The nearby classmates turned their gazes toward Zhang San upon hearing his sudden exclamation.
"Sorry, sorry, I couldn't help it," Zhang San quickly apologized under their scrutinizing looks. "I was just stunned by Chao-ge's handwriting—it's so beautiful! Chao-ge, are you a calligrapher or something?"
"Just average, really," Chao Musheng replied with a grin. "Just your typical winner of the district-wide sixth-grade hard pen calligraphy competition."
"Stop showing off," Senior Sister smacked the table. "Hurry up and finish writing!"
"Right away, sis!" Chao Musheng immediately lowered his head to work, but not before gesturing to Zhang San and Zhao Shang to slip out and catch the performance.
"You two aren’t going anywhere either," Senior Sister said sharply, unwilling to let any free labor escape. "Go help the props team pack up."
Zhang San agreed cheerfully, but as soon as he and Zhao Shang reached a secluded corner, his smile vanished.
He stared down at the certificate of honor in his hand—a thin sheet of paper that somehow weighed like a thousand pounds.
"Shang-ge, are you also…?" He wanted to ask if Zhao Shang had also received the hidden mission, but halfway through, he couldn’t bring himself to finish.
If he didn’t ask, he could pretend not to know Shang-ge’s decision.
The laughter of students drifted from behind them into the hallway, mingling with the echoes of music and dance from the stage.
For the students in this instance, it was a lively and joyous night.
Zhao Shang folded the certificate neatly and tucked it into his pocket, his expression stiff. "I’m going to help move props. You coming?"
Zhang San hesitated for a second. "Yeah."
Neither of them mentioned the hidden mission, as if it had never existed.
"Xiao Chao, you seem to like those two exchange students a lot?" Senior Sister’s hand moved so fast while writing that it blurred, but that didn’t stop her from chatting.
"They rarely get the chance to study at our school. As their guide, I want them to have some good memories," Chao Musheng replied, effortlessly filling in names while greeting passing classmates.
"Plus, they’re good people," he added jokingly. "Remember when we got revenge for Cat Senior? Zhao Shang stood with us."
He didn’t mention Chen Er bullying Zhou Yi in the bathroom.
Zhang San and Zhao Shang were scholarship students from impoverished regions. Standing up for Zhou Yi when he was being bullied must have taken immense courage.
Had they really been the only ones who noticed something wrong in the bathroom that night?
Avoiding trouble was human nature, but stepping in was virtue.
Zhou Yi was their classmate—more than that, he was the one who ensured their whole class had meals. Anyone who helped him was a friend to them all.
"True," Senior Sister nodded. "How are their grades?"
Chao Musheng’s hand paused mid-stroke.
Zhao Shang was alright—he could at least grasp the basics.
Zhang San, on the other hand, was utterly lost. His expression during lectures was more pained than a gorilla solving math problems. He took diligent notes and did his homework, but his accuracy hovered near zero.
"Their attitude is commendable," Chao Musheng said, lowering his head. "In learning, attitude matters most."
Compared to the exchange students other seniors were dealing with, Zhang San and Zhao Shang were practically a breeze.
Happiness was relative.
The group chat for guides had been flooded with hundreds of messages daily—each one a tearful lament from exhausted seniors.
The physics major got tagged the most. Every day, someone asked why the physics department hadn’t invented a time machine yet—if they had, they could go back and refuse this assignment.
++++++++
At the performance venue, school administrators and distinguished guests sat in the front row, enjoying the show.
The guests kept glancing at Mr. Su, who sat beside the principal, puzzled.
Normally, they’d stay just long enough for publicity—smiling for the cameras, praising the school, then making an excuse to leave.
But today, Mr. Su showed no sign of leaving. If he stayed, how could they possibly excuse themselves?
When one act ended, cameras swept over them. They applauded, nodding approvingly.
Another performance began, and they clapped again, feigning anticipation.
One guest flipped through the program repeatedly. What was so captivating about these acts that Mr. Su remained glued to his seat?
