Self-cultivation of a Harem Protagonist, the Student Council President Strikes with Full Force

"A battle royale, man, can't you see? The Student Council President is facing off against the Young Master of the Shen family..."

"Hey, buddy, you look kinda familiar?"

Those few words successfully made Ye Cheng break out in a cold sweat. He didn't catch much else, but his super-powered brain keenly picked up two key phrases from the sentence: 'Council President' and 'Young Lady'...

And also... 'battle royale'.

Battle royale?

What battle royale? This isn't a battle royale, it's a slaughterhouse!

In a daze, Ye Cheng seemed to see a vision of himself being chopped into mincemeat. Having squeezed his way to the very front, Ye Cheng had finally gotten his wish to witness the freshest gossip firsthand.

Good news: first-hand, piping-hot gossip. Bad news: he seemed to be the gossip.

nO!!! (Emits a sharp, gopher-like scream!)

Before Ye Cheng's cerebrum could even react, his cerebellum had already taken over the account. Once again, it transformed into the slumbering crimson beast within his body, seizing control and initiating a breakout, pushing towards the outside.

Just as eagerly as he had squeezed in, he now scrambled out with equal desperation. Move, you useless legs! Put some strength into it! Did you not eat or something?!

Ye Cheng was so desperate he'd even slap himself, trying to muster some motivation. If he didn't run now, he really wouldn't get another chance. Individually, neither the Young Lady nor the Council President was easy to deal with, and now they had gathered together in the same place.

There wasn't even a sliver of room to maneuver. Last time, during that initial battle royale... no, wait, slaughterhouse, in Dongfang Zhixia's office, he had already been unable to handle it. Now, with so many people watching, it had undergone a forced upgrade.

How could he possibly withstand this? This wasn't just about being beaten into bear biscuits anymore.

Last time, when the Council President had been slighted, the consequences were already severe enough, and that was in front of an outsider. But now... the entire hallway was densely packed with these damned onlookers. Super double!

Ye Cheng cursed these gossip-mongers inwardly, accusing them of having no sense of morality. Don't you know this is a public area? Class is about to start! What if you disturb the good students who love to study? Won't your consciences ache?!

Ye Cheng was a typical hypocrite. When he was the one enjoying the gossip, he was all smiles, fearing the drama wasn't big enough and the explanations came too quickly. But when it was his turn, he couldn't laugh anymore.

Hehe... not hehe-ing.

F!!!

Use some strength, you useless legs!!!

Ye Cheng's legs began to exert force, charging towards the outermost ring of the crowd. Unfortunately, the enthusiasm of the onlookers was simply too high; they were still pushing inward, not giving Ye Cheng any chance to take back a move in chess.

Darn it. If that's how it is, then don't blame me!

Ye Cheng's eyes quickly scanned the surroundings, finally locking onto a fire safety notice board on the wall—a decent-sized protrusion. He made a quick estimate of the distance and his own explosive power... Doable!

Not only could he reach it, but he'd even have some strength to spare. Escaping this "slaughterhouse" encircled by the onlookers would be a piece of cake.

Ye Cheng once again transformed into the Crooked-Smirk Dragon King, flashing a mysteriously charming smile. He took a slight step back into a preparatory stance, his body's muscles tensing up.

Watch closely, I'll only perform this once!

[True Secret Technique: Maddened Bullfrog!!!]

Jump!!!

Ye Cheng launched himself like a catapult, transforming into a lonely, lonely fish... no, wait, a maddened bullfrog!

His terrifying leaping ability was on full display, tracing an elegant arc through the air. Ye Cheng's super-powered brain lived up to its name; everything proceeded perfectly as he had predicted, without the slightest error.

Everything was going smoothly. Next, he just needed to kick off the wall once, use the rebound, and simply cosplay as Spider-Man leaping down from the wall. Easy peasy...

If... no unexpected incidents occurred, Ye Cheng should have successfully survived this ordeal relying on his super-powered brain and his near-superhuman physique.

But you never know which will arrive first, tomorrow or the accident.

The entire process of Ye Cheng conceiving and executing this escape plan took only a few seconds. A few seconds for Ye Cheng to leap onto the fire safety protrusion, and a few seconds for the onlooker who had been standing next to Ye Cheng—the one who had explained the situation and then realized Ye Cheng seemed to be the male lead—to finally react.

And then...

Let out a shocked scream!

"Holy crap, the male lead is right here!!!"

Instantly, the voice caused the noisy, large-scale gossip scene to fall silent. Everyone swiveled their heads in unison towards the direction of the speaker, eagerly wanting to see how the male lead would meet his demise!

As they looked up, they saw Ye Cheng hanging on the wall, cosplaying as the "Lone Climber." For a moment, all gazes converged on Ye Cheng, this maddened bullfrog.

Just... hanging there.

