Chapter 108.2: It Continues
If Nan Yun and the other two found out, all they could do was worry helplessly.
Nan Yu didn't want to add to their troubles, so the moment he thought about contacting Fu Yu'ang, he immediately abandoned the idea.
Yu Lanfeng looked at the two trembling students standing nearby.
"They're the ones?"
Nan Yu nodded.
"Yes."
Yu Lanfeng replied, "Leave this matter to me. I'll have people from the legion contact them. Just focus on your classes."
Nan Yu smiled.
"Alright. I knew contacting you would solve it."
Yu Lanfeng looked deeply into his eyes.
"Keep thinking that way."
Nan Yu fell silent.
Fine.
He would keep thinking that way.
After ending the call, Nan Yu looked at the senior students, whom he had never met before.
"I'm sorry, but I can't accept interviews. If you want to interview me, then our conversation can only appear in written form. I've already informed someone about what happened just now, and they'll handle the matter."
"As for the two of you..."
"I'm sure someone will contact you shortly. I hope you'll cooperate."
The two of them sat there trembling.
There wasn't even a trace of the arrogance they'd shown moments earlier.
Yang Zhou snorted.
"Our food's here. Let's eat first."
"We came to the cafeteria to eat. We're not leaving without eating."
"The ones who should leave are these two. They're really irritating. I don't know why they've been standing around here the whole time..."
However, Yang Zhou quickly stopped complaining internally.
Both of them received communications almost simultaneously.
After giving slight bows, they hurried away.
Yang Zhou pointed in the direction they had left.
"They're leaving just like that?"
Nan Yu nodded.
"Yeah. I don't actually know how serious this matter is, but one thing I do know is..."
"He'll definitely take it very seriously."
Yang Zhou suddenly covered his eyes.
"I'm blind..."
Nan Yu blinked.
"Hm?"
Yang Zhou lowered his hands and looked at him.
"You two blinded me with your sweetness."
Nan Yu rarely found himself speechless.
Was Yang Zhou seriously starting to complain about being force-fed romance?
Wait...
That wasn't right.
Didn't Yang Zhou have someone too...?
"Hey, don't just talk about me."
"Don't you have someone on your side as well? How's that progressing?"
Yang Zhou had just taken a bite of food when he nearly choked.
"What are you talking about?"
"The two of us are completely impossible, okay?"
"It was just a coincidence before."
"Don't overthink it."
"It's absolutely impossible."
Nan Yu nodded as though he'd suddenly understood.
"So that's how it is."
"I understand."
"Mhm."
"I understand."
Yang Zhou stared at him speechlessly.
Seeing that exaggerated reaction, it was obvious Nan Yu hadn't believed a word.
But there really wasn't anything between them.
Besides...
Even if both of them wanted something...
It still wouldn't be possible.
The Imperial Family.
Yuan Qiyang was the Crown Prince.
The unquestioned future Emperor.
There was simply no way someone like him could be together with a Low-Tier Mental Power User.
Although the current Emperor and Empress couldn't compare to Nan Yu in Mental Power...
They were still among the very best Mid-Tier Mental Power Users.
Someone like himself...
In the future, he'd probably only be able to make a living by taking on the simplest commissions.
Thinking pitifully to himself, Yang Zhou completely forgot about the enormous inheritance he had received.
Even if he never worked another day in his life, he could still live comfortably.
Nan Yu didn't continue teasing him.
"Just eat."
"Everything should either be left to develop naturally, or you should fight for it with everything you've got."
"If you give up first..."
"Then it really will become impossible."
Yang Zhou felt those words were directed at him.
Yet he couldn't refute them.
"You're right."
Although he said that...
He still had no intention of taking action.
The gap between the two of them simply couldn't be crossed.
Unless he could...
Yang Zhou's mood visibly sank.
Nan Yu knew he had touched on something he shouldn't have.
But he already planned to help Yang Zhou become a Mid-Tier Mental Power User in the future.
Once that happened, the supposedly insurmountable barrier between him and Yuan Qiyang would no longer exist.
Besides...
