Chapter 10: Completion of the Novice Task

“Senior Qin Zhihua, let me confirm—any subject is permitted, and there are no restrictions on the number of works, correct?” Yun Xuan did not begin drawing immediately. Instead, he sat down on the prepared chair and asked.

“If you have the confidence, you can use every drawing board except hers,” Qin Zhihua replied coolly.

“Thank you, Senior.” Yun Xuan gave a slight smile and, without hesitation, placed five drawing boards in front of himself.

Liu Mengyan watched Yun Xuan, wondering what he was planning. Although there was no strict time limit, the work generally had to be completed within two hours.

Five paintings in two hours? That was absurd. If Qin Zhihua deemed Yun Xuan’s works unworthy, he would be immediately expelled!

“Liu Mengyan, you once said my painting skills were far inferior to yours, that I wasn’t qualified to pursue you. Now, I’ll show you through my actions, Liu Mengyan, that you are not the prodigy you believe yourself to be!” With paintbrush in hand, Yun Xuan began his first painting.

“How fast Yun Xuan is!”

“My god, is this painting?”

“I thought today’s competition would be boring, but it’s actually thrilling!”

The audience watched Yun Xuan’s progress on the projected screen, gasping in amazement.

“Brother Xuan…” Lin Qingyu sat in her seat, anxiously concerned for Yun Xuan.

“Brother…” Yun Xue felt a pang of fear in her heart.

Yun Xuan’s first painting quickly took shape. The students of Class 3, Grade 10, all recognized the subject.

“Class leader, you don’t mind, do you? If you do, once it’s finished, I’ll give it to you,” Yun Xuan paused and looked at the girl sitting in the front row—known as the Library Girl.

The Library Girl shook her head, pointed at the painting, and gestured for him to continue.

With her tacit approval, Yun Xuan’s hand moved even faster. In less than half an hour, he completed the portrait.

“This boy is incredible,” Ji Wen remarked, pushing up his glasses. “Even with minor flaws, this could easily match or surpass the caliber of entries that make it to the Star Moon Cup finals in Huaxia.”

“If he drew manga, he’d probably make an excellent mangaka,” Bai Li Piaoxue observed Yun Xuan critically.

“At least this competition is worth watching,” Qin Zhihua simply commented, without further judgment.

The Library Girl appeared almost lifelike in the finished piece, standing before a bookshelf, absorbed in her book, radiating a warm and gentle air.

Yun Xuan placed the first painting before the audience.

“How beautiful! Yun Xuan is amazing!”

“He might just be able to defeat Liu Mengyan.”

“What about Liu Mengyan’s side?”

All the students in Class 3, Grade 10, nervously turned their attention to her.

Across from Yun Xuan, Liu Mengyan calmly worked on her own painting, unaffected by the commotion around her.

Yun Xuan began his second painting. As the figure emerged, everyone’s eyes widened in recognition.

Everyone remembered the incident at the start of the term—Qin Yue’s appearance was unforgettable.

Yun Xuan painted her as she was then: black dress, colored contacts, black hair veiling her eyes, a cruel smile on her snowy face, flecks of blood staining her dress, a short dagger in her hand.

That was how Yun Xuan had first encountered Qin Yue—alone, dagger in hand, she had driven off every thug near Sheng Yuliu High. One of them was nearly dismembered.

Before that, there had been several incidents where girls were harassed around the school. Qin Yue, on her first day, was cornered by a few thugs, but she single-handedly terrified them into flight.

Since then, the surrounding delinquents had all but vanished—thanks to Qin Yue’s presence.

Yun Xuan vividly remembered the look on her face as she walked toward the thugs, dagger in hand—not intimidation, but excitement.

“Qin Yue, would you like this painting?” Yun Xuan called out.

“Yun Xuan, you… are truly interesting,” Qin Yue replied, standing up, her eyes shining with excitement.

A chill swept through the students. The further they stayed from Qin Yue, the better.

“Done.” Yun Xuan placed the second painting at the front.

“This painting…” Bai Li Piaoxue felt a jolt of shock. The girl in the painting appeared deeply twisted, her beauty unable to conceal her distortion.

Qin Zhihua glanced at Qin Yue, saying nothing.

Yun Xuan smiled to himself. The term “yandere” had yet to exist in this world. For a girl like Qin Yue, others only felt fear—no one truly understood her.

In his previous life, Yun Xuan had met a girl like Qin Yue. Such girls, he thought, were the purest of all.

As Yun Xuan finished the third painting, he began to ask, but was preempted.

“Please give me this painting, Yun Xuan-kun,” a girl from Japan requested in her native tongue.

“Of course,” Yun Xuan replied with a smile.

…

Time ticked by. Yun Xuan’s fourth painting depicted Nangong Xiaomeng—a cute girl in a gothic dress, her eyes lighting up at the sight.

The fifth painting was of Liu Mengxuan, who was more than happy to be Yun Xuan’s model.

At last, Yun Xuan put down his brushes, his arm sore and tired.

“Finished.” Across from him, Liu Mengyan stood up.

The three judges and the entire audience turned to Liu Mengyan’s work and fell silent.

Yun Xuan glanced up at the screen, and his pupils contracted.

In the painting, a young boy with blood streaming down his forehead shielded a girl. The boy bore a strong resemblance to Yun Xuan himself, while the girl, with short hair and unremarkable features, stood behind him.

They faced three thugs.

…

“Don’t worry. I’ll protect you. I promise.”

“I… I’m scared…”

“It’s all right. You’ll be safe soon.”

“Your head…”

“It’s nothing. This is better.”

…

“Ten years ago, I snuck out to play and was recognized by three thugs who tried to kidnap me. If not for you, I might not be standing here now.”

“You shielded me, clinging to one of the thugs until the police arrived. You were nearly dead and spent a long time in the hospital.”

“I owe you my life.”

“Ever since then, I’ve kept an eye on you. You have real talent for painting, but you never pushed yourself. Then, after that incident, I wanted to use it to make you hate me, hoping that if it drove you to surpass me—even if you trampled me underfoot—I would be happy.”

As Liu Mengyan spoke, Yun Xuan stared in stunned disbelief. He could not have imagined such a turn of events.

“Thank you, Yun Xuan.” Liu Mengyan stepped up to him, stood on tiptoe, and kissed him gently on the lips, her cheeks flushed red.

“Congratulations, host, Liu Mengyan’s affection has reached 70%! (A confession is guaranteed to succeed!)”

“Congratulations, host, for completing the beginner’s quest. Hacker skill advanced from novice to intermediate.”

“Congratulations, host, for winning first prize in the Painting Grand Prix! Reward: 1 skill point!”

The virtual cat-eared girl shimmered in the air, while Yun Xuan remained thoroughly dazed.

PS: Please add to your collections and vote for recommendations—I’m begging for votes, even if it means not wearing a stitch, 360 degrees! O(∩_∩)O