Chen Zhi put on his shoes and stomped hard on the ground a couple of times.
The hard sensation on the soles of his feet completely disappeared, replaced by a soft, bouncy feeling like stepping on clouds. The 420-millimeter extra-long night-use pad truly lived up to its reputation. It had the perfect thickness and excellent wrapping, perfectly filling the gap between the sole of the cheap rubber shoe and the bottom of his foot.
He nodded in satisfaction.
Just then, hurried footsteps came from the classroom door.
Zhu Jianming ran back, sweating profusely, tightly gripping a carton of fresh milk that still had water droplets clinging to it.
He spotted Chen Zhi in the crowd at a glance and hurriedly pulled him to a quiet corner of the corridor.
"Brother, I didn't let you down!"
Zhu Jianming stuffed the carton of chilled fresh milk into Chen Zhi's hand and lowered his voice.
"There were so many people at the tuck shop this morning. It was really hard to buy. It's truly pasteurized milk with only a seven-day shelf life, and it's cold too."
Chen Zhi raised an eyebrow, his fingertips touching the cold condensation on the milk carton.
This guy was really an honest person.
"I'm leaving it to you, brother." Zhu Jianming looked sincere, clasping his hands together in a begging gesture. "I'll bring you a bottle too in the future, as a service fee."
Chen Zhi unceremoniously pocketed the milk and reached out to pat Zhu Jianming's shoulder, wearing an expression that said the organization trusted him.
"No problem, leave it to me. As long as I'm here, your feelings will definitely be conveyed."
As for the method of conveyance—and whose stomach it would end up in—that was another matter entirely.
Having received this guarantee, Zhu Jianming's face immediately bloomed into a smile. He walked away, looking back every few steps, as if he could already see his goddess's touched smile after drinking the milk.
Only after confirming that Zhu Jianming had completely disappeared around the corner of the stairs did Chen Zhi slowly stroll back to the classroom.
He sat in his seat, skillfully unwrapped the straw, and pierced the seal with a pop.
The cold, rich milk flowed through the straw into his mouth.
He had to admit, fresh milk really did taste a bit better than regular milk.
"Slurp—"
As Chen Zhi was happily slurping away, a cold snort suddenly came from beside him.
Lin Wanwan had turned around at some point. Her beautiful almond eyes were slightly narrowed, and her gaze circled the milk carton in Chen Zhi's hand. Her tone was sour.
"Oh my, school has barely started, and some girl is already giving Mr. Class Monitor fresh milk?"
She deliberately emphasized the word "girl," her small mouth pouting slightly.
Just now, she had seen Chen Zhi sneaking around in the corridor, meeting up with someone, and coming back with a carton of milk in his hand.
It had only been a few days. Wasn't this guy's luck with women a bit too strong?
Chen Zhi, holding the straw in his mouth, mumbled a reply.
"Don't get jealous over nothing."
Lin Wanwan's face flushed red, and like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, she instantly bristled.
"Who's jealous! I'm just afraid you'll get an upset stomach and end up pooping your pants during military training, embarrassing our class!"
Chen Zhi waved the milk carton in front of her, smiling faintly.
"This isn't for me; it's for you."
Lin Wanwan froze for a moment, looking at him suspiciously.
"For me? Who?"
"Who else could it be? The guy who gave you the Zhenguoli yesterday," Chen Zhi shrugged. "He heard you don't like sweet things, so he specifically went and bought fresh milk. But I figured since you don't know him anyway, you definitely wouldn't accept it. So, to avoid wasting food, I reluctantly helped you take care of it."
He spoke with absolute self-righteousness, as if he had done some incredibly selfless good deed.
Lin Wanwan was so angry at his twisted logic that she laughed.
"So you drink my milk, and I have to thank you for it?"
"That won't be necessary," Chen Zhi took a huge gulp, crushed the empty carton, and casually tossed it into the trash can in the back row. "With our relationship, there's no need for that. Next time I'll have him buy two cartons, one for each of us."
"You're so thick-skinned."
Lin Wanwan rolled her eyes dramatically and turned back around, ignoring him. However, the tight corners of her mouth quietly relaxed.
