Chapter 01

In Flame Country, within a certain impoverished county town, there stood a middle school named after the county itself.

Class 2-4.

A teacher lectured at the podium, though the students below were either whispering among themselves or dozing off. Yet, the teacher seemed accustomed to this state of affairs and continued speaking without pause. It was evident that this was a class of underachievers.

The boys and girls in the room were unlike students from other classes—the boys wore their uniforms sloppily, some even styling their hair with gel, while the girls had already pierced their ears and applied makeup, adorning themselves in flashy ways.

However, among them sat a solitary boy, quietly hunched over his desk, seemingly lost in thought. His demeanor stood in stark contrast to his peers—he didn’t bother with appearances, nor did he engage in idle chatter. It was as if he were an adult who had seen through the illusions of the world, merely blending in among the students.

He showed no enthusiasm for society, his future, or any life plans. Though his delicate features set him apart, his sallow complexion and the brittle, discolored nails on his hands—signs of malnutrition—betrayed his impoverished background.

Yet, upon closer inspection, one would notice the boy’s eyes—unnaturally steady and weathered for his age, with a trace of deep-seated indifference, as if nothing in the classroom could possibly hold his interest.

Why such a contradiction?

Simple.

Because this boy was a transmigrator.

From the moment he could remember, fragmented memories that didn’t belong to him had flooded his mind. Over time, as he adapted, these memories gradually merged, shaping his personality, his very being.

His name was Su Cheng.

He considered himself an outsider.

Yet, apart from these memories, he had nothing else—no golden finger, no cheat abilities like those in novels.

But he didn’t complain.

At first, he had tried to leverage knowledge from his past life to make a fortune and fulfill his ambitions.

But no matter what he attempted, failure always followed, as if he were cursed by the world itself—unable to escape the confines of a small orphanage.

In the terms of transmigration novels, it was as if—

He was rejected by the world’s will!

Every time he tried to use his past-life knowledge, obstacles arose, accompanied by unbearable suffering.

At first, it was just the vegetables he planted inexplicably withering. Then, after repeated failures, his beloved mutt fell ill and died. Finally, his guardian took a mysterious tumble down the stairs—fortunately sustaining only minor injuries.

The sheer weight of dread and despair crushed him.

On the surface, these incidents might seem coincidental, but when pieced together, they formed a pattern of relentless misfortune.

In the end, he had no choice but to give up.

He didn’t dare push further.

Fortunately, his studies remained unaffected. Even when he aced exams in elementary school by drawing on his past-life knowledge, no disasters struck.

But he began deliberately lowering his scores, ensuring he ended up in the underachievers’ class—where freedom was more abundant.

To him, topping school exams meant nothing. What mattered was acing the provincial exams, securing a place at the life-changing institution—Flame City Private Academy.

He was Su Cheng.

Self-proclaimed—

The Cursed Outsider.

"Ding ling ling~"

The bell signaling the end of class rang.

Students rose from their seats, hastily packing their books to leave. Su Cheng followed the crowd out.

Surprisingly, he wasn’t met with scornful glares or mocking remarks—not even from the class troublemakers.

Logically, as an orphan with no parents, he should’ve been a prime target for ridicule and ostracism.

So why wasn’t he?

Because while he was solitary, he wasn’t weak. Overt bullying had simply morphed into silent exclusion and indifference.

But he was fine with that.

If he were truly a child, such isolation might have shattered his confidence and seeded self-doubt.

But he was an adult—with independent thought and judgment. Playing along with kids would’ve been the real problem. To him, their minds were laughably juvenile.

It was lunchtime, but instead of heading to the cafeteria, Su Cheng retreated to a quiet corner of the school, pulling out a book to read with an air of casual focus—though a tinge of melancholy lingered.

In truth, he was just saving money. Flame City Private Academy would be expensive, and he believed in preparing for the worst.

From childhood till now, he had saved over ten thousand yuan—enough for a lavish feast at the county’s finest restaurant.

It was also his safety net.

For a student to have such savings was rare, and having money gave him confidence.

But today was different.

Just as he turned the page, an odd sound echoed from nowhere.

[Ding—]

Su Cheng swatted at the air, assuming it was a mosquito—only to freeze.

"? Mosquitoes in winter?"

He set the book down, scanning his surroundings, half-convinced some mad scientist had engineered cold-resistant mosquitoes to fill the seasonal void.

Then, a mechanical female voice spoke again.

[System task loading…]

[Ding! Task triggered.]

[Target: Gu Ruoxue]

[System: Current progress with target—0%]

[Stage 1: Establish contact with target.]

