"The zoo? Why do you suddenly want to go to the zoo? Don't tell me you also saw the news from Qingmei Park today?"
Chen Xunjie asked excitedly. As soon as the topic came up, he was over the moon.
"A lion is a lion, even a cub is not something a dog can provoke. Weren't there a lot of people hyping up Pitbulls before? In the end, it was killed by a young lion, so impressive!"
Chu Ge narrowed his eyes. He hadn't expected the news to have already reached his classmates.
In the era of big data, any rare event could quickly go viral on the internet.
Tang Xuejia turned around and said, "There were also pandas, vultures, wolves... This matter is too mysterious. What do you guys think the truth is?"
Before Chu Ge could reply, a chubby boy behind him chuckled and said, "This shows that animals are becoming intelligent, and the era of spiritual energy revival is about to arrive."
Everyone rolled their eyes at him, thinking he must have been bewitched by too many novels!
"Stop talking nonsense! Are you coming or not?"
Chu Ge held his chin with his right hand and said indifferently.
He had yet to see the fate of the Pitbull, but Survival Arena had already informed him that the spirit of the Pitbull had reincarnated at a zoo in their city. He would check later on and should be able to find it.
"Sure, I'm in. Study rep, are you coming? Let's go together. We're in our senior year and we still haven't had the chance to get to know each other better!"
Chen Xunjie raised an eyebrow and asked Tang Xuejia with a smile, half-jokingly.
Tang Xuejia had been sitting in front of them for nearly three months, but their relationship hadn't grown any closer.
Faced with the class beauty, it was inevitable that Chen Xunjie harbored some expectations.
Tang Xuejia glanced at Chu Ge and smiled, "Alright, but I'll have to invite Xiao Yu."
Song Xiaoyu!
Upon hearing this, Chen Xunjie was instantly exhilarated.
Chu Ge turned his head to look at him, his face calm.
He was still reflecting on the brutality of the previous camp's Survival Competition.
After enduring that task, he had truly transformed into a Survivor.
"Go to the zoo? How about our whole class goes together! Think of it as our last trip in senior year, how about that?"
At that moment, a tall, thin boy with glasses stood up and spoke to the whole class.
He sat in front of Tang Xuejia and had been eavesdropping on the conversation of Chu Ge and the others the whole time.
"Yeah! Let's all go to the zoo together!"
"What's there to enjoy at the zoo? I still haven't finished my Five-Year College Entrance Exam, Three-Year Simulation..."
"Sure, why not? The animal fight at Qingmei Park made the trending search today, I want to go see the lions."
"I think wolves are more majestic. Did you see that video of the wolf fighting the Pitbull? It was freaking brutal!"
"You guys have all seen this news? So is it true?"
The whole class was excited, and most people were willing to go to the zoo. The topic quickly shifted to the Qingmei Park news.
Chen Xunjie snorted and muttered, "Xiao Xiaojie sure knows how to seize an opportunity. So what if you're the class president?"
Class President Xiao Xiaojie turned around and started chatting with Tang Xuejia, while also giving Chen Xunjie a provocative look.
As if to say, yes, being the class president is indeed something to be proud of.
Chu Ge didn't participate in the discussion, and was lost in his thoughts.
A little while later.
The English teacher returned to the classroom and called out to Chu Ge, "Chu Ge, pack up your bag and go home. Your parents are frantic; they're planning to wait for you at home."
Her tone was unpleasant. One look at Chu Ge, who didn't appear to have any issues, suggested that he had probably been hiding in an internet café the previous night, causing his parents to report to the police once again. Naturally, she was not fond of such a student.
Chu Ge nodded and quickly packed his things.
He slung his bag over one shoulder and, under the gaze of the whole class, left the classroom nonchalantly.
"Hmph, it's our senior year, and you're still not studying hard. What kind of future can you have?"
Xiao Xiaojie sat down and snorted. He looked righteous and held Chu Ge in contempt.
Tang Xuejia ignored him and opened her textbook, immersing herself in study.
"Students, senior year has come, and your first crossroads in life is upon you. Don't be tempted to play around, don't make your parents worry. Loyalty and filial piety are more important than grades. Attitude determines grades, and grades determine your starting point in society, understand?"
The English teacher began to preach about life's big truths after Chu Ge left.
...
Chu Ge opened the front door with a nervous heart, and as soon as he entered, he felt the oppressive atmosphere hit him.
Han Yujuan and Chu Feiqiang were sitting on the sofa, both with very grim expressions on their faces.
Even Han Yujuan didn't greet him with a smile when she saw him return.
This was already the second time Chu Ge had disappeared unexpectedly.
Han Yujuan had wanted to give Chu Ge a way out, fearing he might have been mistreated. However, seeing him spirited and his clothes clean, her anger surged.
Not good!
Chu Ge's heart sank; it looked like he was going to face a tag-team scolding from his parents.
After closing the door.
Bang!
Chu Ge immediately knelt on the hard tiled floor with a loud noise that startled Han Yujuan into hurriedly standing up and running towards him.
Chu Feiqiang was also startled, but he tried to maintain his anger.
This time, he had to severely punish Chu Ge!
It was just too much!
"Dad, Mom, I am sorry,"
Chu Ge said through gritted teeth. Then, he showed a face full of pain, despair, and regret, feeling utterly hopeless.
Seeing her son like this, Han Yujuan's heart immediately ached.
She quickly grabbed Chu Ge, trying to pull him up.
But no matter how she pulled, Chu Ge just wouldn't get up.
"What are you doing! Can't you speak up if there's something wrong? Why are you kneeling? You're a grown man, aren't you?"
Han Yujuan scolded, her eyes quickly filling with tears as she looked at her son.
"Let him kneel there! He's in his senior year of high school, not studying properly, skipping classes, and not coming home. Why don't you just die out there?"
Chu Feiqiang roared furiously, frightening Han Yujuan.
She turned around and snapped, "Why are you so fierce? Can't you see your son is in pain?"
"In pain? He's in pain, and we aren't? We've already called the police for the second time! Look at this boy, don't tell me he's been bullied. I think he looks quite happy and carefree!"
Chu Feiqiang trembled with anger, and Chu Ge felt ashamed.
It seemed the next time a Survival Challenge Task came up, he would have to find an excuse to leave in advance.
But this time, he could only bear it.
Chu Feiqiang's anger was not subsiding, so Chu Ge remained kneeling.
He knelt there for three hours.
Chu Feiqiang's anger eventually dissipated, and he silently returned to the bedroom.
Han Yujuan took this opportunity to pull Chu Ge up.
Faced with his parents' inquiries, Chu Ge kept silent.
Given his current identity and age, he could not find a perfect excuse.
Better to remain silent than to offer a poor excuse.
If he came back safe after disappearing multiple times, his parents would have to accept it eventually.
After having dinner, Chu Ge returned to his bedroom.
He lay in bed to rest.
It wasn't until half past eleven at night that he turned off the lights, then entered the Survival House.
He called up the Survival Light Curtain and exchanged a Primary Growth Accelerant for 1,500 Survival Points.
Immediately, a silver syringe appeared in his hand, filled with a forest green liquid.
Chu Ge took a deep breath and, imitating the gesture of drawing blood, stabbed the needle into a vein on the back of his hand.