Who left their last words here?

Chapter 118 I'll Lead the Way! The Ambition to Devour the "Four Heavenly Kings" (5k)

Shirashu hates all forms of bullying, including but not limited to physical and verbal bullying as well as emotional abuse.

After all, humans invented so many words for communication, not for harm, and it's really unreasonable to force us to revert to the perspective of reptiles after three million years of painstaking learning to walk upright.

“Bullying and ostracism are essentially an ancient witch hunt, but dangerous witch hunts require one to be prepared for a life-or-death struggle before they can wear the robes that symbolize justice.”

Bai Zhou's gaze was deep, clearly thinking of the bonfires that often burned brightly in the city's civic square at night.

"But can you be so aware of this?"

Bai Zhou's tone was melancholic:
"Please don't tell me that not only do you lack this awareness, but you are all all outwardly strong but inwardly weak, bullying the weak and fearing the strong!"

"...Yuanmeng Middle School has no cowards like this!"

Bai Zhou rebuked him sternly, while secretly rejoicing in his heart.

That was close! In that split second, he almost mistook Yuanmeng Middle School for Wancheng Middle School...

Bai Zhou knew nothing about Tinghai's school.

But he knew all too well about all that boring stuff about seniors and juniors...

After all, Bai Zhou still vividly remembers his experiences in Wancheng.

Once upon a time, Bai Zhou, who climbed all the way to the top position in the youth training group, was also so powerful and even miraculously curbed the bad atmosphere of seniority-based ranking and status comparison within the group.

Then, due to seniority and status comparisons, he was replaced by Li Wang, forever regretting missing the opportunity to join the Black Robe.

"..."

The five people, led by Wu Xuedi, remained somewhat silent in the face of the pressure from the mysterious senior Zhou.

What on earth is this senior saying? I don't understand, but it sounds impressive! What a terrifying aura!

What does "burnt to ashes" mean? What is the axiom robe? Isn't this a school? How come I vaguely saw a burning cross behind the senior?
Even though they were all oddities born in the Reflection Ruins, when they met Bai Zhou, who was always spouting nonsense and always stirring up trouble, they seemed like gentle and honest bookworms.

"..."

Wu Xuedi took another look at Bai Zhou's school uniform.

Yuanmeng Middle School has four grade levels. First graders have one horizontal bar on their left shoulder, second graders have two horizontal bars, and the more horizontal bars a student has, the more senior they are.

but……

How come this senior has six stripes on his shoulder?!
They're so numerous, I can hardly count them all!
As an oddity existing under the core rules of "seniority-based promotion and bullying classmates", Wu Xuedi's brain seemed to have crashed, and he couldn't quite process it, but he subconsciously followed the instinct of respecting his seniors.

Could it be... outstanding graduates returning to campus?
Just as Wu Xuedi and the others were lost in thought, Bai Zhou slowly approached and spoke again earnestly:
"I'm very happy that you call me senior."

"But, seeing you bullying the freshmen makes the seniors unhappy!"

As he spoke, Bai Zhou's expression turned solemn:
"As your kindest elder brother, I have an obligation to teach you..."

"Stand still! I'll say it again, senior, he's coming!"

"—Senior?!"

Wu Xuedi and the others did not want to resist, but that was their "rule".

Under the suppression of the six-stripe senior, they were unable to move and could only wail helplessly.

"Snapped!"

"Snapped!"

"Clap!"

At this moment, five burly, faceless students stood in the corner, their crimson mouths agape as they let out mournful howls, being slapped wildly by Senior Zhou like spinning tops.

This made the three explorers tremble with fear.

"You can't see me, you can't see me, you can't see me..."

They huddled in a corner, subtly increasing the distance between themselves as they went, trying to minimize their presence.

The chainsaw in Number 31's hand had long since stopped making any noise, and the 1.9-meter-tall giant shrank his head, wishing he could turn into a quail.

Those five strange creatures had already cornered them, leaving them powerless against them.

