C3 A Crisis Falling from the Sky

Tossing and turning until the wee hours of the morning, Chen Mo finally felt a hint of sleepiness creep in. But as soon as he closed his eyes, the alarm clock blared, abruptly waking him. Biting back some less-than-polite words, he struggled out of bed and got dressed.

Although he had barely slept, possibly not at all, Chen Mo wasn't groggy as usual. Instead, he felt an unprecedented surge of energy coursing through him, enough to power through a hundred and eighty practice problems.

"What's going on?" Chen Mo wondered, slightly perplexed.

[Good morning, young man! Are you feeling confused? Perplexed? No need for that. Our System's products are of the highest quality. Did you really think the promotional gift was just a joke?]

[Let's give a cheer for the System's eternal glory and then jump out the window to have some fun on the street corner, shall we?]

The System was as unreliable as ever. Chen Mo nodded slightly, gave the now-quiet alarm clock a glance, and got up to begin his daily routine.

"That won't work for me. I'm short on time. I have to make breakfast and then go to school. Since I have this burst of energy, I might as well adjust my study plan accordingly."

After brushing his teeth and washing up, Chen Mo walked into the kitchen and skillfully managed all the tasks at hand.

"System, do you have any first-year study materials? If they're affordable, I might manage to save up enough to buy them."

[This system has a supreme martial art that could let you dominate the world...]

"That's too bad, isn't it?"

Chen Mo felt a hint of regret but didn't stop his work. He turned on the stove, poured oil into the pan, and started frying eggs.

[This martial art is unparalleled, making you invincible. Even if you don't want to be a feared villain, being a chivalrous urban hero isn't a bad option.]

"That sounds nice, but unfortunately, I don't have the time."

For Chen Mo, academics were the priority. With a steadfast commitment to excellence over the past three years, he had focused all his energy and effort on achieving perfection, leaving no room for distractions.

For Chen Mo, the primary goal was to improve his academic performance. Everything else was secondary, and he had poured all his energy and attention into preparing a perfect report card for everyone over the past three years, leaving no room to be distracted by anything else. Upon learning that the Life Pendant had significantly increased his vitality, he began to develop a new study plan. With less natural talent than his peers, he chose to compensate through hard work, dedicating vast amounts of time to catch up with the more gifted students, hoping that his diligence would make up for his shortcomings.

Making breakfast required little effort: two fried eggs and a pot of meat porridge were quickly prepared. Chen Mo didn't attempt to wake Yun Yiyi; instead, he served himself a bowl and kept the rest warm for later, then quietly enjoyed his breakfast alone.

After eating, he packed his backpack, watered the flowers and plants in the yard, and opened the gate to head to school, breathing in the fresh morning air. He had been up since six and had kept himself busy until around seven.

As the early morning bustle began to stir the streets, Chen Mo walked at a leisurely pace. He preferred a calm stroll to school over the frenetic energy of city life, taking his time despite the fullness of his schedule.

Classes started at eight-thirty, giving Chen Mo ample time to get to school. Surrounded by the flow of pedestrians and traffic, he found peace in the swaying trees and the golden morning light that illuminated the skyline. For a brief moment, he allowed himself to step away from the relentless pursuit of academics and truly relax.

Breathing in the fresh air of the morning, he walked through the tree-lined neighborhood and onto the busier streets, where the sounds of vendors and breakfast stalls added life and color to the day.

He continued on his path, blending into the point where the horizon met the sky. The road, alive with students from all directions, was filled with a symphony of sounds. Yet Chen Mo, a lover of peace, felt at ease amidst the noise.

He could even lose himself in a book amid the urban clamor, his deep focus blocking out the surrounding bustle.

Gradually, the streets began to fill with the hurried footsteps of pedestrians. Despite being pressed for time, Chen Mo maintained a leisurely pace. He was unaccustomed to the fast-paced hustle of the big city and preferred to amble toward school at his own relaxed speed.

Classes didn't officially start until 8:30 AM, and the hour and a half he had was more than enough to get Chen Mo to school with time to spare.

Surrounded by the constant flow of people and vehicles, the rustling greenery on either side, and the golden glow of dawn, Chen Mo allowed his mind to empty. It was a rare break from the endless stream of assignments, a moment to truly rest.

Breathing in the fresh morning air, he strolled leisurely past neighborhoods shaded with greenery and onto the increasingly bustling streets.

The calls of street vendors filled the air, and breakfast stalls blossomed like flowers along the sidewalks.

The road stretched straight ahead, disappearing into the horizon where sky met earth.

This was the inevitable route to school, and the convergence of students from all directions made the street exceptionally lively. Chen Mo, who preferred quiet, was not bothered by the noise. He could even immerse himself in a book amidst the chaos, tuning out his surroundings with deep concentration.

Students rushed past Chen Mo, accustomed to the pace of their daily lives. These ordinary scenes held a special beauty for him, a beauty that only those who truly appreciate life can see. Absorbed in his own world, Chen Mo was unaware of the danger descending from the sky.

A sudden gust of wind swept through, an unusual storm for the early morning. Next to Chen Mo, a bag perched on a fifth-floor window of the adjacent construction site was knocked off balance by the fierce wind, swaying before plummeting down.

The sound of the wind tearing through the air was abrupt. Chen Mo had a premonition and sensed the impending crisis. Without looking up, he instinctively planned to run.

Footsteps approached, and a delicate fragrance wafted by. A familiar figure was about to pass him, moving forward. In that instant, Chen Mo could detect the sparkle in the girl's eyes.

Inherently, Chen Mo was not indifferent. He not only loved life but valued it deeply. Though he often retreated into his own world, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings, he couldn't stand idly by and watch a life vanish before his eyes, especially when that life belonged to someone he knew.

Whether he was considered too kind-hearted or overestimating his abilities, in such a situation, Chen Mo found it impossible to abandon the girl and save himself alone. Unable to overcome his conscience, he decided to act differently.

He extended his hand and simply pushed the girl out of harm's way. All he could do then was hope that the bag contained cotton and not sand or something heavier...

Bang!

A dull thud erupted as fine grains of sand scattered into the air, along with the remnants of the torn bag. Struck by the impact, Chen Mo's body sank. The sandbag, following its downward trajectory with inertia, bore a weight upon him far greater than its own, multiplying and compounding.

Ultimately, Chen Mo couldn't keep his footing. The pressure overwhelmed him, and his knees crashed violently into the concrete below.

Amidst the chaos of flesh and blood, splatters of fresh blood burst forth, staining the concrete pavement nearby. The relentless, scorching sun baked the blood, until it was eventually obscured by dust, fading over time until it disappeared completely.

A series of distinct cracking sounds echoed, as if fireworks were continuously exploding within Chen Mo's body. It was the sound of bones fracturing under immense pressure.

His organs, compressed to their limits, forced a gush of blood up his throat, and with a violent cough, he expelled a mist of blood.

There was, however, a small mercy to be found in all this: his efforts had not been in vain. The young girl, Yun Yiyi, was still safe, seemingly unscathed except for the sudden fright she had experienced.

Footsteps approached from beside him, accompanied by a faint, alluring fragrance. A familiar figure was about to walk past him, and in that moment, he could even perceive the glimmer in the girl's eyes.

Chen Mo was not inherently cold-hearted; he cherished life as much as he loved living it.

Chen Mo shouldered all the pressure himself, ensuring that Yun Yiyi, the girl he had pushed to safety, was left completely unscathed. Aside from the emotional trauma, she was, at least physically, untouched. And that was something to be thankful for, wasn't it?