Ch87 - Contact

Jian Mei had never imagined he possessed such an ability.

He had always believed there was no divine power within him. Yet, to his surprise, he could actually assist and support others!

The difference in divine power between Nanfeng and Shen Huai was naturally vast.

When aiding Shen Huai, the boost in his strength barely allowed him to match Nanfeng—who wasn’t even using his full power. But when Jian Mei grasped Nanfeng’s hand, Nanfeng, perhaps curious to test the effect, said, “Find an open space.”

There was still part of the forest left to clear, but Ying and the others quickly made room.

Jian Mei focused, holding Nanfeng’s hand. A faint warmth slowly seeped from his palm, flowing into Nanfeng, who absorbed it completely.

Creak…

Gradually, the earth shifted as tender sprouts broke through the soil, and branches took root, stretching toward the sky.

As the vines and branches stretched upward, the surrounding greenery surged upward at a speed visible to the naked eye—twice as fast as before. In less than two minutes, towering trees had risen where there had once been only empty land.

Shen Huai exhaled deeply, marveling, “So this is what SA-level power looks like.”

Nanfeng stood up, his gaze lingering on Jian Mei with newfound respect. “You’re really strong.”

Ying leaned in and asked, “How do you feel?”

“Not tired at all,” Nanfeng replied honestly. “Actually, I feel incredible. Jian Mei’s ability is unbelievably powerful.”

In the past, Nanfeng had always called him “Xiao-Meimei.”

But this time was different. He addressed him directly as “Jian Mei”—a subtle yet unmistakable sign of respect.

Jian Mei, however, was still in a daze. “It actually worked?”

Nanfeng studied him with curiosity. “Do you feel tired at all?”

Jian Mei shook his head. He felt nothing at all.

Ying got excited. “Meimei, can you hold my hand too?”

Nanfeng immediately shot down the ridiculous idea. “I just grew these trees! Can you not mess things up, little troublemaker?”

Ying huffed and glared at him.

Then, as if suddenly recalling something, Nanfeng added, “Wait… haven’t you already tried? Back when we first started school.”

His words jogged Ying’s memory. On her first day, she had accidentally brushed against Jian Mei. At the time, she hadn’t thought much of it—but the moment it happened, her powers had surged wildly, almost injuring Nanfeng.

Nanfeng exhaled, shaking his head. “Now I finally get why you ended up in our class.”

Realization dawned on Ying as she turned to Jian Mei. “We should keep this quiet for now. Let’s tell the homeroom teacher first and see what the professor thinks.”

Despite how laid-back they usually were, when it came to serious matters, they all knew when to be cautious. Whether Jian Mei’s ability was truly strong or not, just having such a game-breaking support skill was enough—if the wrong people found out, it would definitely stir up trouble.

Jian Mei was unbothered, simply nodding. “Alright.”

……

In the evening.

By the time Jian Mei returned, most people had already gone to rest. After a long day, no one had the energy for anything else, and most of the rooms were already dark.

He sat on the small balcony, stirring a pot of medicine while talking to Lu Xingwang on the phone.

Lu Xingwang’s voice came through the speaker. “Spent the whole day planting trees?”

Jian Mei nodded. “Yes, ah.”

“Aren’t you tired?”

“Tired.”

Jian Mei had always been honest about things like this.

Lu Xingwang said, “Then go rest early.”

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I don’t mind the exhaustion when it comes to you.

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XMC Pnw pfCTP PfJw, fO g bMCrt Cdrwt Yj Twrp-fOPwCwTP, TMJwMOw bgT bfrrfOx PM xfZw PnwfC grr pMC nfJ—xwOdfOwrj, TwrprwTTrj, bfPnMdP wmWwkPfOx gOjPnfOx fO CwPdCO.

Lu Xingwang’s gaze softened. In a low voice, he murmured, “I understand.”

