Because of his outstanding ability to upgrade his powers and the leadership skills he displayed, Yuan Xiao was quite famous during his time at the military academy. Back at the freshman welcome meeting, Ji Xuanran had already seen this senior who was like a star surrounded by the moon. Many students in the military academy would scout for future teammates during their school years, and Yuan Xiao was always one of the most popular choices for team-ups.

In contrast, Ji Xuanran’s situation was a bit different. Although he possessed strength that others could only dream of, his background was a barrier. As a pharmacist adopted by the royal family, he would definitely return to serve the royal family after graduation. 

This meant that Ji Xuanran could not become anyone’s exclusive pharmacist, nor could he maintain long-term stable partnerships with others. So, many times, those team tasks that could cultivate tacit understanding would not have anyone seeking him out.

The first person to extend an olive branch to him was Yuan Xiao. It was from that moment that Ji Xuanran truly began to pay attention to this outstanding senior. After successfully completing a few simple tasks together, Yuan Xiao approached Ji Xuanran, mentioning that he had taken on a large multiplayer task by chance and asked if Ji Xuanran wanted to join.

Having collaborated a few times before, Ji Xuanran didn’t think much and agreed right away. 

The characteristic of large multiplayer tasks is that the main storyline is difficult, and the branches are complex, resulting in a low success rate, but they are great for honing one’s abilities. After accepting the task, Ji Xuanran prepared to contribute early on, but Yuan Xiao only assigned him some of the simplest logistical tasks, saying that the other members were all seniors and that they needed to take care of the inexperienced Ji Xuanran.

Although Ji Xuanran found it strange, he didn’t think too much about it and felt it was just his senior being considerate. To avoid holding them back, he even studied the task route specifically. However, when they actually set off, Ji Xuanran fainted shortly after arriving in the task area.

When he woke up, the task had already ended.

After returning to school, many of his peers envied Ji Xuanran for having successfully completed a task without any effort, and some unpleasant rumors even circulated. Ji Xuanran didn’t pay much attention to these; he felt more guilty about not being able to help.

Later, Yuan Xiao specifically came to comfort him and even went out of his way to teach a lesson to those who spoke ill of Ji Xuanran. After that, their interactions gradually increased, mostly initiated by Yuan Xiao.

After graduating from the military academy, Yuan Xiao’s resume became increasingly impressive. When he heard that the royal family was going to arrange a marriage for him with Lin Na, Ji Xuanran wasn’t surprised at all; he was even happy that they would have a chance to stay in touch.

Unexpectedly, the person who ended up marrying Yuan Xiao turned out to be Ji Xuanran himself.

These events were all memories from before the marriage and were not closely related to the harm Ji Xuanran had suffered. So, during the playback of the task storyline, it was all in a fast-forward mode from an observer’s perspective. Now, as Shi Jingxian recalled it, he realized that all those coincidences were actually orchestrated by Yuan Xiao.

Using an all-senior team to take a junior like Ji Xuanran into a complex task, not assigning him any task data, and causing him to faint. Then, after returning to school, deliberately letting Ji Xuanran fall into public opinion, only to appear later as a savior at the right moment.

When it came to scheming against people, Yuan Xiao truly spared no effort.

Shi Jingxian briefly recounted the events, and after listening, Fen Delin’s expression changed.

“What accidental invitation? This is clearly that bastard’s meticulous scheme! The tomb area can only be entered by blood descendants; Yuan Xiao is clearly targeting you!”

Regarding Ji Xuanran’s background, the task storyline from the original perspective did not involve it, so Shi Jingxian could only speculate.

“So… Teacher, am I really the descendant of your friend?”

Fen Delin stared at Shi Jingxian for a long time before suddenly asking, “Is one of your eyes very poor in vision?”

Shi Jingxian nodded.

Ji Xuanran’s right eye had almost zero vision, and it was very sensitive. Back when Yuan Xiao was going crazy, he had forced him to wear crystal eyes and even made him cry.

Fen Delin sighed softly, “I knew it.”

His expression was complex: “A long time ago, I thought you resembled him a lot.”

