After they left.
Raven's phone rang.
She looked at it.
"Got something, gotta go."
Alex smiled:
"See you next time."
Grabbed Bob and started to leave.
Raven just stood there.
Mouth slightly open.
Alex walked a few steps, turned around.
"Something else?"
Raven's cheeks flushed.
Stood there holding her phone for a while.
Didn't say a word.
Luna couldn't hold it in.
"Contact info! you idiot!"
She yelled from the side.
Alex finally got it.
"Oh! Right!"
He pulled out his phone.
Added Raven.
Then started thinking on the spot.
"What should I name you in my contacts..."
Raven said with a red face:
"Just my name is fine."
Alex shook his head.
"Nope."
Dead serious.
"Just a name, I'll forget."
Paused.
"How about Little Cupcake?"
Raven's face got redder.
"No."
Alex suddenly leaned in.
Really close.
Looked into her eyes.
"You sure you don't want it?"
He smiled.
"Cupcake?"
Leaned even closer.
"Cupcake?"
Raven went completely red.
"No... don't..."
Her voice got quieter.
Then—
She turned and ran.
"I'm leaving!"
Luna looked at Alex with no words.
Waved her hand.
"You..."
Then she followed Raven.
Bob stood there.
Completely stunned.
After a long while.
He suddenly clasped his hands together.
"Master!"
To Alex.
"Please take me as your student!"
Alex laughed.
"No problem."
He patted Bob's shoulder.
"First you walk up to a girl..."
"Then you say hi—"
Bob yelled stop.
"Wait wait!"
He panicked.
"Any other opening moves?"
"Like... like chatting online first?"
Alex shook his head.
"Nope."
"Just this."
Bob collapsed.
"No... I can't..."
He slumped to the ground.
"I can't do it..."
"Master this is too hard..."
Alex squatted down.
"Then stay single forever."
Alex shrugged. "Bro, some things you just gotta take that step."
A system notification popped up in front of him.
[Completed Option 3!]
[Obtained Explosive Potion ×1!]
["Extremely lethal, use with caution."]
Alex pulled out the red potion.
Small bottle, in clear glass.
Red liquid swishing inside.
Could feel an unsettling energy from it.
This thing...
He thought about it.
Can't really test this out.
See when there's a chance to use it.
Or show it to Auntie when he gets home.
He put the potion in his bag.
The two rested for a bit.
Came to afternoon class.
Ms. Chen handed out small boxes to everyone.
"This is this week's spirit stones."
She said.
"For your cultivation."
Alex opened it excitedly.
Wanted to see what spirit stones looked like.
Result—
Found only some small fragments.
Seven or eight thumbnail-sized pieces.
He was stunned.
Looked around at other students.
They all got small fragments too!
Someone sighed in disappointment.
"Just fragments..."
"Sigh."
Ms. Chen saw the students' expressions.
Sighed.
"This stuff is very precious."
She paused.
"And the school has to give resources to more promising students."
She wrote some numbers on the board.
"Your tuition is 100k per semester."
"One complete spirit stone's market price is 10k."
Students all stared at the board.
Ms. Chen continued:
"16 weeks per semester."
"Class 1 students get 1 complete spirit stone per week. 16 per semester, worth 160k."
"Class 2, 0.8 per week, 128k per semester."
"Class 3, 0.5 per week, 80k per semester."
"Class 4, 0.3 per week."
"Class 5, 0.2 per week."
She paused.
"Class 6 to Class 9..."
She looked at the students.
"0.05 per week. Total of 8k worth per semester."
The whole classroom went silent.
Alex did the math.
We pay 100k tuition per semester.
Get spirit stones worth only 8k?
Where's the other 92k?
A student raised their hand.
"Teacher, what about our tuition..."
Ms. Chen shook her head.
"Tuition goes to school operations, teacher salaries, facility maintenance."
"Spirit stone distribution is additional resource investment."
She sighed.
"The school wants to cultivate stronger students. So resources go to those with more potential."
"If you want more spirit stones..."
She looked at the students.
"Work hard to improve your strength, move up to higher classes."
The classroom was dead silent.
Alex looked at the fragments in his hand.
Alex raised his hand again.
"Teacher, are there other ways to get spirit stones?"
Ms. Chen looked at him.
Thought about it.
"Yes."
She wrote a few more lines on the board.
"Monthly competitions. Top three get spirit stone rewards."
"Also scholarships, based on final grades and strength evaluation."
"And representing the school in external competitions."
She paused.
"That's the main spirit stone income source for genius students."
