The scene rewinds to the end of the quarterfinals.
Su Cheng fired over a hundred arrows, eliminating his opponent and sending them off the field. As he made his way to the competitors' area...
"Hey, how did you do that?"
Chu Beixuan, pale-faced, looked at Su Cheng beside him. He could hardly believe that Su Cheng had managed to land two consecutive arrows on target. How did he do it?
Was it just sheer luck?
Or was there some kind of trick to it?
"Hmph."
Su Cheng snorted disdainfully, glancing sideways at Chu Beixuan. "The two arrows I shot don't require an explanation from me."
"?"
Su Cheng's arrogance left Chu Beixuan speechless.
Su Cheng, however, couldn't be bothered to entertain him any longer and strode off toward the competitors' seats.
If he hadn't been wearing glasses, his face would have been beet red by now.
"No way. This is so embarrassing, I need to get out of here!"
………………………………
"Hey, how did you do that?"
"It was just luck, a fluke."
Su Cheng tossed the words at Chu Beixuan expressionlessly before turning and walking away.
"Luck, huh?"
Chu Beixuan chuckled softly, his eyes gleaming with interest. He muttered under his breath, "I hope your luck holds up for what's coming next."
With that, Chu Beixuan also headed toward the rest area.
"If I can do this, why not that?"
Sitting in his competitor's seat, Su Cheng suddenly realized something.
His abilities would only disappear after winning the championship.
Didn’t that mean he could do whatever he wanted in the meantime?
Whether it was confessing his feelings or something else...
He could even confess repeatedly until he gained a skill to cure his heart condition.
After all, he could rewind time.
At this thought, a wicked glint appeared in Su Cheng's eyes, and a sense of excitement and eagerness bubbled up inside him.
So, he stood up and ran outside.
**Roast Duck Shop**
"I'd like a whole roast duck and a drink, please."
Su Cheng sat in the roast duck shop, watching the bustling crowd and lively scene around him. He couldn't help but lick his lips.
Soon, the roast duck arrived, and he devoured it completely.
**Back to the Competitors' Area**
"Eating without paying is such a thrill."
Su Cheng felt an inexplicable sense of satisfaction.
Next, he indulged in free ice cream, cones, fried chicken wings, and other snacks he usually couldn't afford, rewinding time after each indulgence.
................
"Now, what's next..."
Su Cheng glanced around and decided it was time to get serious.
He noticed that the area was filled with male competitors, with no females in sight. So, he made his way to the women's section.
Soon, he found his target.
He didn’t know her, but she had a "confession mark" above her head. Su Cheng walked over to her.
"Hey, can I help you?"
The girl, noticing Su Cheng suddenly sitting next to her, asked with a hint of confusion.
"Uh, nothing much. I just like you and want you to be my girlfriend."
As soon as the words left his mouth, the girl's expression changed.
"Y-you!!"
The girl stood up in a panic. "We don’t even know each other!"
Her outburst drew curious glances from the other female competitors and staff, who had no idea what was going on.
"Isn’t that the guy from earlier?"
"Yeah, Su Cheng!"
"Who’s Su Cheng?"
"Oh, I remember! He’s the one who just made it to the semifinals in the other bracket."
"You mean the guy who landed two arrows with his eyes closed?"
"Exactly. Su Cheng from Flame City Private Academy."
The chatter around them, especially the words "semifinals" and "Flame City Private Academy," caused the girl's expression to shift unpredictably.
She seemed to recognize him now and nervously swallowed, her cheeks tinged with shyness. "Um... maybe we could exchange contacts first and get to know each other better."
"…………"
Su Cheng felt a thousand imaginary horses galloping through his mind.
He was now fully aware of the downsides of fame.
Just as he was about to head back...
"Oh, junior Su Cheng?"
Su Cheng turned to see senior sister Wang and Li Shishi walking toward him side by side. Senior sister Wang looked at him with curiosity.
"Congratulations on making it to the semifinals. I never expected that."
