Want to Team Up with Me?

"Chen Ming, we're not here to ask for your opinion. This team doesn't belong to you alone."

Song Chuan's brow furrowed, his tone turning harsh.

Jiang Yi, standing beside him, spoke up as well, her voice cool.

"We can pay you one gold coin. You can create a new team. How's that?"

Chen Ming laughed in disbelief.

Did they think they could toss him a coin like a beggar and be done with it?

At the same time, he began to understand.

Those two probably had ulterior motives.

But Chen Ming had no interest in guessing what they were really after.

Without another word, he opened his character panel.

Seeing what Chen Ming was doing,

Song Chuan and Jiang Yi both breathed a sigh of relief.

"At least you know what's good for you."

They hadn't come to Chen Ming just to make him leave the team.

If they didn't want to team up with him, they could simply leave Bright Morning.

The real reason was Qin Zhixue!

She was an SS-Rank Class-Changer with the Holy Radiance Angel class!

If they could team up with her, their future prospects would be bright indeed.

And the Morning Light Squad was their way in.

They could use it as a link and try to get Qin Zhixue to join their team.

It was an opportunity, and they had to give it a shot.

But Chen Ming was so useless that he'd awakened a C-Rank class.

To keep Qin Zhixue from leaving the team because she couldn't stand Chen Ming,

they had rushed over to demand the captain's position from him.

"Just transfer the captain's position to me and—"

Before Song Chuan could finish speaking, a notification popped up on his character panel.

[Unfortunately, you have been removed from the 'Morning Light Squad' by its captain!]

Song Chuan blinked, staring in disbelief for a good while.

"You dare kick me out?!"

He glared at Chen Ming, his eyes wide with fury.

Usually, when a team fell apart, its members left of their own accord. Kicking someone out was undoubtedly an insult.

Chen Ming sneered.

"Weren't you going to leave the team? I'm helping you out."

Jiang Yi also realized what had happened, and her face paled.

She looked at her panel, and sure enough, the same notification had appeared.

[Unfortunately, you have been removed from the 'Morning Light Squad' by its captain!]

"You..."

Jiang Yi was at a loss for words.

She'd never imagined Chen Ming would dare to be so bold.

Without a word, he'd kicked two high-ranking Class Changers—her and Song Chuan—out of the team.

By now, the crowd around them had figured out what was going on.

"Holy crap, Chen Ming's ruthless. He just kicked an S-Rank and an A-Rank Class-Changer right in front of everyone!"

"That's guts. If someone humiliates you, you hit them right back where it hurts."

"That's not guts. He's acting like he's got a death wish. He's offended an A-Rank and an S-Rank Class-Changer. Heh..."

"Doesn't affect me. I'm just enjoying the show."

"So irrational. If they run into him out in the wilds or in a dungeon later, Chen Ming's in for it."

Clearly, everyone thought Chen Ming had acted on impulse.

It was certainly outrageous for team members to demand the captain's position before leaving.

But the other guy was an S-Rank Class-Changer. All you could do was swallow your anger and put up with it.

"All done. Don't let the door hit you on the way out." Chen Ming clapped his hands.

"Fine, fine, you've got guts!"

Song Chuan pointed at Chen Ming, his gaze dark.

"Chen Ming, can't you see reality for what it is? You still think you're the genius you used to be?"

Jiang Yi's face was icy.

In her view, the fact that she and Song Chuan had come in person to tell Chen Ming all this was already showing him plenty of respect.

"Are we close?"

Chen Ming cut her off and waved them away. "If you're done, move along. You're in the way."

Jiang Yi was about to say something, but Song Chuan stopped her.

"Forget it. Why bother with a C-Rank?"

"You'd better pray we don't run into you in the wilds. Otherwise..."

He gave a cold snort, then turned and left with Jiang Yi.

They hadn't gone far when they suddenly spotted a graceful figure approaching.

She was a striking woman.

