The Most Random System

"Lin Li, meet me at the art building at noon today. I'll apply for a room, and then teach you everything I know. I won't hold back because I don't want my victory to be undeserved."

Wang Yuezhi's tone was cold but confident. After speaking, he left without looking back, his swagger akin to a wanderer drifting the earth.

Lin Li: "?"

What was that gibberish? What does 'victory undeserved' mean?

"Is Wang Yuezhi planning to teach you everything he knows? Interesting, Lin Li, don't let him turn you into a puff pastry," Bai Bufan said, looking up after hearing.

Lin Li: "?"

Well, right now, there's no time to deal with Bai Bufan's reinterpretations. Lin Li has something more important to address:

"Wang Yuezhi! Wang Yuezhi! Wait!"

"Can we change the time? Noon is when I have a set study session with the class monitor."

"How about afternoon? Self-study in the evening? During the English class?"

Wang Yuezhi's steps paused momentarily. Although he heard, he didn't respond and shuffled back to his place.

In this all-or-nothing duel, Wang Yuezhi felt his chances of thoroughly defeating Lin Li and proving who the true clown king was had increased slightly.

— He had gained a deeper understanding of clowns.

...

Noon.

Lin Li arrived as promised.

No choice—asked Wang Yuezhi in the morning to pick another time. This guy just ignored him.

Had to temporarily abandon Chen Yu Ying.

After all, Wang Yuezhi was his real lunchtime buddy, not like that fake friend Bai Bufan.

The two went to the art building. Wang Yuezhi used a key to open a spacious practice room.

"Lin Li, what's your understanding of clowns?" Wang Yuezhi set down a large bag he had brought on the table, sat across from Lin Li, and asked seriously.

Lin Li blinked, somewhat confused by the setup and the question. After thinking for a moment, he replied, "Clowns... are just clowns? Their thoughts make people laugh?"

Wang Yuezhi laughed softly upon hearing this.

He looked at Lin Li with a hint of disdain.

This guy probably would never threaten his clown position.

Different paths, no collaboration—Lin Li's answer left Wang Yuezhi disinterested. He opened his backpack and took things out, sticking to routine:

"See here. Which one do you want to learn first?"

Jugglings balls, long balloons, playing cards, unicycle...

Wait, where the heck did that unicycle come from?

"You can do this too?" Lin Li pointed to the unicycle and asked.

Wang Yuezhi, hearing Lin Li's shocked gaze, was a bit proud and smug, suppressing his laughter, nodding:

"I just bought and learned it last weekend. Found out I have talent in this area—mastered it in ten-some hours."

Saying this, Wang Yuezhi took out the unicycle, unfolded it, set it down, and started riding.

While not perfectly smooth, Wang Yuezhi could indeed ride—without looking unskilled.

Moreover, during his ride, Wang Yuezhi even started juggling balls.

Lin Li: "?"

No way, man.

You really got this down?

Just last week's tug-of-war finale, you couldn't even do this stuff.

Noticing Lin Li's gaze, Wang Yuezhi smiled.

"While you're wasting your weekend wondering what to do, I'm working hard," he said casually.

Lin Li started mindfully scrutinizing where he wasted his weekend.

Oh, he hung out with Chen Yu Ying.

Her fault.

"If you're performing that, I'm not sure I'll be able to replicate your entire show back-to-back on the day." Lin Li modestly remarked.

Indeed, there was a touch of humility—Lin Li felt he could definitely learn it in two days, but performing while riding on the day might be too risky for errors.

"I understand. I'll go easy on you," Wang Yuezhi seemed considerate of his buddy Lin Li, tossing the juggling balls to him: "Start with the basics first. Let's see how much you learned in these two days, and then decide on Wednesday's performance format."

"Okay." Lin Li caught the juggling balls and began trying to juggle.

His first attempt predictably failed—couldn't keep even three balls in cycle.

Mind you, Wang Yuezhi had already reached four-ball Great Perfection, nearly glimpsing into the five-ball realm.