Since it was from someone else, it was fine.
As long as it wasn't some little girl Chen Zhi had flirted with himself, it didn't matter.
...
At eight o'clock in the morning, the scorching sun hung high in the sky above the sports field.
A sharp whistle pierced the tranquility of the campus, officially kicking off the military training for the first-year junior high students.
Instructor Tang, who struck terror into the hearts of all the freshmen, made his appearance once again.
He stood tall and straight, pacing back and forth in front of the formation with his hands behind his back.
"Attention, everyone! Stand straight!"
"At ease!"
"Attention!"
"Stand in military posture for half an hour! If anyone dares to move, the whole class will get an extra ten minutes of training!"
Instructor Tang's voice echoed over the square formation.
For these students, who were usually pampered and spoiled, the first day of military training was simply hell.
The September sun was still fierce, mercilessly scorching the earth without any shade.
Within ten minutes, a commotion began to stir in the ranks.
Sweat dripped down their foreheads into their eyes, stinging and burning, but no one dared to reach up and wipe it away.
The worst part was their feet.
The rubber shoes issued by the school had thin, hard soles; wearing them was no different from being barefoot.
Many people began to quietly shift their weight, trying to alleviate the soreness in the soles of their feet.
Li Jiahao, standing next to Chen Zhi, had turned green in the face.
Damn it, what kind of crappy shoes are these!
Li Jiahao gritted his teeth, the cold sweat on his forehead outnumbering the hot sweat.
He secretly glanced at Chen Zhi out of the corner of his eye, hoping to see an equally pained expression on the other boy's face to gain a little psychological comfort.
However, he was disappointed.
Chen Zhi stood perfectly straight, his posture as upright as a pine tree. His face was calm and breezy, and he even had the leisure to stare blankly at the distant clouds.
With that relaxed and comfortable appearance, anyone who didn't know better would think he was vacationing in Hawaii rather than undergoing military training.
How is that possible?
Li Jiahao roared wildly in his heart.
Are this guy's feet made of iron? Doesn't he feel pain?
It wasn't just Chen Zhi; Lin Wanwan in the front row and Li Zhiyi beside him also looked completely relaxed.
Although the two girls looked delicate, they stood steadier than anyone else under the scorching sun.
Lin Wanwan even had the energy to secretly turn around and make a funny face at Chen Zhi when the instructor's back was turned.
Li Zhiyi simply stood quietly, her expression tranquil.
These three were simply anomalies in the formation.
"That boy! What are you looking at! I'm talking to you!"
Instructor Tang's sharp gaze pierced right through Li Jiahao.
"Why are you moving around! Step out! Twenty squats!"
Li Jiahao looked as if he had been struck by lightning. Under the sympathetic gazes of his classmates, he grimaced and shuffled out of the ranks.
...
The long day finally came to an end.
When the whistle for dismissal blew, a chorus of wails and howls erupted across the entire sports field.
The students of Class Three, Grade One, were like defeated soldiers just retreating from the battlefield, each dragging their heavy legs back to the classroom.
The air was thick with the strong smell of sweat and the rubber scent of the cheap shoes.
"I can't take it anymore... my feet are ruined..."
As soon as he entered the classroom, Li Zihan threw his backpack onto his desk and collapsed into his chair like a puddle of mud.
He bent over in pain, wanting to untie his shoelaces, only to find his fingers trembling so much that he couldn't muster any strength.
"Are these soles made of steel plates? I feel like the bottoms of my feet are going to wear through."
The surrounding classmates echoed his sentiments, and complaints rose one after another.
"The skin on my heels is completely rubbed raw. It hurts so much."
We have to stand for another whole day tomorrow. I can't live like this.
Amidst the gloomy atmosphere, Chen Zhi seemed completely out of place.
He walked to his seat looking refreshed and briskly packed his backpack.
Li Zihan lay sprawled on his desk, his head tilted, looking at Chen Zhi as if he were looking at a monster.
Brother Zhi... you're my own brother... Li Zihan groaned weakly. Do your feet not hurt at all? You look like nothing happened. Are we even wearing the same kind of shoes?
