Chapter 24: The Slacker Girl, Stand Up!

Chapter 24: The Slacker Girl, Stand Up!

In the girls’ restroom at Far Moon Academy, in a cubicle by the window.

An Le was busy browsing the web, searching for information on small snake species.

Last night, a little, peculiar white snake suddenly appeared on her windowsill.

She had some knowledge about snakes since she initially considered having a pet snake when she started keeping reptiles.

However, due to her parents being extremely afraid of snakes, she ultimately settled for a more acceptable pet—a gecko.

As for spiders and insects, they were definitely out of the question.

And that snake from last night?

It was so small yet eerily similar to a cobra, leading An Le to suspect if it was venomous.

She fed the snake a little bit, then confined it, ensuring it couldn’t escape.

After arriving at school, she began searching online for various materials to discover what type of snake it was and if it could be kept as a pet.

In a giant coastal city like Linyi Gate, there were hardly any native creatures; since it appeared in a residential area, it was highly likely that it was someone else’s pet that had escaped.

Seeing that it had suffered such serious injuries, its original owner probably treated it poorly.

An Le had the intention to take care of it, but after searching all morning, she couldn’t find any matching information.

Patterns, size, appearance—

None of those categories yielded a match.

Besides, are there really small white cobras?

“Hey, Shu Wen, I heard the president rejected all the gifts again this morning.”

“Yeah, the president didn’t sleep at all, so there was no chance for anything.”

Just as An Le was about to put down her phone and head back to class, she heard several classmates talking outside the stall.

She quickly quieted down, sitting still in her spot.

Pu Shu Wen seemed to have opened the adjacent stall, and the voices continued,

“Duh, the key is not whether the president slept or not but that student council accountant.”

“Hey, you mean that nerd you mentioned before?”

“Right! He’s really close with the president and is easy to talk to. If you ask him seriously, he’ll definitely deliver it to the president.”

An Le eavesdropped on their conversation, pursing her lips, remaining silent.

“Is it really a good idea?”

“Of course, but there shouldn’t be too many people. Occasional one or two is fine, but too many, and he’d probably reject it.”

After a moment, the stall door opened, and Pu Shu Wen seemed to go out again.

“So we can ask him once a week then! We have to act cute and sweet…”

As she spoke, while washing her hands, Pu Shu Wen chimed in with a sugary voice,

“Wuwu, Ah Qiao, you’re just too nice! I don’t know how to thank you~”

“Ugh! Stop it, you’re suffocating me, haha!”

“Shh, this is all my secret summary, don’t tell anyone else.”

“Mainly, he’s the only one who can help us in the student council. You Anli Na could help too, but by the time the letter reaches her, she’d have probably read it a million times.”

“And that Ai Xili? Her face is always sour, so hard to deal with!”

“As for Sakura Kyoko, heh heh…”

“Hahaha~”

Their conversation faded along with the ringing of the class bell, and An Le sat in the stall, digesting their earlier chat.

If that accountant, Ba Qiao, sends a message, would Little Huan accept it?

But it all felt…

And if Pu Shu Wen and the others found out she was eavesdropping and did that…

An Le bit her lip, gently covering her chest, feeling a heaviness lurking there.

She gasped, unbuttoning one of her shirt’s buttons because it was simply too tight against her chest.

However, after doing so, the heaviness remained just the same.

Only then did she realize that the heaviness wasn’t in her chest but rooted deep within her heart.

“Gululu~”

Just as An Le hesitated, a bizarre, illusive snake tattoo began to squirm out from under her clothing.

Covering her face, she caught a glimpse of something moving on her arm.

“!!”

She panicked, jumping up to look at her arm.

A snake…a snake snake snake!!

How could it be on my arm?!

Before she could comprehend, that snake tattoo fell away from her finger and gradually transformed into a small white snake in reality.

“Gululu…”

That little snake looked exactly like the one she rescued last night.

“An Le, hello.”

The little snake stood upright, examining the girl before it, and suddenly started speaking in her mind, its voice distinctly feminine.

“It talked!!”

An Le covered her mouth, wondering if she had daydreamed from too much self-pampering.

The little snake rolled its eyes and scolded her,

“Useless!”

“Hey, why are you scolding me all of a sudden?”

