The next morning.
The schoolyard was filled with sunlight, a gentle breeze blowing through the trees.
Aurora walked into the classroom with a cold face, her eyes seemed to sweep over everything without stopping at anyone. Her footsteps tapped lightly on the floor, each step, but made the air seem thick.
In the row of desks behind, F3 sat silently.
Jenden crossed his arms, his eyes as sharp as knives, not leaving Aurora for a second since she entered. Marcus rested his chin on his hand, while Liam observed, occasionally glancing at Jenden as if to gauge his reaction.
No one spoke, but all three were remembering the slap yesterday.
Jenden narrowed his eyes, his gaze filled with calculation. In his mind, a single thought repeated over and over:
"Either way… you will belong to me."
The sound of light footsteps approached.
Xiao-Yu appeared with a clear smile, placing the milk carton on Marcus's table:
"Here, drink it, I'll buy more."
Then she turned to F3:
"Remember this Sunday! Aurora will go mountain climbing with F4. You guys will regret it if you miss it."
Liam raised his eyebrows, glanced at Jenden:
"Did you hear that? A golden opportunity."
Marcus smiled half-heartedly:
"On the mountain... no one interferes."
Jenden tilted his head slightly, the corner of his lips curled into a cold smile.
A dangerous glint flashed in his eyes:
"On the mountain... you won't be able to escape."
Aurora was standing at the back of the class, flipping through her books as if she didn't care.
But her ears heard every word clearly.
She closed her eyes slightly, taking a deep breath. Not because of fear.
But that was the reason she came here, to live among humans, to see with her own eyes and understand even the darkest corners within them.
Aurora's eyes were cold, but in the depths of her eyes flashed a hint of challenge:
"If that's the game you want... I'll play. But prepare to lose."
The sound of the classroom door opened.
F4 walked in, their uniform jackets draped loosely over their shoulders, their inherent confidence filling the space.
They headed straight to Aurora's table.
One of the group leaned over, placing his hand on the table:
"Aurora... where do you live? We'll pick you up on Sunday."
Aurora looked up, her clear eyes looking at them for less than a second, then she lowered her gaze back to her book, silent as if the question had never existed.
At that moment, F4 paused for a moment. The air between them was like a thin, taut string.
At the back table, F3 and Xiao-Yu had just sat down, next to a Shanghainese lady with long, sharp eyes. They tilted their heads, whispering but full of meaning:
"If we can separate Aurora from F4 on the mountain, everything will be easier."
"Let them be confident... and then fall into the trap."
"Up there... no one will help them."
Jenden remained silent, but his eyes were fixed on Aurora as if he was guessing her reaction.
Marcus and Liam smiled faintly, as if everything was in their hands.
Aurora kept turning the pages of her book, but every word, every breath of the conversation behind her fell into her ears.
In an instant, the corner of her lips curved into a sarcastic smile.
"How ridiculous... even the path, the mountain, the trees, the flowers, the fruits here... are all in my hands.
You are plotting to harm me right on the land I rule."
For Aurora is not only a princess.
She is also the heiress of Luneva, where the mountains obey her, and every flower bows as she walks.
That smile accidentally caught F4's eyes.
A person frowned and asked:
"What are you laughing at?"
Aurora raised her head slightly, her voice gentle but cold:
"I found it interesting... and also funny, so I laughed."
The answer made F4 pause. They looked at each other, neither of them fully understanding the hidden meaning behind it.
But Jenden, at the table behind, tightened his grip.
"That smile... will only be for me."
Seeing Aurora often sitting in a corner of the library, flipping through thick books on psychology and how to manipulate people, F4 began to have doubts.
Blake leaned against the table, glancing down at her:
"What are you reading these things for?"
Aurora didn't bother to raise her head, just continued to write a few notes in her small notebook.
Zane propped his chin up, his eyes examining:
"If you're so interested in people... why don't you ask us? We know the backgrounds of the whole class, even the whole school."
Aurora raised her eyes, her clear pupils flashing with coldness:
"Then tell me all the information about the whole school."
The space fell silent for a few seconds. Knox chuckled softly:
"We are the most powerful people among the students here. Okay, we'll tell you everything: information, background, and even the true personalities of each person. But..."
Easton leaned forward, his voice lazy but full of challenge:
"But you have to go to the bar and play billiards with us first. Then, we'll give you the most complete files on the students in the whole school. Okay?"
Aurora closed the book, her eyes as calm as a lake:
"Okay."
F4 looked at each other, each of them had a different hypothesis in mind. Maybe… she liked nature, nature, or simply interested in information about the students. But why?
While they were still discussing, Aurora remained seated, but every word they said reached her ears. Memories flooded back, the two older sisters from the past, who had lived among humans. They had fallen in love… but both had suffered tragic endings: one disappeared without a trace, the other died because of betrayal.
"All… for love." Aurora thought. Humans were the most unpredictable creatures she had ever known. Their inner selves could be a dark abyss, but their outer appearance wore a bright smile. She hated that. And to understand their true nature, she was willing to do anything.
Her parents… were still sealed in the thousand-year-old tree in Luneva. The royal tradition dictates that each generation must have a ruler, who is granted immortality. But if a mate is found, before the age of 100, the child must be born and let the child go out into the human world, learning about their dark side. Because humans are Luneva's greatest enemy.
Aurora knows that her parents can live for more than a thousand years, their bodies will remain youthful, but their strength will gradually weaken. She cannot hesitate. She must quickly find out the 100 special personalities of humans, and how they love, hate, betray, and protect...