Was there a celebrity performer he liked?
Even so, with his status, he could easily summon any star for a private performance. Why sit in this crowded auditorium?
Nine o’clock passed—Mr. Su stayed. They couldn’t leave.
Ten o’clock—still no movement. They forced smiles and kept applauding.
The guests fidgeted uncomfortably, while the school officials beamed.
To appreciate every student’s performance so sincerely, to dedicate his precious time to a school celebration—Mr. Su was truly a visionary entrepreneur who valued the nation’s future pillars.
The players, meanwhile, sat in a distant corner. Forget gaining the principal’s trust—from this far, they couldn’t even tell if he was fat or thin.
"What a professional stage," murmured one player, a former music student. She gazed enviously at the equipment.
If she hadn’t been dragged into the Infinite World, she might have stood on a stage like this herself.
"Hey, focus," the player beside her whispered. "This is a dungeon, not a concert. Let’s find clues."
"Brilliant starlight, accompanying boundless joy and growth—next up, a musical ensemble from the Computer Science Department."
Seeing the five stunning performers on the screen, the player settled back into her seat. "No rush. We can spare a few minutes for this."
Such attractive NPCs might be plot-relevant, after all.
This was purely for the mission.
The stage lights were blinding—from up there, the audience was just a dark blur.
Chao Musheng stepped up to the drum set and bowed toward the crowd.
The cameraman seemed particularly fond of him, zooming in for a close-up.
Students in the audience screamed. Hearing the reaction, Chao Musheng blinked in confusion before instinctively smiling.
On the big screen, his bright, guileless grin was utterly disarming. Even the jaded guests in the front row softened.
No matter how wealthy or powerful, no one could reclaim their youth. Middle-aged and weathered by business or politics, they couldn’t help but be moved by such pure, youthful energy.
As the music swelled, Mr. Su lifted his head, his gaze fixed calmly on the stage.
Behind him, the students erupted in a tidal wave of screams—cheers, whistles, and applause nearly drowned out the five performers on stage.
Under the spotlight, the boy in the white shirt twirled his drumsticks, his smile radiant with youthful energy amidst the roaring crowd.
The drumbeats pulsed with vigor, and the boy’s grin shone as bright as the morning sun, his vibrant aura outshining even the stage lights.
"This is what youth looks like," remarked a middle-aged businessman to his companion, nostalgia lacing his voice. "Back in my school days, I was the heartthrob of the campus too."
His companion, an elegant woman, glanced discreetly at his rounded belly and offered a polite smile.
Bigger than his stomach—how can he say that with a straight face?
"Chao Ge! Chao Ge!" Zhang San squeezed through the crowd, shouting along with the others. "Chao Ge, you’re so cool! Aahh!"
Zhao Shang, noticing Zhang San’s complete absorption in the performance, turned his gaze back to the center of the stage.
Vibrant, joyful, beautiful.
Is this really just a world constructed by the System?
As the performance ended, the cheers surged like waves, students chanting for an encore with even more fervor than they had for the celebrity guests earlier.
The school administrators, seeing the guests enthusiastically clapping and praising the show, straightened their backs with pride.
Go on, praise us more.
Their Jinghua University students were simply outstanding—brilliant in academics, talented in the arts.
The large screen flashed close-ups of Chao Musheng and the other performers.
And let’s not forget their looks!
Once the performers had taken their bows and exited, Mr. Su turned slightly toward the principal. "Principal, your school’s anniversary celebration was quite engaging. The students’ performances were so captivating, I nearly lost track of time."
"Thank you for your kind words, Mr. Su. It’s all the students’ own efforts," the principal replied with a smile. "Kids these days are truly remarkable."
"Such excellence is also a testament to the school’s nurturing environment." Mr. Su checked his watch. "It’s getting late, and I still have company matters to attend to. Thank you for your hospitality today."
