Angels, Demons, and Secret Studies

“Don’t be surprised, Sister,” Ling Chen began, his voice calm. “When beings from Hell arrive in the Surface World, they disguise themselves perfectly. Most wouldn’t even recognize them, and the same goes for those from Heaven. You could bump into anyone on the street, and they might very well be an angel or a demon.”

I raised an eyebrow. “What if these demons or angels cause trouble?”

Ling Chen replied with complete composure, “Aren’t there still the Keepers? Ordinary people might not know their identities, but the Keepers certainly do.”

“If the Keepers know their identities, why don’t they expel them?” I pressed.

Ling Chen merely smiled, offering no direct answer. “Sister, you should think about the reason yourself.”

“The reason… is it because they can’t defeat supernatural beings?”

“Of course not. Sister, consider your own work and think a little more deeply.”

My work?

Ling Chen had previously told me that my job was to fight against malevolent, terrifying entities behind the gate connecting the Inner and Surface Worlds, safeguarding humanity. Heaven and Hell, then, must play a similar role.

Suddenly, understanding dawned on me. “I get it now! Whether they are from Heaven or Hell, their true purpose is to maintain the stability between the Surface and Inner Worlds. That’s why the Keepers tolerate their continued presence in the Surface World.”

“Exactly. Once you become more active, Sister, the Keepers will inevitably seek you out too.”

A bitter expression crossed my face. “Can I just remain low-key forever? I genuinely don’t want anyone’s attention.”

Ling Chen adopted a grave, elderly tone. “With great power comes great responsibility.”

I immediately retorted, “I can’t appreciate this Hollywood-style personal heroism! Can’t I just be an ordinary high school student?”

“You can.” Ling Chen’s smile was as bright as sunshine, yet it offered absolutely no warmth to me. I felt as though I was trapped in the depths of winter. “How about an ordinary Japanese high school student?” he suggested.

“I’d rather be a transmigrator!”

Ling Chen’s image was increasingly morphing into that of an evil corporate exploiter, coercing an innocent maiden into bearing a heavy burden that should not fall upon someone her age.

If only I hadn’t exploited him so frequently in the past, would he be a little kinder to me now?

“Oh, by the way, Sister, I’m taking you to meet someone this Sunday.”

“Who is it?”

Ling Chen’s face held a mysterious air. “It’s a genuine angel!”

“An angel?”

Though I was intrigued by the idea of angels, a part of me wished to decline. The white-bearded old man—God—had promised to fulfill my wish by sending an Archangel to help me. Yet, that Archangel had not only transformed me into a girl but also hadn’t shown their face all this time. Consequently, my impression of angels was rather poor.

However, this angel living in the Surface World should be quite reliable, right?

“I’m going to sleep now. Sister, please don’t pull an all-nighter tonight. I know there’s a game event, but your health is far more important than grinding in a game.”

I declared with righteous indignation, “I have classes tomorrow! As a diligent and hardworking student, how could I possibly stay up all night playing games?”

Ling Chen cast me a skeptical glance, his expression conveying complete and utter distrust.

“Well, I hope you don’t end up sleeping through the entire morning again tomorrow. Good night.”

“Good night.”

The moment Ling Chen left, I immediately restarted my computer. If he hadn’t reminded me, I would have almost forgotten about the game event.

Hehe, The Immortal Grinder is about to go online! All you other rookies, stand aside!

May 11th, Friday, 9:00 a.m.

“Ling Jiu! Ling Jiu!”

I jolted awake from my slumber, lifting my head to wipe away the drool from the corner of my mouth. “What is it?” I mumbled indistinctly.

Old Zhang stood beside me, tapping a knuckle on my desk. “Isn’t this a pop quiz? How did you fall asleep?”

“Oh, you mean this.”

I pulled out the test paper that had been pinned beneath my arm. A portion of it was damp from my drool, making me feel a little embarrassed as I rubbed it against my school uniform before handing it to Old Zhang.

“I’m already done.”

“You’re done?”

Old Zhang quickly scanned my paper, a look of suspicion giving way to surprise. “You finished so quickly, and the accuracy is actually decent.”

Hmph, it seems Ling Chen’s special training is truly effective. The pop quizzes that usually gave me a headache now feel incredibly simple.

I yawned. “Hehe, in that case, Old Zhang, I’ll just go back to sleep.”

