The sun blazed brightly from the west, casting a vibrant yellow glow that signalled three o'clock – a time starkly announced by the clock perched discreetly at the side, amidst the chaotic din of a noisy classroom.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
The shrill ring of the bell sliced through the air, jolting students from their afternoon haze, as if orchestrating a sudden escape from the sweltering confines of academia. Chairs scraped against worn linoleum, backpacks were hoisted with eager haste, and a collective murmur erupted – a cacophony of freedom as the day's final lesson dissolved into dismissal.
At the back of the class, Luo Zhend sat with an air of quiet intensity, his stark white hair contrasting sharply with his handsome, chiselled features. His eyes burned like bright red rubies, fixed momentarily on nothing as the chaos swirled around him. Clad in the school's stark white and black uniform, he seemed a blend of contrasts himself. Suddenly, a boy who looked uncannily like him – save for hair the colour of midnight and eyes like piercing sapphires – elbowed him playfully. "Hey, twin!" the boy said with a grin. Luo Feng was his name, called out with familiar warmth by this mirror-image counterpart.
Luo Zheng smiled softly and replied to his brother Luo Feng, "Are you ready to head home?"
_Luo Feng's thoughts flashed back_: Oh yes... I'm not a native of this world. I was a teenager of Blue Planet – bored, often dealing with drugs, and lost in novels. _Swallowed Star_ was one I devoured obsessively. But one reckless day, I overdosed... and died. Then I was reborn in this world – in the universe of _Swallowed Star_, as the main character... Luo Feng.
Twin me – knowing the plot of _Swallowed Star_ inside out – I signed onto this strange fate. Knowing I can't usurp the main character's path... he's still my brother. I thought rebirth would gift me some golden finger, some extraordinary power. But I was born with nothing. So I took it upon myself to go with the flow... tweaking plot threads here and there if it could help safeguard our family.
Luo Zheng's smile held understanding, aware of the unspoken bond they shared as twins in this extraordinary circumstance. "Then let's head home," he said, his ruby eyes holding a quiet resolve.
As the two brothers walked, a boy with a fit physique approached, calling out, "Brother Luo Feng." Luo Feng turned promptly, answering with a welcoming smile. Some people in the crowd murmured among themselves, saying, "He's that brother Luo – seems easy to talk to, unlike his twin brother who looks cold. That makes people unconsciously afraid to talk to him."
The guy who called out to Luo Feng said, "Brother Luo Feng, I have some problems I'd like your advice on." Luo Feng and his brother were honoured students in the dojo; people loved to seek Luo Feng's counsel. As for Luo Zheng, talented folks tended to stay away – owing to his cold visage, accentuated by his stark white hair and piercing red ruby eyes.
Luo Feng's expression turned attentive. "What's troubling you, brother?" he asked, his sapphire eyes encouraging openness. Luo Zheng walked alongside, his gaze seemingly distant yet subtly aware of the surroundings. The contrast between the twins' demeanours was palpable – Luo Feng's approachability versus Luo Zheng's intimidating reserve.
The guy said to Luo Feng, "I need your advice on my fist punch. Every time I punch, I feel like something isn't right. According to the dojo mentor, my fist should be able to release at least 50% of my power, but I don't know what's wrong. I need your help." Oh, Luo Feng, that's a small issue, Luo Feng started explaining to him while his brother Luo Zheng stood at the side watching. _Luo Zheng thought_: I know this plot – this is when the guy comes and asks for advice and Luo Feng helps him. Luo Feng said, "Okay, this Friday, meet me at the dojo."
Luo Feng and Luo Zheng left, seeing them walk away, the guy exclaimed in satisfaction. In the crowd, some people murmured, "It's indeed true, Luo Feng is easy to speak to – unlike his brother." "That's not right," some others said. In Third High, among 5000 students, only four became martial arts elite members in the dojo. Those four are Zhang Hao Bai, Lui Ting, Luo Feng, and his brother Luo Zheng. Because both of them are talented, their classmates gave them the nickname *Evil Twins*. There's the *Mad Twin*, Luo Feng – though his friends know him in the dojo when he wants to become brutal – and the *Ice Cold Twin*, Luo Zheng, because of his ice-cold face. Even when sparring in the dojo, he keeps that expression.