Li Shishi smiled as she added, "Now I understand why the club president personally trained you."
"Congratulations to you too, senior sister, for making it to the semifinals."
Su Cheng nodded politely.
"What are you doing here instead of preparing for the match?"
Senior sister Wang glanced at the girl from another school standing nearby, then back at Su Cheng, her expression filled with confusion.
"Confessing my feelings."
Su Cheng replied flatly.
"Huh?!"
"What?!"
Both women were stunned. Li Shishi covered her mouth, her face a picture of shock. Confessing at a time like this?
They glanced at the shy-looking girl from another school, then back at Su Cheng, their expressions a mix of disbelief and resignation.
"Alright, we won’t disturb you."
"Just don’t let this affect your match."
The two sighed, shook their heads, and turned to leave.
"No. I’m confessing to both of you!"
Su Cheng’s words stopped them in their tracks, nearly causing them to trip.
Confessing?
To both of them at the same time?
Senior sister Wang and Li Shishi exchanged looks, their eyes filled with utter bewilderment. They couldn’t process what was happening.
The girl Su Cheng had just confessed to looked equally dumbfounded, completely lost as to what was going on.
Hadn’t he just confessed to her?
How could he switch targets so quickly?
Is this how the rich live?
Playing with emotions as easily as drinking water?
"Su Cheng, you can’t be serious. Confessing at a time like this is highly inappropriate."
Senior sister Wang, having regained her composure, spoke with a hint of displeasure.
She never expected the usually polite and reserved Su Cheng to pull something like this.
Confessing to one person was understandable, but to two?
Was he openly admitting to being a player?
"This isn’t a joke."
Su Cheng stared intently at the two women, his expression deadly serious. "Senior sister Li, I like you. Please be my girlfriend!"
"No, we’ll talk about this after the competition."
Li Shishi frowned and rejected him outright.
However, Su Cheng stood frozen, his face filled with shock.
Why?
Because she had rejected him, but the system notification hadn’t sounded!
Realizing this, he quickly turned to senior sister Wang and said, "Senior sister Wang, I like you too. Will you be my girlfriend?"
Li Shishi: ".................."
What on earth is going on?
What do you mean 'too'?
Senior sister Wang was at a loss for words. Had Su Cheng lost his mind? Confessing to two people at once?
"I refuse."
Senior sister Wang’s tone was firm.
Su Cheng stood there, waiting for about seven or eight seconds, but the system notification still didn’t sound.
His heart sank as he realized the system’s nature.
It wasn’t going to let him exploit any loopholes.
He took a deep breath, glanced around at the people staring at him, and apologized to the two women. "I’m sorry."
"Rewind!"
………………
The scene reset to—
"Hey, how did you do that?"
Chu Beixuan asked.
"I just shot randomly. Got lucky."
Su Cheng replied casually as he walked back to his seat, but his mind was focused on the system.
"Why didn’t I get a reward?"
[No rewards can be obtained while skills are in use.]
"What?!"
Su Cheng suddenly jumped up from his seat, his heart filled with despair. Was he destined to die?
After all, "Flickering Light Revival" was also a skill, and he had been using it all along.
Did that mean he couldn’t earn any rewards until his death?
"What happens when the Flickering Light Revival skill expires?"
Su Cheng asked the most critical question on his mind.
[Once the skill expires, all of the host’s bodily functions will cease.]
Hearing this, Su Cheng fell silent for a moment. Then, he looked around and noticed everyone staring at him because of his sudden jump.
"Rewind!"
In the next second, he was back to before he had jumped up.
"I’m going to die..."
Su Cheng murmured to himself.
At that moment, his heart was filled with endless sorrow. He had thought he could use the last few days of Flickering Light Revival to confess and gamble for an S-rank skill, but now it seemed he could only wait for death.
"Hahahahahaha~"
Suddenly, Su Cheng threw his head back and burst into wild laughter. The sound of his laughter echoed through the contestants' seating area, like a mournful wail mixed with hysterical joy, as if heralding the toll of an impending death knell.
