Chapter 78: The Path of Life (Update 2)

Chapter 78: The Path of Life (Update 2)

Due to seventeen individuals exhibiting negative states on the last day of middle school, Chen Sijin awaited the emergence of new complications on the first day of high school.

The familiar scene at the breakfast table for three.

Across from him sat his parents, their hair now tinged with the frost of silver.

In a real-world scenario, Chen Sijin thought, seeing such parents would likely stir emotions and a resolve to study hard to repay them in the future.

But now, he felt an impulse wishing for his parents to be gone—

"Sijin, you're in high school now. Soon, you'll be an adult. It's time to start thinking about your future."

"However, a good future requires a healthy body and a prestigious university. You must strive in high school to gain admission to the top institutions so as not to bring shame."

"For a good body, drink all these ten glasses of milk in front of you. At your age, consuming a lot and drinking plenty is crucial for growth."

The young man, now practically a youth, offered a forced smile while internally rolling his eyes with disdain.

"Sure. Mom and Dad, if you drink it for me, it counts as if I've drunk it. Go ahead, five glasses each, just right."

In his case, the extreme control exhibited by his parents, forcing him to drink milk beyond his capacity, was something he could resolve in a gentler manner.

Otherwise, he would either have to risk harming his body and endure immense stress to drink it all, or... he might have to plot an accident that could injure or even kill his parents.

The relationship between parents and their child is probably the most complex in the world.

They can be the closest of kin, the most loving, the most hateful, and the most distant.

And many fail to navigate this delicate balance.

But he should still thank his parents, for they gave him the greatest freedom, the utmost trust, and the best love and guidance.

Thus, the two parents in front of him became even more irksome.

"I always say, our Sijin is the best child who listens to us, and Mom and Dad are so happy you haven't gone astray. We'll take you to school in a bit! Drinking lots of milk is good for your health, burp!"

The parents, burping from the milk, looked at the ten empty cups on the table with joy, as if seeing a puppet so obedient in their hands, the strings so tightly bound.

[Exile Number 5 (High School Phase) couldn't bear the insane control of his parents and not meeting their ideal expectations, ran away from home.

The path of life for Exile Number 5 begins to deviate, please be aware.]

[Exile Number 55 (High School Phase) couldn't bear the incessant nagging and tears of his parents, voluntarily dropped out of school.]

[The path of life for Exile Number 55 begins to deviate, please be aware.]

[Exile Number 99 (High School Phase) fought violently with his alcoholic father, took the family's finances, and ran away from home.

The path of life for Exile Number 99 begins to deviate, please be aware.]

As Chen Sijin's money steadily increased from 300 to 500, he saw three red notifications, witnessing the new troubles that emerged upon entering high school—

Path of life deviation.

He subconsciously glanced at the grand map of the path of life.

Sure enough, he saw that among the seventy-one remaining, three straight life paths instantly veered off in different directions after the notifications.

It seemed that Number 99's deviation was the most severe; if he continues on this deviated path, his life path might not reach its end—

He would have to exert double, even triple the effort of others to continue moving forward.

Besides these three notified exiles, Chen Sijin also noticed slight deviations in the paths of the remaining exiles, most notably among the seventeen who were marked with negative states on the last day of middle school.

So, what does this imply? Must one follow the guidance of the path of life, or rather, society's expectations for a correct path?

If one doesn't meet their parents' expectations or the gaze of the public, does that mean they can't reach the end of their life path?

Chen Sijin wasn't sure if he would reach the end of his life path, but he was certain that exiles who veer off course won't just fail the world tasks; even surviving becomes an impossible task.

"The path of life, huh."

Chen Sijin chuckled.

It feels more like a cage.

Upon entering high school, the exiles almost reverted to their original selves. This is the youngest and most vibrant phase of life, the age of daring adventures, easily stirred hearts, and naive innocence.

Thus, on the first day in the high school campus, Chen Sijin found over a dozen love letters in his desk.