[Completion reward: 10%]

[Failure penalty: Unknown]

[System: Every 10% progress increase grants a random system reward.]

A blue task panel materialized before his eyes, accompanied by the voice in his head. Su Cheng’s breath hitched, his entire body trembling, his heart pounding wildly.

This was a system—one that rewarded him for progressing with a target!

The moment the panel appeared, goosebumps erupted across his skin, tears welling uncontrollably.

He knew exactly what this was.

A system!

The golden finger every transmigrator was supposed to have!!!

Something he had long believed didn’t exist.

And now, it had suddenly appeared!!

How could he not be ecstatic?!

Su Cheng stared at the task details, barely containing his excitement. His lips curled into a grin, his eyes gleaming with fervor.

Inside, he was screaming.

[Host must reach the target within thirty minutes to complete the task.]

[Target location: School entrance.]

[Time limit: Thirty minutes.]

"Task… right, the task."

Staring at the mission panel, Su Cheng could barely contain his excitement.

This feeling was absolutely incredible—it was as if all the beauty in the world was beckoning to him.

Huh.

According to the usual tropes, shouldn’t the protagonist face setbacks before something like this happens?

So why, after years of hardships, did it suddenly appear now?

His expression stiffened slightly as he read the final details of the mission.

In an instant, he realized that Gu Ruoxue had activated the system for him. And upon closer inspection, he noticed there were no options to accept or reject the task.

In other words, this system mission was mandatory!

And worse—there were penalties for failure...

The initial excitement faded, replaced by cold clarity.

[Host, proceed to the school gate immediately.]

When he didn’t move, the system even urged him again. Su Cheng’s heart tightened, but he still refused to budge.

Yet, he could distinctly feel a deep, soul-chilling fear—the kind that came from the threat of system punishment.

It weighed heavily on him.

"This system isn’t as simple as it seems on the surface."

Unease gnawed at him, but more than anything, he felt resentment.

He wasn’t blinded by excitement; instead, he saw the flaws.

If things went as expected, he’d be nothing more than a puppet to the system.

Because this felt exactly like the systems in those web novels he’d read in his past life—fail the mission, and the host gets punished… or erased.

"What era is this, using a system to drive the plot?!"

Su Cheng gritted his teeth, breaking the fourth wall with his complaint.

But complaints aside, the mission had to be completed. There were penalties, after all. And honestly, he was curious about the so-called rewards.

So, with mixed emotions, he trudged step by step toward the school gate. Just as he was about to reach it, his eyes landed on something unbelievable.

He swore—this woman was the most beautiful, most captivating person he’d ever seen in both his lifetimes.

"No wonder... the system got triggered..."

Su Cheng stood frozen, staring dumbfounded at Gu Ruoxue in the distance, his heart pounding wildly in his chest.

He had never seen anyone so breathtakingly beautiful.

Especially with the school leaders accompanying her, she stood out like a painting among scribbles. As she approached the gate, it was as if the world dimmed around her, all light and attention converging onto her alone.

There was an ethereal aura about her—untouchable, distant, pure, flawless, and chillingly indifferent.

Instantly, he felt unworthy, a wave of shame washing over him. His heart hammered so hard it threatened to leap out of his throat.

Gu Ruoxue’s beauty left him stunned.

And worse—it left him hopelessly infatuated.

Su Cheng glanced down at himself, and a thick sense of inferiority surged within him.

Meanwhile, Gu Ruoxue walked forward without sparing a single glance around her, the school leaders beside her acting with utmost deference.

Her unfairly gorgeous face showed no expression, as if she were long accustomed to such attention. Her eyes briefly swept over Su Cheng, and in that moment, he felt as if he’d been flash-frozen—his blood turning to ice.

What kind of eyes were those? They seemed to hold nothing, as if nothing in the world could stir her interest. Pitch-black and fathomless, they were calm to the point of despair.

For someone his age to exude such an inscrutable presence—Su Cheng couldn’t shake the feeling that she was the real transmigrator here.

He was supposed to be the adult in this situation, yet his mind reeled in shock. Still, he had no choice but to push forward.

He didn’t want to face the system’s punishment!

But the problem was—she was surrounded by school leaders and a crowd of students just as awestruck as he was.

How was he supposed to approach her?

Not to mention, her background was clearly extraordinary.

Otherwise, the school leaders wouldn’t be making such a fuss.

He’d probably get stopped by a teacher before he even got close.

And he only had thirty minutes to make contact.

Frowning, Su Cheng forced himself to think.

Stay calm. There had to be a way.

Right now, all he knew was her name.

Wait.

Wasn’t that enough?

So, blending in with the other gawking students, he trailed after her as she toured the campus.

