The aftershocks of the black market mission still resonated between Rin and Ye Xue, yet the academy's pace never faltered. The morning bell rang more urgently than usual, summoning all cadets to the central plaza. The cadets' faces were grim, knowing that what was about to be announced would be the academy's most brutal trial.
The scar-faced instructor appeared on the high platform, his voice as cold as ever, yet carrying an undeniable sense of finality:
"The cream of your crop will have the opportunity to gain true power and uncover the truth. The academy will initiate the 'Blood Pact Assessment.'"
The plaza fell into immediate silence. Every cadet had heard rumors of the "Blood Pact Assessment"; it was the academy's oldest and most ruthless trial. Once a blood pact was signed, it meant entrusting one's life to the assessment. Failure meant death.
"Those who pass the assessment will gain the academy's highest authority—not only access to partially sealed top-secret archives but also a certain degree of operational freedom," the instructor's voice was tempting, yet filled with killing intent. "And the failures… will disappear from this world entirely."
Rin's eyes immediately lit up. Sealed archives! Operational freedom! This was exactly what he needed! He needed the highest authority to investigate the truth behind Ye Xue's erased memories, to pursue the mastermind, to understand the secrets of "thought re-molding" and the "loyalty core." This assessment was his best chance to delve into the academy's core and get closer to the truth!
He didn't hesitate for a moment. After the instructor announced open registration, Rin was the first to step forward, signing the blood pact without reservation. His action made the surrounding cadets cast sidelong glances, their eyes filled with shock and a hint of awe.
Just as Rin finished signing and was about to return to his place, a cold figure silently approached the blood pact scroll.
Ye Xue.
She didn't meet anyone's gaze. She simply picked up the pen indifferently and signed her name on the pact without a moment's hesitation, as if she had already anticipated this moment, or perhaps, it was what her deepest self craved.
She had signed up for the "Blood Pact Assessment"!
Rin's heart skipped a beat. He turned to look at Ye Xue, her cold profile appearing particularly resolute in the morning light. Why had she signed up? Was it for power? Or for something else? Was her subconscious also longing for some truth?
However, Ye Xue's next action stunned everyone present.
After signing the blood pact, Ye Xue did not return to her spot but walked directly towards Rin, her cold gaze fixed on him.
"I choose to team with you." Her voice held no fluctuation, but beneath that indifference lay an undeniable persistence.
At her words, the entire plaza erupted in murmurs. Blood Pact Assessments usually allowed free team formation, but rarely would any cadet choose to team with an "anomaly" who had just experienced a loss of control, let alone a top assassin as cold as Ye Xue.
The scar-faced instructor's gaze swept over the two, a hint of unspoken amusement flickering in his eyes. According to academy rules, cadets had the right to choose their partners.
Rin's gaze settled on Ye Xue's determined eyes. He saw the deep-seated trust and reliance beneath her cold exterior. She had no memories of her past life, but her instincts, her subconscious, still chose him.
He didn't refuse, merely giving a slight nod.
"Good."
The instructor then announced the assessment's content: "The Blood Pact Assessment will be a two-person death match. You will face two opponents—'prey' disguised as academy instructor-level assassins. They will use every means possible until one or both of you fall. This is the ultimate test of skill and teamwork."
A two-person death match, with opponents disguised as instructor-level assassins! This meant they would face a true life-or-death test, where every decision could determine their fate.
Rin's eyes gleamed with cold battle intent. This was exactly what he had anticipated. In the midst of an ultimate life-and-death struggle, he might fully awaken Ye Xue's memories, and perhaps, uncover more of the academy's secrets.
Ye Xue remained expressionless, but her fingers, clutching the snow owl wooden carving, unconsciously tightened slightly. In the depths of her eyes, an imperceptible ripple flickered. She didn't know why she had made this choice, why she was so insistent on teaming with Rin. But she knew that near him, her heart felt different, and her subconscious was guiding her towards an unknown direction.
The curtain to the Blood Pact Assessment had been raised. An ultimate trial concerning life, death, memory, and truth was about to begin. Rin and Ye Xue, this pair forcibly bound by destiny, would uncover more long-buried secrets in this bloody battle.