“Bastard! Look at what you’ve done to them, and you still claim they were bullying you?”
A teacher shouted furiously.
The commotion was too loud to ignore, and soon a crowd of students gathered to watch.
The hallway outside was packed, leaving no room to move.
Shen Ye stood there, meeting the gazes—shocked, fearful, or gloating—with an unhurried calm.
“Yeah, they tried to hit me first, so I had no choice but to act in self-defense,” he said directly.
The crowd peered into the classroom, their expressions growing stranger by the second.
Desks and chairs were scattered in disarray, while several male students lay groaning on the floor, their arms and legs broken.
This is what he calls self-defense?
One teacher immediately pulled out their phone to call an ambulance, while the others surrounded Shen Ye cautiously, wary of any further outburst.
Shen Ye seemed entirely unconcerned.
There was video evidence to prove he had no choice but to defend himself.
Standing there, he casually allocated four attribute points to strength, then shifted them to agility, and finally to mental strength.
This exercise helped him adapt quickly to the surge in different attributes.
Amid the crowd.
Zhao Yibing bit her lip, her gaze fixed on Shen Ye.
Miscalculation.
Even combined, they weren’t a match for him.
She knew he was strong but hadn’t realized he was this strong.
No—
Having been around him for years, she was well aware of his capabilities.
She just hadn’t expected things to escalate this far.
Zhao Yibing took out her phone and quickly typed a message:
“The job’s done.”
She pressed send.
“Ice, do you regret it?”
A whispered question came from her best friend.
Zhao Yibing’s expression tightened, and she quickly put her phone away.
Regret…
Yes, if only back when she had called him to the stairwell, she had encouraged him to keep striving and promised to stay in touch after they went to high school. How different would things have been?
No.
There was no going back.
At this point, he’d made a huge mistake, injuring seven or eight students—a serious incident by any measure.
He would likely lose his qualification to take the high school entrance exams.
The goal was accomplished.
And he—
He would never be able to affect her life again!
“Hmph, I only regret not seeing his true colors sooner,” Zhao Yibing said.
She suddenly noticed Sun Ming looking at her.
Sun Ming…
Meeting his gaze, a foreboding sense of unease washed over Zhao Yibing.
No—
He wouldn’t drag her into this mess, would he?
Just as the thought crossed her mind, Sun Ming opened his mouth.
Don’t!
Don’t say it!
It will only ruin everything and accomplish nothing.
“Ice…”
Sun Ming called her name in a trembling voice, on the verge of tears.
The crowd fell silent.
Everyone turned to Zhao Yibing, even the teachers casting questioning looks her way.
She froze.
In that moment, she realized that not all top-ranked students shared her level of composure and maturity.
You idiot, Sun Ming!
Did you even think before dragging me into this fight?
What if it tarnishes my reputation?
What do I do now?
Zhao Yibing burst into tears, wiping her eyes as she wailed, “He bullied you like this—Sun Ming, I’ll call the police right now!”
She stepped aside and began dialing the emergency number.
In one move, she both sought justice and aligned herself with Sun Ming.
She had handled the situation as best as she could.
Once the police arrived, the injuries everyone had sustained would validate her decision.
Thankfully, she had reacted quickly.
After this, she could never associate with Sun Ming again.
With his broken leg, there was no way he could take the agility exam.
He was done for.
As she made the call, Zhao Yibing calculated her next steps.
The call connected.
“Hello, is this the police? There’s been an incident at…”
The crowd grew visibly tense as they realized she was serious about involving the police.
Homeroom teacher Jiang Hantao wore a grave expression.
With a student calling the police, the situation was bound to escalate.
With the high school entrance exams looming, this was not the kind of distraction the students needed.
The teachers exchanged meaningful glances, all sharing the same thought.
“Alright, everyone, disperse.”
“Go eat, go rest!”
“You lot, stop standing around—head back to your dorms!”
The students were directed away.
“Shen Ye, come with me to the office,” Jiang Hantao said.
“Yes, Teacher Jiang,” Shen Ye replied.
The two entered the office, one following the other.
Jiang Hantao shut the door and said in a low voice, “Shen Ye, explain everything clearly, or it’ll be too late.”
“Alright, let’s look at the truth then.”
Shen Ye opened his phone and sent over a video.
Jiang Hantao clicked on it immediately.
As he watched, his expression shifted to one of growing surprise, and a thought suddenly struck him.
