi cried out. As his words became increasingly nonsensical and the look in his eyes grew more skin-crawling, an uncontrollable surge of panic welled up within her. Even with people all around, she felt a profound sense of terror.

Under these circumstances, the surrounding students were merely watching the situation unfold; not a single one stepped forward to help her.

Jiang Yushi hurried toward her car, frantically pulling out her phone. “Pick up, please pick up… Hello, Lifeng? I’m at the school gate, there’s a man…” At that moment, she remembered Su Lifeng’s warning: if she encountered anything unusual, even the slightest thing, she had to call him immediately. She even began to blame herself for not listening to him completely… She should have brought her bodyguards. Instead, thinking she was just going to school and shouldn’t attract too much attention, she had driven here alone.

“I’m a Reporter. I want to find Su Lifeng through you,” Li Yi said, catching up and slamming his hand against the car door just as Jiang Yushi was about to open it.

Startled by his agility and the sheer force of the blow, Jiang Yushi shot him a terrified look and instinctively took a step back.

Almost the instant she retreated, Li Yi reached out and swiped her phone right out of her hand. She realized that his hand had originally been aimed at grabbing her.

Nearby, someone finally sensed that something was wrong. A male student stepped forward and shouted, “Hey, even if you’re a Reporter…”

Li Yi whipped his head around to glare at him. The student was so startled by that gaze that the rest of his words died in his throat. Although he wanted to play the hero and protect the damsel in distress, that desire was contingent on there being no actual danger…

Jiang Yushi took one look at the situation, bit her lip hard, turned, and bolted.

She had a powerful premonition that even in a crowd, she wasn’t safe!

Li Yi immediately turned toward the direction Jiang Yushi was fleeing and gave chase.

“Hello?” Su Lifeng was already in a taxi. After calling out into the phone once, his expression darkened instantly. “Driver, stop the car.”

The straight-line distance to Ningnan University wasn’t far, but following the road would take at least five or six minutes. As soon as Su Lifeng got out of the car, he sprinted directly across the street. The taxi driver watched in stunned silence, not even noticing that Cheng Xiaomei had left a banknote on the seat.

“My god, is he a professional athlete?” the driver marveled.

Su Lifeng’s physical fitness already exceeded that of an ordinary person. At full burst, he could indeed achieve the speed and agility of an elite athlete.

He charged into an alleyway without looking back, nearly colliding head-on with a motorcycle.

Seeing that he couldn’t dodge in time, Su Lifeng didn’t even try. He thrust out his fist, his Exoskeleton surfacing, and blocked the motorcycle with a loud “thud”.

A tearing sensation shot through his wrist and arm, and a sharp pain flared in his internal organs. However, thanks to his self-healing ability, he barely paused. He yanked the driver off the bike and hopped on. “Borrowing this!”

The driver was a young punk. Thrown to the ground, he forgot to curse for the first time. Instead, he stared in shock at Su Lifeng’s receding figure. “Holy crap… a secret agent? That was badass!”

Cheng Xiaomei hurried into the alleyway as fast as she could, only to find a hoodlum sitting on the ground, excitedly making a phone call. After a moment’s thought, she asked, “Did you see a man…”

“That secret agent? He went that way! I’m telling you, he blocked my bike with one hand!”

Su Lifeng roared toward Ningnan University on the motorcycle, his heart screaming: “Please be okay, please be okay!”