After all, Shi Jingxian was not really Ji Xuanran. Faced with this sudden revelation, his mind remained calm. 

Putting aside other thoughts, since Fen Delin was close enough to that person to discuss notes together, why wouldn’t he know who his friend’s descendants were?

Thinking about it, when Shi Jingxian voiced his doubts, his tone remained very polite. But as soon as Fen Delin heard it, he frowned and coldly snorted.

“It was he who left without saying a word! He even took away the research data; why should I know who his children or grandchildren are?”

If it weren’t for the fact that the two had different research directions back then, and the data wasn’t fully shared, Fen Delin could have reported him just for taking away the research results.

He hadn’t expected that the two had such a history. Shi Jingxian was a bit surprised, and a hint of embarrassment appeared on his face: “Then, what about you…?”

Fen Delin replied irritably, “I’m not sure if you’re his descendant. Besides, even if I were sure, I would be looking at your abilities and character with my assistant, not who your ancestors are.”

Shi Jingxian found it a bit hard to respond, and seeing this, Lan Luohai spoke up, “Xuanran, do you have poor vision in one eye?”

“Yes.” Shi Jingxian pointed to his right eye, “I can hardly see out of it.”

Lan Luohai frowned, “Have you received any treatment?”

“It can’t be cured,” Fen Delin interjected, “The Ming Sent family has hereditary heterochromia; the vision in one eye is naturally affected and cannot be treated with potions like other vision impairments.”

Heterochromia? Shi Jingxian instinctively looked at the flat mirror in the research room.

But Lan Luohai didn’t even look and said, “But Xuanran doesn’t have heterochromia.”

Fen Delin said, “It’s just a matter of a color-changing agent or a disguise agent; that’s not the key.”

“But since it can’t be seen as heterochromia,” Lan Luohai asked, “how did Yuan Xiao know about Xuanran’s background?”

Fen Delin looked at Shi Jingxian, pondered for a moment, and finally said, “The key should still be his single-eye vision impairment and his talent.”

Ji Xuanran’s talent was evident; he was the most likely to become a senior pharmacist in the military academy at that time and was even hired as an assistant by Fen Delin. This was known throughout the military academy, so it couldn’t be used as a screening condition.

After excluding talent, only the clue of vision impairment remained. Ji Xuanran usually concealed it well, and after Shi Jingxian took over his body, he quickly adapted to this state. Outsiders found it hard to notice his vision problems, even Fen Delin and Lan Luohai, who had been with him for so long, hadn’t noticed.

Fen Delin asked, “Yuan Xiao found you during your time at the military academy; back then, who knew about your poor vision in one eye?”

The military academy storyline was in fast-forward mode. Even though it didn’t skip these non-key parts like many restorers did, Shi Jingxian still thought for a moment before finding the answer: “Very few; the only person who should know in the military academy is Lin Na.”

Lan Luohai said, “Then I’ll send someone to check Lin Na and Yuan Xiao’s interactions during their time at the military academy.”

“Okay.” Shi Jingxian nodded and then asked Fen Delin, “Teacher, do you have any other information about the Ming Sent family?”

Since he knew about Ji Xuanran’s background, he should help him find his real relatives.

Fen Delin shook his head, his expression becoming much more serious.

Seeing this, Lan Luohai said, “Then I’ll also have someone investigate.”

“It’s not that I’m unclear,” Fen Delin said, “but over twenty years ago, all the members of their family died in the war in Country C.”

Shi Jingxian paused.

“I don’t know why you appeared in Country A, but at that time, the capital of Country C was invaded by high-level plants, and all sixty-seven members of the Ming Sent family perished without exception.”

“What about the others in the capital of Country C? Did they all perish as well?” Lan Luohai found it strange, “Why didn’t anyone from the Ming Sent family manage to escape?”

“I’ve also looked into this matter,” Fen Delin said slowly, “but there were no further developments.”

The room fell into a brief silence.

The Ming Sent family no longer had any living members, and the family’s destruction had already happened over twenty years ago. Currently, the most critical entry point became that ancestral grave that Yuan Xiao had once ventured into.

