Self-Introduction

" Tang Jiaming!"

Liu Shiguo called out the first name.

"Here!"

A clear, bright voice rang out.

In the third row by the window, a boy wearing black rectangular glasses stood up neatly.

Behind the lenses, his eyes held focus and a hint of barely noticeable confidence.

He was rather slim, dressed in a clean white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms.

"Hello, everyone. My name is Tang Jiaming."

His voice was steady and clear.

"My greatest hobby is tackling difficult math problems and enjoying the sense of accomplishment that comes with solving them. If any of you run into tricky math problems in the future, feel free to come discuss them with me."

He gave a slight nod and sat back down.

Applause immediately broke out below. At Ning City No. 1 High School, a provincial key school, top students were everywhere, and math enthusiasts were plentiful. Tang Jiaming's speech did not come across as showy at all; it simply seemed perfectly natural.

Ling Yun looked at Tang Jiaming, memories from his previous life resurfacing.

He really was a top student. In his previous life, he had scored full marks in math on the college entrance exam.

"Su Yue."

A girl in a white dress rose gracefully and said in a gentle voice, "Hello, everyone. I'm Su Yue. I've studied traditional Chinese painting for many years, specializing in landscapes. I hope to become friends with everyone."

Applause rang out once more.

Ling Yun looked at Su Yue as memories from his previous life flashed through his mind like a film—because of that line, "I can paint," the burden of producing the class bulletin boards for the entire first year of high school had fallen almost entirely on her shoulders.

The introductions proceeded in an orderly fashion.

One unfamiliar name after another was called, and one fresh face after another stood up to speak about their hobbies and expectations.

Ling Yun leaned back against the not-particularly-comfortable hard wooden chair, his gaze somewhat unfocused.

These faces and names were no longer anything new to him.

The memories of his previous life were like an opened old photo album, clearly matching every person before him.

Who would make a stunning debut in the first monthly exam, who would soon fall out with whom, who would shine at the sports meet...

A jumble of information from the "future" flowed through his mind, leaving him with a subtle sense of detachment and weariness toward this ceremony of the "present."

The cicadas outside chirped louder and louder, adding to the languor of summer.

Until a name rang out—

"Jiang Yingqing!"

It was as though an invisible switch had been flipped. Ling Yun's vacant gaze instantly sharpened, and he abruptly snapped out of his wandering state.

Almost instinctively, he turned his head, his gaze landing precisely in the direction of the voice—the middle seat of the fourth row by the wall.

A girl with a high ponytail and a radiant smile stood up briskly. Her posture was straight, and she exuded energy.

"Hello, everyone. My name is Jiang Yingqing. I like extreme sports and love rock climbing. If there are any like-minded friends, we can hang out together."

The moment she finished speaking, especially enthusiastic applause erupted in the classroom. The commotion from the boys' section in particular was clearly louder than before.

Ling Yun did not move. He merely watched quietly.

He had to admit that she was truly beautiful. Her skin was fair, her features lively, and her long curled lashes gave her an alert, clever air whenever they fluttered.

In his previous life, Ling Yun had fallen for Jiang Yingqing the first time he saw her.

But he knew in his heart that this vibrancy had lasted only a short week in his previous life—during the weekend after military training when everyone went home, she had made a mistake while free-climbing and had remained beneath the cliff forever.

The shock and regret he had felt then quietly surfaced in his heart once more.

[Ding, System Mission triggered.]

[Detected that a junior sister of the sect is about to perish, body and soul destroyed, while venturing out for training. Please prevent this tragedy.]

[Accept mission?]

"Accept."

Ling Yun did not hesitate. After all, why not save a beautiful, vibrant life while earning system rewards at the same time?

After Jiang Yingqing finished speaking, Liu Shiguo resumed calling names.

"Zhou Da."

"Here! Hello, everyone!"

A loud, amusing voice came from behind Ling Yun.

He turned around and saw a round-bodied boy with a plump, bun-like face struggling to "spring" up from his seat.

He wore a loose T-shirt, his belly slightly protruding, but his eyes were unusually agile and full of cleverness.

Zhou Da's voice was loud and naturally comedic. "My name is Zhou Da! Zhou as in 'surrounded by punchlines,' and Da as in 'meeting the standard entirely by guessing'! Hahaha!"

He cracked himself up first, setting off a burst of laughter from the entire class.

"I don't really have many hobbies. I just like reading novels—all kinds of novels! I even dream of writing one myself someday! So..."

He deliberately put on a stern face, trying to look "fierce," his small eyes sweeping over the class.

"You'd all better be nice to me from now on, and don't make me mad! Otherwise, heh heh... whether you'll still be human in my future novels—or what kind of 'thing' you'll become—well, that's hard to say!"

His comical expression and exaggerated threat set off another explosion of laughter.

Ling Yun looked at Zhou Da, the corners of his mouth unable to resist curling upward as well.

Memories of this guy from his previous life surfaced in his mind: Zhou Da's father had been a well-known dentist in Ning City.

During their second year of high school, Zhou Da got into a fight because of his loose mouth and had half a front tooth knocked out by a punch.

Later, that mouthful of gleaming porcelain teeth had all been "arranged" by his own father for free.

After that, "Keep acting like a jerk and I'll knock out your teeth, then make your dad patch them up!"

became the ultimate weapon his classmates used against Zhou Da whenever he acted up. Every time, it would make him turn bright red instantly, like a cooked shrimp.

