Era of Mist

When you arrive at a new place, a total stranger, you have to pay your respects to the local boss before you can get anything done. From now until the end of the semester, he was going to be stuck in this trash class. And it might not just be until the end of the semester; there was a good chance it could be even longer.

So, it was essential to find the boss of this class first and have a proper meeting to get acquainted.

Therefore, to show his sincerity, humility, and low-key nature as a newcomer, Shi Tiexin used the most amiable voice he could muster and said, "Who’s the monitor for Class 28?"

At Star Worker School, the class monitor was always the most capable person in the class. They either had the strength or the connections; either way, they were the ones who could handle anything. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have become the monitor, as they would have been beaten down long ago.

Shi Tiexin himself had been a class monitor for one simple reason: he could fight. ’Anyone who disagrees can come have a go. Beat me, and I’ll give up my spot. If you can’t, then you’d better listen to me!’

That was pretty much the way things worked in that world.

But Fengming First Middle School was clearly not run that way.

A short kid with glasses stood up unsteadily, looking at Shi Tiexin with a timid expression. He was tiny, more than a head shorter than Shi Tiexin. As he walked closer to the door for a better look, he thought, ’My god, this new guy is terrifying! The way he asked "Who’s the class monitor" was so arrogant—it was like he was here to challenge the whole dojo!’

The kid with glasses mustered his courage and replied in a weak voice, "I-I am..."

"You?" Shi Tiexin’s large eyes swiveled to look down at the bespectacled kid, his expressionless face exuding pressure.

’Huh? This kid with glasses looks kind of familiar... Right, isn’t he one of the guys from my dorm room? I think he sleeps on the top bunk across from me. I didn’t get a good look this morning, but his bed was piled so high with junk that the poor kid barely had room to turn over. How miserable.’

This morning, he’d thought this Xiaodouya just had too much of his own stuff. Now, it seemed more likely that he was storing other people’s things on his bed too. ’Even though this kid looks like a total weakling... maybe he’s just a kind and helpful class monitor.’

’Kid, you’re making me reconsider my opinion of this trash class!’

So, Shi Tiexin tried with all his might to crack a smile, doing his best to put on a friendly expression. "So you’re the class monitor..."

The kid with glasses was about to burst into tears from fright.

’Th-th-this guy is too terrifying!’

’He was scary enough with a blank face, but that twisted grin, not quite a smile, looks like he’s about to eat me alive!’

’No, please don’t! I never wanted to be the class monitor! I was just pushed into this position to be the gofer! This job is hell. I can’t control anyone, I never get any of the good stuff, and whenever something bad happens, I’m the one forced to take the fall. I don’t want to be the monitor!’

’So, uh, what is it you want, man?’

"Classmate, were you looking for me because you want to..."

Shi Tiexin glanced around. Everyone was looking their way. ’Isn’t this the perfect opportunity to introduce myself?’

’Hello, everyone. My name is Shi Tiexin, and I’m a new student in our class. As a newcomer, I’m still getting used to things and I didn’t bring any gifts, so please bear with me. Once I get the lay of the land, I’ll be sure to make it up to you all. I’m helpful, approachable, cheerful, and highly capable, with a wide range of interests. I can fight and I can take a hit. From now on, I hope to get along well with all of you, become good friends, help each other out, and study and improve together.’

’Thank you!’

’Alright, with the speech prepared in his head, he opened his mouth—’

"I’m new."

...And that was it.

That was all!

’Dammit! Why won’t my stupid mouth say what I want it to say!’

While Shi Tiexin was fuming, the kid with glasses and the rest of Class 28 were completely stunned. ’A new student? Shouldn’t a new student be introduced by the homeroom teacher, walk shyly to the front, write their name on the blackboard, introduce themselves, and endure the scrutiny of the entire class? Maybe even get hazed and intimidated by the class delinquents before they can even hope to survive?’

But this guy just showed up, called out the class monitor by title, said one simple sentence, and that was it!

Who had ever seen such an arrogant newcomer?

"Uh..." The kid with glasses felt he should say something. After all, he was the class monitor, and they were apparently dorm mates. ’A new classmate is great, as long as he’s not here to beat me up, I’m happy.’ So, he stammered, "Welcome, welcome. My name is Zhao Qingmiao. I sit in the third row. Classmate, you..."

What Zhao Qingmiao wanted to ask was, ’Classmate, what’s your name?’

But that wasn’t how Shi Tiexin understood it.

’Zhao Qingmiao sits in the third row. The third row is great, a prime spot.’ It wasn’t too close to the blackboard, so your neck wouldn’t get sore from looking up, but it wasn’t so far that you couldn’t see the board or hear the teacher. In the memories of his other consciousness, the third row in any classroom was prime real estate, fiercely contested in the honors classes.

’But as a newcomer, I can’t ask for something that good. I should keep a low profile.’

"My seat," Shi Tiexin said, glancing around the classroom. He saw a few empty spots. ’It shouldn’t be too much trouble for this Xiaodouya to arrange.’ "You can just arrange it as you see fit."

Zhao Qingmiao was so taken aback he was speechless.

’Boss, I’m begging you, boss, could you at least tell me your name?!’

But this boss seemed to have no intention of introducing himself. His gaze was like a lion surveying its territory, as if he was already planning how to conquer the great plains before him. Zhao Qingmiao never dared to speak loudly around the delinquents, and this new student looked far more formidable than any ordinary delinquent. He didn’t dare let out so much as a peep.

He mumbled for a while before obediently leading Shi Tiexin to a seat. Following the preferences of delinquents, he naturally tried to seat him as far back as possible. Meanwhile, Shi Tiexin thought, ’Since I just got here, I should probably keep my head down for a few days.’ So he didn’t object. ’The back row is fine.’

And so, Shi Tiexin settled into a seat in the third-to-last row by the window. It was a decent spot, not too far from the back door, and he could get some fresh air. His deskmate hadn’t arrived yet, and he wasn’t sure if he even had one; the seat might be empty. Shi Tiexin was happy to have the peace and quiet, continuing to scheme his grand plans in his head.

Before long, more and more students filed in. Many of them stole glances at Shi Tiexin, who was sitting imposingly in the back, and the sound of hushed whispers was endless. As the morning reading session was about to start, Zhao Qingmiao gritted his teeth and, under the watchful eyes of the students in the front rows, began a tragic march toward Shi Tiexin.

’Collecting homework from a delinquent is a high-risk job!’

"Classmate, did you, um, do the test paper?"

Shi Tiexin paused. ’Test paper? What test paper?’

A wave of information from his other consciousness dissolved into his mind, and Shi Tiexin instantly understood. It was a set of problems distributed by the school, part of their so-called "homework."

Shi Tiexin rummaged through his school bag and quickly found a test paper. But, as expected, it was completely blank.

Suddenly, text materialized before his eyes.

[Minor Arcana: Basic Mathematics, Third Stage]

[Progress: 0%]

[Effect: Mastery speed for Basic Mathematics, Third Stage, increased by 20%.]