Everyone Is Non-Human Except Me [Rebirth] Chapter 40

The night before the mock battle, all the students were told to report to the research department to collect their combat suits for the match. Ever since the teams were assigned, Yang Ling had been sulking and in a state of complete demoralization. She didn’t even want to go pick up her gear. With no other option, Wei Huan forced Jing Yun—using brute strength—to drag her to the research center.

Seeing so many people, Jing Yun got nervous. “Ah Huan, I… I’m kind of scared.”

Wei Huan leaned sideways, counting how many people were ahead in line, while using his other hand to keep Yang Ling from running off. “You’re scared and it hasn’t even started yet?”

“But we’re going up against the freshman tournament champion this time…” The more Jing Yun spoke, the less confident he sounded.

Wei Huan blurted out, “Yeah, I don’t know how I keep getting this unlucky. One champion leaves, and now I’m up against another.”

“Huh?” Jing Yun was puzzled. “Who else was a champion?”

Wei Huan let go of Yang Ling and turned Jing Yun’s little head to the other direction. “No one. Quick, line up.” Then he grabbed Yang Ling and wedged her between himself and Jing Yun.

Like babysitting two kids.

When their turn came, Jing Yun was so nervous he couldn’t even speak properly. Wei Huan had to step forward. “Watch her.”

He reported their group assignment to the research staff and signed the form. The staff handed over three combat suits. “These suits will protect you from injury during the match. But remember—each one includes a ‘health meter’ system. In simple terms, the suit will take the damage for you, so you won’t be hurt, but your health bar will decrease. When it hits zero, you’re out.”

Wei Huan was surprised. These mock battles were getting more advanced by the day.

“If it hits zero, that means you’re eliminated, right?”

The staffer nodded. “Exactly. So be careful—avoid getting hit as much as possible.” Then he pointed at the small badge near the collar marked “Group A.” “Press this and a transparent helmet will deploy. It’s made of an invisible material, so it won’t block your vision.”

“Cool, cool.” Wei Huan took the suits, grabbed Jing Yun’s wrist, and said, “Hang onto the little princess.”

“Okay.”

But just a few steps out the door, someone called out to Wei Huan. He turned to see that strange guy from a few days ago—the one asking about his bracelet—hurrying over, carrying a black long case.

“Wait a second.” He caught up and handed the case to Wei Huan.

Wei Huan hesitated. “What is this?”

“A weapon.” The man wiped sweat from his forehead. “For you.”

“You serious?” Wei Huan opened it to find a sleek black submachine gun inside. “This is for me?”

“Yeah. You’re human, so your power in a mock battle will naturally lag behind. Someone put in a request for this…”

Wei Huan’s first guess was Xing Yan. “Did my homeroom teacher talk to you?”

“H-homeroom teacher?” The man looked surprised. “Uhh…”

Wei Huan was confused. “Wasn’t him? Then who?”

The guy suddenly remembered something and said, “That I can’t say. But getting this to you completes my mission. There are instructions in the box. I’m sure you’ll figure it out. Bye!”

So dramatic.

“Who would send you a gun?” Jing Yun, who had been standing nearby, suddenly had a thought. “Hey! Could it have been Instructor Yun?”

“No way,” Wei Huan slung the gun over his back and looked around. “Wait—where’s the little princess?”

“Huh?” Jing Yun turned around too. “I—I didn’t keep an eye on her…”

Wei Huan looked completely fed up. “Forget it… she’s going to have to show up whether she likes it or not.” Then, picking up where they left off, he warned Jing Yun seriously, “Oh, and don’t go around pairing me and Instructor Yun in public. You’re gonna start all kinds of stupid rumors.”

“But there are already a ton of rumors,” Jing Yun said matter-of-factly. “I’ve seen a bunch of CP threads about you two on the forums. Super popular—always on the homepage. But you probably shouldn’t read them. There’s a bunch of girls flaming you in the comments. I got so mad I replied with a bunch of alts. Almost started a whole war.”

