Chapter 6: The Unlikely Student

Su Yan groaned, rubbing his neck where Zhen’s hand had left an almost permanent imprint. His body felt like it had been through a meat grinder, but he was alive. Barely.

Zhen had let go of him at the last minute, allowing him to crumple to the ground. Now, she was standing a few feet away, looking at him with a mix of admiration and something else—a flicker of uncertainty that Su Yan couldn't quite place.

"You should have stayed down when you had the chance," Zhen said, her voice much softer now. She stepped closer, crouching down to his level, her eyes flicking over him in a way that made Su Yan feel oddly self-conscious.

“I’ll keep that in mind for next time,” Su Yan muttered, still struggling to push himself up. He had barely survived the encounter. If it weren’t for the system giving him that boost of strength, he would’ve been a pile of broken bones by now.

Zhen’s gaze lingered on him for a moment, and for a second, Su Yan swore he saw something in her eyes. Something... human. But then, like a switch was flipped, it was gone, replaced by the cool, professional assassin he had met earlier.

"You’ve got potential," she said, standing up straight. “For someone who’s not trained, you’re not bad at all."

Su Yan blinked, unsure whether he should be flattered or terrified. “You’re saying I almost killed you?”

She smiled—one of those rare smiles that didn’t reach her eyes. “Almost. But don’t get cocky. You’ll need a lot more training if you want to survive this world."

Su Yan frowned. "What do you mean, this world?"

"You’ve stumbled into something much bigger than you realize," she said, turning away as if the conversation was over. “I’m giving you a chance. Take it or leave it.”

Before Su Yan could respond, she pulled out a sleek, black envelope and handed it to him.

“What's this?” he asked, taking it from her cautiously.

"It’s an invitation." Zhen’s voice had lost its edge, but there was still an air of finality in her words. “A chance to train at the only institution that can teach you what you need to know."

Su Yan raised an eyebrow. "Institution?"

"Yes," she said, her lips curving into a small smile. “A prestigious university. It’s an all-girls school, but I’m making an exception for you. You’re my student now.”

Su Yan blinked. “Wait, what? A girls-only university?”

Zhen's eyes narrowed, her usual coldness returning. “Don’t make this weird. It’s a place where only the best assassins are trained. If you want to survive this world and get out of the mess you’re in, you’ll need to learn everything they can teach you.”

Su Yan was confused, but more than that, he was intrigued. The offer sounded too good to pass up. Training from professionals? It could be his ticket to surviving the ridiculous world the system had thrown him into.

“But... Why me? I’m just some guy who stumbled into all of this.”

Zhen tilted her head slightly, her expression unreadable. "You’re more than that. And don’t worry—no one will know you’re a guy. The university’s rules are strict about that."

"But you just—"

"Forget it," she snapped. "I’ll handle the paperwork. You just focus on becoming stronger."

Su Yan hesitated for a moment before nodding slowly. "Alright... I’ll do it."

“Good.” Zhen’s voice softened for the first time. “I’ll make sure they know you’re under my tutelage. You’ll be in good hands.”

Her words were oddly reassuring, and yet, there was something about the way she said them that felt... almost personal.

A Week Later

Su Yan stood in front of a massive gate, the entrance to the prestigious university that Zhen had recommended. The gate itself was tall and grand, with intricate designs etched into the stone. A brass plaque on the side read:

"Silent Moon Academy: The Last Sanctuary for Assassins."

Su Yan swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the place pressing down on him. He had spent the last week preparing for this moment, trying to come to terms with the fact that he was about to become a student at a girls-only academy. The whole idea made him feel like a fish out of water, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized there was no turning back now.

He had to train. If he wanted to survive whatever madness the system had in store for him, this was his only chance.

As he walked through the gates, he was immediately met with the sight of a large courtyard, filled with young women practicing various combat techniques. Some were sparring with wooden staffs, others with blades. Their movements were fluid, precise, and deadly. It was like nothing Su Yan had ever seen before.

“This place is...” He trailed off, taking it all in.

Zhen, who had been following him silently, finally spoke. “This is where you’ll learn everything you need. The instructors here are the best of the best. You’ll never find a place like this anywhere else.”

Su Yan turned to her, his eyes wide with disbelief. "You weren’t kidding when you said this place is intense, huh?"

Zhen smirked, a flicker of something in her eyes. "It’s not just intense. It’s the only place that’ll give you the skills to survive in a world like this. And now that you’re here, you’re my responsibility. You’ll follow my rules."

Su Yan was still processing everything when a voice interrupted.

"Zhen," called a young woman from across the courtyard. She was tall, with platinum blonde hair tied back in a neat braid, and a stern expression on her face.

Zhen raised an eyebrow but made no move to approach. "What do you want, Arielle?"

Arielle’s eyes flicked to Su Yan, then back to Zhen. "Who’s the boy?"

Zhen’s gaze softened just slightly, and she said, almost as if she hadn’t realized it herself, "He’s my student."

Arielle stared at Su Yan for a long moment before her lips quirked into a small smile. “Well, he’s in for a wild ride.”

Su Yan wasn’t sure what to think of that. He’d barely had a chance to process everything when another voice piped up, this time from the side.

“Zhen, is that the guy who almost took you down?” It was another girl—this one with fiery red hair and a mischievous grin.

Zhen didn’t respond directly, instead crossing her arms. “He’s still alive, isn’t he?”

"Barely," the girl teased, winking at Su Yan. "But if Zhen vouches for him, then I guess we’ll see how long he lasts."

Su Yan was beginning to feel very small in the middle of all these women, all of them deadly in their own right. But one thing was for sure—this place was about to change his life forever.

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