Chapter 386
One Day in the North Star
Chapter 386 A Day in Beixing
"Hey, look! Who's that with Lecturer Jingyi?"
"where is it?"
"I saw it! Judging from the back, it's a man!"
At the Beixing Mind Power Development Academy, some students who were out and about saw Shi Jingyi walking towards the gate.
There was a man with her, which surprised the students. Many people inquired about whether Shi Jingyi had a boyfriend, but to no avail.
The students knew that she wasn't very familiar with the teachers in the college and would leave after class. They never expected to see her leave the college with a man today, which was unprecedented.
"and many more……"
A student stared at the man's retreating figure and suddenly slapped his forehead.
"Isn't that Teacher Guan Tong?!"
"Teacher Guan? Really?"
"It really does seem so. No wonder the figure looked familiar..."
"Professor Guan has returned to the academy??"
The news that Guan Tong had appeared at the academy and left with Shi Jingyi spread quickly.
Many students were excited when they found out. Although Guan Tong's teaching time was not long, it really helped many students and made great progress.
After Guan Tong left the academy, he disappeared without a trace. No one in the academy knew where he went... Now that he has reappeared, it has caused a small sensation.
As for his relationship with Shi Jingyi, not many people discussed it... The students knew they knew each other as early as when Guan Tong was teaching, otherwise he wouldn't have come to substitute for her.
What the students were more curious about was what Guan Tong's appearance meant. Would he come back to teach again?
"Buzz."
In the courtyard, Shi Jingyi glanced at the new messages on her phone and said to Guan Tong beside her, "The first two were from the teachers, and this time it's Dean Zhou Qinfeng, who sent a message asking about your situation... It seems you handled interpersonal relationships quite well during your brief substitute teaching period last year."
"Interpersonal relationships..."
Guan Tong didn't recall "handling" it properly, but he was at least diligent during those months and never arrived late or left early.
"Some teachers asked me if I had any plans to teach this time since I came back." Shi Jingyi asked herself, "Do I?"
Guan Tong shook her head: "No, I have a lot of things to take care of this time."
"You've been so busy. The matter in Sisia has only just ended, right? You were also seriously injured in the battle with Lucifer. Don't you want to take a few days off to rest?"
"I rested for two days after my injury, and now I'm fully recovered."
"..."
Shi Jingyi's phone vibrated again. She put it aside, went into the room, took out two futons, and tossed one to Guan Tong.
“Come, let’s sit down and talk.”
"Oh."
The two sat cross-legged on the futons. Compared to Sisya, the outdoor temperature in Beixing was slightly higher, so they didn't feel cold sitting in the courtyard.
"I'm still 11 points away from breaking the 1000-point mental power limit," Guan Tong asked. "Do you think it's possible to increase it through your method, with intensive training over the next few days?"
Shi Jingyi placed her hands on her knees, closed her eyes, and said, "It's unlikely, but you can try. With your aptitude, you should be able to master 'Condensation' very quickly."
"Which is more difficult, this 'Condensation' technique or the mental martial art you used before?"
"Naturally, it's condensation. Mind-based martial arts only require coordinating the output of mental energy in the exerting parts, while condensation involves the entire body."
"……I see."
He hasn't even mastered Shi Jingyi's two mental martial arts techniques yet. He's tried them a few times in private, but the tricks aren't easy to find.
Shi Jingyi started practicing martial arts at a very young age, and she subconsciously overlooked many details. However, for someone who had never practiced martial arts before, these details could be so difficult that they could cause them to have a mental breakdown.
Shi Jingyi was aware of this, otherwise she wouldn't have suggested that Guan Tong stay for a while so she could teach her step by step, which would make it faster and easier for her to learn.
“I also hope you can break through as soon as possible, then we can have a proper sparring match,” Shi Jingyi said.
She was really looking forward to a full-fledged match with Guan Tong, a chance to make friends through martial arts. As for the others, she wasn't interested; sparring with someone too far behind was pointless.
Guan Tong nodded: "Sure. But there's another reason I'm in a hurry, and that's to restart the Mind Network. Since it can be used to identify parasites, it might also be used to help spore addicts."
"Helping spore addicts?"
"Ah."
He briefly recounted Suzuki's story.
After listening, Shi Jingyi said, "The academy held a meeting regarding spore addicts before. Do you remember when I mentioned that some students went missing after the [Extraterrestrial Parasite] rule ended?"
"Of course I remember. At the time, we thought those students might be addicts who left the academy for the Black Flag Kingdom in order to obtain spores."
"Yes. Sublimated beings are different from ordinary people; they have higher 'resistance' and transform into parasites more slowly. This leaves some addicts stuck in the middle, unable to complete the transformation and suffering from addiction symptoms due to the lack of spores."
