"..." Gao Neng.
'Illuminate the darkness? What the hell?'
'Never mind what Shen Ning'Er's true identity is. Her ability to materialize an iron energy source into a "dragon" is enough to kill me in a single blow.'
'So how am I supposed to do the illuminating?'
'By sacrificing my life?'
Gao Neng figured he must be really sick in the head.
And most importantly, he could also see a mission description?
Mission Requirements: Midnight is the optimal time for the sacrificial ritual. The ritual must last for a minimum of one minute. The ritual requires both fire and fresh blood. A sacrificial pattern must be drawn on the target. At the end of the ritual, you must shout the slogan: "An age of surging passion! A youth of spilled blood!"
(PS: Forceful methods are permitted.)
'Forceful?'
Gao Neng instinctively tried to break the stool he was sitting on. He used all his strength, his face flushing red with effort, but the wooden stool remained completely unscathed.
"Yep, this stool is pretty tough!"
So, that brought up a question...
'Can I refuse?'
BEEP. As the Host has already accepted the mission, refusal is no longer possible. However, you may select the mission difficulty.
"What are the difficulties?"
Normal Difficulty: The system will provide two pieces of information regarding the mission target to assist the Host in completing the mission. (Completion of Normal Difficulty will grant the Host the Baptism of the Strongest Ability, a 50% chance of receiving a Low-Level Treasure Chest, and a 1% chance of randomly obtaining a special ability.)
Hard Difficulty: The system will provide one piece of information regarding the mission target to assist the Host in completing the mission. (Completion of Hard Difficulty will grant the Host the Baptism of the Strongest Ability, a 100% chance of receiving a Low-Level Treasure Chest, and a 50% chance of randomly obtaining a special ability.)
Nightmare Difficulty: My talents were meant to be used! I'm the luckiest person in this new world! Cut the crap and let's get to it! (Completion of Nightmare Difficulty will grant the Host the Baptism of the Strongest Ability, a 100% chance of receiving a Middle-Level Treasure Chest, and a 100% chance of randomly obtaining a special ability.)
Note: A wise choice will help the Host grow. Some difficulties are extremely dangerous. Life is precious, love is more so. There are no second chances; death is the end. Please look up and see if the halo of luck above your head is shining brightly enough!
Gao Neng looked up...
He didn't see a halo, but he did see dark clouds obscuring the sun.
'Looks like it's about to rain?'
...
"RUMBLE!" Thunder rolled across the sky.
The College Entrance Exam Prep Assembly successfully concluded just as a downpour began. The teachers started organizing their students into an orderly exit because it was time to bring in the laundry.
The scene was a cacophony of noise.
Gao Neng checked the time. It was almost noon. He decided to grab lunch at the cafeteria first and then think about how to handle the "forceful" part with Shen Ning'Er.
Just then, his homeroom teacher, Zhang Dafan, called out to him.
"Gao Neng, come over here for a second."
"Teacher Zhang, are you going out to lunch with Lieutenant Qin and the others?" As soon as Gao Neng heard Zhang Dafan call his name, he had a pretty good idea of what was coming.
"Haha, I knew you were a sharp kid! The principal said I can hold my liquor and specifically requested my presence. I couldn't refuse. Could you cover my class for Grade 10, Class 3 this afternoon?" Zhang Dafan said with a smug smile. He then pulled an Alliance Coin from his pocket and stuffed it into Gao Neng's hand. "Get yourself an extra dish at the cafeteria for lunch."
"You got it! Don't worry, Teacher Zhang. Just leave the Grade 10, Class 3 lesson to me. I'll make sure the underclassmen are satisfied," Gao Neng replied, immediately taking the coin.
Zhang Dafan nodded and walked away.
In the Forgotten Land, teachers were an extremely scarce resource. Therefore, it wasn't at all uncommon for seniors to substitute teach for the younger grades.
And someone like Gao Neng, with his perfect combination of looks and talent, was naturally the teachers' first choice.
Of course, there was another reason...
He was poor.
After a simple meal in the cafeteria, the rain began to fall harder. Holding a small green umbrella, Gao Neng went straight to the teachers' office, found Teacher Zhang's desk, and began to look over the lesson plan.
"Gao Neng, here to sub for Teacher Zhang again?" a teacher asked upon seeing him.
"Yes. Grade 10, Class 3 is almost finished with the last two units. I'm planning to use the first period this afternoon to give them a test on it." Gao Neng nodded, pulling a stack of test papers from Teacher Zhang's desk drawer.
"Oh? A test for the first period? Then what about the second?"
"We'll keep testing. A mock final exam."
"Heh, not bad." The teacher gave him a thumbs-up.
"Thank you for the compliment, Teacher He." Gao Neng smiled, then walked out the door with the two neat stacks of test papers.
After rounding a few corners, he entered the classroom for Grade 10, Class 3.
Because of the rain, most of the Grade 10, Class 3 students were already in the classroom. When they saw Gao Neng, they froze for a second. Then, they broke into smiles, their faces beaming like sunshine.
"Wow, Senior Brother Gao is subbing today! This is great! We can have some fun again! You didn't finish your story last time, Senior Brother Gao. Are you going to finish it today?" a girl with pigtails asked, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him.
"No. First period this afternoon is a test on the last two units," Gao Neng said, his expression dead serious.
"..." The smile on the pigtail-wearing girl's face froze solid.
"Where's the class president? Come up and pass out the tests."
"Okay, Senior Brother Gao. So... if we test on the last two units first period, can we listen to a story during second period?" a pretty girl with long, straight black hair asked as she walked up, her face full of anticipation.
"What story? Didn't you all just attend the College Entrance Exam Prep Assembly? Even though you're only in tenth grade, you'll be eleventh graders soon. You need to study hard and aim high, and strive to get into a Military University in the future. Got it? Second period is the mock final exam." The serious expression on Gao Neng's face deepened.
"..." The girl with the long, straight hair was speechless.
"Class starts in ten minutes, so get ready. The class president will be the proctor. No cheating!" With that, Gao Neng turned and walked right out the door.
"Where are you going, Senior Brother Gao?"
"My phone died, I'm going to charge it." Gao Neng waved the old-fashioned cell phone in his hand, then bolted, completely ignoring the dumbfounded stares he left in his wake.
Having successfully carried out the teaching duties assigned by Teacher Zhang, Gao Neng left the school grounds.
The streets were dilapidated and covered in rubble.
Gao Neng, with his small green umbrella, looked like a tiny flower blooming in the rain.
Decades ago, the Forgotten Land had been the prosperous center of the Alliance. But with the relocation of the capital, resources here had become increasingly scarce. Chaos, darkness, and greed were now its dominant themes.
More importantly, the relationship between the Forgotten Land and the City of Hope was not as "peaceful" as it appeared on the surface.
"Midnight is the optimal time to sacrifice Shen Ning'Er. Host reminder: Nine hours and twenty-three minutes remain until midnight. If the deadline is missed by more than ten minutes, the mission will be classified as a: Failure."
"What happens if I fail the mission?" Gao Neng asked casually.
"SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!"
"???" Gao Neng had a few choice words he wasn't sure he should say aloud.
Deep down, he didn't think this ridiculous mission was reliable at all, but life in the Forgotten Land was simply too hard, and the acceptance rate for the City of Hope Military University was appallingly low.
'Risk it for the biscuit!'
'It's better than being stuck in this Forgotten Land for the rest of my life, right?'