Apologize," Wang Haoran said indifferently.
Fan Jian blinked in confusion but quickly followed his boss's lead. "Didn't you hear him? Apologize. Now."
Just as the words left his mouth, a sharp flick landed on his forehead.
"Ow! Boss, why did you hit me?" he asked, rubbing the sore spot in bewilderment.
Wang Haoran's tone remained calm but firm. "I told you to apologize to Xu Muyan. From now on, you're not to call her 'Sister-in-law' again."
"Eh?" Fan Jian was stunned.
"What 'Eh'? Hurry up and apologize."
"Um…" Fan Jian hesitated for a moment, then bowed slightly toward Xu Muyan.
"Excuse me, Classmate Xu Muyan. It was my mistake. I won't call you by the wrong title again."
Wang Haoran turned his gaze toward Xu Muyan, watching as a mix of surprise and disbelief flickered across her face.
"Them mocking you and calling you 'Sister-in-law' has nothing to do with me," Wang Haoran said calmly. "But I won't allow it to happen again. Anyone who dares to call you that—I'll make sure they regret it."
Xu Muyan was momentarily stunned, but before she could respond, Wang Haoran continued.
"As for the rumors that I like you and am pursuing you, let's clear those up right now—they're false. I'm a third-year student, and my priority is academics. I have no plans to date anyone for the time being, so there's really nothing more to say about it."
With that, Wang Haoran turned on his heel and walked toward the classroom, leaving a bewildered Xu Muyan standing in place, utterly confused by his sudden change in attitude.
[Ding! Xu Muyan, one of the heroines, has altered her impression of the Host. Favorability increased by 20. Current total favorability: 10 (Ordinary Acquaintances).]
[Ding! The Host has changed the original plot's direction. Received 200 Villain Points.]
As Wang Haoran reached the door of his classroom, the system's notification echoed in his mind.
He wasn't surprised.
Xu Muyan's initial dislike of him mainly stemmed from the constant teasing and rumors spread by his lackeys—calling her sister-in-law and implying a relationship that didn't exist.
For a girl who had never been in a relationship and was focused on her studies, such baseless gossip was nothing but an annoyance.
Of course, she'd find it troubling.
Wang Haoran himself had never actually done anything inappropriate toward Xu Muyan. On the contrary, he had just taken the initiative to clear up the misunderstanding and put an end to the teasing.
With that, her perception of him naturally improved.
Having a favorability score above 10 meant being classified as an Ordinary Acquaintance by the system—no different from any other classmate.
In other words, Xu Muyan's favorability toward Wang Haoran was now on par with the Protagonist's.
Not only had he managed to improve her impression of him, but he had also earned Villain Points in the process.
Wang Haoran examined his current attributes.
[Host: Wang Haoran]
Strength: 189
Charm: 198
Villain Halo: 99
Villain Points: 300
Skills:
Driving: Proficient
Education (Academy Level): Advanced
Hand-to-Hand Combat (Elite Level): High
Finance Management (Basic): Beginner
Wang Haoran's thoughts shifted to the next move. With 300 Villain Points already accumulated, he was closer to unlocking the Ultimate-Villain Shop. However, he was well aware that the Protagonist's strength was rising fast.
"I need to catch up quickly," Wang Haoran muttered. "I can't afford to fall behind."
The Protagonist's rapid growth was inevitable, given the way the plot was structured. Wang Haoran had no time to waste if he wanted to maintain an advantage. The more he delayed, the more difficult it would be to deal with the Protagonist.
"If I want to outmaneuver him, I need more than just Villain Points. I need to plan carefully."
The Protagonist would likely gain more power, allies, and resources as the story unfolded, making things increasingly complicated for Wang Haoran. His best chance to stay ahead was to act decisively while the Protagonist was still in a vulnerable position.
While Wang Haoran was lost in thought, he suddenly felt a pair of eyes fixed on him from across the classroom.
There was a deep hatred in those eyes.
The owner of this gaze was none other than the Protagonist, Chu Bai, a student who always ranked at the bottom of the class.
His name alone made him stand out. In the world of web novels, certain surnames were common among protagonists—Ye, Lin, Xiao, and Chu.
