The courtyard still buzzed long after the showdown ended.
Clips of Li Cheng's verbal annihilation of Wei Han had already spread through the Academy's network like wildfire.
"Did you see his eyes? Gold! Like a spirit cultivator from those web dramas!"
"Nah, bro, that's just contacts."
"Contacts don't shatter wristwatches with a stare, genius!"
By the time Li Cheng returned to his dorm, he was trending on the school forums under the nickname:
"Red Devil of East Ridge."
The System's holographic interface floated lazily above his bed, scrolling with notifications like confetti.
[DING! Daily Task Complete!]
[Reward Claimed: +10,000 Yuan transferred to system wallet.]
[Bonus Achieved: +5 Charisma, +2 Hidden Reputation Points.]
"Reputation points?" Li Cheng asked, rubbing his temples. "You sound like you're turning me into a celebrity."
[Correction: You are now a celebrity.]
[Top 10 trending searches: "Li Cheng vs Wei Han," "Red-Eyed Devil Boyfriend," and "Is arrogance attractive now?"]
Li Cheng choked on his water. "Red-Eyed Devil Boyfriend? What—who—why?"
[Possible contributors: 78.4% female demographic, 14.6% curious males, 7% unidentified.]
[Host's appearance score: increased to 9.2/10.]
He glared at the blue screen. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
[Very much.]
Li Cheng exhaled slowly, massaging his temple. "Fine. Whatever. Just don't start posting for me."
[Too late.]
[Auto social update: 'Confidence is free, but revenge costs style.' — Li Cheng ]
Li Cheng froze. "You what?!"
[Engagement: 2,340 likes in 12 minutes.]
He stared blankly. "I... might actually forgive you for that."
[You're welcome.]
But beneath the surface humor, his mind churned.
The moment Mu Yuxin's wrist flickered, his system had reacted — and that never happened before.
He replayed the image in his head:
Her calm expression, her faint smirk… and that same ripple of blue light that matched his own interface.
"What are you hiding, Mu Yuxin?" he murmured.
[Host, analysis suggests a parallel system source. Possibly derivative or rival series. Title unknown.]
"Meaning?"
[Meaning… she's either like you or a test subject from the same creator.]
"Creator?" Li Cheng frowned. "You mean there's someone behind you?"
Silence. The system's voice lowered slightly.
[Data locked.]
[Unauthorized access. Please reach Authority Level 4 to unlock system origin protocols.]
Li Cheng leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. "So, you have secrets too, huh?"
[Only the fun ones.]
He sighed. "Fine. Add that to my growing list of mysteries."
[New List Created: "People Who Owe Me Explanations."]
[Item 1: Ex-girlfriend Lin Xinya.]
[Item 2: Mu Yuxin.]
[Item 3: You, my apparently sarcastic blue ghost.]
[Acknowledged.]
The next morning, the Academy cafeteria was unusually packed. Phones flashed, whispers trailed behind Li Cheng wherever he walked.
He grabbed a tray, moving calmly through the line — ignoring the giggles and camera flashes.
Two girls at a nearby table whispered not-so-quietly.
"Is it true he made Wei Han cry?"
"Cry? He fainted! My cousin was there!"
"No way—wait, look, he's right behind you—"
They froze mid-sentence.
Li Cheng smiled faintly. "You might want to lower the volume if you plan to gossip effectively."
They squeaked and turned red. "S-sorry!"
He chuckled softly and took his seat near the window.
Halfway through his meal, a shadow fell across his table.
"Mind if I sit?"
Li Cheng looked up.
Mu Yuxin.
Same lazy grace. Same unreadable eyes. Today, her long hair was tied loosely with a red ribbon — a touch too casual for the Academy's usual decorum.
"Go ahead," Li Cheng said, gesturing across.
She slid into the seat, setting down a cup of milk tea. "You handled yourself well yesterday. I expected you to explode."
He smirked. "You sound disappointed."
She tilted her head slightly. "A little. I like seeing hypocrites get burned. You didn't just burn him — you turned him to ash."
Li Cheng chuckled, sipping his coffee. "Accidents happen."
Her gaze sharpened, playful yet assessing. "You're hiding something, Li Cheng."
"Everyone is," he replied smoothly.
Her lips curved faintly. "Then maybe we'll see who hides better."
Before he could respond, her bracelet blinked again — a faint shimmer of blue light, visible for just an instant.
[DING! Unknown System Signal Detected!]
[Host, proceed with caution. Signal interference at 14%.]
Li Cheng's smile didn't falter, but his heartbeat quickened.
She noticed.
"You sensed it too," Mu Yuxin whispered, low enough for only him to hear.
Their eyes locked. For a split second, two invisible energy fields clashed — blue and gold light intertwining faintly between them before vanishing.
The cup of milk tea between them cracked.
The other students didn't notice, too absorbed in their gossip.
Mu Yuxin leaned closer, voice soft, dangerous. "Don't play dumb. Whatever you are… so am I."
Then she stood up, brushed imaginary dust from her skirt, and walked away.
[System Alert: Host, that girl is not ordinary.]
[Her signal pattern resembles Prototype X — the original.]
Li Cheng frowned. "You mean… she might be the system's source?"
[Or its rival. If she's Prototype X, she was made before you.]
He froze.
So the mysterious Mu Yuxin wasn't just another beauty with an attitude — she might be the first experiment.
And if she had awakened before him...
Then this game had started long before he even knew he was playing.
Later that evening, he stood on the rooftop, city lights painting the night in neon gold.
The wind tugged at his red hair as the System interface pulsed beside him.
[New Mission: "When Systems Collide."]
[Objective: Survive contact with Prototype X.]
[Reward: Partial System Core Fragment (Unknown Ability)]
Li Cheng laughed under his breath. "Survive contact? That's dramatic."
[Host, please note that 83% of Prototype encounters result in death.]
His laughter died. "...Wonderful."
He leaned against the railing, looking out across the glowing skyline. Somewhere out there, she was watching — the girl with the same power, the same curse.
Maybe even the same pain.
"Mu Yuxin," he murmured. "If you're the prototype… then I'll be the evolution."
[Spoken like a future god.]
He smirked. "No. Spoken like someone who's done being a pawn."
The screen flickered, displaying a single encrypted line of text he hadn't seen before.
[SYSTEM ROOT ACCESS DETECTED — UNKNOWN USER ATTEMPTING CONNECTION.]
Li Cheng's pulse spiked. "Wait—what the hell is that?"
[Connection Request: "Prototype X"]
A faint whisper echoed in his head, soft, feminine, and chillingly familiar.
"Let's see how far you've evolved… successor."
The rooftop lights flickered. The sky above them split briefly — a shimmer of pure blue data rippling through the night air before vanishing.
Li Cheng grinned, fire flickering in his golden eyes.
"So that's how you want to play?"
The System's tone was low.
[Host, brace yourself. The war has begun.]