Chapter 20: The School Year Begins!

On the seventh day of the New Year, universities, middle schools, and elementary schools across the country all resumed classes.

Although a wave of resistance to the reopening had swept through students nationwide, under the dual threat of expulsion for not registering and promises of benefits for enrolling, this resistance quickly faded away.

There were nearly twenty million university students still in school across the country, and the number of primary and secondary school students surpassed a hundred million. They were the backbone of the nation; to maintain social order and secure the power of the future, controlling the students was paramount.

Thus, the authorities decided to start the school year early, to prevent students from being led astray. The timing of the seventh day was impeccably chosen, as evolvers had to enter the Sphere of Evolution at least once a week, or else their quantum seeds would lose energy—with unimaginable consequences. For many evolvers, the seventh day was the final deadline.

That morning, sunlight poured down, melting the last remnants of snow from the branches, which dripped quietly onto the ground.

It had been nearly a week since Chen Mo had killed Liu Kunlong and the others. It seemed all the police were preoccupied with matters concerning the Spheres of Evolution; no one came to investigate Liu Kunlong’s disappearance, which set Chen Mo’s mind at ease.

Hand in hand with his younger sister, Chen Mo took her to breakfast and then to the supermarket, where he bought her a new backpack.

Ning Xuan spun around joyfully, holding her new backpack high. “Wow, what a beautiful pink backpack! I finally have a new one!”

Chen Mo and Ning Xuan attended Star City No. 14 Middle School, an utterly ordinary school in Star City. Both the junior and senior sections were housed together on a large campus, but the teaching staff was mediocre and the graduation rate dismal.

On their way, they greeted many familiar classmates.

Unlike previous years, excitement was written on every student’s face. Everyone was talking about the Spheres of Evolution, their conversations brimming with pride and boasting.

“Have you evolved yet?”

“No! Damn it, the Spring Festival Gala was so boring that night I went to bed early and missed my chance. The next day, the area was locked down and I couldn’t get in!”

“Haha, I’ve evolved!”

“Oh my god, you really evolved? I’m so jealous!”

“Tch, what’s so great about evolving? I heard all students nationwide will get extra evolution classes—everyone can evolve!”

“Really? That’s awesome!”

Ning Xuan could barely resist the urge to boast about her ranking and her new skin, but Chen Mo shot her a warning glare, forcing her to purse her lips in protest.

“Mo! Haha, I missed you!” A loud voice called from behind Chen Mo.

Before he could turn around, a massive figure grabbed him in a bear hug.

Ning Xuan’s displeasure vanished at once. She laughed, “Brother Ding Yan, don’t get so close to my brother, or he’ll never find a girlfriend!”

The boy clinging to Chen Mo flicked his ostentatious middle-parted hair, grinning wide. “Heh, that’s alright. Your brother can always find a boyfriend instead!”

“Get lost!” Chen Mo shoved his best friend and deskmate away.

Ding Yan pouted playfully. “Too bad I’m not as lucky as you, having such an adorable little sister.”

“Ding Yan! If you keep talking like that, I’ll cut your tongue out!”

Ding Yan quickly coughed, dropping his voice to a deep, steady baritone. “Alright, Chen Mo, enough joking. Seriously—did you evolve or not? I sent you a thousand messages and you never replied.”

Chen Mo glanced around to make sure no one was eavesdropping, then whispered, “I did. What about you?”

Ding Yan flicked his hair again with pride. “Of course! Don’t forget, my dad’s the deputy director of the Transportation Bureau. Lots of Spheres of Evolution landed in the middle of the road and blocked traffic, so the bureau had to step in. Thanks to my dad, I get to enter a Sphere of Evolution every day. I bet in all of No. 14 Middle School, I’ve evolved the most times, scored the most points, and am the strongest!”

This son of an official had, rumor had it, been caught in a hotel room with a female classmate back in junior high. Her parents had raised a fuss, and he’d been forced to transfer to this unremarkable school.

Such connections really made things easier—Ding Yan had already evolved seven times.

Chen Mo was curious. “So, have you cleared the instance?”

Ding Yan blushed. “Cleared? That’s easy! If I hadn’t picked the wrong class—the Mage Apprentice—I’d have cleared it ages ago.”

“What’s your best record?”

“Listen up—my best is 2,000 meters!”

Ning Xuan couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

Ding Yan scratched his head, annoyed. “Xuan Xuan! You’re laughing at me? 2,000 meters is nothing to sneeze at—in all of Star City, that’s top ten thousand! What’s your record?”

For a mage, 2,000 meters was indeed impressive. But he was talking to Ning Xuan, whose record was 8,000 meters—ranking her in the national top 900.

Ning Xuan glanced pleadingly at Chen Mo, her eyes saying, “Brother, I can’t hold it in—I have to show off, let me!”

Before she could, Chen Mo cut in, “Ning Xuan’s results are nothing to mention—Ding Yan, you’re the best!”

Ning Xuan ground her teeth, fuming.

The three friends boasted their way to the gates of Star City No. 14 Middle School.

The cheerful mood vanished in an instant.

At the gate, two lines of men in black coats stood at attention. Their faces were cold as icebergs, likely members of the newly-formed Shadow Corps, established to keep watch over evolvers.

Ding Yan muttered angrily, “This is outrageous—does the school think we’re criminals, posting guards over us?”

Chen Mo warned softly, “Watch your mouth—these are unusual times. Those men in black might be here to protect us.”

The students fell silent, heads down as they entered the school.

After warning Ning Xuan not to reveal her instance record, Chen Mo left her and headed for his classroom—Class 226 of the second year.

Inside, the atmosphere was lively; classmates greeted each other warmly. Several desks were surrounded by crowds—the students who had evolved were recounting their experiences, while those who hadn’t listened intently, eyes full of longing.

Suddenly, the loudspeaker crackled: “All students, please assemble on the main sports field! All students, please assemble on the main sports field!”

The homeroom teacher entered, adjusting his glasses. “Alright, whatever you have to say, save it for later. Everyone, bring your stools and head to the sports field!”

As the march of the athletes played through the speakers, students shouldered their stools and made their way out.

If a girl was pretty enough, she wouldn’t even have to carry her own stool—there would always be eager volunteers.

Take, for example, Ye Zhiyan, the class beauty. Yet she ignored all the boys vying for her attention, and instead fussed over Chen Mo.

“Chen Mo, long time no see. Did you get the New Year’s message I sent you? Why didn’t you reply?”

“Chen Mo, hey—Chen Mo, can you hear me?”

Women—or rather, people—were all the same. The more unattainable, the more desirable.

Qin Wei, the class sports monitor, was one of Ye Zhiyan’s most ardent admirers. He simply could not understand why someone as rich, beautiful, and refined as Ye Zhiyan would take an interest in a scrawny orphan like Chen Mo.

Jealousy and anger festered in Qin Wei’s heart.

He marched up and shoved Chen Mo hard. “Hey, Chen Mo! Are you deaf? Didn’t you hear the class monitor talking to you?”