In this silent harvest, most people clenched their eyes shut and left their fate to the heavens, but there were a few who kept their eyes open, although most of them were simply petrified.
Li Qingming, however, scrutinized every fallen person with meticulous attention.
Indeed, among them, there were three or four with distinct behavioral features.
But more of them were featureless ordinary people who hadn't even spoken a word; it was impossible to understand what they had done wrong.
There was no joint liability between deskmates; Cai Zhixin had come through unscathed.
It seemed that Sea Urchin Head's punishment was completely random. However, the number of men who were hit was significantly higher than that of women, which might have been a hidden clue, or perhaps it was just a meaningless coincidence.
Basing on the limited information at hand, Li Qingming did come up with three to five guesses, but he couldn't yet draw a definitive conclusion and needed further observation and verification.
At the front of the classroom, after dispensing the eleventh black dot, Sea Urchin Head's mouth gradually receded and returned to its original big smiling face.
He wiped his mouth and rested for a moment before raising his arms high again.
"Teacher! Hate bad students!
"But will give the collective a chance, and won't enjoy them right away!
"Good students, work hard, work hard to achieve our educational goals!
"Everyone...all of you...graduate together!
"But if...the educational objectives aren't achieved by the end of class...
"Then the teacher will have to enjoy them.
"And then enjoy you.
"So...class begins!"
With that said, Sea Urchin Head, like a gymnast finishing a performance, stood in place with his arms raised high, pausing for a long time, as if waiting for the audience's applause.
But how could anyone clap for him!
After a pause of seven to eight seconds, he inexplicably grew a bit angry, his black lips puckering slightly, smoke rising from the tips of the sea urchin spines.
Yet he still maintained his position, twisting his body and forcefully asking, "Who is the class leader?!"
Zheng Ruixing trembled as he raised his hand, "I am..."
"You...bad student!" Sea Urchin Head said as he took a deep breath and began to pucker his lips.
Including Zheng Ruixing himself, everyone's mind buzzed, utterly baffled.
What is all this...
What in the world are the rules?
Does the harbinger of doom act on a whim?
Are there even any rules? Isn't this just sheer torment?!
In this moment of despair, a detached voice came from a corner—
"Stand up." Li Qingming stood up, taking Ji Xiaoxiang with him.
Upon hearing this genetically ingrained signal, everyone abruptly stood up, crying or wailing loudly as they shouted the three words:
"Tea—cher—good—"
In front of the classroom, Sea Urchin Head momentarily paused.
Although his mouth was aimed at Zheng Ruixing, his eyes "clicked" and shifted towards Li Qingming.
Then, the protruding lips gradually retracted, and the downturned corners visibly lifted.
"Students, good! Please sit," he said.
After the crowd hurriedly sat down, Sea Urchin Head excitedly pointed at Li Qingming.
"You...good student! The best student!
"From now on, you're the class leader! I said so!"
With that, he tilted his head back, stuffing his hand into his mouth, rummaging through it with gulping noises, then pulled out a small black cube and threw it at Li Qingming.
This thing, although smaller than a pebble, was thrown with no slow speed and its clarity was very visible, allowing Li Qingming to easily catch it, and he felt that its density was much greater than its size suggested.
The progression simultaneously provided a prompt.
[Acquired Collectible: Energy Block 23 grams.]
Li Qingming then put it into his backpack, and for the first time in his life, sincerely nodded in thanks to the teacher: "Thank you, teacher."
"Good, very polite! Worthy of being a good student!" After nodding in approval, Sea Urchin Head looked at the timetable again, "This class is mathematics... Then, you! Answer!"
He pointed at the girl with glasses in the front row.
The girl with glasses immediately burst into tears, but she dared not hesitate, her body stiffly driven by instinct to stand up.
"Hmm... What is 2+2!" Sea Urchin Head guffawed, throwing his arms in the air, striking a demonic pose as he demanded.
"...4?" the girl with glasses answered incredulously.
"Good student! Here." Sea Urchin Head once again pulled an energy block from his mouth and tossed it over, then glanced at his watch.
"Uh...class...bored...
"Not satisfied... Not at all satisfied..."
"Let's just end the class here…"
"Yeah, no objections."
"Then next is break time, we'll meet again in 10 minutes…"
"Ring, ring, ring, ring!!"
After announcing the end of class, he strode off with light steps once more.
The instant the main door closed, no one spoke or cried.
Only breathing, the breathing of having survived a close call.
It seemed like only now did they dare to breathe freely.
After gasping like this for over ten seconds, someone finally couldn't hold back anymore and began to cry out loud.
"Wuu wuu wuu wuu…I want to go home…."
"We're still alive… we're still alive…"
"They fell like that, like Han Chun, can they still come back…"
"What are the rules exactly… what did they do wrong… Ahh Ahh Ahh!!"
"To hell with the 'Three No's and One Waiting'… Where's the rescue… how long has it been… damn it, where's the rescue!!"
Amidst the rising and falling of mournful laments, more and more people began to look invariably towards Li Qingming.
This person, he actually did it…
He managed to figure out the rules with an unimaginably calm demeanor… he even saved Zheng Ruixing.
Every step he took after entering the Secret Realm was correct, flawless.
All those odd behaviors of the past couldn't be more reasonable here.
Perhaps, maybe…
He really is our savior!
Zheng Ruixing himself had a narrow escape and looking back he said, "Thanks, Qingming… I was scared stiff… I should have been the one to call 'Attention'…"
"Shut up, don't annoy me," Li Qingming waved his hand, continuing to survey the crowd.
"…" Zheng Ruixing quickly wiped his sweat and turning to the others said, "Come on, boys, let's help those who fell on the ground get up, have them lie down on the tables for now…"
Cai Zhixin also stood up, "Quickly… let's summarize, try to remember, what did these 11 people do, what taboo did they break!"
But as soon as he made the call, he saw a girl scream in shock.
"What did you just say? You don't love me???"
Turning towards the voice.
It was a well-known couple, naturally sitting together at the same desk, and the one who had just screamed was the girl in the pair.
Facing her interrogation, although the boy was clamping his mouth shut, he still uncontrollably answered:
"I… love… Zhou Xin from class seven…"
The girl was furious and demanded, "Have you two been together secretly?!!"
"…Yes."
Slap!!
The girl slapped the boy across the face, then with a loud bang, kicked over his desk.
At the same time, another girl let out a startled cry.
"Was it you who stole that pair of headphones??!!"
Her deskmate, also a girl, was covering her mouth tightly, but still answered, "It was me…"
"You got close to me… just to mooch off my money?"
"Yes…"
"Ahhh ahhh ahhh ahhh! I don't want to sit with you anymore!"
"You're with me just to make yourself look better by comparison!"
"…That's right."
Seeing this, everyone recalled what Sea Urchin Head had said at the beginning.
[Choose your best friend, and sit at the same desk.
[Speak freely and share your gains.]
The current situation was indeed as he had said…
You will be unable to refuse your deskmate's questions and will surely give truthful answers.
At this moment, all desk buddies were caught in wary eye contact, and there was a sense of unrest brewing.
Only that Sea Urchin Head, floated like a ghost behind the back window.
"Break time… what a great break time!"
"Satisfied… super satisfied!"