Chapter 3: Returning the Item to its Rightful Owner

The Sike Academy forum exploded that very night.

The cause was an anonymous poster who uploaded high-definition, uncensored photos of the argument between Jin Shaoyu and Ling Wu this afternoon to the forum; the images also included Jing Du and Qi Yu.

Finally, they attached an intimate photo of Qi Yu leaning close to Ling Wu's ear.

With several of the school's most prominent figures gathered together, it was like a sudden thunderclap on flat ground, sparking discussion among the students:

【That lowly Special Student, he reeks of poverty, stay away from my wife Ling Wu!】

【What kind of grand, melodramatic soap opera is this? Isn't it rumored that Ling Wu likes Young Master Jing? How could he be so intimate with a Special Student?】

【I know this Special Student, his name is Qi Yu, from Sophomore Class A. His looks are truly top-tier, probably on par with the young masters.】

【Wasn't it exposed before that Qi Yu brought water to Young Master Jing? That post is still pinned at the top.】

【Look at this picture, Young Master Jin is clearly furious. Isn't Ling Wu his own older brother? It seems the two of them don't get along.】

【To the person above, if someone else came to fight you for the family inheritance, would you be happy? The great noble families are full of infighting, not to mention a top-tier financial conglomerate like the Jin Family.】

【Are they... acting out a "Burning Winter"?】

【To the person above, is that something you're allowed to say?】

【.......】

Ling Wu's phone was still with Qi Yu, so naturally, he didn't know what was happening on the forum, but the system's voice rang in his ear:

【Ding! Congratulations to the Host for your consciousness awakening!】

【Warm reminder: If you do not wish to meet the inevitable death ending from the original manga, please complete Novice Task One: Bully Qi Yu (1/1).】

【Task √】

By the time Ling Wu regained control of his body, the Transmigrator had already finished the bullying, so this task was considered completed by a shortcut.

In the manga, Sike Academy is the most top-tier Noble Academy in the entire Empire.

And within the Empire, class hierarchy is exceptionally strict; the law is no longer just, but biased toward those in power, placing shackles on the commoners. The Lower City District is in constant riot, suppressed by brute force.

The four great families—Jin, Yin, Jing, and Yu—rule their own territories.

They dominate the Empire's lifeblood, control cutting-edge technology, possess massive R&D teams and patent libraries, control the extraction of oil and natural gas, as well as new energy development, and are involved in the jewelry and casino entertainment industries, among others.

Furthermore, they all possess the most advanced arsenals.

The curriculum at Sike Academy, besides the basics of physics, chemistry, and biology, also includes flower arranging, equestrianism, fencing, shooting, martial arts, mecha manufacturing........

Anyone who comes here would have to say it is extremely hardcore.

Among the F4, Jin Shaoyu hates his own older brother Ling Wu to the bone, Jing Du's attitude is cold, Yin Huaiyu watches him with perverse interest, and Yu Shixue never even looks him in the eye.

Ling Wu left his hometown for many years and had almost taken root in the Federation. After his wings grew strong, he returned to the Empire, but things were unpredictable, and his body was occupied by an inexplicable Transmigrator.

When he saw Jin Shaoyu after many years of separation, he was very happy.

Ling Wu's gaze dimmed.

The most urgent task was to get his phone back. He took out a tablet, his fingertips tapping on the keyboard as he hacked into the Sike Academy student database to pull up Qi Yu's file separately.

The screen's light dyed the youth's eyes like glaze washed by fresh snow. He looked at the line in the address field: "No. 985, Tonggang Avenue, Lower City District B...."

"Snap!"

The computer closed, and the apartment returned to darkness.

The Lower City District.

The lights were dim and yellow, the walls on the streets were filthy and covered in all sorts of advertisements, and the houses were crowded like pigeon coops. The smell of rust mixed with mud and the scent of barbecue wafted over, which was somewhat uncomfortable.

Ling Wu had an outstanding appearance, his whole person spotless. His neatly pressed white shirt was completely out of place here, like an elegant and noble aristocrat fallen into the slums, frequently drawing ill-intentioned gazes.

He was impossibly eye-catching.

Several middle-aged men were drinking at a street barbecue stall. They squinted their turbid, yellow eyes and looked at Ling Wu: "See that?"

The scarred man's gaze stuck to Ling Wu and wouldn't move: "Yo, where did this little young master come from?"

How could there be such a seductive man? His waist was so thin, his legs straight and slender, even the exposed ankles were so white. The way he walked made one's bones go soft......

This kind of cold and fragile type is just perfect for being broken and reassembled in bed.

Ling Wu glanced at the street sign: No. 913, almost there.

【Such disgusting gazes, run, supporting male lead!】

【The Lower City District is full of desperate criminals. The supporting male lead can't carry anything on his shoulders or lift anything with his hands, and he actually dared to come alone without bodyguards. I'm speechless!】

【This...... if the supporting male lead gets caught, he's going to be stir-fried until he's seasoned, right?】

Ling Wu:?

What is that?

Can't carry anything on his shoulders, can't lift anything with his hands?

He didn't think he was like that.

Stir-fried until seasoned? Are they stir-frying melon seeds?

Barrage System: 【It means stir-frying you.】

Ling Wu: "According to Article 184 of the Imperial Resident Survival Law, implementing malicious harm against a resident in a public place, resulting in minor injury or worse to another person, may face a sentence of up to three years of fixed-term imprisonment, criminal detention, or public surveillance."

Barrage System: "......"

How was it supposed to explain that it wasn't the "stir-fry" in the sense of cooking?

Ling Wu passed two alleys. Just as he was about to pass the third, someone grabbed him and pulled him inside, plunging him into darkness. His back hit the cold, hard wall, and his nose was filled with the smell of blood.

The next instant, a cold palm covered his lips, and Qi Yu made a gesture for him to be quiet.

Ling Wu hugged him back as if by instinct.

Not long after, a rough male voice came from outside the alley: "Damn, where is he?"

"This place is a maze, an outsider can't have run far, especially a delicate young master like that. Keep looking!"

The sound of footsteps gradually faded away.

Qi Yu looked down at the youth's thick, long eyelashes, the warmth from the wrist he had held when pulling him into the alley still lingering on his fingertips; he was very thin, delicate and easily broken.

Qi Yu had originally not intended to appear, but seeing that group of people eyeing Ling Wu with malicious intent, an inexplicable fire rose in the depths of his heart.

Yet Ling Wu had not even noticed, walking along unhurriedly.

Qi Yu's brows and eyes were cold: "Where is your bodyguard?"

Ling Wu: "I don't have one."

Silence for two seconds.

Qi Yu pressed his tongue against the corner of his lip, still unable to suppress a soft chuckle: "Ling Wu, if you want to seek death, you don't need to go to such great lengths; riots often happen in the Lower City District, isn't that something you nobles know best?"

Ling Wu:?

Qi Yu: "Do you know what would have happened just now if I hadn't pulled you in?"

Seeing his serious attitude, Ling Wu also said solemnly: "I am an adult man, I have my own judgment."

Seeing that Qi Yu's expression was truly unsightly, he added: "Thank you."

Qi Yu's expression softened: "Mm."

Ling Wu bent his body, circled out from under his arm, shook the phone he was holding between his index finger and thumb, and smiled indifferently: "All is fair in war."

Qi Yu looked at the phone that should have been in his own pocket but was now in Ling Wu's hand, only then remembering that when he pulled him into the alley, the other party had lightly hugged him back.

Qi Yu looked at his highly deceptive face, walked up close to him, his tone devoid of fluctuation: "Return the property to its original owner."