29: Chapter 29: New Mission Released – This Time, Is It Scholarly Pursuit?

"A strange matter?" Jiang Feng leaned against the doorframe, showing no intention of moving aside.

"Jinghai University hasn't been peaceful lately." Old Mrs. Shen's voice was very low, audible only to the two of them. "Over at the library, several students have had mental issues; they all say they can hear books turning their own pages at night."

She paused for a moment, looking at Jiang Feng's face.

"It has nothing to do with me." Jiang Feng refused. "I'm not a private investigator."

"I know." Old Mrs. Shen smiled. "The Shen Family is the largest sponsor of Jinghai University. I don't want things to blow up and affect the school's centenary celebration. If you are willing to take a look, I can give you that undeveloped hot spring valley in the western suburbs."

Jiang Feng didn't speak.

Shen Xiaobao poked out from behind the old lady and handed over a photograph.

On the photo was a young girl, smiling sweetly, wearing a bachelor's gown.

"This is my granddaughter; she studies there too."

"Old Madam, let me repeat myself." Jiang Feng pushed the photo back. "I don't take private jobs. You know my rules."

Old Mrs. Shen looked at him for a long time. She took back the photo and sighed.

"Very well." She turned around, leaning on her cane. "Then I won't disturb you further."

A stretched truck drove out from the tree-lined path next to the villa and stopped at the courtyard gate.

Several workers jumped out of the car and opened the cargo hold. Inside was a complete set of brand-new yellow rosewood desks and chairs, intricately carved, the wood gleaming in the night.

"Take these as a housewarming gift for the Master." Old Mrs. Shen didn't look back. "The Master likes quiet; this set of furniture will best suit your study."

Jiang Feng looked at the antique furniture that was older than he was.

"I like soft things; find a time to return them." He said to Old Chen's retreating back.

"I understand..." Old Chen's back stiffened.

The truck drove away, and Old Mrs. Shen's Rolls-Royce also disappeared into the night.

There were no other sounds around the Lake Center Peninsula.

Jiang Feng closed the door, preparing to go back and catch up on sleep.

Bzz— A familiar crackle of electricity surged deep in his brain. Jiang Feng's footsteps stopped. He closed his eyes, his temples throbbing.

[New Mission Released] [Location]: Jinghai University West Gate (facing the library) [Time]: Daily morning 07:00-08:00 [Method]: Bone Reading/Physiognomy (Academic Edition) [Domain]: Academics/Career/Academic Misconduct, etc. [Goal]: Receive three customers and reveal the truth.

Jiang Feng opened his eyes and stared fixedly at that line of time. Daily morning 07:00-09:00. He pulled out his phone and checked the time. Two in the morning. Five hours later, he had to appear at the university gate.

"I hate 8 AM classes." Jiang Feng squeezed the four words through his teeth.

This damn system, does it really have to force me to go to Jinghai University and stir up trouble?

He kicked the shoe cabinet by the door; the cabinet didn't budge, but his toes throbbed with pain.

6:30 AM. The sky wasn't fully bright yet, and a layer of grey mist shrouded the city. The black lexus was parked on the side of the road opposite the West Gate of Jinghai University. The heater in the car was on full blast. Jiang Feng was wrapped in a thick, long black down jacket, huddled in the back row's captain's seat, not moving.

"Boss, it's time." Old Chen's voice came from the front row. Jiang Feng didn't move. "Boss?" Jiang Feng pulled the hood of his down jacket lower, exposing only his eyes. "I'm dead." His voice was hoarse.

Old Chen was silent for a moment. He unbuckled his seatbelt, walked to the back row, and opened the car door. A gust of cold air poured in. Old Chen bent down, reached out, and directly scooped up Jiang Feng's arm from under the down jacket, hauling him up from the seat.

"Ah—" Jiang Feng let out a miserable shriek. "Murder!" Old Chen stuffed that paint-chipped small stool into his arms and handed him an A4 sheet of paper and a roll of clear tape. "Go to work."

Jiang Feng shivered from the cold wind, his brain clearing up a bit. He looked at the tall stone school gate opposite, yawned, and tears welled up in the corners of his eyes. He didn't set up his stall like usual. He wobbled across the road and walked to the tall "Thinker" sculpture at the school gate.

