4: Chapter 4 Who Made a Contract with My Goddess?
The faint light of the contract magic circle completely faded, and the energy particles floating in the air gradually settled.
Yun Zhuo's gaze fell upon Su Qingyuan's neck, specifically on that cold-glistening Suppression Collar. A relaxed smile played on his lips. "Teacher Su, you can take it off now. From today onwards, you'll never need this thing again."
Only then did Su Qingyuan raise her hand as if waking from a dream. The moment her fingertips touched the cold metal, they trembled slightly.
She clumsily fumbled with the hidden clasp at the back of the collar; since putting it on, she had never taken it off, even while bathing.
She had been terrified that the Corrosion Energy within her would spiral out of control, turning her into one of those hideous Mutated Beasts outside the city.
With a soft "click," the collar that had bound her for nearly five years slid from her neck, making a crisp sound as it hit the floor and rolled into a corner before stopping.
Her neck suddenly felt empty. The heavy burden she had carried for years completely dissipated, and even her breathing became exceptionally smooth.
She raised her hand to stroke her neck. A faint indentation remained, but it made her clearly realize she would never have to wear that damn collar again.
"Teacher Su, how much money do you have right now?"
He had to raise Teacher Su's talent as quickly as possible because the threshold for the Martial Arts College Entrance Exam was Earth Rank Lower Grade. A War Princess needed the ability to transform into a mecha.
The higher the talent, the faster the power growth, and the greater the chance of achieving good results in the martial arts exam.
Su Qingyuan pointed at the three red corrosion crystals on the table and said somewhat sheepishly, "Just those three hundred."
"Wait, Teacher Su, you've been teaching us for almost a year. How can you only have three hundred in your pocket? Is it all in the bank?"
Su Qingyuan's face flushed red as she whispered, "Isn't payday next week?"
"Holy crap, so you're living paycheck to paycheck? No wonder you looked so pained when I asked for a hundred earlier."
"Bah, what 'paycheck to paycheck'? I am not."
Su Qingyuan spat lightly, but her tone softened. "Girls naturally have many things to spend money on."
"Besides, my monthly salary is only seven or eight thousand. How much did you think it was?"
In terms of purchasing power, this world was similar to his previous life. Back then, he worked himself to death for only three thousand eight hundred a month, yet he could still save a little.
Teacher Su, on the other hand, couldn't even make seven or eight thousand last a month.
"You don't have a mortgage or car loan, do you?"
"No, I live alone in a rental. And hey, don't rent and utilities cost money? Wait..." Su Qingyuan suddenly pointed at Yun Zhuo. "Are you regretting it now?"
"Teacher Su, you've changed."
Su Qingyuan was startled. "How so?"
"You've become cuter." Yun Zhuo teased, looking at her reddened earlobes. "You used to keep a straight face every single day."
"I... wasn't that to set a good example? If I didn't keep a straight face, how could I keep you brats in line?"
"And now?"
"Now you are my War Spirit Master, and we've even signed a death pact." Su Qingyuan's gaze became much more candid, and a faint smile even touched the corners of her mouth. "Is there any need for me to keep up appearances in front of you?"
Yun Zhuo nodded. "That's true. Anyway, I'm heading home first. I'll figure out a way to get the money."
"What way do you have?"
"My parents left me an apartment. It's not in a great neighborhood, but it should sell for a hundred or two hundred thousand."
"No way, that was left to you by your parents."
"It's fine. I don't think my parents would want me huddled in that old, broken-down place forever."
"There's only a month left until the college entrance exam. We need to seize every moment to improve our strength and our compatibility."
Speaking of which, he suddenly asked, "By the way, can you still take the exam?"
"No problem. Last time I took the liberal arts track. I can take the martial arts track once more, but the registration fee is a hundred thousand."
"Alright, I'll go sell the house first to raise your talent, then I'll find the principal to transfer me to the Martial Arts Class."
"By the way, won't it be awkward for you to accompany me in the Martial Arts Class? After all, you are a teacher."
