6: Chapter 6

6

His school uniform was neat and his expression calm, as if he had just strolled out of the classroom next door rather than having just undergone a trial of hunting monsters.

"He's finally out,"

Someone in the crowd sneered. "I bet he was hiding in some corner, only daring to show his face at the last moment, right?"

"Look at how clean he is; he probably didn't even see the shadow of a monster."

The sounds of discussion began to spread in fragments.

Su Qingxue, however, was stunned—she recognized that face.

At the Awakening Ceremony a few months ago, that sensational "SSS-grade talent"

and "most useless Ancient Martial Artist"

contradictory judgment had made her remember this name.

But at this moment, what surfaced in her mind was another image: that figure in the depths of the Secret Realm who had decisively resolved the crisis.

Could it... be him?

"Trash is trash. To have dragged it out until now, it would be a miracle if his results were even watchable."

Bai Yang sneered with arms crossed. Though Xu Qing beside him didn't speak, her eyes held the same contempt.

"Jiang Haojie, you're the only one left."

The homeroom teacher beckoned to him, his tone carrying an imperceptible weariness.

When he took the student ID card, he didn't even intend to announce the results publicly—perhaps he didn't want to face the expected embarrassment, or perhaps he just couldn't bear to.

His pen hovered over the logbook, but in the next second, it suddenly jerked to a halt.

The homeroom teacher's pupils suddenly constricted, and his fingers trembled slightly.

He abruptly looked up and shoved the card into the Dean of Students' hand. "You... you should look at this."

The Dean of Students glanced down, and his breath hitched.

Silence flooded the entire square like a tide.

Then, he took a deep breath, his voice rising slightly with excitement:

"Jiang Haojie—one hundred monsters killed, time taken: thirty-two minutes. Assessment passed!"

The dead silence lasted for a full three seconds.

Immediately after, cries of surprise and doubt exploded like boiling water.

"Thirty-two minutes?! Eight minutes faster than Su Qingxue? How is that possible!"

"The equipment must be malfunctioning, right? He's just an Ancient Martial Artist..."

Amidst the clamor, Jiang Haojie remained where he was, his hands still tucked in his pockets.

He looked up at the churning clouds in the distance, his lips curling extremely faintly before quickly smoothing out.

"Quick, pinch me, I must be dreaming—didn't Jiang Haojie awaken as the most useless Ancient Martial Artist? Was the news wrong?"

The entire area was like a water surface with a stone thrown into it, the sound of discussion buzzing and rippling out.

The only one whose expression remained unchanged, besides Jiang Haojie himself, was Su Qingxue.

She had witnessed the moment the mission was completed with her own eyes. Now, she just stood quietly, a hint of realization in her eyes that was hard for others to notice.

Xu Qing and Bai Yang, however, froze in place, the color draining from their faces as if they had heard some impossible fairy tale.

Bai Yang was the first to lose his composure, his voice becoming sharp with urgency. "Cheating! Teacher, he must be cheating! How can an Ancient Martial Artist be faster than everyone else?"

These words were like a spark, instantly igniting suspicious gazes all around.

One gaze after another stabbed at Jiang Haojie, mixed with astonishment and undisguised contempt.

Xu Qing also took a step forward, her gaze toward Jiang Haojie filled with disappointment and an offended indignation. "Jiang Haojie, you are too contemptible."

"For this bit of vanity, you even dare to fake the assessment? I really didn't expect you to be this kind of person."

Like Bai Yang, she was deep-rooted in her belief that it was absolutely impossible for Jiang Haojie to have done it.

In their eyes, the record on the student card was nothing more than something Jiang Haojie had tampered with himself.

In the past, there were no lack of audacious students who tried to forge results, but without exception, they were all eventually exposed.

Jiang Haojie merely gave the two of them a faint glance, not saying a word.

In the distance, Su Qingxue's toe moved slightly, just as she was about to speak up for him, she saw the Dean of Students already standing up from his seat.

"Upon verification, student Jiang Haojie's results are authentic and valid. There are no traces of tampering on the student card."

The Dean of Students' voice steadily suppressed all the noise. "Although I am equally puzzled as to how he achieved this, the result is beyond doubt."

The field suddenly fell silent.

No one questioned the Dean of Students' authority. Once these words were spoken, it was equivalent to settling the controversy.

But precisely because of this, that sense of disbelief became even heavier—what exactly did an Ancient Martial Artist, who was regarded as trash, rely on?

