The awakening of the "Absolute Kill Domain" was like a signal flare, completely ushering in Rin's confrontation with the academy, and even the mysterious organization behind it. Since the mountain ambush that day, academy surveillance had become even tighter, but Rin and Ye Xue had also become more vigilant and synchronized. They knew time was running out.
Rin began to use his limited access, working tirelessly day and night to navigate the academy's internal network, trying to uncover more clues about "Blade of Demise," "Cold Moon," and the mysterious organization. However, the organization's defense system was impregnable; what he could access was still only the tip of the iceberg.
Ye Xue, meanwhile, became even more silent, but the confusion and struggle in her eyes grew increasingly apparent. The mark emerging on her shoulder blade was like a silent curse, constantly reminding her that she was not an "ordinary person." She began to quietly explore the academy, guided by her instincts, trying to find answers about herself.
Late one night, Rin was meditating in his dorm, analyzing intercepted data. Suddenly, a faint sound came from the hallway, interrupting his thoughts. He immediately became alert, quickly dimming his screen. Moments later, he heard the sound of a key in a lock, and an office door quietly opening and closing—it was the Scar-Faced Instructor's office.
Rin's heart skipped a beat. He knew Ye Xue was acting. As a high-ranking academy official, the Scar-Faced Instructor's office likely held deeper secrets.
He didn't act rashly, simply waiting in silence. About half an hour later, the office door quietly opened again. Ye Xue's figure ghosted out, then swiftly merged into the night, returning to her own dorm.
Rin immediately got up and silently slipped into the instructor's office. He turned on the terminal and quickly retrieved the internal surveillance records of the office. He saw Ye Xue deftly avoiding all infrared sensors and gravity sensors, then heading directly to the instructor's desk, skillfully opening several encrypted drawers.
Rin's breath hitched when Ye Xue's hand, from a hidden compartment, pulled out a carefully placed but clearly partially burnt photograph.
On the photo, light and shadow mottled, but three figures were clearly visible.
In the center was a young Rin. His smile was youthful and bright, strikingly different from his current cold demeanor.
To his left was Ye Xue. She wore a simple training uniform, her hair tied in a high ponytail at the back of her head, her eyes cold, but the corner of her mouth held an extremely faint, almost imperceptible curve—a subtle smile that only appeared when she was most relaxed.
And to Rin's right stood an unfamiliar woman. She had long, fiery red hair, shining like burning flames. Her face was soft and beautiful, her eyes held a mature tenderness and cunning, and her arm was draped affectionately over Rin's shoulder, her smile bright and warm.
This photograph seemed to come from a distant, forgotten era.
Rin's gaze was fixed on the red-haired woman. His body trembled violently, as if a massive wave surged within his chest, threatening to completely engulf him.
"This… how is this possible?!"
He had thought he would never again be emotionally swayed by anyone. However, when he saw that familiar face, all his coldness and pretense utterly collapsed in an instant.
That was the only person in his past life's assassin organization who could make him feel warm, who he truly called "sister"! Her codename was "Shadow." She was his closest blood relative and his most trusted comrade. She had given him the only comfort and guidance during his darkest days.
Rin's breathing became rapid and heavy, her bright smile flashing in his mind, along with the desperate, blood-blurred eyes he saw the last time they met.
She had already died in the organization's "purging operation," protecting herself and covering his escape, on that bloody, stormy night. Rin had witnessed her death with his own eyes and personally buried her.
But now, her photograph, here?! And it was a group photo with him and Ye Xue?!
Rin's gaze trembled as he shifted to the back of the photograph. On the charred edge, he saw a few blurred lines of writing:
"Class C Shadow Team · Core Three."
"Class C Shadow Team"!
Rin's body jolted violently. In his past life, he indeed had a core team within the organization, specifically responsible for the most dangerous secret missions, and that team's codename was indeed "Shadow Team"! And he, Ye Xue (Cold Moon), and his sister (Shadow) were the core members of the "Shadow Team," and their most trusted comrades!
This photograph, like a long-sealed Pandora's Box, instantly opened Rin's deepest and most painful memories. It not only confirmed that Ye Xue was indeed his past life's partner, but also pulled his sister, whom he had long believed to be "dead," back into his world!
Rin's face turned ashen white, and immense questions and panic surged within him:
His sister… is she really dead?
If she was still alive, why would she appear in academy files? And why was her death so real?
Why was this photograph in the Scar-Faced Instructor's office?
Was the Scar-Faced Instructor also connected to the "Shadow Team"? Or was he merely an unwitting puppet in charge of managing archives?
The photo was burnt at one corner—was it an accident, or was it intentional?
If someone intentionally destroyed it, what were they trying to hide?
Rin's hands clenched tightly, his fingernails almost piercing his palms. All the fragments, all the secrets, at this moment pointed to an even larger, more twisted conspiracy. His "rebirth," Ye Xue's "re-molding," his sister's "death," and that mysterious organization—everything seemed to be manipulated by an invisible hand behind the scenes.
He not only had to save Ye Xue, he also had to find the truth behind his sister's death, and he had to find the "shadow figure," the mastermind controlling everything!
Rin's eyes gleamed with an unprecedented coldness and despair. He knew that from this moment on, he would no longer be just a "pawn" passively seeking truth, but a player who would actively fight back, vowing to overturn this entire game!
The night deepened. The light from the instructor's office was particularly harsh in the darkness, illuminating the partially burnt photograph and Rin's face, twisted with anger and pain.