The principal immediately stood to see him off. That Mr. Su had stayed this long was already an unexpected delight.
"The principal’s leaving," one player muttered, noticing the movement. He struggled through the dense crowd, trying to find an opening to approach.
"Students, this is the guest passageway. Please refrain from using it for now," a group of volunteers with badges intercepted them. "The anniversary performances will conclude in half an hour. If you’re tired, you may return to your dorms to rest."
"Sorry, sorry," Qing Cai, the player, replied, craning his neck to watch the principal’s retreating figure. "We were just curious, didn’t mean to intrude."
Something’s off. The man leading the group was young, yet the others deferred to him. Given the school’s emphasis on seniority, it was unusual for someone that young to hold such authority.
Just as Qing Cai pondered this, the young man suddenly stopped and glanced in their direction.
Qing Cai’s heart lurched, and he instinctively took a step back.
But the man quickly turned away, as if his gaze had been nothing more than coincidence.
He wasn’t looking at us after all.
Relieved, Qing Cai grinned at the volunteer. "Hey, who are those people? They look pretty important."
"Those are distinguished guests invited for the anniversary. You didn’t know?" The volunteer puffed up proudly. "We’re the nation’s top university. Of course, influential figures would attend our bicentennial celebration."
"Right, right. Who wouldn’t want to show face for our school?" Qing Cai played along before subtly blending back into the crowd.
Something’s really wrong here.
The NPCs in this instance seemed to have fully fleshed-out social networks, their every action and word perfectly aligned with their identities.
But that was exactly what made it unsettling.
Infinite System’s instances had fixed boundaries. Every NPC and player followed certain rules—rules that could either protect players or become tools for NPCs to kill them.
The most terrifying aspect of this exploration instance was the absence of rules—or at least, the players hadn’t uncovered them yet.
They were like headless flies lost in a desert, completely clueless about how to clear the stage.
Gaining favor was nearly impossible. Surveillance cameras were everywhere—Old Wang had been caught just for throwing something off a building to scare a cat, let alone sneaking into the principal’s office to steal official seals or student rosters.
And most importantly—was the student roster even in the principal’s office?
This school had a fully functional administrative system. Asking them to steal records was practically sending them to their deaths.
No wonder so few players volunteered for exploration instances, leaving the System to assign them randomly. And no wonder the rewards were set so high—it was all a trap.
Backstage, Chao Musheng asked the makeup team for cleansing wipes.
"Your performance was awesome!" A classmate handed him a few sheets. "You’re not staying for the final curtain call?"
"My face is itching like crazy," Chao Musheng scratched his cheek. "I got permission to head back to the dorm early."
After a full day of activities, all he wanted was to collapse into bed.
"Then wash your face properly once you’re back." The classmate passed him a few individually wrapped wipes. "Use these first, then rinse with water. It’ll feel better."
"Thanks." Tucking the wipes into his pocket, Chao Musheng slipped out through a side door.
"Chao Ge!" Zhang San, who had been waiting outside, hurried over. "Chao Ge, wait up!"
"Zhang San?" Chao Musheng blinked. "Didn’t you watch the rest of the show?"
"Uh, yeah, I did." Zhang San glanced around nervously. "I just—I was so blown away by how cool you were on stage that I had to come find you."
Chao Musheng raised a brow. "Out with it. Do you need my notes, or are you fishing for homework answers again?"
"Chao Ge, is that all you think of me?" Zhang San fidgeted. "This time, it’s not about homework."
"Then what is it?" Chao Musheng studied him. "Running low on allowance?"
"It’s just—" Zhang San spotted Zhao Shang approaching and blurted, "Chao Ge, what are your weekend plans? You’re not going out alone with Zhao Shang, are you?"
"I’m going home this weekend. Not taking Zhao Shang anywhere." Chao Musheng added, "Or you."
"As long as you’re not taking him alone." Zhang San, noticing Zhao Shang speeding up, shoved a water bottle into Chao Musheng’s hands. "Just remember—no solo outings with Zhao Shang! If you take him, you have to take me too."