The Dean of Students continued: "You all seem to have forgotten that student Jiang Haojie is not only an Ancient Martial Artist, he also possesses an SSS-grade talent."

"I think this performance that exceeds common sense should be attributed to this."

Xu Qing and Bai Yang's faces instantly turned a mix of blue and red, looking utterly pathetic.

Not only did they fail to drag Jiang Haojie down, they themselves had become a public joke.

Although the Dean of Students did not pursue it further, preserving their dignity, that accumulated shame and anger turned into a deeper resentment toward Jiang Haojie.

Especially Xu Qing.

She had thought that the crown of the Dragon City College Entrance Exam was already within her reach. First, Su Qingxue had appeared out of nowhere—that girl's looks and family background were all outstanding, so even if she was unwilling, she could only barely accept it.

But what about Jiang Haojie? An old classmate she had never taken seriously, why should he stand above her with a shorter time?

That unwillingness was like a vine, tightly strangling her heart.

Jiang Haojie took back his student card and turned to walk back to the queue, his gaze never lingering on those two for even half a second.

At this time, the Dean of Students' voice rang out again:

"All results have been confirmed. You are all dismissed to return home."

"The final results will be announced in three days. At that time, students please log on to the website to check your scores."

"In addition, in five days, various colleges and universities will come to our school for recruitment interviews. Everyone needs to return to school on time."

"Just these two things. School is now dismissed."

...

Hengyuan Residential Area was an old residential district with a history of thirty or forty years. The monthly rent only cost eight hundred crystal coinss.

It was precisely because of this low price that Jiang Haojie's family chose to settle here.

Walking to the door of his home, Jiang Haojie saw a bloated, rough-featured middle-aged woman blocking the door.

"Jiang Shangquan, if you don't pay the rent today, pack your things and get out! I've already given you a two-month grace period; I can't just keep dragging this on."

The woman's voice was loud and reckless, audible to the entire floor.

Neighbors poked their heads out one after another to watch.

From inside the door came a thick and cramped response: "Sister Liu, tomorrow... tomorrow I will definitely get the money together for you."

"No!"

The woman's voice was sharp. "How long have I waited? You must give it now!"

Jiang Haojie watched this scene, his brow gradually furrowing.

Hearing his father's almost humble reply, his chest felt tight as if something was clutching it.

Thinking about how over the past three years, he had constantly taken money from home for Xu Qing, he almost wanted to raise his hand and give himself two slaps.

He was already this old, when had he ever truly considered his parents' hardships?

Suddenly, he felt somewhat grateful that Xu Qing had initiated the breakup.

If not for that, he might still be living in a daze.

Jiang Haojie took out his communicator, scrolled to Su Qingxue's number, and sent his bank account over.

Not long after, a notification sounded—seventy-three thousand crystal coinss had arrived.

Immediately following that, a message from Su Qingxue also popped up:

[Classmate, should I call you Mr. X, or Jiang Haojie?]

Seeing this message, Jiang Haojie was not surprised.

His identity being exposed was only a matter of time; anyone who paid a little attention would be able to notice the clues.

He didn't reply, instead calling out to the middle-aged woman outside the door:

"Aunt Liu, I'll pay the rent."

"How much is it in total?"

"You'll pay?"

Liu Hui squinted at him, her gaze full of contempt. "One thousand six hundred."

Jiang Haojie didn't say much and directly completed the transfer.

"Hmph, wouldn't it have been better to be this straightforward earlier?"

Having received the payment, Liu Hui dropped a cold remark and left, twisting her plump body.

The surrounding neighbors looked at Jiang Haojie in surprise, seemingly unable to figure out where this high school student got such a sum of money.

Jiang Haojie ignored those gazes, pushed the door open to enter the house, and then closed the door.

The people watching the commotion, seeing that there was no more to follow, also gradually dispersed.

On the other side, Su Qingxue was lying on her soft bedding, her pair of fair feet gently swinging in the air.

She stared at the screen that hadn't been replied to for a long time, then suddenly grabbed the pink pig plushie at the head of the bed and punched it twice with her clenched fists.

...

"Xiao Hao, your parents have embarrassed you."

After entering the room, his mother Xiao Yufen's eyes were red, and her voice was low and raspy.

His father Jiang Shangquan sat silently on the old sofa, smoking one cigarette after another.

