C1 You Can't

No. 66 High School.

Senior Year, Class Six.

"Lin Feng, are you seriously considering the Martial Arts exam?" Chiang Yu, his best friend, asked with evident concern.

"Yeah."

Lin Feng, a 17-year-old with wheat-colored skin, was the epitome of youthful vigor, dressed in his school uniform with his hair in a tousle.

Chiang Yu's worry deepened upon Lin Feng's confirmation. "But what about your strength?"

Lin Feng just chuckled. "You don't need to worry about that, Chiang Yu. I'm far from weak."

Before Chiang Yu could respond, a mocking snort echoed from nearby.

Lin Feng glanced over, his brow furrowing at the sight of a strikingly handsome, long-haired young man lounging in a chair.

The young man met Lin Feng's gaze with unabashed scorn.

"Lin Feng, with your mere Third Level Trainee Warrior abilities—three thousand kilograms of strength and a speed of sixty meters per second—what makes you think you can compete in the Martial Arts exam?"

It wasn't the handsome youth who spoke, but one of his cronies, Zhang Jun, who clearly held Lin Feng and the other regular students in contempt.

Unruffled, Lin Feng replied with a dismissive smile, "I have my methods."

Zhang Jun burst into laughter. "Oh? Are you counting on Chiang Yu and Liu Fei to carry you?"

Chiang Yu and Liu Fei were Lin Feng's closest friends, having grown up together with a bond as strong as brothers.

Unlike other exams, the Martial Arts test allowed for teamwork. Candidates had to endure three days in the Warzone and slay three D5 Level monsters.

Monsters were categorized into four ranks—War God, War General, Warrior, and Trainee Warrior—each corresponding to the Human Race's hierarchy and further divided into nine sub-levels.

Lin Feng, currently at the third sub-level of Trainee Warrior, was two whole ranks below the D5 Level monsters, a fact that made him an easy target for Zhang Jun's derision.

"And don't you and your brother Zhang Zhao lean on Gu Chen for support?" Chiang Yu shot back coldly.

Zhang Jun's face twisted with anger, and he opened his mouth to hurl an insult in return.

The strikingly handsome youth beside them finally spoke, his tone nonchalant, "Fine, if they're looking for death, let them find it. Why waste words on the dead?"

Zhang Jun's scowl softened as he deferentially responded, "Understood, Mr. Gu."

Lin Feng intervened to stop Chiang Yu from saying more, his smile dismissive, "A dog can't spit out ivory; there's no point in acknowledging these fools."

Chiang Yu burst into laughter, "You've got that right, Lin Feng."

Zhang Jun and Zhang Zhao's expressions turned grim at these words, and even the good-looking Gu Chen furrowed his brow, "How dare such a lowly creature challenge me?"

The tension between the two groups was palpable, on the verge of erupting.

A sharp student in the classroom quickly called out, "The class teacher's coming!"

The interruption eased the tension considerably.

Yet, Gu Chen's piercing gaze lingered on Lin Feng.

"Mr. Gu, we'll take care of him after school," Zhang Jun murmured at his side.

Gu Chen nodded, then slipped back into his carefree demeanor.

...

Lee Zhiqiang stood at the podium, surveying the fifty-plus students in the classroom, his eyes reflecting a mix of emotions.

The college entrance exams were just three days away.

He couldn't help but wonder if this farewell might be the last time he'd see them all.

The humanities and science students were one thing, but for those entering the Martial Arts, the future was unpredictable, a matter of life and death.

Inhaling deeply, Lee Zhiqiang pushed aside his swirling thoughts and spoke with a gentle firmness,

"My students, three years have flown by. Though it's hard to say goodbye, remember, every fledgling eagle must one day spread its wings and soar! I wish you boundless success and a future as bright as brocade!"

The students were taken aback.

Lee Zhiqiang was known for his strictness; they'd never expected such tenderness.

But the reality of their impending departure quickly settled in, filling them with a sense of loss.

"Teacher..."

"Alright," Lee Zhiqiang gestured for calm, then turned to the blackboard with a smile and inscribed a line of text.

Cultivate for the ascent of Lofreydor!

As he faced them again, his expression was stern once more, and the students mirrored his solemnity.

Seventeen years ago, Apus Calesius tragically plummeted into a space tunnel, plunging into darkness. Three days later, the light returned.

