I Will Grind My Way To Godhood

Her hair flowed like an advertisement-ready cascade of silky black, tied into a high ponytail with a white band, cascading down to her waist.

Beneath her bangs, her eyes were calm and focused, fixated on the book she held, her immaculately manicured fingers occasionally turning the pages with gentle precision.

Perhaps due to her intense concentration on reading, the girl's demeanor remained unchanged upon Xue Jing's arrival.

"A student from Sunny University? Judging by her age... doesn't seem right."

Xue Jing cast a surprised glance at the girl, pausing momentarily on her subtly violet-tinged, beautiful eyes.

Not wearing a school uniform, she's probably not from the affiliated high school. Maybe just a university student who looks a bit young for her age.

He didn't pay much attention to her, and instead turned towards the bookshelves.

The seventh floor housed four rows of sixteen double-sided wooden bookshelves, complemented by wall-mounted shelves lining three walls full, except for a small reading area. Every shelf was packed, almost crammed, with countless old books and documents.

The collection was staggering.

Without computer indexing or even any system of classification, locating desired information within this sea of books was akin to an impossible task. No wonder the place rarely saw visitors.

Xue Jing picked a random bookshelf, walking midway down its length, somewhat daunted by the disorganized array of ancient texts before him, unsure where to start.

He grabbed a book that seemed relatively intact, dusting it off. The maroon hard cover bore no illustrations, simply a white title in Song font at its center, with the author's name and publication date in smaller white letters in the lower right corner.

"Hypotheses on the Phenomenon of Interworld Overlap," Author: Ning Furén, Published: New Era Year 87.

"An antique from nearly two centuries ago..."

Interworld overlap refers to a unique phenomenon that appeared on Earth after "God" perished.

As the term suggests, interworld overlap indicates "two worlds existing simultaneously."

If one imagines the world as a car in constant motion on a road, interworld overlap would be two cars colliding into one another.

This phenomenon causes parts of two worlds to embed into each other's 'bodies'. The regions where they overlap are known as 'Boundary Lands'.

The globally accepted explanation for this phenomenon is that the 'Driver' is dead.

Without 'God' as the driver to steer the direction, the vehicle runs amok on the road, naturally colliding with other vehicles not controlled by drivers.

“……”

Xue Jing flipped through the book, skimming a couple of pages. The theories within, though riddled with errors by today's standards, were once cutting-edge research material. They laid an indelible foundation for the current studies on overlap phenomena. While outdated as theoretical resources, they remain invaluable as historical records.

Placing the book back in its spot, Xue Jing resumed his search, fishing for clues that might relate to 'Divine Substance'.

Over an hour later.

He skimmed through the archives of "The Chronicles of the Evernight War" and placed them back on the shelf.

Xue Jing shook his head; just as he had expected, he found nothing of value.

With his expectations set, he was not disappointed.

Steeling his emotions, Xue Jing checked his phone for the time—it was already seven thirty and time for class.

Just as he was about to leave, he noticed the unnamed girl he had seen earlier in the rest area approaching with a book hugged to her chest.

Xue Jing's gaze shifted to the well-developed part of the girl's figure—not that he was looking there; his interest lay in the book she held.

It was about three fingers thick, encased in black hardcover with a strange image on the front.

On the cover was a radiant human figure, crowned with a halo and adorned with countless wings, emitting brilliance all over. Within his hands was a blue terrestrial orb, and his indistinct face was tilted upward as if shouting something, with light cascading like blood from his entire being, spilling from his feet into an unknown abyss.

No one in the world could fail to grasp the meaning of this cover—it was 'The Death of God', or more accurately, formally known as 'The Death of the Divine'.

Scenes like these, Xue Jing had seen countless times across works of art, films, and games.

Xue Jing glanced at the book title.

“If God Were Not Dead.”

He nodded politely, stepped aside to let the girl pass by him. At such close proximity, Xue Jing could see her clearly; she had a delicate and clean beauty, not the kind that catches the eye at first glance, but rather the type that becomes more attractive the longer one looks.

The girl nodded back at him and attempted to slot the book in her hand into the topmost shelf. However, her height made the task difficult, evident as she stood on her tiptoes.

Seeing this, Xue Jing softly said, "Let me help you."

He extended his hand, gesturing for the girl to hand him the book, which she did not refuse, passing it over to Xue Jing.

With no need to stand on tiptoe, Xue Jing easily placed the book into the gap on the shelf. The girl blinked her clear, somewhat violet eyes and said, "Thank you."

