Xanthia’s mind was captivated by the dazzling array of products dispyed in the system mall.

  The mall featured numerous categories of goods, such as “equipment,” which included a variety of exquisite clothing, shoes, accessories, and more—each capable of enhancing one’s attributes. For instance, the schoolgirl uniform paired with over-the-knee socks that she had acquired from the novice gift pack fell under this equipment category.

  Equipment could be permanently purchased for collection, but there was also the option to spend fewer “pain points” for a “limited-time experience.”

  What excited Xanthia most were the magical items, such as “invisibility cloaks,” “flying brooms,” and “boots of teleportation”—treasures straight out of fantasy tales. Yet, the exorbitant amount of “pain points” required to acquire them left her sighing in frustration, as though the system were teasing her with prizes just out of reach.

  Beyond “equipment,” the mall also offered various magical items and consumables, such as “energy potions” and “vitality potions,” which were both inexpensive and practical. Additionally, there were recipes for preparing delicacies according to the system’s guidelines. These dishes bestowed special enhancement effects upon consumption.

  However, compared to these self-enhancing items, Xanthia noticed that the mall had an even rger selection of products designed for pranks or inflicting discomfort on others.

  Even the recipes seemed somewhat dubious. The dishes prepared using these questionable cookbooks looked delicious, smelled divine, and tasted exquisite. But if shared with others, they would fall into a sly trap, suffering temporary and undesirable effects.

  The entertainment items avaible in exchange for pain points were borderline insane, almost psychotic in their conception.

  It was clear that the system encouraged toying with others’ emotions and harvesting their negative feelings.

  One could also purchase “pets” and “summoned beasts,” though these creatures were predominantly bizarre and sinister in design, with a distinct art style. Forget about anything cute; these beings were crafted for practicality—the more terrifying and repugnant, the better for instilling fear in others.

  Xanthia felt a surge of gratitude that she wasn’t inherently malevolent. Otherwise, if she focused solely on collecting “pain points,” she might have ended up wreaking havoc on the world.

  Her primary goal remained the collection of “happy points” to strengthen herself. The items, pets, and other paraphernalia obtained with “pain points” were merely backup options. She had no intention of provoking anyone—unless they provoked her first. If they did, they could expect to be thoroughly tormented!

  The least expensive item in the system mall was the “blind box,” which could be exchanged for a mere 1,000 pain points. Each blind box guaranteed at least a “vitality potion” worth 2,000 points, with a chance of yielding more valuable items. The purchase limit was three per month.

  Recognizing how cheap the “blind box” was and noting its purchase limit, Xanthia, an experienced gamer, immediately recognized this as a probable “pyer benefit.” In the future, once she had enough pain points, she pnned to prioritize these blind boxes.

  As Xanthia browsed the system mall, her desk partner had changed from Xenia to Dematero.

  Dematero wore an expression of despair. He deeply resented being separated from his previous desk partner, Glen.

  He and Glen were dormitory roommates, sharing simir interests and indulging in endless discussions about topics ranging from politics to sports, philosophy to literature, games to girls. Even in areas where they cked expertise, they turned to each other for spirited debate. Both were high achievers, with Glen having ranked fifth in the recent css assessments.

  At Thessaloniki First High School, a prestigious institution, students with good grades naturally gravitated toward one another, making it easier for them to get along.

  As for his new desk partner, Xanthia, Dematero felt profound reluctance, rgely because she was a girl—a fundamental fw in his view.

  It wasn’t that Dematero harbored prejudice against girls, but his prior experiences had left him with a psychological aversion to female deskmates.

  From primary school to junior high, he had endured female deskmates with highly votile tempers. They delighted in pinching and poking, being petty and meddlesome, and drawing territorial lines on the desk. Crossing these invisible boundaries would trigger immediate outbursts and unjust retaliation.

  Dematero, true to his name, had a mild temperament and remarkable patience. He was also quite attractive, albeit somewhat talkative. Yet, he could never understand why girls perpetually targeted him.

  Moreover, he pitied Xanthia for her poor academic performance. If he had to sit beside a girl, he would have preferred one with commendable grades, believing academic excellence in girls was a kind of prerequisite.

  In his mind, the most beautiful girl in the css was undoubtedly Elena La Loannou, the English css representative. She had an impeccable temperament and ranked third in the css—a combination that made her unmatched.

  As for Luciel La Lebrador, whom the boys had unanimously dubbed “css flower” during military training, Dematero found her less impressive. She ranked only 27th, which paled in comparison to Elena.

  When Glen discovered Dematero’s preference for Elena over Luciel, he couldn’t resist teasing him, suggesting that Dematero’s true “weakness” was grades.

  Dematero fervently denied it, insisting that his preference was for ponytails and Elena’s ethereal, angel-like aura. In his mind, she was the mythical flower of Greek mythology, and he imagined himself as her devoted admirer—a notion bordering on delusional.

  “Are you serious?” Glen had ughed. Many boys in the css admired Elena. While Luciel had more delicate features and striking beauty, her darker complexion and tomboyish demeanor made her less alluring to some. Elena, on the other hand, exuded grace and serenity, her authentic and melodious English accent frequently earning praise from the teacher. Her elegance was undeniable, leaving many to secretly think, “She’s like a noble dy!”

  At that moment, Dematero gnced at Xanthia, who seemed lost in thought. Aside from her exceptionally fair complexion, he found nothing noteworthy about her. She was too ordinary, too unassuming, and far too cking in presence.

  Among the boys, Xanthia’s name rarely came up. She was seen as excessively introverted, almost mute. Her voice was an enigma. Teachers rarely called on her, and she frequently took sick leave, appearing and disappearing with a mysterious air.

  What Dematero didn’t realize was that his disdain for Xanthia had already activated a most unfortunate mechanism.

  At that very moment, Xanthia noticed that the system’s task list had updated with a lucrative special mission.

  ...

  Mission Name: Queen of Hearts!Mission Description: In the eyes of your new desk mate, Dematero, and many boys in the css, the only Queen of Hearts is Elena La Loannou, the English css representative. Your task is to outshine Elena in every aspect and win the Battle of the Best Girl in css!Mission Rewards: Substantial happy points + pain points, “Queen of Hearts” attribute.Special Reward: Dematero (Note: This “summoned beast” possesses purple growth quality, a special talent for literature, loyalty akin to a faithful dog, high pain-point output, and enduring resilience. Successfully capturing him will grant all future pain points from his literary works to the pyer.)

  ...

  Xanthia was momentarily stunned. Real people could be tamed into summoned beasts?

  The system was wicked beyond belief!

  Though inwardly chastising the system, Xanthia nonchantly accepted the mission.

  No ulterior motive, really. She simply wanted some amusement.