After using up both time-compression gems, Qi Xu managed to squeeze in a brief 20-minute nap...
By 6 a.m., he was up again.
He quickly completed his daily 300-kilometer run, reviewing last night’s study material along the way and memorizing answers for math, physics, and chemistry.
Just in case something unexpected happened at school, he made sure to finish his mileage—failing to do so would’ve been trouble.
Then, taking a deep breath, he teleported straight to the school.
At a traffic light, Qi Xu was so absorbed in his mental drills that he seemed to have gone full study-zombie, completely forgetting something crucial.
Only when he reached the middle of the road and saw hundreds of monsters swarming from all directions did he snap back to reality!
This was a "Red Light of Rampant Spirits"—monsters here outnumbered those in other disasters by tenfold...
Thankfully, his vehicle had been upgraded to Level 6! Qi Xu immediately hit the "One-Click Shield" button on the dashboard.
Instantly, all the monsters were blasted away. His eyes lit up—this was an opportunity. Under normal circumstances, finding so many monsters at once would’ve been impossible.
Slowing the vehicle, he activated the energy laser gun mounted on top. Wherever the beam struck, monsters dissolved into wisps of white smoke.
Using his Fiery Golden Eyes crystal, Qi Xu noticed the monsters were tiered.
Those marked with white text were the lowest rank, followed by: green, blue, orange, red, gold, and black.
Most of the horde he’d just wiped out were cannon fodder, with only a few orange-tier ones standing out.
They looked intimidating, but a bit of firepower was enough to scatter them.
Still, eliminating so many at once was a win. Qi Xu even had a hunch his monthly leaderboard ranking would skyrocket!
The exhaustion from pulling an all-nighter faded a little.
Spotting the school entrance, Qi Xu straightened his back, walked in with a smile, and even greeted the rhinoceros security guard.
The guard grinned, baring his teeth. "I remember you—you’re the honor student with the red flower. Good luck on your exam today."
"Thank you, Uncle Guard. I’ll do my best."
Qi Xu was surprised to see his favorability with the guard had reached 20. They’d barely interacted—apparently, boosting favorability wasn’t just about "dropping coins."
Context mattered. In a school setting, the most admired students were the polite, high-achieving ones.
The scene inside mirrored his last visit: the balding dean patrolled the halls while students moved swiftly and silently.
Following the crowd, Qi Xu reached Classroom 1-3 and spotted the Chinese teacher on the podium.
He greeted her with a smile and took an empty seat.
The teacher ignored him, arms crossed, her gaze drilling into the students.
Only when the exam bell rang did she start distributing papers.
"Anyone who fails—drop dead. You lot forget faster than I can teach! What’s the point of coming to school if you’re just going to cluelessly gawk like quails?"
Qi Xu’s heart pounded—her aura was overwhelming. But skimming the questions, he recognized the recitation and classical Chinese sections, which calmed him enough to focus.
He’d thought the test would be today’s biggest challenge. He was wrong.
The moment the exam began, the teacher prowled the aisles.
Anyone whose answers displeased her got a roar—then shredded, paper and all.
Unfortunately, Qi Xu’s deskmate was next. Blood splattered across his desk. Stunned, he looked up at the teacher.
She glared back. "What’re you staring at? My face got answers? Write!"
Everyone in this school’s unhinged. How is the daytime version even scarier than last night’s?
"My paper’s covered in blood..." Qi Xu had to speak up. If he submitted a stained sheet, she’d dock points for "sloppiness" or "bad attitude."
The teacher glanced down. "How’d you manage that? You a kindergartener?" She slapped a fresh test on his desk.
Qi Xu suppressed a groan.
He’d already finished half the original. Now, with 40 minutes gone, he had to restart.
Outwardly, though, he didn’t hesitate. Wiping the desk clean, he began transcribing at lightning speed.
For the first time, he appreciated his "Survivor’s Pen"—a item he’d once dismissed as trash.
Now, he realized it had imprinted every answer in his mind. No need to even check the original.
This time, he got smarter.
At the slightest hint of the teacher’s "shredding mode," he folded his paper and tucked it away.
After her rampage, he’d wipe the desk and resume. The multitasking even boosted his agility stat.
Finishing just before the bell, he barely had time to review when the teacher snatched his sheet.
His throat tightened as her fingers scraped the paper—it sounded like a death countdown. His mind raced with worst-case scenarios.
Through his Fiery Golden Eyes, he scanned her stats:
[Chinese Teacher: HP 13,696 / ATK 652 / DEF 239]
Red text. Definitely a high-tier monster.
When she’d taken his test, his fingertips had brushed her hand—warm, human. So why was she classified as a monster?
Gripping every defensive item he had, Qi Xu plotted escape routes in case she attacked.
The teacher scrutinized his answers, then jabbed his forehead. "Careless. You could’ve scored higher."
Qi Xu exhaled hard. Phew. Passed.
Right on cue, she produced a red flower.
"Hand it in. You’re free to go."
He accepted it with both hands. "Thank you, Teacher. I’ll keep improving. I’ll go study for math now."
"Such a dutiful child."
..........
