Although Fox, the physical combat instructor at Almishas Academy’s martial arts department, had never achieved any notable results in teaching, his efficiency in flattery was undeniably impressive enough to earn genuine admiration.
Within less than two hours after leaving Principal Jackfleet’s office together with Instructor Xin, Fox had already contacted the martial arts instructors and students who had participated in the previous return visit to Themis Academy. From these six individuals, Fox managed to extract every detail they knew about Themis Academy’s martial arts department ace student, “Link.”
“Chief Instructor, it seems that old hag Kaelena wasn’t exaggerating. Link from Themis Academy is likely too much for our academy’s bunch of useless fellows to handle! According to Instructor Karl and the others, this guy Link had already reached the peak of the seventh stage last year during our return visit, nearly touching the threshold of the eighth elite level. With such a genius having half a year’s time, breaking through a mere elite-level barrier should be no problem at all!”
“Hmm… you make a valid point,” replied Instructor Xin thoughtfully, nodding his head. Immediately afterward, he unashamedly declared, “Then this time, let Zhang Wen lead the team.”
With Instructor Xin’s decree, Zhang Wen leading the team to Themis Academy was thus firmly decided.
Under the strong orders of Governor Temiso, the news that Almishas Academy would soon embark on an expedition to Themis Academy quickly spread among the academy’s teachers and students. Alongside this news came the furious words Governor Temiso had hurled at Principal Jackfleet.
“I know you have many difficulties. However, this time, I beg you to go to the planet Fira—I have only one demand: you must win! If you win, naturally, the Governor’s Mansion will reward Almishas Academy handsomely. I, Temiso, can also personally guarantee that the participating teachers and students will not be left unrewarded! However, let me make myself perfectly clear: if anyone disgraces us again on Fira, they needn’t bother returning! Kaseres has no need for such useless trash!”
Governor Temiso’s words made his intentions crystal clear. This trip to Fira meant that if Almishas Academy emerged victorious in the competition, everything would be fine—wealth and honor would naturally follow. However, should Almishas fail to outshine Themis Academy, the losers would face severe punishment from Governor Temiso.
The losers wouldn’t merely be expelled from Kaseres City; they might be sent to some remote corner of the planet to perform hard labor. At the very least, they would be expelled from Almishas Academy! As a planetary governor personally appointed by the Emperor, Temiso indeed had the authority to do so.
For an imperial citizen for whom honor was more valuable than life itself, having such a stain on one’s record would darken their entire future irreparably.
Under Governor Temiso’s immense pressure, not only did Zhang Wen’s martial arts department fail to find even one additional willing participant, but even Almishas Academy’s traditionally dominant psychic arts department suddenly became unusually quiet.
After all, the psychic arts students who had attended the Governor’s Mansion banquet had seen firsthand just how formidable that girl Selene from Themis Academy truly was.
Even Luther, Almishas Academy’s once-in-thirty-years genius, had been knocked flying by her, nearly suffering incurable aftereffects. Who among the other psychic arts students at Almishas dared to claim they could defeat such a monster? Even if five of them ganged up on her, they would likely still end up defeated one by one!
Within a mere day, the teachers and students of Almishas Academy had sunk into a state of despairing pessimism. Everyone could clearly see that this visit to Themis Academy was essentially a one-way ticket with no return. Those boarding the spaceship to Fira were, in effect, already halfway out of Almishas Academy.
As a result, even the psychic arts department, led personally by the head instructor Kaelena, barely managed to recruit enough members this time. In the end, Kaelena had to gather all the psychic arts students together and berate them all furiously before finally scraping together a team of five students.
In comparison, Zhang Wen’s martial arts department was surprisingly quick in finalizing their lineup. After all, Zhang Wen had no intention of recruiting any new members. The names on Zhang Wen’s team list were still the same three students who attended his combat class: Amelis, Zax, and Cloud.
However, since Zhang Wen had a total of five spots available for the “seven-day free trip to Fira,” and since being Xiao Xi’s “temporary guardian” was a direct order from Governor Temiso, it meant that Xiao Xi’s participation in the trip to Fira was essentially a direct command from Governor Temiso. Thus, Zhang Wen naturally saw no reason to waste a spot or foolishly pay for Xiao Xi’s accommodation and meals during her trip.
Therefore, with Zhang Wen’s recommendation, Xiao Xi quickly became an “alternate member” of Almishas Academy’s martial arts delegation.
Although he has never achieved remarkable results in teaching, the efficiency of Instructor Fox from the Physical Arts Department of Almicus Academy in flattery is truly something that makes people have to give a thumbs up and say “impressive.” Within less than two hours after leaving Principal Jackfleet’s office with Instructor Xin, Instructor Fox had already contacted the instructors and students from the Physical Arts Department who had visited Themis Academy last year and gathered everything they knew about Themis Academy’s ace student, “Link,” from the mouths of those six individuals.
