Chapter Twenty-Four: Three Chests

The Chevrolet glided along the wide stone road that wound through the campus. Through the window, Lin Nian watched the medieval-style architecture pass by. In the distance, white pigeons took flight from a church nestled in the woods, and blonde-haired, blue-eyed foreign students could occasionally be seen walking along the cobblestone paths. The melodious tolling of a bell, emanating from some hidden clock tower, drifted across the entire academy. For a brief moment, he truly felt the reality of being in a foreign land.

Mandy drove the car slowly, chatting away as she introduced the history and layout of the academy to Lin Nian and Lin Xian. They were currently passing a plaza carpeted in lush, refreshing green grass. It made Lin Nian think of the artificial turf on the soccer field at Shilan High School; compared to this, the former was not even in the same league.

"Bermuda grass, a hybrid strain developed in 1965. It's known for being cold and drought-resistant, staying green all year round. The principal loves the vibrant feel of the campus, so he spared no expense to transplant it," Mandy said, tilting her head toward the window. "Do you see the building in the center of the plaza?"

Lin Nian followed her gaze. Standing in the heart of the plaza was an ancient Byzantine-style structure. At first glance, it appeared entirely blood-red, with the emblem of the World Tree carved into its exterior walls and a magnificent, heroic statue of a rooster perched on top.

"That’s Valhalla. This plaza is called Odin Square. Our academy is heavily influenced by Norse mythology, and you’ll often see buildings named accordingly," Mandy remarked, looking toward the distant hall. "Valhalla only opens once per academic year to award diplomas. I hope that next year, I’ll be standing inside it, hearing the principal call my name."

"Provided you don't fail any courses by the end of the term," Manstein said, glancing at Fingel, who was playing dead in the backseat.

"Should I drive you to the dormitory first, or what?" Mandy asked, tapping her fingers lightly on the steering wheel.

"You don't have any classes this afternoon, do you?" Manstein asked.

"Right, classes are done for the day!" Mandy raised her eyebrows, looking relaxed. But catching a glimpse of Manstein’s pensive look, she suddenly realized something was wrong and corrected herself. "Uh... but I was planning to head over to the Norton Pavilion for the Student Union party later..."

"In that case, you and Fingel can help move Lin Nian and Lin Xian’s luggage to the dorms."

"Wow, seriously? Professor Manstein, you're really squeezing the labor out of us," Mandy’s face fell immediately.

"We can handle our own things," Lin Xian said, waving a hand.

"No, you two have more important matters to attend to. Besides, Mandy, you need to lose some weight. Your Baji Quan instructor in P.E. told me you aren't exercising enough and your body fat percentage has reached a 'dangerous' level," Manstein said, finalizing the schedule with a small warning.

"No! I stepped on the scale yesterday! I’m only 47.5 kilograms, I haven't even cracked fifty! You’re just taking revenge because I didn't let you eat high-calorie food while we were on that business trip!" Mandy’s face was a mask of grief and indignation.

"It’s settled. I’ve told you before to spend less time with that Caesar Gattuso from the Student Union. The school’s atmosphere has been ruined by him. The Disciplinary Committee gets at least three or four noise complaints about him every week! One night, we even caught him leading a group to pour champagne into the public swimming pool! It ended up cracking the pool from the cold!" Manstein grew furious at the mere mention of Caesar Gattuso.

Mandy, seeing her professor’s temper flaring, wisely shut her mouth. Manstein already suffered from high blood pressure; if she provoked him further and he collapsed, she would be in real trouble. In the end, she joined Fingel as a beast of burden for the luggage, while Fingel, showing no dissatisfaction, nodded vigorously like a sycophant. His fawning demeanor toward the Disciplinary Committee member was truly shameless.

"Drive to the psychological counseling office. We’re meeting Instructor Tomiyama Masashi. If I’m not mistaken, he should have everything ready and waiting for us," Manstein said.

"I think I need a psychological consultation myself. My heart is so tired," Mandy said, turning the steering wheel with a weary sigh.

Ten minutes later, the Chevrolet pulled up in front of a Gothic-style building. As Lin Nian stepped out, he looked up at the structure. Compared to the towering, flying-buttressed Gothic buildings he had seen in movies, this one was significantly smaller and had incorporated modern elements during its renovation, giving it softer lines. On the third floor, a window was open, and floral curtains fluttered in the breeze.

"I actually feel like all the buildings in this school look the same," Lin Nian said to Lin Xian, who had walked over to his side. "I’m sure I’ll get lost in this school eventually."

"You’ve always had a poor sense of direction," Lin Xian nodded. "I still remember when you got lost trying to buy soy sauce three blocks away."

"That was an accident. I hadn't been there in years," Lin Nian said, feeling awkward as his past was brought up.

