Having participated in the revolution against the Imperial Court in Star Engraving County, and having instigated a rebellion in Xuanzhu County, and even having been abducted by human traffickers, after experiencing so many storms, Le Yu is no longer the naive university student who just walked out of the ivory tower.

He could instantly see that Shang Lingyi's main goal was to find 'Yin'. It must be said that Shang Lingyi's approach was much smarter than his — under the guise of sponsorship, she invited Lou Yinhai, this prominent pillar of the Imperial Academy, to help. Therefore, even if her questions seemed somewhat excessive or strange, Yan Yi could only do his best to answer them.

As for 'Yin' using a radio metal badge for communication, exposure was inevitable — just like how 'Yin' gave Qin Leyin a Heartfelt Connection badge in order to communicate with him. If 'Yin' wished to contact others, they would also receive a Heartfelt Connection badge.

Of course, unlike Le Yu, who has countless backup plans and cunning ideas, 'Yin' likely only has Qin Leyin as an ally. After all, as an Instant Annihilator, 'Yin' should be hiding their identity rather than exposing it while attempting to contact others.

But 'Yin' has a critical weakness — no matter how 'Yin' hides, they must contact the Sword Master!

If Le Yu isn't wrong, it is because of the Sword Master, like Ming Shuangli, who Qin Leyin and Shang Lingyi are targeting Yan Yi. They saw someone using the Heartfelt Connection badge from the dorm room contact the Scabbard!

Le Yu finds this guess very plausible — nobody in the dorm has a phone, yet you, this young lady, keep hiding in the restroom to talk. Are you discussing life's philosophies with poo?

'Yin' can control their actions. But if the Sword Master is exposed, it will naturally implicate the Scabbard. Shang Lingyi and Niruo are living proof of this — perhaps they didn't even know that the person they sought was the Instant Annihilator 'Yin', but unveiling the mystery of the hidden Scabbard is what everyone wants to achieve.

The first person that everyone suspected was Yan Yi from the radio research group. But, based on their previous conversation, Le Yu thought Yan Yi was unlikely to be 'Yin' — although it's possible Yan Yi was merely pretending. However, Le Yu trusted his own judgment; if Yan Yi truly was 'Yin', he would have to return to Dongyang and confess to Qing Lan, 'I was duped by a woman'.

Moreover, Le Yu wasn't relying solely on Yan Yi's word but was eliminating Yan Yi from suspicion based on years of experience playing Werewolf.

First of all, Yan Yi is an Imperial Academy teacher — not to say a Scabbard couldn't be an Imperial Academy teacher. The Ritual Guard even once considered making Bai Yu, the Fast Dagger course teacher, a Scabbard — it feels like 'your P.E. teacher went to fight in the Holy Grail War during math class' — and she is also a very popular 'good' teacher.

Although the Scabbard is now mostly exposed, the original search for the Sword and struggle for position was secretive — having Yan Yi as Scabbard is like putting her under a spotlight. It would be inconvenient for either her or the Sword Master to act.

More importantly.

Yan Yi.

Is very busy.

As a mentor of the Heavenly Radiance Department, she holds two large classes every day, totaling twelve classes in one day. On top of preparing lessons, grading assignments, she also has many academic and college tasks — Cha Huan does nothing, pushing all chores to the resident teachers.

Also, as part of the radio research group, her workload is not 996 but 965 — let alone the struggle for the Sword, she barely has time for romance.

Look at how Yan Yi has to engage romantically with Ning Xinyuan in the college research lab. While it resembles some kind of exposed/forbidden/special environment play, it also shows they don't have time to go out for grand high-class afternoon tea.

Do you really think a laboratory table is more comfortable than a goose-feather bed?

Moreover, once it becomes known that someone is using advanced radio communication tools, everyone would suspect Yan Yi, making her less likely to be the Scabbard — of course, this could be Yan Yi's reverse psychology, exposing herself first to clear suspicion, after which no one would suspect her ever again…

But Le Yu deemed this impossible because reality leaves no room for such nesting doll schemes. If Yan Yi truly played such flashy moves and Niruo just decided to kill her off without guessing games, then a brilliant strategy would become nothing but a laughable tale?

Even though it's unlikely for Yan Yi to be the Scabbard, it doesn't mean what she says is true.

She claimed to sell only one pair of Heartfelt Connections — is the one in Le Yu's possession the one she sold?