She looked at the students.
"For example, the strongest among girls, Raven..."
"Gets about 10 spirit stones per week."
The whole classroom gasped.
"10?!"
"100k a week?!"
"Holy shit..."
Ms. Chen nodded.
"She represents the school in various competitions, wins awards left and right."
"Naturally the school rewards her well."
Alex raised an eyebrow.
10 per week...
160 per semester, 1.6 million.
No wonder she was so chill.
Ms. Chen didn't say more.
Because these paths...
Weren't achievable for Class 9 kids.
She saw the students' disappointed faces.
Sighed.
"Alright, let's start class."
"Today we'll talk about contract beast attribute advantages..."
Alex looked at the fragments in his hand.
System missions...
Gotta speed things up.
He gripped those fragments.
This world...
So damn real.
Class ended.
Students silently walked out.
Heads down, one by one.
Looking at the spirit stone fragments in their hands.
Alex watched them.
Felt uncomfortable inside.
But he knew.
He couldn't help everyone.
All he could do was get stronger.
Then try to change this unchangeable class divide along the way.
One step at a time.
He put away the fragments, followed them out.
Suddenly—
The student at the front yelled:
"What are you doing!"
Other students stopped too.
Looking hostile.
Alex looked up.
Several richly dressed students blocked the doorway.
Gold trim on their uniforms.
"Class 1" badges on their chests.
Arrogant smiles on their faces.
The leader was a tall guy.
Dyed blonde hair, wearing a designer watch.
"Wanna get through?"
He said with a smile.
"Sure."
He spread his arms, blocking the door.
"Each person pays a weekly spirit stone tribute."
Paused.
"Otherwise we'll block you every day."
He pointed at the equally arrogant students behind him.
"Won't let you attend class normally."
A few students up front turned red.
"Are you crazy!"
"We barely have any spirit stones!"
"And you guys don't even need this!"
The blonde guy laughed.
"Whether we need it is our business."
He clapped his hands.
"The weak have no right to negotiate."
The Class 1 students behind him laughed too.
"If you got the guts, beat us."
The blonde guy held up five fingers.
"Five of us."
He pointed at the whole classroom.
"Against all of Class 9."
He smiled even more arrogantly.
"How about it? Dare?"
Class 9 students' faces turned dark.
Fists clenched tight.
But nobody dared move.
The gap between Class 1 and Class 9...
No joke.
Even 50 against 5.
They'd probably get crushed.
Ms. Chen couldn't take it anymore.
She stepped forward.
"Enough!"
She glared at those students.
"Don't cause trouble in school!"
A male teacher with gold-rimmed glasses walked over.
Sharp suit, slicked-back hair.
"Class 1 Instructor" badge on his chest.
He pushed his glasses.
"Ms. Chen."
He smiled.
"Student matters, let's not interfere."
Paused.
"After all, pressure creates motivation."
Ms. Chen stared at him furiously.
"Mr. Zhang!"
She gritted her teeth.
"This is bullying!"
Mr. Zhang shrugged.
"I only see normal competition between students."
He looked at the Class 1 students.
"Right?"
The blonde guy smiled.
"Right, teacher."
"We just wanna spar with Class 9 students."
Mr. Zhang spread his hands.
"See? How friendly."
Ms. Chen was shaking with anger.
Class 9 students all kept their heads down.
Fists clenched tight.
But nobody dared speak.
Alex stood in the back.
Watching all this.
Eyes getting colder.
He felt this guy looked familiar.
Looked closer.
Seems like Rex's brother?
Of course they didn't let me go.
Heh.
Right then, options popped up in front of him—
[Option 1]: Hand over spirit stones on the spot, and call on classmates to hand theirs over too, don't be ungrateful.
Reward: Small amount of spiritual energy
Gain Title: Upper Class Dog
Effect: Future bootlicking ability +100%, but respect gained -50%
[Option 2]: Quietly leave, after all you're grade ten, they won't dare touch you, let classmates fend for themselves.
Reward: Slime all attributes +2%
[Option 3]: Step up and accept the challenge representing Class 9, win by any means necessary! Win their spirit stones!
Reward: Slime all attributes +5%!
Alex stared at these three options.
First one?
Upper Class Dog?
Do I look like a dog?
Second one?
Let classmates fend for themselves...
He looked at the classmates with their heads down.
Nope, these guys treated me not bad, and the reward just isn't that good!
Third one...
Alex's lips curved.
Win by any means necessary?
Win their spirit stones?
He smiled.