"Once we've got enough points to unlock that store or whatever, let's see if we can trade for some rice."
Back at Jiangcheng University, on the way to the Bóxué lecture hall, Yu Jin was still muttering to himself.
No rice—just can't work like this.
Especially now that we're in a law-abiding society, with security cameras everywhere.
Sure, he's 'Superman' now, but nowhere near 'National Superman' level.
The saying goes: He who acts cautiously goes far. Yu Jin was convinced—playing the long game is king.
Only by being a 'Cautious Superhero' first, can you become a 'Happy Hero' someday!
...
...
18:40.
Yu Jin arrived late, stepping inside the lecture hall.
"Settled? You okay, right?"
As soon as he reached the Environmental Protection Club area, Tang Yunxuan hurried up to him, eyeing Yu Jin up and down, worried he'd suffered a loss at the hotel.
Yu Jin shook his head, motioning Old Tang to relax.
He glanced at Yin Yao, who was sitting quietly nearby staring his way, and said a genuine thank you.
"I'm good."
Yin Yao shook her head, reaching out to stop Yu Jin from attempting to transfer back the remaining forty thousand or so.
"It's just a small amount, don't bother returning it."
Yu Jin: "..."
Tang Yunxuan: "..."
Damn!
This is what it feels like to be pampered by a rich lady?
Yu Jin and Tang Yunxuan had the exact same idea pop into their heads.
On the other side.
Yin Yao seemed totally uninterested in the 'repaying' topic and suddenly asked:
"President, what's your recruitment target for today?"
Yu Jin blinked, a little surprised.
Recruitment target?
If we're talking targets, then the more the merrier, ideally a hundred new members, then I could claim the full 'Dawn City Lord' reward!
But...
Yu Jin turned, scanning his surroundings.
Inside the lecture hall, quite a number of freshmen had gathered, probably three or four hundred.
Even though the recruitment event was nearly ending, there were still some freshmen trickling in through the door in twos and threes.
Within all this—
The liveliest areas, where most freshmen gathered, were the dance club and the gaming club.
The other clubs, like the soccer club, basketball club, debate club...
Not as many freshmen, but still pretty lively.
Only the Environmental Protection Club was deserted, just Old Tang, Yin Yao, and Yu Jin—the three lone wolves.
"Sigh, snagging even one more recruit would be lucky."
"If Old Yu is still dead set on keeping that 'pick up trash' trial."
Tang Yunxuan sighed, clearly not very hopeful.
"What's your target?"
Yin Yao was serious, staring fixedly at Yu Jin, wanting a straight answer.
Yu Jin didn't hide it: "A hundred, I guess."
"Okay."
Yin Yao nodded, then went back to playing on her phone.
Yu Jin and Tang Yunxuan traded glances, not understanding what tricks this senior sister was up to.
"Is she consulting Doubao for advice or something?"
Tang Yunxuan watched Yin Yao's fingers tapping the screen, apparently typing, mumbling under his breath.
Time trickled by.
In a flash, ten minutes passed.
The Environmental Protection Club remained dead quiet.
Yu Jin and Tang Yunxuan stared hopefully, but not a single freshman approached.
At some point, Yin Yao put her phone away and sat beside Yu Jin, staring ahead, lost in thought.
"Old Yu, only ten minutes left, should we maybe shout out and try our luck?"
"Who knows, maybe some idiot—er, I mean, some freshman will actually want to join?"
Though Vice President Tang talked like he'd lost all hope, he still wanted to give it a shot.
Except—
Before Yu Jin could respond, Tang Yunxuan had just finished speaking—
"Whoa!"
"For real?"
"That's crazy, bt as hell!"
"..."
All over the lecture hall, bursts of exclamations erupted out of nowhere.
At the same time—
Whoosh——
Whoosh whoosh——
At the classroom entrance—
Groups of freshmen, seemingly popped out of nowhere, surged in like a wave.
As they ran, they shouted, "Go, go, spots are limited, if you're late you won't make it!"
