A towering figure, far more imposing than Jin Xianhui, stormed through the door. His muscular frame stretched the thin fabric of his school uniform, and his golden buzz cut contrasted with the fury in his eyes as he swung his fists.
He had intended to use his fists to humiliate Song Shi in front of the entire class.
But he hadn't anticipated that Song Shi would not even enter the room. His punch came too soon, landing in empty space.
Meanwhile, Song Shi stood just outside the door, her expression a mix of amusement and irony as she watched him.
His face flickered with surprise before an angry scowl twisted his features.
Clenching his jaw, he yanked the door handle and slammed the door against the wall, venting his frustration and attempting to create a noise to intimidate.
The metal door handle struck the wall with a deafening crash, a sound far louder than the class bell. Students from other classes, rushing through the corridor, turned their heads at the noise.
When they saw Song Shi standing at the doorway, their expressions turned knowing, and they quickly diverted their gaze, heading back to their own classes.
The bell signaling the start of class had already rung.
The corridor returned to silence.
The golden buzz cut boy snorted, glaring at Song Shi as he twisted his neck, the cracking sounds of his joints echoing.
Song Shi kept her eyes locked on his movements. As his fist neared, she mentally traced its path and stepped aside just in time, the punch grazing her neck.
Before he could retract his left fist, his right fist followed through. Song Shi leaned back again, narrowly avoiding it.
The boy was clearly trained—his movements were swift, precise, and ruthless.
Song Shi remained fully alert, her mind sharp as she dodged his attacks.
After failing to land a hit, the boy attempted a low kick, his leg cutting through the air with remarkable speed. The muscles of his leg, visible beneath his uniform pants, added to the force. Song Shi was caught off guard, and though she tried to evade, she was struck, her knee absorbing the blow.
[Pain Tolerance Progress: +1%]
Song Shi was sent crashing into the doorframe, her back slamming against the protruding beam. A sharp crack echoed from her spine.
Her knee, too, went numb, almost losing all feeling.
The boy, though, seemed equally affected by their exchange. His leg trembled slightly.
Yet, his muscular build soon regained its stability. Without hesitation, he lifted his leg again, aiming for her waist.
Song Shi remained rooted to the spot, her eyes fixed on his every movement. The boy believed she was frozen in fear, and a smug grin spread across his face as he put more force into his next strike, intending to take her down in one blow.
However, just as his leg reached its target, Song Shi sidestepped, disappearing behind the doorframe.
The boy's pupils dilated, his leg's momentum too powerful to retract in time.
"Crack!"
The sharp sound rang out, and even Song Shi, now hidden in the classroom, could not suppress a frown.
A scream—painful and animalistic—pierced the air as the boy clutched his leg, sweating profusely from the agony.
[Revenge Progress: +2%]
Song Shi didn't glance back at him. Her gaze swept toward the back of the classroom.
Jin Xianhui stood in the second-to-last row, eyes lowered in feigned respect, while a boy beside him sat with his arms crossed, reclining in his chair, observing her intently.
Their eyes met, and the boy raised his right hand, adorned with a holographic wristband, pointing toward her with a slender finger.
At that moment, five figures rose from the back row—three boys and two girls.
Song Shi took a step back, her foot resting on the step leading to the podium.
She cast a quick glance at the empty podium. Class had begun, yet the teacher had not arrived.
Was it coincidence? Or was it that they could manipulate the teacher's absence?
The five individuals began to move, slowly encircling her. Some rotated their wrists, while others casually grabbed a book from a front row desk, rolling it up like a club.
The student whose book was taken remained silent, like a puppet.
In fact, it seemed the entire class was like puppets, unmoved by what was about to unfold. They watched like spectators at a scene they had seen many times before.
The most excited among them was Jin Xianhui, his palm still resting on his neck, his eyes glittering with excitement as he watched Song Shi being surrounded.
Song Shi took another step back and stood on the podium, her vantage point widening. Through the classroom's side window, she noticed a head—a middle-aged man with a receding hairline, wearing black-framed glasses. As soon as he saw her look his way, he vanished.
Given the height of the window, she suspected the man was crouching awkwardly, trying to remain unseen.
At this point, Song Shi could think of no one outside the teacher who would be outside the classroom.
She lowered her gaze, dismissing the thought of seeking help from the teacher.
With no escape route, she fixed her gaze firmly on the group closing in on her.
The first to strike was a girl wielding the rolled-up book like a cudgel, aiming for Song Shi's head.
Song Shi instinctively sidestepped and reached out to grab her wrist.
Just as her hand closed around the girl's wrist, a strange rush of wind caught her ear—there was no wind in the closed classroom and corridor, so where had it come from?
She quickly tilted her head to the right, narrowly avoiding a fist that cut through the air with a whistling sound. The sharp pain in her ear from the near miss caused her to wince.
Before she could catch her breath, a punch collided with her shoulder blade, sending her stumbling forward. Another fist came from her left side.
She gritted her teeth, ignoring the pain in her back, and focused on seizing the weapon. With both hands, she twisted the girl's wrist, applying pressure like wringing a towel. The girl winced in pain, and the book fell from her grasp.
Song Shi bent down, grabbing the book, and without wasting a moment, she used it to block the incoming punch from her left.
The punch landed heavily on the book, tearing its cover.
Without a second thought, Song Shi hurled the book behind her.
The student attempting a surprise attack from the rear was caught off guard, the book slapping him in the face. The force was enough to make him stagger, his upper body lurching into the person beside him.
Seizing the moment, Song Shi gripped the book tightly and swung it at their heads once more.
"Bang! Crack! Crack!"
With the relentless sound of impact, Song Shi fought with reckless abandon, swinging her only weapon with all her might at anyone within reach.
The book, once only torn at the cover, began to tear apart completely, its pages flying everywhere in the chaos, littering the podium.
Despite her efforts, she couldn't stop the punches coming from the gaps between her defenses.
Her back, already the most vulnerable area, bore the brunt of each blow. No matter how fast she reacted, she couldn't block them all.
Each punch landed with brutal force, and Song Shi felt her bones creaking. The metallic taste of blood filled her mouth.
She swallowed hard, pushing the nauseating taste away.
(End of Chapter)