AUTHOR'S POV
Three days later.
The sky above Hyderabad was painted in soft shades of orange as the sun slowly descended behind the city's ancient domes and modern towers. The air carried a strange mixture of history and ambition—old stone walls whispering forgotten stories while glass buildings reflected the future.
Somewhere within this city...
A spy was hiding.
And Ruhi Rai Singhania had come to find them.
A sleek black cab stopped outside the tall iron gates of Navora Group of Law & Institutions.
The campus looked nothing like an ordinary law school.
Massive sandstone buildings stood tall like silent judges watching every movement. Ivy crept along the walls, and tall pillars cast long shadows across the courtyard.
It felt less like a university...
and more like a fortress of intellect and secrets.
Ruhi stepped out of the cab, adjusting the strap of her bag.
Her eyes scanned everything instinctively.
Entrances. Cameras. Exit routes. Blind spots.
A habit impossible to unlearn.
Students walked around the campus in small groups, laughing, discussing cases, debating loudly. To them this was simply another academic day.
But to Ruhi...
Every face was a possible suspect.
Every conversation was a potential clue.
She exhaled slowly.
"Game begins."
RUHI'S POV
Navora looked... intimidating.
Not because of the buildings.
But because of the energy.
Everyone here looked intelligent. Confident. Sharp.
Perfect cover for someone who knew how to manipulate law, logic, and systems.
A spy hiding among law students...
Smart.
As I walked toward the administrative building, my mind replayed Sahay sir's words.
"This spy has been leaking defence information for years."
Which meant one thing.
They weren't just intelligent.
They were patient.
And patience was dangerous.
Just as I reached the large staircase leading to the main hall, my phone vibrated inside my pocket.
One short encrypted notification.
Unknown sender.
I stopped.
Only one person in my team communicated like this.
The anonymous member.
I opened the message.
One single line appeared on the screen.
"Left corridor. Camera blind spot. Don't stand there for more than ten seconds."
My heartbeat paused.
Slowly, I looked up.
Sure enough, a security camera hung exactly above the staircase.
But its angle...
Yes.
There was a blind spot where I stood.
How did he know that?
And more importantly—
How did he know where I was standing right now?
A faint chill ran down my spine.
I typed a quick message.
"Are you watching me?"
Three seconds later, the reply came.
"Always watch the battlefield before entering it."
I frowned.
Whoever this anonymous guy is...
he knows too much.
AUTHOR'S POV
Inside the main academic building, the corridor buzzed with students.
Footsteps echoed along marble floors.
Ruhi checked the schedule file Sahay sir had given her.
First lecture.
Criminal Jurisprudence
Professor — Manan Singh Rajput
Room 304.
As she climbed the staircase toward the third floor, the atmosphere gradually became quieter.
Law books lined the hallway walls.
Quotes from ancient legal philosophies were engraved into stone panels.
One particular Sanskrit verse caught her attention.
"धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः।" [dharmo rakshatih rakhitaha]
Dharma protects those who protect it.
Ruhi paused for a second, reading it carefully.
A small thoughtful smile appeared on her lips.
Let's see who is protecting dharma here...
and who is destroying it.
She reached Room 304.
The classroom was already half full.
Students sat discussing legal theories and famous court cases.
Ruhi quietly walked inside and chose a seat near the window.
But her senses stayed alert.
She watched people carefully.
Two students arguing about constitutional law.
A girl typing rapidly on her laptop.
A boy reading case files intensely.
Everyone looked... normal.
Which meant absolutely nothing.
A spy smart enough to fool the intelligence system would never appear suspicious.
Just then—
The classroom door opened.
Silence fell almost instantly.
Footsteps echoed across the room.
Slow.
Measured.
Authoritative.
Ruhi looked up.
And for the first time...
She saw Professor Manan Singh Rajput.
He was taller than she expected.
Sharp jawline.
Cold, calculating eyes behind thin glasses.
A calm but intimidating presence surrounded him—like a man who had spent years standing in courtrooms destroying opponents with logic alone.
Without saying a word, he placed a thick file on the table.
The room was completely silent now.
Manan's voice finally broke the stillness.
Deep. Controlled.
"Law," he said slowly, "is not about proving someone innocent."
He looked around the class.
"It is about proving someone wrong."
A few students exchanged nervous glances.
Then his gaze stopped.
Directly on Ruhi.
For a moment, something unreadable flickered in his eyes.
Almost like recognition.
But it disappeared instantly.
"New student?" he asked calmly.
Ruhi met his gaze without hesitation.
"Yes, Professor."
"Name."
"Ruhi Rai ."
He watched her for two seconds longer than necessary.
A faint, almost invisible crease appeared between his brows.
Then he said something unexpected.
"Interesting."
Ruhi raised an eyebrow.
"What is, Professor?"
Manan closed the file slowly.
"Most transfer students try to sit in the back rows."
His sharp eyes locked onto hers.
"But you chose the window seat."
Ruhi leaned back slightly.
"Better view," she replied.
A few students chuckled nervously.
Manan didn't smile.
He walked toward her desk.
Each step deliberate.
Each step calculated.
When he stopped beside her, the entire classroom felt the tension.
He placed a thin law book on her desk.
"Then tell me, Ms. Rai."
His voice was calm but challenging.
"If someone commits a crime in the name of justice... is it still a crime?"
Ruhi tilted her head slightly.
A trap question.
Classic courtroom psychology.
But she didn't look away.
Instead she answered quietly.
"In the battlefield of morality, Professor..."
"Justice and crime often wear the same face."
The classroom fell silent again.
Manan studied her expression carefully.
Then he said softly—
Almost like a philosophical whisper.
"सत्यं ब्रूयात् प्रियं ब्रूयात् न ब्रूयात् सत्यमप्रियम्।"
Speak the truth. Speak it kindly. But never speak a truth that destroys unnecessarily.
Ruhi's lips curved slightly.
"And yet," she replied,
"sometimes the truth itself is a weapon."
For the first time—
Manan smiled.
Not warmly.
But like a strategist recognizing another strategist.
"Good answer."
He straightened.
"But be careful, Ms. Rai."
His voice dropped slightly lower.
"In this world..."
"People who carry weapons disguised as truth..."
His gaze sharpened.
"...usually have something to hide."
Ruhi's heartbeat quickened for just a second.
Was that a random statement...
or a warning?
And the game between them had only just begun
Thank you
Gratitudes,
Author✨
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