But as she moved deeper into the school, the crowd only grew thicker. Some even dashed out of classrooms to catch a glimpse, while others rushed from the cafeteria, bowls still in hand. Finding an opening to approach her seemed impossible.

"Is she a celebrity?"

"Not sure, but I’ve never seen anyone this beautiful before."

"Look at how the school leaders are treating her. She’s definitely someone important."

"She’s so stunning it’s almost surreal."

"Yeah, like she’s not even real."

Two girls nearby couldn’t help but murmur in awe.

Su Cheng’s anxiety spiked as whispers filled the air. With only 400 seconds left on the system’s countdown, he finally steeled himself.

"Hey!"

His shout cut through the noise, drawing every eye in the vicinity.

This was his only chance—he had to take it.

No more hesitation. No more holding back.

Even the school leaders and teachers turned, surprised, their gazes locking onto Su Cheng as he stared intently at Gu Ruoxue.

Did this student know her?

Gu Ruoxue paused, glancing indifferently at Su Cheng in the crowd. Her expression remained unchanged, but for the briefest moment, something flickered in her eyes—a hint of contemplation—before vanishing just as quickly.

Then she continued walking.

One of the school leaders hesitantly asked, "Miss Gu, do you know this student?"

"I don’t. Perhaps he was calling out to someone else." Her voice was cool, detached.

The school leader nodded and resumed guiding her through the campus facilities.

"…?"

A giant question mark formed in Su Cheng’s mind.

Not because there was something wrong with him—but because there was clearly something off about her.

He was utterly baffled.

Since when did people react like this when a stranger called out to them?

At the very least, shouldn’t she have shown some surprise or confusion?

She didn’t even spare him a second glance, acting as if it were beneath her notice.

Su Cheng had never met anyone so composed, so aloof.

Had he entered this world wrong?

No wonder this was a system mission—it was designed to be impossible.

Head lowered, he clenched his fists so tightly his nails dug into his palms. Blood dripped unnoticed to the ground.

Only twenty seconds remained.

Twenty seconds until the system punished him.

So, with no other choice, he strode forward and blocked Gu Ruoxue’s path. Under the stunned gazes of the school leaders, Su Cheng took a deep breath, mustering every ounce of courage to meet those mesmerizing eyes.

"Miss Gu! We’ve met before!"

His voice was quiet, but firm with resolve.

Gu Ruoxue raised her eyes, calmly observing the awkward young boy who had suddenly rushed up to her. She began studying him intently, while Su Cheng, under her gaze, felt his heart skip a beat, his breath growing slightly uneven.

She noticed the fine beads of sweat forming at his temples, a sign of nervousness, yet his eyes and demeanor carried an eerie maturity that didn’t match his age.

What struck her most was how he had charged toward her—as if compelled by some hidden urgency, a premeditated act with an ulterior motive.

This made her gaze grow even more penetrating.

Under the weight of her cool scrutiny, Su Cheng felt utterly exposed. The longer she observed him, the more his mental defenses crumbled, as if he were on the verge of breaking down and shouting: It’s not my fault—the system forced me to do this!

He couldn’t fathom how a girl his age could possess such terrifying presence and insight.

Desperately, he tried to steady himself, repeating silent mantras to stay composed.

But Gu Ruoxue’s gaze was too sharp.

"How about we talk somewhere else?" he suggested, taking a deep breath to steady his voice. His tone was tentative, as though he had already been stripped bare before her.

Panic churned inside him, but he clenched his teeth, forcing himself to remain calm.

She’s just a little girl, he reminded himself.

I’m the incredible transmigrator!

And I have a system!

He fought to suppress his fear and tension.

Gu Ruoxue, however, remained expressionless.

The two stood in silent confrontation, while the school principal lingered nearby, unsure of their relationship but refraining from interrupting.

Around them, students and teachers watched with keen interest, whispering among themselves.

Yet, in reality, only five seconds had passed.

Finally, Gu Ruoxue spoke, her voice as tranquil as her gaze. "Do you know me?"

Her tone was casual, her eyes unreadable—as if she were merely making small talk.

Su Cheng’s emotions were a tangled mess, but he still managed a strained smile. "I’m Su Cheng. Nice to meet you."

The moment the words left his lips—

[Ding—]

[Phase 1: Complete]

[Target: Gu Ruoxue]

[Current Progress: 10%]

[Rewards Distributed]

...

[Ding—]

[New Task Triggered]

[Target: Gu Ruoxue]

[System: Current Progress - 10%]

[Phase 2: Befriend Gu Ruoxue]

[Time Limit: Three Days]

[Completion Reward: +10%]

[Failure Penalty: Unknown]