Chapter Nine: The Senior’s Challenge (4/5)

Saeko Busujima, the heroine of "Highschool of the Dead." At least, in Liu Mengchao’s eyes, she was the protagonist of that world. Compared to the real, nauseating Rei Miyamoto, Saeko Busujima was infinitely more charming to Liu Mengchao. Of course, that was only true if Saeko wasn’t pointing her wooden sword at him.

A sword. A wooden sword. Crafted from white oak. One meter long, weighing 698 grams. From Liu Mengchao’s vantage, he could see a dark red stain at the tip—blood, unmistakably so. The source was obvious to him. Behind Saeko Busujima, apart from the golden-haired, airheaded school nurse Shizuka Marikawa, the only things lying in the corridor were zombies.

“Liu Mengchao…” The moment they met, Saeko’s blade was directed straight at the tip of Liu Mengchao’s nose. “Why did you avoid my challenge before?”

Avoid? Liu Mengchao tried to steady his nerves and shouted the name of the Lord God’s secretary, Baiya, in his mind.

“Baiya! What identity did you arrange for me in ‘Highschool of the Dead’?”

“You are a student, my lord.”

A student… Liu Mengchao involuntarily curled his lips and glanced at Saeko Busujima before him. Her face, flushed upon seeing him, betrayed a hint of excitement.

His guess was soon confirmed. Saeko’s wooden sword traced an arc in front of Liu Mengchao, missing his nose by a hair’s breadth.

“Why did you keep avoiding my challenge? What’s the reason, sword-drawing expert from China?”

Before her words finished, Saeko attacked. Her purple hair, fluttering like ribbons, lent her charge a unique brilliance.

Clang! Liu Mengchao raised his wrist, single-handedly punching out his sleeve blade—using it as a dagger to block Saeko’s strike. Instant counterattack, Assassin’s Creed style!

A surge of power seemed to well up within him, and Liu Mengchao instinctively spun, rolling past Saeko’s blade. He landed, locked his position, and triggered his sleeve blade once more. The sharp, hollow silver blade resembled a dangerous serpent, flicking its tongue.

Now, the roles had reversed. Liu Mengchao was pressed close behind Saeko. He lowered his head and whispered in her ear, like a lover, “If you were my enemy, you’d be dead now.”

Saeko Busujima, far from angry, smiled at his words. “So would you.” As she spoke, Saeko subtly shifted her wooden sword. Liu Mengchao saw that she now held it in reverse grip, the squared tip pressing firmly against his abdomen. Had it been a real sword, in the instant he stabbed her throat, Saeko would have left him with an unforgettable mark.

“No, you wouldn’t.” It was neither Liu Mengchao nor Saeko Busujima who spoke, but Qi Xiaoxiao.

The baseball bat that Takashi Komuro wielded was now in Qi Xiaoxiao’s hands, transformed into a silent, traditional Chinese longsword, aimed straight at the enemy’s forehead.

“I suggest we see whose speed is faster.” The murderous intent in Qi Xiaoxiao’s words surged like an unstoppable tide. Saeko Busujima, observing the woman before her, furrowed her brows in confusion.

“Truly unexpected—a frail girl like you, yet possessing such remarkable skills. It seems China really is a land of hidden dragons and crouching tigers.”

“Anyone who lays a hand on Liu Mengchao, I’ll kill them.”

Prize pool: ninety thousand.

Qi Xiaoxiao’s emotions fluctuated more than ever. Liu Mengchao heard the system’s prompt in his ear and looked at Qi Xiaoxiao before him. Though she tried to mask her anger, Liu Mengchao could see it in her lips.

Red lips narrowing, thinning—micro-expressions shared by anyone restraining their fury.

“Qi Xiaoxiao.” Liu Mengchao couldn’t help but smile.

“You’re a good woman.” Saeko Busujima, gazing at the ponytailed Qi Xiaoxiao before her, finally smiled as well.

Saeko’s left hand, gripping the wooden sword, slowly withdrew from Liu Mengchao’s abdomen. He likewise retracted his sleeve blade.

Qi Xiaoxiao looked at Liu Mengchao first, then shifted her gaze to Saeko Busujima.

“You’re not bad either. I used to think Japanese women were all gentle and demure.”

“We’re still inside a school crawling with zombies. Let’s focus on finding a way out together,” Xu Zhengdong said, only stepping forward once the quarrel with the story’s characters had subsided.

“Mr. Xu, I’m so glad to see you!” Shizuka Marikawa, oblivious to the recent tensions, cheerfully waved at Xu Zhengdong when she spotted a familiar face.

Thud…

Wearing high heels, Shizuka tripped over a zombie corpse, stumbling and falling right onto Liu Mengchao.

Liu Mengchao remembered the character profile he had read for “Highschool of the Dead.”

Shizuka Marikawa
Age: 27
Height: 176 cm
Weight: 56 kg

Vital statistics:
108–62–94 cm
Prize pool: ninety-one thousand

“Is this really a horror film?” For the first time, Liu Mengchao felt he might have chosen the wrong world.

But when he caught sight of the expression in Xu Zhengdong’s eyes—one of the new reincarnators—he couldn’t help but smile.

Some trashy psychology books, as common as horoscope guides, contain little nuggets of wisdom. For instance, the ubiquitous Fourteen Universal Laws of Psychology.

Liu Mengchao recalled reading his first psychology booklet at age eight. The first law: The Law of Conviction—if you believe in something with absolute certainty, it will eventually become reality.

On the roof, when he anchored a mental suggestion for the special forces soldier Chen Mo, he also slipped a few subconscious cues to their esteemed chemistry teacher, Xu Zhengdong.

Hint one: Chen Mo only appears formidable, but he’s not that smart.

Hint two: As a veteran, Liu Mengchao dislikes those who drag him down.

So, in Xu Zhengdong’s eyes, who would be the liability? The special forces soldier Chen Mo, who recklessly challenged the veteran without understanding the situation, or the trio of Li Xin, Ye Yutian, and Makoto Ito, who had quietly formed an alliance?

“Let’s head to the chemistry lab. It’s right next to the equipment room, and I doubt we’ll get out of this school unarmed.”

Don’t let me down, chemistry teacher.

Liu Mengchao took the lead toward the chemistry classroom. If not for the faint, disdainful smile on his lips, one might even say he was the perfect protagonist of an apocalyptic film.

Clever. Capable. And followed by many.

Saeko Busujima, watching Liu Mengchao stride ahead, unconsciously gripped her wooden sword tighter and followed. Qi Xiaoxiao, seeing Saeko’s expression, suddenly smiled in relief.

“Still as popular with girls as ever.”

Bat in hand, Qi Xiaoxiao was the third to follow. Their destination: the chemistry classroom.

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This is the fourth update, and before midnight, I’ll post another chapter… Absolutely not because of today’s flood of update requests…

But if they’re for tomorrow’s updates, thank goodness there’s no twenty-thousand update request option…

My head feels a bit numb…

Almost forgot—wishing all readers a happy Lantern Festival, may you and your families be blessed and united.

My heartfelt thanks to Shihuai Chen, bbaea, the Unscientific Existence, Qian’er & the Zerg, Moe is Justice, Otaku Bug, and Moe of the Second Dimension for their generous rewards.