Morning sunlight poured through the dorm window, golden and quiet. The campus outside buzzed like a stirred hive — gossip, laughter, disbelief.
"Did you hear? Li Cheng actually stood up to Director Zhao!"
"They said his eyes turned gold for a second—like a cultivation scene!"
"No way. That guy? The same Li Cheng who got dumped last semester?"
Every corner of East Ridge Academy hummed with the same name.
Li Cheng.
He sat cross-legged on his bed, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. The air around him pulsed with calm confidence — the kind earned, not borrowed. The Celestial Sign-In System floated quietly in front of him, its blue screen shimmering like ripples of light.
[Sign-In Reward Stored: Unused. Would you like to activate now?]
"Not yet," Li Cheng said softly, voice carrying a trace of amusement. "Today feels like a good day for something… public."
The System hummed.
[Host's ego levels detected: Stable but highly flammable.]
[Recommendation: Avoid unnecessary humiliation targets before breakfast.]
He chuckled. "Oh? So now you're giving emotional therapy advice?"
[Only because last time, you nearly exploded a vending machine.]
"Technicality."
He rose, stretched, and buttoned his dark uniform jacket. His reflection in the cracked mirror looked different — not just stronger, but… sharper. The uncertainty once clouding his eyes was gone.
The old Li Cheng had bowed his head when the world mocked him.
The new one smiled and asked the world if it wanted a second round.
By midmorning, banners fluttered across the central plaza.
TALENT EXPO – East Ridge Academy Annual Showcase.
Crowds filled the marble courtyard, students forming rings around makeshift stages. Booths displayed martial performances, digital illusions, even musical duels. But at the center, one man stood basking in the attention like a self-crowned king.
Wei Han.
The so-called genius heir of the Han Group, freshly returned from overseas — tall, smug, and wearing the same watch that had once belonged to Li Cheng.
The irony was delicious.
"Ah, if it isn't Li Cheng," Wei Han called, voice carrying through the crowd like oil spreading on water. "Still breathing after all that? You must have nine lives, my friend."
Laughter followed.
The students looked between them — the fallen ex-boyfriend and the shining heir. A perfect setup for gossip.
Li Cheng's eyes flicked up, calm as still water. "Wei Han. I see the Academy lets anyone perform these days."
Wei Han blinked, a faint sneer appearing. "You talk back now? Impressive. Guess poverty builds courage."
The crowd chuckled again.
Li Cheng tilted his head slightly. His tone didn't rise, didn't falter. "And arrogance builds idiocy. I see you've reached the advanced stage."
Laughter rippled, sharper this time.
Wei Han's smile cracked. "Still the comedian, huh? Guess it's all you have left. Didn't your little ex say you could barely—"
He stopped himself mid-sentence, but the meaning was clear. The crowd stirred; whispers spread like wildfire.
Li Cheng's gaze darkened — not with rage, but with quiet fire.
Inside his mind, a familiar chime rang.
[DING! Daily Task Generated!]
[Task: Humiliate the Arrogant!]
[Reward: +10,000 Yuan, +Charisma +5, +Minor Skill Upgrade (Tongue of Silver)]
"Oh, this is going to be fun," the System whispered, its tone practically gleeful.
[Host, shall I prep background music?]
"Let's keep it classy," Li Cheng murmured, stepping forward.
The crowd parted instinctively — the way people do when something dangerous begins to move.
Wei Han smirked again, feigning ease. "You want a stage, Li Cheng? Let me help. Everyone, gather up! Today's entertainment is… the forgotten failure trying to act cool!"
The circle widened. Phones lifted.
Perfect. Exactly the spotlight Li Cheng wanted.
He folded his hands behind his back. "Failure? Perhaps. But at least I failed on my own merit, not through someone else's money or father's name."
A ripple of tension cut through the laughter.
Wei Han's jaw tightened. "You—"
Li Cheng didn't let him finish.
He took another step forward, his voice slicing through the air — soft, measured, lethal.
"When you look in the mirror, do you see yourself… or just the reflection of your family's credit card?"
Gasps. Someone in the crowd snorted loudly; another whispered, "Oh damn."
Wei Han's face flushed. "You think you're funny? You think words matter when you're still a nobody—"
Crack!
Wei Han froze midword.
The sound had come from his wrist. His precious luxury watch — a gift from his father — splintered across its surface, shards of glass falling like glitter.
The crowd stepped back.
Li Cheng hadn't moved. His eyes glowed faintly gold.
Just enough power to make a point.
He smiled, thin and merciless. "Seems even your toys can't stand your nonsense."
The students erupted — laughter, shock, disbelief.
Someone shouted, "Face-slap of the century!"
Wei Han's lips trembled with fury, but no words came out. His hand shook as he tried to hide the broken watch.
At that moment, a quiet female voice floated through the noise.
"Looks like someone's finally growing teeth."
Li Cheng turned.
Standing by the stage edge was Mu Yuxin — tall, slender, eyes sharp like moonlight reflected on steel. She wore the academy's white uniform coat unbuttoned, lazy confidence in her stance.
The crowd's attention shifted immediately.
She was one of the academy's top prodigies — mysterious, cold, untouchable.
Li Cheng's brow arched. "Enjoying the show?"
Her lips curved. "It's been a while since I've seen someone shut Wei Han up. I almost clapped."
The System buzzed softly.
[Warning: High charm target detected.]
[Host, please do not flirt until you have emotional stability above 40%.]
Li Cheng ignored it. "Almost?" he asked, a ghost of amusement in his tone.
Mu Yuxin shrugged. "I save applause for things that surprise me."
Their eyes met.
For a second, the noise of the crowd faded into something electric.
Then—
[DING! Hidden Mission Unlocked.]
["Chain of Betrayal" – 1/5 Targets Identified.]
The world seemed to slow.
A faint, crystalline sound echoed again — not from Li Cheng's system. From hers.
Mu Yuxin's wrist shimmered with a tiny blue hologram before vanishing.
Her eyes widened for the briefest heartbeat — then she smiled.
"Interesting," she whispered. "So I'm not the only one with secrets."
Li Cheng's breath stilled. The faint golden light in his pupils dimmed.
The crowd was still laughing, filming, gossiping — completely unaware of the silent war that had just sparked between two invisible forces.
She turned to leave, tossing one last glance over her shoulder
."Try not to die too quickly, Li Cheng. You might finally be worth watching."
Her figure vanished into the dispersing crowd.
The System's tone was low, almost uneasy.
[Host… her signal pattern matches ours.]
[Possibility: Another system user — but origin unknown.]
Li Cheng's smirk returned, colder now."Then let's play."
He looked up at the sky — bright, endless blue.
"For every chain that bound me…" He exhaled softly. "…another has begun to awaken."