mijobooks Chapter 1: The Student Kidnapped to Hell
Chapter 1: The Student Kidnapped to Hell
South River Province.
Shuiheng No.1 Middle School.
Six o'clock in the morning.
"Everyone, line up!"
"One, two, three, four! One, two, three, four!"
"Class Five, Class Five, full of energy and vitality!"
"Class Six, Class Six, are extraordinary!"
"Class 8, Class 8, may you reign supreme!"
...
Tapping.
On the playground track, thousands of students, dressed in uniform blue and white school uniforms, stood in tightly packed square formations of dozens of people each, running together.
What's most surprising is that the distance between each of them is less than a fist's width, and they are almost shoulder to shoulder and ankle to ankle.
Under such strenuous exercise, the students' still-youthful faces were covered in fine beads of sweat, and the white breath they exhaled rose in the morning light.
What a beautiful and vibrant scene!
This is the most famous among the many brilliant high schools in Nanhe Province – Shuiheng No.1 High School, known for its "Number One Exercise in the World"!
At this very moment, dozens of meters away from the track on the playground, a "person" who is completely out of place with the surrounding environment, and whose style is entirely different, is staring blankly at this scene.
The man was dressed in a retro black tailcoat, with an exceptionally handsome face, even comparable to a celebrity whose video on Douyin has millions of likes.
He wore white gloves that fit snugly against his skin and a black top hat. If he had a magic wand in his right hand, he would look no different from a magician in a circus.
"How's it going, Mr. Sean? Our school's student morning exercise lineup looks pretty good, right?"
The portly dean of students standing to the side was very pleased with the other person's expression, thinking to himself, "No matter what kind of foreigner you are, you'll be dumbfounded when you see the amazing training results of our school."
However, judging from his appearance, which doesn't resemble that of a school principal, his so-called Babylonian Academy is probably some kind of diploma mill, just a bunch of lousy students who can't even get into a top-tier university.
Just as the head of the teaching department was secretly plotting, Mr. Sean, who had been shocked by the "Number One Exercise in the World," finally came to his senses.
"Do your students do this kind of morning exercise every day?" he asked.
"Of course, in addition to these, there are noon exercises at noon and evening exercises at six o'clock in the evening. If it is close to the exam, there will be an additional exam exercise that is twice the normal running time."
"I guarantee that the spirit and energy we show during each morning exercise will not be worse than this time; it will only get better and better!" the head of teaching said confidently.
Three times a day?!
We need to do extra practice right before the exam!
Sean gasped, thinking that if he dared to do that, those brats at school would probably smash his house the very next day.
"Is this arrangement by your school really meaningful for the students' growth?" Sean asked, puzzled.
After all, humans are physically weak, and exercises like running will undoubtedly consume a lot of energy from these young people. Furthermore, because they are too close together, conflicts or negative emotions are likely to arise.
"Of course it's meaningful! As the saying goes, 'a hundred temperings make steel,' this not only strengthens students' physique and spirit, but also cultivates their sense of collectivism and forges their indomitable will..." the dean of students said eloquently.
"Please let me meet your school's most outstanding student!" Sean interrupted, unable to bear it any longer.
The interrupted headmaster was very dissatisfied, but he didn't show it on his face. He was determined to open this foreigner's eyes and let those who practiced "happy education" know what it meant to be "a man destined for greatness must first be tested with hardship, toil, and hunger."
...
A moment later, a student was led away from the morning exercise group and brought to the two of them.
"This, this, this... is this the most outstanding student in your school?" Sean asked, his face full of doubt.
The reason is simple: to say that this student's appearance is unremarkable would be an understatement.
He was short, with sallow skin, and thick black plastic lenses, as heavy as the bottom of a bottle, pressed heavily on the bridge of his nose. Behind the lenses were a pair of bloodshot eyes.
His lips were slightly protruding, and his stubble was sparse. Although he was only seventeen or eighteen years old, he already had fine lines and heavy dark circles under his eyes.
With just one glance, Sean, a high-ranking demon, could tell that the young human before him suffered from a variety of ailments, including malnutrition, sleep deprivation, severe myopia, rhinitis, mouth breathing, crooked teeth, and androgen imbalance.
Hmph, foreigners are no good, they only know how to judge a book by its cover.
The head of the teaching department snorted inwardly.
"Yes, this is Xia Yaozu, our school's most outstanding student!"
"Come on, Yaozu, tell him about your daily study schedule!"
The head of student affairs patted the student's shoulder hard, almost knocking him over.
"Yes, Director," the boy cleared his throat and replied.
"I get up at 5:30 every day, do morning exercises at 5:45, read aloud at 6:00, have class from 7:00 to 12:00, take a lunch break in the classroom at 12:30, have class from 2:00 to 6:00 in the evening, and have evening self-study from 7:00 to 10:30 at night."
"This is a normal student's schedule. I have to get up an hour earlier and go to bed two hours later than them every day," Xia Yaozu added.
Sean: "???"
He could tell that what the other person was saying was true, which made him even more shocked!
A quick calculation revealed to him a horrifying discovery that this minor was spending a staggering sixteen hours a day studying, while sleeping less than four hours...
This guy is way too exaggerated, even for humans who are known for their willpower!
"This is Xia Yaozu's most recent provincial joint examination paper. He scored 736 out of 750, ranking first in the province!"
The head of the teaching department took out a stack of test papers and handed them to Sean.
