Chapter 252: The Stunned Obsession
Chapter 252: The Stunned Obsession
At 6:30 pm, Chen Chuan changed into a trench coat, picked up the Snow Lady Sword, and left the dormitory. He boarded a tram at the orbital station.
During this time, the tram was still empty, as the company employees usually worked until 11 or 12 pm, and it was still early for the evening rush hour.
Through the Boundary Vessel, he observed the bustling sounds, vibrant lights, and dazzling advertisements flooding his senses. Despite having spent quite a few days in Central City, what he saw was still merely superficial, and the deeper secrets remained untouched. He needed more time to uncover them.
Recently, while chatting with Wu Bei, Chen Chuan learned that these lights and shadows also required resources to be invested through the Boundary Point to be displayed. The amount invested determined the effect presented to the outside world, and this resource was something many people competed for.
It was similar to his first day at Wu Yi Academy during the holiday when he was the only student there, and as a freshman, he could enjoy many resources alone.
However, Wu Yi Academy had active consciousness bodies, and such resources should be sufficient for all students to use freely. He also felt that from Hong Fu, the boundary between reality and illusion seemed extremely blurred, possibly a more advanced application, but Wu Bei couldn't explain the reason behind it.
At 7 pm, Chen Chuan got off the tram at a station. Since the location Wu Lao Shi gave him was quite remote and there was no direct transport, he had to walk for half an hour to get there.
Along the way, he saw almost no residential areas, not even gang members. The road was uneven, with potholes and debris, and ditches filled with sewage. There were only occasional bonfires with vagrants sitting around them and stray dogs wandering nearby.
At 7:30 pm, Chen Chuan saw the small hill he had noticed on the map, along with the two-story wooden house on top of it. Light shone from inside, but no one was approaching.
Chen Chuan followed a path almost covered by weeds leading to the hill. Along the way, he saw many houses that appeared to have been knocked down or blown up. As he reached the hill, his Second Self began to show signs of virtualization.
He glanced at it but didn't stop, continuing forward until he reached the wooden house on the hill. The door opened from the inside.
Wu Lao Shi stood inside the house, smiling warmly. "Chen, come in. I've been waiting for you for a long time." After the door opened, the light from the small house behind him was bright, like a warm color in the midst of the cold, dark night. His smile was also sincere and warm.
Chen Chuan said, "Sorry to have kept you waiting, teacher."
"No, you're punctual," Wu Lao Shi sighed. "Maybe I'm just not capable of teaching a student like you." He stepped aside and said, "Come in."
Chen Chuan nodded and entered. Inside, the room was neatly arranged, with a long table in the center, a teapot on it, and five chairs on either side.
Wu Lao Shi closed the door and said, "Please sit anywhere." He went to pour a cup of steaming tea from the teapot and said, "I'm sorry to call you over so late, but school starts in a few days, and I don't want to face too many people to avoid regrets."
Chen Chuan didn't sit but instead looked out at the view. The location was slightly elevated, and from here, he could see the colorful and dazzling night view of Central City.
Wu Lao Shi said, "This place used to have a great view. Many years ago, I lived in those demolished houses at the foot of the hill. Did you see them when you came here?"
"Later, a company came and said they wanted to develop this area. Everyone was driven out. I remember it was still dark, a very cold morning, and our family was forced out by a group of armed security guards. 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 tall and beautiful buildings would be erected, just like in other parts of the city. I asked my father if we could live there. At that time, my father just hugged me tightly..."
Wu Lao Shi sighed as he spoke. "He left me when I was ten. That's when I realized he was the tallest building."
Chen Chuan looked at the area below the hill, which was shrouded in darkness. "Because, in the end, this matter was dropped. The company abandoned this plan for unknown reasons, leaving this land untouched for many years. We couldn't return, which is quite funny."
Wu Lao Shi gestured to one side with a mocking expression. "Look, that was their advertisement back then."
Chen Chuan turned and saw a long promotional poster on the wall. Under a blue sky with white clouds, a series of tall and majestic buildings were meticulously arranged, and a rainbow passed through them, positioned at the golden ratio.
The painting was beautiful and inspiring, but when compared to the current reality, it felt ironic. In the right corner of the painting was a familiar logo.