Su Qingyuan smiled slightly. "You're overthinking it. My first form is an electric scooter; it has no combat power."
"In my second form, I don't lead the battle. To put it bluntly, I'm just a weapon in your hands. You just go and report."
"You should know that our school's Martial Arts Class only has two people right now. If you go, you'll be taking their resources. If I don't stay a teacher, how can I get you transferred there?"
"But if that's the case, how will we improve our compatibility?"
The higher the compatibility, the higher the combat efficiency after Body Integration, which is reflected in the Fusion of neurons.
"We can just train together at night. Alright, that's that. I have a class to teach."
As she reached the door, Teacher Su paused for a moment, gathered her emotions, and then said with a straight face, "Let's go."
Yun Zhuo was stunned for a moment, then smiled faintly, knowing she was putting on her professional teacher persona.
Su Qingyuan glared at him. "Actually, you go first. I can't keep up the act in front of you."
...
After the Awakening ceremony, the third-year students were divided into liberal arts and martial arts classes.
Before this, Shuguang No. 8 Middle School was known as a liberal arts school. For thirty years, no War Princess or War Spirit Master above Earth Rank had ever awakened there.
Thanks to Li Wanqing, a Martial Arts Class was finally opened after thirty years. There were only two students: Li Wanqing and Chen Bo.
However, the resources allocated were based on a full class of fifty students.
Now, the two of them had more cultivation resources than they knew what to do with.
Take corrosion crystals, for example. While Yun Zhuo and Su Qingyuan were so poor they had to sell a house, these two each received fifty thousand on the first day of class.
Li Wanqing's mother couldn't stop smiling. Her daughter was successful; she was already bringing money home in high school, earning more than her father's half-year salary in one go.
They could drink all sorts of power-enhancing potions as they pleased because no one was competing with them.
Their strength naturally shot up effortlessly. In less than half a month since their Awakening, both had reached level three—a speed that could rival Heaven Rank War Princesses and War Spirit Masters.
On the grass outside the playground, Chen Bo lay in the shade, smiling at Li Wanqing, who was still pouting. "What's wrong? Still angry about that scoundrel Yun Zhuo?"
"Me, angry at him?" Li Wanqing sneered, her voice full of disdain. "After graduation, trash like him is destined to not even be qualified to appear in my world. Why would I bother getting upset with him?"
After speaking, she waited for Chen Bo to respond, but he remained silent for a long time.
Turning around, she saw that the guy was staring at something, completely entranced.
Following his gaze, she immediately felt a surge of anger. He was actually staring at the goddess of No. 8 Middle School, Teacher Su.
"Sss—" A sudden sharp pain came from Chen Bo's waist. He snapped back to his senses, hurriedly sat up, and rubbed his side. "What did you pinch me for?"
Li Wanqing tilted her chin up irritably. "Is she pretty?"
"Not at all. No matter how good-looking Teacher Su is, she's just a mortal rank War Princess. She can't even compare to one of my Wanqing's toes."
Her vanity satisfied, Li Wanqing smiled slightly. "Liar. You're drooling; at least wipe it off."
After saying that, she looked at Su Qingyuan again and frowned. "Where did her collar go?"
"Huh?" Chen Bo quickly turned to look. Sure enough, her long, slender neck was bare. Where was her Suppression Collar? Wasn't she afraid of mutation without it?
"Could she have formed a contract with someone?" Li Wanqing asked, puzzled.
Hearing this, Chen Bo immediately grew furious, slamming his fist onto the grass.
How could my goddess form a contract with someone else behind my back?
Who is it? Which bastard dared to steal my goddess!
Just then, the bell rang, signaling the end of class and the start of break time.
Students swarmed out of the classrooms.
A boy running wildly with a basketball in his arms was about to dash out of the teaching building when he suddenly braked. His body stiffened, he instinctively shrank his neck, and hurriedly bowed, shouting, "Hello, Teacher Su!"