Chen Zhi stuffed his textbook into his backpack, zipped it up, and glanced back at him.
Heh, I told you to wake up early and go jogging with me, but you insisted on sleeping in.
He patted Li Zihan on the shoulder and began to bluff him with earnest words.
This is the difference in physical fitness, understand? With a strong core, your standing posture is stable, and the pressure on the soles of your feet is evenly distributed. A weakling like you naturally can't handle it.
Li Zihan was dumbfounded by his words for a moment, but quickly realized something.
Wait a minute.
What does good physical stamina have to do with whether the soles of your feet hurt or not?
Even if Mike Tyson came and stood on bricks all day, his feet would still hurt!
This isn't a stamina issue! Li Zihan struggled to sit up straight, pointing at his red and swollen heels. These shoes aren't meant for humans! Unless you've grown calluses on the bottom of your feet!
Suddenly, as if discovering a blind spot, his gaze swept over Lin Wanwan and Li Zhiyi, who had already packed their things and were getting ready to leave.
Lin Wanwan was chatting and laughing with Li Zhiyi. Her steps were light, showing absolutely no signs of limping.
The whole class was wailing in agony, except for these three, who seemed to have turned on an invincibility cheat code.
No way!
Li Zihan's eyes suddenly widened, his suspicious gaze darting back and forth across Chen Zhi's face.
How come you, Lin Wanwan, and the others are completely fine? The whole class's feet are almost rubbed raw with blisters, and even the sports representative was limping just now.
The more he thought about it, the more he felt something was wrong. He leaned in close to Chen Zhi, lowered his voice, and asked with a mysterious look on his face:
Brother Zhi, are you hiding some good stuff from me again? Do you have some secret technique?
Chen Zhi paused his movements.
He looked at Li Zihan's large face, which was written all over with a thirst for knowledge, and chuckled inwardly.
This guy was usually slow on the uptake, but his intuition was surprisingly accurate at times like this.
However, if he revealed this secret technique, he was afraid that tomorrow, all the boys in the class would have sanitary pads stuffed in their shoes.
The image was too beautiful; he dared not think about it.
Besides, this was a little secret between him and his two childhood friends. How could he easily spread it to outsiders?
Get lost.
Chen Zhi spat out the concise words, slung his backpack over one shoulder, and completely ignored Li Zihan's pestering.
Hey? Brother Zhi, don't go! Give me a hint!
Unwilling to give up, Li Zihan tried to reach out and pull Chen Zhi, but because his legs were weak, he almost planted his face into the ground.
Without looking back, Chen Zhi waved his hand and strode out of the classroom.
The afterglow of the setting sun spilled into the corridor, stretching his shadow long.
Inside the classroom, Li Jiahao saw Chen Zhi's dashing retreating figure.
Damn it... this guy is definitely faking it!
Li Jiahao cursed indignantly, but he couldn't hide the deep sense of frustration in his eyes.
Why was this guy able to show off even when just standing in a military posture?
He didn't understand, but he was greatly shocked.
Chen Zhi walked out of the teaching building and took a deep breath of the cool evening air.
At the school gate, Lin Wanwan and Li Zhiyi were waiting for him, pushing their bicycles.
Seeing him come out, Lin Wanwan raised an eyebrow and pointed at her feet.
Hey, Chen Zhi, that magical artifact of yours really works. I'm not tired at all today.
Li Zhiyi nodded along, her small face full of admiration.
Mhm, it's soft and very comfortable.
Chen Zhi walked over, straddled his bicycle, and smiled at the two of them with raised eyebrows.
Of course, just look at who came up with the idea.
Alright, stop showing off. Lin Wanwan rolled her eyes at him, but she couldn't hide the smile at the corners of her mouth. To reward you, I'll treat you to grilled sausages tonight. All you can eat!
Two?
One! Take it or leave it!
The youths' laughter, accompanied by the ringing of bicycle bells, gradually faded away into the evening breeze.

