Chapter 146 – Red Aurora Seen in Tianjing City
In the Room of Soul Dispersal, a group of researchers of various ages from young to old crowded around Ren, who was sitting on the metal throne of Soul Dispersal. They reported their findings to him.
“Although we have only conducted preliminary tests, we found that after ‘Number 236’ changed, nothing abnormal would occur when other people came into direct contact with it, without any physical separation. All 20 members of the team who discovered ‘Number 236’ are awake, and there are no abnormalities apart from physical weakness and muscle stiffness due to prolonged inactivity.”
“In the emergency test, after the three volunteers put on ‘Number 236’ and slept for 10 minutes, their emotional state improved significantly, and their learning abilities also increased drastically.”
“The three volunteers mentioned that they met a girl who communicated with them in their sleep, but the appearance of the girl each of them saw was different. There are still doubts about whether the girl was born as a result of ‘Number 236’.”
“The anxiety of those who underwent the test was quickly diminished when they were within ten meters of ‘Number 236’. Some of their learning abilities also improved.”
“All of these changes were caused by the ‘strong female warrior’ (the MC of A Strong Warrior Ascends 10,000 Meters) who suddenly appeared in the storage room of Number 236 and put on Number 236.”
The old researcher looked at Ren and asked, “Ren, do you have any idea what the strong female warrior did to Number 236?”
Ren looked at the pointed white hat on the screen and said, “I mentioned previously that Number 236 contains too much negative energy. Such energy also contains another dimension like Reiki, and the hat is merely a projection of energy, which can be contacted but cannot be destroyed. Although I am only looking at it from outside and may not provide the best explanation for what happened, the strong female warrior must have relied on energy from a higher dimension to immerse herself in the negative energy. The match in the dimensionality of energies resulted in the complete transformation of the hat.”
Although the same could not be said with regard to other areas, in terms of Reiki energy, none of the researchers had the qualifications to refute what Ren had said. Until there was another explanation, what Ren said would be deemed temporarily as the conclusion.
One of the researchers asked, “But why did she do this?”
Ren remained silent for a moment and said, “What do you think would happen to Number 236 if the strong female warrior did not appear?”
The researcher replied, “Based on the observations of Mr. Ren and the other investigating Practitioners, after Number 236 devoured the first 20 members of the team who first came into contact with it, it was able to capture the energy it needed to fully activate its negative energy and perfectly emit its power.”
“Although it is impossible to know the details, we can make deductions from the current state of things: Number 236 will make those who wear it fall into a deep slumber, and negatively affect the emotional state of those within ten meters of it. All of these changes are completely detrimental to the human body.”
Ren said, “That would have been an extremely positive ending if that was merely the case. However, the energy of Number 236 is too huge. If its power was allowed to leak uncontrollably, its impact would inevitably become larger in scale and would even surpass all obstacles in its way.”
“It is also very likely to tempt those who saw it to put it on, and thereby cause them to fall into an endless slumber. Or perhaps, it could cause the negative energy to implode within its wearer, thereby allowing the wearer’s strength to multiply uncontrollably. As a result, Number 236 would garner even more negative energy.”
“In simple words, we are not able to contain Number 236. At best, it would simply be a dangerous object, but at worst, a series of disasters would occur,” Ren said emotionlessly.
“However, the emergence of the strong female lead helped us to solve this problem. In contrast, it is much less significant that Number 236 became a useful treasure.”
Ren suddenly arched his waist and coughed twice. He waved his hand to signal that the rest need not worry and said, “… Now, let’s disregard all of our previous views about the strong female warrior and focus only on this incident.”
“She managed to solve this challenging problem and saved 20 Practitioners of Xuan Nation, of which half of them were tier 2 Practitioners. Disregarding her connection with ‘Naisser_Ren’ and whatever motive his team holds, the strong female warrior has not done anything to harm the interests of Xuan Nation, ever since the beginning. And although she is likely to be a Revived Soul, she has also helped us on many occasions.”
