289: Back to No. 3 Middle School

Modu Third High School.

After the previous Monster invasion, Modu Third High School had been rebuilt.

In a few months, it had recovered about fifty to sixty percent, and classes could be held normally.

During that Monster army invasion, more than half of the teachers and students of No. 3 Middle School were killed or injured; now, less than half remained.

Dead, severely injured, missing, mentally traumatized... Now, only a little over a hundred people were left in the entire school.

In a classroom, a one-armed Middle-aged Man was teaching, while the students below were all somewhat listless.

The Middle-aged Man frowned and then asked, "Is my lecture very boring?"

A boy raised his hand and said, "Teacher Qin, the world is ending now. Do we still need to take exams?"

Everyone looked over.

Old Qin said indifferently, "Despite that, what needs to be learned still must be learned. You are all ordinary people. Ordinary people cannot decide their own fates; they can only do what they ought to do."

Another student said, "Teacher Qin, I feel like learning these things is useless. It would be better to give us a gun to practice marksmanship. When those Monsters attack, we can at least fight back."

Old Qin shook his head. "Though I don't want to discourage you, the fact is that Monsters aren't afraid of bullets. No matter how good your marksmanship is, it's impossible to escape from a Monster's maw. The only benefit of practicing with a gun is so you can commit suicide instead of being torn apart by Monsters."

"Then we're dead either way!"

"Teacher Qin, aren't you really afraid we'll riot?"

"Why can they become Martial Artists? Why can we only be ordinary people?"

"That's just how the world is; it's too unfair to ordinary people!"

"..."

The noisy discussion interrupted the rhythm of the class.

Old Qin put down the book in his hand and slowly spoke, "Quiet, everyone."

Everyone fell silent.

Following that, Old Qin said, "The world is indeed unfair, and there's nothing anyone can do about that. But if you think becoming a Martial Artist means you'll survive, that's actually incorrect. Compared to ordinary people, the number of Martial Artists who die is not small. They are constantly on the front lines resisting the Monster Race's invasion just so you can live the stable life you have now."

After a pause, Old Qin said seriously, "They die even faster than you!"

The boy who spoke earlier asked, "Is our fate only to die?"

Old Qin glanced at him and said, "Not necessarily. When the sky falls, the tall ones hold it up. Those who die first are inevitably those charging at the very front. So if they all die, we, naturally, won't be able to escape either."

Everyone fell silent.

"Your task is to inherit human civilization and multiply in your own way. Do not let the era regress, and do not let the blood of your ancestors be shed in vain!"

Old Qin picked up the book again and said calmly, "Class is in session."

"Teacher Qin, can we skip the lesson? Tell us some stories about Martial Artists today!"

Old Qin paused and then asked, "What do you want to hear?"

The boy asked excitedly, "Just how powerful can a Martial Artist become?"

Old Qin's mouth twitched. "Powerful beyond your imagination. Of course, even I don't know how strong they can get, because I am only a fourth-rank."

And a disabled fourth-rank at that.

"I heard an Eighth-Rank Expert can destroy cities and topple nations. Is that true?"

Old Qin didn't speak, but another voice rang out: "Of course it's true."

As the voice sounded, everyone was stunned and looked toward the doorway together.

Old Qin also turned his head in shock. When he saw the familiar face, he froze for a moment.

"Fang... Fang Bai?!"

Fang Bai stood at the door and grinned. "Old Qin, long time no see."

Old Qin was somewhat delighted and asked excitedly, "How did you come back?"

Fang Bai smiled. "Just passing by, so I came back to take a look."

The students all looked at Fang Bai curiously, observing this youth who was about the same age as them.

Some among them recognized Fang Bai and exclaimed, "Heavens! Fang Bai, it's actually you!"

Fang Bai looked over and found a few familiar yet strange faces; these were all from his former class.

"Yo! You guys are still alive?"

Everyone: ... Old Qin sized him up, then said with a complex gaze, "You... I can no longer see through you."

The last time they met, Fang Bai's strength had already surpassed his. Seeing him again, Old Qin actually couldn't see through him at all.

Fang Bai laughed loudly. "Of course you can't. Now you can't even see my taillights!"

Old Qin: ... Seeing the curious and puzzled gazes of the students, Old Qin's heart stirred, and he introduced, "This is Fang Bai. He was once a member of our No. 3 Middle School."

Everyone realized.

"Fang Bai, are you a Martial Artist?"

Fang Bai nodded. "You guessed right."

Old Qin explained, "Fang Bai is a student of the Martial Academy. He transferred there from our school."

"Heavens! He's actually from the Martial Academy!"

Everyone's eyes were filled with immense envy.

They were certainly not content to be just ordinary people and had a profound yearning for the path of martial arts.

Fang Bai said with a chuckle, "I've already graduated."

"Ah?"

Old Qin froze, clearly not reacting in time.

Fang Bai said calmly, "I've already graduated from the Martial Academy. Well, it took a few months. I should be the fastest student to graduate in the history of the Martial Academy."

Hiss!

The whole room gasped.

The students didn't know what that concept meant, but Old Qin did!

To graduate from the Martial Academy, one had to meet many requirements, and every single requirement was of life-and-death difficulty even for those geniuses!

But thinking of Fang Bai's monstrous talent, Old Qin felt relieved.

Right, a few months ago he was already more powerful than himself. Wouldn't graduating be simple?

Old Qin said with a complex look, "Your student record is still kept at No. 3 Middle School. I didn't expect you'd graduate over there first."

Fang Bai said with a smile, "It can't be helped. My talent doesn't allow me to be low-key. I originally wanted to hang out with them as an ordinary person, but my strength just wouldn't allow it!"

Old Qin's mouth twitched. "You're just not a normal person."

Fang Bai raised an eyebrow. Why did that sound like an insult?

Fang Bai said, "I took a look at the school just now. Is it already being rebuilt?"

Old Qin nodded. "Yes. It's estimated to take half a year to resume admissions."

Half a year... A trace of something meaningful flashed in Fang Bai's eyes.

Does the human race still have half a year?

"Fang Bai, are you a Martial Artist?"

That boy asked at this moment.

Fang Bai looked at him, and Old Qin introduced, "His name is Ye Fu. His grades are average, and he only wants to become a Martial Artist, but..."

Fang Bai smiled and asked, "I am a Martial Artist."

Ye Fu asked seriously, "I heard you were also a student of No. 3 Middle School. How did you awaken?"

Fang Bai rubbed his chin and then said, "I forgot. I just awakened while walking along."

Ye Fu: ... Everyone: ...