He grabbed his laptop. "Online," he muttered. "It has to be online."

Then, on a buried forum for law students, he found it: a link to a digitized, interactive version of the latest edition. He clicked, holding his breath.

"Classic," he whispered, resting his forehead on the cool mahogany table.

He didn't just pass. He finished early. Walking out into the morning sun, Aleksei realized that while the paper book was a relic on a shelf, the knowledge—found in a frantic midnight search—was now entirely his.

"Question four, Aleksei," Volkov droned. "The nuances of the Mironov interpretation regarding overtime in the public sector. Most students miss the third caveat."

By 3:00 AM, the library was silent, but Aleksei’s mind was a legal engine. He had mastered the nuances of fixed-term contracts and the delicate dance of employer-employee mediation.

The next morning, Aleksei sat in the exam hall. Professor Volkov, a man who looked like he was carved out of old granite, paced the aisles. He stopped at Aleksei’s desk.