No way. Wei Huan couldn’t understand. “They’re mad at me because they think I stole their Yun Yongzhou? What kind of nonsense is that? Yun Yongzhou’s just standing over there, who’s even fighting over him with them.”

Jing Yun shook his head like a rattle-drum. “No, no, no, they don’t think you stole Yun Yongzhou. From what I saw, a lot of them actually ship Yun Yongzhou with that guy, you know, the one from Fuyao back then… Nine Phoenix. They all liked those two together.”

Nine Phoenix???

“They like the idea of Nine Phoenix and the instructor being a couple,” Jing Yun struggled to explain, stumbling through his words, “Like, they think you… you came between Instructor Yun and Nine Phoenix.”

What kind of hallucinatory development is this?

I’m Nine Phoenix!

“Wait a second, let me get this straight,” Wei Huan was baffled. “You mean, the old CP fans of Nine Phoenix and the Golden Crow now think I’m a homewrecker who interfered in their relationship?”

So I cuckolded myself??

Jing Yun nodded furiously. “And they even say you’re a bootleg Nine Phoenix, like the reason Instructor Yun formed a pact with you is because you kinda look like Nine Phoenix. In their eyes, the one he really loves is Nine Phoenix, not you. You’re just a substitute. He lost Nine Phoenix forever, so he’s using you as a stand-in to cope. Like that quote—‘beyond Mount Wu, no other clouds will do’…”

“Wait, wait, wait—” Wei Huan quickly clamped a hand over Jing Yun’s mouth. “Normally you can’t string a sentence together, but the moment it’s about gossip you start blabbering like a pro.”

Jing Yun wriggled free. “That’s because I’ve read a ton of those posts. They made me so mad!”

“What are you mad about?” Wei Huan smacked the back of his head. “Those little girls are just bored. Their imagination is even bigger than Teacher Su’s mermaid pearls.”

He just found it all ridiculous. Even back when he was still alive, those girls were never quiet. Their entire combat team only had four people, but the fans somehow managed to come up with a dozen different love combinations—complete with detailed tragic backstories.

He never expected that years after his death, people were still angsting on his behalf.

“None of that is real. It’s all made-up. There’s nothing between me and Instructor Yun.”

Jing Yun suddenly blurted, “Then why did he form a pact with you?”

Wei Huan froze. He was momentarily speechless.

“You really hit me with a soul question there.”

Jing Yun looked genuinely shocked. “You never asked him?”

He had asked. But the guy just said, “I wanted to, so I did.” No explanation.

“What’s it to you?” Wei Huan grumbled. “Just focus on your match.”

And just like that, the topic was dropped. Wei Huan wasn’t sure why, but he didn’t really want to know the real reason.

Whatever it was, it definitely wasn’t the fanfiction those girls came up with.

Others might not know, but he himself was very clear—back in his previous life, he was probably Yun Yongzhou’s least favorite person. That guy avoided him like the plague, couldn’t even be bothered to talk to him.

Lost in thought, Wei Huan drifted off as Jing Yun changed the topic. He listened half-heartedly until they returned to Yansui.

Three days later, the mock battle finally began. Unlike the freshmen tournament, this one was a team battle, so it was held in the largest stadium in Shanhai.

Still sulking, Yang Ling was dragged to the arena by her own older brother.

“If it weren’t to keep an eye on you, I wouldn’t have specially requested a front-row seat,” Yang Sheng poked her forehead. “So you better do your best.”

Wei Huan muttered under his breath, “Yeah right, like front row’s just for supervising your little sister…”

Yang Sheng, used to his mumbling, grinned. “Isn’t that right? This round’s team setup is genius.” He threw an arm around Wei Huan’s shoulders. “All my family members are in it.”

“Who’s your family member?” Wei Huan rolled his eyes, scanning the stands. He spotted Su Buyu from Shangshan Academy helping maintain order. Su Buyu caught his eye and smiled gently back, the mermaid scales under his eyes shimmering beautifully in the sunlight.

