"Sorry, Baiyu, I can't solve this problem," said a sophomore girl who stopped Baiyu on his way home.
He glanced at the workbook.
It was just a basic Magic Elixir correction problem.
The main knowledge point was that Banshee Hair cannot be used with Twisted Demon Tree Root; otherwise, they will neutralize each other, rendering the potion ineffective.
Baiyu could figure it out even with just his little finger.
"Do you have a boyfriend?" he asked, looking at the girl full of youthful energy.
The girl blushed, her bright eyes showing a mix of anticipation and embarrassment, "Not yet, Senior, you..."
"Uh, sorry, I can't solve this problem either."
Baiyu turned around and walked away amid the girl's bewildered gaze.
The gear-driven school gate slowly opened.
Watching the students rush out of the school, he felt as if he had returned to his school days.
Such a pity.
This isn't Earth.
"Woo... Boom... Woo... Boom."
A sonic boom sounded in the sky.
Looking up, he saw a gigantic mechanical construct flying over his head, blocking out the sky and sun. Its appearance was akin to an ocean liner with a displacement of over ten thousand tons.
Its sides were covered with mechanical wings, floating up and down, creating waves of air, with chimneys atop spewing white steam.
The students around were already accustomed to it.
Yet Baiyu still often felt amazed by such miraculous mechanical constructs.
"Should be able to unlock the cheat after finishing the exercises today."
Retracting his gaze.
Baiyu weighed his heavy backpack full of workbooks and headed home.
...
The house was empty, just him.
His parents worked as researchers for the Government and entered a Simulation Realm years ago, saying they'd retire after completing the task, but they never returned.
An old apartment building and a wealth enough for him to settle down, marry, and live, was the inheritance left by his parents.
As long as Baiyu didn't recklessly start a business, this wealth was sufficient to live a comfortable life.
Opening the door.
In a hurry to unlock the cheat, Baiyu headed straight for the study, pulled out a thick workbook and books from his backpack, and began today's task.
"Basic Magic Elixir Simplification, Mystical Manifesto, Five Years of College Entrance Exams Three Years of Potions, Magic Energy, Extraordinary Mineral Fill-in Book, Three Hundred Common Sealing Object Concepts..."
"Didn't miss any book."
"Let's start with Five Years of College Entrance Exams Three Years of Potions."
Baiyu took a deep breath, striving for his cheat's unlocking strategy.
Since his crossing over, there had been a counter in his mind. It was a semi-transparent box, with 0/30000 in Arabic numerals in the center.
After various attempts.
He discovered only doing exercises could increase the counter, and they had to match the world's degree of knowledge.
Simple calculations wouldn't count as valid data.
So, since he crossed over to high school, Baiyu had indulged in diligent practice day and night, fighting hard in the ocean of exercises daily, voyaging through the sea of knowledge.
This world, which resembled Earth by ninety percent, had a knowledge system vastly different from the former life.
Mathematics, chemistry, physics, and other subjects familiar to him in the previous life were categorized as minor branches, taught only in elementary and middle school, becoming elective in high school unless specializing in certain majors.
Mysticism replaced mathematics, becoming the framework of the entire knowledge tree.
Then there's Sealing Object Science, Extraordinary Biology, Magic Power Machinery, Spiritual Arts, Ancient Martial Arts of the Human Body—these major subjects.
Anyone wishing to become a Martial Artist must study.
Upon encountering these disciplines, Baiyu realized he likely crossed to a world that could leave Newton unsettled in the grave.
Studying Mysticism requires regular evaluations of spirit status.
Once spirit issues arise, immediate isolation and treatment follow, as continuing studies might mutate into creatures.
Learning requires not just money, but also lives.
Ordinary people are fragile in this world.
Baiyu spent the past three years cautiously, diligently avoiding various dangers, quietly living as a regular student to avoid being engulfed by bizarre incidents losing his life.
Fortunately.
The counter in his mind reached twenty-nine thousand nine hundred; tonight, solving a hundred exercises would fulfill the counter's requirement.
Dong! Dong! Dong!
While happily solving exercises for two hours, knocking noises suddenly emerged from next door.
A female streamer lived next door.
Unlike regular streamers, she only used a camera and relied on twisting a bit and acting coy for tips, not gaming or showcasing talents.
Whenever Baiyu went to collect overdue rent, he feared she'd poke him to death with her cheeky face.
"Didn't I tell her no renovations? Last time, fixing the wall cost me thousands."
Baiyu planned to finish exercises before reasoning with her.
Minutes later, the knocks not only didn't stop but intensified.
"Can one not study quietly?"
Baiyu put down his pen, went to next door, and knocked on the door.
Gacha.
Soon after, the security door opened a crack.
A snake-like face with thick foundation appeared: "Oh, it's the landlord, how lovely of you to think of me. So late knocking at my door, if you want, just tell me..."
"Are you causing damage again?"
Baiyu stared at the crooked lipstick on the woman's mouth, secretly puzzled.
"There was a mouse running by, I missed it several times with my slippers," the woman blinked flirtatiously, deliberately lowering her neckline, "Why not come in and check? I haven't eaten yet; I can make noodles for you."
"I've eaten," Baiyu instinctively stepped back, "Keep it down; otherwise, other tenants might complain, and the management will come to me."
"Got it, got it, you really won't come in?"
The woman giggled at Baiyu, leaving him feeling chilled. Her cheeks, covered with foundation, looked pale, like a female corpse from a morgue.
Baiyu declined the tenant and returned home, increasingly sensing something was wrong.
Though the streamer's makeup was usually scary, she wouldn't misapply lipstick else ruin her live stream.
"Something's off, that's not lipstick but coagulated blood."
"I was puzzled why there was a faint smell, thought it was her poor hygiene; now it seems it's the scent of blood!"
"Damn it, am I facing a mutation?"
Baiyu realized.
The steady character fostered over the years prompted him to grab his phone and report to the police.
Then, he locked the doors and windows and rummaged through the utility room, finding a hammer.
Weighing the hammer's heft, Baiyu felt uneasy, then continued rummaging and found a Great Guan Blade.
"Seems like some weird collectible left by my parents when alive."
Grasping the Great Guan Blade while seated on the sofa, Baiyu's cold heart finally found a touch of warmth, maintaining quiet.
This world is dangerous!
In three years, he heard and saw numerous careless people perish, even many sacrificed Extraordinary maintaining regional order.
Yet, while trees wish to be still, the wind won't cease.
Dong Dong Dong!
Rough knocking broke the silence.
"Landlord, aren't you hungry? I've made noodles, open up, I'll bring them to you," the streamer outside called.
Here she comes!
Baiyu sat upright, quietly holding the door: "Deep into the night, lone man and woman together are inappropriate, you eat yourself; I don't like noodles."
He dared not look outside through the peephole.
Some sights can mentally pollute common men, drastically lowering SAN values.
Dong!
Dong!
Dong!
The noise outside didn't respond but rather knocked more brutally on the security door.
Baiyu pushed the shoe cabinet against the door, turned his gaze to the workbook on the coffee table.
"This is the old neighborhood in Linjiang East City; I've described the situation's severity as much as possible, but police will need at least fifteen minutes to arrive."
"I have thirteen exercises left."
"Fifteen minutes, seems good!"
Baiyu decided to risk it.
No idea what's outside knocking; escaping didn't seem practical.
In fifteen minutes, he could finish the exercises and unlock the cheat, perhaps the semi-transparent box in mind would help him escape!
Anyway, idle sitting was useless.
Give it a try!