The sculpture base was marble. Jiang Feng tore the tape and slapped the A4 paper onto the sculpture's thigh. On the paper were a few lines of printed bold text: [Academic Consultation, Specializing in Treating Confusion] [Failing grades, delayed graduation, choosing advisors, inability to publish papers, all okay] [No refunds on tuition]

After doing all this, he unfolded the small stool at the foot of the sculpture, sat down, then zipped his down jacket to the top, put on his hood, and tucked his hands into his pockets. He curled into a ball, with only a pair of eyes exposed.

Seven o'clock sharp. Students heading to early classes gradually increased. They rode shared bikes, or held soy milk and buns in their hands, hurried in their demeanor. Every time someone passed the sculpture, they would glance at that strange piece of paper, and the person wrapped up tightly beneath it.

"Look quick, what is that?" "Performance art? Or some club recruitment?" "Academic consultation? Are they crazy, so early in the morning." "Who is that person, huddled up like that, aren't they cold?"

Jiang Feng listened to these discussions and buried his face deeper. An old man wearing a security uniform walked over carrying a rubber baton and knocked on the base of the sculpture. "Hey! Young man, what are you doing?"

Jiang Feng looked up. He fumbled out a crumpled cigarette from his pocket and handed it over. The old man was stunned for a moment. He recognized the brand of this cigarette: Zhonghua.

"Sir." Jiang Feng's voice was muffled through the down jacket. "Waiting for someone." He pointed to the black lexus in the distance. "My family forced me to come experience life; my girlfriend is studying inside, waiting for her to finish class."

The security guard looked in the direction of his finger. Although that car had no license plate, it looked expensive at a glance. Looking at Jiang Feng's outfit again, although sloppy, the down jacket brand was Canada Goose. The old man listened and tucked the cigarette behind his ear.

"Then don't stick it here, it looks bad." "I'll tear it off immediately, as soon as she arrives." Jiang Feng replied vaguely. The old man didn't say anything more and carried his baton to patrol elsewhere.

Jiang Feng breathed a sigh of relief and shrunk his head back into the hood of his down jacket. Time passed second by second. Students watching the commotion came and went. Someone took out their phone to take pictures and posted them on the school forum. [Shock! Fortune-telling master appears at the West Gate, claiming to specialize in curing failing grades!] [Is it a scam or hype? Anyone want to test the waters?]

Someone replied to the post quickly. [Wait! This outfit! This small stool! Isn't this that Jiang the Half-Immortal from online?!] [Damn! Really? Why did he run to our school?] [Go watch! It's a live one!]

This post quickly attracted a large number of replies. Some students who didn't believe it initially also stopped and gathered in the distance, pointing and whispering. Jiang Feng frowned. He had specifically changed his down jacket today, but didn't expect to be recognized anyway. It seems the recognizability of that small stool is too high.

"Master! Is it really you?!" A girl shouted boldly. Jiang Feng ignored her. He just wanted to complete the mission now and then go back to sleep.

Just when the crowd started to gather, a boy squeezed in from the periphery of the crowd. He was about twenty-five or twenty-six, wearing thick, bottle-bottom glasses, his hair greasy and matted into strands, and the plaid shirt on his body was also wrinkled.

His complexion was sallow, his eye sockets sunken, and his spirit was listless. He wasn't watching the commotion, but staring fixedly at the paper Jiang Feng had stuck on the sculpture. He paced in place for a long time. His hand was in his pocket, pinching a hard paper corner, wanting to walk over several times, but retreating again each time.

Finally, he gritted his teeth, pushed through the crowd, and walked in front of Jiang Feng. The surrounding noise died down. The boy lowered his head, not daring to look at Jiang Feng. He took out a neatly folded paper from his pocket. It was a withdrawal application for Jinghai University.

"I..." The boy's voice was dry and hoarse. "I saw your sign." He handed the application to Jiang Feng. "Can you calculate whether I should continue reading for this PhD?"

Jiang Feng looked up. As he looked at this boy, the system interface unfolded before his eyes. He hadn't seen anything else clearly yet. Jiang Feng only noticed that this boy clearly possessed a prominent forehead bone and straight brow bones—this was the standard "Wenquxing" bone structure, signifying academic success and quick wit.

But his entire face was shrouded in a thick layer of grey-black aura, exuding decay.