“Even Su Buyu came…” Wei Huan muttered, but before he could finish the thought, Yang Sheng jumped on it.

“So? Who didn’t come?”

Busted. Wei Huan’s reflex was to deny. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, you don’t?” Yang Sheng grinned slyly. “Some people pretend to play dumb even better than they pretend to be dead.”

Jing Yun leaned in too. “Ah Heng, I feel like I haven’t seen Instructor Yun in ages. Is he not coming today either?”

“What would he come for? To shoot fireworks for you? Honestly, why do you keep staring at him every day? He’s not even your instructor,” Wei Huan snapped, pushing him into Yang Sheng’s arms. “Go admire your instructor.”

Jing Yun turned beet red, scrambled to stand up straight, and stepped back. “Ah-Ah Heng is so mean…”

“Don’t know what’s got him so worked up.” Yang Sheng raised an eyebrow. “He’s acting like a jilted lover.”

“Screw you.” Wei Huan scoffed, but his eyes kept darting up to the stands.

Not coming? Fine. Who needs you? You’d only distract me if you were here anyway.

“Is Ah Heng nervous?” Jing Yun poked his arm.

Yang Sheng laughed. “Him? He never gets nervous.”

He was the strongest student here. Nervous? Wei Huan didn’t even know the meaning of the word.

The announcement came: “Both teams, please enter the field.”

Just before stepping onto the stage, Yang Sheng said from behind, “He’s been on leave the past few days, not on campus.”

“Like I care.” Wei Huan didn’t even turn around, just waved lazily over his shoulder.

To help distinguish teams on the battlefield, Team A wore all black, while Team B wore all white—a stark contrast. Zhao Xingjian, proud as ever, refused to fold his wings. The other boy from Jiahui Academy was delicate and small, green vines coiling between his fingers.

Standing in the center was Yan Shanyue, dressed in black, her long hair usually worn loose now tied high. Wei Huan nudged Yang Ling, “Look at your sister Shanyue—what a badass woman.”

Yang Ling rolled her eyes, too lazy to respond to Wei Huan.

“Simulation battle rules: within the designated one-hour time limit, the two teams will engage in combat. The battle uniforms will monitor the level of damage sustained in real time, reflected through a virtual health bar.”

“If the health bar hits zero, the participant is automatically eliminated. If all team members are eliminated, the match ends. If both teams still have players on the field after an hour, the team with the most remaining health wins.”

The names of the players on both sides were displayed on floating screens suspended above the center of the arena. The audience consisted of students and teachers from various academies. With Wei Huan, a human, participating, the match had drawn unusual attention.

Of course, few spectators had any real hope for Team B, which included the human.

“Team A is seriously strong! Isn’t Nine-Tails the champion of the freshmen tournament?”

“Yeah, and the Tengu in Team A is pretty fierce too. Team B only has that little Bifang who’s any good—the other two look weak, and then there’s a human dragging them down. In this kind of team battle, melee skills are useless. It all comes down to spellcasting.”

“Hope they don’t lose too badly—I actually kinda like that human guy.”

“I think he’s hot too! Why else would Instructor Yun form a pact with him?”

“Can we not keep putting that human together with Instructor Yun?”

The crowd buzzed with chatter as the competitors entered the arena one after another. Both teams moved to the center of the field and bowed from a distance in greeting.

As they bent down, Wei Huan suddenly spoke seriously to Yang Ling beside him, “You’d better get it together.”

Yang Ling froze slightly. Wei Huan continued, “Your passive resistance won’t make Yan Shanyue grateful or see you in a better light. You should know—for someone already that strong, the greatest form of respect is to fight them with everything you’ve got.”

“Being evenly matched is what makes a battle interesting.”

Evenly matched…

Yang Ling lifted her head and looked across at Yan Shanyue. Her face was cold and stubborn, the kind that wouldn’t accept defeat no matter what.

He was right. Yang Ling unconsciously clenched her fists.

She couldn’t let Sister Shanyue look down on her either.