The scene became inexplicably eerie, as if they were seeing countless onlookers holding bowls, transformed into gophers, curiously staring at Ye Cheng. Ye Cheng, who had originally planned to kick off the wall and jump away, was now stuck in mid-action, subjected to the collective stare of countless gophers... no, countless onlookers.

Ye Cheng: "..."

As luck would have it, hearing the commotion, the Young Lady also turned her head to look in Ye Cheng's direction.

With just one glance, the Young Lady spotted Ye Cheng in the crowd. It wasn't that her eyesight was exceptionally good—with several hundred people... even the best eyesight wouldn't suffice.

It was mainly because everyone else was standing on the ground, while Ye Cheng was the only one hanging on the wall. It was impossible not to notice him.

The Young Lady looked at Ye Cheng with a calm expression. "What are you doing?"

Ye Cheng: "..."

Would you believe me if I said I was cosplaying Spider-Man?

Believe that? Not a chance. If he said that, the Young Lady would probably just kick him off the wall right now with one iiO (a sound effect for a kick). He needed to come up with another excuse. Ye Cheng's cerebellum logged off, his super-powered brain came online, and began operating at full capacity.

The Brain: Fuel exhausted. Just wait for death.

Ye Cheng: ...

The Cerebellum: So it seems, it's time for the Azure Beast within this body to make its appearance once more?

The brain stopped thinking, the cerebellum took over the thinking!

In this certain-death situation, no matter what he said would be wrong. Might as well...

"Well, you see, I noticed it's pretty trendy lately to climb snowy mountains with some music playing in the background. I was thinking of making a low-budget version. I'd add some music later, maybe go viral online, get discovered by a talent agent, and then start..."

"Get down here." The Young Lady's cool voice cut through Ye Cheng's nonsensical ramblings, speaking with utter calm.

"Oh, okay."

Ye Cheng very nimbly prepared to roll down. He glanced down at the mass of onlookers below, who looked like curious babies, and fell silent. This... there seemed to be no place to put his feet?

Silently, Ye Cheng pushed off against the wall with one foot. Under the crowd's incredulous, utterly shocked expressions—as if they'd seen a ghost—he successfully jumped down, landing precisely and accurately back into the very circle from which he had launched himself.

Hmm... that's right, within the coverage of the young lady's innate "Conqueror's Haki."

"What are you holding in your hand?" The young lady looked at Ye Cheng suspiciously. She didn't inquire about his utterly outrageous behavior just now, seemingly already accustomed to Ye Cheng stirring up trouble every other day.

It had become commonplace. If Ye Cheng were well-behaved all day long, the young lady would start worrying if something was wrong with him. Him causing a bit of trouble now and then at least proved that idiot hadn't been swapped out.

What normal person could pull off something like what Ye Cheng did?

A normal person, hanging up there being watched by a huge crowd of onlookers, would have already died of social embarrassment, wishing they could find a hole to bury themselves in. Of course, dying on the spot wouldn't be bad either. Some people are alive, but they're already dead...

As for Ye Cheng... not a damn thing wrong!

Not just Ye Cheng, but the young lady, as one of the parties involved, was also completely unfazed. Their calm attitudes were almost inhuman. People around were already starting to ship the two of them.

The mafia princess and her brain-damaged underling... hmm, good to look at, love to see it, hehe.

Many girls around had already taken out their phones to take commemorative photos. Without a doubt, today would likely be the top trending topic on the school's confession wall again, possibly even overshadowing the voting event's popularity.

"In my hand? I don't have anything in my hand?" Ye Cheng wore a "confused" expression and extended his left hand.

"I meant the other one." Shen Qinghan narrowed her eyes, her tone still calm. If it were anyone else, they would have cracked under the pressure and confessed honestly, but... who is Ye Cheng? The Double Flower Red Pole from the Dahai City Orphanage! Hang in there, little leaf, don't lose face!!!

Ye Cheng silently retracted his empty, outstretched left hand, put it behind his back, took the flower he was holding in his right hand, and then finally extended his right hand.

"See, young lady, I told you there was nothing."

Shen Qinghan: "..."

The surrounding crowd: "..."

Damn, bro, you're really something else. Even at this point, you're still trying to tough it out?

Not bad. I'll burn you some offerings during the New Year. And... next life, be careful not to be so stubborn.

Sighs came from the crowd. Although Ye Cheng had already "made a name for himself" during the freshman orientation ceremony, many people were too far away then, and it happened so suddenly. Before many could even react, Ye Cheng had already made the Student Council President experience "the treachery of human nature" and slipped away.

It was just word of mouth that such an incredible "talent" had arrived at the school, supposedly not quite right in the head. But because Ye Cheng is good-looking, many girls staunchly defended him, explaining it away as an advanced form of expressing affection.

Hmm...

How to put it? This world is just one giant looks-based game. Try it with someone else, I guarantee they'd be chopped into mincemeat before even making it out the door.

