Chapter 4

At that moment, the gaze that had been focused solely on Qin Fenglin now split, half turning to Long Peng.

Being the center of attention—especially at Linyuan Academy—was like a poison to young people.

Seeing Qin Fenglin remain silent, Long Peng made no effort to restrain his aggressive impulse.

"I'll give you a chance," the red-haired youth said, extending his hand under the watchful eyes of the crowd. A flame erupted from his fingertips. "This is my Ability: Fire Control. Since you're a Special Ability Student, just demonstrate your Ability in front of everyone like this. If you're truly strong enough to make Linyuan Academy make an exception, then this matter will be dropped. Otherwise, don't blame us for reporting you to the teachers and transferring you to another class. We can't have you dragging us down!"

A heavy silence fell. No one dared to refute the red-haired youth's words.

Gu Huai nodded slightly, knowing that to turn the tide of opinion, Qin Fenglin would need to not only demonstrate his Ability but also showcase one so overwhelming it would silence everyone. Otherwise, it would be utterly useless to his situation.

Yet, his Ability, "One-Second Time Stop," was destined to be highly controversial.

Time Stop was powerful, but what about the "one-second" limitation?

What could you do in one second?

During the entrance exam, the admissions teachers who learned of this Ability fell into heated debate. Qin Fenglin's status as a Special Ability Student hung precariously until the last moment, only secured by an elder's final decision.

Although Gu Huai personally considered the Ability to be god-tier, he wasn't sure how the other students would react.

What should I do? Should I demonstrate it?

Under Gu Huai's gaze, Qin Fenglin remained silent for a moment before revealing a... provocatively challenging smile.

"Idiot. Special Ability Students are recruited for having rare Abilities, not for being strong! I only told the admissions teachers about my Ability, and I won't be demonstrating it to anyone else. If you want to transfer classes, apply yourself. Let's see who ends up leaving—me or you!"

The red-haired youth froze, and the classroom fell completely silent.

Gu Huai smiled.

Qin Fenglin's words were as arrogant as they could be, a brazen declaration that his Ability was special—so special that it had caught the attention of the admissions teachers and that the Academy would surely protect him!

After all, the key to winning an argument is momentum. With Qin Fenglin's bold declaration, the students' vague hostility diminished significantly, and many snapped out of their fantasies of being implicated.

They didn't believe Qin Fenglin could deceive the teachers of Linyuan Academy. So, if he truly possessed an Ability that had caught the Academy's eye, was it really necessary to question him so urgently?

Remember, Linyuan Academy had an extremely high attrition rate. Those without the necessary strength wouldn't last here!

Most students admitted to Linyuan Academy were intelligent.

Only Long Peng, trapped by his earlier words, flushed crimson, his face turning the color of a pig's liver.

"Hah! What shameless sophistry! The strength of an Ability is self-evident—I bet you're just afraid to show yours!"

He scanned the classroom with fierce intensity, as if searching for something.

Finally, his gaze landed on Gu Huai, his eyes lighting up. He strode over eagerly, raising his voice:

"Looks like our class's other Special Ability Student has arrived! Watch this carefully—I'll show you what a real Special Recruit looks like!"

Gu Huai: "......"

Huh? Me?

What does this have to do with me?

He'd just been watching the drama unfold when suddenly he became the center of the entire class's attention, and he froze in surprise.

And how did Long Peng know I'm a Special Recruit?

What Gu Huai didn't realize was that at a place like Linyuan Academy, there were never any shortage of sharp-witted individuals.

They'd already been collecting information on everyone during registration, and the moment school started, they'd meticulously identified each classmate.

Some even managed to dig up more sensitive details—like the fact that Class 3 had two Special Ability Students—which allowed them to confirm Gu Huai's identity.

...In truth, the moment Gu Huai walked into the classroom, most people had already paid a sliver of attention to him. They just hadn't dared to approach him, so Gu Huai hadn't noticed.

It was an indescribable aura.

On the God-Fall Continent, fifteen-year-olds were still students, the most mature among them still bearing the lingering innocence of youth.

But in the apocalyptic world of Blue Star, fifteen-year-old Gu Huai had already become a pillar of humanity.

His snow-white hair cascaded freely, and his amethyst eyes, as beautiful as gems, held a sharpness that dared no one to underestimate. His crisp white uniform and black gloves accentuated his tall, powerful frame, making him stand out like a bamboo stalk under the moon—graceful and otherworldly.