“Match countdown! Activating players’ virtual health bars!” As the announcement came through, Wei Huan saw a glowing green bar appear about ten centimeters above his head.

Pretty legit setup—someone not in the know might think they were playing a real-life video game.

“Three—two—”

The roar of the crowd swelled like a tidal wave.

“One!”

Zhao Xingjian, hot-headed as ever, shot straight at them the second the countdown ended. As the vanguard, he was already hurling fire with both hands, a barrage of flames surging toward Team B.

“Avoid the mutt’s fire as much as you can!” Wei Huan twisted and dodged as he sprinted forward. “Yang Ling, you’re the main offense—get up there and blast him with Lotus Fire!”

“I know that already!” Yang Ling flew upward, her palm aimed at the Tengu as red lotus flames surged forth.

“So just because he tells you to hit me, you do it?” Zhao Xingjian grinned provocatively. “You listen to that human that well?” Even as he spoke, orange flames flew at Yang Ling. Her firelotus collided with his fire in midair and exploded with a bang.

Yang Ling spun midair and, spreading her wings, launched a flurry of Lotus Fire at Zhao Xingjian. “Even if he told me not to, I’d still beat you till you’re crying ‘Daddy’!”

Bifang versus Tengu—both sides unleashed full firepower. Just two minutes in, the match had already reached a fever pitch.

“No wonder they’re from Yansui—they fight on a whole other level!”

“Fire everywhere—so intense.”

“Bifang’s still stronger though. Team B’s gonna have to rely on her to carry.”

The combat strength of Teams A and B was clearly imbalanced—Wei Huan knew that well. That’s why he’d dragged the other two to train with him in the days before the match. When power is lacking, you rely on synergy and tactics.

Among the players, Nine-Tails had the most well-rounded combat ability—melee, control, even illusion, all with barely any weakness. Zhao Xingjian might be a hothead, but his firepower rivaled Yang Ling’s. Jing Yun’s abilities were somewhat limited in team fights—he lacked explosive damage.

That Jiahui Academy boy… Wei Huan glanced at the quiet boy standing still on the field. He looked harmless, even a bit pale.

Whatever—he’d be the first target.

Wei Huan suddenly stopped and raised his left hand toward the sky. “Jing Yun!”

In the next instant, a firm grip caught his hand, and Wei Huan was lifted off the ground—Jing Yun had flown by and effortlessly pulled him into the air.

With one hand on his gun, Wei Huan fired a rapid burst at Ai Yao as Jing Yun flew toward him. The bullets rained down like a storm—but just as they were about to hit, they suddenly froze in midair, caught in a pale blue demonic aura.

Nine-Tails.

Wei Huan’s mind lit up—“Let go!”

Sure enough, the bullets, under Yan Shanyue’s control, swerved toward the hands connecting Wei Huan and Jing Yun. Wei Huan reacted instantly, breaking the hold, causing Nine-Tails to miss her target. He rolled on the ground, then sprang up and fired again while closing in on Ai Yao.

His aim had always been steady. Predicting Nine-Tails’ move, he managed to slip through before she could cast another spell. Caught off guard, Ai Yao was struck by a flurry of bullets.

A chunk of green health bar disappeared from above Ai Yao’s head.

Wei Huan, whose danger instincts were always sharper than others’, twisted away from the Foxfire that came at him from behind. Grinning, he turned back and lifted his oversized SMG with a cocky eyebrow raise.

“First blood!”

It had been too long since he last fought—he actually felt a little fired up. He glanced at the stands, still not seeing that person. Looking away, he reloaded and dove back into the fray.

There’s nothing to be disappointed about.

Just winning is enough.

Zhao Xingjian’s firepower began to shift, his attacks turning from Yang Ling to Jing Yun. Meanwhile, all of Yang Ling’s fire lotuses were being controlled by Yan Shanyue’s demon power, and she even redirected Yang Ling’s firepower entirely toward Group B’s area, creating a double attack.

Yan Shanyue’s ability was truly overpowered. With such strong control, most spells were practically useless against her.