This world has never been absolutely fair. Even though Ye Cheng is this outrageous, so inhuman, there are still people standing up to defend his outrageous behavior, spontaneously forming a protective circle... that's the terror of fandom culture.

If there's food, eat it; looks are justice. Our brother is so handsome, how could he possibly be wrong? It's all your fault, it's all...

This situation will settle down after school starts, bro. I can only protect you until Friday.

Previously, Ye Cheng's outrageousness and abnormality were just one-sided accounts on the forum. Now, seeing Ye Cheng in person, they realized... the descriptions online were too conservative. You call this behavior "slightly odd"?

Anyone who didn't know better would think Ye Cheng was an alien come to invade Earth...

Ye Cheng's behavior is even more bizarre than the online descriptions. Similarly, Ye Cheng's looks and charisma have a stronger impact than the pictures and videos circulating online.

A large circle of female classmates couldn't take their eyes off Ye Cheng from the first glance.

Some lucky girls who happened to be standing below Ye Cheng earlier saw his exceptional muscle definition and almost couldn't hold back their screams...

It's the same old saying: when you wonder why Ye Cheng, being so outrageous, isn't universally disliked, ostracized, or excluded, just take a look at his character model.

After seeing Ye Cheng's model, you'll find your own strength greatly increased. Although you might not dare to completely replicate my brother Cheng's achievements, you can still shout... my sword is also not dull!!!

Then some curious classmates ask, Bro, Bro, are there any strategies that rely even less on having a good model?

Yes, child, yes. The method is simple: just double-tap your temples to reboot...

It's not wrong for the girls to want to scream and fawn. Many even developed a "kind-hearted" desire to "help" Ye Cheng, after all, he probably has something going on at home—a gambling father, a sick mother, younger siblings in school, or the like.

If I don't help him, who will? (Ugly ones dare to come, and they'll be beaten up on the spot.)

Wanting to help Ye Cheng is one thing... but the women around, upon seeing the young lady nearby, instantly had clarity in their eyes, and the greed vanished.

Better just look, feasting their eyes is enough... They're still so young, no need to snatch food from a tiger's mouth. The young lady's side is even more dangerous than that.

Besides... you think it's just the young lady? There's another one in the classroom who hasn't come over yet.

If you don't want to be expelled tomorrow for stepping into the classroom with your left foot first, followed immediately by your family's company facing an economic crisis... you'd better behave.

"Both hands." Shen Qinghan looked at Ye Cheng calmly and spoke.

Then... Ye Cheng extended both his hands.

Hmm, still nothing.

"See, young lady, I told you there wasn't. You still didn't believe me, hahaha, you're so mischievous. Don't do this next time, okay? Uh, looks like class is about to start, we should head back."

Ye Cheng made a silly, exaggerated face and threw a wink towards the young lady.

Shen Qinghan narrowed her eyes. This time she didn't speak, but moved, walking towards Ye Cheng's back, wanting to see what exactly he was hiding.

From the very beginning, when Ye Cheng was hanging on the wall, he had been hiding the flower behind his back the whole time.

Ye Cheng had a premonition that this bouquet would cause no small amount of trouble. Damn it, don't underestimate the bond between him and "The Tears of the Poor"!!!

The young lady walked, and Ye Cheng turned. The two maintained the same speed, stalemated for about half a minute. The young lady simply couldn't see Ye Cheng's back.

Shen Qinghan: "..."

Silently, the young lady raised her black, high-end little leather shoe and stomped it onto Ye Cheng's foot, pinning him in place.

Ye Cheng: "..."

Young lady, I find you to be a particularly stubborn person.

Ye Cheng's body stiffened. A victorious smile curled at the corner of the young lady's lips. She finally saw Ye Cheng's back... still nothing.

Shen Qinghan: "???"

How is this possible!

The young lady's beautiful eyes widened in surprise, a look of astonishment flashing within them. She seemed to realize something, first pretending to ponder, then... she abruptly looked up at Ye Cheng's hands, held high, clutching the flowers!

The flowers... were in Ye Cheng's hands!

Flowers?

Shen Qinghan was momentarily stunned, not understanding why he had to be so secretive about this. Couldn't he just give them to her directly?

What is this idiot doing now?

A hint of helplessness appeared in Shen Qinghan's eyes. She straightened her posture and reached out to grab the bouquet wrapped in newspaper from Ye Cheng's hands.

Just as her fingers were about to touch it, another hand was quicker, snatching the flowers from Ye Cheng's grasp!

The faint, inexplicable smile on the young lady's face vanished, replaced by a stiff expression. From behind her... came a familiar voice.

"Hmm... how thoughtful of you, darling. I really like the flowers you gave me!"

Dongfang Zhixia gently sniffed the flowers in her hand, her voice tinged with a strange sense of triumph. At the same time... she "casually" glanced at the young lady standing nearby, as if showing off?