“I am not involved in the decision-making process, but based on her actions, I believe that she should belong to ‘someone we should cooperate with’. Of course, I can understand why she broke into our underground base, and for good reason, but such a move still should not be tolerated just because of that.”
“This is my opinion, the strong female warrior has made great accomplishments. As for how she should be treated, it is up to the headquarters. After all, I’m just, cough… just a researcher,” Ren said.
After the discussion of Number 236 ended, the researchers left the Room of Soul Dispersal.
Two researchers who were familiar with each other walked to the toilet. They looked around to ensure that all the toilet stalls were empty, and chatted as they unfastened their belts. One of them said, “Ren seems to favor the female MC.”
The other researcher nodded and agreed, “I also feel that he favors the female MC, and not only that, he seems to have a good impression of ‘Naisser_Ren’.”
“Although he is not involved in the decision-making process, with his identity, the higher-ups would definitely heed his advice. Nonetheless, that is the task of the front-like team, and we would not be involved.”
“But this is also human nature though. After all, ‘Naisser Ren’ may be the only answer to the mystery of the Bloodline. Whether it is for his personal benefit or for the nation, he would want ‘Naisser Ren’ to be on our side.”
After the two researchers left, another person came in. He suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned his head, asking, “Li Dan, what are you doing here? Why did you activate ‘Concealment’?”
Li Dan, who was sitting on the lid of the toilet seat, replied, “It’s nothing, I just heard something interesting.”
Liang De pulled down his pants to pee and came to a sudden realization. He said, “Are you Practicing? I understand that ‘Concealment’ is a third-tier spell, but you can already use it even though you are only a tier two Practitioner. Although it is not perfect yet and you should practice more, only tier two Practitioners who are at least as powerful as I will notice you… Don’t worry, I will not tell the others that you like to Practice in the toilet.”
Liang De pulled up his pants and walked over to Li Dan after washing his hands. He said, “Don’t worry, it’s perfectly normal to have your own hobbies—”
Clap!
The loud clap of two hands slapping each other resonated through the toilet. Li Dan looked up at Liang De and his ice-cold stare met Liang De’s squinted eyes. Li Dan’s hand was raised above his head, keeping another hand away from him.
“Don’t touch my shoulder with your dripping wet hands. Not even if it is dry,” Li Dan chided.
At that moment, Li Dan’s eyebrows jumped momentarily, and at the same time, Ren, who was sitting in the metal seat of Dispersing Souls, coughed once. Amongst the two of them, one was a Practitioner who possessed an intriguing Understanding-type Awakened Ability, while the other was the strongest Practitioner who was just a step away from being one with the heavens.
At the same moment, they found that in the flow of Reiki in the world, there seemed to be something amiss.
——————
“It’s not a serious injury, it would have been sufficient to go to the school hospital…” a helpless Ren Suo lamented to Gu Yueyan.
In the Practice area of the Heavenly Institution of Lianjiang, Ren Suo was treating a slightly chubby year 2 senior high student.
“As an emergency doctor, you should do your best to treat the students,” Gu Yueyan said as she crossed her arms. She said, “I was still wondering how you were so free to eat with Teacher Dong every day. It turns out that you have not been going to work in the school hospital and is a slacker! How could you do that in the Practitioner Institution established by the nation!”
“What do you mean by I do not work? Who do you think treated Xianyu’s hands?” Ren Suo defended.
“Then what are you complaining about? Shouldn’t you treat an injured student? How could you be so unprofessional, are you worthy of your salary?!” Gu Yueyan chided.
Ren Suo felt a surge of anger as he turned his head and glared at Gu Yueyan. He shouted loudly, “Sorry, I was wrong!”
“Huh?” Gu Yueyan uttered. She was so frightened that she stopped in her tracks and even took a step back as she was about to walk away to complain about Ren Suo to her teacher. It seemed to be her first time hearing an adult apologizing so loudly. All of the other students in the Practice area had looked over, and Gu Yueyan quickly said, “Oh, it’s great that you know you made a mistake… After you have treated this big guy, he should leave too.”
