When I stepped into the lecture hall again the next day, all of the students turned to glare at me—some in disgust, some in content, and some with suppressed anger.

There was a pop quiz this morning. I looked up and saw sunlight streaming in through the window. However, most of that sunlight was blocked by Ariel, who was sitting right by the window.

I picked up my water bottle, aimed it at the back of her chair, and threw it with all my might.

Ariel screamed in shock and turned around at once. "Shawn Larson! What do you think you're doing?"

I leaned back casually in my seat and crossed a leg over the other, pointing at the window.

"You're blocking my light. I can't take the quiz with your big head in the way. Scoot over to the left and get lost!"

A male classmate shot to his feet. "You're going too far, Shawn!"

I turned around to look at him. "And what does any of this have to do with you? What, is she your mom or something? Why are you so worked up about it?

"Or, are you mad because you like her? Well, go ahead and fuck her, then. I don't care."

The classmate's face turned as red as a tomato. He clenched his fists and started to rush at me.

I stood up at once and raised my arms in the air, yelling at Mr. Jefferson, "Hey, old man! Aren't you going to do something about him? He's gonna hit me. Get the dean to come here!"

Mr. Jefferson hadn't even said a word when the other students erupted in anger once again.

"Are you out of your mind, Shawn? Why are you getting Mr. Joe Jefferson involved in this? Don't you know that he is one of the founders of derivative theory in the country?

"Universities everywhere are begging him to be a guest lecturer there, but he always rejects them. We're only lucky enough to be attending his classes now because the university basically groveled at his feet!

"Mr. Jefferson is also in his 70s now. He's mentored several academicians. Don't you know any basic manners? Do you even know what respect is?"

I listened to their indignant yapping and casually picked at my ears.

"Why don't any of you believe me when I said you were all stupid? So what if he's a professor? You're just going to fall at his feet and worship him because of his job title?

"I could recite all his so-called lessons backward with my eyes closed. I'm already giving him credit by calling him an old man. If not, then let's just get straight to the test and see which one of us finishes it faster and more accurately!"

Just then, footsteps echoed in the corridor. Then, the lecturer in charge of overseeing the program, Mr. William Stein, walked in.

The male classmate from earlier immediately pointed his finger at me and tattled, "Mr. Stein! Shawn just openly insulted Mr. Jefferson and even threw his bottle at Ariel! People like him should be expelled!"

I laughed coldly at that.

"Why don't you ask Mr. Stein if he actually dares to expel me? Who do you think you're trying to intimidate? You might as well just call the police on me instead."

Everyone in the lecture hall turned their eyes to Mr. Stein, looking at him expectantly. However, he just glanced briefly at Ariel and said, "Ms. Potter, kindly shift over to the left. Don't get in Mr. Larson's way."

The students froze at once.

Ariel couldn't believe her ears. "But Mr. Stein! He just flung his bottle at me just now!"

Mr. Stein waved her off dismissively and impatiently, signaling for her to shut up. Then, he turned to address the class.

"Let me make this clear again for you, everyone. The existence of this dual-enrollment program for gifted students is necessary for the selection and cultivation of the future pillars of the nation, and Mr. Shawn Larson is the face of the university.

"Consider it an honor for you ordinary students to make some sacrifices and cooperate with his requests in the face of a genius like him.

"Anyone else who interrupts his quiz again because of such trivial matters will be punished next time!"

The whole class was stunned.

Ariel gritted her teeth and reluctantly moved away.

Meanwhile, Mom, who had been standing outside the lecture hall, smiled with satisfaction upon seeing Mr. Stein's decision to stand up for me.

I picked up my pen again and wrote down my name on the quiz paper.

Sunlight streamed in through the window onto my desk, bright and clear.

I paused and looked up at Mr. Jefferson, who remained silent.

He was watching me quietly.

I gritted my teeth and raised my hand once again.

"Hey, old man, this test is way too easy for me. It's pointless," I told Mr. Jefferson.

The lecture hall was deathly quiet.

After a long bout of silence, someone cursed out loud.

"The fuck are you doing this again? Can't you just shut up for once? Is someone going to die if you just stop being a jerk?"

I pretended like I never heard it and stood up, placed my hands on the desk, and stared at Mr. Jefferson.

"Let's have a contest. We'll both do this test at the same time. If I win, you will resign. I'll be the one taking over the podium, and you can go home and retire.

"But if I lose, I'll do whatever you want. Get on my knees and beg and grovel for forgiveness, or spend the rest of my time in detention, or drop out and get lost from your sight—your pick. Wanna bet?"

The classroom was so quiet I could only hear my own breathing.

Mr. Jefferson pushed up his glasses but didn't speak.

I just smiled and walked up to the front, got onto the podium, and grabbed a piece of chalk, twirling it in my hand.

