As the class teacher exited the classroom, the remaining students instinctively turned their attention to the two monitors seated in the front row.
After all, they were assigned the roles of squad leader and martial arts committee member.
Notably, the two students appeared unfazed by the attention. Stepping onto the stage, many male students couldn't help but be captivated by the monitor's beauty.
"My name is Lin Xue. As the class monitor for third grade, I hope everyone will actively cooperate with class tasks in the future," said the girl named Lin Xue, radiating a strong and unapproachable aura that made many students avoid direct eye contact.
Meanwhile, a boy named Yin Rui smiled and introduced himself, "Hi, I'm Yin Rui. I'll be in the same class as all of you next semester. Let's support each other and make the first semester a memorable one."
"Now, we'll be collecting study materials, and we need some students to assist us. Are there any volunteers?" asked Yin Rui.
"I'll do it."
"Count me in."
"And me…"
After Yin Rui's request, many male students eagerly stood up, displaying great enthusiasm.
At ages sixteen and seventeen, students are at their most attractive. Despite Lin Xue's somewhat cold and aloof demeanor, her beauty still captivated the attention of many.
Soon, six boys and one girl stepped forward to contribute to the class and followed Lin Xue and Yin Rui out of the classroom.
In that moment, a boy in the front row, Chen Chu, clicked his tongue and remarked, "They didn't even ask for their names before appointing them as monitors and committee members. There's definitely some shady business going on."
"Is being a class monitor just a ceremonial role?" Chen Chu expressed his surprise.
The boy in front turned his head and responded with a profound tone, "Student, you are underestimating the significance of class cadres in high school. These positions are not as simple as they seem."
With a friendly smile, the boy introduced himself, saying, "Hi, brother, my name is Xia Youhui. I studied at the third middle school during junior high. And you?"
Chen Chu simply replied, "Chen Chu, I transferred from Lingshan No. 1 Middle School."
"Lingshan No. 1 Middle School, I heard it has beautiful scenery. I've been there once," Xia Youhui remarked.
Curiously, Chen Chu looked at the sincere-looking boy and asked, "Xia, what's the difference between class cadres in high school and those in junior high?"
"The difference is substantial," Xia Youhui replied with envy. "According to national regulations, everyone can learn Zhenwu after high school. However, you must understand that a class can have dozens of students, and there can be one or two thousand students in a grade."
"In such circumstances, Teacher Zhenwu can't possibly pay attention to all the students. With dozens or even hundreds of students in a class, the roles of class monitors become prominent. As class cadres, they can approach the teacher alone by finding a valid reason."
"At that point, the teacher will offer guidance on cultivation skills and share personal experiences, giving them an advantage over other students."
"Furthermore, the better their grades, the more attention they receive from the school and even the government. Resources will be allocated in their favor, allowing them to progress step by step."
"I see now," Chen Chu responded, understanding the underlying meaning behind Xia Youhui's words.
Given the importance of such positions, it was indeed peculiar that the head teacher assigned the two students without considering their names or qualifications.
At that moment, Xia Youhui spoke in a hushed voice, "That's not all. I heard that high school martial arts class cadres are rewarded with contribution points every month."
"Contribution points? What are those?" Chen Chu asked, feeling puzzled by these unfamiliar terms.
Xia Youhui shook his head and said, "They are essential resources for martial arts practice. My brother told me that they would provide me with an opportunity to earn a little after high school."
Xia Youhui seemed like the kind of person who had occasional knowledge about such matters. After chatting with Chen Chu for a while, he turned back to the girl in front and quickly made friends with the students around him.
On the first day of school, not only Chen Chu, but also the other students in the classroom were surprised by the new environment. They looked around, trying to familiarize themselves with their surroundings.
There were only a few students who, like Chen Chu, sat silently, observing their classmates and the classroom.
Soon, Lin Xue and Yi Rui returned to the classroom carrying bags of various sizes. They distributed the textbooks to the students, and afterwards, many students left the classroom in small groups, exploring the campus and getting to know each other. Lin Xue, as the monitor, and Yi Rui, as the committee member, attracted more attention and were surrounded by curious students.
Chen Chu decided to head home as he needed to buy food for his hexagonal salamander. He made his way to a seafood stall at the farmer's market and asked the boss, "How much is this shrimp?"
The boss replied, "Twenty-one yuan per catty."
Chen Chu paused for a moment, then pointed to some small dead fish on the ground inside a display case and asked, "And what about these small white fish?"
The boss replied, "Five yuan."
"Give me ten catties of the white fish," Chen Chu requested. With only Zhang Xiaolan earning income in the family, life was financially tight, so Chen Chu tried to save wherever possible.
After scanning the QR code to make the payment, Chen Chu left the market, carrying ten catties of fish and some vegetables for lunch and dinner.
Zhang Xiaolan left for work early in the morning and returned late at night, so most of the household responsibilities, including cooking, fell on Chen Chu's shoulders, while Chen Hu took care of washing the dishes.
When Chen Chu arrived home, it was still early, around ten o'clock in the morning, and Chen Hu had not yet returned.
Chen Chu placed most of the small fish in the refrigerator to freeze, preserving them for later. He then gutted and cleaned the remaining portion of fish, chopping them into small pieces. It was his own meal after all, so he wanted to make sure it was prepared properly.
Feeling a strong sense of hunger from the salamander avatar on the way back home, Chen Chu knew it was eager to eat. When he entered the room with a plate of fish, he noticed the small black sesame-like eyes of the white salamander rolling around on the table, looking adorable.
Focusing his consciousness on the salamander, Chen Chu observed as it immediately got up, wriggled its tiny limbs, and approached the plate to begin eating.
Chen Chu noticed that when he shifted his attention to himself, the salamander avatar would enter a weakened state of consciousness, perhaps due to sharing the same consciousness or lack of mental strength. Although it wouldn't shut down, its responses would become sluggish.
Similarly, when Chen Chu's consciousness controlled the human body, the reaction of the salamander avatar would also be affected, making it impossible to fully control both bodies simultaneously.
Chen Chu was unsure how to solve this issue at the moment. He could only hope to develop the ability to focus on two tasks at once in the future.
Lost in thought, Chen Chu watched as the salamander, controlled by his consciousness, took a bite of the fish. The meat quickly dissolved and digested, transforming into warm currents that circulated throughout the salamander's body, providing it with nourishment for growth.
The snow-white salamander's gills displayed hexagonal patterns, and its body visibly grew at a rapid pace. The digestion ability of the salamander clone was astonishing. Every time it consumed food equivalent to its own volume, it grew by one centimeter, repeating the process until it accumulated one evolution point.
Based on Chen Chu's observations, the avatar's size could increase by four centimeters per day, gaining two evolution points and consuming two catties of food. It would only take a few days to meet the requirements for the first evolution.
"I wonder what the hexagonal salamander will evolve into. A larger hexagonal salamander or perhaps a hexagonal dragon?" Chen Chu pondered.