Chapter 553

Ross didn’t seem fazed by Janice’s teasing, but Danielle turned crimson. After a quick hello, the two had their breakfast and left for work.

In the kitchen, Owen was busy slaughtering a free-range chicken.

The bird clucked in protest, flapping wildly as it struggled against its fate. It had no idea it was being sacrificed in the name of tradition.

Owen rolled up his sleeves and said, “I raised you for two years just for this moment. Sheary’s finally back, and you’re going into the soup pot.”

“Cluck-cluck-cluck!” the chicken protested.

Logan had offered to help, but Owen insisted on handling everything himself. When it came to soup, he didn’t trust anyone else. So Logan just stood off to the side, with nothing to do but watch.

Joshua was deep in work. At that moment, the most idle person in the entire household was Shermaine.

With nothing urgent to do, her mind drifted to the collection of items she’d brought back from the Kingdom of Xypería. Most of it had been stored in Apocalypse, waiting for the right time to be studied or tested.

But before diving into research, she felt like taking a stroll around Basterel.

Places like Basterel University, and First High, were tied to her past in ways that still felt unfinished.

She didn’t go out looking like herself. Back in Xyperia, she’d mastered facial modification for the sake of stealth. That skill remained useful now. After changing her appearance, she took Ross’ car and headed out.

There were no issues on the road. Even if she’d been pulled over, the Orthish device she carried had already linked with Earth’s digital infrastructure. It could automatically detect law enforcement checkpoints and reroute her before she ran into any trouble.

Her first stop was Basterel University.

In the two years she’d been gone, not much had changed. A couple of new laboratory buildings had been added, and some of the older ones had been renovated. The campus felt broader now, more refined, almost majestic.

Even with her altered appearance, Shermaine stood out. Blonde hair, sapphire eyes, a graceful silhouette? There was no hiding how striking she looked.

She headed toward the Department of Chemistry. But before she reached the entrance, her steps slowed. There was a fountain outside. And in its center stood a statue… of her.

The water in the pool was crystal clear, and the bottom was lined with coins. Shermaine’s lips twitched in disbelief. Students had been treating her like some kind of academic deity, tossing in wishes as if she could actually hear them.

Most of the students were rushing to class, and the crowd near the Chemistry Department entrance was thinning.

A girl stopped by the fountain, dropped in a coin, and clasped her hands together. “Goddess Shermaine, please help me pass my finals,” she murmured.

Shermaine stood motionless, thinking, ‘So most of the world really does think I’m dead.’

After the girl walked off, another figure appeared–tall, broad-shouldered, dressed entirely in black, with a cap pulled low over his face. It was Jason.

He stood in front of the statue without moving. The day the world believed Shermaine and Joshua had died, Jason had celebrated. No one had hated her more.

But her death hadn’t brought the satisfaction he expected. Instead of being forgotten, she had been revered. The entire city mourned her like a saint. News outlets called her a once-in-a-generation genius.

Basterel University had erected this statue in her honor, the only one on campus.

Mathematicians named an award after her.

Scientists and physicians across disciplines praised her as a singular, unmatched mind. Some even called her divine.

Meanwhile, Jason had become a ghost. He dropped out. No one remembered him. No one even said his name. He had become a cockroach in the dark corners of society.

His father, Jameson, had disowned him. His mother, Natalie, was locked in a government facility for life after releasing a virus. Though the disease had been cured, her name remained toxic.

So yes, Jason hated her even more now. ‘Why does she get worshipped while I rot?’ His hatred clung to him like smoke.

And though Shermaine couldn’t see his expression from where she stood, she recognized the rage in his posture.

A moment later, she saw him pull out a can of spray paint.

He defaced the statue without hesitation, coating it in chaotic color.

Shermaine’s face darkened. She stepped forward. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Jason froze. When he turned, his eyes gleamed with malice. His voice was low, dry, and laced with venom.

“I already called security.”

Right on cue, three campus guards rounded the corner, batons in hand.

Jason’s masked face twisted. Without another word, he bolted.

“Stay out of it.”

The guards gave chase. Ten minutes later, they returned out of breath, empty-handed. One of them cursed loudly. “Little bastard. Next time we catch him, he’s getting smashed.”

Shermaine remained beside the statue. “Does he do this often?” she asked.

“All the damn time,” one guard replied. “Every time we fix the thing, he shows up again. You’d think Shermaine actually wronged him or something. It’s sick. She’s dead, and he’s still vandalizing her statue.”

Another added, “It’s jealousy, plain and simple. She was young, brilliant, and famous. People like him can’t handle that.”

“We’re probably going to have to rebuild the whole thing again.”

“Think we can scrub it before the paint dries?”

“It’s worth a shot.”

The guards began cleaning the statue while Shermaine stood quietly off to the side. No one paid her a second glance.

She didn’t bother going into the Chemistry building. No one would recognize her in this form, and even if they did, they wouldn’t let her into the labs without clearance.

Instead, she stopped by a nearby kiosk and bought a snack she used to love. She then wandered the campus for a little while longer before heading out.

By the time she left Basterel University, it was already noon.

Joshua’s name flashed on her phone.

She hadn’t used it in so long that even answering felt foreign.

When she picked up, his voice came through. “Where are you?”

“At Basterel University.”

“My grandpa finished the chicken soup. Want to come home?”

“I’m on my way,” she said.

After hanging up, she headed toward the underground parking structure near the academic building.

She didn’t feel like biking back and took her time walking.

The path was shaded and quiet, lined with tall trees. It was a peaceful little stretch… almost too peaceful.

Her steps slowed. Something wasn’t right. She didn’t say a word and kept walking.

The parking garage was nearly empty. No one else was around.

She pulled out her keys. Behind her, a shadow moved. Someone lunged, pipe in hand, aiming straight for her neck.

Before the attacker could make contact, Shermaine twisted into a clean, brutal roundhouse kick. The man hit the concrete wall hard and slid to the ground.

She stood over him, calm and deliberate, lowering her leg. “You trying to kill me?”

Jason staggered to his feet, dazed. The voice again. It hit him like a cold splash of water. ‘Why does that sound so familiar?’ he wondered.

But her presence, which was too strong and too controlled, kept him from speaking. There was a sharpness in her gaze that made him feel like prey.

He’d changed since two years ago. He’d studied, trained, and even gone down dark paths to gain power. And he had succeeded. At least, he believed he had. His eyes shifted.

A pale green glow, slit like a snake’s.

Shermaine narrowed her gaze. It reminded her of Natalie.

The stench in the air, metallic and bitter, clung to her skin.

Jason was covered head to toe, every inch of him wrapped tight. He spoke through his mask. “I could kill you in a heartbeat.”

She let out a soft laugh. “Then do it. Let’s see how that works out for you.”