The Bus Ride

(Brain storage area!)

(Those who can handle poison, come in!)

(Those who like spicy stuff, come in!)

(Those who like weird things, come in!)

(Those who enjoy the show, come in!)

(Those who aren't serious, come in!)

(Those with strong mental fortitude, come in!)

(Those who won't insert themselves into the story, come in!)

(This book has nothing to do with reality. Any similarities are purely coincidental.)

Where... is this? Who am I? What am I doing?

Zhuge Linghao stared blankly at the unfamiliar traffic and asked himself the three questions of the soul.

A second ago, Zhuge Linghao had been playing Honor of Kings, wreaking havoc with Zhuge Liang, a jungler. In the blink of an eye, he was standing dazed in front of a bus stop sign.

Did I transmigrate...? Hey, hey, hey! This is way too sudden.

After forcing himself to calm down, Zhuge Linghao glanced around. There were students, office workers, and ordinary employees. When the bus arrived, he went with the flow and boarded.

His clothes were just like those of many others in school uniforms. He looked like a high school student, so... probably... he was going to school now?

In his previous life, Zhuge Linghao had been a middle school math teacher. He was twenty-four, single, had tens of thousands in savings, and no goals or aspirations. He had muddled through life in a remote little town.

On many moonlit nights, Zhuge Linghao had often sighed with regret: "If the young do not work hard, the old will only have regrets."

If I got one chance to go back to my student days, I'd definitely study hard! Romance? Sleeping in class, reading novels, playing games? They can all get lost!

Zhuge Linghao boarded the bus and was quick on his feet, snatching a single seat near the front. Not long after he sat down, nearly every seat was taken.

The warm sun was just rising outside the windows. It was the morning rush hour, apparently.

Zhuge Linghao reached into his pocket for his phone, wanting to check the date.

Suddenly, a pair of impressive "peaks," soft and jiggly as gelatin, nearly collided with his nose.

Zhuge Linghao quickly leaned back and looked up in alarm. A cute girl with short orange hair stood in front of him, smiling awkwardly and seeming a little embarrassed. She also took half a step back.

Yikes... Zhuge Linghao's pupils suddenly contracted. ...Isn't that the famous angel, Kushida Kikyo? Have I ended up on the stage of Classroom of the Elite?

Sure enough, Zhuge Linghao quickly scanned the passengers back and forth, and, just as he'd expected, saw many familiar faces from the anime.

Oh, there's Koenji Rokusuke with his long golden hair, the cool, beautiful girl Horikita Suzune with her long straight black hair, and... the expressionless big boss, Ayanokoji Kiyotaka...

Hehe, what a gathering of great talents. Looks like my high school life is probably going to be exciting this time—not boring at all.

Before long, an old man climbed onto the bus, leaning on a cane and shuffling along unsteadily.

Seeing the old man nearly fall, Kushida Kikyo felt bad for him. She frowned, then politely asked Zhuge Linghao, "Hello, um... could I ask you to give this old man your seat?"

[Ding! The host has been detected being manipulated. System loading... 100%!]

[Ding... High-Profile Life System, delighted to serve you! Please choose one of the following three options. If you don't choose, or time runs out, the host will be killed immediately.]

[One-minute countdown begins... 59... 58...]

As one of the transmigrators, Zhuge Linghao shuddered. The corners of his mouth lifted and fell, his expression shifting unpredictably.

This system is way too ruthless. I've never heard of this world before, and now my life's in danger already!

[Option A: Madman Mode. Let loose a torrent of colorful curses at Kushida Kikyo. She won't understand them anyway. Then give her the international sign of friendship, flash a sinister smile, and shout in an extremely chuuni way: "Go to hell!"]

[Option B: Lecherous Gentleman. Flick your hair wildly, gaze at the girl in front of you with longing, blush, pant, and bow. Stick out your tongue and say: "Beautiful lady, give me a kiss and let me touch your breasts, and I'll give up my seat!"]

[Option C: Fitness Athlete. Pick up the girl in front of you in a princess carry and toss her aside. Pick up the old man, then strut in a sexy catwalk. Finally, return to your original seat and sit down with the old man on your lap, so everyone can have a seat. A perfect solution!]

[Ding... Different choices will grant the host a matching ability for one day, depending on the option and identity.]

[For example, Madman Mode greatly improves your comedic and humorous abilities, while Lecherous Gentleman gives you the therapeutic skills of a dating expert. As for the strongman, his strength will rival that of a muscular Western bodybuilder.]

Zhuge Linghao instantly turned ashen. System, you're giving me this at the start? Do I have no dignity?

And these random abilities are like opening a mystery box. Things could go catastrophically wrong at any moment...

A cold mechanical voice rang out in Zhuge Linghao's mind. [Host, please keep an eye on the time. 32 seconds remain...]

Kushida Kikyo stared at the short-haired boy in front of her, looking confused. "Hey, student. Could you please give up your seat?"

A bead of cold sweat ran down Zhuge Linghao's cheek. He glanced at the people around him, who were watching coldly. System, you bastard, you're screwing me over! How am I supposed to choose? Every option feels about as pleasant as eating shit!

Zhuge Linghao's mind raced. This is harder than solving the final problem on a math exam! What do I do? What do I do?

"Host, please keep an eye on the time. 10 seconds... 9 seconds..."

Oh, no! I'll just have to risk it. I need to stay alive!