When Poor, Strike with Precision; When Rich, Bomb the Hell Out of Them

Morning.

Bright and early.

Chen Mo arrived at the cafeteria with dark circles under his eyes, yawning.

To complete his task as soon as possible.

And earn better rewards.

Chen Mo had gone all out!

While everyone else was still wandering around the academy, checking out the upperclasswomen.

He had already stayed up for three nights straight, teaching himself soul engineering.

Over those three days, aside from his regular meditation and cultivation, and everyday chores.

He had devoted all his remaining time to soul engineering books.

With his powerful memory, ability to learn independently, and comprehension.

He had read through most of the soul engineering theory in the academy-issued textbooks and taught himself some of it.

He now had a general understanding of Soul Tool technology.

After eating a plain, unremarkable breakfast.

He headed to the teaching area.

The class assignments had been forwarded to every new student's soul engineering token yesterday afternoon.

Chen Mo had been assigned to Class One of the first year.

Since today was the first day of school.

The main road was packed with people.

Upon reaching the teaching area.

He soon found his classroom.

And strode inside.

The classroom's interior was very similar to the university classrooms he had attended in his previous life.

The only difference was how few students there were.

Including himself, Class One had only seventeen students, yet there were more than thirty seats.

A nameplate sat on every desk.

Each bore a student's name.

After Chen Mo found his seat and sat down.

The other sixteen students suddenly gathered around him, their expressions serious.

"You're Chen Mo?"

"That's me. What's wrong?"

As Chen Mo answered.

He was thinking to himself.

Seriously?

Getting singled out by my classmates on the first day, then showing off my abilities and slapping their faces afterward?

Isn't this plot a little too worn-out?

Just as he thought the story was about to unfold exactly as he imagined.

Something unexpected happened.

The students who had looked so serious a moment ago immediately changed their expressions.

"Don't misunderstand, classmate. I'm Long Aotian. I just wanted to get to know you."

"My name's Ye Fan."

"Chu Feng."

"Lin Feng."

"Chu Renmei..."

Hearing their names, Chen Mo could only marvel.

Every single one had a protagonist's name.

He couldn't help wondering whether he had transmigrated to the Douluo Continent or the Protagonist Continent.

Fortunately, after they got acquainted.

He realized.

These people merely shared names with the webnovel protagonists he had read about in his previous life.

There was nothing unusual about them.

Since there was still a little time before class.

Everyone started chatting.

"Have you heard? The dean's going to teach one of the classes in our year."

"Really? Is your information reliable?"

"My brother told me. He heard it from his teacher, and his teacher heard it while some other teachers were chatting."

"Good grief, that information's changed hands way too many times."

Everyone expressed doubts about this news.

Chen Mo, standing nearby, didn't really believe it either.

Because as far as he knew.

The classes Jing Hongchen taught were almost always exclusive to the Illustrious Virtue Hall.

He never taught ordinary classes.

Before long.

The bell rang.

Everyone hurried back to their seats.

One minute... two minutes... three minutes passed.

Their homeroom teacher still hadn't arrived.

Just as everyone was wondering what was going on.

A handsome man entered the classroom, dressed in a brown robe, his silver hair impeccably combed, a Level 7 Soul Engineer badge pinned to his chest, and his features sharply defined.

"That's our homeroom teacher?"

"Wow! He's so handsome."

"What a feast for the eyes."

When the few girls in the class saw their homeroom teacher's appearance.

They all wore lovestruck expressions.

The boys' gazes, meanwhile, fell on the Level 7 Soul Engineer badge on his robe.

Disbelief appeared on every one of their faces.

Their homeroom teacher was actually a Level 7 Soul Engineer!

And among them.

One pair of eyes watched the man in confusion.

"This guy looks a little familiar..." Those eyes belonged to Chen Mo.

After quickly searching his memories.

Suddenly!

His expression turned stunned, and he shouted inwardly, Holy shit! Jing Hongchen!

This man looked exactly like Jing Hongchen from the Peerless Tang Sect comic he had read.

In fact, Chen Mo remembered correctly.

The man before him was indeed the short, plump old man he had met not long ago—Jing Hongchen.

Only this was Jing Hongchen's true appearance.

He maintained the appearance of a short, plump old man to project authority before the students.

And today, he had shown his true face to teach.

Entirely to conceal his identity.

Soon, Jing Hongchen stepped up to the lectern.

He swept his gaze around the classroom, finally settling on Chen Mo.

He had another reason for concealing his identity this time.

After returning last night, he had given it some more thought.

Although he had already planned to take Chen Mo as his student.

A plan was only a plan; nothing had actually been settled.

If someone sweet-talked Chen Mo into going with them in the meantime.

Wouldn't he cry himself to death?

So, after some consideration.

He decided he had better act as soon as possible.

"Ahem... sorry. Something happened on the way, so I was delayed."

"My name is Golden Toad. I'm your homeroom teacher, and I'll also be teaching your Soul Tool Materials and Formation Array classes."

"As I'm sure you've noticed, I'm a Level 9—uh... Level 7 Soul Engineer, as well as a Soul Saint!"

"So my expectations for you will be very strict."

"Especially in the classes I teach!"

"If any of you fail one of my classes in the end-of-term assessments, don't expect a chance to make up for it. Go straight to the academic affairs office and withdraw!"

Jing Hongchen unleashed his full presence and began laying down the rules.

In the middle of it, a slip of the tongue nearly exposed his true strength.

As for having to withdraw after failing an exam.

That wasn't actually a thing.

Including the new students admitted today.

The Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy had only a little over four thousand students in total.

They could barely recruit students fast enough. How could they possibly expel them?

The reason he said this.

Was, first, to establish his authority, and second, to pile on the pressure.

After all, there were twelve classes in this year's intake.

If, in the end-of-term rankings.

The class taught by him, the dean, finished dead last.

Wouldn't people laugh themselves to death if word got out?

Sure enough.

After hearing Jing Hongchen's words, the girls who had been swooning over him felt the pressure multiply.

Once he had laid down the rules.

"Before we officially begin class, I want you to answer a question."

"What exactly do you think a Soul Tool is?"

Jing Hongchen tossed out a question.

But perhaps the rules he had just laid down were a little too strict.

Everyone was now somewhat afraid of him.

No one dared speak first.

Seeing the others lower their heads like ostriches.

Chen Mo thought to himself.

These people really aren't up to much.

They can't even seize such a good chance to shine.

Then I won't stand on ceremony.

He promptly raised his hand.

Seeing this, Jing Hongchen nodded and said, "Good! Chen Mo, tell us what exactly you think a Soul Tool is."

Chen Mo stood and slowly delivered his twelve-character answer.

"When poor, strike with precision; when rich, bomb the hell out of them!"