Qi Yue's dormitory and the one Lin Shubei and Lu Renyi shared stood at opposite diagonal corners, one in the south and one in the north. As for Xie Qin, the moment he entered the dormitory building, he turned toward the single room at the end of the first floor.
"My family is rich and influential. My brothers and sisters couldn't bear to let me live with someone else, and they felt sorry that I'd have to climb to the sixth floor after a full day of classes."
"The academy doesn't allow first-year students to live off campus, so they paid a little extra and arranged for someone from Class F like me to have a single room, just like the teachers."
Xie Qin's face was blatant with smugness as he spoke. Qi Yue was so furious that he wanted to hoist Lin Shubei up and smash Xie Qin with him. Fortunately, Lu Renyi grabbed the hand Qi Yue had just raised and prevented the tragedy in time.
After they reached the sixth floor and said goodbye to Qi Yue, Lin Shubei immediately turned and stared at Lu Renyi, demanding an explanation.
"Why were you looking at me like that just now?"
Lu Renyi played dumb and pretended not to know what Lin Shubei meant. After all, he could not exactly say that he had mistaken Lin Shubei for someone with a promising future and therefore felt sorry for him, could he?
"Why are you playing dumb? I didn't even insult you."
Lin Shubei found the notebook Qi Yue had left with him and prepared to take it over. But when he stepped outside, he once again ran into the twin brothers Chu Zichuan and Chu Ziji.
The two leaned against either side of the door. Their clothes were both in black and white, and when they looked up, their presence was imposing.
Lin Shubei only felt speechless now. It took the last scrap of his self-control not to let these two people, who blocked his way, caused trouble, and refused to let go of him, experience the agony of their psychic power collapsing.
Lin Shubei did not want to start a conflict with anyone now, so he looked at them with a false smile.
"Students, what exactly do you want from me? You followed us back instead of eating in the middle of the afternoon. That's not something a person with a sound mind would do, is it?"
Instead, Chu Zichuan moved even closer. Lu Renyi quietly withdrew the hand he had been about to extend in assistance and stood in the best viewing spot, watching the internal clash within the protagonist's group that the System claimed was essential to the plot's development.
Chu Zichuan grew even more curious when he saw Lin Shubei like this. He moved closer and examined him from head to toe several times.
"Huh? You're really good at pretending. We've wanted to ask you this for a while."
Chu Ziji picked up from beside him.
"How exactly did you kill Zhou Cheng? Did you do it with nothing more than the strength of Level-Three ability users who barely scraped past the academy's admissions threshold?"
Ability users were currently known to be divided into eleven levels. At the end of every year, ability users worldwide underwent testing at their country's national ability testing center to measure their level.
Apart from updating their records, this also made it easier to control ability users prone to emotional outbursts and prevent large-scale unrest.
Most ability users in society were between Level-One and Level-Three. Ability users at Level-Four and above could kill low-level aberrants.
Supernova Ability Academy required applicants to have reached the level of a Level-Three ability user. They underwent an on-site evaluation during screening, followed by a collective test at the end of every semester.
Every student in Class F was a Level-Three ability user. The middle classes, from Class B to Class E, contained a mixture of Level-Three and Level-Four ability users. Class A and Class S were mostly Level-Five ability users. Even so, people like the twins, who had become Level-Six ability users at eighteen, were still rare. They could even be called geniuses among geniuses.
But the twins were not the only Level-Six ability users here.
Lu Renyi glanced at Lin Shubei. The protagonist was usually the strongest member of the protagonist's group, or at least the one whose power was most obvious to the public.
Since the System had said they would meet in the trial ground later and that Lin Shubei would emerge victorious, his strength would certainly exceed Chu Zichuan's and Chu Ziji's by then.
He was probably around Level Seven. The only question was whether he already possessed Level Seven strength or would advance inside the trial ground.
"You're asking the wrong person. I didn't kill Zhou Cheng. The principal already issued a document explaining the cause of his death last night. If you want revenge for him, you should look for the organization powerful enough to silence the Zhou family."
Chu Zichuan and Chu Ziji had come to demand justice for Zhou Cheng. That was the only reason Lin Shubei could imagine for their relentless pestering. If they were powerless against an organization, dealing with a Class F student would be easy, wouldn't it?
But after exchanging a look, Chu Zichuan and Chu Ziji answered in unison.
"Who said we wanted revenge for Zhou Cheng?"
"Then why won't you leave me alone? Don't tell me you've taken a liking to me."
Ah, what a strange thing to say.
Lu Renyi once again urged the System to check whether the world had deviated or picked up something strange along the way.
The System looked at the plot progression, which remained steady at 87%, and truthfully answered that it had not. Lu Renyi seemed disappointed by the result.
"Wouldn't it be fascinating if the genre suddenly changed?"