However, this left many contestants scratching their heads, wondering why he was laughing so maniacally even before winning the championship.
What would happen if he actually won?
After laughing his fill, Su Cheng slowly turned his gaze toward everyone and shouted, "What are you looking at? Haven't you seen a transmigrator laughing like this before?"
His shout left the entire venue in complete silence. Everyone was stunned by Su Cheng's outburst.
"A transmigrator?"
"What the hell?"
"Is he crazy?"
"I am the chosen one, the one and only!"
With that, Su Cheng placed his hands on his hips and declared, "I am a transmigrator, and not just any transmigrator—I have a system!"
His words were met with uproarious laughter. Even the staff, who were usually professional, couldn't help but chuckle at Su Cheng's claim of being a transmigrator.
But in the next second, everyone's jaws dropped as Su Cheng conjured a knife out of thin air.
Chu Beixuan: "Holy crap!"
Austin Adam: "Oh my god!"
Ye Fan: "How did he do that?"
Izayoi Sakiaki: "Nani?!"
………………
"Watch this!"
As soon as he finished speaking, he vanished into thin air.
!!!!
!
Everyone's mouths hung open in shock.
A few seconds later, the crowd erupted in exclamations.
"How did he disappear?"
"I don't know, he just vanished!"
"I feel like I'm dreaming."
"This isn't a dream, it's real."
............
"I'm back!"
Su Cheng reappeared.
"Gone again!"
Su Cheng vanished.
"Can't find me, can you?"
Su Cheng disappeared once more.
At this moment, everyone's pupils contracted sharply, their eyes widening so much it seemed like their eyeballs might pop out of their sockets.
"Holy crap, this isn't scientific!"
"What the actual hell!"
"So... I lost to a cheater?"
Ye Fan rubbed his eyes, staring at Su Cheng. His heart pounded as if he were trapped in a nightmare, but the dream felt far too real.
"Do you understand the power of a transmigrator now?"
Su Cheng tilted his head arrogantly, then gripped the knife and ran off, shouting as he went, "The transmigrator has arrived, make way!"
................
Watching his retreating figure, Ye Fan, Austin, Izayoi Sakiaki, and the others turned pale, a deep sense of unease rising in their hearts.
Forget about the transmigrator stuff.
Magic, invisibility—none of that mattered.
But Su Cheng's mental state was clearly off, and now he was wielding a knife. What the hell was he planning to do?
"Call the police!"
"Where are the staff?"
"Someone stop him! Don't let him cause any trouble!"
Chu Beixuan pointed at the staff and shouted urgently.
"Why don't you go after him? He can turn invisible, you know!"
"I make three thousand a month, and you want me to chase a transmigrator?"
"Don't you know transmigrators are known for wiping out entire families?!"
The staff members were equally panicked. After witnessing Su Cheng's jaw-dropping display, they were terrified that this clearly unhinged man might turn invisible and start stabbing people.
However, Su Cheng paid no attention to them and dashed out of the stadium. He didn't notice a girl with a ponytail, but she certainly noticed him.
She reached out and grabbed his wrist.
Su Cheng froze.
At that moment, it felt like he had been struck by lightning.
"Where are you going? Aren't you going to compete?"
Li Guanqi's gentle voice reached his ears, snapping him out of his daze.
"Uh, I'm just going out for a walk. I'll be back soon…"
Su Cheng tried to pull his hand away.
"Why are you carrying something so dangerous?"
Li Guanqi interrupted him, her gaze fixed on the dark-glowing knife in his hand.
"Miss, be careful. This guy's not right in the head. Stay away from him."
"Get away from him!"
At that moment, several uniformed staff members rushed into the stadium, their faces tense.
Li Guanqi frowned, turning to Su Cheng. "What's wrong with you? Are you sick?"
Su Cheng: "I... I'm fine..."
Seeing the staff approach Su Cheng, Li Guanqi quickly stepped in front of him, her eyes filled with caution and protectiveness. She glanced back at Su Cheng, her concern evident.
