Chapter Forty-Eight: Here for Shi Lewen

After leaving the office building, Shi Le politely bid farewell to Qin Anyi and Wang Yiran, then briskly made his way toward the classroom building, leaving Qin Anyi and Wang Yiran a relatively quiet space to talk. Shi Le’s deliberate effort to keep his distance from Wang Yiran genuinely surprised Qin Anyi. By all rights, in the entirety of Changqing No.1 High, as long as one was male, it should have been impossible to be immune to Wang Yiran’s charm. Even if Shi Le was one of the top three students alongside Wang Yiran, he ought to harbor admiration and affection for her. Yet, in the few interactions Qin Anyi had observed, Shi Le had never shown any special emotion toward Wang Yiran. Could he be gay?

“You really do keep surprising me,” Wang Yiran said with interest, interrupting Qin Anyi’s wandering thoughts.

Qin Anyi scratched his head. “In what regard?”

“As for expelling Guo Qingyuan, I know for certain I didn’t exert any pressure on the school. Since it was my own business, I couldn’t use the influence of the Dragonriders. The only one who could have moved the school would be you. Just now, Vice Principal Li asked you to send regards to Secretary Wei. There aren’t many named Wei in all of Changqing, and the only one the school would treat with such respect is Wei Qinghai. That’s why you surprise me. According to the Dragonriders’ background check on your family, there’s no way you should know an official at the vice-ministerial level.”

“Well… to be honest, I didn’t expect it either. But the result is good, and your will to be strong shouldn’t be shaken by such trifles. A true strong one influences others, not the other way around,” Qin Anyi replied truthfully. He himself was full of questions and wanted to talk to Wei Dong—how had things escalated to enlist the biggest boss in Changqing?

“By the way, what’s the story with Shi Le? Last time, when we were about to withdraw from the team, he also announced his withdrawal, showing the greatest support for you. Yet, in these past two encounters, he’s been so cold toward you. He doesn’t seem interested in you at all. If he isn’t, why did he support you before?”

“You noticed his peculiarity as well?” Wang Yiran’s eyes sparkled as she wrapped her arm around Qin Anyi’s, delighted. “The main reason I transferred to Changqing No.1 High was because of him.”

“What?” Qin Anyi hadn’t expected such an answer. Peculiarity? What peculiarity… He simply found it odd. Hearing Wang Yiran say she came to the school for Shi Le unsettled him deeply.

Noticing the change in Qin Anyi’s expression, Wang Yiran quickly understood and chuckled softly. “Don’t get the wrong idea. It’s not what you think. I transferred here for Shi Le because I realized he has the potential to become a Dragonrider.”

“It’s much easier to observe him at the same school. The selection process for Dragonrider candidates is extremely strict. For people like us, whose parents are already Dragonriders, we not only need to experience ordinary life to eventually become full-fledged Dragonriders, but we’re also tasked with finding outstanding new candidates among the public during our training.”

“Really?” Once again, Qin Anyi was caught off guard. “But Shi Le doesn’t seem aware of your identity. If it’s about selecting new blood, why hasn’t he been confirmed after two years?”

“You think everyone is as monstrous as you? You should know, you’re the most terrifying mind I’ve ever encountered! There’s no one in the entire Dragonriders who can surpass you in that regard. Though your combat ability is still insignificant, I believe with your extraordinary intellect, you’ll become a top expert sooner or later. That’s why I broke protocol and recommended you for probationary Dragonrider after just two days, qualifying you for selection.”

She rolled her eyes. “But that doesn’t mean the selection for probationary Dragonriders is simple! Even five or six years of observation is normal.”

“Five or six years? Then what’s the point of becoming a probationary Dragonrider? After so long, wouldn’t they have missed the optimal period for physical training? Are Dragonriders all in their thirties or forties? How strong could they possibly be then? The body starts declining after twenty, after all…”

“That’s what you don’t understand. Anyone who can become an official Dragonrider has already unlocked part of their genetic lock. Those who do have strong resistance to aging—their physical peak is in their thirties and forties. Depending on the extent of unlocking, the decline might not set in until sixty or even ninety. Don’t judge Dragonriders by ordinary standards; they’re the nation’s most powerful individual combatants,” Wang Yiran said with disdain.

“Alright, so what’s so special about Shi Le that caught your attention?” Qin Anyi changed the subject.

“You haven’t figured it out? Then why did you ask just now? I thought you’d already seen what makes him unique,” Wang Yiran replied, surprised.

“I just thought his attitude toward you was odd… Not like a normal man at all. He should have reacted like Guo Qingyuan, so I suspected he was gay,” Qin Anyi answered blankly.

Wang Yiran was momentarily speechless, shaking her head. “Men and women really do focus on completely different things. What sets Shi Le apart from everyone else is that he’s a natural-born opportunist with extraordinarily accurate judgment—the very best kind.”

“An opportunist?”

“That’s right. Shi Le stood with me previously, even willing to withdraw just to support me—not because he liked me, but because he saw the opportunity. Simply put, he didn’t believe Guo Qingyuan could ultimately make the team, even if Guo had a secretary-general for a father. He preferred me, so he chose to support me. For Shi Le, it was just a matter of choice.”

She paused, her tone serious. “He knew nothing of my background when he made that decision, yet he was fully aware of Guo Qingyuan’s. Likewise, I’m certain he had no idea you could reach someone at the level of the municipal secretary. He made his choice on instinct alone!”

“He saw the opportunity and seized it. And he did so perfectly—not remaining silent, but taking a clear stand, which naturally earned our goodwill.”

Seeing Qin Anyi still somewhat lost, Wang Yiran continued, “Yes, he likes me, but he’ll never try to please me or get close, because his judgment is razor-sharp. He knows I could never like him, so he won’t waste his time.”

“So what’s the use of an opportunist?” Qin Anyi still didn’t get it.

“The Dragonriders are desperate for such talent. Unlike you, who always need data to support your conclusions, Shi Le’s ability to seize opportunities is pure instinct. Over two years of observation, I found that making the right call at the right moment is his innate gift. He’s so calm he’s almost cold-blooded—always able to make the optimal decision under any circumstances. Someone like that is perfect for a tactical mastermind, someone who commands the broader picture. Even if he’s lacking in personal combat power, it hardly matters.”

She looked forward, her voice full of anticipation. “The application to bring him in as a probationary Dragonrider will likely be approved within a month. Once you’ve developed further, our greatest shortcoming will be resolved—a born opportunist and a human calculator working together on future Dragonrider operations. That will be truly exciting.”

“Of course, you both still have a long way to go before reaching that stage, but I believe that day will come.”