No health bar? You call this stunningly beautiful NPC sickly?

The loudspeaker on the playground continued broadcasting, with the bald principal holding a microphone, his voice carrying across the entire playground.

"Please remember, students, No Face No. 1 Middle School does not tolerate useless students. Those with low academic performance will drag the class down."

"Classes whose average score is lower than the grade average will have their dinner cancelled for the entire class."

"If a student scores below the average for two consecutive days, the homeroom teacher has the right to take the initiative to manage the students in the back row."

The students in the audience didn't say a word, but some of the players panicked.

"I never expected to be subjected to PUA even in the Ghost Realm." Mu Zhixi shook her head, her senses scanning the area and noticing that several people were breathing erratically.

"This book is really dirty," Cheng Xiaocheng muttered under her breath.

Mu Zhixi maintained her expressionless face: "How so?"

Cheng Xiaocheng began to share, "The class average score is linked to dinner, which will force NPC students to study alongside the players."

"Students in the back row are more likely to be disciplined, which shows that there are pitfalls in seating arrangements."

"Players can't reveal their identities, but their grades affect each other. If a player has a weak foundation, the whole class might want to kill him."

"As for the rule that allows reporting, it clearly encourages players to harm each other."

Mu Zhixi listened. This girl claimed to be of average intelligence, but her analysis was actually quite good.

Just as she was about to ask a few more questions to understand the world background, a male voice came from beside her.

"Excuse me, both of you."

The voice was gentle. "Chatting on the playground makes it easy to get your name recorded, especially during the assembly."

Mu Zhixi turned her perception.

The newcomer was also wearing a school uniform, and was tall. Among the group of players who had been forcibly stuffed into school uniforms by the system, he appeared excessively well-behaved.

He walked up to Mu Zhixi and raised his hand in a gentlemanly gesture.

"Nice to meet you, Gu Wenzhou."

Cheng Xiaocheng leaned closer: "You're a player too?"

Gu Wenzhou smiled and said, "It's not appropriate to ask that question directly here."

"Oh right, I almost fouled." Cheng Xiaocheng covered her mouth.

Mu Zhixi nodded instinctively. In the original setting of Goddess Ran, this was the reaction of high-ranking figures in the Holy Domain Church when receiving an audience.

"Kid, get closer to her." Gu Wenzhou paused for half a second, and a rough, hoarse voice rang out from inside him.

Gu Wenzhou thought to himself, "Old ghost?"

The voice was impatient, "This person is no ordinary person, definitely not ordinary. You'd better hurry up and try to get on their good side!"

Gu Wenzhou maintained a polite demeanor and did not show any unusual behavior.

"What's not simple about it?"

The old man was silent for two seconds: "I can't see through her."

Gu Wenzhou remained silent.

The Ghost Elder is a strange entity coexisting within him. Years ago, when he first entered a dungeon, he almost died in a dead well, and it was the Ghost Elder who entered his body and saved his life.

From then on, they were bound together by fortune and misfortune.

The Ghost Elder can see many things that other players cannot. He can detect remnants of artifacts, sense malice, and discern the truth or falsehood of rules.

Gu Wenzhou wondered to himself, "A high-level player?"

"At least an A." The old man paused for a moment, "No, an S- isn't out of the question either."

Gu Wenzhou countered, "The probability of a Hall of Fame player appearing in a four-star dungeon is too low."

"There's another possibility," the old ghost said in a low voice, "she's a monster."

"I sensed a familiar aura about her, but I couldn't be sure."

Gu Wenzhou didn't believe it: "How could Weirdos know about Peppa Pig?"

The old man got stuck.

Gu Wenzhou had been observing the two of them for a long time and continued to analyze in his mind, "Furthermore, according to the rules of the instance, if she were an NPC, she could have already made her move."

Gu Wenzhou concluded that this Miss Bai Yuzhaimu was at least an A-level individual, or even a figure from the Western Pantheon.

There's no way around it, Mu Zhixi's outfit really makes it hard not to mistake her for someone from the Western Vatican.

In Western countries, players who reach the A+ rank can become Pantheon trainees.

The Pantheon is the highest temple that Western players dream of entering.

The old man thought for a moment, "That makes sense."

It added, "Then treat it as a top-tier player. Beautiful and strong, mysterious and taciturn—these kinds of people usually like to be obedient."

"Stop being cheeky, be polite, and get acquainted with us first. If we manage to get on your good side, we'll take a bite and then throw it away!"

Gu Wenzhou scoffed, "When have I ever been impolite?"

"Last time you told that B-grade hanged ghost, 'Madam, your shoelaces are untied,' but he has no feet," the old ghost sneered.

Gu Wenzhou tried to argue, "That was a strategy."

"Bullshit, that's called being a smart aleck."

Gu Wenzhou ignored it and turned his attention back to Mu Zhixi.

The girl with white feathers covering her eyes stood at the edge of the playground, exuding an aura of incongruity.

player?

It's highly likely. The nod the other person just now resembled a high-ranking Western official receiving a subordinate's greeting. Furthermore, their noble, aloof, and detached demeanor is clearly a product of long-term high-ranking position.