The chubby student who was being treated by Ren Suo remained silent as he thought, “Class President, I don’t even know who I owe it to that you talked back to Teacher Ren so indignantly.”
“Where are you going? The lesson is almost over, and it’s time to find her for supper,” Ren Suo said.
After he had treated the chubby student, Ren Suo left the Practice ground.
Ren Suo looked up at the night sky and only the moon could be seen amidst the light pollution. He pressed down on the cap that he was wearing and felt slightly frustrated.
Even though the effect was only “+10% Ability of Understanding”, Ren Suo was still willing to make use of the Prop “Cap of Cultivation and Practice”. The prop had to be attached to a physical hat to take effect and coincidentally, Ren Suo had been wearing a cap the last few days, so he naturally equipped the Prop directly.
However, all of the functions of this hat were passive, which meant that when Ren Suo felt that he should “apologize”, “comfort”, or “be thankful”, the effects would be automatically and passively activated.
Notwithstanding the fact that his conversation ability increased, more importantly was that if Ren Suo was not careful, he would naturally speak about stark truths which he did not wish to divulge and were extremely embarrassing.
“Sigh…”
“Why are you sighing?”
“Because it will be difficult to continue acting like a refined scum in the future… Eh?”
Upon realizing that he was talking to the scornful Gu Yueyan, Ren Suo glanced at her but did not continue to care as he leaned against the wall and continued to play games on his mobile phone.
Gu Yueyan was horrified and said, “You really harbored bad intentions towards Teacher!”
Ren Suo rolled his eyes and said, “Tch, snitch on me to her if you dare.”
Gu Yueyan was angry but could not say anything as she was just a student. Nonetheless, actions spoke louder than words and she also stood at the entrance, waiting for Dong Chengling to come out. She seemed to be intending to eat supper with them while keeping an eye on Ren Suo, a former “refined scum”.
But she seemed a little afraid of Ren Suo and stopped Lin Xianyu when she passed by. Lin Xianyu had intended to head back to her room to take a bath but under the enticement of “it’s my treat”, she obediently agreed to eat supper together with them and was eager to get a free meal.
“Aren’t you two afraid of getting fat from eating supper?” Ren Suo asked with a laugh.
“We will Practice when we go back, and the energy would be used up very quickly anyway! Eating supper is just right!” Gu Yueyan answered immediately.
Lin Xianyu blinked and said. “We?”
Gu Yueyan taunted Ren Suo, saying, “Actually, it should be you who should be worried. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner is fine, but why do you need to eat supper every day? Do you wish to become a middle-aged man with a beer belly who has already turned bald so badly? Well, you don’t look like someone who would Practice when you return home, so it would be better for you if you break this bad habit early.”
Gu Yueyan waited for a counterattack from the “slacker”. She could launch a personal attack on the teacher, but he could not make a personal attack on the student. Gu Yueyan had missed the opportunity previously to record down Ren Suo saying that he was a “refined scum”, but she had now turned on the recording function on her mobile phone, waiting to record down any evidence she could use against that scoundrel “slacker”.
However, the slacker merely stared at his mobile phone and did not say a word.
Gu Yueyan thought, So this guy still feels shame… or maybe he is thinking about a counterargument? I heard that many scums are not able to think of a rebuttal fast enough as their brain is too slow, how embarrassing.
As Gu Yueyan was immersed in her thoughts, Ren Suo said, “You’re right.”
“I won’t eat supper after a few more days,” Ren Suo said.
Eh? Gu Yueyan looked at Ren Suo. She had not expected such a reply and thought, Why was he so straightforward today? Did he finally realize that he is unworthy of staying here with his empty heart?
Ren Suo glanced at the news of “Red Aurora Seen In Tianjing City” on his mobile phone, then turned to look at Dong Chengling, who walked out of the Practice ground at that time.
He said cooly and confidently, “I will pay for your supper for the next few days!”
“You really are plotting something!” said Gu Yueyan, gritting her teeth.
“Does the listener get a share?” an elated Lin Xianyu asked, who was standing at the side.