Chapter 11: School-Wide Announcement

Outside the classroom...

Ke Jie was practically dragged out of the crowd's sight, the entire ordeal lasting only a few minutes.

One moment he was a "genius" proudly flaunting his Talent, the next he was a criminal suspect. This dramatic reversal left everyone stunned.

After the initial shock subsided, all eyes—filled with curiosity, scrutiny, and disbelief—turned in unison to the other party involved: Ke Lu. They sought even the slightest hint of explanation from her.

Yet Ke Lu remained remarkably calm, rooted to the spot. She had already given a full statement at the police station before coming to school and was now free to move about. Facing the barrage of eager questions from her classmates, she handled the situation with practiced ease.

"Don't rush, everyone," she said, glancing at the loudspeaker. "The answer will come soon enough."

With that, she dismissed the surrounding commotion and calmly returned to her desk, methodically packing her belongings.

Books and stationery were picked up one by one and placed into her Space Ring,

"Ke Lu, what... what's going on with you?" a classmate asked, unable to contain their curiosity as they watched her packing up as if she were leaving for good.

Ke Lu looked up, smiled casually, and replied, "Nothing much. I'm just transferring schools."

Before her classmates could process this sudden news, the school's public address system crackled to life, its announcement echoing through the entire academic building:

["Attention, all students:]

[Senior High Third Grade students are to immediately cease all activities and assemble in the school auditorium within 15 minutes, organized by class.]

[Senior High First and Second Grade students may attend voluntarily, provided it does not disrupt regular classes. Please maintain order.]

[Class representatives, please organize your classmates and proceed swiftly. Thank you for your cooperation."]

The commotion had already drawn teachers out of their classrooms. Upon hearing the announcement, they immediately began organizing the students to leave:

"What are you all standing around for? Get down to the auditorium immediately!"

Watching the once-bustling academic building empty in an instant, a faint smile curved Ke Lu's lips. "The show," she murmured, "is about to begin."

In the auditorium,

Students filed into their seats, their hushed whispers swirling like an incoming tide. The news of what had transpired in the academic building moments earlier had already spread like wildfire.

The sudden convocation of this assembly at such a critical moment had students' imaginations running wild.

Some, inclined to believe the rumors, speculated, "Do you think Ke Jie really cheated on the College Entrance Examination? Is the school going to publicly criticize him?"

Skeptics countered, "The police bringing people in for questioning doesn't automatically mean he cheated, does it?"

Neutral students urged caution: "Stop guessing wildly. The leaders will announce the official explanation soon enough. Everything we're saying now is just speculation..."

A low hum of murmurs filled the auditorium, most students adopting a wait-and-see approach, skeptical but eager for official clarification.

The entire hall was thick with a palpable tension, like the calm before a storm.

At that moment,

The heavy auditorium doors swung open from outside, the resounding crash instantly silencing all whispers.

A swarm of reporters surged into the hall.

Several imposing figures, their shadows stretched long and oppressive by the outdoor light, loomed in the doorway, immediately drawing every eye in the room.

"Look! That... that's the Su Family Clan Leader! Su Rou's father—the school beauty's father!"

"The person next to him... Oh my God! It's the Provincial Prosecutor-General's car! I've seen it on the news all the time! He's actually here in person!"

"The Provincial Prosecutor-General?! What kind of high-ranking official would come to our school? And at this exact moment..."

"Where's the Principal?"

"There are reporters here too!"

Amidst the students' gasps, Father Su, the Provincial Prosecutor-General, and other school leaders sat on the stage. The Vice Principal stood at the podium, holding a microphone.

"Regarding the recent egregious incidents at our school, I'm sure you've all heard about them," he announced. "The Provincial Prosecutor-General has come to our school to gather crucial evidence. Please cooperate fully."

The students were puzzled. Why would evidence collection require summoning all of them? Even if questioning was necessary, wouldn't it be limited to those directly involved?

Such a school scandal—or even an A City scandal—should be handled discreetly, not with such fanfare. Why bring in so many reporters? Shouldn't the normal response be to suppress the news?

Did the esteemed Provincial Prosecutor-General believe that every single one of them was connected to the evidence?