So, what level of extraordinary being is this "Senior Zhou" who spun the five weirdos around like tops?
Level 4? Or even Level 5?
What's going on with this school?!
For a time, even Number 9, who believed that this recruitment was the only chance to change his fate, began to doubt whether his decision to participate in the recruitment was correct.

"Can we run?"

"Now?"

No one dared to speak. Number 31 and Number 42 communicated with each other through their eyes. The tacit understanding between childhood friends of many years allowed them to understand each other's meaning.

"...I'm afraid not!"

Instead of looking at each other, Number 9 spoke in a low voice with a serious expression, breaking the silence and making both of them jump at the same time.

"how……"

Following the tense gaze of No. 9, the five people had already scrambled away in a sorry state, leaving only "Senior Zhou" behind.

Then, Senior Zhou turned his head and gave the trio a mysterious look that was hard to decipher.

"clatter……"

Footsteps moved, their crisp sounds echoing in the swirling gray fog.

"he came!"

The trio were so frightened that they shuddered.

In terms of strength, they had all recently advanced to level 2. Even the most talented and best-suited for the path of destiny, Sister No. 9, had only gone a little further on the road to level 2.

This level of strength would be enough to give one a certain status and reputation among wild extraordinary individuals, or even within the subordinate branches of official departments... but it would be nothing at this Dream Realization Middle School.

Even so, their rapid promotions have brought their path to the brink of spiraling out of control, creating an urgent need for official purification agents to clean up the pollution.

Heaven have mercy, why did they have to encounter someone as bizarre as "Senior Zhou"?

"Tough luck, bad luck, bad luck!"

As he muttered to himself, Number 42's eyes gradually turned red.

The trio's expressions hardened, and they stood side by side.

At this moment, they have no choice but to fight with their backs against the wall!

However, at this moment——

Bai Zhou stopped in front of the three, looked them over, and slowly spoke:
"A new student, right?"

"—Do you need help?"

……

"Attention all units! An abnormal individual has been detected!"

"Zoom in! Zoom in on the camera from angle 9 and move it to the very center."

"The psychographer! Where's the psychographer?"

"Advisors, your task is to determine the level of abilities that abnormal individuals may possess, and to analyze their core rules and behavioral logic!"

"..."

Inside the command vehicle, the gaunt man issued a series of instructions, and everyone was busy at work.

The emergence of “abnormal individuals” is clearly the most unusual thing they have encountered so far.

Is it an opportunity or a crisis?

Just as they were all on edge, the "abnormal individual" in the video suddenly spoke, its voice echoing throughout the command vehicle:
Do you need help?

"...This is an opportunity!"

The moment he finished speaking, the gaunt man immediately perked up, his eyes blazing with energy like a bonfire suddenly igniting.

"Make them agree!"

"A definite yes is required, immediately!"

"Thorn..."

Inside the misty campus, the crackling sound coming from the walkie-talkie made the three of them, including Number 9, exchange uneasy glances.

What does it mean to give an affirmative answer?

Having finally realized that the other party had no intention of making a move, the trio, who were about to quickly make excuses and turn to run away, fell silent for a moment.

The person who said that is really talking without any sense of the situation. Why don't you come and face it yourself and see?
But the many benefits promised over the walkie-talkie made them hesitate.

The "purification potion" that they miss the most is among them, even though it is just one of the most inconspicuous benefits.

What exactly should we do?
Life choices are made only once, there is no going back, and decisions must be made immediately.

Finally, the trio exchanged a glance, took a deep breath in unison, and made a decision that defied their ancestors and was destined to change their lives forever.

"……All right."

Number 9 mustered her courage and stepped forward, looking up at the masked and mysterious Senior Zhou, forcing a smile that carried a touch of tragic grandeur, like the mournful cry of a lone warrior facing the cold Yi River.

"We really need your help, senior!" "The school is so big. We are new students and unfamiliar with the environment. Could you please show us around and help us get acquainted with the campus?"

"Let's go for a spin..."

Upon hearing this, Bai Zhou seemed hesitant, as if he had other things to attend to.

Behind his mask, his gaze subtly swept over the specially made walkie-talkie on Number 9's waist, which he had just used to give commands without any restraint. He suppressed the urge to purse his lips and roll his eyes, maintaining a cool and expressionless demeanor.

