The university cafeteria was crowded as usual during dinner time.
Students lined up at the food counters while conversations filled the large hall.
Li Wei carried his tray toward the table where Chen Ming was sitting.
Chen Ming had already started eating.
"You took forever," he said. "The good dishes were almost gone."
Li Wei placed his tray down.
"You say that every day."
Chen Ming pointed his chopsticks toward him.
"And every day it's true."
Two other classmates were sitting at the table as well.
One of them, Wang Jun, was part of the robotics club with Chen Ming.
The other, Lin Qiao, studied in the same department but usually kept quiet during group discussions.
Wang Jun looked up.
"Li Wei, Chen Ming said you helped solve part of our robot navigation problem today."
Li Wei shook his head slightly.
"I just suggested something."
Chen Ming immediately protested.
"That 'something' saved us three hours of debugging."
Wang Jun laughed.
"Then you should join the robotics club."
"I'm already busy enough with classes," Li Wei replied.
Lin Qiao finally spoke from the side.
"Are you really busy… or just lazy?"
Chen Ming clapped the table.
"Exactly!"
Li Wei calmly ate a piece of tofu.
"Let's say I prefer efficiency."
While the group talked about classes and projects, Li Wei occasionally glanced at his phone.
His sister had sent another message.
Li Yue:
The math notes actually helped.
Li Wei:
I'm surprised you admitted that.
Li Yue:
Don't get used to it.
He smiled slightly and placed the phone down.
Across the cafeteria—
A woman sat alone at a corner table.
Su Yan.
A tray of untouched food sat in front of her.
Her attention was focused on a tablet hidden inside a folder.
On the screen were several images captured from campus security cameras.
All of them contained the same person.
Li Wei.
Walking near the library.
Leaving the research archive.
Passing the anthropology building earlier that evening.
Su Yan watched quietly as he talked with his friends at the table across the room.
Completely normal behavior.
Laughing occasionally.
Arguing about project work.
Just another student.
But the timing of his appearances near the signal spikes was difficult to ignore.
She tapped the screen thoughtfully.
"Still not enough proof…"
Back at the table—
Chen Ming leaned closer to Li Wei.
"By the way, the robotics club is visiting a research institute next week."
"What kind of institute?" Li Wei asked.
"The Linhai Industrial Research Institute," Chen Ming replied.
Li Wei paused for half a second.
He remembered seeing that name earlier on the Archive Map.
One of the node markers was located there.
"Why are you visiting?" Li Wei asked casually.
"Industrial automation research," Wang Jun said. "They have some advanced robotic systems."
Chen Ming grinned.
"Also free lunch."
"That explains your enthusiasm."
Lin Qiao looked at Li Wei curiously.
"You're unusually quiet today."
"Thinking."
"About what?"
Li Wei shrugged slightly.
"Future plans."
Chen Ming laughed.
"That's the most serious thing I've heard all week."
Dinner finished slowly as the group continued chatting.
Eventually everyone stood up to leave.
Chen Ming headed back toward the robotics lab while the others returned to the dorm area.
Li Wei stepped outside the cafeteria building.
Night had already fallen.
Campus lights illuminated the walkways while students moved between buildings.
Behind him—
Su Yan quietly followed at a distance.
Not close enough to be obvious.
Just observing.
Her training made it easy to blend into normal surroundings.
Still…
She wasn't planning to confront him yet.
For now, she only needed to confirm something.
Li Wei walked calmly toward the campus lake.
He sat down on the same bench from earlier.
The night air was cool and quiet.
Students passed by occasionally, but the area was mostly peaceful.
He opened the system interface again.
The Archive Map appeared.
Several node markers glowed across the city.
One of them pulsed faintly.
City Maritime Technology Archive
Distance: 16 km.
Another marker was closer.
Old Municipal Records Office
Distance: 4 km.
Li Wei studied the map quietly.
There was no need to rush.
He still needed four more nodes for the next system upgrade.
But choosing the right locations might become more important now.
Especially if someone somewhere was starting to notice the pattern.
Not far away—
Su Yan watched from the path near the trees.
She couldn't see the system interface, of course.
But she noticed something small.
Li Wei was staring into the distance with unusual focus.
Almost like he was looking at something invisible.
Her suspicion deepened slightly.
"Interesting…"
She turned and walked away without approaching him.
The investigation was only beginning.
Meanwhile, Li Wei closed the system map.
For tonight, he had no plans to activate another node.
He stood up and began walking back toward the dorm building.
Behind the quiet campus routine…
Two different people were slowly moving toward the same mystery.
But neither of them fully understood it yet.