Chao Musheng unscrewed the cap. "Sure, sure. I’ll bring both of you."
"Wait." Zhao Shang reached them and snatched the bottle from Chao Musheng’s grip. "Chao Ge, I’m parched. Mind if I take this?"
"Go ahead." Watching Zhao Shang drain the entire bottle, Chao Musheng thought, He must’ve been really thirsty.
The tension between these two was palpable. Did they have a fight or something?
"You two..."
"Brother Chao, you've had a long day. Go back and rest early." Zhao Shang placed a hand on Zhang San's shoulder. "I'll make sure Zhang San studies properly over the weekend. Don't worry."
"Alright, I’ll head back to the dorm then." Seeing that Zhang San didn’t shake off Zhao Shang’s hand, Chao Musheng decided not to pry further. "You two should rest early too."
"Bye, Brother Chao!" Zhang San waved enthusiastically. "Remember what I just told you—don’t forget!"
"Won’t forget, won’t forget." Chao Musheng glanced back at Zhang San, who was still waving from a distance, and helplessly raised his hand in response.
The two of them were acting like kindergarten kids after a fight. If he left them alone, they’d surely make up by the time he returned on Monday.
The school anniversary performance was winding down, and the campus paths were nearly empty. All the shared bikes nearby had been taken, and the itch on his face was getting worse—Chao Musheng suspected an allergic reaction to some makeup.
"Classmate Chao!"
A black car pulled up beside him, the familiar parking style reminding him of the middle-aged man he’d met days earlier.
Secretary Liu leaned out from the driver’s seat. "What a coincidence, we meet again."
"Secretary Liu." Chao Musheng lowered his hand from his face. "Good evening."
No matter how itchy it was, he couldn’t scratch—a college student still had some dignity to maintain in front of others.
The rear window rolled down, revealing Mr. Su’s slightly pale face. "Classmate Chao."
"Good evening, Mr. Su." Chao Musheng offered a polite smile.
Mr. Su opened the door and stepped out. "Which dormitory do you live in? We can give you a ride."
"You must be busy with work. I wouldn’t want to trouble you." Chao Musheng kept his courteous smile. "My dorm isn’t far. I can walk."
One of his life principles was never taking the polite gestures of authority figures at face value.
Mr. Su’s gaze lingered on his flushed cheeks before he turned and retrieved a small box of ointment from the car. "Your face looks irritated—likely an allergy. Try this when you get back."
"Thank you, Mr. Su." Chao Musheng accepted it with both hands. "I was just worrying about where to buy medicine this late. You’ve saved me."
"Don’t mention it." Mr. Su’s eyes lowered slightly. "Get some rest."
"Goodbye, Mr. Su."
"Goodbye."
After walking a few steps, Chao Musheng turned back and saw Mr. Su still standing by the car. He paused to wave politely before hurrying off.
"Boss, didn’t Young Chao mention his dorm’s direction this afternoon? It’s actually not that close." Secretary Liu waited until Mr. Su was back in the car before smacking his forehead. "Ah, I forgot to give him a business card!"
"It’s fine." Mr. Su removed his glasses and closed his eyes. "We shouldn’t make him uncomfortable."
"Boss, are you feeling unwell?" Secretary Liu frowned. "Let me take you to the hospital first."
"I’m alright." Mr. Su opened his eyes, revealing tea-gold irises. "Just take me home, then get some rest yourself."
The window rolled up, sealing the car into a world separate from the campus.
"Ugh." Chao Musheng washed his face and glared at his reflection—his cheeks were now alarmingly red. He scratched again.
"What are you doing? What are you doing to your handsome face?!" Second Brother shoved him aside and grabbed his wrist. "Old Fourth, have you lost your mind?"
"Is it makeup allergy?" Eldest Brother burst out laughing at the sight of Chao Musheng’s swollen, tomato-red face. "Lucky your face hadn’t puffed up during the performance."