Nan Yu also wanted to see what kind of person Yuan Qiyang truly was.
If Yuan Qiyang could withstand all the pressure and stay with the person he genuinely loved...
Then Nan Yu would definitely give them both an enormous surprise in the future.
If he couldn't...
Then he'd simply give the surprise to Yang Zhou alone.
Thinking that way made Nan Yu feel much better.
"This one tastes really good."
"It looks like the ingredients were delivered fresh."
"Give it a try."
Yang Zhou took a bite.
His mood visibly brightened almost instantly.
So...
He was really a foodie.
"It's delicious!"
"This flavor is incredible."
"I've had this dish before, but it never tasted this good."
"Did they change chefs?"
Nan Yu shook his head.
"The chef definitely hasn't changed."
"It's because the ingredients are very fresh."
"They probably arrived less than three days ago."
"The ingredients they used before were definitely over half a month old, or frozen."
Yang Zhou immediately said,
"Let's order another serving."
Nan Yu shook his head again.
"Each person can only order one."
"We've both already ordered ours."
"So we can't."
Yang Zhou immediately wilted.
But he recovered just as quickly.
Between the two portions they already had, there was more than enough.
People shouldn't be too greedy.
While the two of them enjoyed their meal...
The two students who had left the cafeteria were drowning in regret.
They had already been quietly escorted to a concealed office belonging to the legion inside the academy.
"It's these two?"
"Yes."
"That's right."
"These are their photos."
The image was unmistakably a screenshot taken from the communication between Yu Lanfeng and Nan Yu earlier.
It had clearly been captured while the call was in progress.
The two students obediently handed over their accounts.
The legion temporarily took control of them.
Using their own technical specialists, they quickly identified everyone who had been online during the livestream.
Then, through confidential tracking methods, they connected to nearly every optical computer involved.
Anyone who had left evidence of recording the livestream or taking screenshots...
Would be tracked all the way to the end.
After nearly three hours of work...
Official Imperial notices were sent directly to every optical computer belonging to people who possessed videos or images.
At the same time, every video and every screenshot was permanently destroyed.
Nothing remained.
Soon afterward, the two students were released.
Earlier, viewers had all claimed they had deleted everything.
That not a single copy remained.
Yet the legion's investigation uncovered nearly ten thousand saved copies.
And there had only been thirty to forty thousand viewers in the livestream.
Although the two students had been released...
That didn't mean the operation was over.
If someone hadn't used their own optical computer to record or take screenshots...
If they had instead used another device to film the livestream screen...
Then current technology had no way of tracing those copies.
Very quickly, another order was issued from above.
Every single person who had been present in the livestream...
Would be investigated one by one.
No exceptions.
If nothing unusual turned up...
That would be the best outcome.
But if anything suspicious appeared...
That would become a serious problem.
Because investigations took time.
For the legion, investigating thirty to forty thousand people wasn't an impossible workload.
It wasn't especially large.
Nor was it particularly small.
It was simply troublesome.
After the first round of screening...
Nearly ninety percent were eliminated.
Fewer than three thousand remained.
"These fewer than three thousand individuals require detailed investigation."
"Some have completely normal identities."
"Some are orphans."
"Some are unemployed drifters."
"Some even hold relatively influential positions within the Empire."
"None of them can be overlooked."
Nan Yu had no idea that this incident would create such enormous trouble.
All he knew was that once he contacted Yu Lanfeng...
Yu Lanfeng would take care of everything for him.
After lunch, Nan Yu headed back toward the classroom.
He never expected that, in this relatively secluded area where almost no students passed during this time of day...
He would run into Bai Zhouyun.
"So it's you?"
"You actually still dare to wander around?"
Bai Zhouyun frowned slightly before relaxing again.
"Xiao Yu."
"Were you worried about me?"
"You don't have to be."
"I didn't use anything."
"No matter how they slander me, I'll get through this."
Nan Yu blinked.
"You really didn't use those things?"
Bai Zhouyun nodded immediately.
"Of course I didn't."
"The hospital, the Imperial military, and the police have all examined me."
"There isn't a single problem."
"It's just that the rumors on the StarNet have become more and more intense."
