Bai Tao wanted to make money.
More than anyone else.
Only by earning enough money could she buy her freedom from that damn assassin organization.
“So, like I said, it’s a pretty good deal, right?”
The system’s voice echoed in her mind.
“The original female lead heard the rumors about F5 and just bailed.
You take over for a year, capture those five psychos, and keep the world running.”
“I’ll be back in a year to check on your progress.
If you succeed, you can name your price, and I’ll even guarantee your freedom from the assassin organization.”
Bai Tao glanced at the photos of the five men, and drool shamelessly dripped from the corner of her mouth.
Hot.
So hot.
They had six-packs.
‘So, not only can I drool over their abs, but I can make money too?’
‘Fawning over one person makes you a simp.
But fawning over five at once?
That’s gotta at least make you a pro!’
‘The original female lead couldn’t handle this, so she can step aside.
I’m taking over!’
“It’s a good deal, alright.”
“But I don’t want to take responsibility.”
Bai Tao walked down a tree-lined path and saw the main gate of Heslington Beast School in the distance.
The gilded school crest reflected the sunlight, making her eyes sting.
“Once you’re done, we’ll give you a grand send-off in this world.
Think of it as a high-reward, quick-win quest.
You just pull out and walk away.”
“Deal.”
“It’s only five of them.
For the next year, don’t mind any noises I make.”
As soon as she finished speaking, the basic world settings flooded into her brain like a tidal wave.
This world had a strict hierarchy and clear class divisions.
The four great families—Si, Qi, Zuo, and Lingzhou—were at the very top of the pyramid, holding the country’s economic lifelines in their hands.
The F5 also came from these four families.
According to the rumors, each one of them was blessed with good looks, but each was crazy in his own unique way.
And she was a plug-in, loaded into this world after the system altered everyone’s memories.
She was different from the original female lead, Lin Xiaowu, who was an outstanding special admission student who excelled in every area.
She was—
a special admission student with nothing to her name, granted entry by the Si Family as a reward for saving Mr.
Si Sr.’s life.
Heh.
Although it was called a reward, it just meant the Si Family got her in the door.
Survival was up to her.
After all, rich people loved to make empty promises.
For example, she didn’t even have a Heslington uniform.
For another, her only communication device was a senior phone.
Just then, the school bell rang.
Before Bai Tao could fully process the world settings, the gates of Heslington Beast School slammed shut with a BANG.
?
“Heslington Beast School is an elite institution for beasts.
It’s a place of national importance, so the gates close right on time.”
“But don’t worry, Host.
I pulled out all the stops and chiseled a temporary doggy door for you.”
“So, I wish you smooth sailing this year.
Looking forward to your good news.
Bye-bye~”
Silence instantly returned.
Bai Tao: …
‘This system is no different from the Si Family.’
She glanced at a gap in the corner.
The ground was muddy, and who knew if there was dog shit in it.
Her clothes were already shabby enough.
If she got covered in mud, how the hell was she supposed to capture the F5?
She began to observe her surroundings.
Perhaps Heslington Beast School was a little too confident in its five-meter-high outer walls; there wasn’t even any anti-climbing mesh.
‘Please, who was she?
Bai Tao.’
‘The top-ranked female assassin in her original world, with the highest bounty on her head.’
‘Forget five meters; even fifty would be a piece of cake.’
Bai Tao’s eyes immediately locked onto a crooked tree at the corner.
Seeing that no one was around, she grabbed a branch with one hand and stepped onto a sturdy limb.
The wall was just thick enough for her to stand on, and she could see a tree of about the same height on the other side.
She calculated the distance, and with a powerful leap, landed on top of the wall.
But for all her planning, she never expected that this Beast School would actually use high-quality blue jadeite as decoration on top of its outer wall!
‘Damn rich people!’
Her feet slipped, and she tumbled uncontrollably toward the other side of the wall.
‘Not good!’
She twisted her body toward the treetop as much as possible.
The RUSTLE of leaves scraped past her ears, slowing her descent.
THUD!
She landed flat on her back, splayed out, and her glasses went flying.
‘It doesn’t hurt?’
Bai Tao couldn’t help but grope at what was beneath her.
‘It’s soft.’
She groped it again.
‘Wait, no.
Now it’s firm.’
“Let go.”
