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The girl tossed out that sentence lightly and turned to leave.
Ji Mu had no intention of calling her back.
His earlobes were burning hot.
His sensitive spot had suddenly been "attacked," and his body had reacted instantly.
His legs felt like bamboo shoots in spring, fragile and weak, gently caressed and nourished by the rain. A strange shiver crept up from the soles of his feet, seeping into his pores and spreading to his calves.
They were soft and powerless.
Had he not reacted quickly and leaned against the wall, he might have made a fool of himself by collapsing right there in front of everyone.
Damn it!
Ji Mu cursed inwardly.
How was he supposed to dodge an ultra-long wind-up with a zero-frame start-up?
His hypersensitive constitution had left him utterly humiliated.
He'd almost broken character as the school tyrant before lasting a full day.
"Classmate."
Outside the classroom.
Sunlight refracted through the window and stretched across the tiled floor.
Bathed in the warm, misty beam of light, countless tiny specks of dust floated in the air.
At some point, the girl had stopped at the classroom door.
Her graceful figure leaned casually against the doorframe, her long, jet-black hair flowing gently behind her.
A boundless sheet of white paper seemed to unfurl at her feet, stretching across the floor before her. She stood at the intersection of light and shadow, poised on the edge of two worlds.
"Is that okay?"
Her voice was soft and melodious, laced with teasing charm.
She sounded especially coquettish.
Her usually cool and indifferent eyes treated everyone else as if they were invisible. But when she spoke to him, her slightly tea-colored irises locked onto him with unwavering focus., as if they could see straight through to his soul.
In that instant, Ji Mu recalled what she had whispered into his ear just moments ago:
"From now on, I'll only talk to you, okay?"
His expression shifted slightly.
What does the target mean?
[Can't you tell, Host? It's blatant, shameless provocation!]
The system practically stomped its feet in fury.
[Unbelievable! This is the first time I've seen a bullying victim actively provoke their bully. You've completely lost face!!]
So it was provocation?!
Ji Mu felt thoroughly insulted.
His mood was anything but pleasant.
"What do you mean, 'Is that okay?' Are you planning to mess with me?"
His hand, braced against the wall, curled into a fist.
With a hint of anger, he forced the words through clenched teeth.
"Get lost. Now."
His reaction was undoubtedly tinged with flustered frustration.
The girl tilted her head slightly, withdrew her gaze, and stepped lightly into the classroom.
Her simple, elegant dress fluttered gently, like frost blossoms in winter, serene, distant, and breathtaking.
She stunned more than a few passing students.
"Damn, she's gorgeous. Her skin's so smooth and dewy, like a porcelain doll."
"For real. She's way prettier than last year's campus belle!"
"She's a second-year student? How come I've never seen her before?"
"Probably a new transfer student."
"Should we try asking her for her contact info later?"
"Forget it. She's definitely the untouchable ice queen type. You have about a 90% chance of being ignored."
"Is it really that bad? Didn't that four-eyed guy just try to flirt with her?"
"Sure, if you had a million-yuan outfit to flaunt, you could give it a shot, too."
"Uh... yeah, about that..."
The whispers and gossip buzzed incessantly, like rustling leaves in the wind.
But, unlike the others who were fixated solely on the girl's appearance, Ji Mu noticed something different in that moment, a subtle anomaly in her demeanor.
Did she just smile?
[Idiot, you don't even need to ask. I saw it, too.]
The system pointed accusingly at him with exasperation.
[Host, that girl is clearly just mocking you!]
This scenario was so ridiculous, it felt more like an episode of "Where Are We Going, Dad?" than anything threatening.
Do you have a single bad-boy cell in your body?!
With the system constantly nagging and criticizing him, Ji Mu finally snapped.
"What do you expect me to do? I used the most vicious taunts I could think of, but the mission target doesn't even flinch!"
He had never met anyone colder than this girl.
All his tricks were completely useless.
He felt like a clown putting on a circus show for free just to amuse her.
It was utterly humiliating.
"Talk big all you want. If you think it's so easy, why don't you do it?"
[Baka!]
The system was clearly triggered.
It even blurted out Japanese in its frustration.
[Damn it! To hell with it! Let's storm into the classroom and stir things up! I refuse to believe a teenage girl can handle a relentless barrage of… Host?]
Ji Mu leaned against the wall, his legs trembling. He clearly needed a moment to recover.
"Wait... My legs gave out..."
[......]
Focus on the main mission. Focus on the main mission.
The system took a deep breath to calm down and began strategizing.
[Fine. Let's take a step back for now. Acting on impulse and recklessness will only lower our mission efficiency.]
It clasped its tiny hands behind its back, paced in circles, and thought for a few seconds.
[Here's the plan, Host. I'll send you a few dozen films about bullying later. Study them carefully. Learn how the pros do it.]
Ji Mu clapped his hands together enthusiastically.
Right, why didn't I think of that?
He shot the system a look of admiration. You really are something, huh?
"Message received, over!"
……
Since it was the first day of school, there wasn't much going on.
Thanks to the presence-concealing power of his background-character glasses, Ji Mu and the system spent the entire afternoon watching movies about bullying.
After several hours of cinematic immersion, he felt completely reborn.
It was as if a mysterious force had been injected straight into his brain.
Not only had his meridians been unblocked like in a wuxia novel, but a whole new world had opened before him.
Enlightenment. Pure, sudden enlightenment.
So, this is what real bullying looks like!
[Well? Do you think you have what it takes to win over the female lead now?]
Ji Mu waved confidently.
"When the heat's up, my temper flares. If I'm not smiling, don't start whining."
The system's eyes lit up.
Quoting motivational slogans off the cuff? Oh, we're so back!
[Host, you've been upgraded. Go get her!]
"No problem!"
He felt unstoppable.
It was just after school.
Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted his target stepping out of the classroom.
Ji Mu grabbed his backpack and followed her.
Trying to run?
Not a chance!
After tailing her surreptitiously from a few meters behind, Ji Mu's eyes lit up when he saw the girl turn into a narrow alleyway with hardly any foot traffic.
Truly, the heavens are on my side!
As expected of the female lead, she picked a spot that made it easier for him to "bully" her.
He strode forward with long, confident steps and grabbed her backpack in one swift motion.
"Where do you think you're going, little mute?"
When she turned around, he deliberately raised his voice, taunting her.
"We've still got unfinished business, you and I."
The innocent girl responded with a series of hand gestures, silently weaving her words:
—Is something the matter?
Deliberately mimicking the posture of a movie bully, Ji Mu cast her a sideways glance.
"Tell this young master your lowly name."
[Brilliant, Host.]
The system, floating in midair, practically glowed with emotional satisfaction.
[Oh my gosh! Especially that word, lowly. you nailed that villainous vibe in one go!]
Clearly, being ranked first in the Six-School Joint Exams wasn't just for show.
He picked things up fast.
The girl in front of him seemed startled.
Her shoulders tensed as if she were trying to suppress something.
After a long pause, she slowly raised her hands again to sign.
—Isn't my name on the class roster?
Thinking he was making progress, Ji Mu pressed on, riding the momentum of his provocation.
"Of course I know it's written there. But I want to hear you say it yourself."
To make his presence even more intimidating, he leaned in, casting a large shadow over her.
His voice dropped, each word slow and deliberate.
"What's wrong? Don't want to?"
Today, I'm going to bully you no matter what. Not even Jesus can save you, mark my words!