Morning came, but the whispers from last night still clung to the corridors like invisible mist.
Li Cheng had barely slept. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw that glitch in the mirror—Qin Ruo's reflection, faintly smiling like a ghost caught between two worlds.
He sat in class, staring blankly at the whiteboard while the professor explained some advanced algorithm. His notebook was open, but instead of formulas, it was filled with hastily drawn symbols from the System's glitch last night.
"Li Cheng," Lin Xiaoyu whispered beside him, poking his arm with a pen. "You look like you just saw a ghost."
"I might have," he muttered.
She blinked. "...You're serious?"
[Emotional Stability: 62%. Suggestion: Consume caffeine or engage in comedic banter.]
He sighed. "System, now is not the time."
"Who are you talking to?" Xiaoyu asked, leaning closer.
"My imaginary friend," he said dryly.
Xiaoyu grinned. "Ah, the one who makes you trend online?"
"Exactly."
The class erupted in quiet laughter as the professor turned, frowning. "Mr. Li Cheng, would you care to explain the concept of recursive decoding?"
He froze. Then smiled faintly. "Of course, sir."
[Mini-Quest Triggered: Impress the Professor.]
[Reward: +3 Intelligence, +500 System Points.]
Li Cheng stood, voice calm and confident as he explained the algorithm in flawless detail. The room went silent. Even the professor blinked.
"...Well," the professor said slowly, "that's… correct. Excellent work, Li Cheng."
[Mini-Quest Complete!][Intelligence +3. System Points +500. Reputation +10.]
Xiaoyu whispered, "Show-off."
"Survival," he whispered back.
But as he sat down, a strange sound echoed in his mind—a static pulse, like an unread message buried deep within the System.
[Notification: Incoming Data Transmission — Source Unknown.]
"Again?" he murmured.
[Warning: Interference Level Rising. Emotional resonance detected.]
The voice wasn't the System's usual mechanical tone. It was softer. Feminine. Familiar.
"Li Cheng… do you trust me?"
His eyes snapped open. The classroom faded for a moment, the world flickering between digital and real.
"Qin Ruo?" he whispered.
But when he looked up, she wasn't in the classroom. Her seat was empty.
Lunch Break – Campus Garden
The sunlight was warm, birds chirping—completely at odds with the storm brewing in his head.
Qin Ruo hadn't shown up since morning. No messages, no sparring challenges, nothing.
Li Cheng sat on the bench, tapping his foot impatiently.
[Emotional Instability Detected.][Would you like to meditate or engage in violence?]
"Tempting," he muttered. "But not today."
Suddenly, a voice interrupted his thoughts.
"Well, well, if it isn't the red-haired celebrity himself."
Li Cheng turned—and instantly regretted it.
The speaker was Zhao Mingyu, the self-proclaimed "Campus Casanova," decked out in designer clothes and an ego large enough to rival a small country.
Behind him stood a few followers, laughing like a bad laugh track.
"I've been hearing rumors," Zhao said, smirking. "You and Qin Ruo, huh? Didn't take you for her type—she usually likes men who can afford more than instant noodles."
The laughter grew louder.
Li Cheng didn't move. He simply smiled. A small, dangerous smile.
[Mini-Quest Triggered: Face-Slapping Opportunity Detected.][Objective: Humiliate Zhao Mingyu in front of audience. Reward: +Charisma, +Cash, and New Skill Unlock.]
Li Cheng stood slowly, brushing off imaginary dust from his jacket. "You know, Zhao, you're right."
"Oh? Admitting it already?"
"I can't afford instant noodles anymore." He paused, tapping his phone screen. "The brand signed me as a campus ambassador yesterday. They pay me to not eat theirs."
The crowd nearby burst into laughter.
Zhao's smile faltered. "You think you're funny?"
Li Cheng grinned. "No. I think you're slow. Took you five years to realize your cologne smells like mosquito repellent."
The followers laughed harder. Zhao's face turned red.
[Face-Slapping Effect: 87%. Confidence +30%. Reward Loading.]
"Say that again!" Zhao shouted, stepping closer.
Li Cheng leaned forward, voice low. "I said—your cologne could kill a mosquito from five meters away. Try using it in the chemistry lab. Instant extinction event."
The crowd howled. Even a few girls giggled behind their hands.
[Reward: +10,000 Yuan, +20 Charm Points.]
Zhao clenched his fists. "You think you're untouchable because of Qin Ruo?"
"I don't need anyone to protect me," Li Cheng said softly, eyes flashing red for a brief second. "But if you're looking for humiliation, I'm generous with donations."
The System chimed—
[Face-Slapping Complete! Additional Bonus: "Campus Legend Lv.2."]
The bell rang, ending lunch. Li Cheng turned to leave, hands in pockets.
Zhao shouted after him, "This isn't over!"