Lu Renyi truly did want to see such a scene. Perhaps the System would become too busy to control him, and he would be free.
The System did not hear Lu Renyi's latter thought. After extrapolating according to the usual developments in its database, it rejected Lu Renyi's idea.
"Wouldn't the readers curse it to death first?"
While Lu Renyi freely observed the shifts in the three people's emotions, Lin Shubei grew even more confused by what Chu Ziji said next.
"We aren't from the capital. What happens to the Zhou family has nothing to do with us. We only found it interesting that you killed a Level-Four ability user with the strength of a Level-Three ability user."
"We like making friends with strong people. The moment we learned that you'd eliminated Zhou Cheng, we came straight to find you."
Chu Zichuan added a further explanation.
"If another opportunity like that comes up, remember to call us. We can do it together. How about being friends?"
"But we don't like weaklings, so we won't hold back in the trial ground."
The two seemed highly satisfied with Lin Shubei's earlier challenge to settle things in the trial ground. That was why they had followed him here specifically to exchange contact details.
"Then we'll see you later. If you can defeat us in the trial ground, we'll count as good friends."
After Chu Zichuan and Chu Ziji each entered a note for his contact, they left with carefree ease. Just as they had arrived without a sound, their departure drew no attention.
Lin Shubei was speechless for a while before inevitably breathing a sigh of relief. Fortunately, they had not actually started a fight on the spot. He could not say for certain that his current self could defeat two Level-Six ability users.
When Lin Shubei turned around, he once again saw the complicated expression on Lu Renyi's face.
"All right, why are you looking at me like that this time?"
Lu Renyi slowly shook his head and spoke with complicated feelings.
"I just think your life won't be peaceful from now on."
Two such willful people had joined the protagonist's group, spouting things like, "As long as you defeat us, we'll be friends." It was simply marvelous.
Besides them, there were still several people who had yet to appear. They would probably need to go through more experiences before they could work together as a proper team. As the center of that team, Lin Shubei was certain to suffer the most.
That was what it meant to be the protagonist: with great power came great responsibility. A minor cannon-fodder character like Lu Renyi would only need to watch when the time came. It truly seemed unfair when he thought about it. Lin Shubei might even get beaten up.
At that thought, Lu Renyi could not help sympathizing with Lin Shubei. He stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder.
"Good luck."
Lin Shubei: ?
Lu Renyi offered no further explanation, and Lin Shubei assumed he meant the upcoming trial ground.
"Don't worry. The five of us won't lose to the two of them. Besides, we might not draw the same trial ground."
No. They were certain to draw the same one.
"Let's hope so."
Hopefully, Lin Shubei could endure it. A protagonist's path of growth was never peaceful.
***
"I know we prepared for this, but I wasn't prepared for this."
"Wow, we really did draw the city trial ground."
"Seriously, I never expected this outcome. Didn't they say we only needed to infiltrate?"
"There are corresponding role cards too. If our disguises fail and the NPCs in the trial ground notice something wrong, we'll be killed and eliminated immediately."
"I wasn't prepared to play cosplay. And the rest of you, stop ignoring me!"
Unable to bear it any longer, Lu Renyi raised his hands and pressed down the heads of Qi Yue and Xie Qin, who were cheering on either side of him.
Lin Shubei and Jian Yi were carefully examining the pile of cards and considering how to distribute the five roles.
Although they had drawn a city-type trial ground, this one differed from the previous missions in which participants infiltrated a city to identify humanoid aberrants.
Jiang Yan had personally designed this trial ground and made substantial changes.
"Teams that drew a city-type trial ground can come over here to collect the corresponding costumes. Once you've changed, you can enter the trial ground. You'll remain inside for ten days."
On the stage, Jiang Yan smiled and waved in the direction of Lu Renyi's team. Anyone could tell at a glance that he had pulled some strings.
'Slave of a Church member from six centuries ago.'
Lu Renyi stared impassively at the identity card in his hand while fragments of the others' conversation drifted into his ears.
"Linzi, what did you draw? I'm an outer guard of the Church."
"Something similar. I'm an inner guard of the Church, and Jianjian is an ordinary Church member."
"Damn, Xie Qin, how are you so lucky? An official Church member, and a high-ranking one at that. Wait, then who drew the slave?"
Who else could it be?
Only after Qi Yue finished speaking did he realize why the others were suppressing laughter. He looked cautiously at his "private tutor."
Lu Renyi scratched his hair and spoke with an air of abandoning himself to his fate.
"If you want to laugh, then laugh. Stop holding it in."
Only then did Lin Shubei and the others dare to laugh aloud. Xie Qin even collapsed against Lu Renyi's shoulder, nearly unable to stay on his feet.
"All right, all right, that's enough. Stop laughing and hurry up, get changed, and enter the trial ground."
