Chapter 11

Asher did indeed perform quite well this time.

For Literature, as long as he slightly reined in his imagination on the subjective questions and suppressed his true inner thoughts on the essay section, scraping together an extra ten points wasn't difficult at all.

As for the other three subjects, he was already exceptionally strong, so normal performance was all it took.

Furthermore, by a stroke of pure luck, Sterling happened to be in the exact same testing hall, sitting right near him. Every time Asher finished his paper early, watching Sterling shift from struggling to blank despair, from blank despair back to struggling, and finally fading into absolute nothingness, his mood would turn exceptionally bright.

With a bright mood, solving the problems became even more fluid.

During the two days of exams, he didn't cross paths with Sebastian a single time. The WeChat message he had sent didn't receive a reply until that very evening—a simple, flat: [Mm].

Asher felt Sebastian truly lacked manners, being thoroughly cold and heartless.

Consequently, throughout the following two days of self-study, he didn't actively initiate a single conversation. He didn't put on a cold face or look sullen; he was just entirely lazy, with "this grand lord is a bit displeased today" written across his brow.

Sebastian knew exactly what he was displeased about, but he had no intention of explaining. There were certain matters he didn't particularly care to share, especially with Asher.

When encountering dust, brushing it away was enough; there was no need to bring it out to bake under the sun.

The two of them thus tumbled inexplicably into a subtle cold war.

There were no conflicts, nor any verbal provocations—just a tacit understanding between them.

Even Caleb picked up on the fact that something was off.

Although the two big shots behind his seat had never truly gotten along, it usually consisted of Asher’s little mouth yapping away non-stop. The absolute silence of the past two days made his spine feel thoroughly chilled.

He recalled that giant bet concerning a man's lifelong dignity, honor, and status that had taken place in this very classroom one early morning.

The grades were likely about to be released, deciding who would have to call the other "Dad," which explained why the atmosphere was so heavy.

Caleb was a good student—united, loving, simple, and kind. He felt that helping his classmates restore a good relationship was an undeniable responsibility.

Bracing his courage and disregarding his own safety, he tapped Mason next to him twice before turning his head around. "Uh, PUBG is short of three players. Are my lords down?"

Mason spoke with total righteousness: "Mr. Peng is patrolling the evening self-study today. Do you want your phone confiscated, or do you crave reading a self-reflection speech at tomorrow's opening ceremony?"

Asher thoroughly agreed.

Five minutes later, the four of them collectively dropped into the Military Base.

The moment Asher hit the ground, he scooped up a shotgun, dropping opponents with single blasts. Sebastian used iron sights to sweep down the other two, instantly wiping out an entire opposing squad nearby.

Caleb and Mason, who had barely managed to pick up a frying pan: ???

"Dad, save me! There are people near us! A lot of people! Arghhhh!!!"

Asher lowered his voice: "Shut up. There's someone outside my door."

"Waaa, I don't want to become a loot box. Dad, do you have the heart to watch your six-foot son shed tears like a trapped tiger right on the spot?"

Sebastian glanced at Asher’s equipment, then spoke in a low voice to Caleb: "Give me the coordinates, throw smoke, and I’ll save you."

"Alright, thank you, Dad. C-building, second floor..."

"Sebastian, don't go..."

Before Asher could finish his sentence, a tragic boom echoed through the game.

The kill feed flashed: 【Cute Caleb used a grenade to knock down S.H.】

"..."

【AK789 knocked down Cute Caleb】

【AK789 knocked down Mason Mountain】

A three-second silence ensued before Caleb offered his confession: "I'm sorry, Dad Sebastian. I thought I was throwing smoke for you, but I didn't expect this idiot Mason to hand me a frag instead."

Sebastian: "..."

Asher stole a glance at Sebastian's speechless, irritated expression that was fighting to remain controlled, and felt thoroughly amused. "I told you not to go. When Caleb and I play, we usually sacrifice him right at the start as a blood offering, otherwise the game carries absolutely no entertainment value. Just wait right there; watch how your Dad fights his way over to revive you."

With that, he lowered his head to return to the battle, blasting down an enemy circling the building with a shotgun blast. Securing a prime rifle, he drove straight up to the second floor for a direct face-to-face clash.

