The Hidden Evil: Villainous Cultivator

Ye Feng carefully took his card back and slid it into his pocket.

"Your registration is complete," the school official said, looking at Ye Feng. "You can join your classes when the school reopens. You've done well in your previous grades, and I hope you will continue that streak. If you encounter any issues, feel free to contact your teachers. We will notify you about your class assignment within the next five days via mail."

"Thank you, Sir," Ye Feng replied politely, his tone calm but appreciative.

He gathered his documents and turned to leave the office, his footsteps echoing softly in the hallway.

As he stepped out, Tang Wei glanced up, briefly locking eyes with Ye Feng. He paused, considering something for a moment, but then returned to his work without saying a word.

Ye Feng walked down the familiar path, his mind not dwelling on the school or the future. When he reached the school gate, the security guard called out to him.

"Is your registration complete?"

Ye Feng gave a small nod. "Yes, it's done."

The security guard, who had seen many students come and go, observed Ye Feng for a moment before offering a warm, if somewhat weathered smile. "So, you're officially a student here now. If you run into any trouble, feel free to look for me. I'll do what I can to help."

The kindness in the guard's eyes wasn't lost on Ye Feng. Though he appreciated the offer, he knew deep down that, in his case, no one could truly assist him with the deeper struggles he faced. "Thank you," he said, nodding in acknowledgment before continuing on his way.

He left the school grounds, hailed a cab, and made his way back to his room. A long day had finally come to an end. He took a quick bath, ate some food, and let the simplicity of the evening wash over him.

Later that night, Ye Feng logged into his personal laptop, the soft hum of the computer filling the quiet room. As soon as he opened his messaging app, a notification popped up.

Hey Hades, how's it going?

The message came from Ning Xiao, her codename—Code-3416—sitting next to her name. Ye Feng didn't need the code to recognize her; she was the only one who had the freedom to speak to him so casually.

Everything's going well, Ye Feng replied with a quiet smile. He didn't linger on the chat, returning his attention to the screen.

A minute later, another message appeared.

How's your social life going?

Ye Feng's fingers hovered over the keys before he replied.

Just registered at a school.

Wow, so Mr. Hades is a schoolboy now? By the way, which school?

Qingshan High School.

Good, so you'll be making new friends there, and maybe a few girlfriends, huh?

Ye Feng let out a soft laugh, shaking his head as he typed his response.

You know that's not possible for me. Girlfriends? I'm not suited for that kind of thing.

The reply came swiftly, almost teasingly.

I think you're underestimating your charms too much.

Charm? Ye Feng read the message again, raising an eyebrow as he replied. I don't think there's much to it.

Hades, think about it: a handsome boy with a good build, excellent posture, impeccable etiquette, sharp knowledge, solid fighting skills—and almost good at everything else. Don't you think it's like dropping a bag of money in front of all those schoolgirls who've only ever seen mediocrity?

They'll be clamoring to grab a piece of you.

Ye Feng chuckled dryly, but there was a hint of discomfort. If you put it that way, I think you might be right. So, what should I do to keep the trouble at bay?

Look at you, being all narcissistic. You've accepted all of this too easily. Ning Xiao's words were light, but the message behind them was clear. Don't worry about it. Just do what you're best at.

And what am I best at?

Ignoring people.

Ye Feng stared at the message, momentarily taken aback. His fingers froze on the keyboard as he processed her words. 'Am I really like that?' he thought. He reflected on his past, all the times he'd withdrawn into himself, keeping people at arm's length. Yes, I suppose I am like that. But even so, he thought, She shouldn't be so blunt about it.

Don't think too much about it, Ning Xiao sent another message before he could reply. You know yourself better than anyone else. Just be yourself. The girls will be intrigued at first, but with time, they'll lose interest. You'll just become another normal student to them. It's how it always works—everything new eventually becomes ordinary.

Ye Feng's mind wandered back to past experiences. He thought about how he'd felt when he first acquired something new, whether it was a possession or an experience. The excitement never lasted. Just like people, he mused. At first, we make an effort to be on our best behavior, to impress. But over time, we start treating others like everyone else.

With a small sigh, Ye Feng came to a conclusion. So, all I have to do is act normal, and everything will fall into place. Maybe adjusting isn't as difficult as I thought.

Another message popped up on his screen, pulling him from his thoughts.

Hey, Hades, are you still there?

Ye Feng blinked, realizing he hadn't responded in a couple of minutes. He quickly typed back.

Yes, I'm here.

Anything else?

No, nothing important, but I'm about to go on my first mission.

Where to?

United States.

Any specific target?

I don't know the details. But you'll hear about it in the news in a few days.

Best of luck with your mission.

Thanks.

The conversation tapered off, the exchange coming to its natural end. Ye Feng sat back in his chair, his fingers resting on the keyboard. He'd been lost in thought for so long that he barely noticed the time passing.

Bye, came Ning Xiao's final message.

Okay, bye, he typed back, then closed the laptop with a soft click.

After a moment of silence, Ye Feng stood up and made his way to the kitchen. His thoughts were still clouded by the conversation, but he decided it was time to shift focus. He opened YouTube and began searching for basic recipes. Cooking was something he'd wanted to learn for years, but between his missions and training, he'd never had the time.

Back when he was in the forest, after killing his first person, he had cooked a simple meal—a grilled animal over an open flame. It was that moment that sparked his desire to learn. Maybe now's the time to finally do it, he thought.

He found a simple recipe and decided to give it a try. His first attempt was far from perfect—too much salt and too many spices—but the taste wasn't terrible. He smiled at the result, thinking he could do better. After two more attempts, he finally made a meal he was proud of. The satisfaction of a successful dish filled him, and for the first time in a while, Ye Feng felt a sense of accomplishment that had nothing to do with missions or battles