Lu Mingfei: Don't call me a loser, call me a hero.

A barrage of game prompts left Lu Mingfei dizzy and disoriented.

He had thought that Chu Zihang might smile after understanding the meaning of the gift, but he didn't expect it to increase his favorability by so much.

Not only did it jump to over 50 in an instant, but it also became a recruitable partner.

The rate at which his favorability was growing was simply outrageous, and Lu Mingfei felt increasingly confident that his chances of completing the task of "finding a rich guy" were increasing infinitely.

He quickly checked the mission reward and found it was a Japanese sword called "Muramasa".

[Equipment: Muramasa]

[Category: Alchemy Weapons]

[Note: Heaven and Earth are ruthless; evil will be slain (if you dare to show your health bar, even the gods will cut you down!)]

"A piece of equipment dropped? And it's the famous Muramasa?"

As a fan of anime and manga, Lu Mingfei was no stranger to the name "Muramasa," since Japanese anime often features characters like the demon sword Muramasa and the murderous Muramasa.

The Muramasa appears with an absurdly high frequency in the game, either as a cursed demon sword or a demonic sword that has slain countless people.

He just couldn't understand why this thing could be ejected from Chu Zihang's body.

Could it be that the rumor from junior high school was true, and that my senior brother really was practicing kendo?

But Lu Mingfei is a director of the literary society, not the captain of the kendo club. He is a clerk and can't wield a knife!

Lu Mingfei suppressed his shock and was about to open his personal panel when he heard a system notification:

[The game inventory is now open. Do you wish to open it?]

"Open it!" Lu Mingfei entered the warehouse without hesitation, and then "saw" a samurai sword lying quietly in the warehouse with no hilt, golden inscriptions engraved on the blade, and a light that shone like karmic fire.

Holy crap, this...this...this...the Golden Legend?!

To be honest, if there weren't so many eyes watching, Lu Mingfei would have loved to give Chu Zihang a big bow and say, "If you don't mind, I'd like to become your sworn brother!"

Just as he was deeply moved, he heard Chu Zihang say, "Don't leave after the party, wait for me."

If someone else said this, it would be like saying, "Don't leave after school if you dare," but when Chu Zihang said it, it meant, "I have something important to discuss with you privately."

"Don't worry, senior brother, I'll wait even if it takes forever!" Lu Mingfei solemnly promised.

Chu Zihang nodded, clutching the book he had given him tightly in his hand, not piling it up with the other gifts.

Such drastically different treatment naturally aroused everyone's curiosity, and Chen Wenwen was the first to approach them after leaving the party center:

"Lu Mingfei, you also prepared a gift for your senior brother."

Lu Mingfei turned to look at her, wondering why she could ask such a question so smoothly after he had been wandering around the yard with the gift bag for so long.

Normally, he wouldn't have noticed such a small thing, but she would definitely have noticed it and asked him what was in the bag.

It must be because her senior brother's brilliance was too dazzling today, captivating her entire attention, that's why...

So what a load of rubbish!

Lu Mingfei mentally slapped himself for being so spineless, subconsciously making excuses for her again.

If she doesn't care, she simply doesn't care; otherwise, why wouldn't she even bother to ask?

He nodded listlessly, not even in the mood for witty remarks: "Just a coincidence."

Chen Wenwen's gaze towards Lu Mingfei now seemed somewhat unfamiliar.

Before, if she asked him a question casually, Lu Mingfei would answer ten times in a row. How come he became so taciturn after just one afternoon?

Could it be a genuine misunderstanding, and he's sulking and jealous?

After thinking for a moment, she stood next to Lu Mingfei, leaned forward slightly, and turned her head to look at him:

"Why are you unhappy? Did Senior Brother Chu say something to you?"

The girl's long hair fell down, and her three-quarters profile was beautiful. It was the angle from which Lu Mingfei used to steal glances most often, but today it failed to attract his attention.

"How could that be? I'm ecstatic!" Lu Mingfei replied casually, his entire focus on the bond lottery.

"System, initiate the lottery!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a familiar game notification popped up:

[Congratulations, hero, on acquiring the skill "Basic Swordsmanship" (Who says Basic Swordsmanship can't make you invincible in close combat?)]

No, what do you mean by "basic kendo can make you invincible in close combat"?

Isn't basic kendo just about swinging the sword, blocking, and positioning?

If you could be invincible just by relying on your basic skills, wouldn't sword saints be everywhere and sword masters as common as dogs?

Lu Mingfei mentally complained, but then he remembered the rumor that circulated in junior high school, saying that Chu Zihang was the invincible swordsman of the youth palace who had defeated everyone in the training center.

