A suffocating silence seemed to freeze the air inside the classroom. Bo, whose fist had just struck empty space, was still staring wide-eyed, as if he couldn't believe what had just happened. Meanwhile, Shuwan stood upright, his balance steady. He could feel his heartbeat remained stable and calm—there was none of the panic that usually scrambled his thoughts.
Seeing Bo's fist still trembling in the air, Shuwan slowly let a faint smile spread across the corner of his lips. It wasn't a childish, mocking grin, but the calm smile of someone who had just realized he was no longer at the very bottom.
But to Bo, that smile was the greatest insult of his life.
"You son of a bitch! You bastard, Shuwan!" Bo roared. His face turned beet red, the veins in his neck bulging grotesquely. "I'll beat you to death!"
Bo pulled his arm back before throwing another punch with his left hand. This time, his attack was far more vicious, aimed straight at Shuwan's temple with all the strength in his massive body.
If the Shuwan from before had been standing in front of him, that punch would have shattered his cheekbone. But in Shuwan's eyes, Bo's movements felt incredibly slow, as if time had deliberately slowed down to give him a chance to think. Warm energy from the phone in his pocket flowed into every muscle in his body once again.
Shuwan didn't just stand there. With incredible agility, he lowered his body slightly, letting the wind created by Bo's fist pass over his head.
But this time, he didn't merely dodge.
Before Bo could pull his arm back and regain his balance, Shuwan's right hand shot out like lightning. His fingers spread wide before clamping tightly around Bo's wrist.
Bo's eyes widened when he felt Shuwan's grip, hard as iron. Before the school giant could even understand what was happening, Shuwan had already twisted his body, slipped his shoulder beneath Bo's armpit, and, in one explosive motion, used his opponent's own weight to throw the massive body over his shoulder.
Crash!
The sound of Bo's back slamming against the concrete floor echoed throughout the classroom, followed by a muffled groan escaping his throat. Several desks nearby shifted and scraped across the floor from the impact.
Every student in the classroom froze in shock. They sat rigidly in their seats, as if they had just seen a ghost in broad daylight.
Not a single sound could be heard.
The classroom suddenly felt like a graveyard.
At the classroom doorway, Shu Qi, who had just returned, stood frozen in place. Her mouth hung slightly open in shock. Her cousin—the bear-sized thug who had bullied everyone for years—had just been cleanly thrown to the ground by the boy she had always considered weak.
"Shu Qi, why are you still standing in the doorway? The bell rang ages ago. Hurry back to your class."
The sharp click of heels against the corridor floor shattered the silence. Miss Li Na arrived carrying several thick books in her arms. But when she saw Shu Qi still standing rigidly without moving an inch, she frowned.
"Miss... i-it's..." Shu Qi's trembling hand slowly rose, pointing into the classroom. Her voice stammered, still overwhelmed by shock.
Miss Li Na adjusted her square-framed glasses before quickening her pace. The moment she entered the classroom and saw the scene before her, her eyes widened. The books in her arms nearly slipped from her hands.
On the floor, Bo rolled onto his side while clutching his back and stomach. His face contorted as he endured the pain from the hard impact with the concrete floor.
Meanwhile, standing directly in front of him, Shuwan remained calm. He even took the time to straighten his slightly rumpled uniform collar, without showing the slightest fear on his bruised face.
"Bo!" Miss Li Na shouted sharply, breaking through the panic frozen inside the classroom.
She immediately ran over to Bo.
"Why are all of you just standing there?! Hurry and take Bo to the school clinic! Now!"