This guy was practically a walking comedy act.

"Ling Yun."

Ling Yun composed himself and stood up.

"Hello, everyone. My name is Ling Yun. I've liked working out since I was young, and maybe I have a bit of talent too, so I've never lost to anyone in terms of strength. If anyone doesn't believe me, we can arm-wrestle after class. Also, I hope we can all become friends."

Ling Yun had his reasons for saying that. He was giving his classmates a heads-up first. After all, he was only at the early stage of Qi Refinement now, yet he could already rival a peak human. If he wanted to show off at school in the future, he could just say it was all thanks to hard work and talent.

High school boys hated admitting defeat. Hearing Ling Yun say that, they all wanted to test him after class.

And when the girls heard that Ling Yun worked out, their eyes shone even brighter.

His upright figure, handsome features, steady demeanor, and that air of confidence in his strength all held a natural appeal for adolescent girls.

Liu Shiguo suddenly chimed in with a teasing tone. "Well, Ling Yun really is a handsome fellow."

Ling Yun smiled. "You flatter me, teacher."

"Being handsome is a good thing," Liu Shiguo said, changing the subject. Half-joking and half-serious, he added, "But with looks like yours, I'm guessing plenty of girls will have their eyes on you. Remember, don't get caught dating by the Disciplinary Office! And if you do get caught, don't expect me to bail you out. Once the Disciplinary Office signs off, pack your things and go home to reflect. Make sure you know the procedure."

A round of subdued laughter and teasing immediately rose in the classroom. Ling Yun could only twitch his lips helplessly.

The self-introduction session finally came to an end.

Liu Shiguo checked the time and waved a large hand. "All right, it's the first day, so there are no classes! For the rest of the time, you're free to do as you please. Get to know the people around you—new classmates and old friends alike—and familiarize yourselves with each other! Just remember to keep the classroom orderly!"

The moment the homeroom teacher disappeared, the tense atmosphere in the classroom instantly relaxed, and the buzz of conversation quickly grew louder.

The sounds of desks and chairs being moved, laughter, and greetings all blended together.

Because Ling Yun had said during his introduction that he had never lost to anyone in strength, the moment Liu Shiguo left, a group of boys swarmed around his desk, each one eager to give it a try.

Leading the charge was Zhou Da, who sat behind him.

"Brother Yun! Hehe, don't let my fat fool you—this flesh is all solid muscle!" Zhou Da planted his butt in his own seat and stretched out his chubby hand, looking utterly confident. "Don't cry when you lose later! You'd better watch yourself!"

Ling Yun said nothing, merely reaching out and clasping his hand. A boy beside them acted as a temporary referee. "Ready—go!"

Zhou Da exerted himself fiercely, his cheeks puffing up as he tried to end the match quickly with an explosive burst of strength.

He felt Ling Yun's arm seem to waver slightly, and delight surged in his heart as he pressed down with everything he had.

But a few seconds later, he realized something was wrong—no matter how red his face became or how hard he strained, Ling Yun's hand seemed welded to the table, utterly motionless!

That wrist was so steady it was downright despairing.

"Huff... huff..." Zhou Da panted heavily, sweat beading on his forehead.

Seeing that Zhou Da's face was about to turn liver-purple from holding his breath, Ling Yun stopped dragging things out and suddenly drove his wrist downward.

With a soft bang, Zhou Da's hand was firmly pressed against the tabletop.

"Holy crap!" Zhou Da shook his wrist, his face filled with shock and bewilderment. "Brother Yun! You... what did you eat growing up? This strength is way too ridiculous, isn't it?"

"Luck. I just happened to use my strength properly," Ling Yun said casually.

"Luck my ass!"

Zhou Da wailed, drawing laughter from the surrounding crowd. "Isn't that line way too old? Have you read too many brainless power-fantasy novels? You even copied the protagonist's all-purpose showing-off line?"

Zhou Da retreated in defeat, but the other boys were even less willing to accept it. One after another, they stepped forward to challenge him.

The repeated bangs of arm-wrestling, the low grunts of exertion, and the gasps and cheers of the onlookers rose and fell in succession. The outcome, however, was never in doubt. Every challenger returned defeated.

The last to step up was Niu Li, a student athlete who trained in shot put. His arms were a full circle thicker than Ling Yun's, and his dark face was filled with seriousness.

Ning City No. 1 High School recruited students with special talents, but during their first year, talent-track students and regular academic students were assigned to the same classes. Only in their second year were specialized talent classes established.

But unsurprisingly, Ling Yun still defeated him instantly.

"I'm convinced! Brother Yun, I'm really convinced!" Niu Li shook his sore, numb arm, looking at Ling Yun as though he were an idol. "Your strength is insane!"

The boys were finally completely convinced, crowding around Ling Yun and clicking their tongues in amazement.

Ling Yun had just breathed a sigh of relief, thinking this "strength demonstration" was finally over, when he saw a fair hand rest on the desk across from him.

Looking up, he found Jiang Yingqing standing there at some point, her ponytail gently swaying and curiosity and eagerness sparkling in her beautiful almond-shaped eyes.

"Ling Yun, you wouldn't mind trying against me too, would you?"

The corners of her lips lifted slightly, carrying a playful hint of challenge.

If you think this book is good, remember to add it to your bookshelf so you don't lose it next time.