The Vice Principal's voice boomed through the auditorium once more: "We currently suspect that some students may have been unknowingly subjected to external hypnosis influence, causing them to forget crucial evidence."

The moment those words left his lips, the audience erupted in chaos!

Hypnosis? Previously it had just been gossip and entertainment, but now this "melon" had fallen right into their laps. The students felt like marionettes on strings.

Before the commotion could escalate, the Vice Principal immediately raised his voice:

"To ensure the mental and physical well-being of all students and to uncover the truth behind this incident, we have specially invited Ms. Hysilens, an expert in the field, to assist us."

Under the intense scrutiny of the crowd,

an elegant woman in black clothing slowly walked onto the stage.

She stood at the center, facing the students' curious and scrutinizing gazes, and gave a slight bow:

"I will remove the hypnosis. Please rest assured that this process will not invade any personal privacy and has absolutely no side effects. Its sole purpose is to identify and dispel any involuntary external mental suggestions that may be present among us."

Most of the students harbored doubts, and some were even resistant. It was akin to completely exposing their consciousness, defenseless, to a stranger. Even if the stranger claimed to be an expert, it was only natural to feel uneasy and hesitant.

Hysilens had anticipated this reaction. Faced with the room's skepticism, she remained calm and proposed an alternative:

"I understand your reservations. In that case, let's try a different approach—would any volunteers be willing to come forward for individual sessions?"

She knew that forcing everyone to participate collectively would meet strong resistance.

However, if just one or two volunteers demonstrated the process, it could lower everyone's psychological barriers while visually proving its harmlessness and effectiveness.

Moreover, this approach was easily achievable, as young people often have a thirst for adventure and curiosity.

Sure enough, the moment she finished speaking, several hands shot up eagerly from the audience.

Some students even half-rose from their seats, desperate to be the first "experiencer."

Hysilens casually selected a particularly enthusiastic-looking young man from the crowd.

Under the intense gaze of the entire audience, the young man nervously yet excitedly jogged onto the stage, his face glowing with the pride of being the center of attention.

Father Su, observing from the stage, flicked his fingers, and an invisible, transparent barrier instantly enveloped the two of them, isolating them from both energy and sound to prevent Hysilens's singing from affecting the rest of the crowd.

Within the barrier, Hysilens gave the volunteer a reassuring smile. "Relax," she said. "Just treat it like you're listening to a song."

The young man stared at Hysilens, who looked as beautiful as an immortal being. His heart pounded like a drum, his face flushed crimson like a ripe apple, and he completely lost focus.

Only when Hysilens prompted him did he nod frantically.

Hysilens inclined her head slightly, and her enchanting voice enveloped the young man's ears.

Almost immediately, his gaze drifted, then snapped back into clarity. Just like the individuals interrogated in the Su Family Dungeon, he recalled everything. The difference was that he hadn't been hypnotized by Hysilens.

The young man straightened abruptly, a shiver running through him uncontrollably. The lingering terror in his eyes silently screamed of the horrifying visions he had just witnessed.

The entire audience held its breath, countless eyes burning into him as if silently demanding, "What did you see?!"

"What did you see? Tell us now!"

Under the intense gaze of the crowd, he took several deep breaths, barely managing to suppress his racing heart.

He began, "On the day of the Awakening, everyone lost consciousness like Humanoid Puppets. Then..."

His gaze darted toward Ke Lu's class, but he couldn't find her anywhere. "Ke Lu originally had S-Rank Talent! But the Principal... I don't know what he fed her, but her Talent was reduced to F-Rank Talent!"

A collective gasp swept through the auditorium. Before the crowd could fully process this bombshell, a thunderous voice suddenly boomed through the auditorium:

"Hold on! I have questions about this!"

The speaker materialized as if from thin air. In a flash, a figure stood on the podium: Ke Zhan, the Ke Family Clan Leader. His voice resonated clearly through every corner of the hall:

"You claim the students may be under Hypnosis and need the suggestion removed."

"But who can prove that this so-called 'evidence gathering' isn't just a pretext to forcibly implant 'testimony' that suits your purposes?"