Chapter 20: Communication

“Odegaard ore contains incredibly high-energy and is often used in the energy industry. If oil is the blood of industry, then Odegaard energy is the heart. Odegaard technology has overturned the status quo, breathed new life into industrial systems, and opened up infinite possibilities for ability users…”

Xu Chen, standing by the bookshelf and flipping through a thick tome, paused at this line.

He quickly skimmed through the rest of the chapter, then shook his head. “This book touches on the Odegaard extraction method, but it’s mostly the same industrial crap I’ve heard a thousand times. The bit on lab-based refining—the part I actually give a damn about—is glossed over again. Just like the theory teacher who skipped the good parts, probably scared we’d get too eager and start hoarding raw ore for self-cultivation…”

He’d come to the library today hoping to dig up something non-industrial—something the academy wouldn’t spoon-feed.

Of course, he knew that if the school was deliberately withholding this kind of knowledge, the chances of it being in the library were next to zero.

Still, he was here, hoping to get lucky.

Also, he’d skipped class today.

If not the library, where the hell else was he supposed to go?

The reason he skipped class was simple: for someone whose theory scores were among the best in the entire grade, the current material was boring as hell.

He was hungry for deeper, more practical knowledge.

Sure, some of his classmates avoided him because of his too-blunt, too-loner personality. But he didn’t give a shit.

Caring too much about how others viewed you was a waste of time. Better to use that energy chasing after something that wouldn’t ever betray him—knowledge.

For someone like him, who didn’t need friends or small talk and was currently a proudly single noble, the library was the one place he could breathe.

And no—definitely not because of some embarrassing issue like social anxiety. Nope. Absolutely not.

Hmm? This book… “On the High-End Extraction Methods of Odegaard Ore”… seems promising…

Xu Chen pushed up his frameless glasses and reached for the book.

But just then, a slender hand reached in from the other side of the bookshelf and snatched it before he could.

He froze.

Because of that sudden movement, a small gap opened between the books, revealing the other person.

She was gorgeous.

And not in a “pretty for school” way. This was next level.

Her chest looked like it was ready to explode out of her shirt, and her face—f*ck—it was so beautiful it could probably drop jaws of both men and women alike.

Xu Chen had never been the type to care much about looks, but right now? He couldn’t help but do a quick mental rating—and she broke the scale.

Is she a student here…?

He quickly scanned her outfit.

A simple white round-neck top and a pair of skin-tight black pants.

No flashy accessories, but the fabric was clearly high-end. Most likely a rich girl.

Still, he couldn’t tell if she was an actual student.

“You want to read this book too?”

Her voice cut into his thoughts. Those deep black eyes locked onto him.

For some reason, her gaze gave him a weird sense of pressure, like something sharp was hiding behind that insanely attractive face.

“No… I mean—yes. I do. If it’s okay with you, can I take a quick look first? I’ll give it back right after.”

He shook off the weird vibe and lowered his voice, trying not to sound like a total idiot.

“I see. That’s fine—but I have a condition.”

“What kind of condition?”

The girl smiled slightly, raised a slender finger to her lips in a shushing gesture, then pointed toward the reception room.

Xu Chen blinked.

She had already started walking by the time he got what she meant—and he hurried after her.

The reception room was small—more like a box than a room—just enough space for five people at most.

Come to think of it, this was Xu Chen’s first time being alone with a girl his age in such a private space.

And it was this kind of girl.

He was already uncomfortable. Now, he was borderline short-circuiting. He quickly averted his gaze and pretended to study the room.

“What… do I need to do?”

The girl, now seated across from him, was none other than Luo Yan, who had also come to the library today.

She thought for a moment before saying, “It’s simple. I just want to ask you a few questions.”

“About Odegaard ore?”

“Exactly. You seem to know a lot.”

Her eyes flicked toward the book in Xu Chen’s hand.

They said top students had a certain aura. And Luo Yan could tell this guy was the real deal.

Plus, she’d seen how intently he was reading.

No way she was gonna miss a chance like this.

Xu Chen hesitated.

It didn’t feel like an equal trade… but something inside him nudged him forward anyway.

“If I know the answer, I’ll do my best to explain.”

Half an hour later.

Luo Yan stood up, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear and smiling. “Thanks for answering all my questions, Classmate Xu Chen. I think I understand Odegaard tech a lot better now. If there’s a chance, maybe we can chat again sometime.”

Xu Chen also stood. “You’re too kind, Miss Luo Yan. If you need anything in the future, just ask. By the way…”

“What is it?” Luo Yan tilted her head, eyes on him.

“…No, never mind.”

He had wanted to ask for her contact info.

But under her gaze, his confidence crumbled into dust. The words stuck in his throat.

It felt like hitting on someone—too blatant, too awkward.

Especially for someone like him, who had barely interacted with girls before.

Luo Yan didn’t dwell on it. “In that case, I’ll head off first.”

Xu Chen nodded and watched her go, his brain whirring.

He had to admit he was insanely curious about her—partly because of her killer looks and aura, but also because of her mind.

From her questions alone, he could tell she wasn’t a student here. But her learning speed was scary.

Things he thought would take ten steps to explain—she’d get them instantly and even draw further inferences.

Helping her hadn’t felt like a chore. It was… fun.

He hoped this kind of exchange could happen again.

But he also knew he’d fumbled his chance by holding back. And that regret stung a bit.

Screw it. Maybe next time. Even though that “next time” is probably never…

Xu Chen let out a small sigh.

It was his first time seeing her in this library.

Clearly, she wasn’t a regular.

And with a campus this damn big—and her not even being a student—it’d be a goddamn miracle if they crossed paths again.