The Coffin Bearer

[Brain Storage Area]

North City, Huaqing Academy.

This was a globally renowned academy for superpowered individuals. Even the currently famous President of the Superpower Association had graduated from this school. It was safe to say that as long as one could enter this academy, a boundlessly bright future was guaranteed.

Today was the day of Huaqing's annual freshman registration. What should have been an orderly scene was instead rippling with a faint commotion.

"Look, what is that guy carrying on his back?"

"Such a huge block of iron... no, wait! Is that a coffin?"

"This... I just hope he isn't in my class. Who carries a coffin around in broad daylight? It's too unlucky. Come on, let's stay away from him."

Chen Guan turned a deaf ear to the gossip around him. Tightening the straps on his shoulders, he handed his admission notice to a volunteer. After swiping his ID, he successfully entered the campus.

Because of this coffin, he had suffered endless criticism along the way. No taxi was even willing to pick him up; he had to walk here on foot all the way from the teleportation array.

As long as these people didn't come up and beat him up, a few whispered complaints meant nothing to him.

Fortunately, as a top-tier institution, Huaqing was highly inclusive and did not prohibit bringing a coffin into the school. Otherwise, Chen Guan really wouldn't have known what to do.

Inside the coffin was his true body, which was currently in a comatose state. The body he was using to move around right now was merely an avatar, and it couldn't leave his true body by more than a meter.

"Sigh."

Chen Guan sighed in exhaustion. Since there was a living person inside the coffin, he couldn't store it in a spatial ring. He could only suffer and carry it on his back.

Fortunately, the coffin was made of ten-thousand-year profound iron gifted by the system. Putting aside its other functions, the most important point for Chen Guan was that it was invulnerable to swords and spears!

This was a dangerous high-martial world where spiritual energy existed. With the protection of this coffin acting as a turtle shell, at least he didn't have to worry about being instantly shot full of holes during a fight.

Moreover, he didn't have to worry about being stabbed in the back. This turtle shell was incredibly sturdy.

"By the way, Sys, where is the protagonist right now?"

Sys quickly replied, "According to the timeline, the protagonist An Changqing should be going through the enrollment procedures with his childhood friend Su Yuehe. However, they are at the North Gate, while you, host, are at the South Gate."

Chen Guan: "..."

Why didn't you say so earlier?

Sys, completely unaware of its unhelpful hindsight, simply encouraged, "So start running, host!"

Stuck with such a scam of a Sys, what could Chen Guan do? He could only accept his fate and start sprinting wildly across the campus, ignoring the strange looks from the people around him.

The material of the coffin itself was extremely heavy. Fortunately, Sys was somewhat useful and gave him a minor cheat, allowing Chen Guan to carry the coffin with the strength of an ordinary person. Now, he was even running as if he were flying.

Youth has no price tag; the time to sprint is now!

After nearly an hour of running, Chen Guan finally reached the North Gate. He leaned against a wall, panting heavily. Luckily, the ordinary people of this world were on a completely different level compared to the ordinary people of his previous world.

Otherwise, with the physical fitness of a normal person from his past life, he would have dropped dead right here long ago.

As for why he was doing this, it was entirely to show his face in front of the audience.

Chen Guan had transmigrated into an anime, and he needed to gain popularity points in the world beyond the camera lens. 1,000 popularity points could be exchanged with Sys for 1 free attribute point, which he could use to grow stronger.

Aside from attribute points, the system shop had many good items, all of which required popularity points to redeem.

This was why Chen Guan was working himself half to death to cross the entire school on the very first day of classes.

The consequence of dragging a heavy profound iron coffin across the campus was that by the time Chen Guan finally arrived at the North Gate, the orientation spot had become sparse. Most of the freshmen had already completed their procedures and left.

His eyes anxiously swept across the empty plaza and the few remaining people, his heart skipping a beat.

"Sys, where are they?"

"Uh... according to the latest positioning, An Changqing and Su Yuehe finished all their procedures three minutes ago and were guided by a volunteer to the East District dormitories."

Chen Guan's vision went dark.

The East District dormitories!

That would require crossing more than half the campus again! Furthermore, having lost the natural plot setting of freshman registration, how could he, a stranger carrying a coffin, naturally show his face in front of the protagonist?

Was he supposed to chase them all the way to the dormitory building and shout, An Changqing, I'm your fan!?

That scene would be too beautiful to watch. He didn't know if he would gain any popularity points, but the probability of being treated as a pervert or a psycho was extremely high.

"Host, don't lose heart! Opportunities are always reserved for those who are prepared!"

"According to the analysis of the protagonist's movement path, there is an 87% chance they will pass through Lingyun Path on their way to the East District dormitories. That path is the main road connecting the teaching area with the living area. The environment is beautiful, and senior students often practice their abilities there. It's a great spot for a chance encounter."

"Chance encounter my foot!" Chen Guan roared inwardly. "Even if I head over there right now, it will take at least ten to twenty minutes. They'll have walked past it long ago!"

An Changqing wasn't a weakling like him. With his strength, his foot speed was much faster than Chen Guan's.

"But, Host," Sys's electronic voice carried a hint of eerie excitement, "you can take a shortcut! If you cross the Trial Forest ahead, you can save at least half the time."

"The Trial Forest is used by the academy to let freshmen experience wilderness environments. Although it's slightly dangerous, with your turtle... ahem, with the defensive power of the profound iron coffin, it shouldn't be a big problem!"

The Trial Forest? Chen Guan looked toward the lush woodland behind the side of the North Gate, from which faint beast roars could be heard. His mouth twitched. This was a place for the school to cultivate practical combat skills. Although students weren't forbidden from entering normally, it was a bit too dangerous for him.

This scam of a system really didn't take his physical stamina seriously at all. Sprinting wildly for half an hour with a coffin on his back, and now he had to brave some Trial Forest?

However, thinking of the popularity points, and thinking of all the good things in the system shop that could allow him to settle down safely in this dangerous world, Chen Guan gritted his teeth.

"Let's do this!"

He hesitated no longer. Adjusting his shoulder straps, he took a deep breath, took heavy strides, and charged in the direction of the Trial Forest.

The profound iron coffin let out muffled thuds with his running, causing the few remaining volunteers in the plaza and passing senior students to turn their heads.

"Look, that madman carrying a coffin is running again."

"Heading to the Trial Forest this time? Is he crazy? How is he supposed to move through the woods carrying that thing?"

"Maybe he belongs to the Special Element Department, and that coffin is the materialization of his ability?"

"What kind of normal person's materialized ability is a coffin... That's way too unlucky."

The murmurs of discussion were left behind by Chen Guan.

He dashed into the edge of the Trial Forest. Dense branches and leaves immediately obscured the sky, dimming the light. The air was filled with a peculiar scent of mixed vegetation and soil, faintly laced with a light metallic tang of blood, which was by no means a pleasant smell.