Deep Water

The large swimming complex wasn’t just for Wang Ning’s Class A. In a separate, designated area, another class was also having their lesson.

“Why is our class scheduled at the same time as those people from Class A?” a curly-haired girl with exquisite makeup crossed her arms, standing in the line-up with a dissatisfied pout, her eyes filled with annoyance.

“Exactly. They’re everywhere. I heard from my dad that many of them were just stuffed in there. If it weren’t for their good family backgrounds…” a couple of people standing next to her chimed in.

They weren’t speaking loudly, but everyone had good hearing, so naturally, their words were not missed.

But unlike the lackeys who agreed with her, the others silently distanced themselves from this person, their mouths twitching as they secretly complained in their hearts.

‘Those who enter Class A either have solid strength or a top-tier background. Blaming others for having a good background just because you can’t get in… why don’t you take a look at yourself…’

But no one dared to voice their thoughts. After all, Felice’s background was among the best in Class F. She was arrogant and domineering, and usually, if she bullied you in class, you had to smile back at her and consider yourself unlucky.

—But no one felt this was abnormal.

This phenomenon was common in the academy. Most people, even if they witnessed a bullying incident, would just walk away unperturbed.

The network of power within Alice Girls’ Academy was intricate and deep-rooted. Who knew what kind of trouble you could get into that might lead to your family’s downfall?

Ordinary people could only choose which noble to attach themselves to. Ordinary students forming their own group? Hah, then you could only pray that you’d survive a little longer in the school.

Of course, there had been individual students who tried to break these cruel and realistic rules, but without exception, their proud spirits were broken, and they faced either expulsion or a mental breakdown leading to suicide.

This situation had been one of the underlying colors of Alice Girls’ Academy for a hundred years and was also what the world criticized it for the most. It had only improved in the last two years.

The academy was reluctant to stop recruiting students with ordinary backgrounds but powerful abilities, so it could only establish strict rules, setting up a disciplinary department on top of the student council to fight for more living space for ordinary students.

The Grand Princess, who became the student council president in the same year, enforced these rules to the extreme. She was merciless towards nobles who violated the rules, her methods firm and swift. Her usual smiling image could not offset the huge shadow she cast in some people’s hearts. Just half a year after she enrolled, the title “Golden Ruler” became widely known and deeply ingrained.

“I dare you to say that in front of Her Highness, the President…” a girl standing farther away muttered.

Felice glared at her, startling the girl who had been quietly complaining. Then, watching Felice approach, she looked pleadingly at the others for help, only to be met with their indifferent profiles.

She could only bite her lip, her pupils slowly being filled by the other’s approaching figure. Besides fear… a trace of resentment slowly began to grow in her heart.

—President Karin did indeed protect the commoner students as much as possible, but in the places where the sun didn’t shine, the shadows became even more hidden and dense.

She watched Felice walk up to her, that face still holding a sneer, looking at her with contempt. She casually raised her hand, her golden curls swaying with her movement—she clearly had the same brilliant color as Her Highness, the President, so why did it only make people feel fear?

Smack!

The loud sound lingered in the air. She looked in astonishment at the person standing in front of her—grey hair, black-framed glasses, and those eyes, as dark and lifeless as meteorites.

Chloe lowered the hand that had blocked Felice’s, watching as her pale forearm quickly bloomed with a fiery red and a burning pain, but her face showed no expression.

She faintly heard the surprised gasps of others around her. She looked up at the incredulous face opposite her and said softly, “You…”

—At first, Chloe hadn’t paid any attention to this farce. She couldn’t and wouldn’t help that girl; it would only implicate her, who was even weaker.

But for some reason, the image of the white-haired girl’s calm and composed figure when confronting Sophia inexplicably appeared in her mind.

By the time she reacted, she found that she had already blocked the other’s swinging slap.

After doing this, Chloe struggled to find some words that could comfort the person or quell the other’s anger, but she had never done such a thing before and could only utter the pale words: “…You can’t do this.”

—What was she supposed to say?

—If it were that person, what would she say?

But the other party clearly had no intention of giving her time to think. Felice’s voice was sharp, “Well, look who it is. If it isn’t our class’s murderer, pretending to be kind to gain sympathy!”

Immediately, Chloe felt the person she was protecting move away from her—but she felt no ripple in her heart.

…Everyone in the class knew that this girl, who usually had no presence, had brutally murdered her own classmate in junior high.