“You don’t even argue when I call you useless, are you even human?”

“But…I don’t even know why you’re scolding me! What if it’s because I locked you up last night?”

The little snake was so startled by her that it almost didn’t know how to retort.

After a moment of silence, it tilted its head, muttering helplessly,

“I’m really done with this…but there’s no other choice, if this drags on, everyone else is going to bite the dust.”

“Bite the dust?”

An Le’s face turned red, as she suddenly thought of something when she heard it say “bite.”

“Listen, An Le, I love being straightforward, so let’s cut to the chase.”

The little snake flicked its pink, translucent tongue and said to An Le,

“Do you know what a Cheat Ability is?”

“I…I think so. I’ve read a lot of novels from the Dragon Kingdom.”

“I am a Cheat Ability. You can call me a system or whatever, but in short, I am here to help you fulfill your wishes.”

“Fulfill my wishes?”

“Correct! You are the protagonist of this world, the Child of Fate. You can do whatever you want.”

The little snake flicked its tongue and coiled around her arm, twisting and winding closer to her.

“I can grant you the power to control sensations; with it, you can manipulate anyone’s pleasure and pain.”

As the little snake coiled up, a tingling sensation surged through An Le’s arm, followed by itching, pain, and then—

An Le’s face flushed slightly, her body uncontrollably going limp.

But that feeling was momentary, quickly receding like a tide.

“In return, you need to show me your wishes, one by one—big or small, easy or impossible—fulfill them all.”

“With your use of it, the powers I can give you will only grow stronger…until they evolve.”

Like the sweet, forbidden fruit that Eve tasted, the white snake’s words suddenly changed tone,

“But you must be cautious, cautious, cautious, and extra cautious. You cannot let anyone know you possess this ability; you absolutely cannot be discovered.”

An Le swallowed hard, instinctively asking,

“What if…what happens if I do?”

Then we all will be doomed in an instant!

All of us “fingers” along with this entire world.

You cannot let anyone except those who possess the ability know of its existence; this is the rule set by the deity…

“If this gets exposed to others, can it even be called a Japanese anime?”

The deity said.

This is the primary reason.

As for the second reason…

“What do you think? If someone discovered you had such a special ability, what do you think would happen?”

“Maybe get taken for research or something?”

“Not a bad guess.”

The little snake flicked its tongue, rolling its eyes at An Le,

“More likely, after failing to find a use for you, they’d just kill you!”

Though it wouldn’t die, having to find another host would set its progress back compared to other “fingers.”

It had initially intended to bind itself to that woman named Tong Yingying, who had already recognized its usefulness but willingly chose to abandon it, leaving it heavily injured.

Thank goodness it hadn’t fully bound; otherwise, it would have been game over.

Now, it could only settle for second best and come find this slack girl in front of it.

“So, how about it? Are you accepting my help?”

“I…”

An Le opened her mouth, staring at the little snake before her.

Watching it flick its tongue, the crimson snake eyes reflected her distorted figure,

“Are you sure you want to be bullied forever? Elementary school, middle school, and now…”

“…”

“Are you sure you’ll be cowardly forever, too scared to even speak to him and retrieve your memories while watching him be with other girls?”

“N-no, that’s not how it is!”

As she listened, An Le suddenly grabbed her hands, fiercely countering,

“I just want to reconnect with him! As for who he likes, I—”

No, girl.

I’ve laid the groundwork this far, and this is what you’re telling me?!

Is this any different from having the ability to pause time yet using it to gain study time?

Seriously, having this supernatural power and still thinking about “as long as you’re fine, it’s a beautiful day,” huh?

Fine, fine, fine.

The little snake scowled, its tail smacking against her hand, cursing,

“Useless!! Don’t say it’s that Yan Huan. I’m telling you, whoever you like, just go for them!! Can’t you think a little bigger?! Wanting to not even dare to think about it?”

“But, I only…”

“Bam bam bam!”

Before she could finish her sentence, the little snake’s tail whirled around like a tornado.

An Le quickly shielded her hand, squeaking in an effort to stop it,

“Don’t hit me anymore…I…I accept your help!”

The little snake, exasperated, huffed and spat,

“How can I be so clever and end up with someone as useless as you!? I’m telling you, from today on, you must stand up for yourself!”