"The school’s livestream went wild when you appeared," Second Brother said while rummaging through drawers, only to dig out an ointment two months past expiry.
Eldest Brother snapped a quick photo of Chao Musheng’s disheveled state before pocketing his phone. "Keep him from scratching. I’ll go buy medicine."
"Send me that photo!" Second Brother grinned wickedly. "When he gets a partner someday, if he doesn’t treat us to a meal, we’ll send it to them."
"Wow, thanks. Always thinking about food, huh?" Chao Musheng towel-dried his damp hair and face. "No need to buy anything. I’ve got medicine."
He pulled out the unopened ointment from Mr. Su.
The cool gel soothed the itch instantly upon application.
This stuff works miracles. Mr. Su’s a saint.
The box bore the logo of Kunlun Pharmaceuticals.
If the boss used it personally, the quality had to be top-tier.
Perfect. From now on, Kunlun Pharma for all household meds.
Under the campus streetlights, Zhang San and Zhao Shang walked in silence, the air thick with awkwardness.
"Brother Shang..." Zhang San stole glances at the empty water bottle in Zhao Shang’s hand before mustering courage. "Are you going to the library tomorrow? I’ll come with you."
Starting now, he wouldn’t let Brother Shang be alone.
"I’ll wake you up early." Zhao Shang eyed him. "What did you talk about with Chao Musheng earlier?"
"N-nothing much! Just asked about his weekend plans." Zhang San avoided his gaze.
"Oh? And what are his plans?"
"He’s going home, not staying on campus." Zhang San rushed on, "Brother Shang, didn’t you want to study more? With no classes, we can camp out at the library!"
Zhao Shang: "Since when do you like the library?"
"I don’t! But I didn’t want you to be bored alone..." Sweat dripped down Zhang San’s back under Zhao Shang’s scrutiny. Their dynamic had always been Zhao Shang leading—this was his first time voicing his own idea.
"Fine." Zhao Shang nodded. "People here value academic dedication. Spending time there won’t hurt you."
Guilt gnawed at Zhang San, who kept his head low.
What a piece of trash I am.
On the fourth floor, they were dragged into Room 402 by four players.
"Finally back." Wan You sat cross-legged on a bed, picking at his toes without getting up. "Now that everyone’s here, spit it out."
"I’ve got a lead on the school seal, but we’ll need you two." A male player focused on Zhang San and Zhao Shang. "There’s an NPC in Computer Science named Chen Er—well-connected, untouchable on campus. But he hates someone. If we help him deal with that person, he’ll owe us."
Zhang San: "And that person is...?"
No way. This bastard’s not talking about Brother Chao, is he?
"Your guide is Chao Musheng." The male player didn’t beat around the bush, stating his demand outright: "Since you two are his students, he must trust you. All you need to do is lure him to a blind spot in the surveillance and give him a good beating..."
"Wait a minute. If Chen Er is as powerful as you say, why would he need our help to deal with Chao Musheng?"
Zhang San couldn’t help but laugh at the thought of Chen Er’s cowardly behavior around Chao Musheng. "Besides, you’re the one who’s connected to Chen Er, not me. Why should I help?"
The male player’s expression darkened at Zhang San’s blunt refusal. "This dungeon is really strange. Players should stick together and help each other out."
Zhang San scoffed mockingly. "Stick together? Don’t you know Chen Er is a bully who picks on others and throws his weight around?"
"As long as I get the dungeon rewards, I don’t care if he’s good or bad." The male player shrugged indifferently. "Helping Chen Er bully someone is nothing. If killing could get me through this dungeon, I’d slaughter my way from the front gate to the back gate."
"Stop talking about killing so casually," Wan You interjected slowly. "What if you accidentally provoke some boss? You might not even know who ends up dead."
"Shut up, you damn sissy. I wasn’t talking to you." The male player didn’t bother hiding his disgust for Wan You.
