Chapter 87: Reina and Lü Shang

The Teachers' Family Mercenary Corps was not exclusive to the Third Middle School of Yang City; it existed in other schools as well. However, the one in the Third Middle School was somewhat different. Within this group was a figure whose power was almost at Lv3. It was said that he had been the school’s librarian for a thousand years already, and even after reaching the limits of Lv2 life, he remained as youthful and energetic as ever.

If not for the principal and others having met this librarian in person, some would have suspected he had already taken that crucial step into the domain of Lv3.

At that moment, a young girl sat before the librarian. She wore a standard school uniform, black-rimmed glasses, and her long hair was braided into two plaits that hung beside her ears. Her round, rosy face lent an air of youthful vitality to her otherwise delicate appearance.

Her ample chest was pressed tightly by a large white book, a meter long, seventy-five centimeters wide, and twenty-five centimeters thick. The cover bore the title “Book of Dragons – Volume.”

The two regarded each other for a long time, until the girl finally asked in a gentle voice, “Father, why must you do this?”

The librarian did not answer directly. He extended his hand, and a cup of clear tea appeared. He took a sip, then replied calmly, “Do you know, I have been here for a thousand years. My Lv2 life should have ended long ago, and I ought to have departed years past, but I could never set my mind at ease concerning you.”

The girl responded with pride, “I know my path ahead. I can take care of myself.”

“Besides you, who else knows that your path is clear?” The librarian shook his head, helpless. “And who would believe it? Unlike me, you cannot simply find a place to be a librarian for millennia. Without someone to rely on, you will not even pass the threshold of Lv2.”

“So you want me to seek out that fool who lucked into a name?” she said, dissatisfied. “I’ve looked up his record. He’s just from an ordinary family, not a single ancestor reached Lv3. If not for a stroke of luck this time, he wouldn’t have a name of his own.

His luck ends here, I think. Lv4 is his ceiling. The mayor of a city of ten million will be his greatest achievement, and ten thousand years his maximum lifespan. I don’t want to change guardians right when I’m about to reach Lv3.”

“Is that all you see, child?” the librarian asked, gazing into her eyes.

Being stared at so intently made the girl uncomfortable, but she nodded with certainty.

“You’ve seen far too little,” the librarian sighed. “Trust me just this once. Go to him and see for yourself. One day, you’ll realize the choice you made was the right one.”

He pushed a curtain of light toward her.

The girl stared at the task list before her for a long while, then finally lifted her head high, wearing an expression of reluctant acceptance, and signed her name at the bottom of the light screen: “Raina.”

At the same moment, in another room of Yang City Third Middle School, another person signed his name on the light screen: “Lu Shang.”

This Lu Shang was both ordinary and extraordinary. His family, his attributes, even his abilities were the most common of all. The path he would tread was so unremarkable that he could disappear in a crowd, utterly unnoticed.

Yet he was extraordinary in that, at just thirty-five years old, he had singlehandedly constructed a vast intelligence network that enveloped the Third Middle School. If he wished, he could discover anything about anyone in the school, from the principal to the newest student.

Still unsatisfied, he continued to expand his intelligence net, using the information he gathered to meddle in business affairs. His goal was to build, within ten years—by the time he was forty-five—a citywide intelligence network.

As for his abilities, he remained at Lv0 (five stars), which needed no further explanation.

Even such pitiful strength was achieved through information cheating. As his teachers said, he still hadn’t understood that, for anyone, power is everything.

This time, it was precisely because of his intelligence network that he learned of the school’s grand plan, and also that a player with a true name existed within the school. He saw this as a great opportunity.

The task before him was clearly unique: completing it would grant substantial improvements not just in abilities, but also in connections.

Those other recommended players each had backgrounds of their own. If not for Liu Zong’s sudden intervention, Lu Shang would never have guessed such a figure was hidden within the school.

So, when the task became available, Lu Shang immediately accepted it. He believed that although his strength was lacking and his path undecided, his intelligence network was enough to convince Liu Zong to keep him.

Whether in the school or on the battlefield map, information was vital to Liu Zong.

Because Liu Zong’s mission could not be concealed for long, and there were certainly more than just three people interested in joining his team, another storm would surely come before the task began. Without Lu Shang, Liu Zong might clash with these hopefuls.

Perhaps in the long run, Liu Zong could ignore them, but with his current abilities, he would not want to escalate matters. Knowing their details beforehand and forging relationships would be crucial.

Moreover, intelligence on the battlefield required Lu Shang’s expertise. The crucial point of this unique task would not be on the battlefield map alone; there would be other places—perhaps dungeons or secret realms. The strength of monsters, the presence of bosses, and strategies—all depended on intelligence.

Without it, not only would three deaths be inevitable, but even after the school contest ended, Liu Zong might not complete the mission.

Thus, Lu Shang was confident that even if Liu Zong knew his abilities were mediocre, and that he had seized another’s opportunity to join the team, Liu Zong would recognize him as an indispensable companion.

For Lu Shang was irreplaceable.