F-class thief? Sorry, I can steal anything.

Zhou Dehai's voice was very low.

Chen Yifan's heart skipped a beat.

We've been exposed?!

That shouldn't be the case.

Zhou Dehai is the person primarily responsible for this major accident.

He was the only straw he could cling to when he tried to explain himself to his superiors and to all the parents in the city!

Zhou Dehai probably hopes more than anyone else that this "miracle" is real.

Therefore, this is not an exposé.

It was a test!

He was using the most pointed questions to simulate the potential storm of public opinion that might arise in the future, testing whether he could persevere enough.

At this moment, if he calmly and logically defends himself...

It would only expose her cunning beyond her years, making him even more suspicious.

An adult's composure is their biggest weakness.

And an eighteen-year-old boy...

How should you react when your "most respected principal" accuses you of being a liar to your face?

Anger, resentment, and recklessness!

Correct!

Once Chen Yifan understood this, all his tension vanished completely.

The next second, the "surprise" and "confusion" in his eyes about the future changed.

Instead.

It is a kind of anger and stubbornness unique to teenagers after being wronged by their teachers or respected elders!

"Principal! I don't know what you're talking about!"

Chen Yifan's voice trembled with excitement, much like that of a boy who had suffered injustice.

"I was lucky! But is being lucky a mistake?!"

"I barely escaped from there, risking my life, and even got the school an SSS rating. Director Zhao promised me I could choose any of the three top universities!"

"Why...why are you looking at me like that, and speaking to me in that tone?"

Chen Yifan's questions grew louder and louder.

"Just because I'm an F-rank? Just because I'm a thief?!"

"So I don't deserve such a wonderful adventure?!"

"So in your mind, every word I said was a lie, right?!"

Every word is piercing to the heart.

The resentment and indignation of not being trusted almost set the entire ward on fire!

Wang Fugui, who was standing nearby, heard his good brother being treated so unfairly.

How could I possibly hold back?

"Principal, that honor was earned by Fan Zi with his life! As the principal, you are the most respected elder, how can you doubt him! Just because he's an F-rank?!"

Zhou Dehai looked at the aggrieved and angry expressions on the faces of the two boys.

silent.

However, before he could even speak...

Chen Yifan suddenly jumped off the bed, his bare feet landing on the cold floor.

He pulled up Fatty Wang, who was trembling with anger, from the side.

"Since the school doesn't trust me, I'll just leave!"

Before he could finish speaking, he didn't wait for anyone to react.

If we don't leave, are we supposed to stay here and be monitored 24/7 like rare animals?

The ore in his backpack was meant to treat his sister's eyes and buy his family a bigger house.

Besides!

The special recruitment is a done deal.

The director of the education bureau has agreed!

A school principal?

Hehe.

Moreover, how can he use his talent to become stronger while he's been staying here all this time?

This run is like a fish leaping in the vast sea and a bird soaring in the boundless sky!

"Fatty, let's go."

Chen Yifan gave a low shout, lowered his body, and exerted his strength!

In Zhou Dehai's suddenly contracted pupils.

He was like a cheetah at full power, pulling Fatty Wang along as they crashed straight into the law enforcement officers at the door.

That resolute and unwavering spirit was nothing like that of a thief.

He looks more like a warrior.

"stop!"

The two law enforcement officers reacted quickly, crossing their arms to block the way.

"Can we stop them?"

Chen Yifan's gaze sharpened.

next second.

boom!

A dull thud of flesh colliding.

The two law enforcement officers felt an overwhelming, unreasonable force coming from their arms and were knocked back a large step.

Once they regained their footing, the two boys were nowhere to be seen in the corridor.

Zhou Dehai's mind went blank for a moment.

What's going on?

He just wanted to test it out... how did the person run away?

Moreover, this speed…

He snapped back to his senses and rushed to the corridor in three quick steps.

The hallway was empty, except for Wang Pangzi's exclamation of "Holy crap, holy crap!" echoing through the hallway.

"School principal...Should we pursue her?"

The law enforcement officers at the entrance felt their faces burning.

Two level 20+ warriors failed to keep an eye on a level 15 thief—a truly humiliating defeat.

Zhou Dehai did not answer.

He stood there, his eyes, hidden behind his glasses, slightly narrowed.

Shock, astonishment, anger...

A variety of emotions flashed through his eyes, but ultimately settled into a mixture of admiration and cold calculation.

That speed...

That explosive power...

Zhou Dehai's lips twitched silently.

That kid.

They really do have some skills.

"No need to chase after them." He waved his hand. "You should all go back to your positions."

Wait until everyone has left.

Zhou Dehai took out his phone, ignored the dozens of missed calls, and found a number with the nickname "Old Salted Fish".

I thought about it for a long time.

I dialed the number.

The phone rang for a long time before it was answered.

A lazy, sleepy voice rang out.

"Feed? Who is it? In the middle of the day, can't a person get a nap?"

