An idea sparked in Gao Neng’s mind, and he quickly had an answer. "Because I’m a super genius! Have you forgotten? My blood contains a special kind of energy. I just have to make a little cut on my hand, and the energy in my blood can fuse with a power source!"

As he spoke, Gao Neng waved his finger, which had a small cut on it, in front of Shen Ning’Er. A single, fresh drop of blood still clung to it.

"Fusing blood energy with a power source?" Shen Ning’Er mused for a long moment before finally nodding. "So that’s how it is... Fine! I can teach you, but to be honest, I’m not sure if someone with your condition can actually learn it."

"Anyway, it’s not like trying will get anyone preg... uh, what I mean is, time is tight. I have to take down every team on the D-List within a month. So, why don’t you teach me now?" Gao Neng’s mind raced. ’I need a reasonable excuse to make Shen Ning’Er stay, and to lure her to my dorm, right?’

"Alright," Shen Ning’Er agreed.

Gao Neng’s heart leaped with joy. ’Next up is getting Shen Ning’Er to my dorm, right? But how do I pull that off?’

’I can’t just blurt out ’Hey, let’s go to my dorm and do some dual cultivation,’ can I?’

’She’d probably break one of my legs, nine times out of ten...’

While Gao Neng was pondering this, Shen Ning’Er, oblivious to his thoughts, found his troubled expression rather odd.

"Is something else wrong?" Shen Ning’Er asked.

"It’s nothing. I was just thinking, if I want to win with the element of surprise, shouldn’t I keep this quiet until I’ve actually mastered energy manifestation?" Gao Neng decided it was best to be indirect.

"You mean you want to keep the fact that you’re learning energy manifestation a secret for now?"

"Exactly. It’d be mortifying if I failed to learn it. I’m a celebrity now, a genius! Besides, even if I do succeed, keeping it from my opponents is a tactic in itself, right?"

"Heh, you’re not entirely wrong. So, what’s your plan?"

"Let’s keep it a secret for now."

"Then how are you supposed to train? Should I call Grandpa Song and have him arrange a closed-off training room for us?" Shen Ning’Er added.

"Call Principal Song? Then he would know, wouldn’t he? Besides, no matter how private the training room is, you can still be seen. They have surveillance cameras."

"Mm, so where do you suggest we go?"

"It’s not about where I want to go. We need to find a place without any cameras, where we won’t be disturbed."

"Is there such a place?"

"Well, there is one... I’m just afraid you wouldn’t dare go," Gao Neng said, hesitating.

"Here at the Eastern Capital Military Academy, is there any place I wouldn’t dare go?" Shen Ning’Er said haughtily. She was an Alliance Major; she could even access the Academy’s most classified archives if she wanted to.

"You really dare?" Gao Neng asked, feigning surprise.

"Why wouldn’t I? Lead the way!" Shen Ning’Er said, cutting to the chase.

Gao Neng finally smiled.

He happily led the way. Shen Ning’Er really let her guard down around him. Then again, she really had nothing to worry about. After all, he was no match for her whatsoever.

Besides, this was the Eastern Capital Military Academy. The idea that something could happen to Shen Ning’Er here was a joke of cosmic proportions.

Gao Neng walked quickly.

Shen Ning’Er, without any reservations, walked shoulder-to-shoulder with him.

However, the crowd of students that had yet to fully disperse grew restless. Gao Neng was actually walking with Shen Ning’Er?

And most importantly...

The direction they were heading... looked like the dorms?!

Holy crap!

What the hell does Gao Neng think he’s doing?!

It wasn’t just the students who were shocked; even some of the academy’s instructors rubbed their eyes. Were they seeing things? Were the kids these days really so brazen?

"Principal Song, Shen Ning’Er followed Gao Neng into the dorms!"

"What?! You’ve got to be kidding me!"

"It’s true! The students all saw it, and I saw it with my own eyes. They walked over there shoulder-to-shoulder. Do you think something might happen? Should we... call Vice Commander Shen?"

"Call him? My ass! Vice Commander Shen is on the battlefield right now! Hurry and send someone to keep an eye on them. Don’t let anyone get near that dorm. What the hell is going on?" Song Tianyun was utterly flabbergasted by the instructor’s report.

He had already been preparing to have dinner with Wang Qixing and Shen Ning’Er.

But Shen Ning’Er had rebuffed his offer, insisting over and over that she was "just a student" and had "come to the Eastern Capital Military Academy simply to attend class," and then she had run off.

At the time, Song Tianyun hadn’t thought anything of it.

But now, thinking back on it...

This was a major incident!

She wasn’t here to attend class at all; she was clearly here for a tryst with Gao Neng! Then again, could you even call this a tryst? Running off to the dorms together so brazenly?

What was this supposed to be!

Were they really going public with their relationship?!

Song Tianyun’s head was seriously starting to throb. The worst part was, his hands were tied. He couldn’t exactly go burst in and catch them in the act, could he? Not only could he not do that, but he also had to post guards.

What a mess...

For the first time, Song Tianyun wondered if he was getting old. It was all too exhausting!

He could only hope the "young couple" would finish their business quickly. If this blew up into a huge scandal, Vice Commander Shen would probably come charging back from the battlefield.

...

The freshman dorms.

Outside the door to Gao Neng and Fang Tangtang’s private little courtyard.

