The Serenity of the Void

Xu Mang was scolded… badly.

Of course, if Ms. Wang hadn't been there, Xu Mang might've walked out with a couple of broken bones as well.

In the end, their little test was cancelled because of Xu Mang. Luckily, Wang Xue still had hope in Xu Mang's abilities and continued to allow him to participate in the essay writing competition next month. Yang Xiaoman also agreed to join after a bit of persuasion.

On their way back to class, Yang Xiaoman suddenly asked, "Is this stupid thing just an act you put on every day?"

"Huh?"

"What do you mean 'huh'?!" Yang Xiaoman was angry. "Stop going into a daze every five seconds!"

Xu Mang was stunned. "Do you… care about me? If that's the case, you're absolutely done for…"

Yang Xiaoman: ??????

"This is a precursor to you falling in love with me, soon, you will be in so deep that you will no longer be able to control yourself, choosing to marry me in your crazed infatuation, but alas… men like me just aren't into your lack of feminine assets." Xu Mang sighed. "But please do not be sad, for it is not your fault, it is the fault of mine for being far, far out of your league."

Yang Xiaoman could barely control her fury, this guy wasn't just an idiot, he was a chronic narcissist as well. Was he handsome? Well, objectively speaking… he was alright, but he was still nowhere near the level of good looking that would warrant being that into yourself, right? Plus, did she mention he was an idiot?

"What's the matter?"

"Are you heartbroken?" Xu Mang was visibly distraught. "How about this… I'll give you a chance to taste this forbidden fruit. You can hug me now, but only just a hug and for no longer than three seconds... I don't want to taint my purity too much."

'Oh. My. God

'When will this suffering end?'

Yang Xiaoman shot daggers at Xu Mang. "Don't bite off more than you can chew, kid. I've been kickboxing since I was five and I've won Silver in the national female kickboxing tournament, so you'd better watch your mouth before I rip you a new one!"

"..."

Xu Mang felt an immediate sense of danger laced between Yang Xiaoman's words, specifically her threat of 'ripping you a new one'. Under normal circumstances, Xu Mang should've probably backed off, but he was genetically coded to not be afraid even before the jaws of death, so he decided to toe the line just a bit more.

"So what?"

"You think you're all that just because you know how to throw a couple of punches?" Xu Mang raised his head high, a clear 'I don't give a d*mn' written all over his smug face. "Even soldiers are bound by the chains of law, I dare you to lay a finger on me."

Yang Xiaoman: (*￣︿￣)

***

"Do you admit you're wrong?"

"Yes…"

"And what was your mistake?"

"I shouldn't have been so smug…"

"And what else?"

"I shouldn't have tested your authority."

Yang Xiaoman was quite pleased with Xu Mang's apology. Although the guy really needed people around him to knock him down a few pegs from time to time, he did have a good quality to him. He knew how to read the room extremely well, and that wasn't sarcasm either, it was a Yang seal of approval.

Although he had been beaten to a pulp, Xu Mang had gained some valuable knowledge as well—this woman… was something else!

He had already experienced firsthand the ruthlessness of Yang Xiaoman's fists, but that was before he knew she was trained in kickboxing. Now that he did, Xu Mang felt the difference clearly... her punches were hitting much stronger than before, perhaps it was some subliminal thing.

Wait!

Was there a skill for this?

Xu Mang glanced over at Yang Xiaoman, feeling a sudden rush of courage whose origins were unknown.

"Ahem…"

"Um… there's a dent where your chest should be!" Xu Mang carefully said.

Yang Xiaoman:(*￣︿￣)

Xu Mang was beaten up, again.

This time, Yang Xiaoman used her feet too.

Yet still, the same nonchalant expression was hanging on Xu Mang's face. He had to maintain a sort of 'hit me you won't' attitude throughout the process to ensure the skill's activation.

[New skill detected, Punching Bag Skill unlocked]

Okay! Success!

Xu Mang laughed through the pain.

"System, how many points do I need to be immune to the pain while being beaten up?"

[System has detected, Pain Immunity to Yang Xiaoman will require: 999 points (Punching Bag Skill)]

Xu Mang: ??????

999??

That was 166.5 hours of getting beaten up just so he could have fun for five minutes?

What was the difference between this and death?

"System, buddy… Was there a glitch when you displayed that?"

[System has detected, 0 errors, the female is a terrifying figure, thus increasing points needed to maximum]

[Four words to the host: You asked for it]

Xu Mang fell apart, and he finally realized that this System of his was a coward as well.

What dark sorcery created the being that was known as Yang Xiaoman?

Could she be the fabled System Killer from all those webnovels?

"Ow ow ow!"

"Stop hitting me… I admit I'm wrong!" Xu Mang cradled his knees on the floor, whimpering from the pain.

"I don't believe you!"

"I'm really sorry!"

"Have you learned your lesson yet?"

"Yes, yes, I promise…"

"Hmph!"

After two consecutive (one-sided) fights, Yang Xiaoman was out of energy as well. She did claim to be a dainty, elegant girl after all, so she stood up straight, still dripping with sweat, trying to catch her breath.

Xu Mang scraped himself off the floor and dusted his clothes off. He had intended to go back to his smiling self, but he felt that that wasn't the best idea he had ever had.

Firstly, he had just been beaten up, and secondly, he had been beaten up twice. Under these two pretenses, if he was still smiling, that flat-chested she-hulk would surely misunderstand and think that her punches were too weak…

"Owie… Yang Xiaoman, you're as strong as a bull!" Xu Mang winced.

"Are you blind?" Yang Xiaoman glared. "I am but a weak little girl… so shut it if you don't know what you're talking about or I'll have you on the floor for the rest of next week."

"..."

Xu Mang took a good hard look at Yang Xiaoman and understood—those short girls with small chests, you had better never mess with them… they were terrifying!

Back in class, their third period had just ended. When Xu Mang got back to his seat, he sensed that something was off about the atmosphere in class. A large portion of his classmates was looking at him with what he would call envy because they had heard the news that Xu Mang was going to enter the so-called city-wide secondary school essay competition.

Of course, Xu Mang didn't really care. Some people just couldn't accept certain facts of life, for instance, the fact that he was better than them. The image of him being the cancer of the class was still deeply ingrained in their minds, so Xu Mang didn't blame them.

Humans could only accept those weaker than themselves, and when faced with a stronger foe, there were only two options. Kill them… or pretend to surrender, only to kill them later.

Quite obviously, Xu Mang's classmates had chosen the first option, and Xu Mang was about to be on the receiving end of a lot of trouble. 

Fourth period.

Xu Mang wasn't lying on his desk, instead, he was quietly observing the scenery outside the class window, throwing away all the worries in his busy brain and leaving only a pure husk where he once sat. This was different from his normal Blank moments. Xu Mang had focused his heart, soul, and spirit on the primordial nothingness of the void, finally escaping the confines of this material world.

Xu Mang called it Blank 2.0

During this time, Yang Xiaoman stole a few more glances at Xu Mang. At first she had thought he was just doing his regular thing and didn't pay him any mind, but after the bell rang and class was over, Yang Xiaoman turned to look at Xu Mang again, finding him in the exact same position he was in thirty minutes ago.

What was going on?

Was there something outside?

Yang Xiaoman followed Xu Mang's gaze to find out what he was looking at, but all it was was an empty basketball court.

"Hey! What are you looking at?" Yang Xiaoman finally asked.

Xu Mang tilted his head slightly, looking at Yang Xiaoman from the corner of his eye, not a single expression flashing across his face. "Oh, nothing… just… experiencing the serenity of a place far, far away."

...