"Old Wang, it's me, Zhou Dehai."

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone; the languidness vanished instantly, replaced by a solemn expression.

"...What is it? You old fox, you never come here without a reason."

"That little guy you told me to keep a close eye on..."

Zhou Dehai walked to the window, looked at the two figures below who were about to dash out of the school gate, and said calmly.

"He ran away on his own."

"What?!"

The voice on the other end of the phone suddenly rose in volume.

"He got away? How could you let him get away? Didn't I tell you to keep an eye on him?"

"There's nothing we can do; they've grown too independent, and we can't keep them."

There was not a trace of emotion in Zhou Dehai's tone.

"Come on! It must have been you, you old fox, who did something to push that kid too far."

The other party didn't believe it.

Zhou Dehai didn't care.

"In short, you now owe me two favors."

"Bullshit!"

……

"Fanzi, what are we doing? That old man bullied you, we can't just run away like this!"

Even after the two had completely run out of the school and turned into a deserted alley, Fatty Wang was still panting and shouting.

Chen Yifan stopped abruptly, his back slamming heavily against the cold wall.

A faint smile graced her face.

The play was a success.

"Fan...Fanzi, are you alright?"

Fatty Wang, seeing the smile on Chen Yifan's face, finally realized something was wrong.

Was this intentional?

"fine."

Chen Yifan took a deep breath, his voice hoarse, yet carrying a hint of satisfaction at having completed his plan.

"Fanzi, so... what are we going to do next?"

"Of course... I'd go home!"

……

In the suburbs of Jiangcheng, inside a heavily guarded luxury estate.

In the study, expensive incense burned quietly.

Snapped!

A dull slap echoed in the empty room.

Li Wei was slapped to the ground by his father, and half of his cheek swelled up at a visible speed.

"waste!"

A middle-aged man, dressed in a silk robe, with a refined face but sinister eyes, looked down at his 'son'.

He is Li Wei's father, Li Jianhong, a wealthy businessman in Jiangcheng.

A level 67 senior professional.

Li Wei covered his face, his eyes showing no fear, only a madness fueled by burning jealousy.

"Dad! Why?!"

He got up from the ground and roared like a madman.

"He's just an F-rank thief! A notorious good-for-nothing in the whole school! How did he get promoted to level 15?! How did he get an SSS rating?!"

"Tsinghua University, Peking University, Wuhan University, Longdu University! All those schools are vying for him now!"

"Me?! B-rank profession, A-rank talent—aren't I better than him in every way!"

"Dad! Send men right now, send top-notch fighters! I want him dead! I want him to never be able to leave the school!"

Looking at his distraught son, Li Jianhong's eyes were almost overflowing with disappointment.

He paced slowly, his tone eerily calm.

"Send someone to kill him?"

He walked up to Li Wei and kicked him to the ground again.

"Are you reminding me that the Li family's business empire is still too secure?"

Li Wei let out a painful groan; the intense pain instantly brought him to his senses.

"A 'commoner genius' who was about to be officially recognized died on the eve of the awards ceremony?"

"Do you want the entire law enforcement team of Jiangcheng to search and confiscate my property?"

"I was wrong, Dad, I was wrong..."

Li Jianhong loosened his legs, bent down, and his voice, as cold as a thin line, pierced into Li Wei's ears.

"Remember, killing a person is the most basic method."

"Father, do you mean...?"

"We don't need killers."

Li Jianhong turned around, poured himself a glass of red wine, and swirled it gently.

"Those 217 dead students, and their grieving parents, are the best killers in the world."

"...There's a motive, a stance, and most importantly..."

He downed the glass of red wine in one gulp, a cruel glint in his eyes.

"They represent 'justice'."

Do you understand what I mean?

"yes……"

The madness in Li Wei's eyes was gradually replaced by malice.

He instantly understood what his father meant.

Smear him!

Let him go from a genius to a sinner.

"Alright, bring me what I gave you earlier..."

Li Jianhong waved his hand.

Li Wei hurriedly took out a small, grotesque statue from his initial backpack.

The statue was made of neither gold nor stone; it was entirely black.

It is carved with an indescribable monster covered in tentacles and eyes.

At this moment, one of the statue monster's eyes was emitting a faint, ominous red light.

"Father, it...it...why are its eyes glowing...what is this?"

Li Wei felt a chill run down his spine as he looked at the eerie statue.

Li Jianhong snatched the statue from Li Wei's hand, his eyes revealing undisguised ecstasy and greed.

"Agon's gaze... finally, is there a reaction?"

He murmured softly, his voice filled with longing.

"Alright, go do what you're supposed to do!"

He waved his hand, as if shooing away a fly.

Li Wei dared not ask any more questions and quickly withdrew.

Only Li Jianhong remained in the study.

He stroked the statue with a fascination, his voice as soft as if he were whispering to a lover.

"That good-for-nothing, it's better that he's dead."

"Now, it's my turn."

"The legacy of a demigod..."