The First Human

Without any excuses, Mo Bing was expelled from Levels High School. His mother might be the principal, but the one handling the issue was a Book Lord.

The law of the world stated that mortals are lower than the Book Lords. Whether it was Acoustic City or the outside world, the law was the same.

However, that only created more trouble for Gu Mickey. The midyear exams were starting, and an announcement was posted on the notice board.

[Anyone who gets an overall mark below 40% will be expelled from the school. This is the best way we can increase our average mark in the national exams at the end of the year.]

This notice brought panic to the students. The exams were starting today, and clearly, the students didn't have time to prepare.

However, that wasn't a problem, only one student had an overall mark below 40% on the mock exams, Gu Mickey, who had a score of 11.7%.

Anyone could tell that this notice was meant for him. He was the reason why the principal's son was expelled. This was the principal's way of saying, "If my son can't learn here, neither can you!"

Mickey didn't have friends, but he was the reason why Mo Bing was expelled, and this made people feel pity for him in their hearts, but no one dared to approach him.

He had messed with the principal, and only troubles awaited him, along with those who associated with him.

This was human nature; no one would go assist a person being chased by bees knowing they won't get rewarded when they get stung.

Circumstances are sharper than blades.

At the notice board in front of the hall that towered up three stories and stretched up to a hundred meters, there was an average-looking red-eyed boy staring at the new notice.

Mickey knew this would happen the moment he played crazy to get Mo Bing, and that's why his expression remained indifferent. In all honesty, he could have just killed him, and expelling him was a way of him paying back Hugh Qian; it was her long-term wish.

'From now on, I don't owe you anything.' Mickey's expression showed a cold light as he thought of a very interesting tale among the various classics of this world.

{The Tale of Hao Ran: First Chapter}

There is a time for everything. Once there is life, there is bound to be death. The word 'infinity' was meant for feelings.

Everything is born from feelings and dies from feelings.

In the depths of the azure abyss, a kaleidoscope of colors danced around, forming various beasts and grimoires whenever they merged.

Some of these beasts had wings and flew out of the azure abyss, reaching the outside world. The ones which crawled on their legs couldn't go on the stairs that led to the ember abyss as they all got electrified with the thunder that made the walls of the abyss.

Seeing this, fear, disgust, and anger teamed up and formed hatred.

Hatred disliked everything and would rather see it perish, but mostly he disliked himself the most.

Hatred addressed:

"Oh, creatures of the land, bound by fate to always crawl, listen to me. The way to get out of this hell is by consuming each other and creating a beast with a skin made out of rubber that won't be hit by lightning."

Anxiety shielded the creatures of the abyss with its yellow light.

"What are you doing? This place is what it is because of these creatures. Why are you trying to make them disappear?"

"Shut up and stay here alone!"

Hatred flashed in blood red, and Craving, who was closer to him, got blinded and fell towards the creatures of the abyss.

"Help!"

In the midst of his shout, Craving was swallowed by a creature that looked like a cross between a tiger and a lion.

Roar—!

Hatred immediately took joy from these creatures.

"You see that?! Hahahaha! It is your time to perish!"

He threw the weak Fear towards them and threw Horror towards the lion-tiger creature. In an instant, the lion-tiger started consuming the creatures.

With each creature it devoured, it changed its shape; however, it didn't grow wings.

After eating almost every creature, it now had the body of a snake that was thick and long like a subway. There were six antelope horns on its forehead. Its eyes were round, big, and red, standing just above the pig nose that matched with its long eyes. Fangs came out from its mouth.

Sadness danced around the creature as it struggled to produce words,

"Why...y... can't fly?"

"Because you don't have wings?"

The creature turned over to look at the source of this smoky voice. For a moment, it felt blinded by the lights around this creature with two legs and two other things to assist him in grabbing.

Awkwardness from the way he presented himself, boredom from the way he did things, calmness scaring away fear from the upcoming events, empathy to understand how the creature was feeling, satisfaction with how things were progressing, and relief that this might end soon.

Hatred saw this and took excitement, who was going to land on that creature without scales or fur, then its expression soured.

"Hao Ran! This is it! I don't want to see you again!"

Sadness was chased away by the combination of surprise and admiration. He was only by himself, there was nothing he could do about the two.

Entrancement found itself going towards Hao Ran, who seemed more attractive than the creature Fear was heading.

Hatred saw this and chased them away while swearing and threatening to kill them. This action also frightened Surprise and Admiration away.

With nothing standing in the way, the creature swallowed Hao Ran in one gulp, but it didn't change this time.

"I... ha...ve sk...in stron...ger! Get out!"

Hatred had already taken away joy and excitement, leaving acceptance, who forced the creature to go towards the thunder walls of the Azure Abyss.

Hatred clung to the creature and was the fuel to help it pass the thunder walls. However, with each step it took, the creature lost part of its skin, shrinking bit by bit.

When it reached the end, it disappeared, leaving only Hao Ran, who was sleeping in its stomach.

Hatred took hold of Surprise and roared:

"Human, why are you still alive! You should have died when the azure abyss creature ate you! Man is the spirit of the world, and with you as the ingredient, the azure abyss creature should have faced no problem crossing the moonlight thunder!"

Hearing Hatred's loud shouts, Hao Ran woke up as a golden color shrouded him. Hatred couldn't tell which feeling this was, hence he couldn't chase it away.

"Hatred, you are forgetting that I am human. I am made out of every feeling out there. You might be looking at me from up there, but there is also a you down here as well."

Hao Ran took out the hatred that was hidden in the deepest part of his heart. This hatred was like the sun and swallowed the other hatred as it made light for him in Ember Abyss.

...

Gu Mickey recited the first chapter of <The Tale of Hao Ran> in his mind, and his lips unexpectedly curled up thinking about the upcoming troubles.

"The hatred in me will swallow the hatred against me."