He’d heard the principal was accompanying an important figure today to scout for talented students…
With Shen Ye’s performance in the video, his strength far exceeded expectations and was nothing short of extraordinary for a middle school student.
This might just be Shen Ye’s big break!
With that thought, Jiang Hantao forwarded the video to the principal.
Meanwhile…
Principal’s Office
“Manager Qian, our students are exceptional. Surely, you could sign a few of them?”
The principal set a steaming cup of tea before his guest.
Manager Qian shook his head. “It’s not that I don’t want to help, but if they don’t meet our standards, I can’t sign them.”
“Why not take one or two and develop them slowly? With your resources, you could turn them into formidable talents,” the principal suggested.
“We only recruit truly outstanding candidates. The rest can simply apply to high schools themselves,” Manager Qian replied, crossing his legs.
“Here, try this tea—it’s a special blend I’ve been saving. Let’s enjoy it while we talk,” the principal insisted, still hopeful.
The two lifted their cups just as the principal’s phone chimed.
Casually, the principal glanced at the screen. It was a video sent by Jiang Hantao.
That Jiang! While we’re on good terms, he has the nerve to slack off during work and send me random videos? Doesn’t he know I’m busy running the school?
…Wait, could this be worth watching?
Unable to resist curiosity, the principal tapped the video. His eyes widened almost immediately.
“Wow! Such power!” he exclaimed, leaping to his feet and staring intently at the screen. “Incredible strength—this is far beyond middle school standards! Look at the resilience, the impact of that kick… If given a chance, he’d be unstoppable!”
“Pfft!” Manager Qian spat out his tea in surprise.
Cleaning his mouth with a handkerchief, he sighed. “Is this how far schools go to promote their students nowadays?”
The principal ignored the comment, shoving his phone toward Qian. “You have to see this video—here, just watch it directly.”
Skeptical, Manager Qian took the phone and played the clip.
Moments later, he set his tea down, straightened up, and held the phone firmly as he focused on the video.
When it ended, he murmured, “Taking on several opponents alone… That’s impressive strength.”
After a thoughtful pause, he added, “And his agility scores from earlier were flawless too. He’s worth meeting in person.”
The principal practically bounced out of his chair. “Let’s go! I’ll take you to him right now.”
As they headed out, Manager Qian reminded him, “We still need to address the fight.”
“Fight? What fight? It was clearly self-defense against bullying! Right, Manager Qian?”
“…Sure.”
In the Office
The door swung open, and Jiang Hantao entered with the principal and a few police officers in tow.
The officers reviewed the video on the phone. It was crystal clear—every face and action captured in detail, including the threats and who initiated the fight.
This was undeniable evidence of bullying.
Earlier, Shen Ye had discreetly placed his phone on the window ledge and started recording before the confrontation began.
One officer looked at Shen Ye with a mix of surprise and confusion. “You prepared for this from the start?”
“Sir, they outnumbered me. I was afraid they’d beat me to death, so I had no choice but to fight back,” Shen Ye replied calmly.
The room fell silent.
Everyone—from the principal to the teachers to the officers—acknowledged the situation.
Yes, this student had been surrounded and attacked. His injuries, combined with missing part of the exam, made it clear he was the victim.
Was it really fair to punish him? What if this worsened his mental state?
“This could be considered mutual fighting, but given the context, it’s closer to self-defense,” Jiang Hantao finally said.
The officers remained indecisive. They’d need the medical reports of the other students before reaching a conclusion.
The principal spoke gently. “Shen Ye, it’s a good thing you recorded everything. Without that video, their injuries alone could’ve led to your expulsion.”
A voice suddenly rang out from behind.
“Exactly. With your physical capabilities, fighting them was hardly a challenge.”
Jiang Hantao turned abruptly, eyes lighting up. “Manager Qian?”
Everyone parted to let him through.
The scruffy, unassuming middle-aged man strode in, his eyes fixed on Shen Ye.
“I’ve seen your fight video. Even though it’s incomplete, it’s clear you held back, didn’t you?”
“Yes, I was afraid I’d kill someone,” Shen Ye admitted honestly.
“What an upright and considerate young man. Based on your agility and the AI system’s assessment of your strength being at least 4.5, you’ve earned my recommendation,” Manager Qian said with a smile.
He handed Shen Ye a business card. “Let’s talk.”
Shen Ye instinctively glanced at Jiang Hantao, who gave him an encouraging nod.
The principal looked ecstatic. Even the officers softened their stern expressions, easing the tension in the room.
Wait.
What’s going on? Shen Ye thought, bewildered.
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