Going back to the four elite martial art students, only Luo Feng is easy to talk to. The other two, Zhang Hao Bai and Lui Ting, are too prideful, fools, and Luo Zheng is cold and not easy to talk to – the crowd murmured. At this point, people noted: around the entire world, virtually every high school student, while receiving education, joins martial arts dojo to unleash the power sleeping in every human. Zhi-an region's Third High School – out of 5000 students – only four are elite members, while the rest are intermediate students. Zhang Hao Bai and Lui Ting's families are wealthy, so they are prideful.
The crowd continued saying, "I heard the Evil Twins are from a regular background. They even used to live in a low-rent house." They said, "Yes, for the Evil Twins to get where they are today is through hard work and perseverance – and the twins are also talented." Some people in the crowd said, "My goal is to be like Brother Luo Feng – pass the trials and become an elite member."
The twins the crowd was murmuring about were heading out as if they didn't hear anything, but they had been training their bodies since childhood – Luo Zheng knew he made he and his brother start practicing at a small age. Luo Zheng smiled and said, "Seems like they're praising how you are easy to talk to and how talented you are." The both of them smiled. "What of it? Are you jealous?" The both of them continued heading out with good understanding. Luo Feng knew his brother was also talented – he didn't just like to talk; he always tells him he doesn't talk to people that he doesn't gain something from it except his family.
The both of them had reached the exit of Third High School, then Luo Zheng said, "Hey, Luo Feng, is that my sister-in-law?" Luo Feng's crush – as Luo Feng looked where his brother was aiming, a name came to his head: Xu Xin. The people who knew of Luo Feng's crush were few, but as Luo Feng's brother, how could he not know? In the distance there was a dashing girl with a ponytail and a slender shape – she was so beautiful, almost like an angel who came out of heaven. The first time Luo Feng saw Xu Xin in the first grade, he felt like something brightened in front of him. During those days, he usually used to silently just look at Xu Xin – he was just satisfied at looking at her beautiful face. Of course Luo Zheng knew that they will finally end up together, so he smiled.
Since the classes were scrambled in the second grade, Luo Feng couldn't see Xu Xin often, but he still found himself looking for her and unconsciously unable to take his eyes off her. "There's only 1 month left for the exam," Luo Zheng told Luo Feng, "this is no time for romance. After the exam, you can think of romance." This last month is when the students go on full-blast studying for the exam, preparing to have good grades for their future. Luo Zheng said, "You will have a chance to go after her after the exam ends."
As the twins were heading out, they gazed at the gate – the both of them saw a group of five people who were very eye-catching. Their leader Zhang Hao Bai, who is at least 180 cm, wearing a white shirt – the four people surrounded the twins. Whether it was the brawniness or the scars on their faces, it made them look fearsome. "The Zhi-an Third High School is really a school with four elites," Zhang Hao Bai said. The twins both snorted and both put on a cold face – Luo Zheng's face was already cold, but now it's fiercer.
If you ask which person in this school Zhang Hao Bai hates the most, he'd say these twins – because Luo Zheng and Luo Feng come from a regular background, they surpassed Zhang Hao Bai in both grades and skills. Though the three of them are elite students, Zhang Hao Bai knew even with his money and good family background, he could never surpass the talents of the twin brothers. So every day he keeps looking for chances to compete with them and look for trouble with them. There was a time Zhang Hao Bai paid a group of people to beat up the twins, but the twins instead got them well-beaten – with Luo Feng removing Zhang Hao Bai's teeth. That was when he got the nickname the Mad Twin.
As the group of five surrounded the twin brothers, Luo Zheng just looked at them with a cold glazing in his eyes as red as rubies – the five of them felt fear unconsciously and started moving away. Luo Zheng never even concerned himself with people like them. The twins continued on their way. As they were approaching home, a car honked. Luo Feng said to his brother, "Although we are already prepared, let's put more effort to surpass everyone in the examination. We can spend our time in the dojo, both training martial arts and preparing for the exams." "Yup," Luo Zheng said, "we pass or we don't – we still have a bright future." Him knowing the plot, but to fight for more resources, "let's be the best," the both of them chanted. Yup, they both nodded.