Chapter 252: Astonished Resolve
Chapter 252: Astonished Resolve
At half past six, Chen Chuan changed into a trench coat, picked up the Xuejun Blade, and left the dormitory. He boarded a tram at the orbital station.
At this hour, the tram was still relatively empty as most corporate employees worked until eleven or twelve. It was still early for the evening rush hour.
He glanced around through the Boundary Token, observing the bustling sounds, vibrant lights, and colorful advertisements flooding his senses. Despite spending quite a few days in the Central City, he had only scratched the surface. The hidden depths remained untouched, and he knew he needed more time to explore them.
Recently, he had been chatting with Wu Bei, and now he understood that these lights and shadows also required resources through the Nexus to be displayed. The amount of resources invested determined the visual effect, and many people competed for these resources.
It was similar to his first day at the Wu Yi Academy during the holidays when he was the only student there and could enjoy many resources due to his newcomer status.
However, the Wu Yi Academy had active conscious entities, and such resources should be sufficient for all students to use freely. He also felt that the boundary between reality and illusion was incredibly blurred when observing Hong Fu, possibly indicating a more advanced application. Wu Bei couldn't quite explain this phenomenon either.
At seven o'clock, Chen Chuan got off the tram at a station and began walking. The location Wu Teacher mentioned was quite remote, with no direct transportation, so it took him half an hour to get there on foot.
Along the way, he noticed almost no residential areas, not even gang members. The roads were uneven, with broken pieces and potholes, and the ditches were filled with sewage. Weeds and stones were everywhere, and occasionally, he saw fires with vagrants huddled around them, and stray dogs roamed nearby.
At half past seven, Chen Chuan saw the small hill he had spotted on the map, with a two-story wooden house on top. The house was illuminated, but no one seemed to be around.
Chen Chuan followed a path almost entirely covered by weeds, leading to the hill. Along the way, he saw many houses that appeared to have been knocked down or blasted, and as he approached, his Second Self exhibited signs of Dematerialization.
He glanced at it but kept walking until he reached the hill. Only then did he approach the wooden house. The door opened from the inside.
Wu Teacher stood inside, smiling warmly. "Chen, please come in. I've been waiting for you for a long time." As the door opened, the light from the small house behind him illuminated the cold, dark night. His smile was sincere and inviting.
"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting, Teacher," Chen Chuan apologized.
"No, you're very punctual," Wu Teacher said with a sigh. "Perhaps my skills are lacking, and I can't teach a student like you." He stepped aside and gestured, "Please come in."
Chen Chuan nodded and entered. The room was neatly arranged, with a long table in the center holding a teapot and five chairs on either side.
Wu Teacher closed the door and said, "Please sit anywhere." He poured a cup of steaming tea and offered it to Chen Chuan, saying, "I apologize for calling you here so late. School starts in a few days, and I didn't want to face too many people to avoid any regrets."
Chen Chuan didn't sit down but instead went to the window. From there, he could see the colorful and dazzling night view of the Central City.
Wu Teacher said, "This place used to have a beautiful view. I lived in those demolished houses down the hill for many years. Did you see them when you came here?"
"Later, a company came and said they were going to develop this area. Everyone was driven out. I remember it was still dark, and it was a very cold morning. Our family was forced out by a group of armed security guards with guns. They said the ownership of this area and its assets had changed, and we had one hour to leave."
"I was very young then. I asked my father what would happen to this place. He said it would be like other parts of the city, with tall and beautiful buildings. I asked if we could live there, but my father just held me tightly..."
Wu Teacher paused and sighed. "He left me when I was ten years old. That's when I realized he was the tallest building."
Chen Chuan looked down at the darkness below the hill and asked, "Why is there nothing here now?"
"Because the company abandoned the plan for some reason, and this land has been neglected for many years. It's quite ironic that we couldn't return either."
Wu Teacher gestured to the side, "Look, this was their advertisement."
Chen Chuan turned and saw a long promotional poster on the wall. Against a backdrop of blue skies and white clouds, a series of towering, majestic buildings were meticulously arranged, with a rainbow crossing through them at the golden ratio point.
The painting was beautiful and captivating, but when he thought of the current reality outside, it felt like a cruel irony. In the lower right corner of the painting was a familiar symbol—a blooming Ink Orchid.
He stared at it for a while, wondering if the Ink Orchid Company had wanted this land...
"Chen," Wu Teacher said with a smile, "I noticed your communication avatar is still blank. You might be a pragmatist, but don't underestimate this..."
