Part 1The Swap

When the results of the second mock exams came out, I, the perpetual valedictorian, was dead last.

Suddenly, a stream of text floated across my vision like a live chat:

[The male lead is so screwed! Everyone around him has activated the Swap System. They're forcibly trading attributes with him.]

[Swapping grades is just the beginning...]

The comments were all lamenting my tragic fate.

Until the next day.

The person who stole my grades suddenly dropped dead.

01

[Congratulations! You have identified the first Swapper!]

[Please identify all hidden Swappers before the SATs. Failure to do so will result in the "Human Swine" penalty.]

[Swappers identified: 1]

[Countdown to SATs: 44 days]

The system's cold notification rang in my head.

I clenched my fists.

Beside me, my desk mate, Caleb, was gossiping with a look of disbelief.

"...They say she was just walking down the street and boom, heart attack. She was perfectly healthy during the last checkup."

Seeing my distracted expression, Caleb lowered his voice.

"But it is weird, right? Sarah from AP Bio was always failing, but this time she got the highest score in the school. And right after that, she drops dead. People are saying she messed with some dark magic or something."

I forced a pale smile.

"There's no such thing as magic. Let the dead rest in peace. Don't spread rumors."

Caleb shut up, looking chagrined.

I lowered my eyes to hide the storm brewing within them.

Three days ago, I was bound to the [Predator System].

The system told me that people around me were bound to the [Swap System].

Each of them has one chance to swap something of mine with theirs, at no cost to themselves.

Grades were just the start. Soon, someone would swap my looks, my family, even my lifespan.

I had to find all the Swappers before the SATs.

Otherwise, everything valuable I possessed would be stolen.

Eventually, even my limbs and eyes would be taken, leaving me a "human swine"—a torso kept alive in agony.

However, any Swapper I correctly identified would die instantly.

Whatever they stole would return to me within two business days.

This was a game of life and death.

At first, I was skeptical.

Until the mock exam scores came out.

I, who always ranked first, was at the bottom.

And Sarah, who always failed, was number one.

So, I didn't hesitate. I opened the system interface.

[Swapper Identity Confirmed: Sarah Jones.]

[She stole your grades.]

Not long after, I heard the news of Sarah's death.

From this, I confirmed two things.