Chapter 12 Matthew joined

Inside the professor's office.

Matthew wandered around with his hands clasped behind his back, his gaze flitting from corner to corner with a casual, almost flippant air. "Daniel, there's no need to flatter me. I know exactly what kind of person I am. If you've got something to say, just say it."

At sixty-five, Daniel was a figure of immense respect, both in the field of biology and within the Academy's distinguished faculty. Rarely teaching public classes, he primarily focused on clinical studies and research projects.

Previously, Liam hadn't been able to find any information about Daniel on the Academy's website. This was because the profiles of the Academy's elite faculty were not disclosed to the public.

Despite his age, Daniel did not appear frail or worn. His upright posture, sharp presence, and robust demeanor made him look more like a government official than a scholar. His square face, thick eyebrows, and intense gaze radiated authority.

Daniel studied Matthew's lackadaisical demeanor with a piercing gaze before asking in a resonant voice, "You share a dormitory with Liam, correct?"

"Yeah," Matthew replied as he sauntered over to a bookshelf filled with rows of small glass jars. Clicking his tongue in curiosity, he remarked, "Daniel, you've got quite the collection here. Did you really go as far as turning flies into specimens?"

As he spoke, he picked up a small jar, peering closely at its contents. "What can you even study by pickling flies?"

Daniel stepped closer. "Those are fish eggs."

"Well, people are impressive, aren't they? If they say extract eggs, they'll extract eggs."

"Put it down!" Daniel snapped, his brows knitting in irritation.

Matthew smirked, shrugging as he replaced the jar on the shelf before making his way to the desk and settling into a chair. "Alright, enough beating around the bush. What do you need from me?"

Daniel's gaze remained steady as he asked, "Have you been paying attention to Liam's situation?"

"You mean the whole incident where he ended up in the dissection room?" Matthew shot back, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes."

"No," Matthew replied lazily, stifling a yawn. His posture radiated indifference as he continued, "It doesn't concern me, so why should I care?"

"Would you be interested in investigating this matter?" Daniel asked bluntly.

"Not at all," Matthew answered without hesitation. "I have zero interest."

Daniel folded his arms behind his back, studying Matthew. "I've heard your sole reason for enrolling here is to take advantage of the special talent subsidies, find a cushy job post-graduation, and then spend the rest of your life doing nothing of significance. Is that true?"

"Correct," Matthew admitted with a disarming frankness. "What else? Aim for the position of dean?"

His tone, paired with his attitude, exuded the aura of a jaded cynic—someone who neither respected authority nor seemed to care about anything.

Daniel, already in a foul mood due to William's untimely death, saw no reason to argue. Without further ado, he stepped to his desk and tapped a touch-sensitive panel embedded into its surface.

"Whoosh!"

The room's projector flickered to life, casting two documents onto the wall.

Matthew glanced at the illuminated screen. "Oh, there's money involved?"

Daniel seated himself once more. "If you take on this case, I'll provide you with all the resources you need. Solve it, and I'll personally award you 200G of flow credit as a bonus. On top of that, I'll recommend you for a comfortable position post-graduation."

Given the current value of flow-based currency—where 1MB equaled approximately one credit—200G translated to a sum of about two hundred thousand credits.

Matthew's eyes darted rapidly over the documents displayed on the wall, his demeanor shifting noticeably. "Why didn't you say so earlier?"

"What didn't I say earlier?" Daniel asked, somewhat puzzled.

"This!" Matthew gestured animatedly. "You should've led with the fact that there's money involved!"

Turning to Daniel, his tone grew suddenly deferential, his expression full of contrition. "My apologies, Professor. I regret my earlier disrespect."

"..." Daniel was left speechless.

"That price is quite reasonable. Truly befitting the reputation of a titan in the field of biology—generous and impossible to refuse," Matthew remarked with a humble smile. "But I have a question: what if I end up finding nothing? Do I still get paid?"

"You'll receive a 50G runner's fee," Daniel replied curtly.

"Deal!" Matthew agreed instantly, then quickly followed up with another question. "But I'm curious—why not let the judicial department handle Liam's case directly? Why turn to someone like me, someone who's already been expelled?"

"First, the judicial department is already investigating," Daniel explained meticulously. "Second, my investigation is separate from theirs. What I uncover is distinct from what they do. Your bonus comes from me personally. These are entirely different matters."

"But I lack law enforcement authority. What if something goes wrong during the investigation? I could end up being accused of a crime myself," Matthew countered, clearly thinking through potential risks.

"Once the case becomes clearer and we identify critical leads, I'll involve the judicial department and secure you a special investigator status. It won't jeopardize your future," Daniel assured him, folding his arms. "I chose you because you're closer to the truth than anyone else, and, professionally speaking, you possess certain unique talents."

Matthew considered this for a moment before nodding. "Alright. I'm in."

"You'll need to investigate two matters: first, the case involving Liam's abduction; second, the death of my friend, Dr. William," Daniel stated firmly, his tone leaving no room for negotiation. "I'll send all related files to your information mailbox shortly. Go through them carefully and as soon as possible."