"Well? Or do you not dare to do it? Afraid you'll embarrass yourself for losing to a 17-year-old brat like me?

"I'm telling you that I've disliked you for a very long time. The country's resources are limited, yet they're all controlled by old folks like you.

"Why are you the one sitting up here while I'm sitting down there? Why should you be the one teaching me? Do you even have the right to do so?"

A female student shouted from the back of the class. "You're going overboard, Shawn! Don't you know anything about respecting your teachers and professors?"

I turned around to look at her. "What, am I supposed to respect him just because he's older than me? There's an old beggar on the side of the street out there. Why don't you go and call him your dad, then?

"A person's value lies in their mind, not their age. You know what it means by 'survival of the fittest'?"

Everyone exploded at once. "Shut up, Shawn!"

"You idiot!"

"Don't pay attention to him at all, Mr. Jefferson! He's out of his mind!"

Mr. Jefferson held up his hand and asked everyone to remain calm and quiet. Eventually, the commotion died down.

He then turned to look at me and said, "Okay."

Everyone was stunned.

"Mr. Jefferson! You can't—"

He waved his hand and dismissed one of the students who tried to advise him against it. Then, he retrieved a blank test paper, took out his pen, and said, "Alright. Let's start."

I was startled for a bit. Then, I grinned.

I picked up my pen and got to work.

Mom was watching from the outside, and she rubbed her hands in glee. The greed and crazed look in her eyes were literally oozing out.

I had studied for 17 years under Mom's very strict discipline. The complex problems and formulas automatically deconstructed in my head as soon as I looked at them. I could come up with the answers almost at once without even having to think about it.

On the other hand, Mr. Jefferson frowned next to me, and his movements became noticeably slower.

As I solved the problems, I sarcastically remarked, "What's wrong, old man? Got shaky hands? Or are your reading glasses failing you? You know, you can just beg me to share some of my intelligence with you."

Soon, I solved the last problem and turned to look at Mr. Jefferson.

His face was pale, and there were beads of sweat forming on his forehead. He was gripping his pen with his right hand, but he wasn't writing anymore. Instead, he was just doodling circles on the paper.

Then, his pen fell to the floor.

He bent down to pick it up. Suddenly, he jerked and fell forward, face down.

"Mr. Jefferson!"

The whole lecture hall erupted into chaos as everyone immediately rushed up to him in shock.

"Someone, call the ambulance! He's having a heart attack!"

Someone was screaming, some were crying, some were digging through Mr. Jefferson's pockets for his medication, and some others were trying to get him to wake up by patting him on the back.

A few male students glared at me with red eyes.

"Shawn, you're a murderer!"

"I swear, if anything happens to Mr. Jefferson, I'm going to knock all of your teeth out!"

A barrage of yells and insults immediately hit me. I just remained standing in my spot without moving.

Someone shoved me, but I didn't retaliate. Someone else hit me, and I stumbled slightly, but I still didn't move from my spot.

Another male student brandished his fist in my face, but the others quickly pulled him aside.

"Stop fighting! We need to save Mr. Jefferson first!"

I stood rooted to my spot, watching as Mr. Jefferson shriveled up in his chair.

He slowly opened his eyes and reached out his hand, pointing at me.

"C-Come here," he said in a deep, hoarse voice. "Come here…"

Everyone quietened down at once as they turned to look at me.

I glanced at Mr. Jefferson before slowly making my way over. I crouched down beside him, and he reached out, grabbing me by the wrist in a surprisingly strong grip.

I frowned slightly.

Then, he winked at me.

I was taken aback.

He let go of me before looking at the other students.

"Call the police… C-Call the police… Don't let him get away…"

Mr. Jefferson spoke a little louder toward the end, and everyone immediately exclaimed, "Yes, we have to call the police!"

"Call the police on Shawn! We can't let him get away with this!"

"He was the one who did this to Mr. Jefferson! There are cameras in the lecture hall!"

Mom rushed into the hall just then and shielded me behind her.

"What are you doing? What does this have to do with my son? It was the professor's fault for having a heart attack! It's none of my son's business!"

Ariel sobbed as she yelled, "Shawn was the one who gave him the heart attack! Everyone saw it! And Mr. Jefferson also said it was him! He's still trying to get away!"

The police arrived 20 minutes later. The students immediately pointed their fingers at me when the police officers filed in.

"It was him! He's the culprit! He deliberately provoked and insulted Mr. Jefferson, causing him to have a heart attack!"

The officer first looked at me, then at Mr. Jefferson receiving emergency treatment on the floor, his brows furrowing.

Mom still tried to defend me, but I stepped out from behind her and calmly extended my hands toward the officer, amid the shocked, angry, and expectant gazes of everyone else.

"It was my fault. Please arrest me. I insulted the professor and my classmates, and also disrupted class. And I'm willing to take full responsibility for everything."