Jian Mei fanned himself lazily, dozing off now and then, while casually telling Lu Xingwang about the ability he had discovered today. He had never been wary of Lu Xingwang—never once felt the need to guard himself. It didn’t even occur to him that sharing this might be dangerous.

The first thing Lu Xingwang asked was, “Do you feel unwell?”

Jian Mei paused, momentarily caught off guard. Then, a gentle smile tugged at his lips as he shook his head. “No, I feel fine.”

“Don’t be afraid, and don’t let word get out.” Lu Xingwang’s voice, steady as ever, carried the same quiet reassurance it always did—like all the times before when he had stepped in at just the right moment to solve Jian Mei’s troubles. His tone was low but firm. “I’ll inform the school and take care of it.”

During the years they were apart, he had failed to protect this child. But now, no matter how slim the chance, he would never let Jian Mei be hurt again.

Jian Mei hesitated. “Will my ability cause trouble for you… or anyone else?”

“No.” Lu Xingwang’s answer was unwavering. “If used properly, your divine power could help many people. But right now, it’s still unstable—so don’t use it recklessly. Understand?”

Jian Mei nodded obediently. “Got it.”

The trust they placed in each other was absolute, and that trust would become their strongest armor.

……

The next day.

Jian Mei was summoned by his homeroom teacher, Aster, for another divine power assessment. This time, it was an even bigger spectacle—the principal himself had stepped in. After all, this was the first support-type divine power to emerge in thousands of years, and it had appeared within the academy. Every student who entered the academy was considered a representative of the institution as a whole.

A transparent crystal sphere stored the multicolored divine energy, shimmering beautifully.

The principal remarked, “A power like this… we may need to contact His Highness to fully understand its potential.”

The other instructors were visibly tense, but Jian Mei remained perfectly calm. He wasn’t worried in the slightest—after all, he knew Dazhuang-ge would take care of everything. So, no matter how many sighs the others let out, he remained completely unfazed.

Aster advised, “Meimei, you should feel some pressure.”

Jian Mei lifted his head, his bright, watery eyes filled with innocence. In a crisp voice, he replied, “Don’t worry, teacher, I don’t feel pressured at all.”

“……”

Well… you sure are something.

The teachers held a secret meeting all morning, and in the end, they reached a decision: in three days, during SA class’s second minor monthly exam, they would use the opportunity to observe and analyze things more thoroughly.

When the students learned about yet another test coming up, the second-years were indifferent, already used to the grind, while the freshmen let out small grumbles. The most distressed of them all was Jian Mei—who still couldn’t read.

Jian Mei pouted. “This is so hard.”

Nanfeng, lounging on a desk with one leg crossed over the other, smirked. “You got first place last time. What’s there to be scared of?”

Jian Mei sighed. “It’s not like I’ll always be first.”

“Well, some people can.” Nanfeng’s expression turned smug. “My idol, His Highness the Crown Prince, Lu Xingwang, was a total legend—he aced every subject and ranked first in every single exam.”

Jian Mei, when it came to praising Dazhuang-ge, was nothing if not sincere. “That’s really impressive.”

Ying, listening in, chimed in with a sigh. “Oh, come on. Stop bringing up the Crown Prince already. How many people in the world can even compare to him?”

Nanfeng nodded. “That’s true. His Highness the Crown Prince’s brilliance is something you only see once in a century.”

Ying propped her chin up, lost in a daydream. “I wonder what kind of person will get to be the Crown Princess in the future. Just thinking about it makes me jealous.”

Jian Mei, who usually had no interest in these kinds of conversations, suddenly leaned in and asked, “What kind of person?”

The two second-years found it amusing to see a freshman so eager to ask.

They usually just joked about this kind of thing, but in reality, they knew the truth—becoming the Crown Princess wasn’t easy. That was the future Empress they were talking about. Without a powerful family or formidable abilities, who could possibly secure that position?

