40: Shocking news at the academy! Are all the freshmen traitors?

Tianqiong War God Academy, top floor of the main administrative building.

This was the academy's center of power, the Dean's office.

Huge floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked the magnificent scenery of the entire floating island; a sea of clouds surged beneath, and golden sunlight spilled onto the black walnut desk.

However, the atmosphere inside the office at this moment was even lower than the air pressure outside.

One could even say it was eerily solemn, as if those inside were questioning their very existence.

An elderly man with white hair and a white beard, wearing a grey Tang suit, sat in a wide leather chair, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the desk.

He was the Dean of War God Academy, Zhuge Qing—a living fossil-level figure who was said to have lived for two hundred years and witnessed the entire process of the Spiritual Qi recovery.

In front of him stood a row of department heads and high-level officials from the disciplinary office, who usually carried themselves with great prestige.

At this moment, these people were all hanging their heads, looking very much like Elementary school students who had made a mistake and were being lectured.

"Who can explain this to me?"

Zhuge Qing's voice was very soft, yet it carried an unquestionable authority. "It's only been two days since school started. Only two days!"

He casually grabbed a stack of reports from the desk and slammed them down in front of everyone.

"Why is our loss report thicker than the one from last year's minor beast tide attack?"

The Dean of Discipline wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, tremblingly picked up the report, and swallowed hard.

"Dean, actually... it's mainly equipment wear and tear and... mental distress compensation."

"Read it." Zhuge Qing closed his eyes, rubbing his throbbing temples.

The Dean of Discipline took a deep breath, opened the report, and read in a dry voice:

"Incident 1: Freshman Entrance Talent Test. The 'Extraterrestrial Meteoric Iron Testing Stele,' which has stood firm since the school's founding and is claimed to be unbreakable even by nuclear bombs, was touched by special recruit Gu Fan... Not only did it soften and deform on the spot, it also learned how to give the freshmen a thumbs-up, and subsequently beat up the third-year senior responsible for the testing."

"Currently, the testing stele is suspected to have developed self-awareness and is in a state of extreme depression, refusing to be touched by anyone. The logistics department suggests hiring a psychologist to provide counseling for the rock, or... simply melting it down to start over."

Zhuge Qing's mouth twitched. "Psychological counseling for a rock? Fine, very good. Continue."

The Dean of Discipline's hand shook as he continued to flip the page:

"Incident 2: Compulsory Theory Class. Instructor Lei Hu, head of the Martial Arts Department, attempted to throw a piece of chalk at student Gu Fan in class. As a result, he encountered an unknown force field rebound; the chalk accurately hit Instructor Lei's mouth at three times the speed of sound, causing soft tissue contusions and respiratory dust infection. According to students on the scene, Instructor Lei seemed to find it quite delicious."

Standing in the corner, Lei Hu was currently wearing a mask. Hearing this, he was so ashamed and angry that he wished he could find a hole to crawl into, letting out a series of violent coughs.

"Incident 3: Gravity Training Hall. Senior Instructor Tie Shan, while performing a pressure test on Gu Fan, violated regulations by turning on ten times gravity. Consequently... the gravity System underwent a bizarre reversal. Gu Fan enjoyed weightless floating inside the chamber, while Instructor Tie Shan suffered heavy pressure outside the chamber, performing a full prostration ceremony in public for five minutes."

"Instructor Tie Shan is currently receiving orthopedic treatment at the school hospital and has stated that if Gu Fan ever comes to class again, he will apply for a transfer to clean toilets."

By the time the Dean of Discipline read to this point, his voice had begun to tremble.

But he had to continue to the last page, which was a fresh and hot 'tragedy' that had just happened this afternoon.

"Incident 4: Martial Arts Stage Sparring. Wang Meng, Vice President of the Martial Arts Club, challenged Gu Fan on behalf of Liu Ruyan. During the ten-minute duel, Gu Fan sat on a small stool cracking melon seeds the entire time without moving an inch. Meanwhile, Wang Meng... completed a series of high-difficulty self-harming actions such as 'slapping his own face,' 'kicking his own leg,' and 'banging his own head against a pillar.'"

"Ultimately, Wang Meng's Dao Heart shattered; he wept bitterly in public and called out for his mother. He has now withdrawn from school to recover at home."

"As for student Liu Ruyan... because of that 'Earth-shattering' confession in the square, she has currently applied for a leave of absence from the academy. It is said she bought a spaceship ticket to the Mars Base overnight and does not plan to return to Earth anytime soon."

After reading the last line, the entire office fell into a long silence.

Only the air conditioning vent was whirring, as if mocking this group of dumbfounded elites of the educational world.

Zhuge Qing slowly opened his eyes, his gaze deep.

"In other words, for all these ridiculous accidents, there is only one core figure."

"Gu Fan."

Zhuge Qing's finger lightly tapped on that name. "That abandoned son who was kicked out of the Gu Family and supposedly has no Cultivation talent?"

"Dean, this kid is too freaky!"