Jiang Yan came over with a stern expression and tried to maintain order. If he could loosen his tightly clenched fists, Lu Renyi might have found the act somewhat convincing.
Lu Renyi shoved Xie Qin away and headed to the changing room first, reviewing the mission information as he walked. Lin Shubei and the others hurried after him, attempting to transmit energy to Lu Renyi with hands that were still trembling.
"Come find me after we enter. I can still protect you."
Xie Qin's status as a high-ranking member was highly useful. A mere ordinary member's slave was worth even less than most possessions. Taking Lu Renyi away would require only a word from him.
"Forget it. You can recite the history book backward. Don't you know how rampant the Church was six centuries ago? Even if you called me over, nothing about my situation would change."
"Besides, a high-ranking member specifically demanding a slave would look suspicious from every angle. Aren't you afraid a competitor will recognize you immediately and eliminate you?"
That was true.
Xie Qin had loved immersing himself in historical texts since childhood. He knew enough history to judge how dangerous Lu Renyi's identity was this time.
Six centuries ago, the country was still isolated and backward. A Church composed entirely of ability users stood at the center of power, while the government was merely a puppet that existed in name alone and obeyed the Church's commands.
After centuries of development, the Church of that era had long since betrayed its original purpose of protecting the people and become a den of monsters everyone despised. It was not until foreign enemies invaded and the people revolted that the Church finally collapsed.
The point in time they were visiting was shortly before the Church's destruction. The government had already begun taking action and would succeed in another twenty years. Those final twenty years also happened to be the Church's most corrupt period.
They openly robbed and murdered people in the streets, released aberrants to slaughter ordinary people and then earned exorbitant fees for dealing with them, and captured ordinary people as slaves for the Church's amusement.
"Our mission is to help the government steal the Church's Grand Elder's staff. Note: the staff is the medium through which the Grand Elder uses his ability. He generally keeps it with him, and anyone who touches it carelessly will receive an electric shock."
After changing clothes, Lin Shubei discussed the plan with Xie Qin outside. Xie Qin thought the mission should be left to him. His status as a high-ranking member allowed him to enter and leave every part of the Church at will, so he could first investigate where the Grand Elder might appear.
"A high-ranking member will attract more attention, and people will be more wary of you. If you try anything, far more eyes will be watching you than us."
Lin Shubei had a point. Xie Qin fell silent and pondered with him. When Jian Yi and Qi Yue emerged, they found the two of them cosplaying The Thinker.
Lu Renyi wore a burlap outfit stamped with the number 113. Comparing it with the clothes worn by the others opposite him, which were not exactly splendid but at least presentable, he sighed once more.
Comparisons truly were infuriating. Just because they were protagonists and he was cannon fodder, he had drawn the only identity with a negative meaning.
"Host, we still have to accept fate in matters like this. After all, we haven't completed the cannon-fodder self-improvement mission yet. The next comic update will take place during this mission. Perform well, and you'll definitely attract the readers."
The System tried to rouse Lu Renyi's enthusiasm, but when Lin Shubei and the others saw what Lu Renyi was wearing and failed to suppress their laughter again, the System broke down.
"Stop laughing, you lousy protagonist! If you keep hurting my Host's tender heart, I'll submit an application and have the higher-ups change the plot so all of you become slaves!"
Although Lin Shubei and the others could not hear it, Lu Renyi at least felt somewhat happier. He could no longer maintain that bitter, resentful expression.
Lu Renyi had only been pretending in the first place. It was merely role-playing, so he did not care what identity he drew. But in front of the protagonist's group and the readers, he could not act indifferent.
If everything was acceptable, then nothing was interesting. He might as well put on a performance.
"We'll do that for now. The mission lasts exactly ten days. Let's spend the first day learning the Church's layout. Once we've used the trackers to find one another, we can discuss how to steal the staff."
"The mission card says we can't do anything that violates the objective historical facts. That probably means we aren't allowed to kill these elders. I remember they all died during the later trials."
Xie Qin pointed to a bold line of red text on the back of the mission card. It read: Do not violate objective historical facts.
"Then let's go."
Lin Shubei put away the mission card and was the first to step through the door connected to the trial ground. More precisely, he was sucked inside.
Lu Renyi walked last and was forced to exchange a greeting with Jiang Yan.
Jiang Yan had previously pretended to know nothing in front of him. He had not even mentioned that Zheng Jue was helping him screen candidates for the selection team. Yet now, despite being an academic-subject teacher, Jiang Yan had taken over the responsibilities of the head of the year.
Lu Renyi instinctively moved farther away. Just before entering the door, he still heard Jiang Yan say, "Good luck."
The next second, a bucket of ice water struck him head-on. Lu Renyi stopped himself from dodging and secretly raised his eyes. The person who had thrown it was Chu Zichuan.