This was a colossal competitive arena. True to its reputation as the most prestigious noble academy on the planet, Yanhong Academy was surrounded by six or seven layers of colorful protective energy shields, and the arena floor itself was built from obsidian, which was worth a fortune. It was a clear display of sheer wealth and extravagance.
Tens of thousands of students stood on the tips of their toes in eager anticipation. This was the most magnificent competitive event at Yanhong Academy, as well as a crucial stepping stone for these noble scions to make a name for themselves and flaunt their prestige.
Among them, the most anticipated contenders were undoubtedly the exceptionally powerful Third Imperial Highness, Jiang Zhou from the Jiang family, and Chen Ji from the Chen family.
However, this competition was set to feature a civilian protagonist who would burst onto the scene out of nowhere.
None of this mattered to Chu Xunsheng. As a weapon-refining instructor in desperate need of money to buy a cotton quilt, he naturally ended up joining the logistics crew for the tournament.
The system looked around nervously, “Xiao Chu, be careful! Do not let anyone from our class catch you doing odd jobs to make money!”
Chu Xunsheng cast a deadpan stare, “I do not care anymore. If we do not scrape together some extra cash, the two of us are going to freeze to death.”
That is true. If we stay here, those young masters should not wander down here anyway, the system thought earnestly before nodding in agreement.
“Xiao Chu! Xiao Chu! Come here, take these few trays of fruit up to the VIP lounge on the upper floor,” shouted the logistics manager, shoving a small cart toward Chu Xunsheng.
The system dropped to the floor with a clatter and let out a helpless, dramatic sigh toward the ceiling.
Fortunately, the academy possessed a long-standing tradition: service staff for large-scale events of this nature were required to wear masks.
This provided a layer of cover. After all, according to the original host’s persona, having his identity exposed would be far worse than death.
Chu Xunsheng fished a fox mask out of a pile of props and casually tied it to his hair.
He wore the black-and-white service uniform, its well-tailored cut accentuating his slender, athletic waistline. His cool-toned skin took on a warmer hue under the lighting, and a pair of indifferent eyes beneath the fox mask unexpectedly appeared alluring and frivolous. His long, elegant fingers threading through the red ribbon added an inexplicable hint of suggestive tension.
The system inspected him closely from head to toe, then abruptly lunged forward to hug him while wailing, “No! If Xiao Chu goes out looking like this, he is going to be targeted by perverts!”
Chu Xunsheng shoved it aside, grabbed the small cart, and slowly stepped into the elevator.
The elevator moved at a brisk pace, reaching the top floor in no time. Compared to the deafening roars outside, this area was exceptionally quiet. Such a crowd of rich kids gathering together without a sound was likely due to the superior soundproofing of the private suites.
Chu Xunsheng looked at the giant luminous pearls hanging as decorations, the conspicuously expensive wall art, and the intricately patterned sound-absorbing carpets. With a completely expressionless face, he asked the system, “Can we roll up this carpet and make a run for it?”
The system shook its head rigorously, pointed at the surveillance camera overhead, and stated earnestly, ” துறை have not reached our offline deadline yet.”
Fine. Dismissing that fantasy, Chu Xunsheng had no choice but to keep pushing the cart toward the innermost VIP suite.
I hope I do not know anyone in there. Amen.
Man and system offered a devout prayer before slowly pushing open the door.
As the door swung open, deafening music rushed out to meet them. Flashing multicolored lights and a warm, unidentifiable fragrance filled the space, exuding an aura of hedonism and decadence. A group of wealthy youths sat slouched in various postures, swirling wine glasses as they watched the ongoing match displayed on screen.
The moment Chu Xunsheng stepped inside, the occupants glanced over to appraise him. Seeing that he was merely a delivery attendant, they lost interest and resumed their merrymaking.
Lowering his gaze, Chu Xunsheng quietly set the fruit platters down and made a subtle move to slip away.
Right at the final second before he could exit and close the door, he instinctively lifted his head, only to lock eyes with a pair of cold, malicious pupils.
It was Jiang Zhou.