Every single shot hit the mark, looking staggeringly fierce.

The player AK789, who had knocked down Caleb and his companion, swiftly became a corpse beneath his barrel.

Asher felt he was incredible, yet he failed to hear the anticipated cheers and admiration. Instead, his elbow was prodded twice by Sebastian, who followed the prods by tugging at the hem of his shirt.

Frowning with impatience, he snapped, "Don't touch me. Since you're dead, just stay put quietly. Don't interfere with my mechanics."

"..."

The atmosphere grew strangely silent. Asher picked up a tiny trace of something off.

He lifted his head.

Caleb and Mason were keeping their heads low, intensely writing on their exam papers. Sebastian looked entirely helpless, while a familiar midsection had appeared at the edge of the desk—round, full, and buoyant.

The owner of that stomach offered a smile that was both gentle and utterly horrific. "Hand over the phones, and while you're at it, prepare your self-reflection speeches for tomorrow's opening ceremony."

"..."

With school officially starting the next day, Mr. Peng was iron-fisted about tightening the discipline for senior year. Asher, having crashed straight into the barrel of the gun multiple times, was naturally caught as the prime example.

As for phones, he had spares sitting at home.

Caleb and Mason, full of guilt, shame, and a desperate fear of death, didn't even wait for Asher to open his mouth before actively completing their own reflection papers and offering them up.

Yet nothing could replace the physical reading of the speech at tomorrow's opening ceremony; the young master was destined to lose face this once.

New grudges added to old hatred—that striking, beautiful face turned entirely cold and sour. Throughout the entire evening and the subsequent ride back home, he didn't utter a single syllable to Sebastian.

Sebastian wanted to laugh, yet feared driving the boy into a complete rage from which he couldn't be coaxed back.

But as for coaxing, he had no idea where to even begin. He worried that even if he offered genuine goodwill, a certain someone would only deem it as mockery and malicious celebration.

The relationship between the two of them was indeed far from optimistic.

Even the sound of a certain someone closing the car door upon stepping down was several times louder than usual.

Suppressing his smile, Sebastian circled the frame of the car, stepping right in front of the person who was unlocking the door. "Do me a favor."

"Heh."

"The opening ceremony is tomorrow, and uniforms are mandatory. Mine won't be available for pickup until tomorrow afternoon, and Mr. Peng instructed me to borrow a set from you first."

With a frozen face, Asher said nothing, opening the door and stepping inside on his own.

He didn't close the door behind him. Sebastian leaned against the doorway with his hands tucked into his pockets, casually watching a certain someone step inside to change shoes, toss his bag, and walk up to the second floor. He even caught a glimpse of that rather valuable gluteal line, appearing entirely unconcerned about whether the uniform would find its way down.

Sure enough, a certain someone returned very swiftly, holding a stack of blue-and-white athletic uniform pieces. Tossing them straight into Sebastian’s arms, he grabbed the door handle, fully prepared to shut the door and send the guest away.

The door was blocked by a long, slender, straight leg.

Asher snapped in annoyance, "What now? Want to step inside for a seat?"

It wasn't entirely out of the question.

However, Sebastian decided not to add fuel to the fire at this critical juncture. Reaching out with a single hand, he caught Asher’s wrist and dropped something into his palm.

"I failed to remind you during self-study that Mr. Peng was approaching. My fault. Consider this an apology."

Asher looked down. Lying in his palm was a piece of candy—the exact brand of milk candy he had loved most during his childhood. Back then, when he was losing his baby teeth, Aunt Eleanor forbade him from eating too much sugar, yet his cravings were fierce. Sebastian would hand his own share over to him every single day, waiting until he finished eating to monitor his tooth-brushing routine before wrapping things up.

A decade had passed, and this specific brand was no longer easy to find on the market.

For a brief moment, Asher couldn't quite define the feeling in his chest.

He felt a bit coaxed. The frustration simmering in his chest turned somewhat soft and compliant, yet he remained slightly displeased, feeling he shouldn't be coaxed, or at least not in this manner. Consequently, that sliver of being coaxed made him feel thoroughly embarrassed—a bit shy, a bit annoyed, desperate to hide it, yet unable to bring himself to throw another tantrum.

