"As everyone knows, Tang San is loyal, respects his teachers, acts fairly, and knows how to repay kindness. If you're choosing a friend, choose Tang San!"
In the classroom, instructor Yuan Bubu explained with utmost seriousness:
"Furthermore, Tang San has already been confirmed as a Child of Destiny!"
"Based on past experience, as long as you befriend a Child of Destiny and support their growth, you'll receive gifts from them, earning vast quantities of items and rewards!"
At this point, Yuan Bubu paused for two seconds, then abruptly raised his voice:
"Certain students must never try to outsmart everyone and make their own choices!"
"I'll say it again: trash will always be trash! Don't expect a useless failure to turn things around against the odds! Do you understand?!"
Before Yuan Bubu had even finished speaking, the students of Senior Class One turned in perfect unison, as though guided by autopilot, to look at Lin Dong in the corner of the classroom.
Well, damn. Looks like I'm the useless failure now!
Meeting the entire class's gaze, Lin Dong's lips curved into a faint smile.
Seeing this, Yuan Bubu rolled his eyes in utter disgust.
The other students looked at him with mockery, disdain, or pity. Not a single one regarded Lin Dong normally.
When the Sea God ascends to the Divine Realm without taking you along, you'll have something to cry about.
Lin Dong had long since grown used to his classmates' ridicule. He even found it somewhat amusing.
The world Lin Dong now lived in had "secret realms" and "dungeons."
These secret realms and dungeons were all based on anime, films, novels, and other works Lin Dong had seen in his previous life.
Through secret realms and dungeons, people could earn abundant rewards, strengthen themselves, awaken supernatural abilities, and even evolve into... gods!
The difference was that secret realms saved exploration progress, while dungeons did not. Once you entered a dungeon, you either completed the mission and cleared it, or died!
No one knew when the secret realms had first appeared.
But after more than a hundred years of exploration, humanity worldwide had settled on a remarkably consistent method of using them:
[Find a chosen one, support the chosen one, and once they fulfill their destiny, receive their gifts and obtain vast quantities of items and rewards!]
So far, this method had proven extremely effective!
Lin Dong alone knew of more than a dozen success stories!
For instance, someone from the Land of Cherry Blossoms had raised Naruto's affinity to 100 in the [Naruto] secret realm!
The moment Naruto became Hokage, that person received the complete legacy of Nine-Tails and sage power, leaping straight from a level 40 Martial King to a level 90 Martial God and taking the title "Nine-Tailed Fox God"!
Another example was someone from America who had raised Tony's affinity to 100 in [Iron Man]!
When Tony created his nanotech suit, he gave it directly to that person!
Later, with that SS-rank mechanical suit, the recipient had actually fought a level 85 Martial Emperor head-on without being at a disadvantage!
There were also Korea's [The Grudge], Russia's [Steel Torrent], France's [Knights of the Round Table], and others.
All of them had found chosen ones within secret realms, helped them grow and fulfill their wishes, and received tremendous rewards. They had soared to the top, becoming gods among mortals who looked down upon the world!
And Tang San, whom Yuan Bubu had mentioned, was the Child of Destiny of "Douluo Continent," the most popular SSS-rank secret realm in the Dragon Kingdom and even the entire world!
Back when the Douluo Continent secret realm first appeared and Tang San was confirmed as a Child of Destiny...
On that very day, fifty million people from the Dragon Kingdom, and at least 120 million worldwide, had flooded into the Douluo secret realm simultaneously!
Some had even destroyed their own cultivation and started from scratch just to enter Douluo Continent.
Everyone wanted to win Tang San's favor and ride his coattails, hoping to receive his gifts when he became a god.
Lin Dong had transmigrated around that same time.
However, after learning about the situation, he had not chosen Tang San in Douluo.
Instead, he had turned straight toward the Battle Through the Heavens World and become buddies with Xiao Yan, who was regarded as a useless failure.
Since a secret realm choice could not be changed, once his classmates learned that Lin Dong had chosen Battle Through the Heavens, he naturally became a bizarre outcast in their eyes.
To his teachers, he was someone who thought he was smarter than everyone else.
"There are only thirty days left until the college entrance exam. I hope you'll all raise Tang San's affinity as much as possible and strive for good results!"
At this point, Yuan Bubu cast a seemingly casual glance at Lin Dong before continuing, "Whatever you do, don't be like certain students who think they know better and ruin their entire lives!"
For the second time, the entire class turned mocking eyes toward him in unison.
Lin Dong remained unmoved. He even raised his hand. "Mr. Yuan, I'd like to apply for a Stamina Enhancer!"