"Understood. But could you approve some equipment for me?" Matthew asked, craning his neck slightly.

"What kind of equipment do you need?"

"The latest Deep Blue XP neurointerface, with all compatible connection cables; a Brachiosaurus-4 storage unit; a dynamic memory scene simulator capable of connecting to Infinity Haven," Matthew rattled off effortlessly, listing over a dozen high-tech items. "Oh, and I'll also need an Angel Nini multilingual implantable teaching device…"

Daniel's expression froze in bewilderment. "What do you need all that equipment for?"

"Investigating the case, of course. Even if I explained, you wouldn't get it," Matthew replied smugly. "This involves a lot of specialized knowledge...!"

"With an IQ of 175, I'm struggling to understand how an Angel Nini multilingual teaching device is remotely connected to solving a case," Professor Daniel responded, his composure slightly cracking. "Are you planning to learn a new language?"

"This might be an international case..."

"Do you want the job or not? If not, I'll find someone else!"

"To be honest, my son's been asking for that device for ages, but my financial situation is, well... limited," Matthew admitted, looking a bit sheepish.

Daniel couldn't be bothered to listen any further. Waving dismissively, he instructed, "Go to my assistant, Yoko, and have him approve it for you."

"Thank you, Professor!" Matthew jumped up immediately.

…

In the library café.

"Thank you both so much, Lillian, Grace," Liam said as he stood, extending his hand.

"It's really not a big deal, and we're not even sure we can help," Grace replied, shaking his hand briefly as a gesture of courtesy. "I'll get back to you if there's any news."

"Alright." Liam nodded.

With that, the two women departed gracefully, heading off to consult with their family company before giving Liam a definitive answer.

Andrew watched Grace's retreating figure and sighed sincerely. "They say beauty lies in the bones. That's absolutely true."

"You mean Grace?"

"Yeah."

"She is beautiful, but her personality's a bit cold," Liam commented before turning to Andrew. "Let's head out!"

As the two left the library, heading back to their dorm, they were stopped by an assistant from the doctoral department.

"Mr. Liam, Daniel from the academy would like to meet you. Are you available now?" the female assistant asked with a polite smile.

"Daniel? I don't think I've…!"

"He was Dr. William's closest friend," the assistant clarified. "He has something urgent to discuss with you."

"Oh, I'm available," Liam replied, nodding. He turned to Andrew and said, "You head back first."

"Alright, see you later," Andrew nodded. "I'll go check on Faye in the meantime."

…

Twenty minutes later.

Inside the professor's office, Liam's hands trembled as they gripped the edge of the desk. His voice quivered as he asked, "He… he passed away?"

"Yes," Daniel replied calmly, his gaze steady. "Heart failure. They couldn't save him."

Liam felt a wave of dizziness as his mind went blank. The words "passed away" shattered the fragile hope he had been holding onto.

It was too strange.

He had barely arrived at the academy when he was dragged into a midnight nightmare in the dissection room, narrowly escaping with his life. And now, before he had the chance to catch his breath, the one person who might have held the answers—Dr. William—had suddenly died as well.

As Liam recalled the series of recent events, a chill ran down his spine. He began to question everything. Was his father truly killed by Sophia, as he had been led to believe? Or was there another, more sinister truth?

And Sophia—was her act of killing his family truly a result of personal emotional turmoil? Why, in her final moments, had she cried out the name Ravenwick Theological Seminary?

The more Liam thought, the more fear gripped him. A cold sweat covered his body as unease consumed him.

"Dr. William… he said he wanted to meet me before he left the academy, but before we could meet, he was gone," Liam murmured, slowly lifting his head to look at Daniel. "I don't believe his death was caused by a sudden illness."

"It's difficult to determine at the moment," Daniel said as he slowly rose from his seat. "But you need to stay calm. Your dormmate, Matthew, is a highly experienced criminal investigator. I've already assigned him to look into this matter. Shortly, I'll be meeting with the academy's senior management to discuss Dr. William's case. If you're determined to uncover the truth, it would be best for you to cooperate with Matthew."

Liam raised his head slowly, his expression somber.

"I was one of William's closest friends. His death… I bear some responsibility for it," Daniel sighed deeply. "Whoever is behind these schemes, I promise, I will bring them to light."

…

Evening.

Matthew strolled into the dormitory with an air of satisfaction, spotting Liam seated in the reading room. He approached with a grin. "Did Daniel talk to you?"

Liam turned. "Yes, he did."

"Good. Come with me into Infinity Haven. I need to replay the entire sequence of what happened when you were taken last night." Matthew leaned forward, his tone serious. "From my experience, there's more than one person targeting you. You're in danger—especially here, within the academy."

Liam met his gaze, his voice resolute. "Alright, I'll cooperate with you."

…

At an undisclosed location within the academy, a lone figure stood in an empty room, seething with frustration.

"That old bastard William must have told Daniel something before he died! No question, the academy is investigating—just keeping it under wraps for now. We need to move faster…!"