“From now on, if anyone bullies you, you retaliate fiercely!”

“If you like someone, make them your slave, just like those characters in the games you play!”

An Le’s mouth fell agape, trying to say, “How can game stuff be applied to reality?”

But seeing it so worked up, she didn’t dare say a word.

So she asked,

“Little snake…since you can talk, do you have a name?”

“…You can call me Little Pinky.”

“What a strange name.”

An Le patted its head, but it angrily swatted her hand away.

Unfazed, An Le simply expressed the thoughts it interrupted earlier,

“Little Pinky, I was just about to say—although you talk so big, if your ability is only to manipulate sensations, it sounds like you can’t do much at all.”

“…”

Little Pinky froze for a moment, almost turning red from her simplistic remark,

“What do you mean?! Are you implying I’m weak?! I’m clever enough to help you immensely, you know?!”

“N-no, I’m just being realistic.”

“Bull! Plus, this is only the beginning! As you use it more, it will grow stronger!!”

“Hmm.”

Yet, no matter how powerful this ability became, wouldn’t it still end up being useless?

But fearing breaking Little Pinky’s spirit, she held her tongue.

An Le was a gentle girl.

“Alright, but Little Pinky, you’re a snake. I can’t bring you to school, and at home, I have to worry if my parents will see you.”

“Do you think anyone can see me? Only you can see me; everyone else can’t see or hear me.”

As it spoke, Little Pinky began to slowly melt away.

Its milky-white body appeared to be stained with ink, transforming into a tattoo that swirled onto An Le’s hand.

The tattoo twitched on her skin, and unexpectedly, illusive text began to surface before her eyes.

【Current Level: 1】

【Effect: Manipulation of Pleasure and Pain】

【Usage Method 1: Once daily for 15 minutes; focus on any target within a ten-meter radius.】

【Usage Method 2: Summon the snake tattoo, and contact the target with the tattoo location to manipulate sensations. This usage has no time limit or cooldown, but can only affect one person at a time.】

Staring at the illusive subtitles in front of her, An Le gasped,

“It’s just like the systems in the novels!”

“Humph, now you know I’m a Cheat Ability. What you need to do now is give those bullies of yours a taste of their own medicine, got it?”

In her mind, Little Pinky’s voice rang out.

An Le pursed her lips, unsure whether to agree or not.

She took a glance at her phone, panic rising when she saw the time.

“N-no, class has already started for a while…I need to hurry back to class!”

“Hey, did you even hear what I just said?!”

“…”

An Le quietly slipped out of the stall and approached the sink.

Yet her mind felt like it was thrown into disarray by the sudden appearance of this little snake.

She hadn’t planned on seeking revenge against Pu Shu Wen and her friends; instead, her mind suddenly drifted back over ten years ago.

Back when her family hadn’t moved from the South District, living in a messy, shabby old community.

During that time, she had very few friends, just like now.

The difference was that she had a very close childhood friend back then.

The kids in the community often played together, but they rarely included her, as she was simply too quiet and not very likable.

Still, she longed for friendship, so even if she silently trailed behind those kids or sat beside them doing nothing, she still wanted to be with them.

There was an orphanage in the neighborhood, and the kids would often go there to play with the children residing there.

It was there that An Le met a boy named Yan Huan.

A very special boy.

Out of all the friends, only Yan Huan noticed her sitting alone in the corner.

Only Yan Huan would take the initiative to find her, talk to her, and invite her to play.

An Le would prepare birthday gifts for him with utmost care, take him to her home, and sleep together.

Her parents also liked him very much, and she naively suggested to her parents that they let Yan Huan move into their home…

Those years of happiness were moments An Le found hard to forget.

But all that joy faded away when An Le moved away from Linyi Gate.

She still remembered crying as she hugged him tightly when she was leaving. He had no choice but to cut a piece of cardboard and told her,

“Don’t cry. I’ll make you a bookmark, okay?”

“Wuwu, Little Huan, what…what’s a bookmark?”

“A bookmark is something that records the position you halted reading when separating from a book.”

“So this bookmark is also a record then?”

“Uh-huh, the point of a bookmark is so that during our next encounter, we can continue from where we left off.”

He wrote their names on the piece of cardboard with a pen,

“Yan Huan and An Le.”