"You could just call me a damn pansy. If you find me disgusting, that’s your problem—don’t drag women into it." Wan You rubbed his foot, then climbed down from his bed and shuffled toward the door, reaching for the handle.
"What the hell are you doing?" The male player and his companion sensed something was off and moved to stop him.
Wan You yanked the door open and threw himself to the ground, landing right in front of a group of students returning from the school festival.
"Brother Wang, Brother Li, I know I was wrong. Please don’t hit me." Wan You scrambled to get up but collapsed weakly again. "I’ll go buy you cigarettes right now, I promise!"
The two players, Old Wang and Old Li: "..."
What the hell was he doing?
"Hey, are you okay?" The students stared at Wan You for a moment before rushing to help him up.
This guy looked so pitiful, so helpless—like he desperately needed their protection.
"I’m fine, really." Wan You shook his head, eyes glistening with tears. "Thank you."
"Don’t be scared." The students shielded him behind them. "Who gave you two the right to bully someone at school?"
Wan You stared blankly at the taller students blocking him completely.
In other dungeons, NPCs had stepped in to help him too, but they always took advantage of him. To those monsters, he was like a piece of tender meat—everyone wanted a taste.
But today was different.
Even though they were influenced by his ability, they only stood in front of him.
No hands groped him. No lecherous, disgusting stares followed him.
"Classmates, it’s all a misunderstanding."
The two players tried to explain, but the students didn’t buy it and called the dorm supervisor.
After some chaos, the players were given a stern warning, and their names were recorded in the dorm’s violation log.
The students enthusiastically helped Wan You move his belongings to Room 404 next door. Before leaving, they assured him that if the guys from his old room bothered him again, he should come find them.
"Thank you." Wan You saw them to the door, memorizing their kind faces. "Thank you so much."
Maybe this dungeon wasn’t so bad after all.
"It’s nothing, don’t mention it." The students scratched their heads, blushing, before returning to their own rooms.
Wan You shut the door, plopped into a chair, and crossed his legs, swinging one foot lazily.
"Damn, dude, you’ve got two faces or what?" Zhang San gaped at Wan You’s performance. "Those two are sneaky bastards. You pissed them off tonight—better watch your back the next few days."
Honestly, he still didn’t get why Wan You had suddenly gotten involved.
"Annoying little cockroaches, jumping around like that." Wan You climbed onto his bed. "Has anything supernatural happened in Room 404 these past few nights?"
"Nope." Zhang San shook his head.
"Good." Wan You pulled the blanket over himself and lay down. The bright light stung his eyes, so he tugged the covers over his face, comforted by the darkness.
The room fell silent. After a while, Qing Cai suddenly spoke up. "This dungeon’s too hard. Even if we clear it, there’ll just be more after. Who knows when we’ll ever escape this infinite world?"
No one responded, but Qing Cai didn’t care. He just wanted to vent. "Has anyone ever heard of someone earning enough points to leave?"
Zhao Shang, sitting at the desk reading, crumpled the page in his hand. Zhang San bolted upright in bed. "Actually… no, I don’t think so."
"The infinite world’s a mess, but the real world might not be any better." Wan You irritably yanked the blanket off his face. "If I had a choice, I’d rather stay in this dungeon forever. At least these NPCs seem somewhat normal."
"Normal?" Qing Cai snapped at Wan You’s tone. "Not all of us are orphans with no family. What’s wrong with wanting to go home?"
"Who the hell are you calling an orphan?" Wan You’s eyes widened unnervingly as he glared at Qing Cai. "You wanna die?"
"I wasn’t talking about you, psycho!" Qing Cai bit back his anger, remembering what had happened to the players in Room 402. He turned over and ignored Wan You.
Room 404 finally fell silent.
++++++++
The next morning, the allergic reaction on his face had faded. Chao Musheng took a cab home, picking up two breakfasts at the gate of his neighborhood.
As expected, his parents had just woken up.
