The students whose time had been wasted by Huo Yuhao's "Chicken You Are Too Beautiful" were all glaring red-eyed.
Killing intent filled the air.
Huo Yuhao, how are you going to make it up to us for screwing us over?!
A student named Lin Zeyu stepped forward and pointed straight at Huo Yuhao, his voice trembling.
"Teacher Zhou, I refuse to accept this!"
"He didn't run two hundred laps! He didn't even run a hundred!"
"Why wasn't he eliminated?!"
He, Lin Zeyu, had failed to finish because that despicable Huo Yuhao had distracted him!
Why?!
Zhou Yi glanced indifferently at Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao stood ramrod straight, his expression unchanged.
I'm the chosen child of fortune. I won't be expelled.
I won't be expelled.
I won't...
Zhou Yi withdrew her gaze and added without changing her expression,
"I said Huo Yuhao had to run two hundred laps, but I didn't say he had to finish them within the allotted time."
Lin Zeyu's eyes widened. "W-what?!"
Zhou Yi looked entirely justified. "Which of you heard me say that? I only told Huo Yuhao to run two hundred laps. I never mentioned a time limit."
Lin Zeyu's voice cracked. "But he didn't finish them either!"
Zhou Yi gave him an indifferent glance. "Huo Yuhao, keep running your laps."
"Yes... Teacher Zhou..."
Huo Yuhao forced his trembling legs to hold him up and staggered into motion.
He limped along, one step at a time, like a duck that had just learned to walk.
But inside, he was shouting wildly:
I really am the chosen child of fortune!
She actually let me off! Fine, I'll run!
Gritting his teeth, he started running again.
All the students were speechless.
Zhou Yi really did whatever she pleased.
And Huo Yuhao was an absolute freak, on top of being a well-connected nobody!
The expelled students, Tai Long, Lin Zeyu, and the others, stood at the edge of the plaza with bloodshot eyes, their fists clenched so tightly they creaked.
Their vicious gazes carved into Zhou Yi and Huo Yuhao like knives.
They seemed to be saying, Just you wait. This isn't over.
Zhou Yi's eyes widened. "Get lost! If you make me angry again, I'll cripple your Martial Souls!"
At that, the students she'd called out didn't dare say another word.
They slunk away one after another.
Of course, they weren't going to pack their things. They headed straight to the Academic Affairs Office to lodge a complaint.
It was only the first day of school!
Who could accept being expelled just like that?
Among the students who had passed the assessment was a petite, delicate-looking girl with two green braids.
It was Xiao Xiao.
She had watched with her own eyes as Zhou Yi ruthlessly dismissed so many students, and she was terribly nervous.
This teacher is way too ruthless... What if I end up in her clutches one day too...?
I can't even imagine it. I can't.
The expressions of the students who remained changed completely.
Not one of them dared even breathe too loudly.
In less than an hour, Zhou Yi had established absolute authority over Class One of Year One.
"Go back to your dorms and change. Come back for class in fifteen minutes."
With that, Zhou Yi turned and left.
This time, no one dared dawdle for even a moment.
With a roar, everyone sprinted toward the dorms.
They were afraid that if they ran too slowly, that old hag would find another excuse to pick on them.
"That old hag is way too ruthless," Wang Dong'er grumbled as she hurried back to the dorm with Lin Ye.
Lin Ye nodded. "That old hag really does whatever she wants."
Wang Dong'er snorted. "You go in and change first. I didn't sweat much."
Lin Ye pushed her toward the door. "Quit dawdling. Go change. Wouldn't it be better to freshen up?"
Wang Dong'er was pushed into the dorm.
Her face flushed, and she turned her head away. "Did you forget the five rules I told you about that day? I don't like looking at other people's bodies. I'm afraid I'll get styes..."
As she spoke, her face turned even redder.
After what I saw this morning... I'm probably going to get styes already!
Lin Ye wasn't thinking about any of that.
He quickly stripped off his sweat-soaked clothes and wiped himself down with a dry towel.
His movements were quick and decisive.
Wang Dong'er kept her face turned away the whole time. Her face was beet red, and even the back of her neck was burning.
See no evil, see no evil, see no evil...
When Lin Ye finished wiping himself down, he turned to her. "Dong'er, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and change."
Wang Dong'er stammered, "O-okay..."
Holding her clean uniform, she went into the Micro Restroom to change.
She moved quickly, as if she wanted to get dressed in a single second.
On the deserted plaza,
Huo Yuhao was still dragging his exhausted body along, running lap after lap.
His legs felt as heavy as lead, trembling with every step.
It feels like these legs aren't even mine anymore...
And just then, rain began to fall.
It grew heavier and heavier.
The drops pelted him with a patter, soaking his uniform until it clung tightly to his body.
Students on break crowded the railings of the teaching building.
Someone noticed him.
"Damn, which class is that madman from? He's still running in this heavy rain?"
"That white uniform... Is he a first-year freshman?"
"Is there something wrong with that kid?"
Everyone's gaze focused on the swaying figure in the rain.
Huo Yuhao kept his head down as water ran down his cheeks.
I can't stop.
I'm the chosen child of fortune.
I can keep running.
Just then, the system panel popped up!
[My pride reaches the heavens!!! Who can stand against me!!!] [Ding! Congratulations, host, on unlocking the Jiahao System's main quest!] [By performing various "Jiahao Behaviors" and eliciting emotional reactions from others, you can obtain Heroic Value!] [Heroic Value can be exchanged for all kinds of generous rewards! These include raising your level, increasing your Soul Ring's age, Soul Bones, and more!] [Heroic Value +1] [Heroic Value +1] [Heroic Value +1] [Current Heroic Value: 3!]
Huo Yuhao froze.
Main quest?
What are "Jiahao Behaviors"?
He kept running as he thought back.
The previous tasks the system had given him:
Shouting "Ahhh" in front of everyone...
Pretending to DJ in midair at the lectern...
And talking back to Teacher Zhou...
Could those... have been Jiahao Behaviors?
Eliciting emotional reactions from others...
He looked up at the dense crowd on the teaching building.
Their dumbfounded faces, their pointing fingers and murmurs.
So that's it.
It's the feeling of making a fool of yourself in public?
The rain grew heavier.
A faint smile tugged at Huo Yuhao's lips beneath the veil of rain.
Bring it on, Heroic Value!
Huo Yuhao's eyes suddenly lit up.
Under a tree not far away lay a straight wooden stick. Someone had tossed it there, and it looked pretty handy.
"Fine weapon!"
Lin Ye and Wang Dong'er had just returned to the teaching building.
Suddenly, someone beside them shouted,
"Wait... What's that guy doing?"
At the shout, quite a few people instinctively looked up.
They followed the direction the person was pointing.
Lin Ye and Wang Dong'er looked over too.
In the torrential rain,
the entire athletic field was deserted.
Only one figure stood in the very center.
In his hand, he was holding a wooden stick.
"..." Lin Ye's mouth fell open.
Huo Yuhao?
If he was running laps, why was he holding a wooden stick?
The next second, everyone saw a sight they would never forget for the rest of their lives.
Before you continue