Chu Xunsheng’s heart skipped a beat, plummeting straight to the bottom. He tried to finish pulling the door shut and escape, but a muffled, sinister voice rang out.
“You by the door, get over here.”
Several people in the room turned their attention over. A young man whom Chu Xunsheng vaguely recognized frowned and barked loudly, “What are you staring at for? Our Brother Jiang is calling you!”
The system shivered in terror, clutching Chu Xunsheng’s sleeve, “Are we going to log off early?”
At its words, a rush of unwanted memories flooded Chu Xunsheng’s mind: the dim lighting, the washed-out white shirt, merciless humiliation, hair being yanked back during a slap.
This identical scenario stirred the lingering terror of the original host deep within Chu Xunsheng, momentarily robbing him of his breath.
Swallowing the residual fear, he slowly paced forward and asked, “What does Young Master Jiang need?”
Jiang Zhou frowned as he stared at him, feeling that this pair of eyes stirred an inexplicable fluttering sensation in his chest. An unnameable agitation annoyed him, prompting a sudden urge to subject the culprit to something cruel.
“Pour me a drink.”
Obediently, Chu Xunsheng picked up the wine bottle from the table and leaned forward to top off the glass in Jiang Zhou’s hand.
The red liquid cascaded with a gentle gurgle, the splashing sound seeming abnormally loud inside the noisy suite.
Jiang Zhou watched the extremely slender waistline outlined by the uniform as the person leaned forward, noting the pale, thin lips exposed beneath the mask and the long, elegant fingers holding the bottle that carried a strange, seductive charm.
With a light chuckle, Jiang Zhou watched the attendant finish pouring and heave a sigh of relief. Holding his glass, Jiang Zhou gave it a casual swirl before tipping it sideways. The red liquid spilled out in a steady stream, soaking through Chu Xunsheng’s hair, dripping down to the floor, and splashing onto Jiang Zhou’s shoes.
“So clumsy?” Jiang Zhou leaned in close, staring straight into Chu Xunsheng’s eyes as he smiled and spoke word by word, “Then you had better clean it up properly.”
System! Even when I come out to find a job, I still have dignity! Chu Xunsheng roared inwardly, stubborn enough to stand completely still.
Hh… Jiang Zhou let out a cold laugh, “Refusing a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit?”
Someone abruptly cut the music. The suite, which had been filled with laughter moments before, plunged into a silence so absolute that a falling pin could be heard.
Blinking, Chu Xunsheng asked the system, “What happens if we log off early?”
“We lose plot points,” the system warned anxiously.
The red liquid continued to trickle down the strands of hair, sliding past his collarbone and vanishing deep into the collar. The tightly buttoned top collar had the opposite of its intended effect, making someone want to tear open the annoying fabric to explore the mystery hidden beneath.
Jiang Zhou’s gaze darkened as he reached out with a sudden yank.
Abruptly, Chu Xunsheng felt a chill on his face. Jiang Zhou was attempting to tear his mask off.
Slamming the mask back into place, Chu Xunsheng viciously kicked Jiang Zhou, and taking advantage of everyone’s momentary shock, he bolted out of the crime scene at top speed.
Run, run, run! Man and system scrambled frantically back to the instructor’s quarters, too terrified to even collect their daily wage, chalking it up to terrible luck.
“That bastard Jiang Zhou! He usually looks somewhat respectful toward his teachers, but I never expected him to be so… so shameless!” the system fumed with righteous indignation.
Chu Xunsheng smoothed down its fur and sighed helplessly, “Nothing we can do. We do not belong to the same social class.”
Clenching its fists, the system growled angrily, “Xiao Chu, in the next world we are going to be corrupt officials! The kind who eat well and live large!”
Chu Xunsheng agreed with a nod, then stuffed the round ball straight into the soft bedding.
“I smell like red wine, I am going to take a bath. No peeking!”
Straightening up solemnly, the system replied, “What kind of system do you take me to be!”
Yet, listening to the gentle sound of running water, it finally lost its restraint, peeled back the blanket, and peeked.
Hehe, beauty bathing, hehe.
Chu Xunsheng pinned its head down, “You showed up too late.”