And his Emotion value, which hadn't broken past 30 in middle school, suddenly leaped from 29 to 38.

[As you look at those love letters, a small sense of pride, joy, and curiosity fills you. A bit of anticipation begins to grow in your heart.]

Chen Sijin: ...No, no, no, no. There's no anticipation, he had none in high school, middle school, or elementary! Who would date a mute?!

He even plans to not share his life with anyone in the future, in case he accidentally talks in his sleep or blurts something out under stress... how would he go on living?

Yet, he just watched as he gained the additional state of [Budding Spring Emotions].

Help, I really just want to study well!

But perhaps at this age, love is most easily sprouted, unstoppable by any means.

Chen Sijin stoically passed a note from a male classmate in front to a female classmate behind him.

And then stoically passed it back.

The boy at the desk to his left has turned his head eight times in one class period, just to make a funny face at the girl sitting behind him and share a laugh.

He tries to bury his head in his books and feverishly solve problems, attempting to boost his intelligence by immersing in study. Yet, he's horrified to discover that nearly all the exiles on the path of life map have acquired the additional state of [Budding Spring Emotions].

What kind of terrifying high school is this!!!

Wouldn't it be better to date legally and reasonably in college!

But even so, young Chen Sijin still feels he's stable; after all, [Budding Spring Emotions] is just an additional state. As long as he prevents it from blossoming, he should be able to get through high school smoothly… right?

A small paper ball appears on Chen Sijin's desk.

Chen Sijin ignores it and continues studying, but soon there's not just one but two, three, four paper balls on his desk. His stress skyrockets.

Annoyed, Chen Sijin shoots Xiaolezi, who's sitting to his right, a fierce glare.

Only to open one of the paper balls and see written inside—Let's have dinner together after school!

Turning his head, Chen Sijin sees young Xiaolezi posing in a full-on charm offensive, no angle left unflaunted.

Not going.

Chen Sijin mouths his response.

Then, he's bombarded with a succession of paper balls.

At his wit's end, Chen Sijin rolls all the small paper balls into one big ball and hurls it hard at Xiaolezi's head.

Xiaolezi bursts into laughter on the spot.

Then, Chen Sijin was horrified to see his Emotion increase from 38 to 50.

Below [Emotion], a terrifying name appeared: Xiaolezi (Favorability 10).

Young Jin: !!!!!

Save me save me save me save me save me!!

How could he possibly have a fondness for Xiaolezi! How on earth is this Emotion value calculated?!

As Young Jin glared at this dreadful name, the youth sitting diagonally in front of him turned his head away with a smile.

At this moment, the study period had just ended, and school was about to be dismissed.

"Sijin, let's solve two problems together after school? Those two are competition questions, solving them would greatly benefit our grades."

Chen Sijin wanted to politely decline, but Kong Ju tilted his head, "I've already talked to the teacher, he has allowed us to form a competition study group together."

The expression on Young Jin's face gradually stiffened.

Wait, when did you ask the teacher? When did the teacher agree? Why do I know nothing about this?

But in the end, Chen Sijin had no choice but to complete those damn two competition questions with Kong Ju.

Then, he saw his Emotion value rise by another 5 points. And beneath Xiaolezi's name, Kong Ju's name was added.

The current situation looked like this—

Emotion: 55

Xiaolezi (Favorability 10)

Kong Ju (Favorability 8)

Chen Sijin simply couldn't understand why passing a small note would result in a +10 favorability and working on two competition problems together would lead to +8.

Most importantly, both of these guys, regardless of which one, are of the gender, male!

Is this normal?

Even if this gender is correct for him.

But in a normal life, shouldn't girls be the objects of affection?

This path of life is not right.

Chen Sijin silently scoffed while internally mocking.

However, he realized he had been careless just two days later.

In just two days, his Emotion value had skyrocketed to 88.

It seems like anything can stimulate the emotions of a high school student!