At a glance, the man noticed that the paper, filled with tiny handwriting, was almost entirely covered with red checkmarks, indicating that points were only deducted on subjective questions such as essays or discussions.
So when Sean looked at the unremarkable Xia Yaozu again, he felt as if a white light inexplicably emanated from the back of the other's head...
That is the most shining light of human will!
He's the one; the principal will definitely be satisfied.
Sean, the director of admissions at Babylon College, silently made a decision in his heart.
"Could we give this student to our Babylonian Academy?" the man asked earnestly.
"You...you're still lacking." The head of discipline smirked disdainfully.
Babylon College... I've never heard of it. What kind of foreign diploma mill dares to so easily take away the "monster" that Shuiheng No.1 High School has painstakingly cultivated?
It has to be at least Harvard University to be acceptable!
"I can donate one million dollars in sponsorship funds to the school," Sean said in a deep voice.
The head of the teaching department looked stunned for a moment, but his mouth was still crooked.
A mere one million... but the spot they reserve for a struggling student to retake the exam can sell for at least 30,000.
Xia Yaozu is a student with the potential to become the top scorer, and the benefits he can bring to the school will far exceed one million.
"Then...ten million?" Seeing that the other party did not speak, Sean thought for a moment and continued.
It's just human currency anyway; you can just dig up a few yellow stones from hell and that's enough.
Dean of Students: "..."
The director's crooked smile quietly faded.
"Yaozu, go back to your morning exercises first."
"Yes, Director."
After Xia Yaozu left, the head of the teaching department changed his previous indifference and revealed a bright smile like spring sunshine on his face.
A sponsorship of ten million... Even if Yaozu becomes the top scorer, that's all he can bring to the school, not to mention there's another "monster" in the province who's no less capable than him.
"Oh, Mr. Sean has a good eye. He saw the huge potential hidden in our school's students at a glance. I'm willing, but what about the principal..." The director rubbed his hands together.
"One million isn't for the school; it's a personal gift to you. No invoice will be issued," Sean said calmly.
"no problem!"
"Xia Yaozu belongs to you all, and no one can change that!"
The head of student affairs, who had originally wanted to solicit more praise and support, firmly refused.
No matter how much sponsorship is brought in, it belongs to the principal, but this one million belongs to him.
...
The school's approval was obtained smoothly, but the consent of the student's parents, namely Xia Yao's grandparents, is still required.
Accompanied by the head of the teaching department, Sean arrived at Xia Yaozu's home.
"No way, my son Yaozu is going to Tsinghua University!"
"That crappy Babylonian College isn't even in the Ivy League; it's definitely a diploma mill!" Yao's parents were furious.
"An annual scholarship of two million, plus a three-bedroom apartment in the city center."
...
"Oh dear, my son was born for the Babylonian Academy!"
Yao Zu's parents were about to chase the two away with brooms, but after Mr. Sean spoke, they instantly showed an expression that could be described as fawning.
"Cheers!"
The four then drank and chatted happily, appearing to be enjoying themselves immensely.
"Yaozu's achievements today are all thanks to my guidance from a young age. When he was little, if he didn't get first place in his class, I would throw him out of the house at night and leave him crying his eyes out on the street, unable to get home!"
When talking about dedication, Yao's father became even more animated, boasting to everyone about his teaching methods.
The head of teaching carefully took notes, thinking it could be shared as experience at the parent-teacher meeting, but Mr. Sean raised a question at that moment.
"Aren't you afraid your child will be kidnapped?"
According to Sean's knowledge of humankind, the public security situation in this area was quite poor more than a decade ago, with human traffickers and forced mutilation being commonplace.
Yao's father's face stiffened, but he quickly found a way to explain himself—"Of course I was secretly watching him from all sides, how could I not care?" he argued, his neck red.
"I see!" Sean suddenly realized, or rather, he pretended to be like that.
He was the devil, and he had long since realized that Yao's father was lying. However, his purpose in coming here was to take Xia Yaozu away, so he naturally wouldn't cause any trouble at this time.
Xia Yaozu, who had been silently watching them and had even observed their clean and pure monetary transaction from the very beginning without ever showing any expression, was finally moved at this moment.
With his exceptional memory, he clearly remembered how sad he was and how terrified he was of the dark, shivering in just a thin T-shirt on that abandoned winter night.
He tried to call for help from those around him, but the cold street was deserted. Overwhelmed by fear, he could only resort to a child's instinct—to cry out loud.
The cries did not attract kind-hearted people, but instead attracted "jackals and wolves".
Having witnessed firsthand the horrific sight of children being torn apart by "jackals," he could only run for his life.
He ran and ran, from midnight to dawn, until his legs felt like lead and he fell into a deep sleep, and even when his lungs felt like they were about to explode, he dared not stop.
After finally managing to find his way home by following his memory, he discovered that his family was still fast asleep.
Since then, he has never dared to fail to get first place in the grade again, not even for a simple quiz, because he simply could not afford the consequences of failure.
"We love you, and we did all this so that you could get into Tsinghua University and have a bright future!" the parents said with heartache.
Xia Yaozu had always believed it, until today he realized that he didn't actually need to go to Tsinghua University...
He simply couldn't afford to give his parents two million.
The boy's hands clenched unconsciously, and even his back, which had been hunched over from years of studying, straightened up without him noticing.
A strange light flickered in his bloodshot eyes behind those thick lenses.
...
The Seven Rings of Hell, the Ring of Pride, the Academy of Babylon.
Principal's Office.
"You bastard!"