He could only mimic a fierce front, throwing down a line: "An apology using a single piece of candy? Do you take me for a toddler?"

With that, he shut the door at lightning speed.

He had long outgrown the age for craving candy and wasn't particularly fond of sweets, yet in the end, he didn't throw it away. Returning to his room, he placed it onto his nightstand.

Meanwhile, holding the uniform that had clearly been worn before, Sebastian let out a soft smile.

Buying candy was, from the start, meant for coaxing a child.

However, Sebastian remained too young, severely underestimating the scale of the feud between himself and Asher.

The exact fraction of a second Asher stood on the main podium reading his self-reflection speech, every single ounce of that candy's sentiment vanished into thin air.

He firmly resolved to cut off all ties with Sebastian for the rest of his life.

Reading through the reflection with zero expression, his face dark, the "strangers keep away" aura radiating from his entire frame signaled the young master’s deep discomfort.

Yet this didn't stop the crowd below from clapping with intense passion.

Handsome—staggeringly handsome. Tall and striking, appearing hot even with a deadpan face.

Several freshman Omegas who had finally managed to see the big boss in person actually caught a vibe of a romantic confession from the disciplinary speech, nearly fainting from sheer excitement.

Mr. Peng was agonized, resolving to straighten out the school's conduct.

The moment Asher finished reading his reflection, he commanded him to stand by the side.

Taking the megaphone himself, his tone was exceptionally severe and vicious: "Today, the reason I had Asher deliver this speech was precisely to establish a negative model! New semester, new atmosphere. Every single student of Riverdale Prep must enforce strict self-discipline, abandon bad habits, and focus their entire minds on learning! What use is being handsome? What use is being great at mobile games? Can it get you into the top national universities? No! Therefore, I hope everyone present takes this as a warning—never view discipline as nothing, like Asher did!"

Finishing his piece, he handed the megaphone to Mr. Bennett, sitting down next to the podium like a deity of wrath, exerting a fair amount of intimidation.

Mr. Bennett wasn't polite either. Catching the megaphone, he offered a chuckle. "First, I want to announce a piece of excellent news. In this five-school joint exam, the seniors of Riverdale Prep achieved exceptionally brilliant results. The number one and number two spots across the city reside right within our school. They are Sebastian and Asher from Grade 12, Class 1. I hope everyone learns from them extensively!"

Mr. Peng, who had just sat down firmly and was preparing to drink a sip of water to soothe his throat: "..."

A low wave of chuckles rippled through the crowd. A bold boy simply raised his voice to ask loudly, "So Teacher, do we actually learn from Asher or not?!"

Mr. Bennett was naturally protective of his own. Knowing Asher highly valued his face, he decided to grant him full dignity once and for all. "Therefore, Asher, do you have any experiences you wish to share with your underclassmen?"

Asher spoke with absolute solemnity: "I just want to state that being handsome can indeed get you into the top national universities."

Pfft—

An suppressed wave of laughter erupted throughout the crowd.

Mr. Peng felt the water today was exceptionally choking. Pulling out a bottle of calming tonic, he downed it in a single gulp.

After finishing his solemn statement, Asher continued to stare solemnly below the stage. Sparing a casual glance, he instantly caught Sebastian within the crowd.

Wearing the exact same loose, blue-and-white uniform, yet he alone managed to appear entirely distinct from everyone else.

Asher felt this guy’s appearance was far too striking. Annoying.

As if sensing something, Sebastian suddenly lifted his eyelids, looking straight toward the stage.

Their gazes crossed over two thousand people, crashing directly in midair.

The fraction of a second they crashed, Asher suddenly wondered: Who exactly took number one, and who took number two this time?

It must be me, right? Otherwise, do I genuinely have to call Sebastian 'Dad'? I'd rather drop dead.

"Especially Sebastian, who secured the absolute top crown during his very first examination in Southaven! A special commendation is hereby issued!"

Asher: "..."

Heh.

The students standing near the main podium felt the weather had turned freezing.

By the time they returned to the classroom, Asher’s face could be described as an absolute blizzard.