Still, no one wanted to discourage Jian Mei’s tiny curiosity. Ying grinned and teased, “If you keep getting first place in every exam, maybe you’ll have a chance.”

It was all just a joke.

But Jian Mei seemed to take it seriously. He fell into thought for a moment, then turned back and earnestly resumed practicing his writing and reading his book.

Nanfeng’s smile gradually faded. “You can’t be serious.”

He had never seen anyone take the idea of “reaching for the unattainable” so seriously.

And yet, Jian Mei really was that serious about it.

Three days later, at the exam site, the principal had specially invited the Crown Prince to attend. Since Jian Mei’s divine power closely resembled the prince’s, no one could come to a definite conclusion, so they wanted Lu Xingwang’s opinion.

Truthfully, the principal wasn’t even sure if the prince would accept the invitation. But to his surprise, Lu Xingwang agreed immediately—perhaps even a little too eagerly.

As the Crown Prince took his seat at the instructors’ table, the principal greeted him politely, “I appreciate you taking the time to come.”

Lu Xingwang replied calmly, “It’s only right.”

That answer momentarily stunned the headmaster. Something about it felt… off. But he couldn’t quite put his finger on what.

Meanwhile, the second round of exams was about to begin.

The first exam was a solo challenge, but the second one required pairs, with teammates assigned randomly. Nanfeng drew Ying, making for a pretty strong duo. Meanwhile, Jian Mei got Yunshi—both of them had support-type healing abilities, essentially forming the ultimate “double deadweight” team.

Yunshi extended a hand. “Looking forward to working with you.”

Jian Mei smiled. “Same here.”

Neither of them seemed the least bit concerned.

As they stepped into the simulation pods, the AI system took over, directly syncing with their neural pathways. In an instant, they were transported into the exam scenario—a war-torn village, smoke and fire still lingering in the air.

A robotic voice echoed overhead: “Mission objective: Rescue the hostages trapped in the ruins. Proceed accordingly.”

Somehow, their clothes had changed too—now appearing ragged and worn.

Jian Mei surveyed the devastation, frowning. “What the hell happened here?”

Yunshi chuckled lightly. “It’s a battlefield. What else did you expect?”

Finding hostages in such a devastated place was no easy task. While Jian Mei was still trying to figure out a plan, Yunshi had already walked over to a wounded man nearby. He crouched down and placed a hand on the man’s body. As a soft green glow emanated from his palm, it became clear—he was both healing the man and extracting his memories.

A moment later, Yunshi pulled back, his expression grim.

Jian Mei asked with concern, “What did you find?”

Yunshi exhaled and said, “This village was massacred. The invaders of this planet did it. They suspected the villagers were hiding anti-invasion forces and wanted intel. When they didn’t get what they wanted, they wiped them out.”

Jian Mei frowned. “That’s horrible.”

Yunshi gave a slight, indifferent nod. “Finding the hostages won’t be easy.”

The contrast between them was stark—Jian Mei saw the suffering of the people, while Yunshi saw only the mission. The destruction around them was just another passing scene in Yunshi’s eyes.

Jian Mei said, “Some of them still seem to be alive. Let’s try to find some medical equipment in the village—maybe we can revive a few people and ask them for information?”

Yunshi didn’t even hesitate before replying, “Too much trouble. I can just extract it directly.”

Jian Mei, recalling how Yunshi’s ability worked, frowned. “But wouldn’t that mean you’d take on a lot of their injuries yourself?”

Yunshi, who had been walking ahead, suddenly paused.

How strange. For so many years, people had only ever wanted to use him—to exploit his power for quick and easy results. Yet, for the first time, someone actually cared about what it would cost him.

The corners of Yunshi’s lips curled slightly, and this time, his smile carried a trace of sincerity. “Doesn’t matter.”

……

With Yunshi’s ability leading the way, Jian Mei could only follow behind, searching for hostages based on the clues Yunshi extracted. Everything had been going smoothly—until now.

