C32 I Have Smelled It Before

"Drop dead!"

Demolishor straddled Zhou Mu's stomach, relentlessly raining punches down on his face.

Zhou Mu refused to surrender, his body writhing in an attempt to escape Demolishor's hold.

Both were locked in a fierce battle, their minds devoid of any thought but the fight.

To the principal, however, the scene took on a different meaning.

Demolishor was marked with red handprints, his hair disheveled, eyes bloodshot, tears streaming down his cheeks.

Zhou Mu lay pinned beneath him, his waist bucking wildly, his body marred with scratches.

"Do young people these days always play so rough?"

The principal mumbled to himself before quietly exiting the office. "I saw nothing. Carry on, carry on."

With a bang, the door shut, jolting the two combatants back to reality.

As they grappled with confusion, unsure of their next move, the door swung open again.

Peeking in, the principal asked slyly, "Need protection?"

"No!" they both shouted in unison.

"Ah, got it."

With a nod, the principal shut the door once more.

By now, continuing the fight seemed pointless.

Physically, they were evenly matched. Although Demolishor's martial arts skills were slightly superior, killing Zhou Mu would be no easy feat.

Persisting might only lead to real trouble.

"Let's call it quits on the count of three," Zhou Mu proposed, his tone grave.

"Agreed!" Demolishor responded instantly.

"One... two... three..."

Slap! Slap! Slap!

Neither ceased their assault; the battle only grew fiercer.

Listening from outside, the principal marveled at their stamina: "Young folks sure have energy!"

After nearly half an hour, exhaustion finally overtook them.

With a casual swipe of his hand, Demolishor's clothes materialized from nowhere.

Unabashed, he dressed in full view of Zhou Mu.

Everything that could be seen had been seen, everything touchable had been touched—he'd even given the insides a good rub. Modesty was long gone.

Seeing such boldness from a woman, Zhou Mu felt no need for bashfulness.

"You vile rogue, next time we cross paths, your life is mine!"

Demolishor huffed and swung the door open. But just before she departed, she whipped her head around to toss back a cryptic remark.

"Make sure you remember, my name is Zhao Qianqian!"

"Call yourself whatever the hell you want!"

Zhou Mu flung his shoe in frustration.

Since his rebirth, he had never been dealt such a blow.

To be pummeled by a woman was the ultimate embarrassment.

If anyone found out, his lifelong reputation would be destroyed in an instant.

Enraged and feeling cornered, Zhou Mu was about to give chase and settle the score with her when, to his surprise, the principal walked in.

The principal scrutinized Zhou Mu from head to toe, clicking his tongue in a peculiar way, his face etched with mockery.

"Kid, you've got quite the physique, I must say!"

"Auntie, cut it out. Didn't you see how that woman nearly killed me?"

Zhou Mu was livid, unable to fight back, escape, or even get a rise out of her with his insults. He felt utterly defeated.

"Don't play the victim here. If you could handle her, you'd save yourself a century of struggle."

The principal smirked and settled into the sofa nearby.

"Forget it. Remember her nickname? I'm worried about my dad's safety."

Zhou Mu huffed. He had been through three boyfriends, each one after their fathers. He had no intention of becoming the fourth.

"Hahaha, you naive kid. You take everything you hear at face value."

The principal burst into laughter at Zhou Mu's concern.

"Do you have any idea what someone might do when they're spurned and love turns to hate?"

"Desperate... Love turning to hate..."

Zhou Mu murmured to himself, his mind flooding with phrases: "Furious with embarrassment, spreading lies, vicious slander, assault followed by murder..."

"Holy shit! What have I done!"

Zhou Mu clutched his face, in disbelief.

All his clothes were gone, and all he could think about was fighting.

What was Liu Qiyue in comparison?

He, Zhou Mu, was the true definition of a gentleman!

"That girl's upbringing is incredibly strict. No ordinary man can get within half a meter of her, and here you are, scratching and groping. Tsk tsk tsk..."

The principal emitted a bizarre chuckle. "Young man, that won't do. You missed out on such a golden opportunity."

"Just a woman," Zhou Mu retorted with confidence. "On my own, I can still rise to become an unbeatable warrior. Struggle for a century? Please, I'll surpass others by two centuries in just a decade."

He snorted dismissively, the principal's words barely registering.

With the system at his disposal, as long as he didn't make any fatal mistakes, reaching the pinnacle was a certainty.

"People who've eaten are more prone to hunger. You, a virgin, haven't savored the delights of a woman—it's excusable for you to talk like that."

Zhou Mu's eyebrows quirked up as he threw down a challenge. "Heh, I've never indulged, true. And you?"

"I've caught a whiff," the principal claimed.

Zhou Mu was left puzzled.

Not quite grasping the "caught a whiff" part but noting the principal's increasingly irate demeanor, Zhou Mu swiftly steered the conversation elsewhere.

"If there's nothing else, I should be on my way."

He sighed, ready to depart.

As the space transitioned, the Soul Contract automatically retracted the spirit animals, so there was no need to fret over Goldie and Gator; they were both safely inside.

It must be said, the Soul Contract was indeed the most magnificent invention of the last four centuries—stable, convenient, multifunctional, and best of all, it upgraded itself.

"Hold on, don't rush off. There's something I need to discuss with you."

The principal gestured to the seat next to him, signaling Zhou Mu to sit.

"Under normal circumstances, you would have proceeded to the Freshmen Ranking Competition right after emerging from the Sanctuary for Spiritual Growth. Now, it's been postponed by half a month. If it's delayed any longer, I suspect those old fogeys might start calling for my impeachment."

"The Freshmen Ranking Competition? What's the point? To claim the top spot and strut around? To draw the ire of a horde of resentful challengers? Or to attract a bunch of petty individuals eager to recruit me, only to harass me with endless troubles if I refuse?"

Zhou Mu scoffed, his disdain for the competition evident.

With the system at his disposal, steady progress was the key to success.

He refrained from bringing up the Sanctuary for Spiritual Growth, sensing that the decline in wandering souls and soul energy might be tied to him.

Keeping silent could let him slide by, but speaking up could earn him a beating.

"The prizes for the Freshman Ranking Tournament are incredibly generous."

The principal gave Zhou Mu a meaningful look. "Artifacts that enhance soul intensity, potions that unlock the constraints of 100 basic attributes, and leader-class spirit animals..."

"I'm in! For the glory of the school, and to make my aunt proud, I'll undoubtedly take the top spot!"

Zhou Mu's eyes gleamed with determination. The rewards were irresistible. A little trouble meant nothing; he'd take down anyone who dared to challenge him.

The principal asked, "Is that all?"