Could it be... that the intelligence is true?

Lu Mingfei thought that if it were his senior brother, he could indeed forge an invincible path with his incredibly solid fundamental skills.

Great, this adds another item to my daily workout routine.

From today onwards, I will transform from a roadside weed destroyer into a youth palace sword saint.

"Lu Mingfei? Lu Mingfei?"

Just as Lu Mingfei was lost in his daydreams, Chen Wenwen's pretty face came into view. She waved her hand in front of his eyes, bringing him back to his senses.

Why are you suddenly spacing out?

"It's nothing, I just thought of something happy." Lu Mingfei forced a smile, not letting out a sound.

Chen Wenwen became even more curious: "What's so exciting?"

Lu Mingfei casually made up a story: "My cousin's girlfriend is about to give birth."

"Huh?!" Chen Wenwen's eyes widened. "He...he's only a first-year high school student, isn't he?"

"It's not his."

"Not his?" Chen Wenwen looked at Lu Mingfei with a hint of fear in her eyes. "Could it be...?"

She seemed to finally understand why he had been so sullen tonight, and even ignored her attempts to talk to him.

Seeing that Chen Wenwen seemed to have some serious misunderstanding, even though Lu Mingfei had initially dispelled his illusions about her, he still had to consider his own image, lest his reputation be ruined when school started tomorrow, turning him from a good-for-nothing into a scumbag:

"Don't get me wrong, his girlfriend was seduced by a sleazy guy with dyed hair, and he lost both his money and his girlfriend."

Chen Wenwen was relieved. After all, it was Lu Mingfei. He didn't even have the courage to express his feelings, so how could he do something like stealing his cousin's girlfriend?

Not far away, Chu Zihang and his family of three thanked the guests and officially announced the end of the party.

"See you tomorrow." Chen Wenwen waved to Lu Mingfei and got into the Passat that came to pick her up.

As Lu Mingfei watched her get into the car and drive away, he suddenly remembered the typhoon four years ago.

It was raining heavily that day. He had no umbrella and no one to pick him up, so he was stuck in the teaching building. He wanted Liu Miaomiao to give him a ride, but she refused, saying it wasn't on her way.

With no other option, he could only fantasize that he was a superhero, impervious to wind and rain, and then wrap his head in his coat before rushing into the downpour.

I remember there was a super cool Maybach that passed by him. The handsome uncle in the driver's seat looked at him in shock as he sped past, probably impressed by his dashing and unrestrained demeanor.

Unfortunately, when I got home, I was soaked to the bone, and my homework in my schoolbag was also ruined. My aunt scolded me for not being able to finish my homework.

"Why are all my memories these upsetting things?!" Lu Mingfei was speechless.

If he had thought about ending it all before, now he truly cherishes his life. Otherwise, if he were to relive his experience of staying at his uncle's house before he dies, he would not be able to rest in peace even after death.

Just as she was mentally complaining, Xia Mi's voice suddenly rang out behind her: "They've already walked far away, why are you still looking?"

Lu Mingfei was almost startled again: "Senior sister, can you make some noise when you walk?"

Xia Mi stood behind him with her hands on her hips, completely oblivious to the fact that she was startling him, and frowned as she said:

"You brat, you didn't listen to a word I said, did you?"

"I listened," Lu Mingfei sighed. "But it's unrealistic to expect me to have an epiphany in Longchang after listening to a few words of advice, to sever all ties with Chen Wenwen, and to never see her again."

I'm not a robot; you can't just erase my memory with a single instruction. Besides, I see my classmates all the time.

With so many fans of Chen Wenwen in the class, if he were to openly admit that he was preparing to defect from the literary society, what difference would that be from suicide?

"As long as it's not lingering feelings."

Lu Mingfei's eyes showed a hint of frustration: "There was never any past relationship, so where did this old feeling come from?"

Xia Mi stared at him for a few seconds, then hummed twice and gently tapped his forehead with her hand:

"Just remember what my senior sister said: there are plenty of fish in the sea, why be hung up on just one?"

Don't give up the whole forest for one tree, young man.

After he finished speaking, Lu Mingfei stood there, stunned.

It wasn't Xia Mi's words, but rather a prompt that suddenly appeared in the game:

[Hero detected a mental attack, immune to immunity!]

What's going on? A psychological attack?

Lu Mingfei was shocked: Could it be that my love for Chen Wenwen has reached the point of madness?

My senior sister's advice to change my allegiance and find another good match is a serious mental attack against my will.