“There’s one more thing,” Liang Sheng said suddenly, turning serious. “Why can I see the favorability levels of those protagonists… no, certain individuals toward me?”
“Huh?” Kazuko’s voice was full of confusion. “I don’t know. Can’t you see everyone’s favorability?”
“I don’t know either… Maybe, maybe something’s wrong with me again.” Kazuko’s voice grew quieter and quieter.
Liang Sheng sighed. Why did this system always take the blame for everything? It could very well be some glitch from her transmigration, not necessarily a problem with the system.
The class bell rang, and the middle-aged, balding geography teacher strolled in leisurely, clutching a book.
Liang Sheng had no mood to listen to the lecture. She asked Kazuko again, “So… I want to know how the other three systems broke.”
Kazuko stammered, “I-I don’t know either…”
Liar. This system definitely knew. But you couldn’t push people too hard… though the system wasn’t a person, so it was fine to push the system.
“Spill it! If you don’t, I’ll drop your favorability straight to zero.” Hmph, straight-up blackmail.
“Don’t bully me!” Kazuko cried out in a panic.
Seeing the system get worked up, Liang Sheng decided to change tactics and keep prying.
“Alright then…” Wait. Hold on. Hadn’t she overlooked something from the very beginning?
“Let me ask you this: You can see other people’s favorability toward me, right? So why were you so surprised when I said I couldn’t see everyone’s? You can’t see them either? Or do you know I can’t and you’re just playing dumb?!” Liang Sheng shouted excitedly in her mind.
Kazuko fell silent, and the air grew still.
“Liang Sheng, some things just can’t be said. You have to understand, I’m just a system… someone else made me.” Kazuko’s voice came slowly.
In other words, there was still a hidden mastermind who hadn’t shown up yet.
“And as for whether you’re Liang Sheng or the other Liang Sheng, you know better than I do.”
A sigh came from Kazuko. “Some things, it’s not that I don’t want to say them… it’s that if I did, I’d self-destruct.”
Liang Sheng fell silent.
“Fine, then. I’ll investigate it myself,” she compromised.
“Oh, right. I’ve got a task for you.”
Liang Sheng blinked in confusion. “There are tasks now? What is it?”
“Raise Su Ze’s favorability toward you by at least five points.”
Long silence.
“Oh! Shit! You did that on purpose, you silly system!” Liang Sheng roared outright and slammed her desk as she shot to her feet.
Dead silence.
“…”
“Liang Sheng, what’s wrong with you?”
Whoops. Liang Sheng looked up to find the brilliant geography teacher staring at her with resentful eyes.
In her excitement, she’d shouted out loud by accident.
Standing there, she stared at the teacher’s gleaming bald forehead and blinked a few times, her mind making an association.
“Teacher, how come you look exactly like the school doctor downstairs?” Liang Sheng blurted out. She swore her brain had just taken an unscheduled vacation.
The geography teacher’s vein throbbed. Oh, really? This little rascal had learned to change the subject, had she? And for that matter, was he as ugly as that Mediterranean-school-doctor reject downstairs? How dare she compare him, a man in his forties at the peak of his bloom, to that eyesore?
“You! Out!” He waved her off dismissively, sending Liang Sheng packing.
“It’s all your fault!” Liang Sheng grumbled at Kazuko once she was out. “That task was a joke, right? Not funny at all.”
“I wasn’t joking,” Kazuko said gravely.
“Well then~” Kazuko pondered for a moment. “How about raising Dong Yue’s favorability by another twenty points instead!”
Oh, you sneaky old codger. You’re clearly setting puzzles for innocent, pure-hearted me. But still, targeting Dong Yue was a hundred times better than Su Ze. Ever since she’d learned Su Ze’s true colors, Liang Sheng didn’t want to spend a single second near him.
“Wait, this task isn’t something you just made up on the spot, is it?” Liang Sheng asked suspiciously.
“Yep, that’s right. But what are you gonna do about it?” The system’s tone, rhythm—everything about it was infuriatingly punchable.
Liang Sheng was speechless with anger.
“I’ll take the second task…” she replied through gritted teeth.
“Such brave spirit, young lady! Go get ’em!” Kazuko’s goal achieved, it promptly went silent.
Liang Sheng muttered curses. “Should’ve never upgraded you, you jinx of a system.”
“Is there a reward?”
“There sure is~”
Liang Sheng perked up instantly, her eyes widening. “What reward?”
“Uh…” Kazuko paused again.
Liang Sheng let out a mocking “Heh.” “Knew it. Make it up on the fly, why don’t you.”
—— —— ——
After school, Liang Sheng dragged her feet into Dong Yue’s office, her face a mask of reluctance.
Dong Yue was a neat freak. Her desk was spotless, not a speck of dust, with textbooks and notebooks stacked perfectly without so much as a corner peeking out.
“Um, Teacher…” Liang Sheng said softly.
Dong Yue was grading papers when she heard the voice. She looked up, her face pale with exhaustion, dark circles underlining her fatigue.
“Phew. What’s up?” Dong Yue exhaled, glancing at Liang Sheng while stretching her arms in a tiny, perfunctory motion.
Liang Sheng felt a bit nervous. This was her first time buttering someone up with an agenda. Sure, she’d flattered people before to make them like her—playing the simp—but failure then just meant trying again later. This time… who knew what antics the system would pull if she failed.
“Teacher, I don’t get this problem.” It was the only excuse Liang Sheng could think of to approach Dong Yue: asking a question. Teachers loved eager learners, after all.
“Oh?” Dong Yue looked surprised. Liang Sheng was a good student, but in her classes, the girl either dozed off or snacked—never once seriously studying. For her to suddenly come asking for help? This was unprecedented. Had the sun risen in the west?
Ding~ Favorability increased.
“Dong Yue’s favorability toward Liang Sheng: 18”
Dong Yue leaned in curiously to look at the problem. Liang Sheng helpfully slid her workbook closer. She’d spent half a study period picking this exact tough one and another full period messing it up deliberately, all to create the illusion of a prodigy who grasped it with one explanation.
“Hmm…” Dong Yue narrowed her eyes, thinking it over before looking up at Liang Sheng. She pointed to the stool behind her. “Grab that stool and sit. This one’s tricky; I’ll have to explain it step by step.”
Liang Sheng lit up with delight and scurried over to fetch the stool, plopping down happily. Now she could get closer to the teacher—making it that much easier to grind favorability.
Dong Yue pulled out some scratch paper and began explaining the problem.
Liang Sheng nodded nonstop, murmuring “Mm-hmm” after every point, though whether she was actually listening was a deeper mystery.
Midway through, Dong Yue’s throat grew dry from talking. She picked up the coffee on her desk and took a sip.
“Teacher, why aren’t you drinking tea anymore?” Liang Sheng asked idly, bored out of her mind.
Dong Yue rubbed her temples and sighed without a word.
Liang Sheng got it. Probably up late prepping lessons again. Sigh, no job was easy.
“Teacher, don’t rely on coffee all the time, and stop pulling all-nighters. If you collapse from exhaustion, how will you teach us?” Liang Sheng said considerately, reciting the canned holiday pleasantries from her old world.