【Prologue: The Beginning of It All – Use holy water to heal the saintess tainted by demonic energy, then converse with her.】 Shen Nian stared at his older sister sipping yogurt, lost in thought. So you’re telling me my sister is the saintess, and yogurt is the holy water? 【Main Quest 1: Brave Youth, Become an Adventurer! Reward: Rookie Adventurer Title.】 【Side Quest 1: Find the Adorable Kitty! Reward: 1000 Gold Coins.】 Shen Nian: "Wait, I’m a high school senior here—did some guy who got isekai’d accidentally bind his system to me?" Hold on, completing quests gives gold rewards? Titles even boost stats? Is this for real? (A lighthearted, absurd campus comedy—not a revenge power fantasy.)

shall grant"] ["Inscribing the glory of our race upon tombstones"] ["All that is threatened, I shall protect"] How his younger sister sees her brother: A brother who only makes eye contact once a day, mostly fading into the background as he tinkers with who-knows-what in his room all day. Their life paths should have remained largely separate. Until one day. Su Qi created an equipment card for his never-met "online girlfriend." His sister fell into silent contemplation upon receiving the "white stockings." [Card can be upgraded] [Upgrade by fulfilling any of the following conditions] [Condition ①: Consume one hundred higher-tier cards] [Condition ②: Complete one 'Heart-Pounding Adventure'] What constitutes a Heart-Pounding Adventure? [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Beginner Level): Equip the card and invite 'Su Qi' to admire it.] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Easy Level): Equip the card, invite 'Su Qi' to touch it, and analyze the equipment's texture.] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Entry Level): Equip the card and invite 'Su Qi' to...] [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Challenge Level): Freely combine the words 'Brother' 'Out' 'Brother' 'Me' 'Please' into a complete sentence...] "Please help me analyze both teams' mistakes in this match, brother..." His sister exhaled in relief—surely... surely there couldn't be anything more difficult? [Heart-Pounding Adventure (Suicide Mission Level): Sneak a peek at the names of the galgames in 'Su Qi's' hidden E-drive folder]

iemie, male, Race: Moon. Hobby: Collecting anomalies. At first, he thought he possessed two systems: the Crimson Rainbow Moon and the Clear Cold Frost Moon. One day, he discovered that he himself could also become a system for others, holding the chessboard of fate. The Eighth Epoch, also known as the Eternal Moon Epoch. Humans, witches, elves, bloodline descendants, specters, demons, and spirits together compose a new history. Walking the path on behalf of the moon, before he knew it, Chen Miemie's footsteps were followed by all manner of strange and wondrous anomalies. As time passed, many titles circulated about him—The King in Yellow, Lord of Anomalies, Heart of the Eternal Moon, and more. "Me? I'm just a traveler who enjoys collecting interesting creatures," Chen Miemie said.

transmigrates into the world as the sect master of the Heavenly Yan Sect, which is on the verge of being wiped out. He binds a system that grants him cultivation power based on the number of disciples he has: for each disciple, he automatically gains a year's worth of cultivation every single day! Take one disciple: every day he gains 1 year of cultivation power. While others struggle through a year of bitter training, he gets the same just by sleeping through a single night. Take ten disciples: every day he gains 10 years of cultivation power. Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Nascent Soul—he breezes through all bottlenecks without lifting a finger. Take one hundred disciples: every day he gains 100 years of cultivation power. Even a Soul Transformation Venerable before him can’t survive a single blow. Take ten thousand disciples: every day he gains 10,000 years of cultivation power! With a wave of his hand, he topples empires. With a single step, he crushes the sacred grounds of the universe. ... While others fight tooth and nail for secret techniques, Lin Yan casually hands out Nascent Soul-level cultivation manuals as beginner textbooks. While others strain to find talented recruits, Lin Yan opens his doors to anyone—so long as they’re human. In just three short years, the Heavenly Yan Sect went from a backwater sect made up of three crumbling huts to a sacred land that every cultivator under heaven would kill to enter. ... One day, otherworldly demon gods invade, with a million demon soldiers pressing down upon the realm. Lin Yan, yawning, rises from his lounge chair and glances at the system panel: [Current Disciples: 1.28 million] [Daily Cultivation Increase: 1.28 million years] He waves his hand casually, and the countless demon soldiers are reduced to ashes in an instant. “So noisy… interrupting my fishing.”