Fifth Jue

A week later, when Ji Ning finally finished a day of agonizing lessons and dragged his exhausted body toward the Ambrose Restaurant, an unexpected visitor was waiting for this so-called failure with calm patience.

It was impossible not to notice this uninvited guest. Although he, like most students at Deer Academy, appeared composed yet eccentric, simply sitting on a bench alongside the academy’s pathway, Ji Ning had a strange feeling at first glance: he was waiting for someone, and that someone was likely himself.

This suspicion was confirmed when the young man looked at Ji Ning and smiled, signaling him to come over.

He looked to be around twenty, with a slender neck, motionless and restrained collarbones, a pale yet refined Asian face—handsome, certainly, but his gaze made it impossible to scrutinize his features. Those eyes, which should have been enchanting, were instead filled with detachment. Anyone could easily grasp the meaning within them: he was an observer, drifting outside this world. People who saw his eyes for the first time always doubted whether they were already dead. Under that indescribable gaze, Ji Ning felt like a corpse, while the young man was the mortician watching over him.

When he withdrew his courteous smile, an unprecedented emotion engulfed Ji Ning’s heart—a crushing sense of psychological and physiological oppression born from a difference in innate strength, the most primal and honest form of fear, like a white mouse facing a cat whose smile has vanished.

Had this happened before all else, Ji Ning wouldn’t have hesitated for a second; he would have followed his instincts and fled. But after enduring Deer Academy’s oppressive education, Ji Ning could barely force his trembling legs to move toward the stranger. Fear was the most useless emotion in Deer Academy; it changed nothing.

Even if it was just an act, even if a gun was pressed to your temple, you had to calmly compliment your opponent’s well-maintained weapon. This was one of the few qualities Ji Ning had managed to acquire at Deer Academy.

“It’s been a while,” the young, elegant man greeted Ji Ning.

“I’m sorry, I don’t recall ever meeting you,” Ji Ning stopped about three meters away, certain he had never seen this man. No one could forget such an instinctive, irresistible sense of fear.

The young man didn’t bother to explain his identity. He observed Ji Ning with interest, his sweeping gaze like an army of silent ants, quietly encircling their prey—not attacking, nor fearing resistance, but making you understand the meaning of surrender.

After a brief silence, the man smiled, “Indeed, it’s been a long time. Remember, the certificate that brought you here? I was present when that letter was handed to you.”

Before Ji Ning could ask, he continued, “No need to doubt. The reason you think you haven’t met me is simple: I chose not to let you notice me then. At the time, you were just an ordinary person standing at a crossroads in life. If all had gone well, our paths would never have crossed. But things never go smoothly.”

“Who are you people?” Ji Ning didn’t think himself a favored child of fate—everyone loved themselves, so he knew everything had a price. That admission letter was a transaction. With it, he’d escaped SCP Foundation’s pursuit and entered an academy perfectly suited to him. The premise of a transaction was an equal exchange. Ji Ning wasn’t foolish enough to take the seemingly insignificant price seriously. Graduate from Deer Academy? What a joke. Even without that requirement, would Ji Ning ever give up halfway? This was his only chance for self-preservation; ordinary people could never stand against the SCP Foundation.

“No, not us. You should ask what organizations he and I represent, and what our goals are.”

“You’re from different organizations?”

“I represent the Hand of the Serpent, while the person who gave you the letter is from Nobody.”

“What’s the price?” Ji Ning asked the question he wanted answered most. He had no desire to be bound to some cynical organization plotting to surprise the world. He would repay his debt and then live his life, never crossing paths with these people again.

“It seems you’re not too stupid. But I’m sorry, I can’t disclose that. You’ll know when you need to know.” The young man spread his hands and shook his head.

“So why are you looking for me now?” Ji Ning didn’t understand what value he had. Reluctantly, he admitted he was probably the worst new student Deer Academy had ever seen.

“Nothing much, just curious about how you’re doing here.” The young man smiled again, but it brought Ji Ning no comfort. Weakness is the original sin of cowardice.

“Thank you for your concern. I’m doing well enough. If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave.” Ji Ning’s face was stiff. Clearly, this person should be about his age, yet spoke as if he were Ji Ning’s guardian. But Ji Ning could only endure it silently; the fear gnawed constantly at his heart.

“Well, then, don’t be afraid. In a sense, I’m one of your few protectors. If you need anything, you can find me at the Academic Office. Oh, and it’s best not to tell anyone I’m with the Hand of the Serpent.” The young man rose and walked past Ji Ning, his last words a request that sounded more like an irresistible command.

“What’s your name?” Ji Ning realized he still didn’t know.

“Fifth Jue.” The gentle yet compelling voice passed by Ji Ning, and Fifth Jue’s figure slowly vanished around the corner.

