17: Chapter 17 Is he tired of living, or is he trying to scam the school's compensation?

The morning meeting ended, and the crowd dispersed.

Jiang Feng followed the flow of people toward the classroom, his mind busy calculating serious business.

The items he'd scavenged from those two bodyguards last night hadn't been dealt with yet; he needed to find an opportunity to visit a black market auction house. Then there was that drafty window at home, and his father's legs, which were always acting up with rheumatism...

"Jiang Feng."

A cold, clear voice suddenly cut through his thoughts.

The surrounding noisy crowd fell silent for an instant. Immediately afterward, countless envious gazes stabbed at his back like sharp swords.

Jiang Feng stopped in his tracks and looked up.

Shen Qingni was standing in front of him.

Today, she was still wearing the standard white combat suit, which outlined the girl's graceful figure. Her high ponytail was tied back, making her look capable and proud. She was the possessor of the S-rank talent [Frost Empress], a favored daughter of heaven, and the dream girl of every boy in school.

At this moment, those beautiful eyes were staring intently at Jiang Feng.

Her gaze was complex. There was scrutiny, doubt, and a trace of an indescribable intuition.

A woman's sixth sense could sometimes be accurate beyond all logic.

Yesterday at the dungeon entrance, as she looked at that retreating figure, she felt a strange overlap with the "Feng" from the later world announcement. Although logic told her it was absurd, she couldn't help but come to confirm it.

"Something the matter?" Jiang Feng's tone was flat, showing neither the fawning of a simp nor the flattered surprise of being addressed by the school belle.

Shen Qingni frowned slightly.

Too calm.

On this morning when the whole school was discussing "Wind God," everyone was boiling with excitement. Only this Jiang Feng's eyes were like a pool of stagnant water, as if he had no interest in anything around him.

"Yesterday..." Shen Qingni paused, her gaze sharp as a knife, "did you enter a dungeon?"

"I did." Jiang Feng nodded, perfectly composed.

"Which dungeon?"

"Mutated Chicken Farm, Lv1." Jiang Feng shrugged and pointed at the school badge on his chest. "I only have a B-rank talent. If I don't enter that one, which one would I enter? Go to the Dark Forest to seek death?"

Shen Qingni stared into his eyes, trying to find a trace of panic or lying.

But there was none.

In those black pupils, there was only indifference and... a hint of weariness toward waking up early for class.

True.

The bit of suspicion in Shen Qingni's heart instantly vanished, replaced by a sense of self-mockery.

What on earth was she thinking?

How could someone with a support-type [Diligence Makes Up for Lack of Talent] talent possibly be that monster who solo-killed a Purgatory BOSS? A powerhouse of that level must have awakened a highly offensive S-rank or even SS-rank talent, or perhaps they were a scion of a great family from the Capital.

To associate Jiang Feng with a figure high above the clouds was simply an insult to the strong.

"Nothing, just asking."

The light in Shen Qingni's eyes faded, and she returned to her usual coldness. "I originally wanted to carry you through some levels yesterday. Since you don't want to party up, then work hard on your own. Although it's a B-rank talent, as long as you're willing to grind, you won't live too badly as a high-level power-leveler in the future."

This was a truthful statement, yet also a piece of high-and-mighty nonsense.

It was like a billionaire telling a beggar on the street: as long as you work hard at begging, you'll be able to eat your fill in the future.

"I'll take your word for it." Jiang Feng smiled, a standard smile that one couldn't find fault with.

Shen Qingni nodded and turned to leave. Her ponytail whipped through the air in a sharp arc, carrying a gust of fragrance.

The surrounding boys immediately swarmed around her, escorting the goddess into the classroom like stars surrounding the moon, leaving Jiang Feng standing there alone.

"Whew..."

Jiang Feng watched her back and let out a soft breath.

Fortunately, this woman only had sharp intuition but was rather stubborn in her thinking. If she really got clingy, his grand plan to keep a low profile and get rich would be ruined.

He turned and entered the classroom, taking the "protagonist's seat" in the last row by the window. Students in the front rows were still spit-flying as they argued whether the great "Wind God" used a sword or a blade. Jiang Feng silently pulled out a copy of "High-Dimensional Magic Beast Illustrated" and propped it on the desk to hide his face.

With a thought, his attribute panel expanded on his retina.

[ID: Qingfeng (Hidden)]

[Class: Ancient War Titan]

[Level: Lv10]

[Strength: 310 (+15%)]

[Intelligence: 925 (+15%)]

[Agility: 110 (+15%)]

[Constitution: 560 (+15%)]

[Luck: 2725 (+15%)]

...

Looking at this string of data that was so magnificent it was terrifying, Jiang Feng couldn't help himself and almost laughed out loud.

The whole school was looking for the legendary "Wind God."

Even if Li Yan increased the bounty to ten million, even if Shen Qingni racked her brain.

Who could have imagined.

The monster who exterminated the Chicken King, topped the announcements, broke records, and burned through Purgatory with a single fireball.

Was currently sitting in a corner of Class 12-2, thinking about whether to buy a grilled sausage at the snack bar during the long break because he hadn't eaten enough for breakfast, or to hold out for a good meal at lunch?

This could be considered... hiding in plain sight, right?

"Vibrate—"

The broken phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated.

Jiang Feng pulled it out and saw a bank deposit SMS.

[Your account ending in 5200 received an interbank transfer of 2,000 Yuan at 08:30. Note: Living expenses, don't skimp, buy some meat to eat. — Father.]

Jiang Feng's fingers paused.

This was his dad's full-attendance bonus for the month plus overtime pay; it was likely all here.

Even though the family could barely keep the pot boiling, even though he'd just given them twenty thousand yesterday, this old man...

Jiang Feng took a deep breath and stuffed the phone back into his pocket. The trace of laziness in his eyes completely vanished, replaced by an unprecedented determination.

Since he had this heaven-defying ability.

Then he would make a massive fortune and let his family live a better life.

...

Dongjiang City, entrance to the Lv10 public dungeon [Bonebury Wasteland].

Because the craze of the "Wind God" soloing the Purgatory dungeon hadn't faded yet, this normally desolate entrance was now as crowded as a subway station during morning rush hour. Scouts from various guilds and power-leveling teams were camping out here, hoping to run into a wild, high-tier expert.

"Look, that's the belle of High School No. 4, Shen Qingni! S-rank talent [Frost Empress]!"

"Tsk tsk, now that's a presence. Her team has a top-tier configuration—tanks, healers, DPS, they have it all. I heard the Shen family just dropped several million to get her a set of top-quality blue gear just so she could push for the first clear."

The crowd spontaneously parted. Shen Qingni walked at the front, the frost-emitting staff in her hand particularly eye-catching. Her gaze was as cold as if she'd just crawled out of a freezer.

Not far away, Jiang Feng was slowly munching on a two-yuan Wuyang Popsicle, looking like a leisurely old man watching the bustle as he drifted toward the teleportation gate.

"Stop right there! You kid, I'm talking to you!"

A voice like muffled thunder directly intercepted Jiang Feng.

The dungeon safety management instructor, Old Chen, had his brows knitted into a ball as his large hand pressed down on Jiang Feng's shoulder. He glanced down at Jiang Feng's school badge and the level feedback from the system, and his face turned black: "Jiang Feng? I remember you, B-rank talent [Diligence Makes Up for Lack of Talent]. You're a Lv10 squishy mage; instead of going back to school to hit the books, you're running here to solo [Bonebury Wasteland]? Are you tired of living, or are you trying to scam the school's pension?"