Chapter 1: Last Day of High School

Friday, June 12th, the Year 1243 of the Neo-intergalactic Calendar

Time: 5:00 PM

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The loud ringing of a bell reverberated, and a hubbub of activity arose within the Asia Metropolitan Region's 4th district’s 4th high school. Students in neat uniforms poured out of their classrooms and descended the stairs before streaming out of the fifteen-story school building.

Since it was the last day of high school, the students were in quite a cheerful mood. Under the fire of the setting sun, they moved in groups while chatting at the top of their voices. They were having a good time, and those among their ranks who were couples even started making out in front of the school building without any shame.

However, there was an exception among the students who didn't share the excitement. This student was called Tang Mu, a tall boy of about seventeen years with a thin physique and clear brown eyes.

One look was enough to determine that he was different from the other wealthy scions around him. His blue uniform had already faded beyond measure, and his shoes were so old that he had already repaired them more times than anyone could care to remember.

Seeing his fellow students almost going mad with excitement, Tang Mu sighed and shook his head. He couldn't fathom why his classmates were so excited even before going through the mandatory Psionic Society Assessment Exam scheduled for a week later.

He couldn't comprehend why they would be over the moon with joy before undergoing that mandatory assessment that would determine whether they would be supreme psionics or powerless dogs in the new intergalactic era.

As far as Tang Mu was concerned, completing a high school education wasn't anything remarkable in the new intergalactic era. With a high school diploma, he could at most barely qualify for the most ordinary jobs within the highly competitive labor market of the Asia Metropolitan Region. In fact, that was why the high schools didn't even bother to organize graduation ceremonies for their graduands.

So, why should he, Tang Mu, celebrate? Why should he be happy about graduating from high school?

Tang Mu had a secret of his own. He was a soul of a humble paramedic from the 21st century. He didn't know what exactly happened. But after dying in a plane crash just after celebrating his 24th birthday, he had reincarnated in a body of a just-born baby with the same name countless years later in the neo-intergalactic era.

As a soul from a period when web fantasy stories were on the rise, he had expected to obtain a cheat that could aid him on his journey to become a dragon among men after rebirth. However, he couldn't have been more wrong. He hadn't gotten any white-haired grandfathers in his head or a godly upgrade system that could help him become more powerful in the futuristic era of mighty psionics.

Instead, he soon suffered a tremendous blow after his parents perished while defending Earth during a small-scale Vegroid invasion twelve years ago. He became an orphan during the fifth year of his new life, and life took a strange turn. He lost all the privileges his parents, who were psionics, had afforded him and started struggling like any other ordinary boy of the neo-intergalactic era.

Fortunately, his parents had made significant contributions during the war and paved for him some leeway for survival. His education had been free of charge over the past twelve years, and the government had continued paying him a monthly stipend of 120 Earth dollars for his upkeep. That was how he had made ends meet while working hard to achieve his dream of becoming a mighty psionic of the new intergalactic era.

Quickening his step and walking out of the school's main gate, Tang Mu was again dazzled by the sights before him. His eyes glowed with desire as he took a few moments to admire the luxurious aeromobils that descended from the skies as parents arrived to pick up their children.

In an orderly manner, the aeromobils landed on the expansive disembarking pad in front of the school before picking up the wealthy scions that were Tang Mu's classmates. Then, moments later, their noiseless anti-gravity thrusters would leave trails of bluish glimmers as the flying machines ascended back into the skies and disappeared towards the horizon.

I need to work harder and buy my own aeromobil in the future. Tang Mu promised himself. His eyes gleamed with more youthful determination as he forced his gaze away from the flying aeromobils.

Tang Mu was planning to head back to his hostel and immediately start on his preparations for the following week's Psionic Society’s Assessment. However, just before he could take a step away from the main exit, his ears picked up a few hushed voices behind him.

"Look at that proud idiot," a feminine voice said. "He's once again gawking at the descending aeromobils."

"We don't have to mind him since it's the last day of high school," a familiar masculine voice replied. "After today, we won't have to share the same polluted air with that pauper again."

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"True!" The feminine voice agreed. "I wonder why he is so proud! He is so poor and living off the government's money. He can't even afford the genetic activation elixirs and psionic crystals. There isn't a possibility of him ever passing the Psionic Society's Assessment."

The male chuckled. "His marks won't help him in the job market. He will have to settle for an ordinary job such as a cleaner or a waiter. Maybe, I might employ him as a form of amusement for myself in the near future..."

Tang Mu winced slightly on hearing the conversation between the couple. His eyes narrowed with annoyance, and he turned around to glare at them.

The boy was Zhong Li, a wealthy scion with parents who were true-blue psionics. Even in uniform, he looked like a gangster, chiefly because of his spiked hair dyed red, the prominent tattoos adorning his arms, and the many rings ornamenting his ears.

As for the girl he was hugging, she was Xu Lexin, one of the top beauties in Asia Metropolitan Region 4th district’s 4th High School. She was a sensual little thing with a pretty face and a curvy figure that was as hot as raw chili pepper. Her uniform was super chic, with her skirt so short that it was only a bit past her buttocks. If she so dared as to bend down, people would most certainly be able to take a peek at the panties concealing her private goodies.