Chu Bai's surname just so happened to be the fourth most popular.
As for the hostility emanating from him, Wang Haoran could guess the reason.
Yesterday, Fan Jian, Fan Tong, and Qin Shousheng had blocked Chu Bai on his way out of school. Chu Bai likely thought Wang Haoran had orchestrated the act.
However, the truth was that those three had acted on their own initiative, without any orders from him.
Still, Wang Haoran didn't feel the need to explain himself to Chu Bai.
There was no point.
After all, he was a Villain, born to be at odds with the Protagonist.
"System, analyze all of Chu Bai's attributes," Wang Haoran instructed.
[Analyzing costs 100 Villain Points. Do you want to proceed?]
"Yes!"
Although Wang Haoran had some understanding of the original plot through the system, the information he had was vague and brief. He was aware of the Protagonist's tragic rise and fall, and how his family's misfortune would ultimately lead to his blessed destiny.
After spending the Villain Points, Chu Bai's attribute panel appeared.
---
[Protagonist: Chu Bai]
Strength: 155
Charm: 100
Protagonist Halo: 357
Skill: X-Ray Vision
"Oh, so the Protagonist has X-Ray Vision," Wang Haoran muttered to himself.
At first, he was distressed about spending the 100 Villain Points, but now he felt it was worth every point. This crucial information about Chu Bai's ability would make dealing with him much easier.
As the saying goes, "He who knows the enemy well will come unscathed through a hundred battles." Now that he understood Chu Bai's overpowering skill, handling him wouldn't be so difficult.
Wang Haoran noted Chu Bai's charm value was only 100—nothing special, just average, like that of any stranger.
In the original plot, however, this guy somehow ended up with numerous beautiful girls. That didn't make sense at all!
Even with his extreme charm value of 198, Wang Haoran had trouble getting the attention of a single girl. How was that fair?
As for Chu Bai's strength value of 155, it was impressive—more than 50% above the average. In the original plot, Chu Bai relied on his superior strength to rescue many damsels in distress, thus conquering the hearts of several beautiful heroines.
Wang Haoran couldn't help but feel frustrated.
How could so many "rogues" exist in today's peaceful society? How was it that every time they ran into Chu Bai, he just happened to save the day?
It seemed absurd. Each time, he successfully rescued the heroines and won their affection. That was too much!
In this world, wealth and charm should be enough. Being handsome, rich, and popular should be the ticket to success.
Yet, despite his own off-the-charts charm and wealth, the heroines looked at him with disdain.
Why?
System, if I hire someone to kill Chu Bai directly, what are my chances of success?" Wang Haoran asked, his voice tinged with frustration.
[Due to the Protagonist's Halo Points being significantly higher than the Host's Villain Halo Points, the probability of success is extremely low.]
"Damn, I knew it," Wang Haoran muttered under his breath.
Despite the discouraging response, he wasn't ready to give up. "But 'extremely low' means there's still a chance, right? If there's even a small chance, I should try, shouldn't I?"
[It is not advisable for the Host to proceed with such an approach. The Protagonist's Halo will protect him. Should he encounter a crisis, it will trigger his destiny. Not only will he survive, but he will emerge stronger, which could prove extremely detrimental to the Host's plans.]
Wang Haoran's frustration deepened as he processed the system's suggestion.
"What?! How can the Protagonist's Halo be so overpowered and unfair?!" he grumbled, feeling utterly defeated.
[Host need not feel disheartened. There is a way to weaken the Protagonist's Halo. By claiming the bodies and souls of the heroines, you can diminish the Protagonist's power. This will also increase the Villain Halo Points, making it easier to perform such operations in the future.]
Wang Haoran's eyes widened as he grasped the gravity of the situation.
"I see," he muttered under his breath. "If I can steadily weaken the Protagonist's influence by targeting the heroines, I'll have a better shot at bringing him down. I just have to be patient and work my way through it, step by step."
He smiled, a more devious plan forming in his mind. "One step at a time, and with every opportunity, I'll capture the heroines and disrupt the Protagonist's Halo. That's how I'll break through this obstacle."
Wang Haoran clenched his fist. "The Protagonist won't know what hit him."
To continue ....