Yu Jin and Tang Yunxuan locked eyes, both completely confused.
Meanwhile, inside the hall—
The senior brothers and sisters running recruitment for the other clubs exchanged glances, clueless as to what just happened.
"Hey? Hey!"
"Wait, why did you stop filling out the application form?"
At the gaming club's table—
The freshman who, just a second ago, was busy writing his application to join the gaming club, suddenly, after getting tipped off by his buddy and glancing at his phone, his eyes went wide. He stood up, dropped his half-filled gaming club application form.
He spun around and left, like he'd made up his mind.
"What the heck is this?"
The gaming club president, known as Brother Bin, watched helplessly as a freshly recruited member bolted. It felt like a cooked duck flying away.
"Wait, hold up..."
Brother Bin stared at the kid's back, only to realize he'd darted off towards the coldest, emptiest corner of the lecture hall.
That's...
"Environmental Protection Club?"
Brother Bin was dumbfounded.
Environmental Protection Club?
They may have few people, but their reputation is infamously bad.
A club you can only join after passing a 'pick up trash' trial!
Even Yin Yao had to do it!
"Wait..."
"Yesterday, Yin Yao would rather quit dance club than join the Environmental Protection Club, and today these freshmen are literally stampeding toward it..."
"Is joining the Environmental Protection Club the path to heaven or the road to earth escape?"
Brother Bin was baffled.
...
At that moment—
The once-deserted Environmental Protection Club was now packed to the brim, freshmen standing layer upon layer.
"Gimme, gimme an application!"
"Me, I want one too!"
JK Junior Sister was whining, all anxious.
"Pre- president!"
"The fortune teller says I'm born to pick up trash!"
"Please, President, you have to let me in!"
The freshman standing in front of Yu Jin spoke earnestly.
This dude...
If Yu Jin remembered right, he was just filling out a gaming club form a minute ago?
"Old Yu!"
"What's going on?"
Tang Yunxuan, standing atop the desk, was busy handing out blank forms while looking questioningly at Yu Jin.
Yu Jin didn't reply, he turned to look at Yin Yao, who was also passing out forms.
To create this kind of chaos, Yu Jin could only guess that senior sister had pulled another 'power move'.
Yin Yao noticed Yu Jin's gaze, looked back, gave a small smile, but didn't explain.
A moment later—
Yu Jin finally got the full story from the freshmen.
Turns out—
Just then,
All Jiangcheng University freshmen, regardless of faculty, and regardless of whether they'd already joined clubs—
Everyone received an official notification from Jiangcheng University at exactly the same time.
The notice started with a wall of bureaucratic jargon, stuff like 'actively respond to national environmental protection policy', 'strengthen student academic atmosphere', 'promote environmental awareness' and so on.
But then, it cut straight to the chase—
Join the Environmental Protection Club, earn academic credits, only a hundred spots!
"Two innovation and entrepreneurship credits, man!"
"Do you know what that means?"
"You go to eighteen lectures, that only gets you one credit!"
"Thirty hours of volunteer work, only one credit!"
"Now?"
"Just join the Environmental Protection Club, become a member, and boom—two credits straight up!"
Tang Yunxuan's eyes nearly popped hearing the freshmen say this.
Back then, he'd grinded through dozens of boring lectures just for a few innovation credits!
"Senior sister, how'd you pull that off?"
Tang Yunxuan couldn't hold back his curiosity, looking at Yin Yao.
Yin Yao looked like she didn't want to answer, but then saw Yu Jin watching her too, pursed her lips, and quietly replied: "Didn't do much, just told my uncle."
"Uncle?"
"What kind of uncle is that, so badass, just tweaks credits as he likes?"
Tang Yunxuan, totally blunt, just threw out the question.
"Jiang Haichuan," Yin Yao replied.
"Jiang Haichuan?"
"That name sounds oddly familiar..."
Tang Yunxuan scratched his head, trying to remember.
Three seconds later—
His eyes went wide, face looking like he'd seen a ghost—
"Jiang Haichuan!?"
"Isn't that the university president?!"