Every detail of his past experiences set him apart from the hothouse flowers who had yet to face the storms of life.

The red-haired youth approached him and extended his hand, his tone respectful:

"First time meeting, I'm Long Peng. That was quite a farce earlier. I never expected our class to have such a fraud—someone who would tarnish the reputation of Linyuan Academy's Special Recruits!"

The implication was clear: he had already assumed Gu Huai was a Special Ability Student.

Gu Huai: "......"

Gu Huai: "............"

It was too dramatic. Even Gu Huai almost burst out laughing.

How could Long Peng know that this was the real infiltrator? If he had asked Gu Huai those questions instead, he would have been in for a delightful surprise!

However, having already extended his hand, Gu Huai didn't like leaving people hanging. With a sigh, he removed his glove and shook Long Peng's hand, introducing himself.

"Gu Huai."

The crowd watched as the white-haired, purple-eyed youth briefly touched hands with Long Peng. Despite his cold, aloof appearance, Gu Huai's voice was surprisingly gentle, not at all the cold, distant tone they had expected.

Gu Huai.

The students of Class 3 burned this name into their minds.

Compared to the drab Qin Fenglin, Gu Huai was the kind of person who would immediately draw attention wherever he went. His presence made him a far more convincing Special Ability Student.

By proactively introducing himself, Gu Huai seemed to acknowledge Long Peng's words. Long Peng's smile could no longer be contained, and the class's balance subtly shifted in his favor.

Qin Fenglin pressed his lips together and instinctively reached for his side, only to find nothing familiar. It felt as if his foot had missed its landing, jolting him awake from a dream.

Qin Fenglin chuckled self-mockingly.

The sword his father had gifted him had already cracked during their escape, and it had finally shattered completely as he passed the entrance examination. All that remained were a few fragments. Qin Fenglin carefully stored these fragments in a silk pouch and hung it around his neck.

Perhaps it was his parents' final protection. At that moment, the sword that had accompanied him for decades could no longer be held in his hand to provide strength.

This guy who's just barely scraping by probably doesn't even have the face to ask his parents for their blessing.

Yet, his heart couldn't help but sink.

The moment he arrived at Linyuan Academy, he had prepared himself to face any challenge. He hadn't expected the battle to begin on day one...

The dejection passed in an instant. As someone who had endured hardships, Qin Fenglin quickly adjusted his mindset.

Yes, he's a Special Recruit. He's temporarily no match for his classmates, and he was utterly defeated in the entrance examination.

But Linyuan Academy recognized him!

The teachers at the Continent's Number One Ability Academy all believed he had the potential to catch up to the others. So why should Qin Fenglin feel insecure about how he got into the academy?

After all, this was the opportunity he had dreamed of countless times as a child! It was also his only hope of becoming a powerful figure and avenging his parents...

Therefore, no matter what trials he faced, he had to stay. He had to establish a firm foothold at Linyuan Academy, in this very class.

With this thought, he subconsciously glanced at Gu Huai.

Gu Huai was the most admirable peer he had ever met, like the bright moon in the sky. Even if Gu Huai might not even notice him, he still...

Qin Fenglin froze.

Gu Huai... was actually looking at him too.

Their gazes collided in mid-air for a moment. Qin Fenglin felt an inexplicable heat, as if he had been burned, and quickly averted his eyes. The next instant, a voice as melodious as flowing water reached his ears:

Gu Huai said, "I'm sorry, Long Peng. I agree that you were too rash. That classmate earlier was right: Abilities are indeed secrets that shouldn't be casually revealed. Even the teachers at Linyuan Academy wouldn't force students to demonstrate their Abilities in public."

"..."

This was actually directed at Qin Fenglin!

Long Peng's smile froze on his face, making him look rather comical.

Qin Fenglin had never expected things to turn out this way. He looked up, his eyelashes trembling slightly, his pupils widening. The furrow in his brow, which had been clouded with frustration, relaxed, revealing a hint of the youthful innocence unique to his age.

Gu Huai had his own plans.

This was a rare opportunity to temporarily silence the students' prying questions about Abilities, and he intended to seize it. After all, if he went along with Long Peng's argument, what if Long Peng later asked Gu Huai to demonstrate his own Ability?

