The little girl blinked at Lam Huy Trường.
She looked like someone had just stuffed way too many sweets into her mouth.
Her cheeks puffed out. Then she shyly turned her face away.
What is this?
What was with this sudden moe attack?
Lam Huy Trường immediately seized the heaven-sent opportunity.
It felt like drawing an ultra-rare destiny card from the top of the deck.
Should I use the legendary anime head-pat technique?
No.
No, no, no.
What if she could read his thoughts?
If he did something weird now, all the hard-earned goodwill he had built up would disappear instantly.
What Lam Huy Trường didn't know… was that while he had changed into a meditative pose—arms crossed, head tilted, sighing like someone burdened with the weight of life—
the little girl had already started watching him with caution.
Sadly, Lam Huy Trường noticed none of it.
Not until he opened his eyes and snapped out of his chaotic thoughts.
The girl standing in front of him…
had vanished.
"Huh?"
He immediately turned his head and looked around.
But at the same time, he silently braced himself.
And sure enough—
she appeared behind him.
Just like she was wearing the Eternal Love Time Boots.
Lam Huy Trường reacted instantly.
Fast enough to stop a sword strike with bare hands.
Both hands snapped shut.
Precise—like catching a high-value bill flying through the air.
Smack.
He caught the small hand just before she flicked his forehead.
Hahaha. Not this time, little one. You're not kicking me out that easily.
The corner of his lips curled upward.
Then he froze.
Because the hand in his palms felt…
soft.
Ridiculously soft.
Soft enough to make him want to rub his cheek against it.
Ah… I kinda want to—
The little girl stared at him with a puzzled look.
Lam Huy Trường jolted back to reality and instantly fixed his expression.
"But wait."
"I'm still not done here yet."
"What is it?"
"Why are you still here?"
The girl tilted her head.
Lam Huy Trường only then realized he was still holding her hand with both of his.
He quickly let go.
Then relaxed a little.
At least…
she hadn't kicked him out like he thought she would.
He rested his chin on one hand and studied her curiously.
"What's your name?"
"…"
"If you don't feel like saying it… I can call you by a nickname instead."
"How about Loli Moe?"
The little girl frowned.
"…Ah."
Yeah.
That definitely didn't sound like a real name.
Damn it, Lam Huy Trường. Think. Thinkkkkkkkk
Naming characters had never been hard for him.
But girls were different.
Every single time he had to name a girl, his imagination started drifting.
After all—
that was the name he'd be calling his imaginary girlfriend.
He suddenly felt a little regretful.
If only Mrs. AI were here.
At least she could probably tell him what kind of names little girls in this world usually had.
"Hm?"
The girl tilted her head even farther.
Then puffed her lips and crossed her arms.
That attitude…
She looked exactly like a tiny boss lady.
The moment he saw that—
a name flashed through Lam Huy Trường's mind.
A little girl from an anime he used to watch.
"Suzune?"
"Mm?"
The girl lightly tapped one foot against the ground like she was seriously thinking it over.
"Would that be okay?"
"Can I call you Suzune?"
She lifted one finger to her chin.
Her expression turned so serious it looked like she was considering some matter of national importance.
A while later—
she gave a small nod.
Meaning—
Sure. That works.
Inside Lam Huy Trường's head, fireworks practically exploded.
He almost wanted to throw on sunglasses, leap to his feet, and celebrate like a CEO who had just closed a billion-dollar deal.
"Alright then, Suzune."
Suzune blinked up at him.
"Then…"
Lam Huy Trường had been incredibly curious about what happened between her and Professor X.
But after thinking about it—
asking about the past right now would probably ruin the mood.
Better avoid it for now.
"Can you tell me…"
"Where is this place?"
"And how do I use the power of that book on the pedestal over there?"
Suzune followed the direction of his finger.
Then she slowly raised one hand.
With a casual flick—
Whoosh—
The air in front of him rippled.
A book suddenly shot out from nowhere.
It hovered in midair.
Then stopped upright in front of him like a soldier waiting for orders.
Lam Huy Trường reached out and took it.
The moment his fingers touched the cover—
the book trembled.
Like it was alive.
A tiny pair of white wings suddenly popped out.
They flapped right in front of his eyes.
Then the book started circling him.
Flying back and forth.
Looping behind his back.
Before finally landing on top of his head like a baby bird.
Lam Huy Trường stared blankly.