In the clown world, skill reigns supreme—

"Teach me your tricks! Master!" Lin Li sincerely pleaded.

"I'll do it, Lin Li. Remember, juggling balls shouldn't be viewed as a mere trick—they should enchant the audience to forget to breathe," Wang Yuezhi said as he started teaching, his tone shifting, "Your red nose is your third eye. Align the throws along the parabola, let your nose sense the balls' trajectory.

Your hands must be nimble. While learning, silently recite the chant in your heart: catch, throw, catch, throw—left, right, left, right!"

Saying this, Wang Yuezhi began to demonstrate.

Lin Li's aptitude and control soon kicked in. Within minutes, he was able to keep three balls moving in cycle.

He started practicing juggling while walking.

Wang Yuezhi nodded—such a rival at least had potential and wasn't a complete waste.

But he still felt something was missing.

Being a seasoned clown, he quickly identified the key issue.

"Lin Li, you're doing it wrong." Wang Yuezhi stopped him from continuing practice.

"Hm? What's wrong?" Lin Li caught the balls, humbly inquiring.

"Your expression is wrong." Wang Yuezhi shook his head.

"Expression? What's wrong with my expression? I don't have any expression." There was a mirrored wall in the practice room. Lin Li looked at it, not seeing what was off about his expression.

"No expression is the problem!" Wang Yuezhi sighed in disappointment, "As a clown, how can you be expressionless? An expressionless clown—can you still call that a clown?"

"So what kind of expression should I have?" Lin Li asked.

Wang Yuezhi took the balls from Lin Li and began juggling, his face gradually changing.

Lin Li's eyes gradually widened.

This face was like a fire-punch—how is Wang Yuezhi, you rascal, so skilled at showing that face? And how was he exuding that clownish aura?

What just happened—was it illusion technique?

Lin Li understood Wang Yuezhi's meaning now.

Because with Wang Yuezhi's current expression, Lin Li felt like laughing just watching.

This is the clown's soul...

Terrifying!

"Got it?" Wang Yuezhi asked calmly after stopping.

Lin Li adjusted his face not to laugh, forcing a stern expression and nodded: "I think I got it, let me try."

Taking back the balls, Lin Li started performing.

"What kind of a lousy expression is that? That's not a clown!" After looking a few times, Wang Yuezhi couldn't bear to watch, rubbing his forehead in exasperation.

It was a disgrace to clowns.

Lin Li looked at the mirror; indeed, there was a noticeable gap compared to Wang Yuezhi.

"How should I adjust my features to get the right expression?" Lin Li could only ask.

"No need to focus on adjusting your features consciously. Doing so will just reveal a contrived artisan vibe. The best expression is to adjust your inner self, and let your face adjust on its own—then it's natural, that's a clown," Wang Yuezhi explained, slipping back into that expression.

Effortless mastery.

It seemed he reached the summit.

Lin Li blinked, puzzled: "…How do I adjust my inner self?"

"That's even simpler—playing a role is just playing a role. We need to stop acting and become a clown. To reach that, just recall some heartbreaking moments in your mind," Wang Yuezhi shared his secret.

"Heartbreaking moments? How so?" But Lin Li, as always, couldn't understand.

"Just recall some scene of a girl you like rejecting and ignoring you, wouldn't that work?" Wang Yuezhi frowned, further perplexed by Lin Li's question.

Lin Li scratched his head; after a few seconds, he spoke: "No such scene in my memories."

Wang Yuezhi: "?"

"No? How is that possible?"

"Really, I don't have any." Lin Li seemed innocent.

Before high school, the 2D roast chicken world never betrayed him. After high school, the trench system started grooming him. Though Lin Li never succeeded, he also never failed.

As long as he wasn't attacking romance head-on, he could remain undefeated forever.

"Not once?"

"Not once."

Lin Li's demeanor and tone didn't seem staged.

So Wang Yuezhi stared at Lin Li.

—"(;☉_☉)?"

Quiet, I'm thinking.

Thinking.

Thinking TAT.

Crying out loud, crying TAT!

Crying Lin Li, crying your mom crying TAT.