Jason's seat in first period was never special. Second row from the back, next to the window, right under the broken air vent that clicked every twelve seconds. Usually, nobody noticed him walk in. No one said his name. That day, though—people turned.
Some subtle. A glance. A nudge. A quick whisper.
Some not so subtle.
"Yo, is that the kid who decked Brandon?" someone muttered just loud enough.
Jason didn't flinch. He just sat down. Calm. Measured.
HEX64 flickered silently in the corner of his vision.
"Localized notoriety status detected. Visibility: elevated. Peer-level attention: increased. School social hierarchy adjustment in progress."
Emily Lin, two rows ahead, glanced at him again. This time she didn't look away.
Jason stared out the window. The sun glinted off the school gate. Everything looked the same—but something had shifted.
Later that Morning – Principal's Office
"Jason, do you want to explain to me what happened?" Principal Hargrove's tone was polished steel—sharp, but pretending to be concerned.
Jason said nothing.
HEX64 pulsed.
"Administrative interrogation pattern detected. Authority: moderate. Threat level: low."
"Recommendation: Controlled candor. Shift narrative toward self-defense within acceptable moral and legal frameworks."
Jason met the principal's gaze. "Brandon threw the first punch."
Hargrove sighed. "So I've heard. From multiple angles. Including one from Brandon's phone, which... rather helpfully recorded his own attempted assault."
Jason didn't blink.
Hargrove leaned back, steepling his fingers. "Listen. I don't care about punishing kids defending themselves. But whatever you did wasn't just a lucky hit. You put him down hard. And judging by the footage... you knew exactly what you were doing."
Jason tilted his head. "I got lucky."
HEX64 whispered:
"Deception moderate. Believability: 72%. No escalation required."
The principal stared for a moment longer.
Then he nodded. "You're not in trouble. But understand something: you've changed the rules. Now everyone's watching."
Lunch – Outdoor Courtyard
Jason sat alone, as usual. But not unobserved.
Three freshmen were whispering at the edge of the concrete planter box. A junior he'd never spoken to before offered him an unopened energy drink. Emily Lin passed behind him twice on the way to the vending machine. Just... walking.
HEX64 provided a readout:
"Social posture: converging. Peer fear-to-curiosity ratio stabilizing. Opportunity node available: selective alliance formation."
Jason ignored it. For now.
The system stayed quiet.
Until—
A new alert blinked into view.
[奖励任务解锁:第一阶段成就·定势]
Jason rolled his eyes. "Here we go again…"
"Translation: Achievement unlocked — Establishing Presence. Reward interface opening."
A diagram unfurled in his vision. It looked like a triskelion made of trigrams, spiraling inward.
[可选奖励如下:]
Situational Replay Module – Access up to 5 minutes of visual/audio recall from any perspective in a 20-meter radius.
Predictive Drift Assist – Enhance short-term prediction accuracy (±3 seconds).
Chi Pulse Stimulus – Temporary boost to pain suppression and muscular response.
Jason blinked.
"Wait… like a personal replay camera? That's sick."
The system replied:
"Selection recommended: Situational Replay Module. Synergizes with existing 'Shi Dao' trait. Enhances strategic data acquisition."
Jason hesitated only a second. "Confirm selection."
The interface shimmered, then vanished.
Jason felt nothing.
But now... he could remember exactly what Emily's eyes looked like when she passed him. How the principal tapped his pen. How Brandon's eyes widened a split-second before Jason's elbow connected.
He didn't just remember it. He saw it.
HEX64 was right.
This wasn't just survival anymore.
It was a game.
And he was finally playing.