Urban System in America
Chapter 167 - 166: Boring Slices Of Reality

Chapter 167: Chapter 166: Boring Slices Of Reality

Time passed quickly, and soon, the first class of the day began.

A middle-aged professor with gold-rimmed glasses walked in right on time, carrying the kind of aura you’d expect from someone who’d spent thirty years buried in academia. His teaching style was plain, a little monotone—okay, maybe a lot monotone— Straightforward, no-frills, and just about as exciting as reading an instruction manual. But still, the content was solid, and Rex actually found himself learning.But still—credit where it’s due—it was a solid session.

Thanks to his revision over the past few weeks and a little help from the system compressing and re-igniting his blurry memory from that "time-dilated mental bootcamp" dimension—everything was falling into place smoother than expected.

Rex found himself actually following along with ease. Even the parts that had always felt a bit foggy began to click into place. Whenever something didn’t quite make sense, he didn’t hesitate to raise his hand and ask. No ceremony, no shame.

The professor, clearly pleased to have a student engaged enough to ask questions, gave him a long look, then raised a brow with a small smile.

"Welcome back," he said dryly. "Looks like you finally found time to attend class again."

Rex scratched his cheek awkwardly, offering a sheepish smile. "Had something important to deal with."

To his surprise, the professor didn’t press further or embarrass him in front of the class. Instead He just gave a slow nod and added, "You’re an excellent student, Rex. That much is obvious, especially with how diligent you’ve been these past few weeks. I just hope to see you attending regularly from now on."

That was... high praise—especially coming from him.

Around the room, students exchanged looks. A few blinked. A few frowned. A few outright gawked. This particular professor was notorious for being stingy with praise. Even the top scorers like Elara and Daisy barely got more than a nod of acknowledgment, let alone compliments in front of the class.

Naturally, questions started popping into their eyes. Like—

Wait. Rex? Praise? From him?

Is this a dream?

Did the universe glitch?

Why the special treatment?

Why didn’t he get scolded for all those absences?

Wait, did he just dodge punishment completely?!

As Rex sat back down, he could feel the question marks forming above their heads like a cartoon and noticed the curious glances directed his way. He just smiled and shrugged casually.

"Had something urgent come up," he said with an easy smile. I already got leave approved."

People blinked, exchanged looks again, but eventually nodded and reluctantly turned back toward the board. The class was still going on, and Rex clearly wasn’t in the mood to explain further.

Of course... the "approved leave" part? Yeah, that was pure nonsense.

Please.

When had he ever needed permission?

He had the ultimate pass. The golden umbrella. The magic shield that was Uncle Johnson.

Why would he bother with formalities like "leave applications" when nepotism had him wrapped in a warm, invincible blanket of protection?

Smug noises.

The rest of the session passed without a hitch. It was surprisingly productive. He asked a few more questions, jotted some notes, and genuinely felt like he was getting back on track.

Then came the next class.

This time, the professor was one of those serious, old-school academics with a face like he’d been personally offended by modern technology. He did give Rex a quick glance—probably because Rex’s face was just too attention-grabbing—but said nothing and launched straight into the lecture.

Smooth. Efficient. Uneventful.

The rest of the class passed without any surprises. The old professor went on with his usual academic drone, scribbling equations and theories like he was trying to summon ancient knowledge with chalk. Rex nodded along, took notes where necessary, and even elbowed Joe once to ask for clarification—not because he didn’t understand, but just to see Joe flinch. Entertainment during class was a rare commodity.

After that came another subject, another professor, another round of intellectual endurance. By now, Rex’s brain was starting to feel like a slightly overcooked dumpling—still intact, but dangerously close to falling apart.

He glanced around the room mid-lecture. Sophie was half-asleep, chin propped up on her palm. Hannah was doodling something that suspiciously looked like a cursed bunny. Elara, meanwhile, was still taking neat, perfectly aligned notes, flipping pages like a human scanner. And Daisy—well, she sat upright and focused, eyes sharp and alert. Not a single line of explanation escaped her notes. As one of the top students, she took pride in never letting her attention waver, not even a second. No phones, no distractions, no nonsense.

A girl was sneakily watching something suspicious on her phone with one earbud sneakily tucked under her hair. A guy in the back was outright watching a full-on action movie on mute with subtitles, like it was perfectly normal behavior. A couple of students were glued to their group chats, fingers dancing over screens faster than any pen on paper. One girl was even trimming his nails like this was a salon, not a classroom.

And yet—among all this chaos—some were still taking the class seriously.

Outside, the midday sun filtered through the tall classroom windows, spilling soft golden light onto the wooden desks and tiled floor. Dust motes floated lazily in the beams, dancing like tiny fairies in the quiet warmth. The harsh fluorescent glow of ceiling lights was overpowered by this natural calm, giving the room a dreamy, almost otherworldly stillness.

Hushed voices murmured here and there—some students whispering about lunch plans, others sharing memes behind open notebooks—but none of it broke the spell. The only constant rhythm was the steady scrape of chalk on the board and the professor’s low, monotonous voice, like the gentle humming of an old engine that had long accepted its fate.

For a brief moment, everything felt oddly serene.

Rex smiled, thoroughly enjoying this moment of peace.

After spending decades inside the system space—where life was anything but normal—he found himself missing these quiet, boring slices of reality. A dull lecture, chalk on the board, sunlight warming his back... it was strangely comforting. Mundane. Human.

And then the bell rang, shattering the tranquility like a rock through glass.

It was time for Lunch break.

(End of Chapter)

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