Caleb was completely oblivious, continuing his suicidal streak. Bravely sliding a phone out from his sleeve, he handed it to Asher, whispering, "Ash, quick, look at the forum. The results of the school heartthrob poll are officially out."

The sliver of screen exposed from the sleeve wasn't large, but it was enough to display those few lines of text.

【The First Ultimate School Heartthrob Selection of Riverdale Prep is Successfully Concluded! Let Us Concongratulate Sebastian from Grade 12, Class 1!】

Asher: "..."

Fearing he would be unhappy, Caleb quickly offered an explanation: "Ash, this vote was actually completely unfair. Sebastian used to be at High School No.1, and a massive horde of people from there blindly came to join the commotion, throwing pity votes based on past relations. You know No.1 has a thousand students in a single grade; how could our school possibly fight against that? In truth, if we strictly look at the numbers from our own school, you didn't lose at all."

Asher currently couldn't stand the word "lose." Raising an eyebrow, his tone turned hostile: "What do you mean 'lose'? How did I lose?"

Caleb felt that continuing this topic might lead to a physical altercation. In a flash of inspiration, he quickly shifted themes: "Ah, Boss Seb actually took the number one spot across the five schools this time. Pretty legendary. Look at Mr. Peng's embarrassed face, tsk tsk."

"..."

The crowd silently offered a funeral wreath for Caleb in their hearts.

Pulling a book out from his desk, Asher slammed it onto the desk with a sharp thud. The force was so immense that it rattled his pen straight onto the floor.

Sebastian bent down to retrieve the pen. "Why throw a tantrum at a book?"

Flipping through the pages, Asher ignored him entirely.

Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "What's this? Do you plan on backing out of the bet, or do you simply lack the courage to call me?"

The knuckles Asher used to grip the paper turned instantly white. After three seconds, color flooded back as he let out a light scoff: "As long as you have the nerve to listen, I have the nerve to call. In any case, I'll make you call it back anytime during the next exam."

Sebastian nodded, tapping his fingertip against the desk, putting on a front of washing his ears to listen.

This was relentless.

Whatever. A real man takes responsibility for his actions, keeping his word.

Asher bit his lip, taking a deep breath, looking ready for execution. Yet his lips trembled, the 'D' sound arriving at the tip of his lips multiple times, completely unable to find its release.

From Sebastian’s angle, he could clearly see the veins near his temple throbbing slightly, his ears flushing a deep, bleeding red.

If he teased him any further, he wouldn't be able to coax him back.

Sebastian knew when to stop, placing the pen right in front of him as he spoke nonchalantly, "Forget it. In light of you borrowing me your uniform, I'll excuse you this once."

Caleb, who had just realized he had stirred up trouble and was currently trembling with anxiety, finally let out a breath of relief upon hearing this sentence. Turning around, he buried his head inside his arms, pretending everything had absolutely nothing to do with him.

The spectators swiftly followed suit.

Peace was finally restored.

Just as Asher was wondering how a beast like Sebastian could suddenly turn so kind, the beast leaned over, dropping his voice to let out a soft chuckle right next to his ear: "Just this once, mind you. Next time, you absolutely must call it. The time and the place—I'll choose."

The warm current delivered from between his teeth slowly brushed past Asher’s earlobe and neck, causing his skin to instantly burn hot.

The temperature amplified Asher’s emotions, driving him into an instant rage.

A provocation!

A blatant, naked provocation!

He even deliberately used a whisper to deliver the provocation!

Look at this predator wrapped in a gentleman’s clothing, wearing those gold-rimmed glasses without a prescription just to act cool!

And a next time?

There could never be a next time.

He, Asher, would absolutely never lose to Sebastian a second time.

Absolutely never.

Driven by the arrogance of a golden boy, and the competitive nature of a man, Asher, after deeming himself repeatedly provoked, finally couldn't hold back, letting out a cold laugh as he established the final flag he would regret most in his life.

"Boss Seb is quite something, the number one Alpha of Riverdale Prep, right? Fine. I’ll leave my words right here today: Riverdale Prep isn't big enough for two Alphas. If I don't make you leave this school thoroughly accepting your defeat, I won't count as an Alpha."