She claimed not to know the buyer, but could a masked and hooded buyer really enter the Imperial Academy to purchase Heartfelt Connections from her? They'd probably be stopped by security at the gate.

The words of a woman — deceiving ghosts.

Yan Yi definitely has something to hide, and the person for whom she willingly guards a secret is right before Le Yu's eyes, hurriedly making their way down the stairs.

Ning Xinyuan.

Thinking it over, Ning Xinyuan indeed meets all the criteria for committing such an act: Le Yu never heard any scandal between her and Yan Yi, to outsiders they should merely be colleagues. Thus even if Ning Xinyuan acquired the Heartfelt Connection badge from Yan Yi, the investigation would end at Yan Yi. Yan Yi would surely protect her lover and investigators wouldn't deduce Ning Xinyuan's involvement.

Though there were many heart-fluttering moments with Ning Xinyuan just now, that wouldn't make Le Yu soften.

After all, he is a married man!

Such mere sweetness cannot buy him over!

Le Yu watched Ning Xinyuan's dress closely, his fingers lightly tapping the Heartfelt Connection badge in his pocket.

His hearing was dialed up to the maximum, and his eyes weren't missing any slight body movements from Ning Xinyuan.

He was gambling.

If Ning Xinyuan was 'Yin', and carried the Heartfelt Connection badge on her, then she would definitely be exposed. Le Yu's eyesight was excellent, and if something vibrated on Ning Xinyuan, he would surely notice!

If she was 'Yin' but didn't carry the Heartfelt Connection badge, naturally there wouldn't be any response.

If not for fear of exposure, Le Yu would have tried it while still in the cupboard!

Le Yu tapped the badge thrice heavily, signaling a 'communication' intent.

Next up was the moment to await a miracle.

One step, two steps, three steps.

As Ning Xinyuan neared the third floor, her steps grew more elegant and natural. As she turned the corner to continue downward, she noticed Le Yu staring at her intently. She shed her previous shyness, slightly lifted her chin, and glared at Le Yu with a tempered gaze, seeming to warn "What are you looking at?", and wiped her lips with her sleeve.

While descending the stairs, she seemed to grow angrier the more she thought about it, feeling the kiss she had just given Qin Leyin was too much loss to earn Ming Shuangli's trust. Within seconds, her mindset shifted; additionally, Qin Leyin had spied on her 'date' with Yan Yi, so naturally, she felt no shyness towards Qin Leyin, instead adopting a fierce stance to warn this red-haired hound.

Only after Ning Xinyuan completely disappeared from the stairwell did Le Yu take out the metal badge from his pocket.

There were no flaws in Ning Xinyuan earlier.

Moreover, the metal badge vibrated twice quickly, meaning 'the number you dialed is currently busy, please try again later'.

It turned out to be the third possibility: Ning Xinyuan was not 'Yin', and furthermore, 'Yin' carried the Heartfelt Connection badge on them and promptly responded to Le Yu... Now, Ning Xinyuan's suspicion was completely cleared, she wasn't the Instant Annihilator but merely a beautiful, sexy elder sister.

'Finding the Instant Annihilator truly isn't that easy.' Le Yu looked at the fourth floor, thinking: 'But finding others is much easier.'

Ten minutes later, Le Yu arrived at the pavilion outside Tianhui teaching building, and saw Niruo applying sword oil to Chying's long knife in the pavilion.

"You say you don't treat the sword as a wife? You care less for your face than for the sword," Le Yu laughed.

Le Yu expected Niruo to retort with the cautionary saying 'Face can be lost and still live; lose the sword and instantly die', however, Niruo just looked up at him: "You know again?"

"Isn't it so?"

"I wash my face with warm water every night before bed, and apply deep-sea mud for ten minutes. After rinsing, I use a tweezer to trim my eyebrows. With the recent cold and dry weather, I apply face cream thrice a day to keep my face moisturized."

Le Yu listened in amazement, "Why? Does a face help feed you?"

"Shuangli Palace instructed it," Niruo said. "I don't mind, plus the face cream does prevent the previous autumn-winter cracks on my face. After my nightly skincare routine, indeed I sleep more soundly. So, what did you call me here for?"

"Ah, um," Niruo's strange contrast left Le Yu stupefied for a few seconds, then gathering his thoughts he added, "I came because I need you for something."

Feeling slightly startled by Niruo's odd reply, Le Yu reorganized his thoughts before saying, "I'm here to investigate something. But I'm not even sure who it is, although they might be the person whose face puts food on the table."

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