Chapter Text
The Astral Express
Inquire, Inform, Unite
15 Years Ago…
A Legacy Cut Short: Campus Reels After Tragic Accident Claims Two of Its Brightest Stars
By: ████ █████
Published: ██/██/████
The university is mourning after a fatal crash on Shuhu Route late mountain pass Tuesday killed two final-year students and critically injured three others.
The deceased are Baiheng, 22, an Aerospace Engineering major, and Dan Feng, 23, a Business Administration prodigy. The single-vehicle accident occurred during a pre-graduation trip.
The survivors — Yingxing, 22; Jingliu, 23; and Jing Yuan, 20 — were transported to a local medical facility. Yingxing and Jingliu are reported in serious condition, while Jing Yuan sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
The five, known as the close-knit “High-Cloud Quintet,” were widely admired on campus. The Bloodhound Patrol’s investigation is ongoing. The Dan family has requested privacy.
Grief counseling is available through the University Wellness Center.
14 Years Ago…
Paths Diverged: The High-Cloud Quintet’s Journey From Tragedy
By: ████ █████
Published: ██/██/████
The aftermath of the Shuhu Route accident continues to devastate the once-illustrious High-Cloud Quintet. Yingxing, the prodigy from the College of Engineering, has been reported missing by his family. Sources close to the investigation state he was last seen withdrawing all his funds and burning his portfolio.
In a separate but related tragedy, Jingliu, captain of the University of Veritas Prime’s fencing team, has been formally committed to the Ambrosial Arbor for Mental Wellness after a series of what officials describe as “acute, trauma-induced psychotic episodes.”
The sole remaining member of the quintet on campus, Jing Yuan, has reportedly withdrawn from his studies and enlisted in the Xianzhou Alliance military, leaving no forwarding address. The legendary Quintet has now been utterly scattered.
12 Years Ago…
ROTC Captures Sports Fest Crown
By: ████ █████
Published: ██/██/████
Under the spirited leadership of Cadet Captain Feixiao, the University of Veritas Prime ROTC unit claimed a decisive victory at this year’s ROTC Sports Fest.
Feixiao’s unit outperformed rivals in obstacle courses, endurance trials, and team strategy competitions, winning the overall trophy through a combination of raw athleticism and precise coordination. Her tireless training regimens and booming encouragement were credited for the win.
The win marks Veritas Prime’s first Sports Fest title in eight years and solidifies Feixiao’s reputation as one of the program’s most formidable and motivating cadets.
10 Years Ago…
New “Research Assistant” Arrives for the Campus Dad
By: ████ █████
Published: ██/██/████
The University of Veritas Prime celebrates a joyful new arrival for Professor Welt Yang and his family; the birth of his son, Joey.
Professor Yang, who illuminates our halls by being the student body’s favorite professor for History, Philosophy, and Theoretical Physics, is wished all the happiness in this new chapter by his colleagues and students.
7 Years Ago…
IPC Heiress Appointed as Vice-Headmaster's Assistant in Surprise Shake-Up
By: ████ █████
Published: ██/██/████
In a significant move, Asta Lovelace has been appointed personal research assistant to Vice-Headmaster Herta von Gauss. The appointment underscores the close ties between the university and the International Peace Corporation (IPC), its largest research funder. Asta is the daughter of IPC magnate Arcturus Lovelace.
While the university cites her academic merit — a distinguished alumna of the university’s prestigious Economics program — the selection is widely seen as strengthening IPC’s influence over Veritas Prime’s flagship research programs. When approached for comment, the IPC reiterated its “steadfast partnership with Veritas Prime in the shared pursuit of progress.”
Vice-Headmaster Herta von Gauss was unavailable for comment.
5 Years Ago…
The Prodigal Son Returns: Jing Yuan Accepts Tenure, Named Dean of Students
By: ████ █████
Published: ██/██/████
In a stunning homecoming, Jing Yuan, the sole functional survivor of the High-Cloud Quintet tragedy, has returned to the University of Veritas Prime.
After a decorated several-year stint in the Xianzhou Alliance military and taking modular classes, Jing Yuan has completed his doctorate and has been granted a tenured professorship in the College of Security, Justice, and Public Leadership.
In a unanimous decision by the board, he has also been appointed the new Dean of Students, filling a position left vacant by the controversial former dean, Cocolia Rand.
2 Years Ago…
Dean’s Position Under Quiet Scrutiny as Campus Priorities Shift
By: ████ █████
Published: ██/██/████
A quiet rivalry is brewing within the senior administration over the leadership of Dean of Students Jing Yuan.
