Absolute Protagonist C07

Genius Deduction Method 7

Xiao Mengyao was having a tough time these days.

Previously, when Chu Si went to demand repayment from her, some melon-eating onlookers posted a live thread about it on the forum. After all, one of them was the academic genius and the other the school belle, and the dramatic reversal in their storyline was captivating. By the end of the live thread, Xiao Mengyao’s image had completely collapsed, and the news spread across the entire school.

Even now, the forum still featured a few perfectly timed candid shots of Xiao Mengyao, capturing her expressions. Some people even turned these into memes that circulated in group chats and friend circles.

For these relatively innocent young boys and girls, Xiao Mengyao’s series of manipulative actions were simply too calculating and left them cold.

Most of her former admirers had changed their attitudes toward her. Even her best friend, Fang Feifei, distanced herself subtly. Adding to this, the school showed no mercy in its punishment, and the complicated, veiled looks the teachers gave her made it all worse. All these changes deeply upset Xiao Mengyao, making her feel as though she were being isolated in an unconventional way.

Naturally, she blamed everything she was going through on Chu Si, hating the poor boy she had never taken seriously to an extreme degree. However, she had no way to retaliate.

This was because Chu Si’s whereabouts were utterly unpredictable.

After reclaiming the 500 yuan debt from Xiao Mengyao, Chu Si, who had been immersed in studying, finally remembered to sort out his financial situation—and what he discovered shocked him.

Apart from the few hundred yuan of cash he hadn’t spent yet, his bank card’s balance was practically zero. This remaining amount was the gambling money that Chen’s father hadn’t managed to spend yet.

Seeing that number, Chu Si was utterly stunned.

Confronted with the stark reality of his poverty, a sense of urgency to earn money finally rose in his heart. From then on, he began participating in every competition both inside and outside of school. As expected, he won first place in almost all of them. When he didn’t, it was only because some of the contests didn’t offer monetary prizes.

…Yes, reality is that straightforward 🙂

Under such circumstances, Chu Si’s schedule became packed to the brim. If he wasn’t attending class, he was outside participating in competitions. Even on weekends, he would choose to spend his time at the city’s largest library. Every moment of his time was fully occupied.

The only traces of his presence at school were the constant announcements of his winning first place in competitions and his top-of-the-class scores dominating the monthly exam rankings on the bulletin board. These achievements earned him numerous special privileges, and his elusive presence elevated him to an almost mythical status among the students.

—Perhaps this is what they call, “I may not be around, but the legends of me linger everywhere.”

In a quiet corner of the library, the boy sat alone, his table piled with books from various disciplines. These ranged from basic high school knowledge to advanced concepts and even speculative science theories.

The boy lowered his head in deep concentration, countless formulas colliding in his mind like a dazzling meteor shower merging into a harmonious pattern.

Finally, after finishing the last book, Chu Si stood up and carried the stack of books to return them to their original spots. After grabbing another book to bring back to his seat, he stopped beside a table.

Sitting at the table, Professor Song was furiously scribbling calculations on scratch paper. Hearing footsteps pause next to him, he looked up to find a clear and pleasant voice gently speaking: “There are at least three computational errors here, so it’s impossible to reach a conclusion.”

“Hmm?” Professor Song paused, his hand halting mid-calculation. He looked up to see a young boy in a nearby high school uniform staring intently at his scratch paper with a focused expression.

A flicker of displeasure crossed the professor’s eyes.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t accept being corrected—he was well aware of his mathematical limitations. While his skills were decent enough for his work in physics, they were no match for his math-specialized colleagues. Still, he found it hard to believe that a teenager could surpass him in a calculation that even he found challenging.

Moreover, he had encountered this boy several times in the library recently. The boy seemed to read almost every subject under the sun—astronomy, geography, biology, chemistry—even materials that would be difficult for university students. However, the way he flipped through pages so quickly, barely a second per two pages, made it seem like he was just goofing around.

The professor, disliking such showy and superficial behavior, asked stiffly, “Where is it wrong?”

“Many places,” Chu Si replied, unbothered. “It’s hard to explain verbally…”

He took the professor’s pen and began writing swiftly on a blank sheet of paper.

As the boy wrote, Professor Song’s expression changed from initial skepticism to shock and admiration. Watching the seamless flow of formulas on the page, his face mirrored that of a drunkard encountering celestial wine—overwhelmed and entranced.

When Chu Si finally stopped writing, the professor eagerly snatched the paper.

The elegant formulas on the page were like constellations in the night sky, full of inexplicable beauty and order.

“Yes, this is how it should’ve been—it was my mistake…”

“And here too—this approach is so much more concise…”

Excited, the professor’s hands trembled as he held the paper. If they weren’t in the library, he might have shouted with joy.

This section of calculations was just a small part of a grand theoretical framework he was working on. Yet this boy’s suggestions had advanced his research significantly. The revised calculations were not only more accurate but also impressively streamlined, something that required advanced mathematical prowess.

What amazed the professor most was the boy’s ability to handle complex calculations almost instinctively, as if he were born for it.

Brimming with admiration, Professor Song engaged the boy in a low-voiced conversation. As they spoke, his fondness for the boy only grew. Chu Si’s knowledge base was solid, his problem-solving ability unparalleled, and even when encountering challenges beyond his current scope, he adapted and applied his knowledge skillfully.

Impressed by his genius and determination, Professor Song eagerly offered to recommend Chu Si for a special recruitment spot at A University. Chu Si readily agreed.

System 666 cautiously asked: 【Host, are you really planning to accept A University’s special admission?】

“Of course. Why not?”

【No reason…】

…But wasn’t the usual route to take the college entrance exam, shock the nation, and become famous?

“Why bother with that when a shortcut’s available?”

After all, did this naive system really think he had the leisure to randomly help strangers out of goodwill?

Chu Si dismissed the system’s doubts and returned to his desk with a fresh stack of books, resuming his intensive study.

System 666 circled nervously: 【Host, shouldn’t you rest a bit? With your current level, you’re more than qualified for special admission. Overworking yourself like this might harm your health.】

“I know my limits,” Chu Si replied lazily, mentally flicking the little light ball representing the system in his mind, sending it spinning. “Besides, if I don’t push myself now, I might not get another chance later.”

【Why not?】The system wobbled back upright, puzzled.

This small world seemed like a game to the other hosts and systems it had encountered. Weren’t they all about casually dismantling scumbags, leveling up, and easily extracting energy? Why did this host treat everything so seriously?

“According to you, we’ll travel to many worlds in the future,” Chu Si said calmly, his pen flying across the page. “But who knows what those worlds will be like?”

This world was like a novice village in a game: peaceful, stable, and offering plenty of opportunities to learn. But the next worlds could be entirely different.

“Maybe the next world will be as civilized as this one—or even more advanced. But it could just as easily be primitive, barren, and backward.”

In the post-apocalyptic wasteland of his original world, knowledge was scarce, locked away in ruins that only the brave could explore. Acquiring knowledge wasn’t as simple as it was here.

“In a world like this, where knowledge is freely accessible, why wouldn’t I take advantage of it to grow as much as possible?”

By the end, Chu Si’s lips curled into a rare, almost predatory smile. His dark eyes gleamed, reflecting a child’s delight at discovering their favorite toy—or a seeker’s joy upon facing an unsolvable riddle.

“I’m looking forward to the journey ahead.”