CHAPTER 364: CHAPTER 364: ACCEPT OR REJECT?

Xu Siyu listened to the indignant remarks of the two boys, a trace of difficulty showing on her face.

Silence.

A few seconds later, the boys seemed to realize that they had made things awkward for Xu Siyu—a beautiful, kind, and sensitive girl—so they stopped.

The leading boy said, "Si Yu, we came over just to inform you so that you wouldn’t be in the dark and get outwitted by Ji You. Now that you know, we won’t disturb you any longer. You’re in charge of managing the material construction in Senior Nolan’s lab, and you have a heavy workload, so we won’t add to your troubles."

"Yes. Si Yu, we’ll leave you be. Take care to rest, and remember to balance work with leisure," the other boy added.

Then—

The two boys finally left Xu Siyu’s workspace.

Once they were gone, Xu Siyu’s delicate face instantly darkened.

She had been aware of the message delivered by Lin Lele and others on Ji You’s behalf a few days earlier, including today’s speech in the cafeteria. She had known right from the start, pretending to be clueless simply to maintain her image.

Xu Siyu frowned tightly.

The current situation was rather bad.

Xu Siyu was very clear: regardless of how the outside world slandered or insulted Ji You, including the derogatory comments her own fans made—saying Ji You was overambitious and arrogant—Xu Siyu herself was well aware that Ji You’s talent in materials wasn’t as poor as others claimed. On the contrary, Ji You was so talented it was enviable.

Did Ji You now suddenly make such a grand gesture because she was confident she could defeat her?

Or?

But—

As she knew, wasn’t Ji You forced to leave the classroom by Professor Ye Hong and hadn’t attended a full lesson yet? Moreover—hadn’t she switched to the Combat Department?

How come all of a sudden...

And—

She was not just challenging her alone; she was challenging all students of the Material Department in their first and second years.

How presumptuous was that?

Even Xu Siyu herself wouldn’t dare to say she could beat so many people on her own.

Lanyue Star Military Academy was the strongest school in the Sixth Star System and was also the one with the deepest research in materials, its reputation hardly inferior to that of Main Star’s First Military Academy.

After entering the academy, Xu Siyu realized how profound its heritage was. Whether it was the instructors or the students, there were simply too many formidable figures hidden within...

If it weren’t for the unique theoretical idea and preliminary results she proposed during the entrance examination, Xu Siyu wouldn’t have received such attention, nor would she have built her current reputation. And—Xu Siyu knew the truth about herself: the person who proposed this theory was...

Therefore—

That’s why she found Ji You so terrifying.

If Ji You dared to say such things, did she have enough confidence to defeat her?

No!

No!

No!

Absolutely impossible.

Xu Siyu shook her head, her frown deepening.

The trickier part is, if Ji You were only challenging me alone, I could completely ignore her. If Ji You relentlessly pursued and pestered me for a challenge...

The outside world would only criticize Ji You’s character and would certainly not trouble me. If I then acted forgiving and inclined to reconcile, the public would praise my character even more.

But—

Ji You isn’t just challenging me; she’s challenging everyone and doesn’t care whether or not I accept her challenge.

This complicates things.

Xu Siyu’s complexion turned sour: If I truly don’t go, Ji You could spout nonsensical claims on the stage, and the world would think I was too cowardly to answer her challenge.

If I do go—

If I win, of course, that’s great; my reputation will soar even higher.

But if I lose...

Impossible!

Xu Siyu shook her head quickly, finding her thoughts at that moment somewhat terrifying.

Then, a resolute light shone in Xu Siyu’s eyes: No matter what, I cannot let Ji You control the direction of public opinion. Even if I don’t accept the challenge, I must keep the narrative in my hands.

Just as her thoughts emerged, the door to the studio was suddenly pushed open.

Xu Siyu looked up instinctively and her face immediately showed a tender smile upon seeing the handsome young man who walked in: "Senior Nolan, what brings you here at this time?"

Nolan Augustine saw the girl in the lab, a flicker of light passing through his blue eyes, and he spoke warmly: "Si Yu, you’re still working so hard so late, I appreciate your efforts."

Xu Siyu shook her head gently, replying, "It’s not tough at all, not the slightest. I consider it an honor to be able to contribute to your endeavors, Senior Nolan."

Nolan chuckled: "You really are the best, always thinking of me, always considering the lab."

Xu Siyu’s lips curled into a playful smile, saying: "Senior Nolan, that’s not quite right. What I’m doing, it’s not just for you—it’s also for my dream. I deeply believe that what you are researching now will definitely change the world, change history. If our ideas truly succeed, the creation of Soul Devices would no longer be limited. This is so important for the Alliance and the future development of humanity! It’s because I share the same dream as you, Senior, that I am willing to stay in your lab."

Listening to Xu Siyu speak, Nolan Augustine’s smile became even broader, and he couldn’t help saying: "Si Yu, knowing you feel this way, I’m truly happy, very happy. You are right; we are working towards our own dreams, the dreams of humanity."

"Exactly!" Xu Siyu nodded vigorously, adding: "To fight for our dreams."

Nolan looked at Xu Siyu, his heart unavoidably filled with emotion: Initially, he recruited this somewhat famous junior to handle some basic material processing, but unexpectedly, not only did she excel at processing materials, she also took care of other trivial matters. Moreover, to obtain more Soul Device data for him, she even took the initiative to persuade Professor Ye Hong to write a recommendation letter.

Furthermore, that low-level soul artifact she once provided for free was of great significance for Nolan’s research...

...

In short, Xu Siyu’s current assistance was truly immense, and she was also actively involved in the lab’s affairs. Nolan obviously welcomed such an active employee, but—

Thinking of something, Nolan suddenly furrowed his brows and said: "Si Yu, have you encountered some troubles lately?"

A moment of struggle flashed in Xu Siyu’s eyes: "Not at all."

Nolan smiled and said: "You’ve become a complete workaholic now, oblivious to what’s happening around you. There is a junior at school openly challenging you."

Upon hearing this, Xu Siyu smiled and said: "Even you know about it, Senior. This matter seems to have made quite the commotion."