"Let’s go, Lin Nian. The evidence you want is inside," Manstein said as he closed the car door. The Chevrolet drove away, taking Fingel and Mandy with it.

"It seems you guessed long ago that I wouldn't easily believe your words, so you prepared the 'evidence' in advance?" Lin Nian followed Manstein into the main entrance. The interior was covered in intricate reliefs, and the deeper they went, the more profound the sense of depth became, as if a powerful gravitational pull were urging them to quicken their pace.

"Most of our students come from hybrid families and have been exposed to this kind of knowledge since childhood. For example, that spoiled brat Caesar Gattuso we mentioned earlier—it was very natural for them to accept the truth of the Dragon race upon enrollment. But there are also students like you, who lived normal lives in society before coming here. It is truly not easy to make them accept the reality of the Dragons all at once," Professor Manstein led Lin Nian straight to the third floor and stood before a door. Before pushing it open, he looked back at him. "That is why we prepare some highly impactful evidence for them to see."

Manstein pushed the door open. Behind it was a study decorated in a classical style: a crystal chandelier, intricate and aesthetically pleasing furniture, and bookshelves lining all four walls. A white wool rug covered the center of the room, where a solid wood long table sat. Standing beside the table was a smiling Asian man.

"Professor Manstein." The Asian man bowed respectfully as soon as he saw the professor.

"Sorry to trouble you again, Instructor Tomiyama Masashi," Manstein said, bringing Lin Nian and Lin Xian into the room and hanging his coat on the rack.

"Are these the 'A'-grade freshman and the intern who will be working with me? I am Tomiyama Masashi, Japanese, and the academy's psychological counselor," Tomiyama bowed respectfully to Lin Xian and Lin Nian as well. His attitude was so accommodating that Lin Nian felt somewhat uncomfortable; he didn't bow back, but simply reached out to shake the man's hand.

"Nice to meet you, Instructor Tomiyama. I am Lin Xian. It’s a pleasure to meet you, and I look forward to working with you," Lin Xian said with a polite smile, shaking his hand. If all went as planned, the position Manstein had secured for her was as an assistant to this Japanese man, making him her future superior.

"I received your resume while I was at the school, and I have also read the papers you published online. I must say, given your qualifications, Ms. Lin Xian, you could have pursued a master’s or doctoral degree at any medical school. It is a pity to end your academic journey at just a bachelor’s," Tomiyama spoke with extreme politeness, showing no sign of arrogance, but rather genuine admiration.

Lin Nian glanced at Lin Xian out of the corner of his eye, muttering to himself. As her younger brother, he knew his sister had been legendary at university, but he hadn't realized she was so remarkable that she would be praised by an instructor at a place like Cassel College.

"I wouldn't call them achievements. Those papers were just conjectures without substantial experimental proof. If Mr. Tomiyama has read my papers, he would know that implementing those experiments would involve some ethical issues," Lin Xian replied modestly with a slight nod. In social situations, she appeared exceptionally mature—a completely different person than she was at home. In some ways, this was similar to Lin Nian’s own personality.

"Ahem, Instructor Tomiyama, I believe you have brought what I asked for," Manstein interrupted, noting that the two were getting too deep into their conversation.

"Oh, right, of course. I haven't forgotten. I specifically applied to borrow these three items from the archives. NOMA reminded me that I must return them before midnight today," Tomiyama said, as if waking from a dream. He pulled three black briefcases from beside his feet and placed them on the wooden table. After unlocking them, he stepped aside, gesturing for Lin Nian to open them himself.

"Go ahead, Lin Nian. These are the proofs you wanted," Manstein said.

Looking at the encouraging gazes of Professor Manstein and Tomiyama, Lin Nian looked back at Lin Xian once more. He licked his lips, stepped forward, and stood before the three briefcases. He hesitated for a moment, wondering which one he should open first.

"I suggest you open them from left to right," Tomiyama advised.

"Is there any danger?" Lin Nian asked, his hand resting on the leftmost briefcase as he glanced at Lin Xian behind him.

"No, only a potential shock to your worldview," Tomiyama said. "But you must trust that what is inside the cases is completely under control. It will pose no physical threat to anyone in this room... well, a psychological threat, perhaps."

At the end, Tomiyama changed his tune. Lin Nian and Lin Xian looked at him, and he appeared slightly embarrassed. "We once had a student with high blood pressure due to an unusual lineage. After he saw what was in the cases, his blood pressure spiked, and he fainted."

"My mental fortitude is quite strong. I often read horror novels at night," Lin Nian nodded, indicating he was prepared. He took a deep breath, braced for a shock, and lifted his hands to open the briefcase. However, what met his eyes did not shock or terrify him.

Because inside the first black briefcase lay an ancient stone mask.