Shen Ning’Er finally stopped. She scanned her surroundings. Even though she’d never been a student at the Eastern Capital Military Academy, she knew exactly where she was.

"This is the place you were talking about?" Shen Ning’Er stared at Gao Neng, her eyes locked on his face as the energy around her began to stir once more.

"I’m just a first-year student at the Eastern Capital Military Academy. The only place I could think of with no cameras is a dorm. But..." Gao Neng trailed off.

"But what?"

"If you’re scared, we can look for another place. It’s just, I don’t think I can get off campus right now. Could you help me with that? We could go off campus!"

"Are you implying I’m afraid you’ll eat me up?"

"I never said that. But with a man and a woman alone in a room, what if you accidentally fall into my trap? It’s not completely impossible, is it?" Gao Neng said, taunting her.

"Then I’d like to see you try!" Shen Ning’Er said, and without another word, she strode inside.

Gao Neng’s heart leaped into his throat.

’She’s finally inside!’

He had been terrified that one wrong move would make her bolt. If that had happened, he wouldn’t have known where to even start crying.

Luckily...

His current strength was truly pathetic. At least, in front of Shen Ning’Er, he couldn’t stir up any trouble. That was probably the real reason she dared to enter.

There was one thing, however, that Gao Neng couldn’t quite figure out.

’By walking in just like that, isn’t she at all afraid of her reputation being ruined?’

’Is it because I already publicly ’claimed’ her, so she’s just decided to roll with it? Or is it that Shen Ning’Er, having grown up in the Military Department, just doesn’t sweat the small stuff?’

Gao Neng figured the latter was more likely.

Shen Ning’Er came from the Military Department. There was a saying in the military: an upright person doesn’t fear a crooked shadow. If she truly cared about gossip, she probably would have used the school’s broadcast system to publicly deny any connection to him before they’d even met.

’But she didn’t publicly deny it.’

’That meant she either didn’t care much, or... she had other plans.’

"Are you coming in or not?" Shen Ning’Er’s voice called from inside the room.

"Oh, coming!" Gao Neng immediately went inside, but his hand paused just as he was about to close the door. ’The system’s mission is just to have Shen Ning’Er stay the night. Whether the door is closed or not... shouldn’t affect that, right?’

"Close the door!" Shen Ning’Er barked.

SLAM!

The door finally shut.

Outside, the two instructors on surveillance duty were dumbstruck.

What had they just seen?

Shen Ning’Er went in first?

And then she even ordered Gao Neng to shut the door!

At this point, if someone tried to tell them there was nothing special going on between Shen Ning’Er and Gao Neng, they wouldn’t believe it if you beat them to death.

"You go report to the Principal. I’ll stay here and keep watch!"

"Right!"

...

Inside the dorm room.

Shen Ning’Er’s gaze swept over every corner of the room.

It was very clean, obviously well-kept. Every item was placed neatly in its spot. The room had no strange odors, nor the scent of any perfume.

"Not bad," Shen Ning’Er nodded slightly. She didn’t think Gao Neng had cleaned up specially for her arrival; after all, he couldn’t have known she was coming.

The moment Gao Neng entered, he saw Shen Ning’Er standing with her back to him. For some reason, he felt oddly constrained. It was a strange feeling; this was his turf, after all.

’If anyone should feel awkward, it ought to be Shen Ning’Er, right?’

But that wasn’t the case at all.

On the contrary, Shen Ning’Er showed no signs of being ill at ease. She casually shrugged off her black military jacket, revealing a camouflage tank top underneath.

Her perfect curves were on full display.

"Haha, I don’t have any tea, just water. Want some?" A faint blush crept onto Gao Neng’s face, but he quickly covered it with a magnanimous laugh.

"Mm," Shen Ning’Er nodded.

Gao Neng immediately went to pour her some water. This wasn’t him being a coward; it was basic hospitality. After all, Shen Ning’Er had come specifically to teach him energy manifestation—and as an unpaid private tutor, no less.

He brought the glass of water to Shen Ning’Er.

Without much ceremony, Shen Ning’Er took it and drank a sip.

"Heheh, now you’re done for!" Gao Neng watched as Shen Ning’Er swallowed the water, his expression suddenly turning sinister.

"Huh?! You... Gao Neng... you actually dared to poison the water!" Shen Ning’Er’s expression changed in turn, and she staggered backward.

"I’ve waited a long time for this day. Let’s see you escape my grasp now!" Gao Neng flashed a vicious smile, closing in on her step by step.

"Don’t... don’t come any closer! If you take another step... I’ll scream!"

"Scream? Heheh, you can scream until you’re hoarse, but it won’t do you any good!"

"Your acting is as terrible as ever, and your lines aren’t much better. I’ll give you a 60, tops. I’ve supposedly been poisoned by you, yet you’re just slowly walking toward me. Aren’t you blatantly giving me a chance to escape?" Shen Ning’Er shot him a scornful look before nonchalantly taking another sip of water.

"..." Gao Neng was momentarily speechless.

’He’d love to pounce, but did he dare? If he actually tried, he’d be flying out the window by now. This has nothing to do with acting, okay?’

"Let’s begin." Shen Ning’Er was done joking. Her expression turned serious in an instant, and a dozen or so high-dimensional capsules appeared in her hand.

"Alright." Gao Neng nodded, his own expression now serious.