C15 I will Apologize You will Leave the School

"No way," Hee Yue said almost instinctively.

The entire class turned to Hee Yue with looks of astonishment.

"Why not?" Gao Mu asked, his smile unwavering.

Hee Yue glanced at Gao Mu and asserted, "What's the point if you just recite the same text after I've recited a certain passage?"

That was the only argument Hee Yue could come up with at the moment.

"It's simple," Gao Mu replied cheerfully. "Let's have the teacher pick a random line from the book. After you recite that line, I'll recite the next one. How does that sound?"

Gao Mu's suggestion caused Hee Yue's expression to darken even more.

Nobody had expected Gao Mu to be so confrontational.

"I refuse." Hee Yue struggled to find a reason to decline. After racking her brain and coming up empty, she finally said, "What if you're in cahoots with the teacher?"

Her words caused an immediate hush to fall over the classroom.

Liu Guowei stared at Hee Yue with an incredulous gaze. It was the first time he felt this student was so alien to him.

"That makes it even easier," Gao Mu addressed the rest of the class. "Just pick any student from Class 6 to act as the judge."

At that, Hee Yue was at a loss for words.

The situation had evolved beyond her control.

Now, Gao Mu was the one steering the course of events.

She realized that, win or lose, she was destined for an awkward outcome today.

Especially after catching Liu Guowei's expression.

"He's so full of himself!"

"I'm going to give him a piece of my mind after school today."

"I'm going to set him straight right after this class."

"I feel like hitting him right now. What do you all think?"

Truth be told, the students of Class 6 had never really seen Gao Mu as one of their own.

In the past, such words would have sent Gao Mu into a shivering fright. But now, things were different.

Since he had acquired the system and realized its effectiveness, his self-assurance had soared.

"No!" Hee Yue continued to resist Gao Mu's proposal. "This competition holds no benefit for me, win or lose. Why should I bother competing with you?"

Gao Mu watched as Hee Yue's expression grew increasingly stormy and shook his head in resignation. "It was you who accused me of cheating. Now, you're the one trying to back out and concede defeat. What do you really want?"

Hee Yue's face turned even more sullen at Gao Mu's words.

"I haven't conceded," Hee Yue declared loudly. "If we're going to compete, then we need to wager something."

Without hesitation, Gao Mu nodded. "Alright, what's the stake?"

After a moment's thought, Hee Yue replied, "If you lose, you must leave this school. I never want to see you again for as long as I live."

Gao Mu nodded, his face betraying no emotion.

"And if you lose?" Gao Mu inquired.

With a resigned sigh, Hee Yue answered, "If I lose, I'll apologize to you."

Gao Mu's eyes widened in anticipation of more, but Hee Yue remained silent.

"Why?" Gao Mu demanded, his eyes still wide as he stared at Hee Yue.

Hee Yue responded as if it were the most natural thing in the world, "Because I am the one being challenged, and you are the challenger. Therefore, my punishment should be less severe than yours."

This infuriated Gao Mu.