Here's the edited version:
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Zilong looked at Jacob, who was lying on his stomach with an intricate rune the size of a cockroach on the right side of his back.
"Hot or cold method?" Davis asked again. The rest of the participants in the back looked horrified.
"Umm, well, I think I'll have to pass on this," Zilong said nervously, trying to push the person behind him to the front.
"Choose one, or else I will choose for you," Davis said, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.
"Th-the hot method," Zilong stammered. Davis smiled and opened the container next to him, which was filled with burning charcoal exuding black smoke.
*Gulp.*
The men in black suits rushed to Zilong's side, each grabbing him by an arm and pinning him against the table with precision.
Zilong could feel cold sweat dripping from his face as his heart pounded. He shut his eyes as the hot rod made contact with his skin.
An unimaginable searing pain shot up to his brain, growing worse and worse until Zilong couldn't bear it anymore.
"Argh!" He gritted his teeth even harder, trying to endure the pain.
"Ahh!" Zilong's eyes widened as he let out a scream. It felt as if all the veins in his body were connected to that burning sensation on his back, each one igniting with the same intensity. His breathing became hoarse, and he panted, sweat dripping from his face.
The rest of the class had already backed away; some wanted to leave the hall.
...
Everyone lay lifeless on the ground as Mr. Davis attended to the last student before sighing. "Get up from your positions," he ordered, but no one paid him any attention; they were still in shock and dazed, lying on the ground.
Mr. Davis shook his head and explained, "There are two types of runes: the virtuous runes and the applied runes. The virtuous runes appear naturally as the individual shows a certain quality. These might include the honesty rune, integrity rune, sacrifice rune, and so on. The applied runes are for practicality, like the speed rune, strength rune, agility rune, and others."
A few students had risen and were looking at him. Zilong slowly got to his feet, looking around. Mr. Davis gave them the next day off to prepare for the hellish training of the next class.
Zilong didn't even bother going to the cafeteria; he just wandered the empty streets of the facility.
"Damn, I didn't do it," a voice cried out, catching Zilong's attention.
In an alleyway, two girls repeatedly smacked a boy across the face, sending him flying several meters. The boy was Neo, the chubby kid from their class.
Zilong watched as one of the girls, with blue hair, grabbed Neo by the collar. "I know what you did. Give me your phone," she demanded. Neo curled up into a ball and shook his head.
What the—? Zilong, seeing this, just watched, dumbfounded.
'Should I intervene?' he thought.
In the streets, things like this occurred regularly—beatings and even death. Zilong was in a dilemma, remembering a time when he was beaten by a shop owner for stealing one of his products. An enigmatic old lady had stood up for him and paid the bill. That act of kindness had made Zilong a little bit happy. Should he repay that happiness to someone else?.
"Sigh... hey, leave that boy alone," Zilong said calmly, walking in their direction.
The girls looked at him, annoyed. "Knight, piss off, or else you want your own beating?" a pink-haired girl said, clutching Neo's shoulder.
Zilong paused. He remembered the cold streets again: Mind your business or die for another person's problems. That was the notion Zilong had come to terms with over the years; he could not die for another person's problem.
Wait, was he going to die? Not quite; the worst he could get was a beating. These girls weren't from their class, so Zilong assumed they were from the higher classes.
Zilong gritted his teeth and walked up to them. "Leave my comrade alone," he said. 'Wait, what?' Zilong thought inwardly. *Is that all I have to say?*
The pink-haired girl looked at Zilong carelessly and tossed Neo into a trash bin. "Strong," Zilong muttered, looking at the girl.
He braced himself. 'If she tries to attack me, I'll—' His thoughts were cut off as the girl's palm had already reached his face, grabbing him and tossing him over a waste bin.
*Thud.*
Zilong crashed into it with force, sending some trash flying around. "Ha, that's where trash like you belongs," the girl sneered. The blue-haired girl beside her remained silent, observing the situation with expressionless eyes.
...
They had been swiftly dealt with by the two female seniors. Zilong walked to his dorm, helping Neo limp along.
"Bro... thanks for saving me," Neo said, smiling.
"It's nothing," Zilong replied. He walked across the street, covered in trash, enduring the gazes from people that pierced his body like knives. He got to Neo's residence and left him there since Neo insisted he could manage from there. Zilong went to his dorm.
When he entered, Jacob immediately stood up to cover his nose. "What the hell is that?" Jacob asked, pinching his nose. Zilong ignored him and went to take a shower.
...
After Zilong had showered and was rid of the smell, they headed out to find their sisters. They went over to their residence, and Emma opened the door. Jacob immediately rushed in.
"How was it?" Jacob inquired. He needed to be prepared for what was about to come, and information was the best way to do that.
Emma smiled, amused by Jacob's childish behavior. Jumping on the bed as if it were his own, he looked at Emma, who gestured for him to come in.
Zilong looked around to see two empty bunk beds. It looked like they had teammates. Zilong sat down on one of the beds.
"Sis, quickly tell us how hellish the second class was," Jacob asked, leaning over with interest.
Ava walked in at that moment, looking at all of them. She sat down and sighed. "How was the training in the second class?" Zilong asked, looking at his sister, puzzled. She had the same expression as Emma, which frightened him.