They really think they're some kind of weird native of the Reflection Ruins.

That's...very good!

This is exactly the effect Bai Zhou wanted!

After wandering through the gray fog for a while, Bai Zhou also encountered several invaders who had been completely wiped out by attacks.

Bai Zhou, hidden in the shadows, didn't make a move, but he soon discovered an important problem...

Relying on these recruited invaders, they probably wouldn't even be able to grasp a tenth of the depth of this school.

At that point, the official forces that follow will most likely be completely wiped out!
Bai Zhou didn't care whether the officials would be wiped out, but no one knew better than him what was hidden in this school.

Even with the convenience of the school uniform, Bai Zhou still needs to be constantly vigilant and cautious. He has absolutely no confidence in facing the mysterious woman being fed, who is hidden deep within the campus!
Under these circumstances, he was absolutely unwilling to be the first casualty to encounter the mysterious woman.

So he realized he needed help... he needed lab rats to help him explore the school.

He needs more "eyes" to expose the great terror hidden deep within the campus to the authorities, ideally allowing everyone to see the mysterious woman through the cameras, or even any clues about the major...

And at this moment——

The three who had been bullied walked blankly into Bai Zhou's sight.

Simply hating bullying was only one of the reasons that drove Bai Zhou to take action, and it was the least significant one.

Most importantly, when Bai Zhou saw the three of them, he had a subtle, inexplicable feeling in his destiny.

This was the first time Bai Zhou had felt this slight attraction and touch from the Blue Star people. This touch came directly from destiny, or rather, the "path" engraved in destiny.

Bai Zhou once had a similar feeling in the depths of the Ruins... no, not the depths of the Ruins... he had a similar feeling in the ruins of the Trojan civilization.

That was the mutual attraction between the [Adventurer] path and the [Adventurer] path relics.

However, Bai Zhou was basically certain that these three were definitely not following the [Adventurer] path, but rather a similar path that seemed to be far inferior to the [Adventurer] path.

Because Bai Zhou had a feeling...

If he is willing, he can completely use the power of his "heart" to guide destiny and subtly influence the other person's perception and feelings towards him.

It's a natural sense of "superiority," like you're the tiger and the other person is a rabbit that's naturally hunted and tamed by the tiger.

At the same time, Bai Zhou also pondered a seemingly far-fetched possibility:
"If we knew the path they took, could it offer any lessons for improving my [Adventurer] skills?"

Driven by multiple factors, the reliable senior Zhou suddenly appeared and saved the three from their predicament.

The local guide from Yuanmeng Middle School has arrived! Come and use me!
"..."

Seeing that Bai Zhou seemed hesitant, Number 9 gritted his teeth and coughed twice:

"Please, please, senior~ヽ(ー_ー)ノ"

The sunny girl tried to put on a pitiful and delicate act, pleading with Bai Zhou.

However, perhaps because she had never tried anything like this before, her expression and movements were so stiff they didn't seem human...

Standing behind her, Number 31 and Number 42 felt a chill run down their spines and almost vomited on their own, ruining Number 9's important plan.

Boss, don't do this!
You are recognized by all as a sunny woman with a heart of steel, stronger than steel bars!

Bai Zhou was also speechless at the appearance of No. 9.

Why is my sister putting on such a pretentious act?
After a moment of silence, Bai Zhou felt the time was right, and reluctantly nodded.
"Ok."

"This female student, and two male students..."

Bai Zhou looked at number 31, who was over 1.9 meters tall and looked like a fierce general, and number 42, who had acne scars and messy hair. The youngest "senior" in the room blinked twice hesitantly:
"You all need to stick close to me and not fall behind."

"Otherwise, I can't guarantee that you won't be caught by the teacher for a random recitation test."

——This is a lie.

Whether this step actually exists or not, Bai Zhou doesn't know; he just made it up to scare the newcomers.

Outstanding effect!

The trio immediately felt a chill. Although they did not volunteer, they still cautiously moved closer to Bai Zhou, keeping a distance that was neither too far nor too close.

