This Is Not a Drill

The weather was scorching hot. Even in the early morning, the coastal regions of the south were already uncomfortably warm.

Especially since it was already August.

The average temperature hovered around thirty-five degrees Celsius.

By noon, it could even reach forty degrees.

"Mom, Dad, I'm off to school," Lin Mo said, glancing at the black-and-white photo on the table before heading out.

Nearly all high schools started their term on the 31st.

Before this day, Lin Mo had already taken several Body-Strengthening Pills. While his height hadn’t changed much, his physique had become noticeably more solid.

After descending the stairs, Lin Mo wasn’t in a hurry to go to school.

There was still some time before classes began, and his appetite had grown considerably lately. Skipping breakfast would only make him feel miserable.

The insurance payout from his parents' passing amounted to over eight hundred thousand yuan.

For the time being, Lin Mo didn’t have to worry about money—though the main reason was that the World Cup was still two years away.

As for getting rich through property demolition? In a city like Yangcheng, it wasn’t so easy to buy a house slated for demolition.

And the lottery? Forget about it.

That was pure chance.

In an instant, Lin Mo realized there weren’t many reliable ways to make a fortune.

Should he start a milk tea business again?

Nah, that was a bad idea.

[Host, do not trouble yourself. Once you achieve cultivation, the wealth of mortals will be yours for the taking.]

That did sound reasonable.

With that thought, Lin Mo headed to a famous thin-skinned rice noodle roll shop from his past life for breakfast.

After devouring two plates of rice noodle rolls, he leisurely made his way to school.

There was still some time before the bell rang.

Since the school uniforms hadn’t been distributed yet, Lin Mo was just wearing casual clothes.

Despite walking quite a distance, not a single drop of sweat appeared on his body.

By now, the school gate was nearly empty of students.

But someone as unhurried as Lin Mo was a rare sight.

The security guard at the entrance saw Lin Mo alone but didn’t bother questioning him.

After all, it was the first day of school, and any young-looking kid not in uniform was probably a freshman reporting in.

Lin Mo casually walked through the school gates.

He didn’t need to explore—he already knew exactly where to go.

In his past life, he had spent three years here. He even knew where to find the best food, entertainment, and underground internet cafes on the backstreets.

In fact, he already knew which class he’d be assigned to.

Just then, a piercing scream erupted behind him.

"Ah!!!"

Lin Mo turned to see a man dressed in black, wielding a cleaver, charging through the gates.

The scream had come from a female student who had just entered when she spotted the armed man rushing in.

The security guards, all elderly men, seemed frozen in shock before finally scrambling for the riot control forks hanging on the wall.

Watching this, Lin Mo recalled that there had indeed been an incident like this on the first day of school in his past life.

But it hadn’t been a real attack—just a drill.

So he remained completely calm, observing the scene like a spectator.

If he remembered correctly, this drill hadn’t made much of a splash, only earning a brief mention in the news the next day.

But within the school, it was a different story.

Because this "attacker" wasn’t following the script.

To make it feel real, he carried a rabid, unhinged energy.

The "attacker" immediately locked onto the screaming girl, his lips curling behind his mask.

He raised the gleaming cleaver and dashed toward her.

Jiang Yunlu had just said goodbye to her father and stepped out of the car when she entered the school gates—only to see a knife-wielding madman storming in.

Her first instinct was to scream.

That scream drew everyone’s attention, including the attacker’s.

The moment she finished, the man let out a vicious laugh and sprinted straight for her.

The security guards were also running in her direction, but they were much slower.

Jiang Yunlu wasn’t stupid—she turned and bolted.

As she spun around, she spotted a boy standing motionless and immediately shouted at him, "Run! Hurry!"

But the boy remained where he was, an almost amused expression on his face.

After a split-second hesitation, Jiang Yunlu rushed toward him, grabbing his wrist to pull him along.

Of course, she couldn’t budge Lin Mo.

Instead, he effortlessly stopped her in her tracks.

"Hey! What are you doing?!"

"No need to run."

The attacker closed in faster than the near-retirement-age guards could react.

But Lin Mo just stood there, one hand in his pocket.

"Just a drill, right? No need to go so hard, old man."

"Drill my ass!"

The man swung the cleaver straight at Lin Mo.

Only then did Lin Mo realize—this wasn’t a drill at all.

This was real?!

But to Lin Mo, who had taken several Body-Strengthening Pills, the attacker’s movements were painfully slow.

The moment the cleaver rose, Lin Mo lashed out with a kick.

A figure went flying backward, tumbling several times before collapsing on the ground.

Staring at the fallen attacker, Lin Mo began to piece things together.

In his past life, he had arrived at school early and gone straight to his classroom, so he hadn’t witnessed the "drill" at the gates.

But now it was clear—this had never been a drill.

Lin Mo turned to Jiang Yunlu.

At fifteen, Jiang Yunlu was in the bloom of youth—tall and slender, even slightly taller than most boys her age, like a willow sapling stretching toward the sun.

Her skin was fair, almost luminous, a clear sign of a privileged upbringing.

When she noticed Lin Mo looking at her, she met his gaze.

Her eyes were large, framed by thick, long lashes, bright and clear—no wonder so many in her class had a crush on her.

As they locked eyes, the girl suddenly blushed and whispered in a voice barely louder than a mosquito’s hum:

"Could you... let go of me first?"

Lin Mo glanced down and realized he was still gripping her wrist. He quickly released her, apologizing awkwardly, "Sorry."

"It’s... it’s fine."

Though her wrist was slightly reddened, Jiang Yunlu didn’t seem angry.

But Lin Mo’s apology wasn’t just for holding her wrist—it was for nearly putting her in danger by dismissing the situation as a drill.

If he hadn’t taken the Body-Strengthening Pills, he wouldn’t have been able to kick the attacker away.

Hearsay wasn’t always reliable. Maybe the story he’d heard wasn’t the full truth.

The security guards, now a step behind, finally arrived and pinned the man to the ground with their riot forks.

Lin Mo watched, figuring this was the end of it—things would return to normal now.

With a quiet sigh, he turned to leave for his classroom.

But just then, a voice called out from behind.

"Hey, student—hold on a moment."