"Morning already..." I opened my eyes, lifted the game helmet off my head, and sat up with a dazed look.

It was Monday. For the past three days, I’d been at the convenience store, secretly logging into the game while helping the boss get by.

I’d spent all three days grinding that Hidden Map. I hadn’t cleared it yet, but I’d reached the final boss.

After clearing a mid-boss last time, Loli Monkey and I pressed on. Two dual bosses, similar to the Deep Sea Overlord, ambushed us. But in the end, Loli Monkey and I took them down without serious trouble.

Just as we reached the village’s edge, my alarm clock rang.

Time doesn’t stop. This day had finally come.

"Time for school."

I’d slept in my school uniform, so I climbed down from the attic, quickly washed my face and brushed my teeth in the bathroom, grabbed my phone and the convenience store keys, and headed out.

"Tiancheng, you’re still planning to go to school?" The convenience store owner’s door suddenly opened. He asked me as I reached the stairwell.

"Mm." I replied softly.

"...Well, it’s your choice."

With that, the store owner yawned, covering his mouth, and retreated to his room.

"Good morning, boss," I said to the empty hallway, then descended the stairs and left.

The morning was chilly, my body cold, my heart colder. I walked step by step down the road, relying on memory, aimless yet resigned.

Passersby increased, and students began to appear.

"Look, that’s him—the pervert from Class A."

"Sister Yinghong’s useless brother."

"Disgusting..."

"Don’t look at him. Let’s keep our distance."

"He’s the one who spat on freshman Xiaochun’s clothes. So despicable!"

"Senior, calm down!"

It seemed my deeds had spread. I was already infamous at school as the useless brother of Frost Valkyrie Zhuo Yinghong. Not exactly a good reputation—more like notorious.

"..." I sniffed slightly, ignoring the gossip, and continued on my way.

I stood before my classroom door. You couldn’t imagine the turmoil in my heart right then.

But the me who had contemplated suicide just days ago was now remarkably calm, my heart peaceful and optimistic.

The classroom was noisy, but when I turned the doorknob and appeared, all the students fell silent and turned to look at me.

Their gazes were piercing...

Yet I didn’t care. Ignoring their questioning and confused stares, I walked straight to my seat in the far corner.

To reach it, I had to pass Ghoul Xueling, who sat beside me.

The beautiful girl with a simple golden ponytail, propping her chin on her hand, scowled at me as if she’d swallowed a cockroach, glaring fiercely.

"You actually dared to come back?" she said coldly.

"Good morning, Ghoul Xueling."

"...You’ve got guts. Today, you won’t escape so easily," Ghoul Xueling threatened under her breath, raising an eyebrow.

I stayed silent, not answering, and walked to my desk.

My desk looked different—covered in black graffiti with harsh words in various sizes.

"Pervert!" "Freak!" "Disgusting!" These three words appeared most often, in the largest letters.

"Get out of school now!" "People like you don’t deserve to live!" "Trash!" "Worthless!" "Beast!" "You have no right to live!" ...

The rest carried similar sentiments.

Most chilling was a vase placed in the center, holding a single flower—a tribute to the dead.

I raised an eyebrow, feeling nothing, and sat down gently on the chair.

"Crash~" But the moment I sat, the back leg snapped. Before I could react, I crashed to the floor.

Ghoul Xueling watched coldly. The whole class watched coldly, but none could hide the smirks on their lips.

"Huff~"

I stood up, silently scanning everyone. I took a deep breath, straightened the chair with its broken leg, shifted my weight, and forced it upright.

Then I picked up the vase and gently placed it on the floor, quietly waiting for the teacher.

The classmates were stunned. Finally, they turned away, muttering insults under their breath, unable to cause me any real harm.

I took out an eraser and started cleaning the black words off my desk...

I kept cleaning until the teacher arrived and class began.

...

"Ding-ding~ Ding-ding~" The class bell rang.

I continued erasing the graffiti.

After class, Ghoul Xueling and a short-haired girl with similarly dyed golden hair approached me, threatening:

"Zhuo Tiancheng, you’re coming with us for a walk."