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Leaving the registration desk, Mo Bai led Xiao Wu toward the dormitory area.
Along the way, he kept talking.
He spoke about very ordinary things—what time the dorm lights went out, where the cafeteria was, class times, and the academy rules. His tone was very level, his voice not loud, like he was telling an interesting story.
Xiao Wu listened quietly.
She would occasionally look up at Mo Bai, then lower her head to look at her toes.
It was strange.
Truly strange.
Ever since her transformation, she had been in a state of high tension. Human cities were too noisy, the smells too mixed, and there were too many people. Every stranger's gaze made her want to hide, and every sudden sound made her heart race.
But now, walking beside this man...
She actually felt... not so afraid anymore.
It was like finding a safe nest in the forest where there were no natural enemies.
"We're here."
Mo Bai stopped walking.
In front of them was a row of low bungalows with mottled walls and windows where much of the paint had peeled off. This was the working student dormitory, where the conditions were much worse than the regular student dorms.
The door to Dorm Seven was open, and the sounds of boys playing came from inside.
Mo Bai stood at the door, not entering. He turned to look at Xiao Wu: "I'll leave you here. The dorm is full of boys; since you're a girl, if you run into any trouble, you can come find me. My office is on the second floor of the main teaching building, first door on the left at the top of the stairs."
Xiao Wu nodded.
She looked at Mo Bai, her lips moving as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, nothing came out.
"Go on in," Mo Bai said gently. "Remember to gather at the playground later for the soul power test."
Xiao Wu nodded again, then turned and walked into the door of Dorm Seven.
Mo Bai stood outside, hearing a brief silence from within, followed by the curious questions of the boys, and then Xiao Wu's crisp, slightly stubborn response.
"My name is Xiao Wu, the 'Wu' for dancing."
"Hello everyone."
Mo Bai smiled and turned to leave.
His footsteps were light and steady.
In his mind, every detail of his contact with Xiao Wu just now was replaying—
The alertness in her eyes.
Her tense shoulders.
Her little habit of sniffing the air.
The way her knuckles turned white as she gripped the wooden badge.
And finally, that look she gave him, with that almost imperceptible trace of... reliance.
"Very good."
Mo Bai murmured to himself.
The first step was very smooth.
His concealment domain had perfectly masked her soul beast aura, preventing her from sensing any threat during the most sensitive early stage. His gentle attitude and timely help had planted the first impressions of "safety" and "trustworthiness" in her heart.
But this was far from enough.
What he wanted was not simple trust.
It was a complete belonging that began from the depths of the soul.
It was a delivery where even the self was willingly abandoned.
Mo Bai walked back to the main teaching building and climbed the stairs. His office was on the second floor, south-facing with good lighting. He pushed open the door, walked in, and closed the door behind him.
The room was very quiet.
The open notebook still lay on the desk.
Mo Bai walked to the window, watching the playground as it grew livelier. Freshmen were gathering, forming crooked lines, waiting for the soul power test.
His gaze passed over the crowd, landing in the direction of the working student dormitory.
Xiao Wu should have met the children of Dorm Seven by now. According to the original work, she would become the "boss" of Dorm Seven, using her strength to make those boys submit.
But that didn't matter.
What mattered was that, starting from today, he would bit by bit permeate into her life.
With gentle smiles.
With caring words.
With seemingly accidental physical contact.
With his silent "Deep Induction" soul skill.
He wanted her to get used to his presence.
He wanted her to, in her subconscious, firmly bind his voice, his scent, and his touch to feelings of "safety," "comfort," and "pleasure."
Then, when the time was right—
When she obtained her first soul ring.
Mo Bai's fingertips lightly tapped the windowsill.
A deep, bottomless light flashed in his eyes.
"Soul ring..."
He repeated the word softly.
The most important moment in any Soul Master's life is when they obtain a soul ring. It is the growth of power, the confirmation of identity, and the anchor of self-identity.
And what he wanted to do was, at the moment that anchor was set, personally twist it.
Twist it into... a shape that served only him.
A cheer came from the playground.
The testing had begun.
Mo Bai withdrew his gaze and sat at his desk. He opened the notebook and, on a new page, wrote down today's date in that neat handwriting.
Then, he began to record—
"Heaven Dou Calendar 2639, September 1st. Sunny."
"Target has appeared. Transformation state stable, psychological defenses medium-to-weak. Initial contact successful, no alertness triggered."
"Next step of the plan: Intervene in daily life under the guise of 'Student Life Counselor' to build a foundation of trust. At least three separate contacts per week, no less than half an hour each. Contact content under the pretense of 'soul power guidance' and 'meditation instruction' to gradually implant suggestions."
"Supplement: Need to prepare soothing incense (no side effects) for lowering guard. Office environment needs further optimization to ensure soundproofing and privacy."
After finishing these, Mo Bai stopped his pen.
He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.
In his mind, Xiao Wu's crystal-like black eyes surfaced once again.
So clear.
So clean.
Like a blank sheet of paper, waiting to be smeared with color.
Mo Bai's lips slowly curled up.
He would paint with the most intense, vivid, and twisted colors.
Making that blank paper into a scroll that belonged only to him.
The sunlight from outside passed through the glass, shining on his face.
Half in brightness.
Half in shadow.
And his shadow on the wall stretched very, very long.