Even though her age and lack of evidence had allowed her to escape legal punishment, everyone who knew about it had, without a word, isolated her.

—They never expected that this person, who was always a loner, would actually be kind enough to help someone else.

The other students’ scrutinizing gazes fell on her. Chloe lowered her head. Her glasses and hanging hair obscured most of the world, allowing her not to see the expressions on the faces around her.

After that momentary, unfamiliar impulse, she had retreated back into her shell, building a high wall to block out the outside world.

But Felice was clearly not going to let it go. She lifted her chin, and her two lackeys took the hint, grabbing Chloe’s arms and dragging her away.

Felice followed behind them. The others also slowly dispersed, and a new rumor began to spread among the crowd.

“Begin group training. We’ll check the results in half an hour. Study hard!” the coach stood expressionlessly by the pool, shouting at Class A.

—Let these energetic little brats wear each other out.

“Yay!”

“It’s free activity time!”

‘I told you to train, not to take this as a chance to slack off!’

The coach looked at this pack of frolicking puppies, shook her head helplessly, and walked to the observation deck.

‘Whatever. Let me have a sip of my goji berry tea and rest for a bit.’ She wasn’t worried about any accidents. After all, with these people’s abilities, swimming was more of a way to relax; learning was secondary.

The swimming pool was huge. The sparkling water was filled with all sorts of students. Some students with marine creature bloodlines were like fish in water. In contrast, there were also students who hated water, struggling and flailing with great difficulty, only to be laughed at by those passing by.

Academic Committee Member: “Hahaha, Class President, you’re so lame!”

The Class President had an avian bloodline and was very averse to water. When swimming, she looked as clumsy as if she had been kidnapped by the water, earning the “appreciation” and viewership of the other students.

“Class President, if you try a little harder, you might make it to the edge before class is over~”

“Flap faster! My dog Wangcai swims faster than you—”

A group of people on the side, who loved a good show, laughed heartily.

The Class President shot a fierce glare at the people around her, hating that this wasn’t land and she couldn’t fight back. She could only struggle, waving her arms with all her might.

The same situation was happening to Wang Ning.

As a hominid of original attributes, Wang Ning had no bloodline enhancements or rejections. Like most beginners, she was just repeating the cycle of doggy paddling and choking on water.

Xiali was swimming right next to her, supporting her waist from below with her hand, while Wang Ning struggled to paddle.

‘Wait, is this really the right water depth for a beginner?!’

‘Does this school not know the meaning of a shallow end?!’

When Wang Ning plunged into the water, she felt as if she would sink in the next second. She hastily lifted her head again. Her snow-white hair was tied in a bun, and some stray strands were plastered wetly to her face, making her look both pathetic and pitiful.

A spectating classmate clutched her chest. “So, so cute! Like a little kitten that accidentally fell into the water!”

The Class President, who heard this from not far away: “…”

‘Hey!’

Wang Ning was tired from paddling. Her peripheral vision caught sight of a white Psyduck swim ring floating by. Strength surged back into her limbs. She waved her arms vigorously, creating a large splash, and then quickly closed her fingers—she caught it!

But before she could be happy, she suddenly heard Xiali’s shout. Wang Ning felt her waist sink. Unlike the supportive force from Xiali, a downward pull, like tightly tangled seaweed, wrapped around her. Immediately after, her eardrums were assaulted by the rushing water, emitting a gurgling, muffled sound.

Wang Ning’s eyes widened in terror. After swallowing a few mouthfuls of water, she clamped her mouth shut. She was wearing goggles and could vaguely see through the bubbles that the creature pulling her into the water had hair like black seaweed.

‘Who—’

‘Who is trying to assassinate me!’

Wang Ning watched helplessly as she was pulled farther and farther away from the crowd. Her arm was gripped tightly, and her consciousness was becoming fuzzy. The pool, comparable to a deep-water zone, had enough space for her to sink. Layers of water pressed down on her back, her chest grew tight, and her strength to struggle gradually dissipated.

She felt the hand gripping her arm seem to pause for a moment. Then, that person turned around. Wang Ning tried her best to see, wanting to remember the murderer’s face—

But before she could, her vision was suddenly plunged into darkness. A pair of hands, gentle yet firm, covered her eyes from behind.

—There was an accomplice.

Being submerged in the water for a long time had made her body temperature drop. She couldn’t tell if what finally touched her lips was water, or something else.