Absolute Protagonist C04

Genius Deduction Method 4

Shencheng No. 1 High School, Grade 10, Class 13.

It was close to noon, during the last self-study period of the morning. Many students were dozing off when the classroom door suddenly swung open.

The sleepy students immediately jolted awake and instinctively sat up straight.

Sure enough, in the next moment, their homeroom teacher, Ms. Wang, strolled in at a leisurely pace, followed by someone.

It was a tall and slender boy with a pale, sickly complexion, as if he hadn’t fully recovered from an illness. He was dressed in a brand-new school uniform and carried a stack of textbooks in his arms. The uniform, which everyone usually found hideous, somehow seemed like it came with a beauty filter when he wore it, elevating his looks by several degrees.

“Everyone, let me introduce a new student who has transferred into our class.” Ms. Wang knocked on the podium, signaling the boy to introduce himself. She scanned the classroom, then pointed to an empty seat in the back. “Chen Mo, you’ll sit there for now.”

Chusi responded with a quiet acknowledgment, picked up his textbooks, and walked to the empty seat in the second-to-last row. The sound of the chair being pulled startled a few boys who had been slouched over, napping in the last row.

“Who is it? What’s going on…” One of them rubbed his eyes impatiently and muttered, only to see someone suddenly occupying the seat in front of him. When he finally got a clear look at the boy’s face, his jaw dropped. “…Why is it him?”

He immediately nudged the two boys beside him awake, lowering his voice. “Dayu, Haozi, stop sleeping! Look! Isn’t this the guy who was pestering the school belle the other day? Am I still dreaming?”

“What? That guy’s back again?” The other two, still groggy, opened their eyes with irritated expressions. “Does he want another beating or what?”

Last month’s incident was still fresh in their minds. After all, it had been their first act of heroism—rescuing the school belle from a thug! Even though the school belle hadn’t acknowledged them afterward, the feat had been enough to inflate their egos for half a month.

Thus, even though the boy’s demeanor now seemed completely different, they recognized him at a glance. Were it not for the ongoing class, the three would’ve already rushed over.

Chusi calmly took his seat, ignoring the curious glances from all directions. As for the hostile glares behind him, he paid them no mind.

He opened his textbook with genuine focus, intent on catching up on the past few months of missed material.

Flip, flip… flip, flip…

The sound of pages turning was constant, with several pages flipping every second. Words flowed into his eyes like a stream and were firmly imprinted in his mind.

【Host, what are you doing?】

“Studying, of course. Can’t you tell?”

【I can see that, but…】 emmmm …this doesn’t seem to match your usual style, Host.

“You just don’t get it.” The boy lightly traced the page with his hand, his expression serious and contemplative. His eyes flickered with light, filled with a tender and reverent gaze. “Most people in this world don’t understand either.”

“—How precious and rare knowledge truly is.”

“In our world, even a simple stack of books like this could cost lives.”

Compared to the chance to pursue knowledge, the so-called troubles left behind by the original host were mere childish squabbles—hardly worth mentioning.

【Host, you…】 System 666 fell silent, suddenly recalling the first time it met the boy on a battlefield. Back then, he was slowly driving a sword into an enemy’s chest, a bloodstained, arrogant smile on his face.

Yet now, the boy exuded an inexplicable warmth and tranquility. The stark contrast left System 666 bewildered, its glowing white orb spinning in circles within its space.

Chusi, however, said no more. He sat quietly at his desk, gazing out through the clear window. The sapphire-like sky, the emerald green trees, the students hurrying along the campus paths—this world was so ordinary yet so tranquil and beautiful.

Since Chusi had arrived during the final class of the morning, it wasn’t long before the bell rang. As he leisurely arranged his textbooks, several shadows loomed over him.

“Hey, kid!” The burly Xie He was the first to speak, slapping his desk. “Do you remember us?”

“Oh, so it’s you guys…” The boy looked up slowly, a look of realization flashing in his eyes, the corners of his mouth curving upward. “What a coincidence.”

…The memory of this trio beating up the original host still played vividly in his mind.

“We warned you to stay away from Shencheng No. 1 High, and now you’ve transferred into our class? What, feeling itchy for another beating?”

The three cracked their knuckles, mimicking the gang leader poses they’d seen in movies.

“Uh… is that so?” The boy blinked innocently and picked up a pen from the desk.

The short-tempered Qi Hao was instantly annoyed. “What are you pretending for? Of course—mmph mmph mmph…”

Before he could finish, the other two clamped their hands over his mouth.

The boy smiled faintly, the pen in his hand bending effortlessly under his fingers. The twisted pen seemed to foreshadow something ominous.

The trio’s eyes widened.

“Ahem, ahem… of course, it’s no problem.” Qi Hao quickly changed his tone after being released.

“Yeah, yeah! We were just joking! It’s great to have you in our class, Chen Mo!” The other two chimed in hurriedly.

Clatter!

The pen was bent into a U-shape and rolled on the desk. Still smiling, the boy tilted his head slightly. “…Really?”

“Ha ha ha, Chen Mo, you’re so funny!” The trio’s smiles froze, and they awkwardly clapped their hands in a show of enthusiastic welcome.

“Hey! Xie He, what are you guys doing? Bullying the new student again?” A group of girls noticed the commotion and approached, led by the class monitor, who frowned.

“Huh? We’re not bullying him…” The trio jumped in shock and quickly raised their hands in innocence, crying internally.

…Who’s bullying whom? Can’t you see what’s going on, oh wise class monitor?

The class monitor stared at them suspiciously, then turned to the boy quietly seated at his desk. “Chen Mo, are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Thank you, class monitor.” After organizing his textbooks, Chusi stood up. “Actually, these classmates were just being very enthusiastic and insisted on taking me to the cafeteria for lunch.”

He glanced at the trio, his smile warm and polite. “Thank you so much for the trouble, classmates.”

The boy’s soft smile left the trio dumbfounded, while the nearby girls shot them a glare.

“No trouble, no trouble at all!” The trio quickly replied. “It’s only right to help each other out. We’re more than happy to!”

Under the incredulous gazes of the girls, the trio cheerfully escorted the smiling boy out of the classroom.

The boy walked naturally and at ease, his steps light. “Let’s hurry. If we’re late, today’s special dishes might be gone.”

Qi Hao, Xie He, and Yu Cheng: “…”

…You’re the boss. Whatever you say, goes.

Chusi blended into the class over time, appearing like any other student. He attended classes, solved practice problems, and occasionally chatted with classmates. His classmates, knowing he was behind in his studies, enthusiastically offered their notes, which he accepted graciously.

The only odd thing was the sudden change in behavior of a few unruly students, who now eagerly brought him breakfast every day and sat up straight in class after just a few words from him. By the midterm exams, their grades had improved significantly.

This delighted Ms. Wang, who praised their camaraderie and specifically highlighted Chusi’s positive influence.

When the results were posted, Chusi’s name topped the school’s leaderboard. His classmates, who had lent him their notes, were stunned.

Back in the classroom, they stared at the boy quietly reading, their expressions a mix of disbelief and betrayal.

—Who would’ve thought this guy, with his innocent demeanor, was actually a hidden genius?!

In the next moment, a crowd surged toward him.

“Chen Mo! You got first place! Do you have any study tips?”

“Big boss, let us follow you! We’ll do anything—fetch tea, carry water, warm your bed!”

“Yeah! Please help us improve!”

Faced with their hopeful eyes and eager requests, the boy’s expression momentarily froze. “…?”

Seeing their earnest gazes, a genuine smile appeared on his face, his dark eyes lighting up. It was like the moon breaking through clouds, illuminating the night sky.