Lei Hu finally couldn't help but take off his mask, revealing swollen lips, and said in a muffled voice, "I checked the surveillance and even used Grandmaster-level perception. When those accidents happened, there wasn't a single ripple of Spiritual Qi on him! It was completely like... like the Law of the world was helping him cheat!"

"Exactly!" another department head chimed in. "I suspect he has awakened some kind of Karma-level S-Rank ability? Like 'Passive Reflection' or a 'Misfortune Aura' or something?"

Zhuge Qing shook his head, stood up, walked to the window, and looked down at the bustling campus.

"If it were an ability, even an S-Rank one, there would be energy fluctuations."

"But he has none."

Zhuge Qing's voice became somewhat low. "This kind of method reminds me of the 'Favored of the Heavenly Dao' recorded in some ancient texts from the ancient cultivation civilizations, or a hidden expert who has practiced the legendary 'Dao of Karma.'"

"Dao of Karma?!" The instructors were shocked.

That was one of the most mysterious and terrifying Daos in legend; it could kill without drawing blood and could even sever one's path to longevity through a single word or thought.

"No matter what he is, the conclusion now is clear."

Zhuge Qing turned around and issued his orders word by word:

"Pass down the order and notify the whole academy."

"Classify Gu Fan as a 'Special Grade Observation Subject.' For any of his actions, adopt the 'Three Nos' principle: do not take the initiative to provoke him, do not forcibly interfere with him, and do not maliciously target him."

"Unless he starts tearing down the school, just... let him stay there quietly."

"Also," Zhuge Qing paused, a fox-like smile appearing on his face, "arrange for that troublemaker Xiao Fan, who's always looking for things to do, to be closer to him. I see that Xiao Fan has good resilience; he's good material to be a whetstone. Since Gu Fan is a demonic blade, he needs a sufficiently hard scabbard to keep him steady."

"Yes!" everyone responded in unison... At this time, Gu Fan, who was regarded as a "demonic blade" by the Dean, was lying comfortably on that reinforced bed in Dormitory 404.

"Achoo!"

Gu Fan sneezed loudly and rubbed his nose.

"Who's talking about me? Could it be that Liu Ruyan misses me? That's not right either; she should be on a spaceship to Mars right now, contemplating life."

Gu Fan rolled over and looked at the System panel that only he could see.

Today's harvest could only be described as "overflowing."

[Current malice points balance: 15,800.]

[Analysis of today's malice sources:]

[1. Wang Meng (Shattered Dao Heart contribution): 3,000 points.]

[2. Liu Ruyan (Social death and shame contribution): 2,500 points.]

[3. All male students in the school (Jealousy and fear contribution): 5,000 points.]

[4. Lei Hu and other faculty members (Continuously generated resentment): 2,000 points.]

[5. Roommate Xiao Fan (Better late than never): 3,300 points.]

"Tsk tsk tsk, this is how knowledge changes fate and malice creates wealth."

Gu Fan looked at the number happily, even wanting to give Wang Meng a "Best Assist Award."

Just then, the dormitory door was pushed open.

Xiao Fan walked in, dragging his exhausted body. He had just returned from buying Materials to repair the walls, carrying two buckets of putty powder and a bundle of steel bars.

Ever since Gu Fan's "Sleep-induced Foundation Establishment" blew up the dorm yesterday, the logistics department claimed that maintenance funds were tight and told them to solve it themselves. This bill, naturally, fell on the head of the "honest man," Xiao Fan.

Xiao Fan looked at Gu Fan, who was lying on the bed like a salted fish, and the muscles at the corners of his eyes couldn't help but twitch.

He threw the putty powder on the floor with a dull thud.

"Gu Fan, are you planning to just lie there forever?"

Xiao Fan gritted his teeth, his tone full of frustration at Gu Fan's lack of ambition, as well as a deep wariness. "The whole school is saying you're a monster. Aren't you going to explain? Or... at least help me brick up this wall?"

Hearing this, Gu Fan slowly sat up from the bed.

He didn't answer, but instead pulled out a pre-prepared wooden sign from under his pillow, which had several large, crooked characters written on it, and hung it at the head of his bed.

[Lying Flat Mutual Aid Society]

[President: Gu Fan]

[Core Tenet: As long as I lie flat enough, the scythe won't be able to cut me.]

"Explain? Why explain?"

Gu Fan pointed to the sign and smiled radiantly. "Student Xiao, welcome to my club. As the only two living people in this dorm, I unilaterally declare you as the Vice President and Chief Poop Scooper... oh no, Chief Construction Officer."

Xiao Fan looked at the wooden sign full of absurdity and felt that his intelligence was being insulted.

"Who wants to join your crappy club! I'm here to Cultivate! I want to pursue the Peak of martial arts!"

Xiao Fan roared, his blood and Qi surging; he was clearly extremely angry.

[Ding! Detected 'Xiao Fan's' intense contempt and desire to prove himself. malice points +100!]

The smile on Gu Fan's lips grew even wider.

He pulled out a bottle of chilled Happy Water from the System space and threw it to Xiao Fan.

"Don't be in such a hurry, young people shouldn't have such a big temper."