"I can barely even leave the house now."
Nan Yu opened his mouth, unsure what to say.
But...
"If that's really true..."
"Then congratulations."
Bai Zhouyun paused.
"Congratulations?"
"...You're right."
"I suppose congratulations are in order."
Nan Yu nodded.
"Since everything's fine, we'll be leaving."
Unlike before...
Whenever Yang Zhou encountered Bai Zhouyun, he would at least throw out a few sarcastic remarks.
At the very least, he'd roll his eyes.
Yet this time...
He remained behind Nan Yu the entire time with his head lowered, saying nothing.
As though Yang Zhou didn't even exist, Bai Zhouyun continued,
"By the way, Xiao Yu."
"It feels like we haven't had a meal together alone in a very long time."
"How about..."
Nan Yu raised a hand to stop him.
"You're mistaken."
Bai Zhouyun blinked.
"What?"
Nan Yu looked directly at him.
"It's not that we haven't eaten alone together in a long time."
"It's that we've never eaten alone together."
Back then...
Nan Yu had looked forward to spending time alone with Bai Zhouyun countless times.
Yet every time they went out...
Yun Feiyu was there.
Whenever they played together...
It was Yun Feiyu.
Whenever they ate together...
It was still Yun Feiyu.
In short...
No matter what Nan Yu wanted to do with Bai Zhouyun...
Yun Feiyu always seemed able to smell it.
Every single time, he appeared at exactly the place they had arranged to meet, under the guise of some incredible coincidence.
Back then, Nan Yu had genuinely believed they were coincidences.
But thinking about it now...
How could there be so many coincidences?
Someone had obviously informed Yun Feiyu of the exact time and location of every meeting between him and Bai Zhouyun.
Besides Nan Yu himself...
Who else knew those details so precisely?
Only Bai Zhouyun.
Which meant the reason Yun Feiyu always arrived so perfectly on time...
Was because Bai Zhouyun had told him.
Bai Zhouyun instinctively wanted to deny it.
But after thinking carefully...
It really was true.
Back then, because he looked down on Nan Yu, and because of the inferiority complex buried deep inside himself, he had never wanted to spend time alone with Nan Yu.
So every single time...
He invited Yun Feiyu along.
Looking back now...
His former self had truly been trying to destroy himself.
Even after everything that had happened, Nan Yu still hadn't openly said he wanted to cancel the engagement.
That alone was already unbelievably merciful.
If he weren't talking about himself...
Bai Zhouyun would have cursed his past self for being an absolute idiot.
Fortunately...
There was still a chance to start over.
"It doesn't matter."
"Our first meal alone can start now."
"What do you think?"
Nan Yu considered it for a moment before still refusing.
"If my brothers found out, they definitely wouldn't let you off easily."
"And there are people from the legion following me all the time now."
"No matter what you say to me..."
"They'll report every word."
When Nan Yu mentioned his brothers, Bai Zhouyun had instinctively been about to say it didn't matter.
But after hearing the latter half...
He immediately realized how serious things were.
If someone was monitoring them the entire time...
Then saying the words he'd become accustomed to saying to Nan Yu...
Would make him die of embarrassment.
And on top of that...
Their entire conversation would be reported.
After thinking for a long time, Bai Zhouyun could only say,
"In that case..."
"Let's meet another time."
Nan Yu nodded.
"Oh, right."
"Right now, practically every trending topic on the StarNet is about you."
Bai Zhouyun smiled.
"I knew Xiao Yu would be worried about me."
"You've been angry with me all this time."
"It's my fault."
"I should have spent more time talking with you and eating with you..."
Nan Yu rolled his eyes.
"If there's nothing else, we're leaving."
"We still have evening classes."
Those eye rolls convinced Bai Zhouyun that things hadn't entirely gone according to his expectations...
But overall, the situation still seemed manageable.
What Bai Zhouyun didn't know...
Was that the only reason he'd managed to intercept Nan Yu here today...
Was because someone had secretly helped him.
Only thanks to that assistance had he been able to appear here at precisely the right moment to stop Nan Yu.