"You idiot! What are you looking at?" Zhong Li said with a frown after noticing Tang Mu's lingering gaze. Then, placing an arm on the supple buttocks of the girl in his arms, he continued, "Do you believe that I will gouge your pig eyes out if you continue staring at my girlfriend?"

"Ehh!"

Tang Mu was once again rendered speechless. He had only casually glanced at the couple out of vexation. But Zhong Li, the wealthy scion, had immediately made a mountain out of a molehill by thinking that Tang Mu was staring at his girlfriend. How insecure was the guy? Did he assume that everyone was out to steal his slutty girlfriend?

"Honey!" The girl said coquettishly after casting a fleeting glance toward Tang Mu. Without minding the rest of the students and parents around the place, she nuzzled herself further into Zhong Li's embrace and continued, "Don't lower yourself to the same level as the proud idiot. He's a nobody without any future. Let's go somewhere and enjoy ourselves. Isn't that right, my prince?"

Zhong Li's face lit up with a smile, and he kneaded his girlfriend's buttocks with more indulgence. "Babe! You really know me well. My chauffeur is already waiting. Let's go away from this annoying place and have some fun. We have a long night ahead of us."

With that said, the couple ignored the stunned Tang Mu and quickly boarded an aeromobil that had just descended on the disembarking pad. The doors quickly closed, and the flying car took off and disappeared in the distance within seconds.

"What an adulterous couple!" Tang Mu muttered under his breath, feeling even more vexed. He had just been minding his business while admiring the descending aeromobils, but suddenly, Zhong Li and his girlfriend had come out to annoy him. He couldn't make heads or tails of their behavior. They were just like annoying flies that enjoyed disturbing the peace of others.

"Tang Mu! What was that about?"

A familiar voice sounded from Tang Mu's side. Cocking his head slightly to look, he came face to face with a chubby short guy with small shifty eyes and a prominent belly. He was Yuan Cheng, probably Tang Mu's only friend in Asia Metropolitan Region's 4th district's 4th high school.

Like most students attending the school, Yuan Cheng was from a relatively wealthy family with parents who were psionics. But he wasn't a proud and annoying pest like most others. He was an easy-going guy, and he always made an effort to spend time with Tang Mu.

"What was that about?" Yuan Cheng asked again. "Is Zhong Li giving you a hard time again?"

"Nope!" Tang Mu answered, shaking his head. "The guy's attention was totally on his girlfriend. He only hurled a few insults at me before boarding his aeromobil and taking off."

"You don't have to mind the guy," Yuan Cheng said with a smile. "Zhong Li has always been in the bottom ten of our entire class. I guess he's just jealous of you since you're one of the top students of our 4th high school. What baffles me is why Xu Lexin is with him."

"The guy's rich and from one of the wealthiest families in Asia," Tang Mu said nonchalantly. "It's understandable that Xu Lexin chose to date him. Despite how she looks, she's from a relatively humble background. By holding on to his filthy-rich thigh, she'll at least get a glimmer of hope to obtain rare resources like genetic activation elixirs and psionic crystals. She can then increase her chances of passing the Psionic Society's Assessment and becoming a powerful psionic."

"You're right," Yuan Cheng agreed. "But I still can't swallow down the fact that a girl who was the apple of many in our 4th high school over the years has become a plaything for a goon like Zhou Li. Why couldn't she come to me instead? This world is so unfair."

Tang Mu smiled, giving his fat friend a once over. Sighing slightly, he said, "If you could spend a little more time in the gym, maybe she could have come to you. But all you know is how to party and spend all your free time eating. It's no surprise that you have no girlfriend."

"There you go commenting on my size again," the chubby Yuan Cheng said with helplessness. "Let's forget about girls and whatnot for now. High school is finally over. Let me take you somewhere nice to celebrate. The bill is on me."

Tang Mu shook his head. "I will not go partying today. The Psionic Society's Assessment is coming up in a week. I must rest well today before starting to prepare for the assessment. You should also do the same."

The atmosphere between the two became a little weird as the two friends were reminded of the difficulty ahead.

High school education didn't mean much in the intergalactic era, and the only way to set a solid foundation for their respective futures was to pass the Psionic Society's Assessment.

Only by going over that hurdle would they soar above the masses and attend Earth's most prestigious universities focused on galactic exploration and outer space warfare. And only by enrolling in those universities would they get the opportunity to walk the renowned and majestic path of psionics and gain the ability to defend their home against the constant assaults by the Vegroids. It was the simple but undeniable truth.

"You have spoiled the mood by talking about the Psionic Society's assessment," Yuan Cheng eventually said to Tang Mu with a sigh. "I guess I'll also head home and continue training. Let’s see if I can push my physical fitness a level higher before the Psionic Society's Assessment."

"Good choice." Tang Mu gave his friend a thumbs-up. "I'll see you next week on Friday at the Psionic Society's Assessment. Goodbye!"

With that said, Tang Mu ran off toward the main road without waiting for his friend's response. He intended to reach his hostel early and put in a few hours of training before jumping into bed.