Urban System in America-Chapter 56 - 55: Eyes Without Sound

But no matter what,

He had to do this.

Otherwise...

Otherwise, he couldn’t risk the consequences of disobeying his elder brother’s orders.

He knew too well what awaited those who stepped out of line. The memory of his brother’s cold eyes alone was enough to send a chill down his spine.

His spiraling thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Hey, good morning,"

Professor Clement looked up; his train of thought derailed.

"You’re here early today," said Professor Raymond as he took a seat beside him.

Clement blinked. For a moment, the words didn’t register.

"Oh, good morning, Professor Raymond," he finally replied, forcing a weary smile. "Nothing much... just woke up a bit earlier than usual. You know, age..."

Raymond chuckled, nodding in agreement. "Yeah, at this age, it happens often. We really are getting old, aren’t we?"

Clement nodded absently, hoping the conversation would drift away. But unfortunately, it didn’t.

There was a brief pause before Raymond leaned in, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "By the way... I heard there was some incident involving your nephew and a student. Everything alright?"

Clement’s eyes flickered, but his face remained composed. "Yeah, yeah, everything’s fine," he replied nonchalantly. "Just a minor misunderstanding between kids. You know at this age, their hormones are a bit out of control. But nothing serious." he said, brushing it off with a wave of his hand.

But of course, it had been serious. Serious enough that he’d taken immediate steps to handle it. He’d sent some trusted students to spread a carefully crafted version of the story and subtly warn others not to spread any gossip.

If word got out that his nephew had been using his name to intimidate fellow students, it would tarnish everything—his influence, his standing, his carefully maintained image.

He’d been meticulous. He suppressed it from the top down. And thanks to his reputation and connections, no one dared challenge him openly.

Still, no wall is airtight. Gossip has a way of leaking through cracks. Some whispers had clearly escaped, like now.

Not that he was worried. He had experience smothering scandals in silence. And as for that arrogant brat Rex—he would regret meddling in his affairs. Clement’s fingers curled unconsciously, a cruel grin spreading across his lips.

He’ll get what’s coming. A lesson he won’t forget for the rest of his miserable life.

"Hey, you alright?" Raymond asked, frowning slightly as he shook Clement’s arm.

Clement flinched. "Ah... uh... yeah. I’m okay. Just thinking about something."

Raymond gave a slow nod, unconvinced but not wanting to pry. The conversation dissolved as other professors entered the room and took their seats and Raymond naturally turned to chat with the other professors.

Truth be told, Professor Clement wasn’t well-liked among his peers. His arrogance, his manipulative nature, his tendency to speak down to others—it rubbed many the wrong way. But no one dared challenge him because of the powerful figure backing him from behind the scenes.

—

Outside the Building.

Rex was hunched over his laptop, not knowing when he had already worn the glasses given by the system, his fingers flying over the keyboard as he fine-tuned the final parameters. The system had to be perfect—there would be no second chances.

Nearby, Adrian paced nervously, constantly glancing at the time. "Hey, when do we start?" he asked for the third time.

"Wait," Rex muttered, not even looking up. "Wait for the right moment."

Adrian frowned but said nothing more. He didn’t know what the "right moment" meant, but he trusted Rex. Or rather—he had to trust Rex.

So he diverted his attention to the students scattered across campus. Some scrolling through their phones, some giggling in groups, others hastily flipping through books. Everything looked normal. It was an ordinary, peaceful day.

But they had no idea. A storm was brewing.

And when it struck, it would shake the entire university to its core.

Seconds ticked by.

"Done."

Rex leaned back and exhaled, the tension leaving his shoulders. It was 8:23 a.m. The pre-configuration was complete. Now, the system was primed and ready. He’d even activated a temporary skill—something he could only use once for now.

Adrian turned sharply; eyes wide with anticipation. "Are we ready?" free𝑤ebnovel.com

"Almost. Come here, take a look at this," Rex said, turning the screen toward him.

Adrian stepped closer—and froze.

On the screen was a split-feed video interface. In the center, a live video played, surrounded by dozens of smaller surveillance clips.

"T-this... this is...?" Adrian stuttered, jaw slack.

"Yep. That’s the campus CCTV system," Rex said with a smug grin. "I’ve intercepted the entire feed."

Adrian looked as if his brain had short-circuited.

"And here—check this one out." Rex clicked on the central video, expanding it to full screen.

The footage shifted to the interior of a conference room where professors were gathering, chatting freely.

"T-this is the faculty meeting!" Adrian gasped. "No way... this is insane. You’re watching them live?"

"Exactly. A live feed from inside the lion’s den," Rex confirmed.

Adrian blinked. "But... this is insanely advanced. How did you even manage—?"

"It’s not as hard as it looks. Once you understand the basics, it’s mostly about timing and access points."

Adrian didn’t even know how to respond anymore. Every time he thought he’d seen Rex’s full extent, the guy pulled something new out of his hat.

"Look," Rex said sharply. "There it is—the perfect moment I was waiting for."

They both leaned closer as a senior faculty member, the department head, entered the room. Conversation ceased. Everyone turned their attention to him.

He spoke briefly, probably a greeting. Unfortunately, the footage had no audio. Still, they could tell it was the start of the meeting.

One professor after another stood up, giving updates on their courses, discussing plans.

Even without sound, the atmosphere inside the room was clear—formal, serious.

—

Inside the Conference Room.

The professors took turns speaking. Course updates, administrative logistics, departmental concerns. All standard fare.

Everyone listened intently—well, almost everyone.

Sitting in the corner, Clement Whitmore was elsewhere entirely. His eyes were open, but his mind was a thousand miles away.

Lost in thought, he didn’t even notice when the department head gestured for him to go next.

"Ahem... Ahem." the department head coughed.

No response.

The professor sitting beside him, Raymond, nudged him gently.

Startled, Clement jerked upright. blinking in confusion at the silent stares around him. There was absolute silence in the room.

The look on the department head’s face was stern. The other professors looked amused or annoyed depending on their tolerance for Clement’s usual aloofness.

"I—I’m sorry," Clement said quickly, clearing his throat. "I was... thinking about something important and got carried away."

"Oh? And what could be more important than this meeting?" the department head asked with a faint smile, laced with sarcasm. "Perhaps you’d like to share it with us? Maybe we can help."

Clement froze.

The fluorescent lights above buzzed faintly, casting a sterile glow over the stiff-backed chairs and polished table. Papers rustled quietly as someone shifted. All eyes were still on him.

He tried to chuckle it off, but the room remained quiet, unconvinced.

He couldn’t possibly say the truth, that he’d been lost in a fantasy about how to crush a student.

Or could he...?

(End of Chapter)