He asked himself what else he wanted to put on it.

She lifted the pen and thought hard, but one simple thought echoed in her mind,

“I don’t want to separate.”

So she wrote a line on the bookmark, completing it,

“Yan Huan and An Le.”

“Will always be together.”

After that, her family returned to the Dragon Kingdom for business for many years.

Things didn’t improve, and they eventually moved back to Linyi Gate, residing in Liao Qiao District.

She had returned to that orphanage in the South District, but after so many years, Yan Huan had long left the orphanage and she had no idea where he had gone.

Perhaps fate was reluctant to let her search; after she finally enrolled in Far Moon, Yan Huan appeared right before her eyes.

Turns out Yan Huan also got into Far Moon, attending the same school as An Le.

But why, despite the yearning in her heart, hadn’t she gone looking for him even after a semester had passed?

“Splash~”

The cold water flowed over her hand, absorbing her body heat, causing her to look up at the mirror before her.

In the reflection, her long, thick black hair seemed to drag her temperament down.

After a moment of silence, she brushed aside her bangs, revealing her pure, fair, and adorable face.

Yet even when she saw her reflection, her gaze instinctively averted.

That avoidance was clouded by the shadows of her insecurities, burying everything she was.

With such a self…

How could she ever possibly exist along with the now-president, the much-beloved Little Huan…?

How could it be?

How could they ever be together forever?

An Le bit her lip again, her head drooping slightly. Her long black hair fell back over her face, hiding her appearance.

Feeling uneasy, she exited the restroom and headed towards her class.

She gently knocked on the door, entering the classroom, and saw Zhou Bin lecturing at the podium. An Le timidly uttered,

“Teacher, I’m sorry I’m late.”

Prepared to be penalized with standing, An Le planned to walk to the last row.

After all, she usually sat in the back row.

But unexpectedly, Zhou Bin simply adjusted his glasses and smiled, saying,

“It’s fine, just sit back down.”

“Eh? Really, Teacher Zhou?”

An Le gratefully glanced at Zhou Bin before lowering her head and walking toward her seat.

She sighed in relief and was about to sit down when her body suddenly froze.

Where’s my book?

The book itself didn’t matter, but my…my bookmark inside it!

If the bookmark got lost…

Trembling behind her black hair, her eyes gradually hollowed out, and the snake tattoo seemed to be stirred by some terrifying force, becoming restless.

“Gululu~”

Turning to the side, she saw Spencer, with her golden hair, staring blankly at the wrinkled bookmark that had aged with time.

In…in her hands!

Spencer turned her head, curiously looking at the anxious girl in front of her, and saw An Le urgently whispering,

“P-please, can you give that back to me?”

“Huh?”

Hearing this, Spencer raised an eyebrow, appraising An Le from head to toe.

After a moment, the previously eager and spirited expression on her face gradually faded into boredom.

“Sure.”

She handed over the bookmark along with the textbook back to An Le.

“Th-thank you.”

An Le clutched the bookmark, letting out a sigh of relief as she slowly sat back down.

But at that moment, Spencer’s voice reached her again,

“You really like him, huh? That president named Yan Huan.”

“Eh, n-no, I…”

Suddenly, An Le’s face turned red, and she hurriedly waved her hand, instinctively denying it.

Watching her flustered demeanor, a hint of sympathy flickered in Spencer’s eyes.

She propped her chin up, gazing towards the podium and said languidly,

“Nothing to be embarrassed about… but it’s better if there’s nothing going on; just a subtle reminder for you…”

“Eh?”

An Le awkwardly retracted her hand, biting her lip, as if she thought Spencer also liked Yan Huan.

“After all, he’s already with that Sakura Kyoko, and they’ve done that kind of thing together.”

An Le’s body stiffened slightly, and she turned to look at Spencer blankly,

“W-what kind of thing…?”

A mocking smile crept onto Spencer’s face, her golden hair seemingly ignited by sunlight.

She formed words with her lips, silently mimicking,

The gesture transformed into meanings that silently crashed into An Le’s mind, conjuring chaotic images.

In an instant, she could almost foresee Yan Huan gazing lovingly at his vice-president, who had always been by his side in a room somewhere.

“…”

Without control, An Le’s face instantly turned pale.