The road to Notting City was dusty.
Six-year-old him walked beside the village elder, expression calm.
Inside?
Strategizing.
Level 9 spirit power before enrollment.
System rewards stacking.
One confirmed copy holder:
Xiao Wu
Which meant one thing.
She already knew he knew.
And that changed everything.
Notting Academy stood modest but proud.
White walls.
Blue banners.
Children everywhere.
The moment he stepped inside—
A subtle warmth brushed against his chest.
Golden thread.
Closer now.
He scanned the courtyard.
Then he saw her.
Pink hair tied in a soft scorpion braid.
Bright eyes.
Playful smile.
But today—
Her gaze was searching.
And when it landed on him—
It sharpened.
She froze.
He didn't.
He walked forward naturally.
The thread pulsed.
System notification:
[Karmic Thread Resonance Increased — Xiao Wu]
Interesting.
Very interesting.
She approached first.
Bold.
Just like canon.
"You're new?" she asked, hands behind her back.
Her tone was cheerful.
But her eyes were probing.
He smiled gently.
"Yeah. First day."
Pause.
She leaned slightly closer.
"Do I know you?"
There it was.
Test one.
He tilted his head.
"I don't think so."
A flicker of confusion crossed her face.
Good.
So she didn't know his identity.
Only the diary.
Which meant copy holders saw entries—
But not the author.
Perfect.
That night.
Dormitory quiet.
He opened the diary.
[Diary Entry #7]
Met Xiao Wu today.
She's more cautious than in canon.
Seems my earlier entries affected her trust patterns.
Good.
That means influence is real.
Her eyes are sharper than Tang San deserves.
Pause.
He added deliberately:
She suspects someone knows her secret.
But she doesn't know it's me.
Yet.
The page glowed faintly.
Notification:
[Copy Holder Emotional Surge Detected]Reward: Spirit Power Stabilization
He smirked.
Somewhere in the girls' dorm—
Xiao Wu sat upright in bed, clutching the glowing diary.
Her heart raced.
"He's here…"
She knew it.
The writer was near.
Morning.
Combat assessment.
Basic sparring.
Students lined up.
He kept quiet.
Observed.
Then—
A familiar blue-clothed boy entered the courtyard.
Calm eyes.
Hidden arrogance.
Tang San
The protagonist of destiny.
The original cheat.
Their eyes met briefly.
No sparks.
No hatred.
Just evaluation.
So this is him.
Tang San's gaze lingered slightly.
Perhaps sensing something different.
Good.
Let him wonder.
Instructor called names.
He stepped into the ring.
Opponent: random village kid.
Weak.
But he didn't dominate instantly.
He controlled output.
Measured.
Precision over power.
A clean throw.
Minimal force.
Victory.
Murmurs spread.
Level 9 already noticeable.
Across the yard—
Xiao Wu watched carefully.
Not smiling now.
Studying him.
Comparing diary tone to real personality.
Smart girl.
Afternoon break.
She cornered him near the academy wall.
Direct.
"You write nicely."
Silence.
Wind blew softly.
He looked at her calmly.
"Write?"
Her eyes widened slightly.
Then narrowed.
She stepped closer.
Close enough that he could see faint anxiety behind her confidence.
"You know things you shouldn't."
There it is.
He lowered his voice slightly.
"And you're afraid of being known."
Her breath hitched.
The golden thread between them flared brightly.
System alert:
[Major Fate Divergence Opportunity Detected]
He leaned closer—not threatening.
Gentle.
"I won't expose you."
Truth.
She searched his eyes.
Looking for malice.
Found none.
Only curiosity.
And something else.
Interest.
That night.
Diary Entry #8.
Xiao Wu confronted me today.
She's braver than canon shows.
If Tang San protects her because of destiny—
I'll protect her because I choose to.
Difference matters.
The page shimmered gold.
New notification.
[Diary Function Upgrade Unlocked]— View Emotional Status of Copy Holders— Limited Anonymous Message Option (1 per week)
He sat up.
This…
This was powerful.
Emotional status panel opened.
Xiao Wu:Curiosity — HighCaution — ModerateTrust — Forming
He exhaled slowly.
System-flow progression confirmed.
Slow growth.
Organic.
Not forced.
Across the academy—
Tang San sat quietly polishing hidden weapons.
He frowned faintly.
For some reason—
Xiao Wu was distracted today.
And she kept glancing toward the new boy.
A small deviation.
But in stories like this—
Small deviations become catastrophes.
Back in bed, the MC stared at the ceiling.
This was only the beginning.
One girl.
One thread.
Soon—
Others would awaken.
Ning RongrongZhu ZhuqingAnd far away in Spirit Hall…
Bibi Dong
The diary system wasn't romance.
It was influence.
And influence—
Scaled infinitely.
He closed his eyes.
Tomorrow—
He would test the anonymous message function.
Carefully.
Because once more girls start reading—
The real chaos begins.