Poor Long Peng, rebuffed by Qin Fenglin, now faced a soft but firm rejection from Gu Huai. His face burned with humiliation, but he forced himself to insist:

"This guy doesn't have any powerful Abilities! I saw him lose twice in the entrance exam!"

Gu Huai shook his head. "Some unique Abilities can't be judged by a single match. Perhaps this student has his own reasons for not demonstrating his Ability."

Qin Fenglin stared at him blankly, lost in thought.

Ding! The System activated. Detecting a rapid increase in the Children of Destiny's favorability towards you... Your words now hold increased credibility in his eyes!

Gu Huai: "......"

No need to announce it; he could see it clearly.

But... was it because he had just left home? Qin Fenglin's immaturity was far beyond Gu Huai's imagination.

It seemed his decision was correct. Arriving at Linyuan Academy early to awaken his Ability would be twice as effective.

"......"

Rebuffed again, Long Peng's face twitched slightly, the roots of his ears turning completely red.

He took a step back. Everyone thought he would give up, but instead, he turned and lunged straight at Qin Fenglin!

Flames engulfed his palm, distorting the air for a fleeting moment. Qin Fenglin, caught off guard, could only watch as Long Peng closed the distance and then—

Slammed him against the wall.

"...Ha." Dust cascaded down from the wall as Long Peng laughed. "Useless."

Qin Fenglin's hand clenched into a fist!

"I don't know how you snuck in here, but you're still a useless piece of trash. I'll be waiting for the day the Academy kicks you out..."

Qin Fenglin threw a punch, but Long Peng easily dodged it, cutting off his taunting mid-sentence.

Blood-red hues began to suffuse the depths of the youth's dark eyes.

This was too much!

—Qin Fenglin dared to fight back!

A twisted sense of satisfaction spread across Long Peng's face. To him, this was the perfect opportunity to salvage his pride:

"Come on! If you're not afraid of being humiliated, fight me! Let everyone see just how pathetic you really are!"

"......"

Qin Fenglin took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.

He could taste the metallic tang of blood.

In a direct confrontation, he couldn't defeat Long Peng.

But his Ability, Time Stop, was a god-tier skill in close combat! If he could seize the right moment, there was still a chance to turn the tables!

At that moment, Qin Fenglin's focus reached its peak. Even Long Peng felt a faint sense of danger when looking into his eyes, which only fueled his fury.

Just a defeated opponent...

He secretly intensified the flames in his hands, determined to crush Qin Fenglin so thoroughly that he would never be able to show his face at Linyuan Academy again!

The blazing flames gradually turned dark red, emitting a terrifying glow.

"...Not good." A blue-haired girl in the crowd murmured, "He's serious now. Someone find a teacher!"

She didn't expect any classmates to intervene. Long Peng moved with astonishing speed! And with those searing flames, this had already surpassed sparring—a problem beyond students' ability to handle!

One hit from that flame would leave Qin Fenglin either dead or severely injured!

No one had expected a simple argument to escalate to this point. Screams erupted in the classroom, and some of the more sensitive students even closed their eyes, unable to bear watching.

Qin Fenglin stared fixedly at Long Peng, until the fiery glow gradually filled his pupils. He secretly gathered power in his right hand.

He had only one second—

One second was enough to neutralize this man!

But just as he was about to unleash his Ability, someone grabbed his hand. The other person seemed to do nothing, yet effortlessly nullified his full-force strike.

"Wh..."

A cascade of snow-white hair drifted before Qin Fenglin's eyes, leaving him speechless.

Gu Huai stood in front of him, having already dodged the Ability's flames and seized Long Peng's arm.

Only Long Peng could truly understand what had just happened.

His vision blurred as if caught in an invisible undercurrent. A gentle yet irresistible force swept him sideways, throwing him off balance. He lost all control of his body.

The crowd watched in stunned silence as Long Peng and Qin Fenglin, who had been on the verge of exchanging blows, suddenly staggered apart as if their anchor had been pulled away.

Gu Huai stood between them, his clothes undisturbed, as if he had merely brushed aside two colliding leaves.

The chaotic classroom fell into absolute silence.

Only then did the Ability's flames slowly die down.

Long Peng glanced at his hand, then looked up in disbelief.

He saw Gu Huai shielding Qin Fenglin, his brow furrowed slightly. "Do you want to tear this place down?"