It was a blooming Ink Orchid.
He stared at it for a moment. Was it Ink Orchid Corporation that wanted this land back then...
"Chen, I see your communication avatar is still empty," Wu Lao Shi said with a smile. "You might be a pragmatist, but don't underestimate this..."
He pointed with his finger. "A good communication avatar can give a good impression and indirectly express your preferences and personality. It's best to choose one for future interactions; it can increase your likeability."
Chen Chuan glanced at him. If he didn't know that this teacher had been deceiving him from the start, he might have thought of him as a truly good mentor.
But now, these might not be his pretenses either. After all, people are complex. Perhaps this teacher had experienced something in the past, leading him to make different choices.
"Thank you for the reminder, teacher. I will," Chen Chuan replied.
Teacher Wu smiled and said, "Chen, why aren't you drinking the tea?"
"It's still a bit hot. I'll wait for it to cool down a little," 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," Teacher Wu explained.
"It's just my personal preference," Chen Chuan responded.
Teacher Wu smiled again, then sighed, "Chen, ever since you came, I can't help but talk too much. It's probably a bad habit I picked up from teaching students in the past. I always like to lecture and chat with my students. It seems I can't shake this habit."
"I've seen the list you sent me, Teacher Wu. You've had many students, and they all speak highly of you. It seems you've always been a dedicated teacher, and your students adore you," Chen Chuan said.
"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 their future is already set? They might die in a gang conflict, leaving behind siblings to support. Or, they could break their spine in the arena and sell their bodies to survive, until there's nothing left to sell.
Or, if we think positively, they might join a security company as a guard or mercenary. But when they retire, old and injured, they'll be told they owe the company money for the implants they used. At least, at that time, they might still have some residual value."
He sighed, "They hardly have a future."
"So, Teacher Wu, is your Void Practice Technique meant to change all this?" Chen Chuan asked.
Teacher Wu, who had been immersed in some sort of sentiment, suddenly became serious when Chen Chuan mentioned this, as if the topic had never come up before.
He slowly turned around to face Chen Chuan and said, "Yes, unfortunately, I haven't been able to perfect it yet. I need talented students to validate it. I need many gifted students to complete this technique."
"Isn't it enough that you've taught so many students, Teacher Wu?"
Teacher Wu replied with regret, "I've tried. Most people are ordinary. Talented individuals are rare. So far, I've only met three, but they all got stuck at the final step. Until now, no one has been able to cross that threshold and perfect this technique."
After listening to this, Chen Chuan said, "I've seen the materials you sent me, Teacher Wu. Those techniques can stimulate the brain and nerves, which might be difficult for ordinary people.
But if one isn't naturally talented, especially with an unstable foundation, once they lose control, it might disrupt their physiological functions. As a teacher, you 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 looked past Chen Chuan. "They're right behind you, in the cabinet. They've been with me all this time. They were my good students, and I won't abandon them. They'll follow me until they witness my success."
He looked at Chen Chuan, "I can feel that the final step is not far off. I wanted to find you, Chen. Your talent is exceptional, and your foundation seems solid. If you agree, you can make it happen."
A faint smile appeared on his face, "But why won't you agree?"
"I'm curious," Chen Chuan said, "If I don't agree, how will you make me take that final step?"
Teacher Wu smiled, "Chen, even if you don't agree, your brain is still there. I only need your brain. With specific equipment and drugs to maintain its activity, we can perform targeted stimulation and find the right path through simulated observation."
"Equipment?" Chen Chuan stared at him, "So, there's a company or someone from the school backing your project?"
Teacher Wu's gaze turned cold, "That's none of your concern, Chen. You just need to make your contribution."
Chen Chuan sincerely said, "I feel I was right to refuse initially. How can one improve their skills while associating with vermin like you?"
The muscles on Teacher Wu's face twitched and trembled, his expression becoming extremely fierce. A creaking sound came from his body, and the floor beneath him shook slightly. The hanging lamp above swayed, its light flickering.
Ignoring the danger emanating from Teacher Wu, Chen Chuan raised the Snow Lady Sword. He flicked his thumb, and the scabbard flew to the side, embedding itself in the wall with a thud, revealing a gleaming cold light in the room.
...
(End of Chapter)
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