NOVEL NEXT Chapter 73: Cave
She gasped like he'd betrayed her entire bloodline. "You dare deny me my egg."
Before she could launch a full dramatic monologue, a shadow fell across the table.
Jiang Xiao Yu sat down silently beside Damien.
She had clearly just come from a shower—hair damp, falling in soft waves down her back, skin fresh and flawless, not a trace of makeup, yet somehow glowing like a spirit made of moonlight and quiet danger. She wore the academy's standard uniform, but on her, it looked like a high-end designer brand.
She gave Damien Bloodbane a polite nod. "Hello."
Damien Bloodbane nodded back. "Hey."
Athena blinked. "Oh. Hello." Her smile didn't falter, but her eyes narrowed a fraction. "And you are…?"
"Jiang Xiao Yu," she said simply, picking up a spoon and neatly helping herself to Damien's untouched rice and some meat like it was a casual team exercise. "First-year. Same group as Damien."
Athena leaned back slightly. "Ah. I see. You look... extremely hydrated."
"Shower," Jiang Xiao Yu replied, calm and composed. "After the drone massacre, it seemed logical."
Athena's grin tightened. "Right. I, too, occasionally hydrate."
Damien Bloodbane glanced between the two of them, raising an eyebrow.
Athena tilted her head toward him. "So, Damien. You were telling me how you're definitely going to join the Little Generals War. National headlines. International fame. Maybe even a sponsored cloak line."
"I said 'why not.'" Damien Bloodbane replied coolly.
"I heard Nike is a pretty good sponsor.'" Athena ignored his words while stealing another bite of his rice, all the while smiling sweetly.
Jiang Xiao Yu didn't miss a beat. "He'll be in. He's the strongest in our year."
"Oh?" Athena asked, eyes bright. "That so?"
"He dodged six hundred rubber bullets while he protected me during our exercise earlier." Jiang Xiao Yu said matter-of-factly, sipping from Damien's juice without asking. "Didn't get hit once."
Athena whistled as she deftly captured another egg. "Impressive. But can he survive me stealing all his food?"
"You're at two counts of theft and rising," Damien Bloodbane muttered.
"What are two eggs compared to the life and death experiences we shared previously?" Athena replied, winking at Damien Bloodbane.
Jiang Xiao Yu, calm as ever, picked up Damien Bloodbane's third egg with chopsticks and placed it in her bowl with surgical precision.
"One." she said. "And counting."
Athena's jaw dropped. "Is this a food war now? Are we dueling for the honor of the rice?"
Jiang Xiao Yu met her gaze, cool and unblinking. "I don't duel over rice."
"Good," Athena said sweetly. "Because you'd lose."
Damien Bloodbane sighed, looking between them as if silently calculating escape routes.
He picked up his bowl and said, "If anyone stabs anyone with a spoon, I'm sitting at another table."
"Fine," both girls said at the same time, still staring at each other.
Athena leaned closer with a grin. "So, Miss Jiang, do you believe in fate?"
"I believe in strategy," Jiang Xiao Yu replied, taking another sip of Damien Bloodbane's juice.
"Even better," Athena said. "Let's strategize who gets his dessert."
Damien Bloodbane stood up.
Both girls blinked.
"I'm getting more food," he said flatly.
He walked off.
They both watched him go in silence.
The moment he was out of earshot—
Athena leaned forward like a pirate spotting an unguarded treasure chest. "Alright. Operation: Raid Bloodbane begins now."
Jiang Xiao Yu didn't hesitate. She was already reaching for Damien's meat stew with military precision, dividing the chunks generously into two bowls she conjured from seemingly nowhere.
Athena blinked. "Wow. That was fast."
"I'm hungry." Jiang Xiao Yu replied calmly.
Athena scooped up the rice and the remaining beef stew with the grace of a trained thief. "That's why we eat all of it before he gets back. Speed is my specialty."
Jiang Xiao Yu nodded. "Speed and impulse control issues."
"Excuse me, I have phenomenal impulse control. I only steal from people I like."
"Is this a declaration of war?"
"Are you sure you want to go to war against me?"
Jiang Xiao Yu raised a brow. "You started it."
"You stole his juice earlier."
"You touched his rice first."
Athena narrowed her eyes. "Let's settle this like grownups."
Jiang Xiao Yu tilted her head. "Rock-paper-scissors?"
"The most authentic battle there is." Athena nodded then pointed at Damien Bloodbane's dessert cup—a small but glorious serving of golden custard.
"Winner gets the custard," she declared.
Jiang Xiao Yu considered. "Loser?"
"Watches."
They both nodded. The tension in the air was so thick, it could be spread on toast.
One. Two. Three.
Scissors. Scissors.
They stared.
"Again," Athena said.
One. Two. Three.
Paper. Paper.
Again.
One. Two. Three.
Rock. Rock.
They both blinked.
Jiang Xiao Yu frowned. "Statistically unlikely."
Athena leaned in, eyes gleaming. "Or we're the same level of unhinged."
Suddenly, Jiang Xiao Yu picked up the custard with one hand, examined it like it was a valuable artifact, then set it gently back down—right in the center of Damien's tray.
Athena blinked. "You're not eating it?"
Jiang Xiao Yu tilted her head slightly. "No. I want him to see it… untouched."
Athena squinted. "Why?"
Jiang's lips curled into the faintest, most dangerous smile. "So he knows we could've taken everything… and chose not to."
Athena leaned back slowly, hand over her heart. "Oh wow. That's terrifyingly elegant."
Jiang Xiao Yu sipped from Damien's juice again. "Thank you."
Athena blinked, then burst out laughing. "I like you. I think I may have to adopt you."
They both started casually finishing off the remaining stew.
Athena picked up a fried dumpling with her spoon. "So… you like him?"
Jiang Xiao Yu didn't answer immediately. "I respect him."
"Uh-huh," Athena said, nodding like a suspicious aunt. "Right."
Jiang turned the question right back. "And you?"
"I like his vibe," Athena said without hesitation. "Strong, mysterious, broody without being a sad little cloud. Ten out of ten."
They stared at each other over the now-empty tray.
Then they both smiled.
An alliance had not been formed—but a silent, mutual understanding had.
Let the best woman win.
A few seconds later, Damien Bloodbane returned, tray refilled, eyes immediately scanning the empty battlefield of his previous meal.
He narrowed his gaze.
"I was gone for three minutes."
Athena blinked innocently. "Time flies when you're hungry."
Jiang Xiao Yu calmly placed a fresh spoon on his tray. "We saved you… some custard."
Damien Bloodbane looked at it.
Then looked at them.
Then sighed.
"Next time," he muttered, "I'm eating in a cave."
Athena grinned. "Perfect. I love spelunking."
Jiang Xiao Yu nodded. "I'll bring torches."