Gu Wenzhou decided to be more cautious and asked, "Miss, would it be convenient for us to travel together?"

Cheng Xiaocheng raised her hand.

"Me too! Pretty lady, I'm strong, I can fight, and I have a good appetite. As for the exams... I'll try my best not to hold you back."

[Playing Value +20]

Current integration level: 16%

Mu Zhixi listened to the two people recommending themselves. This was a pretty good start.

Just as she was about to take the opportunity to extract information from the players, a sharp reprimand came from the front of the playground.

"Those three over there!"

"What's the point of holding a big meeting there? Are you just wasting your time?"

A teacher walked by. He had no facial features; his face was completely flat, except for a crack where his mouth should have been.

The name tag reads:

[Class 7 Homeroom Teacher: Zhou Xiang]

Cheng Xiaocheng, shut up.

Mu Zhixi's senses swept over Zhou Xiang, and a panel popped up.

[C+ Level Faceless Teacher]

[Responsibilities: Maintain order in the grade and record students with unusual behavior]

[Current Status: Patrol]

Zhou Xiang walked quickly, holding a roll call list in his hand.

"Which class are you in? Name! Student ID! Why aren't you back in line?" He pointed at Cheng Xiaocheng.

Cheng Xiaocheng replied, "Class 7, Grade 12, Cheng Xiaocheng, student ID... uh..."

Oh no, she didn't memorize it.

At the start of the instance, the system only issued temporary identity cards, and many people haven't had a chance to check them yet.

The roll call list in Zhou Xiang's hand automatically turned the page. "Hesitation in answering, record an anomaly."

Cheng Xiaocheng's face turned green.

It's like starting with one less life, how are we supposed to play like that?!

"Teacher, she just had low blood sugar. I'm checking if she needs to go to the infirmary," Gu Wenzhou continued.

"And who are you?" Zhou Xiang turned to him.

"Class 7, Gu Wenzhou, student ID 0719."

Zhou Xiang paused in his flipping through the booklet. "The reason is reasonable, but leaving the team without permission during the conference will result in a disciplinary deduction."

"They deducted money for this too?" Cheng Xiaocheng muttered to herself.

Zhou Xiang turned to her, his smile widening in a growing smirk. "What, you have a problem with that?"

"No, thank you for your hard work, teacher." Cheng Xiaocheng bowed awkwardly and smiled apologetically.

Zhou Xiang snorted coldly, turned to look at Mu Zhixi, and said, "You—"

He stopped there.

Cheng Xiaocheng was originally waiting for the pretty older sister to announce her student number, but then she found that the homeroom teacher was silent.

"?" Gu Wenzhou also sensed something was wrong.

The old man inside him analyzed: "Don't make a sound, this teacher is afraid of her."

Gu Wenzhou saw it all.

The C+ level faceless teacher isn't particularly strong in a four-star dungeon, but he can be deadly at the start. Players are very afraid of this kind of NPC with authority before they understand the rules.

Now, the teacher is trembling.

Mu Zhixi was somewhat surprised, completely unaware that the expressionless man had won MVP.

Zhou Xiang closed the roll call list and bowed to Mu Zhixi: "You...you don't need to return to the line. No Face No. 1 Middle School respectfully welcomes your arrival."

Cheng Xiaocheng: "?"

Gu Wenzhou: "??"

Several students nearby who heard the commotion also quietly turned their gazes over.

"If you're not comfortable on the playground, I can arrange a private rest room for you." Zhou Xiang's voice was completely different from before, now extremely respectful.

Mu Zhixi thought to herself: This school's service attitude is quite good at catering to different people.

She replied indifferently, "I'm fine."

"Yes." Zhou Xiang nodded respectfully.

He turned to leave, but after taking a couple of steps, he remembered something, turned back, and added to Cheng Xiaocheng and Gu Wenzhou, "You two, since you're accompanying me... no points deducted."

Cheng Xiaocheng almost shouted out the phrase "What the hell?"

"I take back what I just said." The old ghost was already numb inside him.

Gu Wenzhou lowered his eyes, suppressing his reaction: "Which sentence?"

"With just a tiny bit of leaked aura, he scared off the headmaster of a four-star academy. This is something no A-rank could do. Damn, this guy's got some serious connections!" Ghost Old Man sighed silently.

"I reckon this person has something that can make lower-level monsters back down. High-level players' artifacts have this effect, but hers is different."

Gu Wenzhou suppressed his doubts: "How is it different?"

After a long pause, the old man said, "I dare not look closely."

Gu Wenzhou fell silent, swallowed hard, and became even more certain of his guess. This was definitely a top-tier expert possessing some kind of terrifying, oppressive artifact!

Cheng Xiaocheng waited until Zhou Xiang was far away before coming closer.

"Sis," she said in a very low voice, "what's your skill level anyway?"

Mu Zhixi did not answer.

"Oh~ I can't say." The more Cheng Xiaocheng didn't answer, the more excited she became.

"That's how all high-ranking people are, I get it!"