Tall, she wore a simple moon-white dress with a short cardigan over it.

Her hair fell like a waterfall, framing a face with delicate brows and eyes.

"Senior Qin!"

Song Chuan's eyes lit up, and a hint of fervor entered his gaze.

It was Qin Zhixue!

Her appearance somehow silenced the crowd at the entrance to the great hall. One after another, all eyes turned toward her.

"Senior Qin, I'm Song Chuan. You should still remember me, right?"

Song Chuan took a deep breath, quickly composed himself, and walked up with a smile.

"I awakened the S-Rank Warrior class. Um... how about we team up?"

The Morning Light Squad had only been meant to pave the way.

Since that approach had failed, he had no choice but to make the invitation directly.

He was an S-Rank Warrior, after all.

Surely Qin Zhixue had no reason to refuse.

Cloud Sea City hadn't produced a second SS-Rank Class-Changer this year.

He was in such a hurry mainly because he feared people from other schools, or even other cities, might snatch the opportunity.

If Qin Zhixue didn't want to team up with A-Rank Jiang Yi, he could immediately distance himself from her.

Just as Song Chuan waited eagerly for Qin Zhixue's answer,

she merely glanced at him without saying a word.

Then,

under Song Chuan's bewildered gaze, Qin Zhixue walked straight over to Chen Ming.

"Need something?"

Chen Ming frowned slightly.

He and Qin Zhixue weren't especially close, but they weren't strangers either.

Surely she hadn't come to demand the captain's position, too.

"Want to team up with me?"

Qin Zhixue asked softly.

As soon as she spoke,

the whole place fell abruptly silent.

The onlookers at the entrance to the great hall wore odd expressions: surprise, bewilderment, and the excitement of people witnessing some juicy gossip.

As for Song Chuan and Jiang Yi, standing not far away,

their stunned faces were filled with confusion.

Had they heard that right?

Qin Zhixue had asked Chen Ming to team up?!

An SS-Rank Class-Changer was inviting a C-Rank Class-Changer?

"You want to team up with me?"

Chen Ming looked at the cool, aloof woman before him, puzzled.

"During the Grand Exam, I can help you reach level 10."

"Why?"

"You helped me before. I'm not used to owing people."

Chen Ming paused, then understood.

Was Qin Zhixue talking about the earlier exchange program?

The school had provided him with a team-creation slot worth forty thousand.

To show her some courtesy, he'd taught Qin Zhixue a few simple techniques for cultivating spiritual potential...

Of course, something that seemed simple to him might genuinely have helped her back then.

"Sure. But I don't need a team right now. Let's get in touch when we run dungeons later."

After thinking it over, Chen Ming agreed readily.

An SS-Rank teammate was not one to turn down.

Teams were indispensable in this world.

Besides, in dungeons, teaming up didn't split the completion experience or rewards.

He'd be able to reach level 10 sooner, too, and awaken another SSS-Rank skill.

Maybe it would make up for some of his shortcomings.

"All right."

Qin Zhixue gave a light nod, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

Their conversation had been brief.

Qin Zhixue wanted to repay a favor, while Chen Ming wanted to reach level 10 as soon as possible.

Just like that, an SS-Rank Class-Changer and a C-Rank Class-Changer had "temporarily" formed a team.

Even after Qin Zhixue had left, the crowd remained utterly silent.

They hadn't heard what the two said afterward,

but it looked like... it had worked?!

"Whoa, that's juicy. What's going on between Qin Zhixue and Chen Ming? Don't tell me..."

An SS-Rank and a C-Rank teaming up? Was that even right? It had to be the strangest pairing in history!

"Damn it... Chen Ming actually got to team up with Qin Zhixue. How the hell did he get so lucky?"

Envious, jealous looks nearly drowned Chen Ming.

Not far away,

Song Chuan stood rooted to the spot.

Suddenly, his nose started to itch.

It felt like something red was about to sprout from it...