For some reason…
he could feel it.
The book was happy.
Like it had been waiting a very, very long time for someone to touch it again.
If it had a mouth—
it would probably be chirping nonstop right now.
He quickly shoved the random thought aside.
Then grabbed the tiny winged book off his head and prepared to open it.
But just before he did—
he paused.
Then instinctively looked up at Suzune.
His tone instantly became much more polite.
"Am I allowed to read this?"
Suzune nodded.
Her eyes remained fixed on him.
Lam Huy Trường thought it felt a little strange.
But he opened the book anyway.
And the instant he did—
Thud!
Something square and ridiculously heavy smashed straight into the back of his head.
The impact sent him stumbling face-first onto the library floor.
"Ow— what the hell?!"
He clutched the back of his head and looked up with a grimace.
His nose stung.
A little red from the hit.
Right where his head had been a second ago—
an old book was lying there.
The cover was faded silver.
Ancient enough to look like it had just crawled out of a museum display case.
Lam Huy Trường blinked.
Then slowly turned toward Suzune.
Suzune looked confused too.
She frantically waved both hands.
Was she signaling to him—
or to the book that had just ambushed him?
The old book slowly floated upward.
Then stopped right in front of Lam Huy Trường.
And suddenly—
it charged.
It slammed directly into the winged book in his hands like an enraged bull.
"Ah—!"
Pain shot through his arm.
Lam Huy Trường instantly jumped back.
By reflex, he hugged the tiny winged book tightly against his chest.
Then retreated as far as possible from the violent flying book.
Suzune immediately rushed over.
She grabbed the silver-covered book with both hands and tried to hold it back.
Watching her struggle—
Lam Huy Trường had the bizarre feeling she was literally trying to restrain a raging bull.
Whoosh—
Another gust of wind cut past his head.
Before he could react—
a red book shot forward.
Bang!
It rammed straight into the silver-covered one Suzune was struggling with.
The impact was so strong Suzune rolled across the floor several times.
The silver book was thrown to the side.
"What is happening?!"
Lam Huy Trường completely froze.
Confused like a yellow rubber duck tossed into the middle of a battlefield.
The red book circled near Suzune.
It hovered around her several times.
Almost like checking whether she was hurt.
Then it rose slowly.
Turned sharply toward the silver-covered book.
Its intent was crystal clear.
It was demanding an explanation.
And what came next—
finally happened.
The silver-covered book floated upward.
It stopped directly in front of the red book.
Then tilted slightly.
A tiny movement.
But somehow—
Lam Huy Trường could feel the attitude radiating off it.
If books had faces—
he swore that one would be lifting its chin in disdain toward the winged book in his hands.
The meaning practically wrote itself in the air.
Why entrust guidance to an inexperienced youngster like that?
I should have been chosen instead.
The red book immediately flew back and forth.
Like a referee desperately trying to calm things down.
Lam Huy Trường stared blankly.
His worldview was starting to crack.
Have I finally lost my mind?
Am I really watching… puppet theater with books?
The silver-covered book clearly had no interest in arguing.
Without warning—
it snapped open.
And Lam Huy Trường swore—
a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth lunged out from inside the book.
Its jaws spread wide.
Then it bit straight at the red book.
But the red book had clearly seen it coming.
It flew open instantly too.
And from inside—
a pair of thick muscular arms burst out.
Smack!
They blocked the giant mouth mid-lunge.
Then—
the arms twisted.
A clean, powerful movement.
Like a professional hammer-throw athlete.
And—
Whoosh!
The giant mouth was hurled straight into a bookshelf in the distance.
BOOM!
Dust exploded everywhere.
The entire shelf shook violently.
Countless books were startled awake and flew into the air like birds fleeing a forest.
But it still wasn't over.
From inside the cloud of dust—
the silver-covered book shot out.
Fast as a missile.
Midair, it snapped open again.
This time—
the mouth was even bigger.
Then—
it breathed fire.
"Wait— what the hell?!"
Lam Huy Trường almost fell backward.
The red book instantly tilted aside and dodged.
Flames swept through the air.
Red light flashed across every shelf in the library.
The moment it evaded—
the red book counterattacked.
Bam!
A brutal punch smashed into the giant mouth's side.
Bang! Smack! Crash!
The sounds echoed across the entire library.
Books flew everywhere.
Shelves trembled violently.