He pointed, "A good avatar gives a good impression and reflects your preferences and personality. It's best to choose one. In the future, when you interact with others, it can make a significant difference in how they perceive you."
Chen Chuan glanced at him. If he didn't know that this teacher had been deceiving him from the start, he might have believed that he was a truly benevolent mentor.
But now, even these actions might not be an act. After all, people are complex. Perhaps this teacher had experienced something in his past, leading him to have different choices in his heart.
"Thank you for the reminder, Teacher. I will," Chen Chuan replied.
Teacher Wu smiled and said, "Why aren't you drinking the tea, Chen?"
"It's still a bit hot. I'll wait for it to cool down a bit," Chen Chuan said.
"You probably don't drink tea often, do you? If you drink it regularly, you'd know that tea is best enjoyed hot."
"It's just a personal preference," Chen Chuan replied.
Teacher Wu smiled again, then sighed, "Ever since you came, I can't help but talk too much. It's probably a bad habit I picked up from teaching. I always like to preach and chat with my students. Seems like it's a habit I can't shake."
"I've seen the list you gave me, Teacher. You've had many students, and they all speak highly of you. It seems you've always been a dedicated teacher, and your students like you a lot."
"That's all in the past," Teacher Wu said with a bitter smile, shaking his head. "What's the point of teaching so many students if it doesn't lead to anything? Their futures are limited. They might die in a gang conflict, leaving behind siblings to support. Or they might break their spines in the arena and spend the rest of their lives selling their organs to survive, until there's nothing left to sell."
"Or, if we think positively, they might become security guards or mercenaries for security companies. But when they retire, burdened with injuries, they find out they owe the company money because they used implants that didn't belong to them. At least, at that time, they still had some value left."
He sighed, "They all have such bleak futures."
"So, Teacher, is your Empty Practice Technique meant to change all this?" Chen Chuan asked.
Teacher Wu, who had been immersed in his thoughts, snapped out of his reverie at Chen Chuan's question. His entire mood shifted suddenly, as if the previous conversation had never happened.
Slowly, he turned to face Chen Chuan and said, "Yes, but I haven't been able to fully complete it. I need talented students to validate it, many talented students."
"Isn't teaching so many students enough?"
Teacher Wu replied with regret, "I've tried. Most people are ordinary. Talented individuals are rare. So far, I've only encountered three, but they all got stuck at the final step. Until now, no one has been able to take that last step and perfect the technique."
After hearing this, Chen Chuan said, "I looked at the materials you sent me, Teacher. Those techniques can stimulate the brain and nerves, which ordinary people might find difficult. But if one isn't naturally talented, especially with an unstable foundation, once they lose control, it might interfere with normal physiological functions. You, as a teacher, should be aware of this, right?"
"Yes," Teacher Wu nodded. "I know."
Chen Chuan looked at him, "What about those students now?"
A strange light flashed in Teacher Wu's eyes as he glanced behind Chen Chuan. "They're right there in the cabinet behind you. They've been with me all along. They were good students, and I won't abandon them. They'll follow me until I succeed."
He looked at Chen Chuan and said, "I can feel that the final step is not far away. I was hoping to find a student like you, Chen. You came here to the center city as an ordinary student, which proves your exceptional talent. Your foundation seems solid. If you agree, you can make it all happen."
A faint smile appeared on his face, "But why aren't you willing?"
"I'm curious," Chen Chuan said, "If I don't agree, how will you make me take that final step?"
Teacher Wu smiled and said, "Chen, even if you're unwilling, your brain is still there. I only need your brain. With specific equipment and drugs to maintain its activity, we can stimulate it and establish a simulated observation to find the right path."
"So, there's a company or someone from the school backing this project?" Chen Chuan asked, looking directly at Teacher Wu.
Teacher Wu's eyes turned cold. "That's none of your concern, Chen. You just need to make your contribution."
"I feel like I made the right choice initially," Chen Chuan said sincerely. "How can we improve the technique if I associate with a bug like you?"
Teacher Wu's face contorted, and his muscles began to twitch. His entire appearance became exceptionally hideous, and the bones in his body made creaking sounds. The floor beneath him vibrated slightly, and the hanging lamp above started to sway, flickering between brightness and darkness.
Ignoring the danger emanating from Teacher Wu, Chen Chuan slowly raised the Xuejun Sword. Fixing his gaze on Teacher Wu, he said, "Now, I'd like you to guide me with my combat techniques."
With a light flick of his thumb, the scabbard flew out and embedded itself into the wall with a 'thud'. The room was illuminated by a bright, cold light.
...
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(End of Chapter)
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