Su Cheng hesitated, then clenched his teeth—
"Rewind!"
"No matter what happens, hold on to your beliefs."
Suddenly, in the next second.
Su Cheng was back in his contestant seat, replaying Li Guanqi's last words in his mind.
But everything that had just happened seemed like an illusion, as if it had never occurred.
He had planned to go out for one last wild spree, to make a dramatic, painful declaration to twist the world, then rewind time and continue the competition to fulfill his promise. But he hadn't expected Li Guanqi to catch him in the act.
This made him realize that even if he could rewind time, even if he could pretend nothing had happened, the look of concern in her eyes and her words would remain etched in his heart forever, impossible to erase or forget.
It was like waking from a dream, leaving him dazed and filled with regret. He turned to look at the entrance, where a figure in black had just appeared.
The girl was also taken aback. This was the first time Su Cheng had noticed her before she noticed him.
It was as if he knew she would appear.
Their eyes met, and without hesitation, Li Guanqi walked over and sat down to his right.
Su Cheng obediently offered his right hand, and she took off the hairband from her head and placed it on his wrist. The two of them fell into silence, neither breaking the delicate balance between them.
"Good luck in the competition later."
Li Guanqi checked the time, then stood up and walked away.
"Rewind!"
Once again, the two of them were sitting together. This time, Su Cheng took the initiative to hold Li Guanqi's hand. Their eyes locked, and their fingers intertwined as if they were two souls clinging to each other in a vast, empty world.
They could feel each other's warmth, each other's presence, as if nothing else existed.
"After this competition, I might drop out of school and go back home."
Su Cheng suddenly spoke up.
Li Guanqi looked at him but didn't respond immediately. Instead, she asked, "Did something happen?"
"Nothing."
"I see. If that's your decision, then go ahead. Don't worry about anything else."
Li Guanqi's gaze deepened as she spoke.
Su Cheng nodded slightly. Li Guanqi checked the time again, stood up, and waved at him. "The competition is about to start. I'll head back now. Do your best!"
"Okay."
Su Cheng nodded, watching as Li Guanqi walked away.
As he watched her retreating figure, he fell deep into thought.
At that moment, he felt an inexplicable sense of detachment toward death.
After all, it was an old friend of his.
He glanced at the hairband on his right wrist, then at the one on his left, before picking up his bow and walking toward the archery range.
Since he knew death was coming...
He wanted to say a proper goodbye.
And leave something behind for this world.
Soon, the semifinals began.
He closed his eyes and fired the first arrow.
Missed the target?
Rewind!
Hit the target?
Rewind!
He fired the arrow... ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times, ten thousand times, maybe even a hundred thousand times. He had lost count.
All he knew was that archery had become ingrained in his soul. Even without memory, it couldn't be erased.
Why?
Perhaps it was reluctance, or maybe he thought that dying might allow him to transmigrate to another world and become a hero.
Well, this time, he'd be reincarnated with innate talent.
He won the semifinals.
Except for the first arrow, he didn't use his rewind ability for the remaining nine shots.
The finals began.
He still didn't use his rewind ability.
It wasn't until the final arrow, when he didn't hear the sound of it hitting the target, that he opened his eyes. Then, he noticed countless lights shining on him, illuminating every part of his body.
He glanced around the stadium. The referee, his opponent, and everyone in the entire arena had their eyes fixed on him. Everyone was standing, cheering and shouting as if celebrating something, all chanting one name in unison.
Yes, it was his name.
"Su Cheng!"
The name echoed throughout the entire stadium.
"Su Cheng!"
"Champion!"
"Champion!"
"........."
Countless voices rose and fell, everyone raising their hands in jubilation, as if unleashing all their passion. Su Cheng stood still, watching the fervent cheers of the crowd.
His heart suddenly grew calm.
This sense of inner purification was something he had never experienced before. It felt as though the entire world had become pure.
"Champion, huh?"