While popular with students for his patient, pragmatic, and sometimes unorthodox style, Jing Yuan’s methods have drawn pointed criticism from Professor Fu Xuan, Dean of the College of Mathematics and Natural Sciences. In recent meetings, she has emphasized the need for “data-driven decisiveness” and “proactive policy,” framing the current student governance as overly sentimental and reactive.
Though not stating it outright, Fu Xuan is widely understood to be positioning herself for Jing Yuan’s role. Her supporters cite her efficiency and grant-winning record, while Jing Yuan’s backers value his deep experience and understanding of student welfare.
Vice-Headmaster Herta has declined to comment on what she termed “administrative gossip,” though observers note that Fu Xuan’s push for quantified efficiency aligns closely with Herta’s own philosophies.
1 Year Ago…
Bronya Rand Elected Student Council President
By: ████ █████
Published: ██/██/████
In a decisive victory, third-year political science major Bronya Rand has been elected Student Council President, defeating her longstanding rival, sociology major Seele Olegovna.
Rand, who campaigned on a platform of “Structural Reform and Transparent Governance,” secured a wide margin in Wednesday’s election.
“True change requires order, not chaos,” Rand stated in her victory address. “We will build a council that works for everyone.”
Olegovna, known for her passionate advocacy for student activism and grassroots organizing, conceded gracefully, stating she would “hold the new administration to its promises.”
Bronya Rand succeeds outgoing president Gepard Landau and will assume office next month.
Six Months Ago…
Campus Vandal Claims Wall with Glittering Herta Mural
By: ████ █████
Published: ██/██/████
A new campus artist, dubbed as “Sparkle” by the student body, has unveiled their debut piece: a large, glittering mural of Vice-Headmaster Herta on the side of Kuwabara Hall.
The unauthorized artwork appeared overnight, executed with notable skill and an immense quantity of iridescent glitter. It has quickly become a popular campus landmark.
Security Head Arlan called the act “annoying though artistic,” but no leads have been confirmed. Whispers among students suggest the alias belongs to a transfer student named Hanabi, though she has neither confirmed nor denied the rumors.
The administration has issued a standard notice against vandalism, but the mural remains.
3 Minutes Ago…
Legacy Admitted: Dan Feng’s Younger Brother Enrolls at Veritas Prime (DELETED)
By: ████ █████
Published: ██/██/████
The University of Veritas Prime welcomes a notable new freshman this semester: Dan Heng, the younger brother of the late Dan Feng. Dan Heng, 18, has been admitted to the university as a first-year student, pursuing a degree in Business Administration, following the same academic path as…
[ ERROR: ARTICLE NOT FOUND ]
Notice: This content has been removed by administrative request. For more information on our current student admission policies, please visit the University Registry page.
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Jing Yuan frowned and tapped the refresh key.
Yet the message persisted. This content has been removed by administrative request.
Herta. It had her fingerprints all over it — or more accurately, Asta’s, delivered with polite legalese.
Too sensitive, they would have decided. A liability.
He leaned back slowly. The official reason would be privacy. The real reason was history. The name “Dan Feng” was a raw nerve in the university’s legacy, a scandal, a stain they could never scrub, a file best kept closed.
Jing Yuan glanced at the clock. His next appointment—a meeting with Fu Xuan to discuss departmental funding was in ten minutes. The future, ever-efficient, ever-demanding, waited.
His cursor hovered over the closed browser. Then, with a quiet exhale, he navigated instead to the secure student registry. His credentials still worked — one of the few privileges of this office he used sparingly.
A few keystrokes later, he was looking at a freshman profile.
Dan Heng. 18. First-Year. Business Administration.
The ID photo was small, but clear. The face was younger, cuter, prettier, softer at the edges than the one he remembered, but the eyes held the same careful distance. A look meant to keep the world at bay. A look he once had, and Jing Yuan felt an old, familiar tightness behind his sternum.
Fuck.
He let out a slow breath. It really is him.
The dean studied the sparse lines of data. The generic dorm assignment, the blank space for declared minors, the impersonal student ID number. Even his height, which was 174 centimeters. There was nothing of substance to see, and yet, he looked.
With a slow, deliberate click, he closed the window. He rose from his chair, the leather sighing as if in relief. The meeting with Fu Xuan awaited. The present, with all its demands, called.
Jing Yuan straightened his cuffs and moved toward the door.
Hm.
He will be keeping an eye on that kid.