Raising its head, the system froze for half a second before two streams of nosebleeds gushed out.
A simple white bathrobe was loosely belted around his waist. Water droplets traced a path down his handsome jawline, sliding into the slightly gaping neckline, an ascetic yet deeply alluring sexiness entirely distinct from his usual cold self-restraint.
The system lunged forward to rub against him, soft and comforting.
Wuwu Xiao Chu, everyone outside is a pervert, only the two of us are the best in the entire world.
Dazed for a moment, Chu Xunsheng patted the small round head, “Mn.”
While the atmosphere between man and system was warm and cozy, utter chaos reigned over on Jiang Zhou’s end.
Having been kicked by an attendant and caught off guard as the person fled, Jiang Zhou was naturally consumed by rage. He marched straight down to the academy’s logistics office looking for answers.
However, Yanhong Academy boasted a centuries-long history as a noble institution, and its foundational security protocols were robust. They flatly refused to leak the privacy of logistics personnel.
Unable to vent his boiling fury, Jiang Zhou returned to his room feeling deeply frustrated.
His companion was still chattering away, “You have no idea, that good-for-nothing Yuan Du completely stole the show today! You know Chen Ji from the Chen family, right? He actually got defeated by him across grade ranks! You did not see the look in his eyes, oh man, it was pure untamable rebellion…”
Jiang Zhou stopped dead in his tracks, “Who?”
His companion bobbed his head, “Yuan Du! That little maggot under Teacher Chu’s protection! Who knows how he advanced so fast, probably because Teacher Chu gave him private tutoring…”
True enough, achieving such rapid advancement through personal effort alone was nearly impossible without the backing of a powerhouse. Yuan Du was a civilian who usually received no favor from the faculty, meaning the only person capable of helping him was Teacher Chu. Although Teacher Chu was merely a weapon-refining instructor, everyone knew an elite weapon refiner possessed formidable mental control capabilities.
With that thought, Jiang Zhou clenched his fist and slammed it hard against the wall, startling his companion.
“What talent does he have to attract Teacher Chu like that…”
“Playing the victim to seduce him, obviously. That kid has an okay face, and I often see him working in Teacher Chu’s garden.”
Seduction? Jiang Zhou narrowed his eyes in thought.
“Teacher Chu came to watch the tournament, right?”
Seconds after receiving an affirmative reply, he shoved his bewildered companion out the door, locked himself in the bathroom, took a thorough bath, slipped into a bathrobe, paused to loosen the belt slightly, and headed downstairs to the faculty residential floor.
Chu Xunsheng was in the middle of giving the perverted little system a moral lecture when two soft knocks sounded at the door.
Huh? Who would come over this late?
Peering through the peephole, he felt the blood drain from his face. It was Jiang Zhou!
Is tonight destined to be an early log-off?
Before he could dwell on it, Jiang Zhou spoke up first, “Is Teacher Chu asleep? I have a few questions I wanted to ask…”
It seemed he was not here for revenge. Relieved, Chu Xunsheng cracked the door open.
Two people in bathrobes stood face-to-face.
The atmosphere instantly turned ambiguous.
Maintaining an innocent expression, Jiang Zhou rested a hand against the doorframe and said pitifully, “May I come in?”
The system yelled furiously inside Chu Xunsheng’s mind, He humiliated us just like that earlier, and now he plays the nice guy? Xiao Chu, kick him out!
Even without the system telling him, Chu Xunsheng intended to do just that. Perhaps due to the lingering psychological impact of the original host, the mere sight of Jiang Zhou caused him to tremble uncontrollably.
Frowning slightly, Chu Xunsheng replied weakly, “Let us do it next time. I am not feeling very well today.”
With that, he slammed the door shut in his face, completely unconcerned with whatever expression Jiang Zhou might be wearing outside.
Left standing in the hallway with a face full of rejection, Jiang Zhou was about to turn away in frustration when he suddenly paused.
Teacher Chu had just taken a bath. The scent lingering around him was pleasant, yet carried a subtle nuance different from his usual aura.
The fragrance of red wine.