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[Challenge 3 (Ding~)
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Ji Mu followed the direction in which the system was pointing.
At first glance, he noticed the graceful silhouette ahead.
From her unique aura and the elegant curve of her figure beneath her loose hair, he estimated that she probably looked like an 8 out of 10.
How could he tell?
Simple.
A few non-mainstream delinquents were blocking her path, their faces full of smug, mocking expressions, the kind that screamed 'cannon-fodder villain.'
It looks like the second female lead is in trouble…
[What the heck? Someone else dares to steal our job?!]
Unbelievable! Is being a minor villain even competitive these days?
The system was clearly annoyed.
[Host, go chase them off, then properly bully the female lead.]
"That doesn't sound right. As a law-abiding citizen, it feels morally wrong to harm the future flowers of our nation without cause. Can I opt out?"
[?]
[Fine, don't do it. But do you still want your 25 million?]
"As the Buddha said, 'If I don't descend into hell, who will?' For the sake of love and peace in this world, I will sacrifice my dignity and play the villain just this once. So be it!"
Ji Mu raised his head high, puffed out his chest, and made a decision that would make his ancestors roll in their graves.
"Today, I will show her just how dark the human heart can be!"
His eyes were so determined that he looked as if he were about to join the Communist Party.
The system was thrilled.
[Yes! That's the spirit!]
...
"Come on, give it some thought, pretty girl. You're the first person I've ever wanted to ask for contact information."
A yellow-haired man who looked suspiciously like a giant goblin confidently pulled out the latest iPhone.
The girl was dressed from head to toe in cheap, street-market clothes. She was undoubtedly a transfer student from a modest background.
So what if she's pretty?
She'll definitely try to cozy up to someone rich like me.
Or so he thought.
But to his surprise, the girl didn't even spare him a glance. She simply walked around him.
Her complete disregard shattered his smug self-image.
Fuming, the yellow-haired guy stepped in front of her again.
"You don't know what's good for you, huh?!"
He had some status at this school. How dare she not give him any face?
Just as he was about to speak, an unwelcome voice cut in.
"Where's that barking coming from? It's so noisy."
Ji Mu strolled over with his arms crossed, walking with the kind of swagger that said, 'I don't even recognize my own relatives.'
His moves had to be cool. His posture had to be slick.
From this moment on, he was Yulan High's number one school tyrant!
Who agrees? Who's oppo—huh? Who's staring at me?
His sharp instincts picked up on a subtle gaze on his face, hidden behind a pair of generic glasses.
He tilted his head to investigate.
His eyes landed on the quiet girl standing beside him, as still as a porcelain doll.
Ji Mu froze for a second.
As expected of the second female lead, her looks were on par with that airheaded goose.
If his best friend was a pure, flawless white flower, then this girl was a cold, breathtaking alpine bloom.
Each had her own charm.
Was this mission target just now sneaking a peek at me?
It didn't really seem like it.
Whatever. Not important right now.
"Heh."
He cleared his throat with a cold chuckle and maintained his disdainful posture as he turned back to the goblin-like blond.
"If you're that bored, why don't you go lick every toilet in the public restroom clean? Maybe then someone will finally call you useful."
The yellow-haired guy was furious.
"What did you just say?"
His unconventional hairstyle flipped as he turned, and his single visible eye glared with murderous intent.
"You have the guts to say that again—"
Before he could finish, Ji Mu took several exaggerated steps back as if facing a deadly threat.
Ugh—
He nearly gagged. What the hell was this, biochemical warfare?!
"Did you seriously eat crap this morning? Your breath is toxic."
The yellow-haired guy's eyes bulged like brass bells.
He had only gone ten days without brushing his teeth, could it really be that bad?
He was just about to teach this random four-eyed guy a lesson when one of his lackeys leaned in and urgently whispered, "Boss, check out his clothes first."
Clothes?
He hadn't paid attention before, but now, when he looked, his eyes nearly popped out of his head.
Holy crap!
That outfit… wasn't it a limited-edition, custom-made set available only worldwide?
It had to cost millions!
No way, has the novel plot really landed on me?!
His gaze cleared instantly, and cold sweat began to bead down his back.
Next up is probably the classic face-slapping, downfall, and "Heaven has forsaken me" arc.
