n

n

nI dashed through the stairways of the school, sweat gradually forming on my forehead. Bursting through the front door of the main campus, I surveyed my surroundings for any signs of Feng Mian or Li Yi Fei.

n

"C'mon...they couldn't have gotten far...

" I whispered, attempting to convince myself.

nWhy am I doing this...? Feng Mian is just a stranger to me - in fact, she was even worse - an enemy. And yet...for some reason, I just didn't feel okay with letting that bastard Li Yi Fei achieve his goal. I guess...doing this right now isn't because I cared about Feng Mian. I wasn't a hero. The reason I was chasing after them right now...was something far more selfish.

nI merely wanted to thwart Li Yi Fei's plans. Make him mad. That's about...the only thing I can do as 'revenge', as I am right now. It may not do much at all, but it was still something...I could feel a little triumphant in my heart, at the very least.

nIn any case, I had no clues to go on except for the fact that Feng Mian left in a hurry after receiving that mysterious phone call. Or perhaps she was always like this, quick and precise. Realizing that I had no time to be standing out here debating to myself, I headed towards the center and the most lively part of the city with no particular destination in mind. All I knew was that located there was a giant shopping mall called Coastal Metropolis - and Starry City, the 5-star hotel Qing Yue and I went to days before, was also near here. Saying that it is the capital of Shenzhen is no overstatement. Nearly all of our school's female students go here after school, and can't stop talking about it during class. Feng Mian, however, differs greatly from any of the other girls...but it was worth a shot.

nHowever, my plan abruptly changed when I spotted Li Yi Fei and his two lackeys with their backs towards the wall of a restaurant across from me, peeking around the corner. I was nowhere near Coastal Metropolis at the time, still in the slums part of the city, filled with dark alleyways and gangs. It was the perfect place for black market dealings, secret meetings, and organized crime. Shenzhen Magic High School was located near the border of the city, so the slums were in between the school and Coastal Metropolis.

nWhy isn't the school a part of the center, luxury part of the city, you ask? Well - the school was positioned this way in order to allow convenient excursions to the beast-filled Avast Mountains for the purpose of training.

nNow - this might sound surprising, but there isn't any danger at all for students of Shenzhen Magic High School to travel to the center of the city. The reason being that the gangs tend to avoid them, considering they were all magic users that have received proper training. The normal gang members that barely knew how to use the mana and elemental power stored inside of their bodies didn't stand a chance, even if all the students could do were Level 1 spells. Although they could barely use magic, they were still different from me. If given proper tutoring and education, they would be able to perform Level 1 spells in no time, and some may even become peerless talents. This was because they had awoken elements in their body - they had the qualification to perform magic. Me? I don't even meet the basic requirements - devoid of all mana and elemental energy.

nIn any case, no student has ever complained about receiving trouble in the slums, and so the government hadn't taken any action. However, even so, no student would come for the sole purpose of staying here. There wasn't anything much to do, compared to the activity-filled and popular Coastal Metropolis. Which is why...

nI decided to keep my distance and get a grasp on the situation first. Why were Li Yi Fei and his lackeys here? And it seemed as if they were peeking into the dark alleyway, as if waiting for someone to come out...

nThey were following Feng Mian. And the person they were waiting for, was also none other than Feng Mian. No doubt about it. But that only lead to more questions remained - why was Feng Mian here, in the slums of the city? It didn't make sense, until I remembered our first meeting...

n...That's right. Someone had instructed her to steal my pendant. So her being in the slums...that mysterious phone call...it could only mean she was meeting with the mysterious man who had forced her to try and steal the stone pendant from me.

nI had to find out the mastermind's identity.

nThinking this, I looked around for a way to get closer and listen in to their conversation without getting caught. Seeing as how Feng Mian still hasn't come out, their talk must have not ended yet. I looked around for a good spot...and grinned as I looked up.

nI pulled my hood on just in case Li Yi Fei and the others look my way - although this was unlikely, as all three of them were engrossed with the dark alleyway, waiting for Feng Mian to come out. The reason they didn't go in was probably because of some sort of barrier the mastermind had put up. Hopefully, it doesn't cover 360 degrees all around...

nAs I reached the building adjacent to Li Yi Fei's, separated by the dark alleyway, I rounded the corner and looked for a foothold. My eyes locking onto the window that very conveniently had quite a wide ledge, I jumped and grabbed onto it with my bare hands. Pulling myself up onto the window, I prayed that whoever was inside didn't feel like admiring nature at that very moment.

n

"Well, this is not as wide as it looked- oh **!

" I muttered to myself, almost falling completely down in the process. Groaning, I pulled myself up once more, and once making sure that it was stable enough, I stood up on the ledge and attempted to reach the roof. Sadly, I wasn't tall enough.

n

"This would've been so much easier if I could use Sky magic...

"

nI thought of how convenient it would've been to just fly myself up to the roof. But the though was quickly demolished as I was brought back to reality - I should refrain from thinking like that, as all it would do is remind me of how much of a waste I am.

nRunning out of options, I bent down as far as I could without falling from the ledge in preparation for a jump.

n

"Okay...here we go!

"

nI leaped as high as I could, and I sighed in relief as my fingers enclosed around something solid. My legs now dangling in the air, around one and a half foot away from the ledge where I just was, I pulled myself up once again and arrived at the roof of the building.

n

"Whew...no one saw me, right?

"

nOnce again, I had to thank my physical prowess for this. Having no magic, I trained my physical body as much as I could, to the very limits of humans. I was confident I could take down anyone as long as they didn't use magic....yeah right. Magic itself surpassed human limits - meaning that people who possessed magic could enhance their own bodies, breaking through the shackles of mortalism. For example - if you had the Metal element, you could enhance your body to be as tough as metal. If you had the Fire element, you could make your body invulnerable to fire (at least, any fire weaker than your own). The peak of Water magic can allow you to turn your body into nearly complete water. Attacks won't deal physical damage at all, and you can still wear clothes and such as you please.

nI headed towards the opposite edge of the roof. Spotting Feng Mian's rich blonde hair in stark contrast with the dark surroundings, I lay down as close as I could to her position and tried my best to hear what they were saying.

n

"Well, that's just a possibility. Hmm...from what you have told me, Xuan Kai isn't outstanding at all. He shouldn't have been able to tell that you entered his room, much less set up traps for your next excursion. Because of this, there's no way he could've taken the pendant elsewhere,

" a man with a dark and raspy voice said.

nHe then continued.

"Unless...you were lying to me about his capabilities.

"

nA clearly feminine yet determined voice replied - Feng Mian.

"I was not. He is merely a piece of trash that cannot even perform the slightest of magic.

"

n

"Very good. Keep searching for the pendant. If what you say is true, then the pendant should still be somewhere within his room.

"

nNot the type to give up, huh?

nHowever, just then - Feng Mian blurted out something that took me by surprise.

n

"What do you intend to do with that stone pendant? Is there anything special about it?

"

nHuh...? What is she trying to gain by asking him that?

nWait. Is she...trying to help me?

n

"That's not something for you to know, my little beauty,

" he rasped menacingly.

nI wasn't surprised at this response. I doubted the man would give away his motives so easily. Feng Mian was a pawn to him, nothing more.

n

"I'm not your 'little beauty'.

"

n

"Hahaha! Well - you will be soon enough.

"

nInstinct told me he was also lusting over Feng Mian's body. But...why hadn't he done so already? Maybe he prioritizes the stone pendant over his personal desires. But what that meant was...

n

"Remember, don't overstep your boundaries.

"

n...There was yet another mastermind behind this cloaked, mysterious man.

n