49 Apocalypse Rules

Chapter 243: Chapter 232: Yelena’s Urgency

After the meeting, Guan Tong had just stepped out of the conference room and was about to head down the stairs when Fang Qian rushed after him.

"Guan Tong, wait... I need to talk to you."

Guan Tong stopped and turned around, looking at her without expression.

"What is it."

"I didn’t expect to see you again here." Fang Qian’s voice was tinged with guilt. "About what happened last year... I’ve always wanted to apologize to you in person."

"Didn’t I tell you there was no need when you messaged me before? It’s all in the past; there’s no point in bringing it up now."

Guan Tong wasn’t just pretending to be magnanimous; he had genuinely moved on and no longer thought of it as a big deal.

To be honest, his experiences over the past year had given him a deep understanding of the darker side of human nature.

The Fire Thieves, in particular, often used the rules to place people in extreme situations, which only served to nurture the evil within their hearts.

’Only with full granaries do people learn etiquette; only with enough food and clothes do they learn honor and shame.’

’If a hundred people were faced with starving to death unless they stole food, how many would actually manage to resist?’

So by now, Guan Tong had long since let it go. Especially after witnessing the Sponsor Organizations and warlords who slaughtered people indiscriminately, Fang Qian’s minor transgression seemed like mere child’s play.

Fang Qian, however, seemed surprised by his response. "You really don’t blame me anymore?"

"What would be the point of blaming you? None of it matters anymore, and that includes this conversation. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be going."

With that, Guan Tong turned and left, leaving Fang Qian standing there in a daze for a long time.

She had been mentally prepared for anything—cold sarcasm, curses, rebukes. She could have accepted any of it.

But she hadn’t expected his complete indifference. It left her feeling completely at a loss.

However, his attitude—as if she were a complete stranger—made it painfully clear that there was no going back to the days when they were classmates who helped each other out.

"Qianqian, how did it go? Why’d he leave so fast?"

Fang Qian’s friend, Qin Qing, approached from behind. She had seen the two of them talking and had decided not to interrupt.

Fang Qian shook her head without a word.

Seeing her friend’s unhappy expression, Qin Qing quickly changed the subject, saying indignantly, "Honestly, during the meeting, everyone was looking at you. It was so obvious they wanted to push that awful job on you. It’s infuriating!"

Among the graduates who stayed on to work at the academy, Fang Qian was always the one who helped others the most. But this time, the task from the dean—to infiltrate the student Mind Network and monitor their messages—was one that would surely get her ostracized by the entire student body if they ever found out.

No one wanted a job like that, so all eyes turned to Fang Qian, the resident people-pleaser. In the end, she had no choice but to accept.

"It’s fine."

"So what’s your plan? Are you going to find a student to connect with?"

"It’s the only way," Fang Qian said. "I’m on good terms with a few of the younger students. I’m not sure if any of them will be willing, but I’ll ask."

Qin Qing nodded. "I guess that’s the only way."

...

「Inside a temporary training room in the gymnasium.」

Yelena completed her fourth combat training session. She looked even more exhausted than after the last two, forced to lean against the wall to rest just to keep herself from slumping to the floor.

Guan Tong said, "Excellent. You’re improving with every session. It’s clear you’re putting in a lot of work reviewing things on your own."

He trained with Yelena in practical combat about once every four or five days, and her performance improved each time. Her use of Psychic Power Flow in motion grew more skillful, a clear sign that she was putting in a great deal of effort on her own.

As her instructor, this left Guan Tong quite satisfied.

Yelena was too exhausted to even speak. ’I wonder what her reason is for pushing herself this hard,’ Guan Tong thought.

’There are other hardworking students, sure, but it’s rare to see anyone with her level of dedication.’

"If you keep up this pace, you should have it mastered in about another month."

"...Thank you, Instructor," Yelena said, having regained some of her stamina.

"Alright, that’s all for today." He was about to leave, but after a few steps, he paused and turned back. "Stasia, are you connected to the student Mind Network?"

Yelena shook her head. "No."

’That’s what I figured,’ Guan Tong thought.

’After teaching for the past few weeks, he’d gotten to recognize most of the more motivated and unusual students.’

’He was particularly familiar with Yelena, thanks to their extra training sessions. He knew she had a very cold personality and had almost no contact with the other students.’

’He’d also once overheard a few girls chatting outside a classroom. When they mentioned Yelena, they said she didn’t live in the student dorms but had a place off-campus.’

’That had surprised him.’

’Academy regulations required all students to live in the dorms. It made it easier to protect and manage them as a group when certain "special rules" came into play.’

’For Yelena to live off-campus, she must have received special approval. Guan Tong, however, seriously doubted that even Dean Zhou Qinfeng had the authority to grant such an exception.’

’Even in a normal school, commuter students generally have weaker relationships with their peers than those who live on campus, let alone at a place like the academy. On top of that, Yelena was from Sisiya—a foreigner—which would only make it harder for her to make friends.’

’Given all that, it wasn’t surprising that she wasn’t connected to the student Mind Network.’

"Instructor Guan Tong, are you trying to connect to the student Mind Network?" Yelena asked.

"I won’t be connecting to it."

Guan Tong hadn’t forgotten the "fusion" characteristic of the Mind Network.

He was already part of the Mind Network for the academy’s instructors. If he connected to the students’ network as well, the two would fuse.

Then, if any instructor spoke, the students would recognize their voice. Every student would realize their instructors were on the same network, and they would likely leave in droves.

This was one of the reasons Dean Zhou Qinfeng had asked Fang Qian and the other counselors to send someone to connect to the student Mind Network, rather than asking an instructor to do it.

"Oh, right," Guan Tong added before leaving. "Some students might not be happy that I’m giving you private combat training. If you hear any nasty rumors, don’t pay them any mind. Improving your own abilities is what matters most."

"I understand," Yelena said coolly.

From her expression, Guan Tong knew his warning had been unnecessary. He didn’t need to worry about her taking any rumors to heart.

After Guan Tong left, Yelena reflected on her progress, a quiet confidence beginning to build within her.

’Just as Guan Tong said, if she kept improving, she would definitely reach her goal before October.’

’By then...’

"Yelena."

Just then, a voice echoed abruptly in her mind.

It wasn’t coming through the Mind Network. Someone was using a [Communication Secret Scroll] to contact her.

The moment she heard the voice, Yelena’s expression turned grim.

"I already know you’ve gone to the academy in North Star."

The voice continued in her mind, its tone dripping with contempt, yet carrying an almost imperceptible undercurrent of anxiety and anger.

"Do you really think you can compete with me? How laughable."

Yelena didn’t respond.

The voice grew annoyed. "Yelena, listen to me carefully. Going to that academy won’t change a thing. Come October, I’ll make you watch with your own two eyes as I complete the grand ceremony that is mine and mine alone."

Then the voice fell silent.

Yelena pushed aside the sliver of complacency she had just felt, her resolve hardening once more. She would strive until the very last moment.

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