He put down the chessboard from his bag, and William Carter's thoughts turned once again to playing chess with Kelly.

At Yangcheng Academy, he hadn’t learned anything proper at all; the only thing of any value was playing chess every day with that brown-haired girl. The girl’s chess skills were actually quite impressive—at least much better than Old One-Eye, who had personally taught him to play but was quickly surpassed and then refused to play with him ever again.

Moreover, Kelly's greatest strength was her fearlessness in the face of defeat. She would keep fighting after every loss, always upright and honorable, with a chessmanship far superior to Old One-Eye. The latter, after realizing he could never beat William Carter in a fair game, started using “cheat” methods to resolve disputes on the board—like stealing pieces, stealing pieces, and stealing pieces again—until William Carter learned these tricks himself, at which point Old One-Eye withdrew from the chess world entirely.

William Carter truly enjoyed having a friend like Kelly, and enjoyed even more using Ethan Green's incredibly valuable Tower Chess set to play against her.

A Tower Chess set worth thousands, after all, was completely different from the worn-out beginner’s set in Kelly’s hands. Just fiddling with the pieces was a pleasure in itself. Unfortunately, Kelly herself didn’t agree… Thinking of what Kelly had just said, William Carter couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

If they couldn’t lock themselves in the dorm to play chess together, then where could they go? As an expert-level “cheater” already familiar with most areas of the academy, he still couldn’t think of a place where they wouldn’t be discovered by others.

Except… Suddenly, William Carter remembered a word that Grace Howard had mentioned during a class meeting at the start of the semester.

Forbidden zone!

“Most areas of the academy are open to you, but there are a few places you need to pay attention to. On ordinary days, you must never approach them at will—these are the forbidden zones. Understand?”

At the time, Grace Howard was holding a delicate map, pointing out several forbidden zones within the academy, and William Carter had memorized them all immediately. For a “cheater,” what could be more attractive than a forbidden zone?

But after a month of wandering, William Carter realized that the forbidden zones in Yangcheng Academy didn’t necessarily hide rare treasures—or even if some did, they weren’t places he could sneak into. For example, the most prominent building in the academy, the Dreamweaving Tower, housed the academy’s principal, the most renowned Dreamweaver on the continent. Even if William Carter’s master Old One-Eye were resurrected, he probably wouldn’t dare sneak in for a treasure hunt.

Some forbidden zones were simply breeding grounds for ferocious beasts. William Carter took one look inside and immediately retreated; had he been a few steps slower, his body might have ended up as feed… Though there were many forbidden zones in Yangcheng Academy, William Carter hadn’t found any truly valuable ones so far. But thinking carefully, there was one rather interesting forbidden zone: a simple, low bungalow built in a remote corner of the academy, inconspicuous, empty inside, nothing special, and with very few people passing by… In the future, he could take Kelly there to play chess. Even if someone accidentally passed by, they probably wouldn’t have the guts to ignore the academy’s ban.

That way, he wouldn’t have to worry about his Tower Chess set being discovered.

As for whether Kelly herself would have the nerve to ignore the ban and join William Carter in his mischief, William Carter never even considered it.

It’s just a piece of paper with a ban—what’s it worth, anyway?

Chapter Six: This Heavy Texture—Could It Be a Mountain of Flesh…?

At night, Yangcheng Academy was especially tranquil. Located in the bustling heart of the Free City, it was completely out of place with the surrounding clamor. A ring of woods encircled the academy, isolating it like a paradise apart from the world. From above, it looked as if a chunk had been carved out of the sea of lights, making it all the more striking.

In reality, the academy’s nightlife was extremely monotonous. Once night fell, most students would obediently stay in their dorms or meditate and cultivate in the academy’s public quiet rooms. The teachers all had their own business to attend to, and few would waste the night on entertainment. After all, in a place where elites gathered, even a moment’s carelessness could leave you behind.

Dreamweavers cultivated in absolute silence, unlike warriors or fighters who needed to shout and swing their fists with great vigor. Dreamweavers only needed to find a quiet room, sit or lie down, and meditate in silence to continuously improve their skills, eventually reaching unimaginable realms. There might be various auxiliary methods along the way, but it was never a noisy affair.

Yet, even in the tranquil academy, there were a few who refused to accept the quiet.

William Carter walked silently along the dimly lit path, his gaze piercing the darkness as he leisurely admired the academy’s night scenery. For someone accustomed to darkness for over a decade, the academy shrouded in night felt even more familiar than during the day. Over the past month, he had explored most areas of the academy and was now quite familiar with the place.

But even so, every nightfall, William Carter couldn’t help but want to go out for a stroll.

In theory, the academy didn’t encourage students to wander at night. First, it was a waste of time; second, there were some things in Yangcheng Academy that couldn’t stand the light of day. So after midnight, the academy would send out patrols to catch any students who weren’t behaving and send them back to their dorms.