Morning came far too early for Li Cheng.
The sunlight crept through the blinds, landing right on his face like an annoying alarm clock. His phone buzzed on the desk—nonstop, relentless.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
He groaned, reaching for it lazily.
99+ new messages.
30 missed calls.
And his WeChat was exploding with notifications from classmates who hadn't spoken to him in years.
"Bro! You legend! I can't believe you slapped President Hu!"
"That video's on BiliNet and TikTok! 5 million views overnight!"
"You're trending!
#CampusGodLiCheng is number one!"
Li Cheng blinked sleepily, rubbing his temple. "I slap one old man and suddenly I'm a celebrity? What a country."
[Host's Fame Level has increased from "Unknown" → "Campus Celebrity."]
[You've unlocked Influence Points.]
The System's cool, confident tone echoed in his head.
[Influence Points represent your reputation. The more people talk about you, the stronger you become.]
He frowned. "That sounds like something a narcissist would invent."
[Correction: A very successful narcissist.]
He couldn't help but chuckle.
Scrolling through his phone, he saw thumbnails of himself everywhere—screenshots, memes, dramatic anime edits.
Someone even made a remix with slow motion and dramatic music titled "The Slap That Echoed Through Heaven."
"Wow," he muttered, "the internet works fast."
[Influence Points: 12,490]
[New Feature Unlocked: Passive Aura – Charisma Boost Lv.1]
Immediately, his body felt lighter, his presence sharper—like the air around him subtly bent toward him.
He looked in the mirror and blinked.
"Did my jawline just… sharpen?"
[Affirmative. Charisma Aura subtly enhances your appearance and social influence.]
He grinned. "System, you might just be my favorite person."
[Correction: Artificial Intelligence Entity, not person.]
"Close enough."
Later that day, Li Cheng walked into campus like a celebrity returning from vacation.
Everywhere he went, heads turned.
Girls whispered behind their hands, blushing.
Guys stared in awe—or envy.
"Bro, it's him!"
"No way, that's the red-haired guy from the video!"
"He's taller in real life… wait, is that glow around him real?"
Even the professors gave him double takes.
Someone tried to sneak a picture, but before they could hit "record," Li Cheng looked directly into the camera with a smirk.
"Want me to sign that video before it goes viral again?"
The student turned crimson and ran away.
Inside the cafeteria, the usual noisy chatter dropped to a hush when he walked in.
Trays froze midair. Eyes darted toward him.
Li Cheng grabbed a tray, ordered his food, and sat down—completely calm.
But peace lasted exactly 10 seconds.
A petite girl with twin tails appeared in front of him, clutching her phone nervously."Um… excuse me! Senior Li Cheng?"
He looked up. "Yeah?"
"C-can I take a picture with you? My roommate says if I don't, she'll disown me!"
Li Cheng blinked. "That's… dramatic."
"Please!"
He shrugged. "Sure."
The moment they took the photo, more girls started forming a line.
"My turn!"
"Can you smile just a bit more?"
"Do the slap pose!"
"Hold my bubble tea—it'll go viral!"
Five minutes later, he was trapped in a swarm of fans, holding three drinks and smiling through exhaustion.
[Influence Points +800.]
[Charisma Boost increased to Lv.2.]
The System purred in satisfaction.
[Popularity feeds power, Host. Continue absorbing admiration.]
"Pretty sure that's how demons work," he muttered.
Meanwhile, across the hall, Lin Yue sat alone, scrolling through her ruined social media account.
Thousands of followers gone.
Hundreds of comments mocking her.
"You left the wrong guy, sis."
"Regret looks good on you."
"She traded a king for a clown."
Tears welled up in her eyes. Her pride was in tatters.
And somewhere deep inside, a tiny ember of hate began to burn.
"I'll destroy him," she whispered. "If the internet wants a show… I'll give them one."
She opened a new chat window.
To: Unknown Contact
Message: "You said you can ruin someone's reputation? I'll pay anything."
The reply came instantly.
[Deal.]
Later that evening, Li Cheng sat by the campus fountain, sipping milk tea and scrolling through his System panel.
[Host Lv.4]
[Fame Tier: Campus Celebrity]
[Available Points: 13,290]
[Skills: Sign-In System, Charisma Boost Lv.2, System Scan Lv.2]
[New Mission: Perform Public Sign-In – Reward Doubled if Broadcast.]
[Objective: Demonstrate power before 10,000 viewers.]
He raised an eyebrow. "You really like the spotlight, don't you?"
[Visibility breeds destiny.]
"Uh-huh. That's what influencers say before bankruptcy."
Still, the rewards were tempting.
[Completion Reward: 50,000 EXP + Mystery Skill Upgrade.]
He smirked. "Fine. Let's give them a show."
The next day, lunchtime, central plaza.
Hundreds of students gathered around the fountain again—the same place the legendary slap happened.
This time, Li Cheng was standing in the middle, phone in hand, livestreaming.
"Yo everyone, this is Li Cheng. The same guy who broke the internet last week."
"People keep saying I faked that slap… so I figured I'd prove I'm real."
Gasps. Whispers. Excitement spread like fire.
He stretched his arm, feeling the faint hum of energy under his skin. The red glow began pulsing softly from his palm.
The crowd leaned in, phones raised.
[System: Commencing Public Sign-In.]
[Warning: Unknown energy signature approaching.]
Before he could react, a loud voice interrupted.
"LI CHENG!"
He turned.
A tall figure in an expensive suit stormed through the crowd.It was President Hu's son, Hu Liang, surrounded by two bodyguards.
"Yesterday, you humiliated my father!" he shouted. "You think you can just walk around like a celebrity? Today, I'll end your farce!"
The crowd went wild.
Phones went up.
Live comments exploded:
"Round 2!!"
"Bro's gonna get destroyed—those are trained guards!"
"No way, Li Cheng got this. I believe in the slap god!"
Li Cheng sighed. "Man, can't even sign in without drama."
[Public Hostility Detected.]
[Mission Update: Optional Face-Slapping Sequence Available.]
He grinned. "Optional? Nah. Mandatory."
Hu Liang charged forward, swinging.
Li Cheng didn't move.
He just raised one hand—and the air shimmered.
The guards froze mid-lunge, suspended for half a second before being thrown backward by an invisible force.
Hu Liang's punch stopped an inch from Li Cheng's face.
"Wh—what are you?!"
Li Cheng smiled faintly. "A guy with good timing."
Then came the second slap heard across campus.
SLAP!
Hu Liang spun twice before collapsing onto a bench.
The livestream exploded.
Viewers poured in by the tens of thousands.
"HE DID IT AGAIN!"
"HU CORP EXTINCTION SPEEDRUN!"
"Someone check on Lin Yue—she's probably crying blood!"
[Mission Complete.]
[Reward: +50,000 EXP, +Influence Points 20,000.]
Host Level Up → Lv.5.]
[New Passive Unlocked: Authority Presence Lv.1]
Li Cheng turned off the livestream, grinning.
His phone buzzed.
A message appeared:
From: Unknown Contact
Message: "Impressive, Mr. Li. How would you like to join our organization? We've been watching you."
The screen flickered, showing a shadowed logo—a serpent coiled around an eye.
Li Cheng frowned. "System, what is this?"
[Warning: External System Signature Detected.]
[Possible Threat: Parallel System User.]
His smile faded.
"Another System user…?"
The wind rustled through the courtyard again. The fountain lights flickered—just like before his first awakening.
[Quest Updated: Identify the Mysterious Organization – Optional Path: Join or Destroy.]
Li Cheng chuckled darkly. "Well, guess the show's just getting started."