Chapter 29: Lunchtime Encounter and Insights

As noon approached, the class finally came to an end, and Granny Dou left promptly, without any delay. The extraordinary materials she brought today had been transformed into incense products. Perhaps because the entire class was meant to use them, the incense’s usage time was even shorter than yesterday. However, it was sufficient, as Granny Dou had used instructional materials, recognized as standard classroom consumption.

For the remainder of the day, it was up to us. Granny Dou’s afternoon class was scheduled, but she mentioned that it would be a self-study period, allowing students to meditate on their own. Of course, if anyone wanted more incense, they would have to prepare it themselves, as Granny Dou would focus on teaching. After all, it was her class all day, and she couldn’t afford to neglect her duties. She simply gave students the choice between meditating or learning alchemy.

However, she hoped students would choose to learn alchemy with her. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have taught incense-making, which wasn’t part of the standard curriculum. She had promised that students could keep the products of their own alchemical work, and she would cover the teaching expenses.

Now that class was over, I closed my book with a sense of lingering curiosity. My mind was filled with the names, properties, and applications of the extraordinary materials. I wondered if this knowledge would fade with time. I should review it more often.

It was lunchtime, and having eaten a bun earlier, I was hungry. Perhaps my enhanced metabolism made me hungrier faster. I stood up, habitually checking the magic heart to ensure it was still with me. Even though I could sense it faintly after our resonance, seeing it made me feel more secure.

Walking down the hall, I felt numerous gazes on me, but I paid them no mind. Once I reached the dining hall, I sat in a corner with my standard 3-credit meal. Soon, two people sat across from me—fellow classmates, though I couldn’t recall their names. One of them seemed to be Long Shi’s follower?

Thinking of Long Shi, I realized he was trouble. He dared to target me, thinking I had no temper? Unfortunately, the contract prohibited killing classmates, or I would have devised a way to eliminate him. Even now, I wanted to make him suffer.

Before he became a magic girl, I thought about castrating him. I stared at the two uninvited classmates, wondering if I could extract some information from them or if they had information to share.

“Let’s introduce ourselves. I’m Jin Wu.”

“I’m Wen Lin.”

I looked at them, noting that Jin Wu seemed like Long Shi’s follower, but he didn’t appear overly malicious. I had expected him to be more aggressive, like Long Shi. He was probably gathering information for Long Shi. I thought all of Long Shi’s associates were alike.

“Ren,” I introduced myself, as I hadn’t formally done so before and had no connection with them. “What can I do for you?”

“We have some questions. Is it certain that resonating with the magic heart will change you this way?”

“I don’t know. I was asleep during the resonance, and when I woke up, I was like this. Instead of asking me, you should ask Qieluo.”

“That’s not right. You’ve experienced it firsthand. We just want to know… are you still male?”

“Yes, just my hair is longer. There are no other changes.” I explained, “Is that what you came to ask?”

“Not exactly. We were hoping to learn from your experience. How can we meditate quickly?”

“Don’t overthink it. Your minds are too complicated.” I replied simply, “And the incense—it’s the most effective tool for meditation.”

“Is that all you know? Can’t you share more?”

“Let’s be straightforward. As men, we should help each other, right?”

“Do you think I’m lying? I don’t have the time. Stay in the incense’s effect all day, and anyone with some talent can meditate. That’s what a senior taught me about incense. Instead of wasting time with me, try to earn or borrow credits. The academy offers low-interest loans up to 10,000 credits.” I finished my last bite of meat, “I think you’re with Long Shi, right? Following him should keep you in credits, shouldn’t it?”

“I suppose so. But he has no future, obsessed with strength. He’s been collecting protection money from other classes. Last night, he was beaten by a senior, and he’s still fuming today.”

“Oh?” I smiled, surprised. “And he’s still collecting protection money?”

“Why not? It’s easy money. He won’t quit just because of one setback.”

“He’s brave, not afraid of making enemies, or does he think strength can solve everything?”

“Isn’t that how it is? With enough strength, you can suppress anyone.”

“Long Shi told you that?”

“Yes.”

The conversation gave me a glimpse into Long Shi’s world, but was it truly like that? In any civilization, there’s no world where strength alone rules. Strength is just a means. Relying solely on strength to suppress everything is a path to self-destruction.

“There’s nothing more to say. I’ll just give you a warning: try wearing women’s clothes. If you can’t handle it, think about how to survive in the s*ave army.”

“What do you mean by that!” They were confused and angry.

“Being angry won’t change anything. Once you resonate with the magic heart, there’s no going back. You think you’re still playing? You’re not just men anymore, and you haven’t realized that. You’re like those three who died yesterday—at least they’re at peace. Or are you afraid of death? If you yield to death, why not show it?”

I lost interest in their conversation. They probably didn’t have much useful information, just gossip. I wasn’t interested. Besides, they hadn’t accepted reality. When they said we were all men, I knew we weren’t on the same path. I had no desire to continue our conversation.