"Thank you, my dear baby." Chao Yin took the breakfast from Chao Musheng. "Your dad and I watched the livestream of your school’s festival last night. Our boy was the handsomest! All the parents in the comments were praising you."
"Mom, you only think I’m the handsomest because you’re biased." Chao Musheng changed into slippers and sprawled on the sofa, flipping on the TV.
"Weren’t you working on some little game a while ago?" Chao Yin eyed his lazy posture. "Why aren’t you busy with it now?"
"After finals next month, I might intern at Kunlun HQ for two months. I’ll have to put the game on hold."
Even a lightweight mini-game took a lot of time and effort to develop alone.
He was making it to improve his skills, not to work himself to death. Chao Musheng knew how to balance work and rest—he valued his life too much.
"You did the right thing. Health should always come first—worst case scenario, you can always come home and live off your parents." Chao Yin kicked Father Chao under the table. "Right?"
"Right." Father Chao quickly nodded in agreement. "In this house, your mother calls the shots."
Chao Yin smiled in satisfaction.
"But what's this about an internship at Kunlun headquarters?" Father Chao asked. "Has your school established a deep partnership with them?"
As a professor at a university neighboring Jinghua University, Father Chao couldn't help but sound a little sour.
Though their school's reputation wasn't as prestigious as Jinghua's, it was still one of the top ten universities in the country. How come he'd never heard of Kunlun headquarters offering internships to undergraduates?
"Your son is just a student. How would he know these things?" Chao Yin said cheerfully. "To celebrate our Musheng getting an internship opportunity at Kunlun headquarters, let's go out for a big feast at noon."
Chao Musheng: "Mom, it's just a possibility. Nothing's finalized yet."
"Oh, that's fine." Chao Yin immediately amended, "Then to celebrate the possibility of our Musheng getting an internship at Kunlun headquarters, let's go out for a big feast."
"I'll book a table." Father Chao, no longer sulky, pulled out his phone and huddled close to his wife to pick a nearby restaurant.
In any case, this celebratory meal was happening—Chao Musheng's opinion didn’t matter.
After lunch, on their way home, they ran into a neighbor walking his dog in the community.
The moment the neighbor's dog spotted Chao Musheng, it wagged its tail and sprinted toward him, yanking the leash so hard that the neighbor stumbled along, making it unclear who was walking whom.
Chao Musheng bent down to pat the golden retriever’s head. "Er Mao, good afternoon. Brother Lou, aren’t you on duty at the security office today?"
"I’m off this weekend." Brother Lou, panting from being dragged around by the dog, pinched Er Mao’s ear in frustration. "Every time he sees you, he runs faster than a cheetah."
"Woof!" Er Mao ignored his owner, wagging his tail furiously at Chao Musheng.
Brother Lou couldn’t stand his dog’s shameless display and lightly nudged its plump rear with his foot. "Why did you take your classmates to climb the school wall on Thursday night?"
"Climbing the wall is a shortcut." Chao Musheng grinned. "Unlike other students, I’ve got connections—you. I’m not afraid of getting caught."
"At the very least, I’ve got your back on this." Brother Lou puffed up with pride. Some neighbors looked down on him for being a young security guard at a school.
What they didn’t realize was that he wasn’t just any security guard—he worked in the security department of the country’s top university. Otherwise, how could he be Chao Musheng’s 'connection' at Jinghua University?
"I heard a little rumor today about your computer science department." Brother Lou, who appreciated Chao Musheng’s good taste, lowered his voice. "The security team seems to be investigating Chen Er’s behavior. You don’t get along with him, right?"
Chao Musheng shook his head. "We’ve had conflicts. Our relationship isn’t good."
"That’s good." Brother Lou sighed in relief. "I heard Chen Er bullies poorer students because his family’s wealthy. The school administration is furious and ordered a strict investigation."