A cold voice, laced with obvious disgust, rained down from above her.
Bai Tao opened her eyes and met a pair of deep-set, down-turned eyes.
They were a base of emerald green, with flecks of light orange radiating around the pupils.
They were crystal clear, reflecting her own disheveled image.
Naturally wavy, layered hair partially hid his eyes, softening the sharpness of his straight brows.
His handsome, petal-shaped lips were a healthy shade of pink.
But this seemingly gentle face was bruised and cut, the wounds still fresh.
Furthermore, his long fingers were wrapped in tight bandages, though it didn’t look like they were for treating injuries.
And what Bai Tao was currently grabbing was none other than this man’s pecs.
‘If I’m not mistaken, this is Lingzhou Jingwang from the F5.’
‘I’ve hit the jackpot!’
Lingzhou Jingwang had a violent and surly temper.
He was either skipping class or on his way to skip class.
He was usually elusive and the hardest of the F5 to run into.
‘And now I just happened to run into him by climbing over a wall?’
“Still spacing out?”
Jing Wang frowned, and Bai Tao immediately scrambled off him.
“Ah Wang, I finally found you.”
Another, gentler male voice spoke up, then paused noticeably.
“How rare.
You’re actually…
lying here with a woman.”
“Your girlfriend?”
Bai Tao looked toward the voice.
Without her glasses, she couldn’t see the newcomer’s face clearly and could only make out his silhouette.
‘Very pale, broad shoulders.’
‘Like a sculpture carved from white jade.’
“Fuck off,” Jing Wang tsked in annoyance.
“She fell from the sky.
I don’t know her.”
He started to get up, and Bai Tao’s eyes narrowed.
‘No, I can’t let Jing Wang go this easily.’
‘The Lingzhou Family holds monopolistic power over the medical industry.’
‘Medical…
medical equipment…’
‘Time to take a gamble!’
She fumbled for the glasses that had fallen beside her.
Guided by her animal instincts, she aimed for the sole of Jing Wang’s foot and—SLIDE—sent them skittering through the grass.
A second later, a CRACK came from under Jing Wang’s foot as the glasses broke.
Bai Tao reached out, feigning distress.
“My…”
Jing Wang froze and moved his foot.
The old, hopelessly tacky, thick black-rimmed glasses were completely shattered.
With a trembling hand, Bai Tao picked up the broken frames from under his foot.
“…glasses.”
Her voice was soft, as if she were about to cry.
He turned his gaze.
The girl beside him was as skinny as a bean sprout, her palm-sized face topped with heavy, straight-cut bangs.
The bangs were so long they even covered the skin beneath her eyes, and he could only vaguely see her trembling eyelashes.
“Looks like you’re in trouble, Ah Wang.”
The man who looked as if he were carved from translucent white jade took a step forward and crouched down.
“Are you okay, miss?”
Only then did Bai Tao get a clear look at him.
He had glistening, almond-shaped eyes the color of burnished gold, and long, platinum-blonde hair cascaded over his shoulders.
A few strands brushed against the back of her hand, carrying a faint scent of roses.
Although he was smiling, the combination of his morbidly pale skin and the faintly visible capillaries under his eyes gave him an indescribably unsettling aura.
‘My lucky streak continues!’
‘It’s another member of the F5.’
‘And it’s the one with the best reputation, the gentlest one—Qi Heting!’
“I’m fine.” She dusted herself off and stood up, holding the broken glasses.
“Don’t worry, Ah Wang will take responsibility for your glasses.” With every syllable Qi Heting spoke, the small brown mole below the right corner of his lips moved slightly.
His gaze swept over Bai Tao in a flash, and the smile quickly returned to his face.
“Otherwise, if people found out that our Young Master Lingzhou broke a special admission student’s glasses and then just fled the scene, it would be quite the joke.”
“Wouldn’t you agree, Ah Wang?”
Jing Wang’s eyes narrowed, his chest heaving.
He pulled out his phone.
“Your payment code.”
“Oh…
okay, but I…”
Jing Wang cut her off rudely.
“I hate waiting.”
Bai Tao fell silent.
Half a minute later, she pulled the senior phone from her bag.
As it powered on, the senior phone’s startup music blared through the air.
“8848 Titanium Phone, the fighter jet of all phones!”
Jing Wang / Qi Heting: …