But Apus Calesius was no longer part of the solar system; it had arrived in a realm known as Taiyi.

This world was filled with beings of myth, capable of moving mountains, overturning seas, plucking stars, and capturing moons...

The students listened with grave expressions.

They had learned this history in their elementary school textbooks.

Their class teacher, Lee Zhiqiang, spoke with a mournful voice, "Countless formidable monsters and beings from the Otherworld have flooded into our Apus Calesius!

They wreaked havoc, sparing no evil deed.

Many small nations were decimated, their people slaughtered or enslaved!

Only a handful of nations, like Lofreydor with its nuclear arsenal, managed to survive this catastrophe!

But even so, the vital energy of our world was severely depleted."

Tears shimmered in Lee Zhiqiang's eyes.

At fifty, he had once enjoyed a happy family life until the disaster struck, claiming the lives of his parents and wife.

Lin Feng's eyes also held sorrow.

He had been just an infant at the time and had no memory of the events. But his father, too, had perished in that calamity.

"Always remember, if we are not strong, we will be oppressed and enslaved. So... cultivate for the rise of Lofreydor!"

The entire class was stirred, their voices rising in unison, "Cultivate for the rise of Lofreydor!"

Among those present, only Gu Chen remained unconvinced.

He wasn't a purebred from Apus Calesius.

Half of his bloodline was from the Otherworld!

Once the class's cries had subsided, he spoke with a dismissive air, "It's futile. No matter how loudly a child cries, they are no match for an adult."

"Rather than yelling here, it would be wiser to choose a strong leader to serve. Otherwise, in two years, you might be discarded and killed like worthless weeds."

His indifferent, detached words earned him the angry stares of his classmates.

"Did I speak incorrectly?" Gu Chen, unfazed by the attention, simply smiled.

"In 2020, Apus Calesius entered Taiyi. Protected by the realm wall for twenty years, not even those at the War God Stage can breach our world."

Now, in 2037, we're less than three years away from the two-decade mark. So, I pose the question to you all: What can you possibly do in just over two years when faced with almighty forces capable of world destruction? And let's not even talk about nuclear weapons. Against the true might of these beings, our nukes are mere child's play, posing no real threat."

Each word from Gu Chen landed like a sledgehammer on the hearts of everyone present. The classroom was enveloped in silence. With a smirk of arrogance, Gu Chen boasted, "Why not ally yourselves with my grandfather, Gu Dao? He's a high-ranking military commander in the Taihe Divine Court. His power is immense, and he commands hundreds of thousands of elite troops..."

Lin Feng rose to his feet, drawing the eyes of his classmates. Gu Chen's brow furrowed, his words halting. Amidst the stares, Lin Feng fixed his gaze on Gu Chen and let out a cold laugh, "Gu Chen, you keep calling him 'grandfather' so affectionately, but I doubt he'd even recognize you as his... grandson!"

Indeed, Gu Chen was born on Apus Calesius and had never left. It was impossible for him to have met his grandfather, Gu Dao of the Taihe Divine Court, who was light-years away. Gu Chen's expression soured. There's a saying: 'Don't slap someone in the face, don't uncover their shortcomings.' Lin Feng's words were cutting, and his emphasis on 'grandson' was clearly a jab.

Laughter flickered in the eyes of the students, though a few looked on with concern, shaking their heads. Gu Chen, born of the Otherworld and of noble lineage, was a force to be reckoned with—a Third Level Warrior. Lin Feng's provocation could well invite envy and vengeance.

Yet Lin Feng appeared unfazed. He surveyed the room and raised his voice in encouragement: "Fellow students, we must strive and strengthen ourselves. Better to lose after a hard fight than to surrender without trying! You've seen the plight of those smaller nations, ravaged by the Otherworlders. It's all over the internet! Our teacher said it best: if we're not strong, we'll be bullied, we'll be subjugated!"

"Therefore, we must strive to be stronger!"

As the students' spirits were lifted,

Gu Chen let out a sneer, "A Third Level Trainee Warrior—this is what you call self-improvement?"

Lin Feng, undaunted by Gu Chen's scornful look, replied with a serene smile, "Why do you assume that what you see is the whole truth? My strength may well exceed your expectations!"

Gu Chen was about to retort when Lee Zhiqiang cut in, "That's enough, let's end it here!"

His face was grim.

His displeasure was not aimed at Lin Feng, but squarely at Gu Chen.