Wei Huan stared at Yan Shanyue’s slender hands.

“Jing Yun!”

He ran towards Yan Shanyue. Jing Yun didn’t understand at first but quickly caught on when he saw Wei Huan’s hand gesture, dodging Zhao Xingjian’s fire as he dove toward Wei Huan and followed his path.

As Wei Huan ran, he issued commands through the communicator, “Yang Ling, keep firing at Zhao Xingjian. Your lotus fire will be used by Yan Shanyue to attack Jing Yun.”

Yang Ling sounded doubtful, “But Zhao Xingjian is still attacking little Chongming!”

“It doesn’t matter. Jing Yun!”

Wei Huan looked toward Ai Yao, who had been trying to stay out of the fight the whole time.

“You fly over to Ai Yao.”

Yang Ling unleashed a barrage of lotus fire, forcing Zhao Xingjian to keep retreating. “Stupid human! You’re trying to pull a diversion?”

“Says who.” Amidst the chaotic smoke and fire, Wei Huan suddenly changed direction and charged toward Yan Shanyue, who was controlling the entire battlefield. “I learned this from your sister Shanyue.”

“Using another’s blade to kill.”

Just as Yan Shanyue was about to throw the dangerous lotus fire toward Jing Yun, a dagger flashing cold light suddenly appeared and aimed straight for her wrist. Yan Shanyue’s tense fingers lost their grip in that unexpected moment, and the controlled lotus fire instantly spun out of control.

Following Wei Huan’s instructions, Jing Yun flew as high as possible, and almost all of the lotus fire bombarded Ai Yao from Jiahui Academy instead. Jing Yun, acting as the bait, cleverly evaded as Wei Huan had planned.

But what puzzled Wei Huan was that, in that critical moment, Yan Shanyue actually wove a barrier of foxfire to shield Ai Yao, blocking most of the attack for him.

Because of this, she didn’t have time to defend against Wei Huan’s assault, and her health bar dropped slightly.

But she quickly refocused, blue foxfire igniting once more between her fingers, seizing control of the dagger in Wei Huan’s hand, snapping it away with a crack, and tossing it aside.

Having disarmed Wei Huan, Yan Shanyue immediately launched several quick sidekicks. Wei Huan dodged most of them, but the distance was too close—he still got hit, and his health bar began to drop.

Yan Shanyue lightly jumped, raising her right leg high, seemingly about to kick Wei Huan directly in the head in the next second. Wei Huan read her move and grabbed her right ankle.

But then he immediately felt the iris flower mark on the back of her hand glowing.

This is bad—it’s a feint.

In that instant, pale blue foxfire exploded fiercely, the blast power terrifying. Such short-range magical attacks were extremely rare, especially from Yan Shanyue, who had to sacrifice her long-range control to perform a close-range detonation.

But once this kind of attack happened—there was no escape.

No matter what, she wanted to win.

What Yan Shanyue didn’t expect was that just as the blue foxfire burst forth, a dazzling golden light suddenly erupted between them.

The intense light forced her to squint—she couldn’t see anything, even if it was only for a moment.

But when her vision cleared, she saw with her own eyes that a golden light shield had appeared on Wei Huan’s left arm, completely blocking her foxfire attack.

The entire arena erupted in gasps.

For the first time, a look of undisguisable shock appeared on Yan Shanyue’s usually calm face. Her pupils dilated slightly as she stared at the light shield in front of Wei Huan. “You… you have light!?”

He had forgotten it himself—he had never shown his light ability before. Even now, it was the light that appeared on its own.

“How should I explain this? Well…” Wei Huan took a few steps back, lowering his left arm as the light shield vanished. He clenched his right hand, and a long, narrow light blade instantly formed in his grip.

“When I want the light, the light appears for me.”

---

Can’t wait until next week to see more? Want to show your support? Come to my Patreon where you can get 5 or more chapters of Everyone Is Non-Human Except Me [Rebirth] right away ! Or go donate at Paypal or Ko-fi to show your appreciation! :)

---