Just as Yunshi knelt down to gather more clues, an injured snake suddenly slithered out from the corner of a wall. Caught off guard, Yunshi didn’t dodge in time. The snake, now partially healed and regaining its strength, lashed out and bit him before swiftly escaping.

Yunshi’s brows furrowed slightly.

Jian Mei, who had been nearby, saw the whole thing unfold and was completely stunned. He rushed over in a panic. “Are you okay?”

Two fresh, red puncture marks appeared on Yunshi’s wrist, with beads of blood slowly seeping out. He simply shook his head and smiled. “It’s nothing.”

For him, getting injured was an everyday occurrence.

To endure all kinds of pain, he had long since trained his body to be immune to poison.

Since childhood, for the sake of his family’s honor, his father had never tolerated weakness. He had been thrown into perilous caves and forests, forced to endure countless pains that no child should have suffered. Compared to all that, this was nothing.

But Jian Mei didn’t know any of this. Seeing the wound start to darken, he panicked. “That snake was venomous!”

Yunshi sluggishly responded, “Mm.”

Anyone familiar with Yunshi wouldn’t have been worried. But Jian Mei was different—he didn’t know. To him, Yunshi was just an injured person who needed help.

A memory surfaced in Jian Mei’s mind—he once got bitten by a snake in the mountains, and his grandfather had saved him. An idea struck him. He quickly said, “Don’t worry, I’ll help you.”

Thankfully, he had packed bandages in case of emergencies.

Without hesitation, he pulled them out and quickly tied them tightly above the wound, cutting off circulation. But the snake’s venom was clearly potent.

Taking a deep breath, Jian Mei bent down and pressed his lips to the wound.

Under Yunshi’s slightly startled gaze, the boy sucked out the tainted blood and spat it aside. Then, he did it again. He kept going until the blood ran clean.

Throughout the process, Yunshi remained somewhat stiff, even a little taken aback.

After rinsing his mouth, Jian Mei finally let out a relieved breath. “Alright, I got the poisoned blood out. Do you have any water? I need to rinse my mouth.”

Yunshi stared at him in silence for a moment before saying, “I wasn’t going to die. You didn’t have to do that.”

Jian Mei pulled a bottle of water from his backpack, rinsed his mouth, and replied softly, “But you were hurt.”

You were injured, so I helped you. Is there a problem with that?

Yunshi found himself at a loss for words. No one in his family had ever cared about something like this. His family ran the world’s largest association of healers, but so what? Healing abilities were nothing more than a tool for power—no one actually cared about wounds.

He pressed his lips together and let out a small, amused smile. “You’re interesting.”

Jian Mei blinked. “Huh?”

Yunshi casually rolled up his injured sleeve and gave him a sidelong glance. “I’ve been hurt for a while now. I don’t have much strength left. Hold my hand and lead the way.”

Jian Mei froze for a second. When he realized what Yunshi meant, he nodded. “Alright.”

When the topic of holding hands was brought up, the observing mentors all showed interest—except for Lu Xingwang, whose expression turned slightly cold.

Yunshi followed Jian Mei forward. They soon realized that the farther they walked, the fewer people they came across—and the fewer clues they found. If this continued, they might not be able to find the hostages.

Yunshi crouched beside an injured person and said to Jian Mei, “I’ll transfer some of his pain. His injuries are quite serious—hold my hand.”

Jian Mei nodded. “Okay.”

The injured person was clearly in a much worse condition than the previous ones, making the process far more difficult. Yunshi, who had handled things with ease before, now had a thin layer of sweat on his forehead.

Jian Mei grew worried. “Are you okay?”

Yunshi was indeed struggling. He had already absorbed many injuries, and now, feeling helpless, he looked at Jian Mei and asked, “Other than holding hands, do you have any other methods?”

Jian Mei was caught off guard. “What?”

Yunshi glanced him up and down and said, “For example… contact with other parts of the body. That might work better.”

Jian Mei: ?