“Give you an inch, and you take a mile, huh? Come with me to the office.”

“Again?!”

“What? Are you getting tired of looking at me?”

“How could I be? But Old Zhang, if you leave the classroom during a quiz, aren’t you worried someone might cheat?”

My gaze involuntarily drifted towards my despondent best friend, Fatty, who was aggressively struggling to put pen to paper.

“Why are you looking at Sun Xiaochuan? He’s much more honest than you.”

“Waaah, how hurtful! Old Zhang, how could you think that of me?!”

“Enough nonsense. Come to the office with me.”

I swayed, yawning, as I shuffled after Old Zhang. Once in the office, Old Zhang offered me a slight, exasperated smile.

“Just sit at my desk.”

Without hesitation, I plopped down onto Old Zhang’s chair, crossing my arms as I watched him. “Do you have anything to report to me?”

Old Zhang playfully tapped my head, clearly unamused. “Are you really acting like a leader on an inspection tour? I just saw the grade supervisor peeking in from the doorway. It wouldn’t look good if you got caught sleeping in the middle of class.”

“I couldn’t help it. I was just too sleepy.”

Old Zhang handed me a teacup, then poured tea from his thermos. Though his expression was a little stiff, it was clear he was in a good mood.

“Drink some tea to refresh yourself. Don’t always stay up late.”

I cradled the teacup, staring blankly at the rising steam.

Noticing my rare moment of quiet, Old Zhang quickly explained, “I washed the cup; it’s absolutely clean.”

I shook my head, whispering, “I feel like you’re becoming more and more like my dad, Old Zhang. You’re usually so stern, but occasionally, you’re quite kind to me.”

Old Zhang’s face flushed slightly, and he scratched his neck. “How should I put it? Seeing you reminds me of my own daughter. When she was in high school, she was much like you—she didn’t like studying. But now she’s studying abroad.”

“Was she good at her studies?”

“Not exactly. Back then, she liked to muddle through just like you. But later, she found someone she liked and suddenly became diligent, following in their footsteps all the way to an Ivy League school. However…”

A trace of vexation immediately crossed Old Zhang’s face.

“If I hadn’t secretly looked at her social media, I wouldn’t have known she already had a boyfriend and had been hiding it from me for so long. With her tendency to act on her own initiative, I even worry she’ll come back to China with a child.”

“Then I congratulate you in advance, Old Zhang, on becoming a grandfather.”

Old Zhang glared at me. “You’re a handful too. I’m just waiting to retire, but I still have to worry about all of you. Do you know my health is getting worse?”

“If that’s the case, for safety’s sake, Old Zhang, you shouldn’t stand among the students and lecture so vehemently that your spit flies everywhere. If your health declines, your immunity will drop. What if you get sick and infect our class?”

Old Zhang’s mouth twitched. “You’ll be the death of me eventually.”

I chuckled. “Just kidding. Old Zhang, take care of your health. I still want to see you bring your grandchildren to visit us someday.”

“You speak as if I won’t live long.” Old Zhang’s stern expression finally relaxed. He said gently, “Ling Jiu, if you’re sleepy, just sleep for a while in the office. Just try not to doze off during other teachers’ classes; they often come to complain to me.”

“Thanks!”

Old Zhang’s desk was neatly organized with various books. The homework assignments brought by students were meticulously sorted and placed. The modest desk also held a family photo frame and gifts from students, all tidied away. It was clear that despite his outwardly serious demeanor, Old Zhang was ultimately a man with a soft, caring heart.

Many of the books on his shelf had been confiscated from me over the years, creating a comforting sense of being right at home. Sleeping in the office meant no fear of being caught, and it was a legitimate way to sleep during study hours. This illicit pleasure made Old Zhang’s desk even more comfortable than my own bed.

And so, I collapsed onto Old Zhang’s desk and immediately fell asleep.

“Zzz… snore…”

Old Zhang, who had been preparing to return to the classroom, hadn’t gone far before he came back to drape a coat over my shoulders. He then murmured softly, “Perhaps you’ve finally started secretly studying. But gaming should still be moderate; I saw you online all night yesterday.”

“…”

What did Old Zhang just say?! I think I heard nothing at all!

Hmm… tonight, I’ll have to carefully screen all my game friends.

But if Old Zhang has actually played games with me…

Sigh, I’ll just sleep. I’ll leave such terrifying thoughts for later.