Xue Jing replied with a simple acknowledgment, unconcerned by the trivial task.

Having completed this, he didn't linger in the library but headed straight to the secondary school's academic building.

By the time he stepped into his classroom, the morning reading session was nearing its end, and classes were about to officially begin.

All the students were already present, and aside from a few whispering, most were silently flipping through books or working on papers.

Despite being in an elite class, the pressure was palpable.

Xue Jing had good relations in the class; when he entered, even though the atmosphere during morning reading wasn't conducive to speaking, many nodded at him in greeting.

Xue Jing nodded back and was about to take his seat when he froze.

His desk and chair were scratched.

The composite wood panel was marred with crisscrossing scratches, unbearably unsightly. The desk was further defaced with words like "kill, kill, kill," "you're dead," and "watch your back on the way home," all of which were blatantly threatening.

“Tsk, such ugly writing.”

Li Ge walked over from the side, eyeing the scribbles on Xue Jing's desk, and clicked his tongue in disdain.

“What's going on?” Xue Jing's expression remained unchanged.

Such bullying incidents happening to anyone, let alone a high school student, would naturally stir up some anxiety. Yet at this moment, Xue Jing felt nothing inside, mirroring his exterior calm. He was simply curious to find out what had happened.

Just as fitness enthusiasts often exude confidence, a strong body will naturally fortify one's inner strength.

At this point, dealing with high-school-level bullying tactics felt to him like a lion watching a kitten baring its claws.

“No idea. It was like this when I came in this morning.” Li Ge leaned on a nearby desk, shrugging.

“The drawer was stuffed with dead rats and cockroaches, disgusting things, which I've cleaned out for you. But these words on the desk are in permanent marker, so there's nothing I can do for now.”

Xue Jing patted him on the shoulder, sincerely grateful. “Thanks.”

“No need to thank me, we're buddies.” Li Ge responded and then added, “Right now, the most urgent thing is to find out who did this. Otherwise, having to deal with this every day will make you sick.”

“Have you offended anyone lately?”

Upon hearing this, Xue Jing thought for a moment. He believed he'd been pretty well-behaved and couldn't think of anyone he'd upset.

“No idea. Anyway, judging by the words on the desk, this isn't just some cowardly prankster—it’s a direct threat.”

Xue Jing ran his fingers over the scratch-ridden desk, stopping at the engraved words, "Be careful on your way after school."

"If you wait, they'll probably reveal themselves during lunchtime or after school," he mused.

Through both of his lives, Xue Jing learned that just being exceptional was enough to obstruct others' paths and attract their resentment. There was no need to overthink any perceived wrongdoing; pondering on it was futile. Encounter a problem, and just solve it.

Xue Jing sat down. He intended to put his backpack in the drawer but paused, feeling uneasy. After having found dead rats and cockroaches before, he opted to hang it on the hook at the side of his desk instead.

Folding his arms, he closed his eyes, preparing for class.

Li Ge couldn’t help but admire Xue Jing’s composed manner, seemingly unaffected by the situation. "So cool, Jing," he sighed.

"But why don't we choose to tell the teacher?" Li Ge asked, puzzled.

With his eyes still closed, Xue Jing commented offhandedly, "Just as calling the police isn't always a solution, teachers aren't always a fix either. Telling the teacher might resolve the issue, but the process would be troublesome, and there’d likely be repercussions."

"I have a simpler solution. No need to involve a teacher."

Li Ge hummed in agreement, fell silent for a while, then couldn't help but add, "You seem so cool, like you have this strange adult demeanor... Or should I say, the calmness of the strong? Your words have a compelling aura..."

As they chatted, a call came from the classroom door, "Xue Jing, someone's here for you!"

Turning, Xue Jing saw a pretty female student in a school uniform skirt standing at the entrance.

It was the same junior who had brought him a towel during the physical test yesterday.

In this chapter, Xue Jing reflects calmly on his past challenges. His recent encounter with adversity has only strengthened his resolve. Li Ge notices the cool composure in Xue Jing and can't help but admire how maturely he handles himself.

Meanwhile, a pretty girl approaches Xue Jing with a message that might change everything. She seems hesitant, yet there's a certain determination in her eyes. Xue Jing listens intently, aware that every decision he makes from now on will be crucial.

The atmosphere in the room shifts as this encounter unfolds, leaving a palpable tension hanging in the air. Students around them exchange curious glances, sensing that something significant is happening. With each passing moment, it becomes more apparent that Xue Jing's journey is about to take a new turn.