Only when the pressure faded with its owner’s departure did Ji Ning stumble onto the bench where Fifth Jue had just sat.

“Hand of the Serpent? Nobody? 655, do you know anything?” Ji Ning asked SCP-CN-655, and upon receiving a negative answer, he fell into thought.

These two organizations must be, like the SCP Foundation, part of the supernatural world, and they opposed the Foundation. For now, they offered support but hadn’t revealed their motives. Lost in conspiracy theories, Ji Ning got up and headed toward Ambrose Restaurant.

Fifth Jue wasn’t an obscure figure. After paying five coins for authentic Italian tiramisu, factoring in the cost of a transoceanic ticket, Ji Ning managed to learn all public information about Fifth Jue from a girl whose lips still bore traces of cheese.

“Professor Fifth, though he’s only seen at the school for a few months each year, is known by everyone as Deer Academy’s strongest combat professor. Not only is he the seventh honorary professor ever hired in the academy’s history, but most importantly, it’s because of his job. For the past three years, he’s been the protector during the graduation exam. Since then, the graduation exam has become the safest test in Deer Academy—no one has ever died during it. There was once a senior who accidentally triggered an ancient war machine of the Mechanist Empire during the exam, but even then, he survived.”

“What kind of war machine?”

“You’ve seen Miyazaki’s ‘Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind,’ right? Think of the Mechanist Empire’s war machines as a weakened version of the Giant Warriors from that film. I don’t know the specifics, but my teacher once casually mentioned the energy source for those machines.”

Afra paused, then absentmindedly slid her finger over the open Ambrose Restaurant menu. Ji Ning took the hint and asked the waiter to pack several desserts for her.

Afra nodded with satisfaction and spat out a single word, “Controlled nuclear fusion.”

“Isn’t that just Gundam?!” Ji Ning was stunned. Although supernatural history was a required course, he only had a general understanding of the Church of the Mechanical God, unlike Afra, who, as a student of ancient languages, knew these things inside-out.

“To be precise, it’s the Gundam among Gundams. The Church of the Mechanical God isn’t just about pure technology—they also have combat servitors.” Afra looked at Ji Ning seriously, her pride in her knowledge obvious.

“Fifth Jue... Professor Fifth is that powerful?” Ji Ning felt relieved. Not only did he no longer feel ashamed of his earlier fear, he even used an honorific. The strong were always worthy of respect, especially someone who could tear apart a Gundam with his bare hands. Ji Ning had a vague sense Fifth Jue wasn’t as young as he appeared—perhaps his age rivaled that of a certain long-lived queen.

“That senior’s graduation exam score was an A, because he handed in a damaged war machine.” Afra sounded a bit jealous. Everyone knew how that damaged war machine came to be, but he still got an A.

Speaking of exam results, both Ji Ning and Afra looked troubled. Deer Academy’s teachings made it clear the school prioritized practical experience, and no one knew if they would end up among the twenty-five percent who never graduated.

“By the way, how did you survive the attack of the Great Demon Hound last time?” Afra suddenly recalled the previous operation. She knew Zhao Tianxing had saved Ji Ning, but she was curious how Ji Ning had survived the initial attack. She remembered library records describing the Great Demon Hound as an attacker in most cases. While her borrowed amulet hadn’t helped, she refused to believe the hound had stopped him just to play fetch.

Just as Ji Ning hesitated about revealing his only ability, Afra winked at him, “Oh, it’s fine if you don’t want to say. Most people at Deer Academy have their own little secrets, some ability different from ordinary people. You must have some way to protect yourself.” Afra seemed to understand perfectly, and Ji Ning could only nod.

If Ji Ning knew what Afra was thinking at that moment, he wouldn’t have nodded so casually; he would have made up an excuse.

After packing her desserts and bidding Ji Ning farewell, Afra left the Ambrose Restaurant with a smile. Although this guy was a grade F failure, he unexpectedly had some way to protect himself. That meant he was at least grade E. What a useful ability—she’d drag him along for frontline missions next time.

“Fifth Jue.” Ji Ning didn’t ponder the mysterious smile Afra left him as she departed. He was deeply interested in Fifth Jue—a powerful honorary professor at Deer Academy who paid him special attention. It must be that Fifth Jue’s task with the Hand of the Serpent was somehow connected to him. Ji Ning didn’t mention his encounter with Fifth Jue to Afra, nor did he reveal Fifth Jue’s affiliation with the Hand of the Serpent. Although it was just a verbal request, Ji Ning instinctively kept the matter buried in his heart as Fifth Jue had asked.

No matter how the Hand of the Serpent or Nobody intended to use him, he knew he had to study hard at this academy. Only by becoming strong could he control his own destiny. He had no intention of obediently playing the pawn, for the interests of the player and the piece are often at odds.