(Wang Dong'er fan art)
At that moment, the system's crisp notification rang in Huo Yuhao's mind:
[ Ding! Rank A mission complete! ]
[ Reward: One hundred Heroic Value credited! ]
Huo Yuhao knelt beside the lectern, saliva still hanging from his mouth after retching. He was a complete mess.
But inside, he was cheering wildly:
One hundred Heroic Value! Got it!
Worth it! So worth it!
Forget just giving her a kiss—even if she'd made him carry Teacher Zhou around the plaza three times, he'd have done it!
Meanwhile, a system panel appeared in front of Lin Ye, who was sitting in the back row:
[ Huo Yuhao completed the mission. Feedback points earned: 111 ]
[ Current system points: 320 ]
He'd had 239 points before. After subtracting the 30 points spent to issue a Rank A mission and adding 111, he'd gained 81 points net.
[ Critical hit reward obtained! ]
[ Lottery draws: 2! ]
Lin Ye's eyes lit up.
A critical hit reward! Two lottery draws!
The classroom had already descended into chaos.
Some students screamed, others discussed what had happened, and a few had already rushed out of the classroom, shouting that they were going to report it to the discipline office.
"Evil Soul Master! Teacher Zhou is an Evil Soul Master!"
"Anyone wearing a human-skin mask is no good!"
"Quick, go get Director Du!"
Zhou Yi covered her face in a panic. Her youthful face was filled with fear and embarrassment.
She had never imagined that the elderly woman persona she'd carefully cultivated for years would be kissed right off her face by some brat on such an absurd morning.
She turned and ran for the door. Her high heels struck the polished floor, and her foot slipped—
Thump—
She hit the ground hard.
Her pant leg had ridden up, revealing a stretch of calf wrapped in black stockings.
The stockings were decorated with delicate lace patterns. At a glance, they were clearly the pair she'd worn the night before to reward Fan Yu.
A few sharp-eyed students noticed, and another round of gasps swept through the room.
"Look! Teacher Zhou is wearing thigh-highs!"
"What Evil Soul Master? She's obviously a seductress!"
"No, no, no—was that her true form coming out after her human-skin mask got exposed?"
Zhou Yi scrambled to her feet. Without even brushing the dust off herself, she covered her face and ran out.
Her face was red enough to drip blood.
Not from embarrassment, but from rage.
Huo Yuhao! Just you wait!
The commotion had grown enormous.
Quite a few students ran straight to the academic affairs office, reporting that Teacher Zhou had been "wearing a human-skin mask" and was "suspected of being an Evil Soul Master," while embellishing the story as they went.
When Director Du Weilun received the report, his face darkened like the bottom of a pot.
He went to the classroom himself, heard how things had unfolded, then suppressed the matter under the pretext of a "teaching incident."
After all, Zhou Yi had powerful backing.
Her husband, Fan Yu, was a pillar of the Soul Guidance Department, a Rank Eight Soul Engineer, and a leading candidate to become its next dean.
Who would dare lay a hand on Fan Yu's wife?
Besides, wearing a human-skin mask wasn't a crime.
If she wanted to look beautiful and didn't want to show her real face to her students, so what?
With just a few words, Du Weilun defined the incident, then called in several student representatives and talked to them, using both threats and persuasion. In the end, he managed to quell the uproar.
Afterward, Zhou Yi continued as the homeroom teacher of Class One.
She simply never wore that old-woman mask again.
She taught every class in her true face.
The students began to look at her differently. Their fear turned to curiosity, their awe became... well, they still had some awe for her.
But it wasn't the same kind of awe as before.
They used to fear she'd throw them out the window.
Now they feared she'd teach class in thigh-highs.
Her authority had... diminished a little.
Huo Yuhao didn't escape punishment either.
Zhou Yi didn't expel him, but she still gave him the punishment he deserved.
He had to wear an iron suit and run around the plaza two hundred times, not one lap less.
The heavy iron suit weighed on his shoulders. Each step drove a shallow imprint into the ground.
Huo Yuhao dragged his exhausted body forward one step at a time. Sweat streamed down his cheeks, and his uniform had long since been soaked through.
Just then, hurried footsteps sounded behind him.
"Huo Yuhao, I'll run with you!"
A gruff female voice rang out. Ren Zhu caught up from behind, taking two steps for every one of his, and soon ran alongside him.
Huo Yuhao froze and turned his head. He found himself looking straight at that coarse-featured face.
"Ren Zhu?"
Ren Zhu didn't say anything. She just ran along with her head down, keeping pace beside him.
Huo Yuhao's eyes suddenly grew hot, and a nameless ache welled up inside him.
He blinked, barely managing to hold it in.
As he put it, "My eyes want to pee."
"Ren Zhu, after the way I treated you, you still..." Huo Yuhao's voice choked.
He was truly moved.
Ever since the day he enrolled, he'd been the school's officially recognized oddball.
Which one of his missions hadn't he completed while everyone looked at him like he was crazy?
No one had ever been willing to hang out with him.
No one had ever approached him of their own accord.
But now Ren Zhu—the very person he'd slapped—had come to run laps with him?
Huo Yuhao's nose stung. He nearly burst into tears on the spot.
Ren Zhu—or rather, the wisp of Tang San's divine consciousness controlling Ren Zhu's body—let a ruthless glint flash in her eyes.
Huo Yuhao, since you're the child of fortune, I have to keep you firmly in my grasp!
What's one slap?
This bit of humiliation is something this God King can endure!
As long as I keep you under my control, the fate of the Douluo Continent will still be decided by me, Tang San!
Tang San sneered inwardly, but forced a simple-minded smile onto his face. His big yellow teeth gleamed in the sunlight.
Huo Yuhao was so touched he could barely contain himself. He sniffed hard and said solemnly:
"Ren Zhu, you may be ugly, but you're kind. Don't worry, I'm willing to be your friend!"
Ren Zhu's smile froze. "..."
That evening after school, Lin Ye went to the city gate again to sell milk tea.
The business brought in money absurdly fast. All he had to do was feed a sliver of Soul Power into the Milk Tea Maker, and out came a steaming, fragrant cup of milk tea.
Each cup earned him one Gold Soul Coin. It was pure, unadulterated profit.
Lin Ye had done the math. If he kept selling at this rate, it wouldn't be long before he could buy himself a courtyard house in Shrek City.
A little head squeezed through the crowd.
Two green braids stood out in the throng. Her petite figure twisted and dodged from side to side, and only after quite a struggle did she reach the stall.
"Xiao Xiao? Want a cup?" Lin Ye asked with a smile as he busied himself.
Xiao Xiao stood in front of the stall with her hands behind her back, fidgeting shyly. Her cheeks were faintly flushed.
"Lin Ye, I heard you were selling things here, so I came to take a look..."
Lin Ye had already made a cup. He put in a straw and handed it over. "Here you go."
Xiao Xiao hurriedly waved her hands. "No, no... I didn't come to mooch a drink. I just wanted to take a look..."
Lin Ye stuffed it into her hands and said cheerfully, "Go on, take it. Since we're friends, I won't charge you."
Xiao Xiao took the milk tea, her cheeks turning even redder. Friends? He said we were friends...
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