"Knock, knock, knock."
"Come in."
Inside the office filled with stacks of documents, Instructor Yan stared at the girl who had just stepped inside.
Without many words, he pulled a blank form from a cabinet drawer and placed it on the desk.
"Lu Qingyue, you must realize that four months have passed since the semester began," Yan started, his voice sounding heavy.
"But your assignment progress remains at zero."
Instructor Yan actually felt a pang of pity.
He knew Lu Qingyue had entered this harsh Canglan Academy to find money to pay off her family's debts and fund her brother's schooling.
However, this supernatural academy was no place for mercy.
"Personally, it pains me to ask you to resign, but rules are rules. If you still haven't completed a single assessment by the end of this month, you had better fill out this form and hand it to me."
Even though she had expected this day to come, Lu Qingyue's heart still felt as if it had been struck by a massive boulder.
She squeezed the hem of her uniform, trying to keep her voice from trembling. "Instructor... Instructor Yan..."
"Have you ever thought about hiring help?" Yan interrupted, trying to offer a final solution.
"Just a Rank-D mission; the cost is around 300,000. It's an open secret here, not considered cheating."
Lu Qingyue bowed her head low, her hair veiling her pale face.
"I'm sorry, Instructor... my family's economic condition doesn't allow for that."
"Then, your friends? Is there no one who can help you through this?"
"I... I'm sorry, Instructor. Rank-D missions require teamwork between 2 to 4 people. And so far, I haven't found a willing partner. If I may... could I try it alone?"
SLAM!
A hand struck the table hard.
"Try it alone?! Have you gone mad?" Yan seethed.
"You think the missions out there are a joke? You want to attempt an ambush alone without backup? That's called suicide! Even the strongest student this year, Shen Xiao, always runs missions in a four-man team. And you, in this condition, want to go alone?"
Yan regulated his breathing, trying to stifle his anger.
"Okay, let's talk practically. Lu Qingyue, your talent is the water element. But honestly, with your current abilities, can you inflict any real wounds on an enemy?"
"No..." Qingyue answered faintly.
"And close combat? Your left hand is gone, and you've missed every practical training session so far. Tell me, could you face even one ordinary adult man right now?"
"No... I couldn't."
"So, you plan to use your current strength, without anyone's help, to catch up on four months of progress in just one month?" Yan shook his head.
"Qingyue, you're an adult. When there's a problem, don't just complain—look for a solution. Ask your classmates or upperclassmen. If there is even one good person willing to pull you up, you'll be saved. But if not... I'm sorry, I can't help any further."
...
BANG!
The office door was kicked wide open.
A youth with monster bloodstains still wet on his clothes stepped in casually. He slammed a mission completion document, also stained with blood, onto Yan's desk.
"Instructor Yan, the Rank-A mission is finished!"
"I just checked; this is the first Rank-A mission completed in our year. So, please don't forget the reward promise you offered back then," the youth, Shen Xiao, said with a familiar tone.
"And one more thing! The information you gave the other day was totally wrong. That mission should have been done in two weeks, but I ended up spending over a month. You owe me compensation!"
[Ding! Instructor Yan's Favorability increased. Lottery Ticket +1!]
Yan ignored Shen Xiao's protests and instead stared at the mission sheet with sparkling eyes.
Shen Xiao was the only student who could make him feel at ease.
From Rank-D to Rank-A missions, this kid swept them all clean by himself.
A treasure!
He truly is my treasure!
Yan thought gleefully.
He was already imagining how proud he'd be while showing off in the instructors' group chat tonight.
"Shen Xiao, you've worked so hard! Come, sit down first. Want some tea? Any difficulties? Tell me, your instructor here will settle everything for you."
Seeing his instructor's excellent mood, Shen Xiao immediately took advantage of the situation.
"How about this, Teacher? How about you invest a little money? Just a small amount, and I guarantee I can give you the first Rank-S mission completion record in the entire grade."
[Ding! Instructor Yan's Favorability increased. Lottery Ticket +1!]
Hearing the notification sound in his head, Shen Xiao grinned widely.
Academy mission rewards?
They were nothing compared to the lottery tickets from his system.
Every ticket was a chance to get a god-tier treasure!
However, behind his relaxed demeanor, Shen Xiao's attention was actually fixed on the girl about to leave, Lu Qingyue, the future Empress-to-be.
Her talent is extraordinary.
If I can help her, how many tickets will I receive?
10?
20?
'I can't wait!' He thought.
They said she took three months of leave, but this is already the fourth month.
If she didn't show up today, I was literally going to drag her out of her house.
Seeing her teacher busy with Shen Xiao, Lu Qingyue decided to leave quickly.
"I'll take my leave now, Instructor. I will think about it again."
"Wait! Don't go!"
Shen Xiao suddenly cut in.
Lu Qingyue was stunned, turning slowly toward the youth who was the center of attention for the entire academy.
Lu Qingyue, the future Frost Empress... You've finally returned!
To wait for this moment, Shen Xiao had been willing to reject offers from elite universities and instead entered this third-rate academy.
Everyone thought he was crazy, but they didn't know his secret.
Shen Xiao's system worked based on "Favorability" or the feeling of liking/indebtedness from others.
The higher the talent of the person he helped, the more lottery tickets he obtained.
And Lu Qingyue?
Her talent was the highest ever in history.
To others, Qingyue was just a useless, one-armed disabled girl.
But to Shen Xiao, she was the "Golden Thigh" that would carry him to the top of the world without him needing to break a sweat!
"Hey, you're in the same class as me, right? I rarely see you. Just got back from outside?" Shen Xiao asked in a friendly tone, as if noticing her presence for the first time.
"Want to team up with me for the next mission?"
Lu Qingyue couldn't believe what she was hearing.
For a month she had begged for help and was always rejected, but now, the academy's best student was actually inviting her? "I-is... is that allowed?"
"Of course!" Shen Xiao answered firmly.
[Ding! Received Favorability from Lu Qingyue (Mythical Grade Target)! Reward: 100 Consecutive Lottery Tickets!]
One hundred draws all at once...
Shen Xiao almost screamed with joy. Insane!
The Empress's effect is terrifying!
Just agreeing to team up gives 100 tickets!
This is equal to four months of my hard work!
My decision to stay in this academy was truly the smartest move.
Hug this golden thigh, and I won't have to work hard for the rest of my life!