Chapter 02

However, just as Su Cheng heard that the system reward had been distributed, an involuntary look of delight flashed across his face.

This kind of expression was impossible to suppress—an instinctive micro-reaction. Even though he quickly tried to mask it, he still failed to escape Gu Ruoxue's sharp eyes.

She caught that fleeting expression.

But she didn’t call him out on it. Instead, she lowered her gaze slightly and asked in a calm, indifferent tone, "So, Su Cheng, how did you know my surname is Gu?"

Su Cheng stiffened for a moment, his expression freezing slightly. He had a gut feeling that this girl had noticed something, but he forced himself to remain composed.

"I heard the school officials address you that way at the gate," he replied, doing his best to sound steady.

"Gu Ruoxue, I’d like to be friends with you," he added.

Gu Ruoxue didn’t respond immediately. Instead, she scrutinized him—his clothes, his speech, his demeanor, his expression, and especially his eyes.

Every little detail pointed to the same conclusion: he was lying. The accuracy of her assessment was nearly 90%.

What surprised her even more was that, unlike most people his age, he seemed aware that she was reading his micro-expressions. And yet, he still managed to suppress his emotional reactions with almost inhuman speed.

However, while his previous statement was a lie, his next words—about wanting to be friends—were genuine.

But that didn’t make it any less unsettling.

There was no sincerity in his desire to befriend her. Instead, it felt obsessive, almost desperate—as if becoming her friend would relieve some unbearable pressure, as if it were a mission to complete or a treasure to claim.

The moment this thought crossed her mind, a faint sense of disgust welled up inside her. No matter how she looked at it, this boy didn’t seem normal. There was something twisted, almost pathological, about him.

And the strangest part?

He didn’t even seem to want to be this way. It was as if he had no choice, as if he were being forced into this behavior.

In short,

this country boy radiated an eerie, distorted abnormality.

"How does he even have the nerve?"

"Does he really have no self-awareness?"

"That’s Su Cheng, the orphan from Class 1-4."

"Pathetic."

"Just standing next to him feels wrong. How can he be so shameless?"

"Embarrassing the whole school. He’s going to scare her off!"

Whispers and mocking laughter spread among the surrounding students. Some even openly jeered, while a few female classmates covered their faces in secondhand embarrassment, unable to bear the sight.

Under Su Cheng’s gaze, Gu Ruoxue slowly lifted her wrist to check her watch, her voice cool and slightly hoarse as she delivered her verdict:

"I must decline. I have no interest in making friends with strangers."

"Understood. Please forgive my intrusion," Su Cheng replied immediately, lowering his head, his voice subdued.

He had known it wouldn’t be this easy. The conversation had just been a means to an end.

Gu Ruoxue walked away without another word.

Her posture was poised and graceful, every movement deliberate and effortless. But as she passed Su Cheng, her eyes lingered on his face for a brief moment, an inscrutable glint in her gaze—as if she were studying him.

"Country boy…"

A school official nearby opened his mouth to speak.

"Your students are certainly… enthusiastic," Gu Ruoxue remarked dryly, cutting him off.

"Haha," the official chuckled awkwardly before adding, "Miss Gu, consider this your first lesson as a new student. Perhaps you could try making a few friends here, get to know people."

"Thank you for the advice," Gu Ruoxue replied with a slight nod.

The official exhaled in relief.

Gu Ruoxue continued her tour of the school, while Su Cheng remained where he was, enduring the scorn and ridicule from those around him. Yet, he maintained his composure, as if deaf to their words, and eventually walked away toward an empty area.

Soon, he found himself in a secluded spot behind the school, where a large rock jutted out from the grass. He sat cross-legged on it.

"What’s the system reward…?"

Anticipation bubbled inside him.

This was the reward he’d earned after publicly humiliating himself.

[System space permissions unlocked and activated.]

That was the only message he received—no explanation, no further details.

But it was enough to make his heart race.

System space?

What did that mean?

Anyone who had read web novels knew exactly what it meant.

It meant he now possessed a vast, potentially infinite storage dimension—one that could hold anything!

Just thinking about it sent his pulse skyrocketing.

He might not have firsthand experience, but he wasn’t clueless.

So, he picked up a small pebble, held it in his palm, and mentally commanded: Store in system space.

Just as he expected—

The pebble vanished instantly.

Su Cheng’s eyes widened in amazement, a grin spreading across his face.

Then, with another thought—

The pebble reappeared in his hand.

This sudden supernatural ability left him breathless with excitement, his heart pounding wildly.

He repeated the experiment dozens of times before finally forcing himself to calm down, regulating his breathing and steadying his pulse.

The process took about half an hour. Only when his heart rate returned to normal did he stop, fully aware that he couldn’t afford to overuse this power.

If he wasn’t careful, he could end up captured.

This world was dangerous—especially with powerful conglomerates lurking in the shadows.

"Can it store living things?"

"How big is the space?"

Curious, he placed a hand on the ground and willed the entire planet into his system space.

Nothing happened.

He couldn’t help but laugh at his own absurdity.

"Obviously not."

After that, he searched the area for any living creatures to test, but winter had left the surroundings barren—only cold winds and rustling plants remained.

"Plants?"

He grabbed a blade of grass and tried storing it.

No luck.

Then he plucked it and tried again.

This time, it worked.

The inability to store living things was disappointing, but Su Cheng quickly cheered up.

This was already more than he could’ve hoped for. He wouldn’t push his luck.

He continued wandering the campus.

Along the way, he passed several classmates—all of whom avoided him like the plague, as if even being seen near him would tarnish their reputations.

Su Cheng understood.

After all, he’d just suffered a massive social defeat.

If he were in their shoes, he’d probably steer clear of someone like himself too.

Still…

That didn’t mean he enjoyed being ostracized.

It was a mix of pain and relief.

Pain, because rejection hurt.

Relief, because isolation meant no more meaningless social obligations—no wasted time, energy, or money on hollow interactions.

What troubled him was the fear that these matters might spread to the welfare home, tarnishing its reputation or causing unnecessary worry among its staff. There were countless other concerns weighing on his mind as well.

As for being isolated?

It meant nothing to him.

In the past, he wouldn’t have dared to make such a bold claim, but now—

He was certain that not just the entire school, no—the entire county, even the entire Flame Country, would one day be awestruck by his existence.

He believed there were others like Gu Ruoxue out there, and as long as he could get into Flame City Private Academy, the world’s finest institution…

Because from what he knew,

the system had been triggered by Gu Ruoxue, and with school leaders accompanying her, her background was undoubtedly extraordinary.

And privileged peers like her—both domestically and internationally—were almost always enrolled at Flame City Private Academy!

Even before gaining the system, this had been his goal. Now, with the system, that ambition burned even fiercer.

But this wasn’t just for himself—it was for the welfare home. This pursuit transcended personal gain; it carried a far deeper significance.

Because it was the dream he had failed to fulfill in his past life.

He had always believed this was the very reason he had crossed over into this world.

If he could achieve it, what did dying one more time matter?

With these thoughts, his footsteps grew even more resolute.