As the air in the carriage gradually froze, the people around them began whispering among themselves.
Zhuge Linghao twisted his mouth into a crooked grin like a dragon king and slowly stood up. His fine black hair covered his trembling, reddened eyes.
He summoned all his strength and stepped forward on trembling legs. With all eyes on him, he dropped to the floor and rapidly started doing push-ups, alternating between one-handed push-ups and clap push-ups...
[System, you really didn't lie to me. I really do have the strongman skill.]
[I feel like I could do a hundred in one go. Maybe even 250?]
Just as everyone around him tried to quietly put as much distance as possible between themselves and Zhuge Linghao, Meili-ge—Koenji Rokusuke, who had been combing his hair in the mirror—casually changed his pose, crossing one leg over the other.
Having nothing to do with the situation, he saw through Zhuge Linghao's intentions at a glance and burst out laughing. "Heh heh, as expected, only trash lets themselves get guilt-tripped~"
"Ah, this beautiful me would never foolishly give up his seat."
An uproar gradually rose around them, as people looked on in confusion.
Horikita Suzune put away her book and glanced down at Zhuge Linghao, who was frantically doing push-ups. She sneered inwardly, Hmph, what a show-off!
Ayanokoji Kiyotaka, an utterly ordinary and inconspicuous boy, narrowed his eyes. A ripple stirred within him. That boy's upper-body strength might well rival mine...
"Haah, haah, haah..." After warming up, the veins on Zhuge Linghao's forehead bulged. Deliberately imitating a delinquent's tone, he gave Kushida Kikyo a threatening look with his dead-fish eyes.
"Hey, miss, you're in the way..." Then, in front of everyone on the bus, including the driver, he went ahead and completed Option C's task.
"Whoa, what's he doing? Is he crazy? Is there something wrong with his head?"
"Don't say anything—record it and upload it. This'll be hilarious!"
"Uh... no way. Is he some new kind of person from the twenty-first century?"
[System notification... Eighteen people on the bus have been detected. They generated 18 points of shock value. The host may now open the beginner's gift pack. Would you like to spend 5 points of shock value to open it?]
[Whoa, you really are something, System. You even charge shock value to open the beginner's gift pack.]
[By the way, what is shock value?]
[Shock value is any emotion you make the people around you feel.]
[For example, someone might feel anger or disgust toward you, or regret, happiness, unease, nervousness, shock, joy, and so on because of your words or actions.]
[Of course, shock value can only be generated after an option task is activated, or during certain major exams. In each task or exam, a person can generate at most one point of shock value.]
[Then what are the conditions for activating an option?]
[System notification... Host, please investigate on your own!]
[Let me think. Could it be that I have to act boldly to trigger it? Or maybe someone has to come over and slap me in the face?]
Just as Zhuge Linghao was lost in thought, Kushida Kikyo, who had been tossed aside like a stray cat, rubbed her sore, round backside. A deep, pitch-black glint appeared in her eyes, but it vanished almost at once.
She was being extremely theatrical, screaming as though she had been frightened. In a pitiful voice, she cried, "Oh my gosh, how could you do that?"
"How can anyone be so rude? Right? Sir, please tell me who's in the wrong!"
Meili-ge, who had been asked, simply said, "Heh heh, black-haired boy, that wasn't a very gentlemanly thing to do."
Meili-ge walked up in front of Zhuge Linghao and looked down at him. "Girls are the most precious treasures in this world, especially cute girls!"
"So don't you dare do anything to hurt a girl. Otherwise, I can't promise what terrible things I might do if I get serious."
"But this matter had nothing to do with me in the first place. Don't let it happen again, understand, black-haired boy?"
After waiting a while without hearing a peep from the system, the tall, lanky Zhuge Linghao saw that things were going badly and decisively lowered his head at a forty-five-degree angle. He meekly parted his lips.
"Yes, that's right. I apologize for my actions."
[Meili-ge, Meili-ge, once you learn the truth about that little angel, you won't think that way anymore.]
[Ever heard of a femme fatale? The cute girl in front of you is one!]
The old man on his lap chuckled instead. "Young man, you're not bad. Kind-hearted, and willing to admit when you're wrong. You remind me of myself back in the day~"
[Old timer, come on. Would any ordinary person who saw the muscles bulging on that blond guy not be kind? Wouldn't they turn into an ostrich?]
[I bet one punch from him would make you cough up blood and break a few ribs, right?]
[Back down first, then rise up later. Nothing wrong with that. Hehe.]
After getting off the bus, Zhuge Linghao watched the big shots walk away and drew in a deep breath of fresh air. "Ah, I'm alive again! The world really is beautiful!"
Horikita Suzune, the long-haired, black-haired beauty, suddenly stopped. She looked back at Zhuge Linghao as he approached and said coldly, "Excuse me, which class are you in?"
Zhuge Linghao froze for a moment, thinking, No way. Did I draw too much attention to myself and catch your eye?
And aren't you supposed to be the cold, aloof type? Aren't you supposed to look down on bad boys?
I deliberately acted like an idiot just to keep a low profile, and now you're starting a conversation with me? Have you been possessed or something?
Avoiding the sharp, piercing gaze of the girl, Zhuge Linghao rummaged for his student ID and answered helplessly, "Um, I'm in Class 1-D."
"You're in Class 1-D too?"
"Hmph. Listen up. My name is Horikita Suzune."
"Over the next three years, I'll make sure to correct your twisted outlook on life, values, and the world."
"Defective goods should be sent back to the factory and remade."
Horikita Suzune's melodious voice rang out, as cold as an ice cellar.
Staring at Horikita Suzune, who had just made such a startling declaration, Zhuge Linghao had a vein-shaped mark on his forehead, and the corners of his mouth twitched.
[Huh? In my previous life, I was a math teacher, but now a student is the one lecturing me?]
[But Suzune, aren't you the one who needs correcting the most?]
Without saying a word, Zhuge Linghao gazed up at the azure sky and sighed. "Sigh, these three years are going to be rough."
Before you continue