Pitying Misfortune, Yet Condemning Resignation
"Alright, Sister Xia." The ordinary girl jogged over. She hugged Qiao Bixia's arm and said, "This is all part of competition. Jingjing probably has something on her mind today."
"Hmph." Qiao Bixia shouted toward the court, "There are not enough people here. Get another team."
Li Zheng heaved a sigh of relief. He shot a look of gratitude toward the ordinary girl.
The ordinary girl scratched her head, a little embarrassed, "You are so good at basketball. All of your movements had a purpose."
"It was just a fluke. Let's play each other again in the future," Li Zheng said, nodding. "Aside from Lin Yujing, I'll always hold back against girls."
"Hehe."
Li Zheng thought that the prompt for flirting would spring up again.
"Playing basketball while chatting. That's double the recovery that will accelerate the pace of my studies," Li Zheng thought.
Unfortunately, the prompt did not show up.
It seemed like the relationship between him and the ordinary girl was just pure, innocent friendship.
Li Zheng suddenly felt afraid.
He thought, "Conversely, doesn't that mean that my relationship with Qiao Bixia and Discipline Mistress Sun exceed normal friendship?
"Not good.
"I can't speak to them ever again. I won't even look at them."
The following scene was explosive.
The students from the other courts gathered at this court. They wanted to teach Li Zheng a lesson.
He had played five minutes at such a highly intense pace.
Li Zheng was completely out of energy.
His energy recovery rate decreased to zero.
Even though he had the techniques of an ordinary basketball athlete, he was still extremely lacking in terms of stamina.
Fortunately for him, the experience Lin Yujing gave him allowed him to recover tens of minutes of energy.
Li Zheng, no longer able to relax, had no choice but to leave the court.
The two fangirls shuffled toward him as he packed his bag.
They held hands and hung their heads low. They spoke one after the other.
"Senior… Would you add me as a friend?"
"We… We can send you the pictures we took of you playing basketball."
Li Zheng looked at the two girls. They were looking down shyly and grabbing each other's hands.
Li Zheng felt pity for their unwise actions, yet he was angry at them for not trying to become better.
"You girls. Are you first-years?" He asked.
"That's right… Could it be that you, senior… Have you noticed us in the past?"
"We like to watch basketball, but do not know how to play… But if you are willing to teach us…"
The two girls got softer and softer.
"Stop there." Li Zheng's expression became stern. "How much did you get on your monthly exams? Have you finished your assignments? Are you studying in the humanities or the sciences?
"High school is a new beginning. It is time for you to put in the effort." Li Zheng quickly took out his phone. "I'll send you all the first-year study materials I found, as well as ten thousand selected practice questions… I wouldn't give these to an ordinary person, but I think that you two are too pitiful."
"Sorry… Sorry for disturbing you…"
"Goodbye, senior."
Li Zheng put his phone away. He looked toward the setting sun and smiled as he walked toward the school gate.
"Hmph… You have spirit."
[You have fully relaxed. It is the end of today's guidance.]
[Developing the smart interface...]
[It is estimated that it will be completed tomorrow.]
"Yes, I knew that the study function would not be that simple," Li Zheng thought.
He wiped off his sweat.
He thought, "What a fulfilling, colorful day.
"It would be perfect if not for Lin Yujing.
"However, I have to admit that she provided me with a quality relaxation experience.
"Especially that block just now. It felt incredible.
"I think she won't dare to offend me in the future.
"Good, I can study in peace."
…
At dawn the next day, when Li Zheng woke up, he realized that he was still hugging the October issue of "Science Fiction World." He had drooled all over the magazine.
Yesterday must have been an overly fulfilling day. It had made Li Zheng this unsightly even while he was resting.
Li Zheng's entire body felt sore as he got out of bed.
He had never been in such pain aside from during the running exam in gym class.
"It looks like relaxation depends heavily on my stamina and muscles. I have to make a training plan," Li Zheng thought.
Then, while he was brushing his teeth, Li Zheng noticed that the system interface had been reconstructed.
It looked halfway decent now.
The cultivation of a study monster had been split clearly into two modes--study and relaxation.
Li Zheng first took a look at the study mode.
The current status of his studies was clear as day.
[Li Zheng]
[Science Foundational Study Stage (Awaiting advancement)]
[Language: 94] [Mathematics: 109] [English: 92]
[Physics: 102] [Chemistry: 63] [Biology: 87]
[Attention: The subject scores only represent the level at which you have grasped the subject. It is unrelated to your exams.]
[You can choose to advance to the Specialized Study Stage if you score over 150 points in a single subject or average 120 points across all the subjects.]
[You can also choose to delay your advancement and continue laying the foundation for your studies by learning the humanities after you reach the criteria.]
[Today's energy: 27/27, magnified 28 times.]
[Hint: You can change into your normal study speed at any time.]
Li Zheng then looked at the segment on relaxation.
[Li Zheng]
[Game Coins: 0.]
[Relaxation level: Lv2.]
[Progress to leveling up: Relax 1/72 (hours)]
[You can choose from three missions with attractive rewards every time you level up.]
[Please choose your reward for Lv2...]
[A]
[School Basketball Expert: Achieve a hundred win streak in the school's basketball matches within two weeks.]
[Reward: 10 Game Coins, "School Basketball Expert" buff, 30% increase in energy recovery rate for basketball, 30% increase in the upper limit of recovery.]
[B]
[Passion for a Single Subject: Increase the score of a single subject by 20 points within 48 hours.]
[Reward: 20 Game Coins, "Passion for a Single Subject" buff, permanent 100% increase in the current study efficiency of the chosen subject.]
[C]
[Truant Master: Not going to school or studying for 48 consecutive hours.]
[Reward: 50 Game Coins, "Depravity" debuff, 30% decrease in study efficiency for two weeks.]
Li Zheng considered these three missions.
He nearly brushed his teeth until his gums bled.
"Delete C for me immediately!" Li Zheng thought.
"Not studying for two consecutive days is depraved enough.
"Skipping school on top of that?
"Am I in a rush to go to hell?"
He then looked at A and B. The rewards were not bad.
He thought, "Unfortunately, I can't win 100 matches consecutively within two weeks.
"After all, I could only manage two games with my current stamina.
"I would need two months to achieve 100 consecutive victories if I played two games a day. I'd have to redo it if I lost somewhere in the middle.
"On the other hand, B requires me to increase my score of a single subject in 48 hours.
"That's a little difficult.
"There might be a chance if I picked chemistry, the subject I am worst at.
"I will never choose C, and I cannot accomplish A.
"Studying requires ambition.
"B it is.
"Chemistry!
"I am going to conquer you this time!"
Li Zheng gave up on his school bag to deal with this difficult mission. He took out his father's mountaineering bag and tossed all of the textbooks, notes, and revision material for chemistry into the bag.
He noticed a note on the door when he was about to leave. The handwriting on the note was exquisite.
"Son, you left a message yesterday and told me that you started to enjoy playing basketball.
"I am very happy. You need a healthy body to study well. You will only go from 985 to 211 if your studies are poor, but you will go from 996 to the ICU if your health is poor.
"Haha, I am so funny
"There's 300 yuan on the shoe cabinet. Use it to buy a better basketball. Don't always borrow a ball from someone else.
"Promise me, buy a ball and not stationery.
"Finally, this is the golden advice of the day...
"Life is not a stationary process, but the Ergodic Theorem remains valid!
"You have not learned the stationary process or the Ergodic Theorem, but I believe that you would have an epiphany when you do understand them.
"Also, don't use this line in your essays. The teacher marking your paper will not be able to understand you.
"Li Yi.
"2018/10/11, 5:13 am"