"And I missed it all," lanted Zhao, the explorer in him montarily overcoming the disciplined professor and soldier. "While you enjoyed a fun and interesting expedition, I was stuck supervising everyone from above."
"You think you've had bad luck with work assignnts since that kid arrived, yet I don't even know if what I do is still work," comnted Wei from where he was reviewing notes for the upcoming theoretical exam. His voice sounded distant, clearly more concerned with his own problems, his fingers nervously tapping against the paper.
"It's not about good or bad luck... Though luck is what Lin had," responded Zhao, shooting her an accusatory look without real malice. "Three molting chambers. It must have been like finding three treasure chests on the sa day."
"Four, actually," Lin corrected. "But they left the fourth already half-looted, probably going straight to the next cave from how insistent I saw Ren being, making them carry more on the last trip."
"Interesting," a voice intervened from the farthest corner of the tent, where a tall figure remained partially in the shadows. "And you say Ren located them all without any prior map?"
Julius, who had remained hidden underground even from the students, advanced slightly. His presence on the expedition was a well-guarded secret from potential spies, part of the "exaggerated" security asures implented after recent incidents.
"As if he had visited them before," confird Lin. "Which should be impossible, but..."
"With that boy, the word 'impossible' seems to lose aning," Zhao completed, leaning back in his chair.
Wei looked up from his notes, his expression worried and perhaps the gleam of madness in his eyes betrayed his scattered mind thanks to his desperation. "I wonder if it would be 'impossible' to have him review the theoretical exam. Although with the little ti left, I don't think I could explain the fundantal principles of universal cultivation to them even if I were given a book that truly explained it."
The comnt revealed the true source of his anxiety. It wasn't the exam he would supervise in just under a month. Rather, it was the possibility that he had been teaching incorrect things all along.
Zhao noticed imdiately. "Have you been able to teach any classes after what Lin told happened? I thought you had decided to give the usual exam for now."
"I've thought about it," admitted Wei with evident frustration. "But every ti I read the questions, I find myself questioning if my outdated ideas are correct. It's as if my entire reality is being questioned by a ten-year-old."
"A ten-year-old genius," Julius corrected distractedly. "And he's not the first prodigy to challenge established knowledge..."
"History was... is different," Wei shook his head, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "Knowledge changes gradually. But he seems to have a complete system, possibly coherent for all beasts and... possibly correct."
The silence that followed was heavy, laden with implications that none could fully understand yet.
"Then why don't you dedicate yourself to verifying if all the information he claims is wrong is actually so and that the new species discovered hasn't just been a fluke... It would be a better use of your ti than worrying and not being productive, I'm going to fire you if you don't work you know? But I'm even willing to subsidize all efforts you make with the boy to correct our kingdom's information that's wrong..." Julius concluded.
Wei looked up, finding a small hope. Zhao nodded, also in agreent with the prince. Lin, on the other hand, looked away, snorted and grimaced, crossing her arms. Julius realized she didn't get along well with Wei, but by not saying anything, she seed to be reluctantly accepting the idea too.
The three n discussed so plans about how they could incentivize Ren to help Wei for a while, their voices rising and falling in the lamp-lit tent.
Finally, Zhao changed the subject. "Anyway, tomorrow I'll observe closely. I don't intend to miss another historic expedition."
"If they decide to do another one," comnted Lin. "They've already obtained seven tis the requirent... Ren might decide he can skip his exercises today and sleep in at the last minute. They could simply rest for the remainder of the expedition."
"Rest?" Zhao let out a laugh. "Ren? The boy who escaped to explore beyond the limit in the first expedition without a decent beast? I don't think so, first..."
Suddenly, a subtle but unmistakable tremor shook the ground beneath them. So slight it might have gone unnoticed if not for the sudden silence that fell over the conversation.
The four exchanged looks, all previous discussion instantly forgotten. The air in the tent seed to grow thicker, charged with tension.
"Was that...?" Wei began, his voice trailing off.
Julius was already standing, his expression transford from interested to alert. "Yes," he confird simply. "And it shouldn't have happened here."
Sothing was moving beneath them, sothing that shouldn't be there.
♢♢♢♢
Monts ago…
The huge black structure that protected them at night was lightly illuminated by lots of cheap mana crystals, their light casting dancing shadows on the boys' obtained skins, which rested carefully arranged on the ground. The extra flickering light from nearby fire pits created an ever-shifting pattern across their makeshift beds.
The camp had a fairly predictable night routine: first basic survival lessons (how to light fires without igneous beasts practically applying i's theoretical classes, identify edible plants and beasts, recognize attack patterns of so nocturnal creatures), then the community dinner, and finally rest in simple but clearly delineated areas...
Boys on one side, girls on the other.
None of the academy's usual comforts were present. There were no soft beds or the possibility of a relaxing bath after an exhausting day. It was part of the training, Zhao had explained: learning to survive with the minimum, learning to adapt.
Of course, Ren's group had elevated their own comfort level. Adapting better.
The shadow stalker skins, normally used exclusively for sale or cultivation, had proven to be excellent insulators. The worst quality ones (those older, with small tears or stains that significantly reduced their value) now covered the floor of their section, creating a surprisingly comfortable surface.
"We should market this when we get back," suggested Min while settling on the skins. "Premium shadow stalker beds, the ultimate luxury for the discerning tar."
"They'd be too expensive," responded Taro, who was ticulously organizing his day's collection. "Nobody would pay what they're really worth just for a bed."
"Speak for yourself," Han yawned, stretching like a satisfied cat. "After sleeping like this out here, I'll never be able to sleep on the ground again."
Ren listened to the conversation with divided attention, his mushrooms pulsing softly while he adjusted his own area. Unlike the others, he had placed his skins in a specific pattern, seemingly random but actually following a configuration that minimized contact with the ground.
"Why have you arranged them like that?" asked Jun, noticing the peculiar arrangent. "It looks like you're creating so kind of ritual circle."
"Better distribution of the upper tips," Ren responded automatically, though his true purpose was more complex. The skins, placed that way, allowed him to better feel the ground's vibrations, as sensing what was beneath him had beco a habit after so much subterranean exploration.
Though there shouldn't be anything beneath them in this area.
Like it ? Give it a power stone！
┻━┻ ︵ヽ(`Д´)ﾉ︵ ┻━┻ - It's free and you help a lot
Have so idea about my story? Comnt it and let know.
Thank you so much for reading!
(∿°○°)∿ ︵ ︵ ︵ ︵ ︵ ǝʌol
User Comments
0 comments from readers