Part 1The Harpy’s Curse and the Broken Scholars

As the first zoologist to discover the mythical Harpies, my life was once shattered by fate. In my past life, I passed the entrance exam and partnered with the brilliant Stella for an overseas fellowship. Together, we won the highest international award, hailed as a dream team.

But our success drove her envious junior colleague, Toby, to overdose. The night before our return, Stella made a televised accusation, claiming I had sold our national research to a foreign corporation. "You stole Toby’s study materials and pushed him to fail!" she cried, calling me a traitor unworthy of science.

Only then did I realize she had stolen my father’s research, ruining his reputation. He died in disgrace. My mother, tricked by Stella into entering a wild reserve to help me, was killed by wolves, leaving no remains.

The forged "traitor’s agreement" sealed my fate. No institution would take me, and I fell from promising scholar to a homeless wanderer abroad. One snowy winter night, I froze to death on the street, my life over in half a month.

Now, back from hell with bitter memories, I held back. In the selection exam, I carefully scored second place. Watching Stella and her protégé celebrate on the results board, I smiled coldly. This time, I’d watch from the sidelines and see who that coveted award would truly destroy.

* * *

"Toby got first place? Isn't Oliver always the one who aces these things? Could

it be true what Toby's been saying, that Oliver was cheating all this time?"

Toby held the printout with his top score high in the air, strutting around like

a proud rooster.

"Those little quizzes were just warm-ups. A high-level thesis discussion like

today's is what really separates the wheat from the chaff. It seems some people

around here rely on cheap tricks to get by!"

He shot a contemptuous glare directly at me.

Everyone in our two-hundred-person research division knew I was the one who

practically lived and died in the lab. This crucial selection was a fluke

victory for him, a blind squirrel finding a nut, and he was going to milk it for

all it was worth to grind me into the dust.

I leaned against the wall, a humorless laugh escaping my lips. "The scores are

right there for everyone to see. You can keep barking, but it won't change the

facts."

He bristled as if I’d stepped on his tail, then turned and sagged against

Stella’s shoulder, his voice dripping with faux-pity.

"Stella, look at him! The way he scoffs at me. I was just having an off-period

before, that's the only reason he ever got ahead!"

Stella wrapped an arm around his shoulders, her eyes slicing towards me like

shards of ice.

"So, you stole Toby’s study materials and still couldn't manage to take first.

Lashing out now that you're embarrassed, are we? Let's see how long you can keep

playing these dirty, back-alley games."

I raised an eyebrow, catching the flicker of calculation in her eyes. In that

instant, it hit me. She’s been reborn, too.

Whispers immediately erupted around us.

"Oliver stole Toby's notes? That's messed up. No wonder Toby was always stuck in

second place, he was being sabotaged!"

"If someone at Stella's level is saying it, it must be true. What a scumbag,

using tricks like that to get ahead. Makes me sick!"

The glares and sharp-edged insults rained down on me, but I didn't even flinch.

I walked over to a nearby bench and sat down, calmly waiting for the Director to

arrive and make his selection.

In my last life, it was because I’d so spectacularly taken first place that the

Director had singled me out, kicking off the nightmare that allowed Stella to

destroy my entire family.

This time, I had no interest in being the nail that stuck out in this cesspool.

When the Director entered with the results sheet, his brow furrowed into a knot.

"How is Oliver second? I’ve reviewed his files from the past two years. His

performance metrics have consistently been the best in the entire institute."

Toby immediately crossed his arms, sniffing disdainfully.

"That's only because he's so conniving. He stole my core notes before the exam.

Otherwise, first place would have always been mine!"

I almost burst out laughing. In all our previous tests, he'd fought tooth and

nail just to scrape into the top ten. One lucky break and he was acting like he

was the next Einstein.

My undisguised smirk infuriated Stella. She shot me a warning glare before

turning to the Director, putting on her expert air.

"Oliver’s test scores are admittedly good, but that doesn't mean he has the

scientific intuition to handle a project of this caliber."

"Toby and I have worked together in the lab countless times. Our synergy is

unmatched. If he's my partner, I guarantee the project's progress will double in

speed."

She was the lead researcher, handpicked for the project. Her words carried

immense weight. It was a blatant power play: choose Toby, or she’d walk.

Watching the proud, certain look on her face, so sure the Director would cave, a

bottomless, cold amusement filled me.

In my last life, our partnership was nothing like the harmonious duo the media

portrayed.

She barely even bothered to show up at the lab. The all-nighters that left my

eyes bloodshot and burning? I pulled every single one of them alone.

On the rare occasion she graced the lab with her presence, her only pastime was

to stand aside and mock me.

"Toby is my true soulmate in science. No one but him will ever touch my core

data."

"You schemed your way into his spot, so this is what you get. Let's see what

world-shaking discoveries you can make all on your own."

This time, without me toiling away in the dark for her, I was eager to see what

kind of "world-shaking" results she and the useless Toby could possibly produce.

The Director, cornered, looked helpless. His gaze shifted between us, finally

landing on me with a hint of regret.

"But Oliver was the first to discover traces of that rare, harpy-like creature.

The higher-ups were actually leaning towards having him lead the subsequent

in-depth research."