The first exam session ended, granting a half-hour break.
Nearly everyone returned to their own classrooms—after all, one's own class offered a sense of security.
Lin Mo wasn’t the type to stray from the group either, so he headed back to his classroom door.
There, seated at his desk, was a familiar figure.
Lin Mo walked over.
"So you got assigned my seat for the exam," he said, tapping the desk lightly.
Xie Yuling looked up, her eyes curving slightly in recognition.
She’d known whose seat it was the moment she found it.
Seeing Lin Mo return, she made to stand, but he casually pressed her back down.
"Stay put. You’ll have to sit here for the exam anyway," Lin Mo said, aware of her discomfort around others. Since she wouldn’t return to Class Seven, he let her remain in his seat.
Lin Mo, ever nonchalant, perched himself on the edge of his desk.
As students from other classes gradually filtered out, their own classmates trickled in.
Fang Jun soon arrived, backpack slung over one shoulder.
"So, Lin Mo, how’d you find the Chinese exam? Tough?"
"Eh, it was alright. It’s just Chinese, after all."
Fang Jun then noticed Xie Yuling.
"Ah, the little landlady," he remarked, glancing at the name tag on Lin Mo’s desk. "What a coincidence—you ended up in Lin Mo’s seat."
Xie Yuling didn’t reply, but she nodded slightly.
Her rapport with Fang Jun had inched up from zero to... maybe a five.
With Lin Mo, though, it was already hovering around seventy or eighty.
Before long, Jiang Yunlu returned.
The moment she stepped into the classroom, her gaze landed on Lin Mo lounging on the desk and Xie Yuling seated in his chair.
Her lips pressed together, but she didn’t immediately barge into their conversation.
Such crude behavior was beneath Jiang Yunlu.
She skimmed the seating chart posted by the door.
Sure enough, Xie Yuling had been assigned Lin Mo’s desk.
There was nothing to be done, so she feigned casualness as she approached.
"Everyone confident about the Chinese exam? Want to compare answers?"
Discussing answers right after an exam was generally a bad idea.
If your answers matched, fine—it might boost morale.
But too many mistakes could shatter confidence and tank performance in later exams.
The risks far outweighed the rewards.
Lin Mo waved a hand. "Let’s not. It’s only the first subject."
Though debating essay topics was harmless—there was always plenty to unpack.
By now, the Chinese exam papers had been collected, and answer sheets were already being scanned into the grading system.
Even teachers wanted breaks. Finishing early meant lighter workloads later, maybe even a free Sunday.
A half-hour break seemed long, but between bathroom runs and idle chatter, it vanished in a blink.
Then came the second subject: math.
For Lin Mo, math was child’s play.
He breezed through it, leaving himself a solid half-hour to cultivate.
No need to double-check—he closed his eyes and focused inward.
[The host is remarkably diligent, remaining composed even during the sect’s grand competition.]
"Cut the flattery. Are there rewards for winning this competition?"
[Of course! As the host’s system, how could the sect’s grand competition lack rewards? Once the host reaches the Foundation Establishment stage, alchemy and artifact forging will become available.]
Lin Mo’s eyebrows twitched behind his closed lids.
Beside him, Lu Xiaochen wondered if he’d dozed off mid-dream.
Though no one slept bolt upright like that.
"System, why are you suddenly so agreeable? You weren’t like this before."
[This system does as it pleases. It owes no explanations to anyone.]
Alright, alright, playing it like that, huh? Next time you go to a brothel for entertainment or slash open the heavens with a single sword strike, why even need a host? Might as well let you, the system, hog all the glory.
Watching Lin Mo close his eyes to rest, the invigilator frowned and immediately walked over.
Glancing at the neat answers on Lin Mo’s exam paper, the invigilator then checked his name and appearance.
"This much skill?" the invigilator muttered under his breath.
Had the teacher known Lin Mo attended Olympiad math training, it might have made sense.
But the invigilator wasn’t a math teacher, so after a quick scan of the tidy steps and answers on the answer sheet, he let it go.
He didn’t disturb Lin Mo either—someone this composed might well be a top student.
After all, no one else finished as quickly as he did.
Still, he noted that Lin Mo was from Class 8 and decided to ask Teacher Chen later about what kind of person he was.
The bell rang.
The math exam was over.
Papers collected, school dismissed—everything wrapped up in one go.
Lin Mo was about to grab his bag and leave when Lu Xiaochen called out beside him, "Lin Mo, please think about it. We really need you to join us."
Lin Mo waved her off. He’d check out the boxing club when he had time.
Who knew if these people were just a bunch of weaklings looking for a hired fighter?
If that were the case, the terms they’d offered earlier wouldn’t be enough.
Lin Mo had no intention of being used so easily.
Back in the classroom, Xie Yuling was just packing up to leave.
"Going home for lunch. See you in the afternoon," she said, greeting only Lin Mo before heading out.
Meanwhile, Fang Jun approached.
"Come on, Lin Mo, take me to eat at Backstreet."
"Huh? You’re not eating at home? I thought you always did."
"No one’s home. Should I just chew on the wind? Besides, we’ve got exams in the afternoon. I figured I’d just nap here at noon."
Fair enough.
No point going home if no one’s cooking. Might as well rest at school.
The best thing about being young was being able to sleep anywhere, even slumped over a desk.
As the two were about to leave, Jiang Yunlu suddenly tugged at Lin Mo’s sleeve.
"Lin Mo, could you bring me something tasty?"
"Like what?"
Lin Mo raised an eyebrow.
"Whatever you think is good."
With that, she stuffed a fifty-yuan bill into his pocket.
Since the patron had already paid, Lin Mo could only nod. "Fine, but go easy on lunch. Save some room."
Then he and Fang Jun walked out.
"Fifty bucks for snacks is pretty generous. Little rich girl, huh?" Fang Jun remarked.
"It’s not all for one go—it’ll last a few meals," Lin Mo said as they walked.
"True."
Then Lin Mo asked, "By the way, do you know about the boxing club?"
Fang Jun’s eyes widened instantly. "No way. Those boxing club guys have the nerve to mess with you?"
"Not mess with—recruit. Some short-haired girl named Lu Xiaochen in my exam hall today asked me to join."
"Lu Xiaochen, that tomboy?! So she joined the boxing club?"
Fang Jun looked genuinely shocked.
"You know her?!"
"Know her? She’s Lu Xiaohua’s twin sister! Also technically my cousin, though her grades are way better than that delinquent Lu Xiaohua’s."
Lin Mo pondered for a moment—the two did share some resemblance, though Lu Xiaohua had long hair.
Even twins aren't entirely identical in appearance.
But their genes must be the same.
Third watch! Without mentioning the third watch, it feels like something’s missing.