America's Greatest Villain: I Defeat Magic with Magic

Chen Yuan casually found an empty seat and sat down. Then he saw a familiar figure come to the empty seat next to him.

"You absolutely have to help me this time, Chen!"

Kevin complained anxiously.

"Adrian and Park Jung-woo's teams both rejected my friend request. Those damn bastards are really going too far!"

Chen Yuan looked at his classmates with some surprise.

Although Kevin's grades weren't great, he was very sociable and well-liked in the college.

Unexpectedly, faced with the pressure of survival, no team was willing to accept him.

But thinking about it carefully, it's quite normal.

Today is the first day that Dr. Berg announced the "Spark Project". Apart from academic geniuses like Adrian, most people are probably in a wait-and-see state, and there are not many teams that can be formed.

Kevin's academic abilities were insufficient, so his request to join a team of top students was naturally declined.

After all, everyone wants a high-quality partner who can directly create value, and nobody wants to be a burden.

The reason he approached Chen Yuan was naturally because Chen Yuan was also a top student in the college's overall ranking.

In addition, his relationship with Chen Yuan was fairly good, so he was probably just trying his luck.

As for that anxious look on his face, it was mostly an act to gain sympathy.

Although Vivian had stated that a certain number of people were required to use the college's laboratories.

With the system at his disposal, it wouldn't be difficult for Chen Yuan to produce one or two valuable research projects.

But that doesn't mean he can just recruit any Tom, Dick, or Harry into the team.

Chen Yuan had no personal prejudice against Kevin, but if it was too easy for him to join, Kevin would not only not be grateful, but would also find it difficult to cherish this hard-won lifeline.

Therefore, after pondering for a moment, Chen Yuan asked in return:

"Are you acquainted with Arthur Pendleton?"

Kevin was slightly taken aback, seemingly not expecting Chen Yuan to bring up this name.

"You mean that weird...person?" Kevin frowned and pondered. "Arthur's grades are pretty good, but he spends most of his time in the lab or library, sometimes he doesn't even attend classes."

It seems that Kevin, as a "source" in the School of Life Sciences, does indeed have some information about Arthur.

"Very good!" Chen Yuan nodded. "Since you plan to join my team, I hope you can do me a favor."

Kevin was a smart man, and he immediately realized what was going on.

"You want to find Arthur and recruit him?"

After all, Arthur was the second-ranked student in the academy, so it was reasonable for Chen Yuan to try to recruit him.

"That's right. If you can convince him to join my team, then you'll also be qualified to work with us."

Since Vivian suggested that Chen Yuan recruit Arthur, there must be a deeper purpose behind it.

However, she is a riddle-maker, and habitually only tells half of what she says.

Therefore, Chen Yuan decided to meet Arthur first.

If Kevin can find Arthur, and the latter is truly skilled, then he wouldn't mind teaming up with the two of them.

"It's a deal!" Kevin nodded seriously. "I'll go find him as soon as class is over!"

Just as the two were talking, a heated argument suddenly broke out in a corner not far from the classroom.

Immediately afterwards, a girl covered her face, her eyes red and swollen, and ran to the empty seats behind Chen Yuan and Kevin, where she buried her face in her hands and began to sob softly.

It's none other than Japanese beauty Hoshino Mina!

The location she had just fled from was in the direction of another top student, Park Jung-woo.

Seeing this, Kevin immediately whispered gossip to Chen Yuan:

"She was indeed rejected by Park Jung-woo; their requirements are exceptionally high! And their clique is extremely exclusive."

Chen Yuan wasn't interested in these gossips and simply nodded indifferently.

But unexpectedly, seemingly having overheard Kevin's discussion, Mina Hoshino, who had been keeping her head down in the back, suddenly whispered:

"My academic performance is not bad... it's just that I was ostracized by the people over there."

Then she wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes, put on a pitiful expression, and said:

"Park Jung-woo had agreed readily, but then his two female classmates suddenly jumped out and accused me of having ulterior motives!"

"Damn it, they're just jealous of me because they're ugly!"

Kevin, being a shrewd person, knew very well that it was best not to get involved in girls' affairs, so he casually offered some words of comfort:

"This is only the first day. I believe that before long, more teams will be formed, and it won't be too late to choose a suitable one to join then."

Mina Hoshino shook her head: "How easy is it to reach the $5 target? Without a capable leader, a random group will only hold each other back."

As she spoke, her gaze fell on Chen Yuan, who was sitting next to Kevin.

"Did Chen just reject Adrian? Are you planning to form your own team?"

"That's right."

There was no need to hide this, Chen Yuan readily admitted.

Mina Hoshino's eyes lit up, and her voice became even softer:

"Can I join? Chen's ranking is even higher than Park Jung-woo's! Don't worry, my grades aren't bad either, I can definitely be of help!"

Chen Yuan gave Hoshino Mina a deep look, even though she had just cried her eyes out and her makeup was a little messed up.

But it must be admitted that she has a good foundation.

However, having such a scheming woman join the team might turn her into a ticking time bomb someday.

Seeing Chen Yuan staring at her without saying anything, Hoshino Mina added somewhat guiltily:

"If there's anything I can do to help with the team, please let me know, and I'll definitely find a way to do it!"

However, Chen Yuan smiled slightly and asked without any mercy:

"Park Jung-woo's two female classmates are ostracizing you, probably not out of jealousy, right?"

Mina Hoshino's expression froze, completely bewildered as to why Chen Yuan would ask such a question.

But Chen Yuan's next sentence made her head spin:

"I heard that at the college gathering a few days ago, as the external liaison officer of the student council, you deliberately did not send invitations to Park Jung-woo's two classmates, causing them to miss the gathering."

Chen Yuan discovered this weakness through the system panel on the day of the gathering.

At the time, Mina Hoshino probably never imagined that her scheming would lead to her being ostracized by two Korean girls, preventing her from joining Park Jung-woo's team.

What terrified her even more was that Chen Yuan actually knew about this.

She deliberately ran behind Chen Yuan and cried, partly because she was genuinely upset by the insults from the two Korean girls.

But more often than not, he was just using the opportunity to play the victim, hoping to gain Chen Yuan's sympathy.

She firmly believed that with her cute appearance, plus a little bit of fragility and helplessness, she could succeed.

She could easily win over most of the naive boys in the school.

After all, even Park Jung-woo originally intended for her to join, but the two Korean girls ruined the plan.

But how could Chen Yuan know the real reason for her conflict with those two Korean girls?

Doesn't this mean that her act of playing the victim just now was completely fake in Chen Yuan's eyes?

Mina Hoshino froze for a moment, unsure of what to do.

Looking at Hoshino Mina, who had completely lost the ability to speak, Chen Yuan knew that he had intimidated her, and it would be much easier to control her from now on.

So he spoke:

"Are you really willing to do anything to join my team?"

Seeing Chen Yuan's teasing expression, Hoshino Mina nervously swallowed.

Is this man planning to take advantage of the situation to make some unreasonable demands?

However, if you can't join their team, all the hard work you've put in today could very well go to waste.

Thinking of this, Mina Hoshino gritted her teeth and nodded fiercely, as if resigned to her fate.

"I can do anything!"

"Very good!" Chen Yuan laughed. "Then your assessment task is to work as a waiter in my restaurant after school today, starting with the most basic tasks like carrying plates and washing dishes. If you can gain the approval of your colleagues, then you'll be qualified to join my team!"

Mina Hoshino's eyes widened in shock. She never expected that Chen Yuan's conditions for joining the group would be like this!

[Ding! Detected that the host used despicable means to force a female college student to become his employee. 10 Villain Points awarded.]