Chapter 44 – The Professor Remembers the War
---
University B's campus was cloaked in spring mist, cherry blossoms trembling in the soft breeze as Bai Xueqing and Mo Chen crossed the courtyard. The building ahead—History and Political Sciences—stood like a fortress of forgotten truths.
"Are you sure he'll remember?" Mo Chen asked, his hand brushing hers as they walked.
"He was the first to break ranks and stand with me. If anyone recalls the past, it's Yan Rui."
They entered the lecture hall quietly. At the podium stood a man in his forties, lean and refined, speaking with a calm, clipped authority. His silver-rimmed glasses reflected the projection screen behind him—maps of ancient military campaigns and timelines.
"In all dynasties," he said, "power alone never decided war. Strategy, loyalty, and betrayal often turned tides."
Xueqing smiled faintly. He hasn't changed.
When the class ended, students filed out in a distracted wave, leaving Yan Rui flipping through notes. Mo Chen stepped aside, letting Xueqing approach the podium.
"Professor Yan Rui," she said, her voice steady.
He looked up, ready to dismiss another lingering student—but froze.
Their eyes met.
And something ancient flickered behind his spectacles.
"I was wondering when you'd come," he murmured.
Xueqing tilted her head. "You remember."
"How could I forget the woman who brought down an empire with a single command?"
She didn't flinch. "That was another life."
"And this is a new battlefield," he replied, setting down his notes. "I assume the Phoenix Court needs a tactician."
"Not a subordinate," she said. "An equal."
He chuckled. "Still as sharp. Still as proud."
Mo Chen stepped forward. "Time's short, Yan Rui. We're facing more than political corruption. Some of them are back—changed, maybe stronger. We need eyes and strategy."
Yan Rui studied Mo Chen for a long beat, then nodded. "And I suppose I need to buy a new sword."
Xueqing smiled. "And a burner phone."
He reached under the desk and handed her a folded sheet of paper. "Names. Students, faculty, even a city councilwoman—people who feel like echoes. You're not the only ones waking up."
"Are they allies?" she asked.
"Some are dangerous. One, in particular… has already started recruiting."
Xueqing and Mo Chen exchanged a glance.
"Who?" Mo Chen asked.
Yan Rui's voice lowered. "She calls herself Hua Lian. And she's building something fast."
The room chilled. It had begun.
---