"Of course not," Li Cheng said over his shoulder, smiling faintly. "I still have better insults left."
The crowd erupted one last time as he walked away, calm, composed, and annoyingly cool.
[Achievement Unlocked: "Walking Meme – Rank B."]
(Part 2)
Afternoon sunlight spilled lazily through the classroom windows, glinting off the desks as Li Cheng rested his chin on his palm.
The buzz from his lunchtime "performance" had spread across every class group chat.Someone had even made a meme titled "Mosquito Repellent Zhao vs Red-Haired Chad."
[Host Popularity +45.][Campus Reputation Rank B ➜ A-.]
"Wonderful," Li Cheng muttered under his breath. "I'm famous for pest control."
From the seat behind him, Lin Xiaoyu leaned forward, whispering, "Hey, superstar, care to sign my bug spray?"
He didn't even turn around. "Depends—will royalties be included?"
She snorted so loudly that the teacher paused mid-sentence.
"Miss Lin Xiaoyu," the professor said, arching an eyebrow. "Would you like to share the joke?"
Xiaoyu immediately straightened up. "No, sir! Just reacting to the, uh… chemical reactions of learning!"
Groans and giggles rippled across the room. Li Cheng pressed a hand to his face.
[Humor Rating +10. System Mood Optimization Success.]
After Class – Computer Lab
Li Cheng slipped into the computer lab while most students headed out. The soft hum of servers filled the air; the scent of warm electronics replaced the chatter of people.
He sat, fingers gliding across the keyboard as holographic code lines began to scroll on his wristband interface.
[Entering Debug Mode.][Accessing Anomalous Data — "Emotional Link Protocol."]
"Let's see what you're hiding, System," he whispered.
The screen flickered—first static, then an image of a glowing silhouette: faint, feminine, her hair flowing like silver light.
A voice echoed, distorted yet soft."You're getting closer… Li Cheng."
He froze. "Who are you?"
The signal cracked, fading into static.
[Connection Terminated. Data Fragment Stored — 'Heartbeat 01'.]
He sighed. "Great. Even my software flirts better than me."
[Incorrect. Host's Flirt Rate ↑ 27% since last spar.]
"Not helping."
Before he could dig deeper, a notification popped up:
[Incoming Message — Lin Xiaoyu]:'Bro, big news! Come to the student plaza NOW!'
Student Plaza – Late Afternoon
When Li Cheng arrived, the plaza was packed. A giant poster stretched across the digital board:
"Campus Talent Show & Entrepreneur Fair — Next Week!"Prizes: ₩ 100,000 + Business Startup Funding!
Xiaoyu waved him over, practically vibrating with excitement. "This is it! Your chance to finally flex those mysterious genius vibes!"
"Genius vibes?"
"Yeah!" she said. "You're smart, funny, and annoyingly good-looking. Start a company! I'll handle the marketing. We'll call it—uh—Red Code Enterprises!"
He blinked. "That sounds like a hacker group."
"Then people will think we're cool."
[New Quest Unlocked: "Build Your Legacy." Objective — Register a Company Before the Fair.]
Li Cheng groaned. "System, did you just sign me up for entrepreneurship?"
[Affirmative. Failure Penalty — Eternal Embarrassment.]
"Wonderful."
From the corner of his eye, he spotted Qin Ruo walking by with a calm smile. Their gazes met briefly—just long enough for his heart to skip once before she turned away.
[Emotional Resonance Updated — 23%.]
"Looks like someone still hasn't recovered from rooftop fever," Xiaoyu teased.
Li Cheng coughed. "Focus on business, not romance."
"Too late," she said. "Your love life is the business—half the school's invested in your drama."
[Achievement Unlocked: "Accidental Reality Show." Viewership ↑ 37%.]
He face-palmed. "I need a refund on this life."
Evening – Dorm Room
Li Cheng lay on his bed, laptop open, a dozen tabs filled with "How to Start a Business with Zero Yuan and Negative Peace."
The System hummed in the background.
[Suggestion: Convert System Points ➜ Digital Capital.][Exchange Rate: 1000 Points = 1000 Yuan.]
He stared. "Wait, I can cash out?"
[Affirmative. Congratulations on discovering 'Freelancer Mode.']
He whistled. "Maybe being a walking cheat-code has perks after all."
[Warning: Taxes Apply.]
"…Even in fiction?"
[Realism Enhancement Enabled.]
Li Cheng groaned. "Fine. Let's just hope this fair doesn't turn into another viral disaster."
He leaned back, glancing out the window. The moon hung above the campus, soft and silver—the same moon that had watched him spar, laugh, and survive humiliation after humiliation.
But beneath that humor and chaos, something new stirred: determination.
"Alright," he murmured. "Next chapter—no more mystery hunts. Time to build something real."
[Quest Progress Saved: 'Red Code Enterprises' 0%.][New Objective: Recruit Members Before the Fair.]