"really……"

Bai Zhou narrowed his eyes and thought to himself.

As the three approached, the sense of connection and oppression emanating from their "pathway" became even more pronounced.

Seeing the discomfort and confusion that the three of them showed simultaneously, Bai Zhou knew that... they also had this feeling, but their experience was completely opposite to Bai Zhou's.

Perhaps this is the relationship between "superior pathways" and "inferior pathways"?

"..."

Bai Zhou thought to himself casually, then turned around expressionlessly and led his team straight into the depths of the gray fog.

Next, he will lead his three underlings on a thrilling adventure they have never experienced before.

So, how do we lead them to that flesh-and-blood building where the mysterious woman is hidden...?

While secretly plotting how to sell off his three newly recruited underlings, the extremely reliable Senior Zhou walked at the front of the group.

In contrast, the nervous trio whispered amongst themselves, each harboring their own secrets, completely betraying the trust that Senior Zhou had placed in them.

The camera, suspended on No. 9's chest, moved up and down, faithfully recording the mysterious silhouette of Bai Zhou appearing and disappearing in the gray fog.

"It's this 'abnormal individual'—"

Inside the command vehicle, the gaunt man's eyes gleamed as he watched Bai Zhou's retreating figure.
"Enlarge the projection of him to the maximum!"

"I have a feeling that he might be the key to breaking the deadlock on this trip!"

……

"Da da……"

Bai Zhou led the three explorers through the mist.

Soon, at the bend in the tree-lined path, they ran into four students passing by.

"Who is it...!"

Upon seeing each other clearly, the three explorers instinctively gasped in surprise.

Inside the command vehicle outside the school, the four figures slowly emerging from the gray fog gradually came into view through the camera, and the monitoring personnel and staff officers held their breath.

Is this "Senior Zhou" reliable or not? How did he end up encountering four suffocatingly large guys so suddenly...?

Compared to the other "junior students", these four newly emerged students are obviously terrifyingly strong!
Judging solely by their appearance, their uniqueness is almost on par with that of "abnormal individuals"!
They possess most of the facial features, except that some lack a nose and some lack ears—everyone is missing something to some extent, but what each person lacks is different, as if they complement each other.

In this school with its strict discipline, they somehow manage to sport brightly colored hair—brown, blue, red, brown… as if they were following the fashion trends of twenty years ago. They are the kind of weirdos who are easily repelled in the school.

On the sides of their blue and white school uniforms, there were four thick horizontal stripes, indicating that they were probably fourth-year students at the school.

Some of them are lazy and indolent like a block of wood, some have dead fish eyes and are indifferent and arrogant, some are silent and expressionless but confident, and some have warm and gentle smiles.

"Thump! Thump! Thump thump!"

At this moment, all four of them had their hands in their pockets, and their shoulders swayed as they walked, their posture as arrogant as four crabs.

Each with their own unique pace, yet strangely maintaining an overall suffocating oppression, the four senior students emerged from the gray mist, like a moving wall rapidly approaching Bai Zhou and the others.

"Where did these Four Heavenly Kings come from...wait a minute?"

As Bai Zhou was mentally complaining, he suddenly noticed a vibration coming from his school uniform.

A strange feeling arose in Bai Zhou's heart; it was the school uniform conveying its desire to him...

It's hungry.

Pride, envy, wrath, sloth...

It felt it had encountered some extremely distinctive "underachievers," whose exam-taking prowess drove the school uniform to devour them all—

They became slaves bound by their own limitations!

Just like the "Marshal of Wrong Answers," "General of Pressure," and "Prime Minister of Guilt"—the Seven Heroes of the Kingdom—who were imprisoned by the King of Exams and then liberated by Bai Zhou!
"Plop! Plop!"

Bai Zhou's heart skipped a beat.

Because it's not just that.

As these four students approached, hidden deep within Bai Zhou's destiny, was the one trained by the Wolf Knight...

A seed of "fighting spirit" that is not even a prototype, but only a budding one—

It moved slightly!
(End of this chapter)