"The Suzuki I'm referring to is the latter."
“…Guan Tong, why don’t you go with me when you visit your friend, and see if the mind network can have any effect?”
"That's for the best."
Shi Jingyi's help is definitely a good thing, as it allows her to test Guan Tong's conjectures in advance.
He felt that it would be best if it worked, but if it didn't... then he could only wait until his mental power limit broke through 1000 before trying to use the power of the [Wordless Book] to his advantage.
After the breakthrough, he will definitely be able to put pen to paper on the new page. If he can solve problems such as spore addicts and parasites, he thinks it would be worthwhile to dedicate a whole page to it.
"Oh, by the way," Shi Jingyi suddenly brought up, "Beixing is organizing a group of Ascended Ones to go to France on a mission, did you know?"
“I know, I should be one of them.” Guan Tong finished speaking and then asked, “How did you know? Did the Countermeasures Research Lab extend an invitation to you?”
"No, it's from a previous graduate who said they were questioned and registered as candidates... However, the Fire Thief Cult may not be so easy to deal with."
"I think so too."
Guan Tong felt that although these cultists were crazy, the higher-ups were not mindless brutes; otherwise, they would not have first planned the landing site attack with the parasites and then orchestrated the Soma bombing.
Shi Jingyi said, "The fact that the Fire Thief Cult dared to take responsibility after the explosion means that they were prepared to face Soma's retaliation and sanctions from the United People's Party... The bombing attack may just be part of a big trap, and the United People's Party sending a team to punish them is exactly what they want."
"That's possible, so if I'm going, I need to be prepared first."
"Okay. I'll teach you the method of 'Condensation'. I'll do my best to help you master it before you go to the Dharma Hall."
……
Countermeasures Research Office.
Zhang Minglu sat in front of the computer, the screen displaying a lot of personnel information.
Gao Liangwei asked him to draft a list of people who would be going to France and the United States in the future, because the number of people could not be too large and they had to be selected from the best.
"Li Meng will coordinate and command, and Guan Tong will lead the team; these two are the confirmed pair. Based on this, we should assign Guan Tong some people she knows..."
Zhang Minglu selected the information on "Silver Fox" and "Chen Na" and added them to the list. Both of them had worked on missions with Guan Tong before, and Chen Na had known Guan Tong for a long time, making them a good match for working together.
In addition, Zhang Minglu also found Bai Xuewu's information.
Bai Xuewu is currently in the allied forces of the Black Flag Kingdom, responsible for dealing with the parasites.
However, during this period, the parasites broke into smaller groups and infiltrated the mountains, engaging in guerrilla warfare with the allied forces, which suddenly brought the situation to a standstill.
The Ascended Corps stationed at the front lines often found themselves with nothing to do all day. Rather than continuing to waste time there, it would be better to recall them to participate in the campaign against the Fire-Stealers Cult.
"With Guan Tong and Bai Xuewu, the team now has two top-tier combatants... If we select a few more from the officially trained Ascended Team and a few more from the outstanding graduates of the academy, we'll have enough to form a team."
The goal of this operation was not to eliminate all cult members, but to carry out a decapitation strike against high-ranking officials such as bishops and the pope. Having too many people in the team would actually be inconvenient.
Moreover, this is a joint action by member states of the Federation of Peoples, and the total contribution from each country would be considerable.
Zhang Minglu spent more than two hours finalizing a total of ten candidates, and then contacted Guan Tong.
Video call started.
"Hello, Dr. Zhang."
"Hello Guan Tong, I'd like to discuss some details with you regarding leading the team to France on a mission."
Guan Tong asked, "When will this operation begin? I need to make some preparations and can't go immediately."
“Of course,” Zhang Minglu said. “This is just preliminary planning. Specific actions require coordination among countries, and we won’t rush into anything. At the earliest, we’ll wait until the next rule is released and then see how the rules are implemented before making a decision.”
"That's true."
Guan Tong knew that even the most meticulously planned operation required the cooperation of rules. If the seventeenth rule was unsuitable for humans to go out, then they could only wait until the rule expired before taking action. This was like how the Battle of Red Cliffs wouldn't have gone so smoothly without the help of a favorable east wind.
"The team selection has been preliminarily finalized. You will lead the team, and Li Meng will be in charge of overall command. Among the team members, you know Chen Na and Silver Fox."
"Li Meng? Is that Li Meng, the former head of the Public Security Bureau of Yunhua City?"
"Yes. I know you know him; he has now been transferred to the Countermeasures Research Office."
"That's good."
Guan Tong's several encounters with Li Meng when he was still in Yunhua left him with a very reliable impression.