"The Peak of martial arts isn't something to rush. Think about it, why do you work so hard to Cultivate? Isn't it just to become strong? Why become strong? Isn't it just so you won't be bullied, and so you can finally lie down comfortably like me?"

"Since the destination is lying down, why don't I just lie down at the starting line? This is called taking fifty years fewer detours."

This shocking "Lying Flat Theory" directly silenced Xiao Fan.

The Old Man in the Ring almost fell out of the ring.

"Fallacy! All fallacies!"

The Old Man in the Ring roared in Xiao Fan's mind, "Little Fan! Guard your Dao Heart! Don't listen to him! This guy is poisonous! His Dao is the 'Lazy Dao,' while yours is the 'Tyrant Dao.' Different Daos cannot walk the same path!"

Xiao Fan took a deep breath, placed the bottle of Happy Water on the table, and his eyes became firm again.

"Gu Fan, you're very eloquent. But let me tell you, this world is cruel. Without strength, your current ease is nothing but a mirage."

"Just you wait. In the freshman competition in a month, I will defeat you fair and square. At that time, I'll tear down this crappy sign and burn it for firewood!"

After speaking, Xiao Fan sat cross-legged directly next to the pile of construction Materials and entered a state of frantic Cultivation once again.

He wanted to turn grief and indignation into motivation!

Gu Fan looked at Xiao Fan, who had turned back into a "King of Effort," and nodded with satisfaction.

"That's the way."

"If you don't overwork yourself, how can I lie flat? If you don't work hard to generate malice, how can I level up?"

"Keep it up, Vice President. I have high hopes for you."

Gu Fan lay back down and said to the System in his mind, "System, exchange that 'Myriad Manifestation Dharma Body' for me. Since the whole school is afraid of me and doesn't dare to provoke me, I need to send out a few more Clones to go 'fishing.'"

[Ding! Consumed 10,000 malice points, successfully exchanged Heaven Rank High Grade Divine Ability 'Myriad Manifestation Dharma Body · Elementary Chapter.']

[Congratulations host, you have mastered the grand skill of 'not only is the main body asking for a beating, the Clones are even more so.']

Just as Gu Fan was about to study his new skill.

Suddenly, the dormitory door was knocked on again.

This time the sound was very light and polite.

"Excuse me... is student Gu Fan there?"

Outside the door was an academy mailroom staff member in uniform, holding a black metal box covered in sealing strips.

Gu Fan raised an eyebrow, and with a thought, the door opened automatically.

"I am. Delivery? I didn't order anything."

The staff member cautiously walked into this legendary "haunted house," glanced at the construction Materials all over the floor and the meditating Xiao Fan, and swallowed hard.

"Student Gu, this is your express package. The sender didn't leave a name, only a... strange symbol."

The staff member placed the box on the table and ran away as if escaping for his life.

Gu Fan sat up and looked at the box.

On the black metal surface was a silver pattern: a snake coiled around an apple with a bite taken out of it.

"Eden?"

Gu Fan's eyes narrowed slightly.

In the original body's memories, that so-called "fake young master" Gu Yu seemed to have the shadow of this organization behind him.

"They found me so soon? It seems that guy Gu Yu isn't completely dead yet, or... a bigger fish has taken the bait?"

Gu Fan reached out, his fingertip lightly touching the box.

There were no traps; the box popped open automatically.

There was no bomb inside, nor any poisonous gas.

There was only a heart.

A Mechanical Heart made of precision gears, transistors, and a perfect Fusion of some dark red biological tissue.

It lay quietly on the black velvet, even beating slightly.

"Thump... thump..."

As it beat, a strange ripple spread out.

Xiao Fan, who was Cultivating, suddenly opened his eyes and stared fixedly at the box. The Old Man in the Ring let out a cry of surprise:

"This aura... is it a creation of an ancient Puppeteer? No! How can there be such a thick evil Qi inside!"

Gu Fan looked at this heart without a trace of fear.

Instead, a meaningful smile played on his lips.

[Ding! Detected 'Fatal Temptation and Gene Theft' malice from the 'Eden' organization.]

[Malice level: S-Rank (this is a sugar-coated, highly toxic arsenic).]

[Backlash in preparation...]

Gu Fan picked up a card next to the box.

There was only a line of elegant copperplate script on it:

"Dear Gu Fan, we know your secret. This heart is the other half you are missing. Put it on, and you will become a true god. — Your old friend."

"A true god?"

Gu Fan sneered and casually threw the card into the trash can.

"Sorry, I'm not interested in being a god."

"However, since you've been so polite as to deliver a gift to my door, wouldn't it show a lack of upbringing if I didn't return the favor?"

Gu Fan's finger lightly tapped on the Mechanical Heart.

"System, connect the Karma lines of this thing for me."

"Since they like playing with hearts, let's let every one of them experience what it feels like for their 'heart to skip a beat.'"

Outside the window, night fell.

The lights of Tianqiong War God Academy were still bright, but beneath this calm appearance, an even larger undercurrent was quietly surging around Dormitory 404.

And Gu Fan was already prepared to harvest the next wave of "leeks."