"Not long ago, another school made headlines because of bullying. If Chen Er’s actions are confirmed, I doubt he’ll even keep his student status." Brother Lou added mysteriously, "Don’t tell anyone else, but it’s best to stay far away from people like him."
"Thanks, Brother Lou. I’m glad you told me in advance." Chao Musheng sighed. "Our school really doesn’t tolerate this kind of behavior."
"Of course not." Brother Lou, now in high spirits, continued, "The school found out one of the bullied students has a parent working as a cleaner at Chen Er’s family’s company. Worried about retaliation, they’ve already arranged a new job for them."
Chao Musheng hadn’t expected the school to go this far. He’d been planning to help Zhou Yi’s parents find new work himself but hadn’t found the right moment to bring it up without hurting Zhou Yi’s pride.
The school handling it discreetly was indeed more appropriate.
The weekend passed quickly. The players remained empty-handed and received even worse news—the university president frequently traveled for domestic and international engagements, making Friday’s anniversary event possibly their only chance to get close to him.
"Now you see how smart I was to latch onto Chen Er?" A male player gloated, relishing the others’ dismay. "Too bad some people insisted on opposing me."
"Don’t get too cocky. Pride comes before a fall." Wan You rolled his eyes. "So what if you kissed up to someone? No need to show off."
In past missions, he’d buttered up plenty of bosses. A lowlife like Chen Er wasn’t even worth a glance.
"Shut your mouth. Once I get the mission reward, you’re the first one I’m dealing with." The male player’s face darkened, remembering how this 'sissy' had framed him on Friday night.
"Enough arguing. There’s a message in the exchange group."
The players, wary of their guide in the group, quickly checked their phones to see a notification from the admin:
"Chen Er has been found guilty of severe bullying. After deliberation, the university has decided to expel him."
Wan You waved his phone, grinning openly. "How unfortunate. Your precious connection is gone."
If only his own school had stood up against bullying like this when he was young, small, and poor.
The two male players who’d clung to Chen Er turned pale. Then another message in the group drained the last of their color:
"After investigation, students Li and Wang have displayed lazy academic attitudes and misconduct, colluding with Chen Er to bully others. Their exchange qualifications are hereby revoked."
These two were finished.
The remaining players watched numbly as the system’s cold voice announced:
"Ding! Players Old Wang and Old Li have failed the mission and been eliminated."
The two men vanished without a sound.
None of the passing students noticed the anomaly—only their guide might vaguely recall two exchange students involved in bullying being dismissed.
Another day passed.
"Only two days left in the exchange program." During a break in class, Zhang San slumped over his desk, listlessly eyeing Chao Musheng. "Brother Chao, what do you want to do in the future?"
"I want to create globally popular games and design AI caretaker robots to help with elderly care—solve the aging population problem." Chao Musheng countered, "What about you?"
"Me?" Zhang San looked dazed. Before entering the infinite world, he had been a good-for-nothing rich second-generation slacker, never once considering ideals or the future of humanity.
Now, he could barely survive the missions, let alone think about the future.
"Maybe... just go home and lie down."
He missed the warm, comfortable bed in his house.
"Zhao Shang, what about you?" Chao Musheng turned to ask Zhao Shang, who was copying notes. "What do you want to do in the future?"
"Learn more useful knowledge and serve my country." Zhao Shang's hand didn’t pause as he wrote, his tone resolute.
Chao Musheng didn’t mock him for sounding grandiose. Instead, he replied with unusual sincerity, "I hope your ideal comes true."
An ideal, not a dream.
Zhao Shang lifted his head to look at him. "Thank you, Chao Musheng."
"You're welcome." Chao Musheng knew Zhao Shang was a serious person. "After the training ends, do you want to stay for a few days and relax?"
Zhao Shang shook his head. He couldn’t tell Chao Musheng that this wasn’t training at all—it was a life-or-death game.
"Alright." Chao Musheng sighed. "When you leave the school, I’ll see you off at the station."
Zhao Shang lowered his head. "Okay."
If only it were just a simple farewell.
