Two weeks until finals.
The entire university had become insufferable.
At least according to Qiū Huà Bǐ.
"Why is everyone studying?"
Yè Yī didn't even look up from his notes.
"Because exams are in two weeks."
"I know that."
"Then why did you ask?"
Qiū Huà Bǐ frowned.
"...You know, one day I'm going to ask a normal question and you're going to answer it like a normal person."
"No."
"See?"
The library was packed.
Hallways were packed.
Study rooms were packed.
The cafeteria was packed.
Even the usually abandoned outdoor reading areas had somehow become occupied.
Panic season had arrived.
And with it came the usual discussions.
The rankings.
The predictions.
The betting.
"First place is definitely Yè Yī."
"No way. Qiū Huà Bǐ scored higher in Computational Theory."
"Yeah, but Yè Yī crushed Advanced Mechanics."
"Honestly they're both monsters."
"I just want Top Ten."
"I just want to pass."
The conversations followed them everywhere.
Neither of them cared.
Unfortunately—
Someone else cared very much.
His name was Lú Zhèngyáng (卢正阳).
Twenty-one.
Third-year.
Former academic king of the department.
Former.
That word mattered.
Before Yè Yī and Qiū Huà Bǐ had arrived, everyone knew him.
Professors praised him.
Students admired him.
His name appeared on every academic board.
Every ranking.
Every competition.
Then two transfer students appeared.
And suddenly—
Nobody talked about Lú Zhèngyáng anymore.
Now the conversations sounded different.
"Yè Yī got full marks again."
"Qiū Huà Bǐ too."
"They're insane."
"I heard even Professor Wáng likes them."
Not him.
Them.
Always them.
Lú Zhèngyáng sat alone in the library.
Listening.
Pretending not to listen.
His jaw tightened.
First place.
Always first place.
A week earlier—
He had scored ninety-eight.
A score that would've made headlines last year.
Nobody cared.
Because Yè Yī had scored one hundred.
And Qiū Huà Bǐ had scored one hundred.
Again.
The envy had started quietly.
Small.
Reasonable.
Then it grew.
Because envy always does.
Far away—
Someone noticed.
Huáng Nián Qīng smiled.
The young ET operative sat inside a tea shop across from campus.
Watching, Observing and Collecting.
Human weakness was predictable.
Greed.
Fear.
Loneliness.
Envy.
Especially envy.
Lú Zhèngyáng entered the tea shop three days later.
Completely by accident.
At least that's what he believed.
The seat beside him happened to be occupied.
The conversation happened to begin naturally.
The topics happened to drift toward university rankings.
Then recognition.
Then unfairness.
Then opportunity.
Huáng Nián Qīng was very good at her job.
"You seem frustrated."
Lú Zhèngyáng laughed bitterly.
"A little obvious?"
"Not really."
The lie was smooth.
Comfortable.
Easy to believe.
"They're talented."
Huáng Nián Qīng stirred her tea.
"But talent doesn't always explain everything."
That sentence lingered.
Exactly as intended.
"What do you mean?"
Hook.
Line.
Sinker.
Huáng Nián Qīng smiled softly.
"Nothing."
The most dangerous answer possible.
Over the next week—
The meetings continued.
Coincidences.
Chance encounters.
Casual conversations.
And slowly—
Lú Zhèngyáng began talking more.
About rankings.
About recognition.
About beingforgotten.
Huáng Nián Qīng listened.
Encouraged.
Guided.
Never pushed.
The best manipulation never feels like manipulation.
Eventually—
The conversation shifted.
"What are they really like?"
Simple question.
Simple curiosity.
But that question had never been the goal.
"Yè Yī?"
Lú Zhèngyáng frowned.
"Cold."
"Qiū Huà Bǐ?"
"Also cold."
"Friends?"
"I don't think either of them have friends."
Accurate.
Mostly.
Huáng Nián Qīng smiled.
Interesting.
Because Sì Faces Of Doom wasn't preparing one operation.
They were now preparing two.
The Sì Faces Of Doom had already arrived in the city.
Four specialists.
Four hunters.
Four nightmares.
Their objective remained unchanged.
Capture.
Not kill.
Yè Yī.
Qiū Huà Bǐ.
Together they were becoming troublesome.
Apart—
Much easier.
Lú Zhèngyáng never knew any of this.
He simply believed he had finally found people who understood him.
Which was exactly what Huáng Nián Qīng wanted.
Meanwhile—
Violet already knew.
Of course she did.
The future unfolded around her constantly.
Possibilities.
Outcomes.
Fragments.
She saw Huáng Nián Qīng's meetings.
She saw Lú Zhèngyáng's resentment.
She saw the trap being constructed piece by piece.
And did absolutely nothing.
Not because she didn't care.
Because timing mattered.
Interfering too early would simply change the route.
Not the destination.
So she watched.
One afternoon she sat on a rooftop overlooking campus.
A notebook open beside her.
A drink in her hand.
Below—
Lú Zhèngyáng approached Yè Yī.
Attempt Number One.
"Hey."
Yè Yī looked up.
"...Yes?"
"My name's Lú Zhèngyáng."
Silence.
"...Okay."
More silence.
"..."
"..."
Eventually Lú Zhèngyáng left.
From the rooftop—
Violet laughed.
Actually laughed.
Almost spilling her drink.
Attempt Number Two.
Two days later.
Cafeteria.
Lú Zhèngyáng sat opposite Qiū Huà Bǐ.
"Can I ask you something?"
"No."
"...I haven't asked yet."
"Preventative measure."
"..."
"..."
Qiū Huà Bǐ continued eating.
The conversation died immediately.
Violet almost fell off the rooftop.
Because despite seeing it beforehand—
It was still funny.
Lú Zhèngyáng was trying.
Genuinely trying.
The problem was—
Yè Yī and Qiū Huà Bǐ were possibly the worst social targets in existence.
One avoided people instinctively.
The other avoided people recreationally.
Even Huáng Nián Qīng was beginning to lose patience.
Inside another tea shop meeting—
Lú Zhèngyáng sighed heavily.
"They're impossible."
Huáng Nián Qīng smiled.
For the first time—
The smile didn't reach his eyes.
"Keep trying."
The hunt was almost ready.
Only one week remained.
And Violet—
Sitting quietly beneath the evening sky—
Simply turned another page.
Waiting.
Because some futures only revealed themselves when people believed they were winning.