The whole place looked like some massive fantasy battlefield.
Lam Huy Trường stood there completely stunned.
Only one thought came to mind.
Book… battle?
He genuinely had no idea what to call the scene in front of him anymore.
At that moment—
the tiny winged book in his hands trembled.
Very lightly.
Like it was scared.
Lam Huy Trường lowered his head.
Then instinctively reached out and gently stroked the spine.
The movement was clumsy.
Like someone awkwardly trying to comfort a child.
"It's okay…"
"It's okay."
On the other side—
Suzune was watching everything with a flustered expression.
Then she suddenly turned.
And ran somewhere in a hurry.
Probably trying to stop the fight?
Lam Huy Trường scratched his head while thinking that.
But the instant she turned—
her clothes lifted slightly while she ran.
And Lam Huy Trường caught a glimpse of—
strawberries.
"…Ah."
One second later—
Suzune suddenly stopped.
Then slowly turned her head.
And glanced back at him.
Her eyes were so cold—
Lam Huy Trường felt like the entire library had dropped below absolute zero.
He immediately turned away.
Then started chanting repentance scriptures in his head at lightning speed.
Form is emptiness. Emptiness is form.
I saw nothing.
Absolutely nothing.
Suzune stayed silent for several seconds.
Then she used one hand to hold down the front of her clothes.
Used the other to tug the fabric behind her.
Then lifted her chin and rushed straight into the chaotic battlefield of flying books.
But Lam Huy Trường could clearly feel it—
the little girl was pouting.
He secretly glanced toward where she disappeared.
"…Well."
"She's the owner of this place, after all."
"She should be fine."
And then—
before he could stop himself—
a completely unfiltered thought popped into his head.
Strawberries… with polka dots too…
That combo was ridiculously moe…
Instantly—
a wave of killing intent spread from deep inside the library.
Lam Huy Trường stiffened.
He didn't even need to turn around.
He already knew—
someone had heard that thought.
He immediately changed tone like nothing had happened.
"Reading."
"Time to focus on reading."
"Can't let down my virtuous wife— ah, wait…"
"…the sages."
"Human nature is inherently good…"
—
That guy… is dead?
No.
His breathing was still there.
Weak.
Faint like a candle about to burn out.
I could feel it—
death was standing beside him.
Slowly inviting him into the next world.
But… is he really that Professor X?
The one who vanished with Zero that night?
Whoever he was—
the tricks he pulled…
had genuinely shocked me.
"I admire you from the bottom of my heart, Professor X."
A sharp voice echoed through the crimson mist.
Long and drawn out like a snake hissing.
From within the dense crimson mist—
a gaunt figure slowly emerged.
Flickering in and out of sight.
Like a demon approaching wounded prey.
Half of his body was covered in bright crimson snake scales.
The scales pulsed beneath the skin.
Alive.
At the center of his chest—
a golden eye slowly opened.
It looked around.
The pupil contracted.
Expanded.
Alive enough to send chills down the spine.
Muscle fibers wrapped around the eye like living roots.
Flesh and foreign matter had fused together.
No boundary remained between them.
Crack.
Pop.
He tilted his head.
Twisted his neck.
Then rotated it backward and forward like a horror film monster.
Bones snapped sharply in the dead silence.
Then—
a long snake tongue slowly slid from his mouth.
"I had intended…"
"to grant you the gentlest death possible."
His voice was hoarse.
Heavy with tightly restrained rage.
"But—"
"Who gave you the courage…"
"…to attack my queen?"
He snarled every word.
Then raised his head.
His savage gaze locked onto the sky.
A streak of blue light was cutting across the darkness.
Intertwined with the massive body of the Red Serpent.
"You dared deceive my precious monster…"
"You dared use it against my queen?"
His voice echoed through the battlefield.
So dramatic—
it felt like an actor performing alone onstage.
Playing the villain in his own twisted tragedy.
"Disrespect."
"Unforgivable."
"You deserve the most agonizing death imaginable."
Then he slowly raised one hand.
Pointing straight toward the professor.
The expression on his distorted face twisted even further.
Like he wanted to tear the other man apart with his bare hands.
"Well then…"
"The execution begins."
"I will—"
"rip you to pieces."
The instant he finished speaking—
his body dissolved into a crimson mist.
Whoosh—
It shot straight toward Lam Huy Trường like a wild beast breaking free of its chains.