Ren Yi felt a pang of guilt and couldn't help but steal a glance at Lord Cha's tail.
The tail looked fine—fluffy, smooth, no bald spots, no breaks, and no shedding...
It probably wouldn't trigger any unpleasant memories for the Cha Student Mentor.
Since returning home, Ren Yi had either been busy or, well, slacking off.
The meal and the "meeting with the family" he had promised as an apology had yet to happen.
Fortunately, Lord Cha clearly didn't hold a grudge. With a sudden leap, he jumped onto a high, protruding root of the Wutong Tree, bringing his face level with Ren Yi's eyes.
He crossed his paws over his chest, striking a mature and steady pose, and began to speak: "Alright, now that the last brat has arrived."
"Alright, the last brat is here. Let me introduce myself formally. I am your Student Mentor. You can call me Lord Cha... ah, no, just call me Student Mentor Cha."
"Today, you officially become part of the University Department of the Alliance First Comprehensive Education School. On behalf of all the teachers and students, I would like to extend a warm welcome to you!"
After saying this, Lord Cha paused, his small eyes fixed intently on the three young faces before him.
Ren Yi stood directly in front of Lord Cha. Then, realizing something, he looked left and right, only to find himself standing alone.
Turning his head, he saw that Zhang Qiuqiu and Lu Zihan had quietly retreated half a step at some point, leaving Ren Yi to face the front alone.
Zhang Qiuqiu was looking up at the sky, admiring the canopy of the Wutong Tree as if it were a masterpiece of natural beauty.
Lu Zihan was looking down at his fingers, brow furrowed as if he were contemplating some era-defining mathematical problem.
Left without any guidance, Ren Yi hesitantly turned his head back.
Under Lord Cha's stern gaze, Ren Yi raised his hands and slowly clapped them together.
Clap, clap...
Lord Cha's brow instantly unfurrowed, his expression softening considerably. He even gave a slight nod, looking like he approved of Ren Yi's quick wit.
"If your Anomaly life were a piece of music, you have already passed the soothing prelude and are about to play the new... uh... new..."
As he spoke, Lord Cha suddenly stammered, his eyes instinctively drifting toward the empty void as if seeking help.
A second later, he immediately picked up smoothly: "...play the grand main melody of your Anomaly life!"
Ren Yi understood instantly.
Fine, he was cheating. No, he was reading a cheat sheet.
Praise be to the service of the Anomaly Web big shots; the Anomaly Web was truly a wonderful thing.
It should be noted that the Anomaly Web was interconnected with the ordinary internet they saw before awakening.
Before awakening, the network Ren Yi accessed through his phone and tablet was actually the Anomaly Web.
It was just that "children" who hadn't awakened couldn't see the real content, as if a gateway filter had been applied.
After awakening, the Anomaly Web could be accessed directly through mental intent without needing electronic devices.
It was a perfect tool for cheating on exams or slacking off in class.
Unfortunately, they couldn't use it back when they needed it most before awakening.
Ren Yi still used his phone out of habit and for the "need for camouflage" in public places.
In any case, the Anomaly Web was a blessing.
Whether it was for Lord Cha, who was currently peeking at his script, or for Ren Yi, who was cringing hard enough to dig a hole with his toes.
At that moment, in the "School Bombing Squad" group chat, Ren Yi sent several messages in a row, full of accusations:
【What's the situation?】
【Where are you guys? Help me out?】
【Oh, I see.】
【You guys pushed me out to be the fall guy?】
【When did you two collude? That's so unfair!】
Ren Yi gnashed his teeth in secret.
But his messages were like stones sinking into the ocean; Zhang Qiuqiu and Lu Zihan chose to ignore them with perfect synchronicity.
After a while, Lu Zihan slowly replied: 【Cough, Stool, you can't blame me.】
Zhang Qiuqiu followed up immediately: 【We've already heard it once.】
The implication was that they were already "experienced" and Ren Yi just had to take one for the team.
【...So what's the deal? Do I have to listen to him finish? Can we skip this?】 Ren Yi sent a soul-searching question.
【Apparently, the school requires the Student Mentor to read the opening speech to every freshman,】 Zhang Qiuqiu explained.
【He won't stop anyway, so just endure it.】
【It's fine, Stool,】 Lu Zihan added comfortingly, 【Lord Cha is much smoother now than the first time he gave it.】
What kind of comfort was that?
Ren Yi sighed and facepalmed.
He patiently listened for a few more sentences, confirming they were all nutritionless platitudes—nothing more than "study hard, follow the rules, cherish your Anomaly life," and so on.
Left with no choice, he could only listen with dead-fish eyes, maintaining a expressionless face throughout Lord Cha's rambling.
"Cough, anyway, that's the gist of it. I hope your time in the University Department will not waste your prime or your Anomaly life!"
Lord Cha spoke for a full ten minutes until Ren Yi's head was buzzing before he finally stopped.
He took a small water cup handed to him by a Wutong branch, unscrewed the cap with his paws, and gulped down more than half of it.
Speaking that much was truly exhausting for a Cha's throat.
"Alright, my job is done. Everyone is dismissed," Lord Cha said with a wave of his paw.
"Wait?"
Ren Yi covered his face.
"Your job as a Student Mentor is just this? Reading an opening speech?"
Lord Cha nodded: "Uh-huh."
"No, no, no, aren't you supposed to show us around campus, explain the upcoming academic year, and introduce the school rules... or something?" Ren Yi forced out.
"Don't be in such a hurry, brat. The school's arrangement really is just this..."
Lord Cha put his paws on his hips and raised his head. "But yours truly... I mean, your Student Mentor is a responsible and serious mentor. I won't just leave you like this."
He paused, his tone shifting slightly and becoming more lighthearted.
"Don't worry, the school doesn't have many regulations in the public areas. Special areas have special discussions, and you won't run into them just yet."
"There are plenty of interesting things, like the clubs."
"Take the Fitness Club, for example. It's full of muscle monsters who love playing battle royale. You definitely wouldn't like that. The Anime Club is always turning children's cartoons into rule-based Instances—how childish..."
"Let me tell you, the most interesting one is the Board Game Club..."
"Stop, stop," Ren Yi interrupted in time. "The important thing right now isn't the clubs, is it? Shouldn't we report to the dorms and get settled first?"
Ren Yi gestured helplessly at the suitcase in his hand.
At that moment, Zhang Qiuqiu spoke up hesitantly. Her voice wasn't loud, but it successfully drew everyone's attention.
"Actually, I've been meaning to ask..."
She spread her hands, showing that she was completely empty-handed, carrying nothing.
"Ren Yi, why did you bring a suitcase?"
Rate on N.U.