Aurora's eyes narrowed slightly.
The trip to the bar... would only be the beginning.
That day's natural science class, the classroom was immersed in the pale yellow light from the large glass window. The lecturer, a middle-aged woman with her hair neatly tied up, stood in front of the class, holding a dry branch in her hand.
"Children, tell me what kind of tree this is, where it grows, and what is its function in the ecosystem?" her voice rang out clearly.
The whole class was silent.
F4 was resting their chins on their phones, F3 was exchanging bored glances, the young ladies from Shanghai were busy adjusting their makeup. They were all used to talking about supercars, billion-dollar watches, or lavish parties, but no one cared about "nonsense" things like trees.
Aurora, still sitting at the end table by the window, gently raised her head.
"That's a branch of the Lysera tree, a species endemic to the Luneva region and the northern mountain ranges. The tree has deep roots, holds the soil very well, the leaves secrete essential oils to repel insects, and the flowers only bloom when the moon is full. Each flower can provide pollen to treat respiratory diseases, but it must be harvested before dawn to preserve the active ingredients."
The whole class turned around.
The lecturer paused slightly, his eyes flashing with surprise and delight.
"Exactly… and what else do you know?"
Aurora replied calmly, as if she were stating the obvious:
"This tree is also a source of life for the Verith night bird, if it were lost, the food chain in that area would collapse. As for its wood… it should only be used when the tree has died naturally."
The teacher smiled brightly:
"Aurora, your knowledge is amazing. Do you want to join the school's natural and environmental research club?"
Aurora nodded slightly:
"I agree."
At the back of the class, F4 and F3, along with the Shanghai ladies, glanced at each other, finally understanding why she was so fascinated by books about nature and human psychology.
During recess, in the hallway on the third floor, F3 gathered with Xiao-Yu and the Shanghai girls.
Jenden glanced at Aurora who had just passed by, lowering his voice:
"This Sunday… on the mountain, the plan is the same. We will make her lose face in front of F4."
Liam curled his lips, and Marcus crossed his arms. Xiao-Yu added:
"The mountain climbing is a good opportunity. As long as we coordinate at the right time… no one will suspect anything."
Aurora stopped, not looking back, but every word they said reached her ears.
Ridiculous. That mountain, every trail, every tree, every rock… were all under her control. They were planning to set a trap right on the territory she was the next queen.
That evening, as the sky was falling into the sunset, Aurora walked through the schoolyard and heard loud laughter from the parking lot.
Jenden opened the car door and said,
"Velvet bar tonight. Call some more Shanghai ladies. We need to… discuss a plan."
His voice faded into the car music, but it was enough for Aurora to hear.
She just curled her lips, her eyes flashing a cold light. If they wanted to play, she would play… but according to her rules.
The sound of her shoes tapped rhythmically on the marble hallway. Aurora had just left the natural classroom, her arms tightly holding a thick book. Inside were all the symbols, maps and notes on herbs, ecosystems, things that few people in this luxurious school bothered about.
But as soon as she turned the corner of the stairs, a group of four figures blocked the way.
Blacke had slightly messy ash-brown hair, a tall and thin figure but sharp eyes like knives. He stood in the lead, leaning lightly on the handrail, looking at Aurora as if he were reading her every thought.
On the left was Knox, broad shoulders, shirt open at the top button, black eyes shining with cold arrogance.
Zane stood with his arms crossed, his lips curled into a smile as if this was just a pastime.
As for Easton, he looked worldly, half-smiling but his gaze saw through all secrets.
Blacke spoke first, his voice low and steady:
"If you want the entire school's records… you should tell us where you live. It will be easier to deliver the documents."
Aurora stopped, her eyes unwavering.
"No need. Just prepare everything tonight. I'll go get it… at the bar."
Knox frowned:
"Do you know what you're asking for? We're the most powerful people among the students here. No one can touch those files."
Aurora tilted her head, her voice soft but full of certainty:
"Then let me see it all the more. You said you'd give me all the information, family background, personality revealed on the outside… I want it exactly like that. Nothing less."
Zane chuckled, as if he was challenging her:
"So in return, what will you do?"
Easton put his hands in his pockets, took a step forward, and leaned down slightly closer to her face:
"Go to the bar and play pool with us. Then, you'll have the most complete files. Okay?"
Aurora was silent for a few seconds, her eyes shifting from one person to another, as if she was weighing them more than making a request.
Then she nodded slightly:
"Okay. But I won't promise to let you win at the pool table... if it's the second time."
The answer made all four of them pause. She did not dodge, nor was she afraid, but it was as if she had seen through all their hidden intentions.
When Aurora turned and walked away, the sound of her shoes echoed evenly, leaving the four men standing in the dimly lit hallway.
Blacke looked after her, his voice low enough for the group to hear:
"She's not like anyone else here."
Knox nodded slightly, but his eyes were still suspicious.
Zane joked:
"Or does she like us so she agreed to go to the bar?"
Easton glanced at Zane, smiling faintly:
"No. She wants information. And she will do anything to get it."
They didn't know, every word they said reached Aurora's ears.
And in her mind, the memories of her two older sisters from years ago resurfaced, one missing, one dead because of betrayal by the very person they loved. All of those things were engraved in blood, in hatred.
"Humans… always smile even when their hearts are rotten."
Aurora clutched the book in her hand. To unseal her parents under the ancient tree, she must quickly discover the unique characteristics of humans, the greatest enemy of Luneva.