Chapter 16: Three Shadows and a Stolen Secret

The early morning sun filtered through the massive glass windows of Royal Crest's faculty conference room, casting long shadows across the polished wooden table. The atmosphere was heavy, a mix of unease and frustration lingering among the gathered professors.

Professor Liu Jian sat near the center, his fingers interlocked, gaze sharp but unreadable. Beside him, several other high-ranking faculty members whispered among themselves, their hushed tones filled with concern.

At the head of the table, Professor Cheng, the director of administrative affairs, cleared his throat. "As you all know, an extremely sensitive file has gone missing from the main administrator's office," he began, his voice carrying authority. "We cannot afford a leak. The information in that file is not only classified—it is something that could bring unwanted attention to Royal Crest if it gets into the wrong hands."

Several professors exchanged glances.

A younger faculty member hesitated before speaking. "Do we… have any suspects?"

There was a moment of silence before Professor An, an older woman with piercing eyes, adjusted her glasses and responded, "There was a single piece of evidence left behind—security footage indicating the culprit was around the height and build of a young woman, roughly the size of a student."

A murmur spread across the table.

Liu Jian remained still, his expression betraying nothing. But his mind was working rapidly.

"Have we informed the dean?" another professor asked.

Professor Cheng nodded gravely. "Yes. The administration board will meet this afternoon. This is no small issue. The file contained records related to... sensitive research."

Liu Jian's jaw tightened slightly. Sensitive research? If that file had anything to do with what he suspected, then things were about to become far more complicated.

"And the students?" someone else inquired.

Another professor let out a slow sigh. "Unfortunately, rumors have already begun. The name floating around… is Lin Yuxi. "

Liu Jian finally spoke, his voice calm but firm. "And what proof do we have of that?"

A pause.

Professor An adjusted her glasses again, her sharp eyes scanning the room. "No concrete proof yet," she admitted, tapping a finger lightly against the table. "As we have already spoken to her, but without solid evidence, we can't make any rash decisions. For now, we observe—see how she reacts, see if anything slips."

Liu Jian leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable.

Royal Crest University thrived on three things: prestige, power, and rumors.

By noon, the whispers had spread like wildfire.

"Did you hear? That Lin Yuxi girl got called to the administrator's office."

"That new student? The special admission?"

"Apparently, she stole something."

"Low-class will remain low-class, no matter how polished they look."

Yuxi felt the eyes on her as she walked through the campus halls. Some students whispered as she passed, while others simply stared.

None of it bothered her.

She had walked through worse places, where whispers weren't just words—they were warnings.

She pulled out her phone, dialing Kai.

The call connected almost instantly. "I heard," Kai said before she could speak.

"Then you know what to do," Yuxi replied calmly.

"I'm already on it," Kai assured her. "I'll check last night's surveillance footage."

Yuxi nodded to herself, gripping the phone tightly. "Good. The missing file was taken from the main administrator's department, but I was never there. I only entered Liu Jian's study, and we know someone else came in after I left. That means—"

"There's more than one person involved," Kai finished for her. "I'll get back to you once I find something."

She hung up, shoving her phone into her pocket.

She had no intention of playing the victim.

Whoever was behind this had made a mistake.

Now, she just had to find them.

On the other side of campus, Qin Lei leaned against a shaded pillar, listening to the murmurs as they drifted through the courtyard.

Lin Yuxi. Theft. Administrator's office.

His silver eyes narrowed slightly.

Beside him, Jiang Cheng let out a low whistle. "Well, that escalated quickly."

Lu Bei crossed his arms, smirking. "People are already spinning stories. Give it a few hours, and someone will claim she stole a national secret."

Qin Lei didn't respond immediately. His instincts told him that something was off.

"Something bothering you?" Jiang Cheng asked, noting his silence.

Qin Lei's gaze flickered toward the distance, where Lin Yuxi walked across the courtyard, her expression unreadable despite the silent storm brewing around her.

"Find out what really happened," Qin Lei finally said.

Lu Bei raised an eyebrow. "You think she's innocent?"

Qin Lei didn't answer.

But if there was one thing he had learned, it was to never trust rumors over instincts.

And his instincts told him—this wasn't what it seemed.

Back at the penthouse, Kai worked swiftly, eyes scanning through multiple camera feeds.

The corridor leading to Liu Jian's study played on one screen.

He leaned closer.

The person in the footage moved too carefully—never revealing their face, always avoiding the direct angles of the cameras.

"Smart," Kai muttered. "But not perfect."

He analyzed the body language. By the build and stance, the figure was undeniably male.

And yet—the administrators claimed it was someone of Yuxi's height and build.

"Strange…"

Switching to another feed, he checked the administrator's office.

That's when he found her.

A girl—face deliberately hidden, body slightly hunched as if nervous or inexperienced.

She moved quickly but not expertly. This wasn't someone used to breaking in.

"Not Yuxi," Kai murmured. "Too unsteady."

She approached the security-locked door.

No struggle.

She input a code—effortlessly.

Kai's eyebrows lifted slightly. "She knew the passcode."

Moments later, she emerged with a file clutched tightly in her hands.

Then—her head turned sharply.

Kai switched the feed to where she had been looking.

A shadow in the dark.

Someone had been waiting for her.

Kai exhaled. Three people.

One who framed Yuxi.

One who was watching from the shadows.

And one more—the real orchestrator.

He immediately dialed Yuxi.

She picked up. "What did you find?"

"A mess," Kai said dryly. "You're being framed, but it's sloppier than I expected. Whoever did this has people working for them—but not the usual professionals. The girl who took the file? She was untrained, scared. She already knew the passcode, though, which means someone from the inside is involved."

Silence.

Then, Yuxi spoke, voice calm but sharp. "Who's pulling the strings?"

Kai's fingers drummed against the desk.

"That's what we need to find out."

For Lin Yuxi, this wasn't just about clearing her name. This was also about finding out why the file was so important. And who was stupid enough to frame her for it.

Because whoever started this game…

They had just made themselves her next target.