After careful consideration, Shi Jingxian ultimately made a decision: “I want to go see that maze area.”

Compared to worrying about disturbing the deceased, uncovering the truth was the real way to pay respects.

He asked Fen Delin, “Teacher, do you want to come along?”

Since Fen Delin had investigated the Ming Sent family, it meant he didn’t harbor just simple resentment towards that friend.

Fen Delin frowned, “I’ll think about it.”

Although he didn’t decide immediately, he also didn’t oppose Shi Jingxian’s plan.

Lan Luohai certainly wouldn’t oppose either. The maze area was in Country C, while the core country was located between Country A and Country C. He had already made plans to return to the core country and assemble a team with his subordinates.

Yuan Xiao’s underground research facility still needed to be cleaned up. After discussing, the two planned to set off from Country A the next day.

Before leaving the research room, Fen Delin also took a look at Shi Jingxian’s eyes.

Seeing this, Lan Luohai couldn’t help but ask, “Since the vision impairment can’t be treated, does the Ming Sent family have any other measures to alleviate vision issues?”

“Yes,” Fen Delin replied while examining with a micro-viewer, “the people from their family all wear monocles.”

Hearing this, Shi Jingxian recalled Fen Delin’s monocle.

He hesitated and asked, “Isn’t a monocle a symbol exclusive to senior pharmacists? Can others of lower ranks wear it freely?”

“No, you’ve got the order wrong,” Fen Delin said, “the Ming Sent family is a well-known family of pharmacists. In the beginning, most senior pharmacists came from their family, and their descendants all had extraordinary talents. Later, this gradually evolved into a custom, and the monocle became a symbol of senior pharmacists.”

“Now, once someone becomes a senior pharmacist, the Pharmacist Association will send a dedicated monocle. You were in a hurry to advance and didn’t have time to pick it up; the lenses sent by the association are still with me.”

Fen Delin took off the micro-viewer and shook his head: “You don’t have crystal eyes in your eyes, nor any other disguises.”

Shi Jingxian sat up from his chair: “But I’ve never taken any disguising agents or anything like that… Why aren’t my pupils heterochromatic?”

“Perhaps it’s some special restriction,” Lan Luohai said, “maybe there will be clues in the maze area.”

Fen Delin also agreed with this statement.

After bidding farewell to Fen Delin, the two planned to head back to Yuan Xiao’s underground research facility. As they left the research facility in the east of the city, Lan Luohai was very silent. It wasn’t until they got into a car with just the two of them that he called out to Shi Jingxian.

“Your right eye… can’t see at all?”

“Hmm?” Shi Jingxian didn’t expect him to bring this up again, “Yes.”

“But it’s okay; usually, it doesn’t make much difference. Look, if I hadn’t mentioned it, you wouldn’t even know about it.”

“…”

Hearing the last sentence, Lan Luohai, who had already been feeling a bit strange, suddenly appeared even more somber.

After a long while, he finally spoke again: “Then when you make potions, doesn’t your left eye have to bear double the pressure? And you’ve been resting so little…”

“It’s fine.” Shi Jingxian honestly replied, Ji Xuanran was just like that, “Speaking of which, I should thank His Highness for introducing me to Des. His high-level vision-enhancing potion is very effective. Previously in the core country, he also helped me formulate a more suitable soothing potion…”

Lan Luohai suddenly said, “Not just your body, your spirit must also be affected, right?”

Spirit?

This question puzzled Shi Jingxian.

He looked up at Lan Luohai, only to see the other person also looking at him.

Outside the car, the sky was nearing dusk, and the prince sat backlit, making it hard to see the expression on his face.

His voice grew increasingly hoarse in the twilight.

“When I didn’t know, how much suffering did you actually endure?”

Shi Jingxian frowned slightly.

For some reason, he felt that the other person’s words seemed to be directed at more than just Ji Xuanran.

“Your Highness…”

Before Shi Jingxian could finish his sentence, he suddenly stopped.

His left wrist was held in the palm of a warm, long hand.