Nope, it's time to run!
Without hesitating for a moment, the yellow-haired guy and his gang of lackeys bolted, vanishing without a trace, like a breeze that leaves no cloud behind.
Ji Mu was stunned by the baffling turn of events.
What the heck just happened?
To be fair, their reaction wasn't entirely unreasonable. If Ji Mu knew the actual value of the clothes he was wearing, he'd probably be more shocked.
After all, when his second uncle tossed the outfit at him this morning, the casual flick of the wrist made it hard to associate the clothes with anything expensive.
[Host, stop zoning out! The female lead has already walked off. Go after her now!]
The system tugged at his hair in frustration.
Only then did Ji Mu notice that the girl had left without hesitation and was already quite far away.
How cool, just walks off like that?
Unacceptable!
He rolled up his sleeves, full of righteous indignation.
Relying on his long legs, he caught up to her in just a few strides.
The girl stopped and looked up. A few strands of her soft, dark hair fell gently across her brow.
Her almond-shaped eyes held a detached indifference, as if nothing in the world concerned her.
Without a word, she silently asked if there was something for them to discuss.
The intimidating aura that kept most boys at bay had no effect on Ji Mu whatsoever.
He scoffed and put on an arrogant posture.
"I helped you, and you're not even going to show a little gratitude?"
[Yes, that's it! Bully her hard! Make her feel the despair of this cruel world!]
With the system's enthusiastic encouragement, Ji Mu's confidence soared.
After two and a half seconds of intense processing, his brain spun rapidly, and he delivered what he believed to be the most vicious line of his life in the most punchable tone possible:
"Send me 50 yuan on WeChat. Let's see your sincerity and capability."
[Yes, have her send you $50 on WeChat… Wait, what??]
The system was completely dumbfounded.
Fifty... not thousand, just yuan?
Did you hit your head during Crazy Thursday, bro?
This wasn't bullying, it didn't even qualify as petty extortion!
[My brother, bullying! Do you even know what that means?]
Ji Mu was on the verge of a breakdown.
Ji Mu, thoroughly scolded, didn't dare make a sound.
Damn it! I've been so poor for so long that I forgot to switch into my school tyrant mindset.
The girl's cold, elegant gaze lowered slightly.
Even she seemed at a loss for words because of his baffling behavior.
She pulled a crumpled 50-yuan bill from her wallet and handed it to him.
Just as he noticed that she was about to walk away again, he quickly tried to salvage the moment.
"You think it's over just like that?"
He tilted his chin up and put on as much arrogance as he could muster, trying to provoke her.
"Not even a 'thank you'?"
The girl raised her index finger to her lips and gently shook her head.
The message was clear.
She couldn't speak.
Ji Mu froze.
Mute?
Wait, does that mean I've been bullying someone with a disability?!
Oh no! Now I feel even more guilty. What should I do?
"Heh, no wonder you didn't say a word this whole time. It turns out you're just a..."
Ji Mu's conscience relentlessly flogged his soul, but he forced out a mocking snort on the surface.
"Little mute."
He spat out each word slowly. Then, he turned his head away with a look of disdain, though he didn't dare meet her eyes.
Because of that, he missed the slight tremble that passed through the girl's body.
He turned to leave, eager to escape this moral minefield. But he hadn't taken more than a few steps when…
His sleeve was suddenly tugged.
Huh?
He turned back.
The girl was quietly looking at him.
Her skin was as clear as crystal, as if it had been sculpted from snow and ice. Her features weren't so aggressively striking that they overwhelmed the senses. Instead, her facial contours were soft and delicate. Yet, when she didn't smile, she had a natural air of distance, a quiet aloofness that made her seem unapproachable.
Her lips parted slightly.
"Thank you."
Two clearly enunciated words slipped out.
Her voice was like silk-soft, lingering, and hauntingly gentle, as if it could seep into one's bones.
This contrasted beautifully with her cold, distant appearance, making her all the more unforgettable.
She could easily become a top-tier virtual streamer and charm a legion of refined gentlemen with her naturally sultry and alluring voice.
Even Ji Mu, the man hailed as the ultimate Sigma, stood frozen in place, dazed for a long time.
But the real kicker wasn't just how good her voice sounded.
It was that...
She could talk.
???