Chapter 8: A Suicide Mission in Disguise

Su Yan was doomed.

There was no way around it. He had three days to steal the most well-guarded item in the entire academy—an object that belonged to a literal living legend—and if he failed, he’d not only get expelled but also go even deeper into debt.

He lay motionless on his bed, staring at the ceiling, questioning every decision that had led him to this moment.

"Maybe I should just run away," he muttered.

[Ding! System Warning: Running away will result in immediate mission failure and penalty activation.]

Su Yan groaned. "Figures."

But as much as he wanted to curse his fate, he knew there was no way out. If he wanted to survive in this academy full of deadly women, he needed that upgrade. And ¥50,000? That was enough money to give him some breathing room—at least for a little while.

Alright, he thought, taking a deep breath. If I’m doing this, I need a plan.

Day 1: Gathering Intel

Su Yan spent the entire day casually asking around about the Assassin Queen’s Mask. He knew better than to be obvious, so he disguised his questioning as curiosity from a clueless transfer student.

Unfortunately, the more he learned, the worse it got.

Apparently, the mask was kept in the Sanctum of Shadows, a restricted area beneath the main hall, guarded by elite assassins known as the Silent Blades. The entrance was always watched, and the only person allowed unrestricted access was the headmistress herself.

"I should’ve just picked up farming," Su Yan muttered.

He was about to give up when he overheard something interesting from a group of second-year students.

“…The headmistress visits the Sanctum every Friday night,” one girl said. “That’s when the guards change shifts for exactly five minutes.”

Su Yan’s ears perked up. Five minutes? That’s my window.

Now he had a plan. He’d break in during the shift change, snatch the mask, and get out before anyone noticed.

Of course, there was one major flaw: He had no idea how to actually steal it.

Day 2: The Unexpected Teacher

Su Yan had hoped to avoid Zhen as much as possible while planning his inevitable doom, but fate had other ideas.

She found him in the training yard, struggling to keep up with the other students.

"You move like a dying squirrel," she said bluntly, watching as he barely dodged a practice blade from another student.

"I appreciate the encouragement," Su Yan grumbled.

Zhen sighed and, much to his surprise, dismissed the other students. “You’re too weak. If you don’t learn proper movement, you won’t last a day here.”

Su Yan blinked. "Wait, are you actually going to teach me?"

She crossed her arms. “I’m your mentor, aren’t I?”

For the next few hours, Zhen personally trained him in stealth techniques, quick movement, and even lockpicking—which was incredibly convenient for his mission, not that she knew that.

At one point, she even adjusted his posture herself, standing behind him and guiding his arms. Su Yan couldn’t help but notice how close she was, the faint scent of lavender coming from her.

His heart definitely didn’t speed up. Nope. Not at all.

Meanwhile, Zhen felt something strange as well. Normally, she never got involved with students this much. But for some reason, the idea of Su Yan failing—of him getting hurt—made her… uneasy.

Why do I care? she wondered, frowning slightly.

But she pushed the thought aside. Su Yan was her student, nothing more.

Day 3: Execution Night

It was now or never.

Dressed in a borrowed academy uniform—one specifically designed for stealth—Su Yan waited outside the entrance to the Sanctum of Shadows. The clock was ticking.

11:55 PM.

In exactly five minutes, the guards would switch shifts. That was his window.

Sweat dripped down his forehead. His hands trembled. This was easily the most suicidal thing he’d ever done.

But then, the system chimed in.

[Ding! Temporary Buff Activated: Luck +500 for 10 minutes!]

"Wait, what?!" Su Yan whispered. "Since when do I get luck buffs?"

[Since the system realized you’re hopeless without one.]

Su Yan had no time to argue. At exactly midnight, the guards stepped away.

This was it.

With the techniques Zhen had unknowingly taught him, Su Yan slipped inside, moving exactly as she had instructed. Every step was silent. Every breath controlled. He moved like a shadow.

And then, he saw it.

At the end of the dimly lit chamber, placed atop a black pedestal, was the Assassin Queen’s Mask.

It was beautiful—crafted from obsidian, with silver engravings that shimmered under the candlelight. It radiated an aura of authority, as if it was watching him.

Su Yan reached out, his fingers brushing against the cool surface—

BOOM!

The entire room shifted. Suddenly, the walls started closing in, and alarm bells rang throughout the academy.

[Ding! You triggered a security mechanism! Escape within 60 seconds or face the headmistress!]

"OH COME ON!"

Su Yan grabbed the mask and bolted. He didn’t care where he was running—he just ran.

The halls twisted and turned, doors slammed shut, and shadowy figures began emerging. He was seconds away from disaster when—

A hand yanked him into a hidden corridor.

"What the—" Su Yan turned, only to come face-to-face with Zhen.

She had a murderous look in her eyes. "What. Are. You. Doing?" she hissed.

Su Yan laughed nervously. "Funny story, actually—"

"Not here!" Zhen snapped. She grabbed his wrist and dragged him through the hidden passage. Moments later, the headmistress herself stormed past, her presence crushing like a tidal wave of death.

Su Yan barely breathed until she was gone.

Then, he turned to Zhen, who was still holding his wrist.

"...I can explain?"

Zhen looked at him for a long moment, her grip tightening before she let go. Her heart was pounding, though she didn’t know why.

"You’re an idiot," she finally said, sighing. "But we’ll talk about this later."

Su Yan gulped. That didn’t sound good.

But as they slipped away into the night, mask in hand, the system beeped again.

[Ding! Mission Complete! System Upgrade Unlocked!]

Su Yan exhaled. At least that part’s done…

Now he just had to survive Zhen’s inevitable wrath.

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