Looking at the gray hair at his parents' temples, a wave of bitterness rose in Jiang Haojie's heart.

He gently took his mother's rough hands, which were covered in cracks, and said in a low voice: "Mom, don't say things like that."

"We are a family. Without you, how could there be the me of today?"

He paused, his voice becoming more determined. "In the past, it was you who raised me. From now on, let me take care of you."

Xiao Yufen's tears instantly burst out, and she sobbed uncontrollably.

Jiang Shangquan put out the cigarette in his hand and spoke: "Alright, don't cry."

"Xiao Hao, how was the result of the Awakening today?"

Hearing her husband's question, Xiao Yufen barely stopped her sobbing and raised her red eyes to look at her son.

"It went fairly smoothly, you don't have to worry too much."

Jiang Haojie responded vaguely.

It wasn't that he was unwilling to be honest, but the system strictly forbade him from revealing the truth.

If he said he had Awakened an SSS-grade talent but his ability was that of an Ancient Martial Artist, his parents would probably be worried sick again.

Xiao Yufen was not satisfied with this answer and pressed further: "Xiao Hao, what grade is your talent exactly? What is the ability?"

"Uh... it's a D-grade talent, and the ability belongs to the Physical Enhancer class."

Jiang Haojie casually made up a grade and ability.

This time, the old couple didn't ask any further.

Although the talent and ability Jiang Haojie Awakened were not considered prominent, they were still gratified for him—as long as he didn't become a useless Awakened like themselves, it was fine.

Jiang Shangquan suddenly remembered something and hurriedly urged: "Quick, mother of my child, go and cook quickly. Xiao Hao must be starving."

After dinner, Jiang Haojie took a shower and returned to his room.

Recalling everything that happened during the day, he couldn't help but clench his fists.

He had to find a way to make money and buy a house of their own.

His parents were getting older; no matter how much they worked, they wouldn't be able to last many more years. They couldn't just keep squeezing into a rented room.

If he earned money earlier, they could also enjoy their lives earlier.

Thinking of this, he opened the system space.

After Su Qingxue left earlier, he had killed a few more Rank 1 monsters in the Secret Realm and obtained several F-grade weapons and equipment, including Wolf King Claws, Thorn Vine Whip, Snake Blade, and so on.

Currently, besides the Wolf Spider Mask and those two Mantis Blades, the rest of the weapons were of little use to him.

Jiang Haojie intended to sell them tomorrow in exchange for some income.

The average selling price of F-grade weapons on the market was approximately between twelve thousand to fifteen thousand crystal coinss.

The five weapons he had on hand to sell should be able to bring in fifty or sixty thousand crystal coinss.

Adding his existing savings, the total was only a bit over a hundred thousand.

This money was fine for maintaining a living, but it was far from enough to buy a house.

It seemed he would have to find another way to make money.

The next morning, Jiang Haojie changed into a set of sportswear and left the house early.

Coming to a deserted corner, he took out the Wolf Spider Mask and put it on his face. Ignoring the surprised looks from pedestrians along the way, he walked straight toward Dragon City's largest Awakened Trading Center.

Free buying and selling could be conducted here, but it was Jiang Haojie's first time setting foot in this place.

Although it wasn't the weekend, many people had already gathered in the trading center.

The mask covered most of Jiang Haojie's face, leaving only a section of his taut jawline.

When he pushed open that heavy carved wooden door, the three gilded characters "Baoqi Pavilion"

on the doorframe were somewhat dazzling in the afternoon sun.

The shop's furnishings were orderly, with various weapons lying on velvet pads with their cold light restrained. The air was filled with the smell of metal mixed with tung oil.

The young shop assistant behind the counter looked up and saw him in this outfit, visibly stalling for a moment before immediately putting on a professional smile: "Customer, what do you need?"

"I have a few F-grade items to sell. Do you take them here?"

Jiang Haojie lowered his voice, making it sound like sandpaper rubbing over coarse wood.

The assistant's smile faded a bit, but his courtesy remained thorough: "We do take them, but according to the rules, you must show proof of the items' origin. Government records or the brand of a legitimate workshop will do."

He spoke euphemistically, but his gaze inconspicuously swept over Jiang Haojie's empty hands and simple clothing.

Jiang Haojie was silent for a moment.

Proof? Those swords and blades that appeared out of thin air in the system warehouse, where would proof come from?