"A Stamina Enhancer costs one million per dose!"
Staring at Lin Dong, Yuan Bubu said coldly, "From what I know of your family, you can't afford one, can you?"
"I'm not buying one outright. I'm applying for one."
Lin Dong corrected Yuan Bubu:
"Under Dragon Kingdom law, all final-year high school students whose grades meet the requirements can take out a loan to purchase a Stamina Enhancer, with the school covering the initial cost."
"The school does indeed have that policy."
Yuan Bubu nodded and sneered. "But, Lin Dong, don't you think scrambling at the last minute is a very foolish thing to do?"
At that, the entire class burst into laughter.
"He chose a useless failure and made no progress for three years, and only now does he remember to work hard? That's hilarious."
"An idiot who thinks he knows better. Why couldn't he just choose Tang San like everyone else? Tang San's a genius who knows how to repay kindness!"
"Y-you shouldn't talk about him like that. What if he really is an idiot? Hahaha!"
Yuan Bubu let the students finish mocking him before saying indifferently, "Go collect it from the Academic Affairs Office yourself."
Afterward, without even looking at Lin Dong, Yuan Bubu turned away and said:
"Starting today, the school's secret realm rooms will remain open until the college entrance exam begins. Make sure you seize this opportunity and raise Tang San's affinity as much as possible!"
The students of Class One stared wide-eyed, their faces filled with disbelief!
"Don't they usually only open the secret realm rooms during the final ten days before the exam?!"
"This is fantastic! With the secret realm rooms' boost, I'm confident I can raise Tang San's affinity to 2%!"
"Don't get so excited over a measly 2%. Young Master Ye has already raised Tang San's affinity to 5%!"
"Holy shit! How could it possibly be that high?!"
"You really haven't heard? Young Master Ye spent eight million yesterday to buy a Soul Bone for Tang San! They're already calling each other brothers!"
Lin Dong was rather surprised to hear this. He had not expected the Ye Family to be so wealthy that they would spend such a huge sum just to raise affinity.
But... calling Tang San a brother?
Recalling the double standards of the [God of Integrity], Lin Dong grinned. He hardly knew what to say, but hoped this Young Master Ye would truly get what he wanted in the end!
As long as he did not end up like Village Chief Old Jack or Teacher Yu Xiaogang.
The Academic Affairs Office.
After filling out the required paperwork, Lin Dong successfully obtained a bottle of Stamina Enhancer worth one million.
"The stamina boost varies from person to person, but generally increases stamina by three to five points. The effects will be better if you combine it with other enhancers."
At the Academic Affairs Office's service window, the staff member explained the usage and effects while handing the Stamina Enhancer to Lin Dong.
"Thank you!"
Looking at the bottle of milky-white enhancer, Lin Dong nodded, then handed another set of documents to the staff member. "Also, I'd like to mortgage my property for a bottle of Strength Enhancer."
"Mortgage your property?"
The staff member looked at Lin Dong in surprise. "Young man, this is the only asset in your name. Please think this through carefully."
"I already have."
Lin Dong nodded without hesitation.
After hesitating for a moment, the staff member finally nodded. "In that case, I'll process the paperwork according to the regulations."
"However, since you already have a loan for the Stamina Enhancer, your repayment period will be halved. Can you accept that?"
"No problem."
Lin Dong nodded calmly.
About a dozen minutes later...
Lin Dong successfully received a bottle of bright-red Strength Enhancer from the staff member.
"This kid is the only person in the entire school who chose that useless Xiao Yan. He probably knows he won't pass the college entrance exam and is going all in now."
Watching Lin Dong leave, the staff member sighed. "If he knew it would come to this, why make that choice in the first place?"
"There are always people who think they know better."
The staff member at another service window sneered. "Young people always think they're different. In reality, they just haven't had the real world beat some sense into them yet!"
"Have you heard? That moron Lin Dong actually mortgaged his property and took out a loan to buy a strength potion!"
"He's panicking! He's panicking! He didn't choose Tang San, and now that he knows he won't pass the entrance exam, he's pretending to work hard!"
"Strength potions cost way more than stamina potions. If Lin Dong doesn't get into college, he'll spend the rest of his life slaving away to pay off his debt!"
Lin Dong was already notorious at First High School. Now that he had borrowed money to buy potions, he had become the laughingstock of the entire school!
The students of Class One were even ashamed to be in the same class as Lin Dong!
Unaware of the ridicule outside, Lin Dong had already entered the Battle Through the Heavens World through the secret realm...
Before you continue