Serving as Class Monitor

Time passed second by second, and the sun slowly crawled from the eastern mountain peak to mid-air.

For most of the students in Class 1 of First-Years, the two hours of training felt simply like walking a circuit through hell.

A standard one-hundred-lap running track, if placed in an ordinary junior soul master academy, would count as outstanding physical fitness just by finishing half of it.

Yet here in Shrek, inside Zhou Yi's dictionary, the four characters of "lowering the standard" never existed.

The figures on the running track grew sparser and sparser.

Some gritted their teeth and forced themselves to hold on, every step feeling like treading on knife tips; some ran halfway and directly dropped to the ground to retch, only to climb back up and continue running after finishing.

Others had pale complexions and trembling legs, yet stubbornly edged forward without making a single sound.

No one dared to stop, because Zhou Yi stood right beside the track. She said not a single word, and her gaze alone proved more effective than any whip.

Huo Yuhao counted as one of those who stubbornly forced themselves through.

His physical constitution was poor to begin with, and on top of that, the soul power consumption from his previous match added frost to snow.

When he ran past the seventieth lap, his two legs felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead, and with every step he could clearly feel the muscles in his calves violently protesting.

Sweat slid down his cheeks and into his eyes, but he lacked even the strength to raise a hand and wipe it away.

Cannot stop... Absolutely cannot stop...

I want to stay here!

Huo Yuhao gritted his teeth. Right now he relied entirely on his own willpower to move.

Just as his body neared its limit, Huo Yuhao suddenly felt a wave of warmth, extremely comfortable.

The Mysterious Heaven Skill that Huo Yuhao cultivated began to circulate.

Under the effect of the Mysterious Heaven Skill, Huo Yuhao's vision, which had been on the verge of fading out, lit up once more.

Finally, at the very last moment as the two-hour limit approached, Huo Yuhao staggered across the finish line of the hundredth lap.

Almost the exact same moment he crossed the line, Huo Yuhao collapsed onto the ground, his chest heaving violently as he gasped for big mouthfuls of air, every inch of his body trembling.

Finishing within the final time limit along with him were several other students with weaker physical fitness; at this moment all of them lay sprawled in a jumble near the finish line, the scene nothing short of tragic.

"Well done, Yuhao!"

Seeing that Huo Yuhao managed to persevere and finish, Lu Chen bared his teeth and gave a thumbs-up.

Huo Yuhao also raised a thumb in response.

Yet on the running track at this moment, several figures still dawdled and wandered slowly.

Zhou Yi's gaze locked onto those few individuals, her expression cold enough to freeze.

She did not flare up, nor did she even raise her volume, merely lowering her head to glance at the timer before announcing in a terrifyingly calm tone, "Time's up."

Those few students on the track who had yet to finish looked at one another in dismay. One of them summoned his courage and said with a grin, "Teacher Zhou, we're just a few laps short, we'll finish running right away, right away--"

"No need."

Zhou Yi interrupted him. Her voice lacked any fluctuation, yet it caused the temperature across the entire training field to drop by three degrees abruptly.

"You few--you, you, and you," Zhou Yi's finger precisely pointed out every student who had failed to complete the task, "Go to the academic affairs office to process your paperwork and leave Shrek Academy within today."

The smiles on the faces of these pointed-out students instantly froze.

"Teacher Zhou, we..."

"One hundred laps, a two-hour time limit. This was a rule clearly announced before classes started this morning. There is no room for negotiation." Zhou Yi's tone sounded like she was stating an indisputable fact. "Failing to complete the task means either your ability is insufficient or your attitude is problematic. If your ability is insufficient, Shrek does not accept mediocre talents; if your attitude is problematic, Shrek accepts idlers even less. Whichever one it is, you do not deserve this school uniform."

With that, Zhou Yi pushed up her spectacles, and the cold light radiating from the lenses made these students unconsciously step back one pace.

"Since the first day of its founding, Shrek Academy has not raised trash."

This sentence fell like a blade, cleanly and decisively severing all possibility of pleading for leniency.

These students opened their mouths, ultimately saying nothing out loud, and left the playground with dejected expressions.

Only after those figures completely vanished at the end of the track did Zhou Yi turn around to face the remaining students once more.

Her gaze swept across every face, and after a moment she spoke again.

"Very good." Zhou Yi's voice returned to its habitual cold toughness. "Those who stayed behind show that you possess at least the basic qualifications to gain a foothold in Shrek. But this is only the beginning; over the coming year, I will let you know what true hell is."

Complete silence reigned. Not a single person dared to reply.

Because they knew this Teacher Zhou never spoke empty words.

"Now I am announcing one thing." Zhou Yi raised her chin toward Lu Chen's direction. "Lu Chen, step out of the ranks."

Lu Chen walked out from the crowd and stood beside Zhou Yi with a calm expression, neither acting flattered nor feigning modesty.

Zhou Yi gestured toward him and announced to the whole class, "Starting today, Lu Chen will serve as the Class Monitor of Class 1 of First-Years. Another vice class monitor will be selected at a later date to assist the class monitor in handling class affairs. Anyone with objections to this arrangement can come find me at any time."

Having said this, Zhou Yi paused and intensified her tone, "At any time."

These two words sounded casual, but everyone caught the subtext within them--you may raise objections, but you had better be able to convince me.

Yet unexpectedly, not a single person in the class raised an objection.

Although the boys felt envy and jealousy toward Lu Chen, no one proved stupid enough to jump out and question him at a time like this.

Lu Chen's strength lay right there; the combat feat of blowing up the Netherworld White Tiger with a single arrow had happened just two hours ago, and quite a few people present had witnessed it with their own eyes.

In Shrek, and in any corner of Douluo Continent, strength forever remains the hardest bargaining chip.

Lu Chen serving as class monitor was well deserved.

As for this result, the ones reacting the most enthusiastically turned out to be the girls in the class.

"The class monitor is Lu Chen! That's wonderful!"

"In the future we can openly go ask the class monitor to explain problems..."

"Ask problems? Are you trying to ask problems? You've practically written those little thoughts of yours across your face!"

"Shut your trap!"

Several girls in the back row huddled together whispering, occasionally letting out suppressed chuckles.

Yet compared to Lu Chen becoming class monitor itself, what made their hearts flutter even more was the position of "vice class monitor" that Zhou Yi had mentioned.

Vice class monitor--assisting the class monitor in handling class affairs.

What did this signify? It signified the ability to stay by Lu Chen's side legitimately, possessing a proper reason to speak with him, work alongside him, and have close-range contact with him.

Thinking of this, quite a few girls' eyes lit up as they successively calculated their own odds of winning the election for vice class monitor in their hearts.

The girls' little schemes showed plainly on their faces, while the boys mostly shook their heads helplessly.

Zhou Yi's gaze swept over the entire scene, quite satisfied with this outcome; Lu Chen serving as class monitor could simultaneously ignite the girls' competition for the vice monitor post.

With no other matters, Zhou Yi clapped her hands crisply and decisively. "Since there are no objections, then it is settled. Class Monitor Lu Chen, I will determine the candidate for vice class monitor during the assessments over the next week."

"Now, class dismissed!"