During a basketball game, he didn't play but just watching Xiaolezi jump high and catch a glimpse of his abs for two extra seconds increased his Emotion by +3 and Xiaolezi's favorability by +5.

Participating in a competition exam, he propped his chin thinking about a problem and just happened to look at Kong Ju's hands, which increased his Emotion by +2 and Kong Ju's favorability by +5!

But that's not the most absurd part!

The most absurd thing happened during the last PE class, where a girl handed him water, and he smiled and thanked her, which added +5 to his Emotion and added another girl's name under favorability.

Over two days, the number of both boys and girls he feels fondness for has reached 21.

There's not even enough room on a football team.

What kind of terrifying high school era is this? His time in high school was definitely not this outrageous!

Back then, all he needed to do was quietly be a handsome guy in school!

In any case, just three days into high school, Chen Sijin's Emotion is almost reaching 90.

He has a hunch that once Emotion hits 90, something uncontrollable is going to happen.

And now, in his pond of emotions, the fish with the highest favorability was Le Feng.

Young Jin felt a bit of danger but also felt like he was overlooking something.

As he pondered hard, suddenly, he heard the teacher announce from the podium.

"Starting today, you all will be boarding."

"Our school has four-person dorms, and the roommates have already been assigned. You must get along well and avoid fighting."

Chen Sijin gasped on the spot!

That's right, boarding!

Boarding in high school, indeed!

So, when he returned to the dorm that evening and saw number one standing to the left and number one hundred to the right, both his affection and stress levels increased by 2.

Le Feng spoke up happily: "Sweet Jin, do you want the top bunk or the bottom? Let's share a bunk! Or we could sleep head to toe!"

"Ah, I just checked out the bathroom! It's big, we can bathe together! How about I scrub your back? My technique is super good; I can hold your waist so you can't move at all, and with my other hand, scrub you until you're all red and squeaky clean."

Chen Sijin: …………

"Help, do you hear yourself? What kind of predatory talk is that?! Who the hell scrubs a back while holding someone's waist?!"

At that moment, Kong Ju sat on the edge of the bed and smiled meaningfully: "In that case, how about I give you a massage, Jinzi? I've learned massage techniques specifically from an aunt at home. As long as you lie down obediently on the bed and let me do my work, I can make you emit the most comfortable sounds."

Chen Sijin was about to collapse from weakness right now.

"Is there no dorm supervisor to kick these two out?!"

Just as Chen Sijin was internally ranting, ready to verbally end this bizarre and absurd confrontation, he saw Le Feng darkly move directly against Kong Ju.

Instantly, the two of them started fighting.

Leaving Chen Sijin and another bewildered boy in the dorm standing there, watching them brawl.

It was only then that Chen Sijin, watching number 1 being dominated in the fight by Le Feng after a few exchanges, began to seriously ponder the identity of this guy.

He harbored doubts about Le Feng's identity.

It was now impossible to confirm if he was a "real human."

Now leading everyone was number 1, seemingly destined for victory in the journey of life, number 1 who had boldly contended with Le Feng from the start of elementary school, despite knowing how much he disliked it, still deliberately created chaos.

Who is he?

It seems he knows the true identity of Le Feng, but he doesn't appear to be so smart about it.

Moreover, ever since he learned his name, Chen Shi Jin found himself particularly concerned.

Who names themselves 'Fear'?

Could this Number One actually be a Devourer in human skin?

Suddenly, the two fighting abruptly separated.

Clearly, Yue Feng emerged victorious.

Yet, Kong Ju could still manage a smile towards Chen Shi Jin.

"Chen Shi Jin, I still really like you."

"If you decide to follow me, I can initiate you into world quests. Help you devour this world."

In that instant, Yue Feng's face seemed ready to devour someone.

And Chen Shi Jin was almost certain that this Number One was not human.

He is another Devourer, specifically entered into the journey of life to obstruct his initiation into world quests.