“As for the other members, we can get to know them later when we have time. We’ll be working together on missions, so at least we should know their names and abilities,” Zhang Minglu said. “However, we don’t plan to reveal your identity.”
"Not making it public?"
"Yes, I will register this operation under your real name, 'Guan Tong.' As for your 'Shadow' identity, even if someone guesses it, we will not admit it."
"...I don't care. If Dr. Zhang thinks it's necessary, then let's do it."
"Then tell me your needs," Zhang Minglu said.
He hadn't forgotten that Guan Tong and the Countermeasures Research Office had a cooperative relationship, not a subordinate one. From the very beginning, when Gao Liangwei contacted Guan Tong, he made it clear that he could set conditions.
"I need items that can store mental energy," Guan Tong said bluntly. "The more, the better."
"You want to accumulate mental power?"
Having experienced the rules of earthquakes, Zhang Minglu naturally understood what Guan Tong's request meant.
"Yes. This operation is not so simple. The higher-ups of the Fire Thief Cult will definitely set a trap, and they may be waiting for us. I will not take the risk lightly without preparing enough mental energy."
“This…no problem. However, while we can provide the container, you’ll probably have to collect your own mental energy.”
During the last earthquake, Beixing was able to mobilize millions of Ascended Beings to send mental energy to Guan Tong because they were doing so to save them.
There is no suitable reason to demand that the Ascended pour their spiritual power into the vessel, even if it is just a flow of spiritual power, as this would raise widespread suspicion.
“I know,” Guan Tong said. “I will find someone to collect it myself; you just need to provide me with containers.”
"Any other needs?"
Upon hearing this, Guan Tong thought for a moment and asked, "Dr. Zhang, is there currently no official treatment for spore addicts?"
"Unfortunately, no. The neurons in the brains of spore addicts are damaged and mutated, which is completely beyond the reach of current human medical technology... Moreover, experts in this field are now devoted to researching advanced technologies provided by extraterrestrial intelligent beings."
"Is that the Digital Life Project?"
"To be precise, it's 'digital memory backup'," Zhang Minglu said. "The realization of a truly meaningful 'digital life' is probably still a very long way off for humanity."
"..."
Guan Tong felt that this matter was not very reliable.
Even if this plan succeeds in the end, can humanity rest easy?
Digital memories also require physical carriers such as large servers. Anything physical is susceptible to destruction… Leaving aside man-made disasters, if the Firebringers were to issue a rule of natural disaster like the previous earthquake, how many servers would be destroyed? Humanity would still have to do everything in its power to protect them.
“Speaking of extraterrestrial intelligent beings…” Zhang Minglu asked hesitantly, “Although no one has seen them, we suspect you must have asked them a question… Out of personal curiosity, the question you asked…”
"That issue only concerns me personally."
"Okay, I understand. I'll go prepare the mental energy container for you now, and I'll contact you again later."
Zhang Minglu knew that Guan Tong meant it was inconvenient to reveal, so he didn't press the matter further.
After hanging up the phone, Guan Tong thought for a moment and then called Xu Xiaotian, who answered quickly.
"Hey, Tong-ge."
"Xiaotian, I'm back in Pinglu. Do you have time to meet up?"
"Okay! Hey you, Xiao Li, I'm going out for a bit. Could you check the supply allocation for these two districts and make sure there are no mistakes?"
Guan Tong listened to Xu Xiaotian's commands with some curiosity; it seemed the kid had been promoted.
The two arranged to meet in the park. After they met, Xu Xiaotian was very happy: "Tong-ge, how have you been lately?"
"I'm fine. How about you? I heard you were directing people on the phone?"
“Uh…” Xu Xiaotian scratched his head, “I was recently promoted and now I’m in charge of the material allocation for three small areas.”
Upon hearing this, Guan Tong looked at him with newfound respect: "Not bad, you have a bright future ahead of you."
"Hey Tong-ge, stop joking with me! You're the one with a bright future! Tong-ge, when did you get back?"
"You just got back yesterday, what's wrong?"
Guan Tong noticed Xu Xiaotian's strange expression, as if something had happened.
Xu Xiaotian said, "Last time, at your birthday party, Tong-ge, I met Chen Na and Sister Wang. Afterwards, Sister Wang called me, sounding like she was complaining, like she had a fight with her daughter."
"Contradiction? What contradiction?"
Guan Tong knew that Wang Yan and Chen Na had always relied on each other and had survived the difficult snow disaster. How could they have a conflict over such a small matter?
"I don't know the specifics either; Sister Wang didn't explain clearly. Why don't you go ask her, Brother Tong? You're quite familiar with Sister Wang; she should be able to tell you."
(End of this chapter)