“Chief Instructor, it seems that old hag Catherina was right. Themis Academy’s Link is someone our academy’s so-called talents probably can’t handle! According to Instructor Karl and those students, this guy named Link had already reached the peak of the seventh rank and was on the verge of breaking into the elite eighth rank during our visit last year. With such a genius, breaking through the elite barrier in just over half a year shouldn’t be a problem, right?”
“Hmm… You make a good point,” Instructor Xin nodded thoughtfully, then without a hint of shame, added, “Then let Zhang Wen lead the team this time.”
With Instructor Xin’s decree, Zhang Wen leading the team to Themis Academy was set in stone.
Under the strict orders of Governor Temiso, the news that the academy would soon embark on an expedition to Themis Academy quickly spread among the faculty and students of Almicus Academy. Along with it spread the harsh words Governor Temiso had thrown at Principal Jackfleet in anger.
“I know you have many difficulties. However, this time I ask you to go to Fila Planet, and my demand is simple: you must win! As long as you win, the rewards from the Governor’s Office to Almicus Academy will naturally follow, and I, Temiso, can guarantee that the participating teachers and students will not go unrewarded! But let me be clear! If anyone goes to Fila Planet and embarrasses us again, they need not return! Casares does not need such trash!”
Governor Temiso’s words made his intentions very clear. If Almicus Academy achieves a great victory in the competition on Fila Planet, everything will be fine, and both money and honor will flow in. However, if Almicus Academy fails to surpass Themis Academy, those who lose will face severe punishment from Governor Temiso.
The losers might not be directly expelled from Casares City, but they could be sent to some remote corner of the planet to do hard labor, or at the very least, be kicked out of Almicus Academy! As the planet’s governor personally appointed by the Emperor, Temiso indeed has such authority.
And for an Imperial citizen who values honor more than life, having such a disgraceful mark added to their record would undoubtedly cast a dark shadow over their life!
Under the heavy pressure from Governor Temiso, not only could Zhang Wen’s Physical Arts Department not find an additional willing participant, but even the usually dominant Mental Arts Department of Almicus Academy suddenly fell silent.
After all, the students from the Mental Arts Department who attended the Governor’s banquet had seen firsthand just how formidable Themis Academy’s Selene was.
Even Almicus Academy’s once-in-thirty-years genius, Luther, was sent flying by her, nearly suffering irreparable damage. Who among the other students of Almicus Academy’s Mental Arts Department would dare claim they could defeat such a monster? Even if five of them took turns fighting her, they would likely end up defeated one by one!
Within just one day, the faculty and students of Almicus Academy had fallen into a state of despair and pessimism. Everyone could clearly see that this visit to Themis Academy was essentially a one-way ticket with no return. Those boarding the ship to Fila Planet were already halfway out of Almicus Academy.
As a result, even the Mental Arts Department, led by Chief Instructor Catherina herself, almost failed to gather enough participants this time. In the end, Catherina had to summon all the Mental Arts students together and berate them harshly before finally managing to assemble a team of five students for the visit.
In contrast, Zhang Wen’s Physical Arts Department finalized their lineup much faster. After all, Zhang Wen had no intention of finding new members. The names on Zhang Wen’s team list remained the same three who attended his combat class: Amilis, Zack, and Cloud.
However, since Zhang Wen had a total of five spots for the “Fila Planet Free Seven-Day Tour,” and being Xiaoxi’s “temporary guardian” was a direct order from Governor Temiso, it was essentially Temiso’s command that Xiaoxi accompany Zhang Wen to Fila Planet. Thus, Zhang Wen naturally didn’t need to waste a spot and foolishly pay for Xiaoxi’s accommodation and meals during the trip.
Therefore, upon Zhang Wen’s recommendation, Xiaoxi quickly became a “substitute member” of Almicus Academy’s Physical Arts Department delegation.
Whether by pure coincidence or deliberate arrangement by Governor Temiso, the departure date for Almicus Academy’s delegation and the Kemel Arena’s revenge squad was set for the same day. Moreover, both groups were to board the same ship. Regardless, Zhang Wen was quite satisfied with this outcome, as it saved him a lot of trouble.
Thus, on the fifth day after the Almicus-Themis Survival Competition was decided to be “postponed,” and the third day after Governor Karayan and the Themis Academy delegation returned to Fila Planet, Zhang Wen boarded the ship to Fila Planet.
Traveling from Casares Planet to Fila Planet on an Imperial civilian ship would take a total of three days.
For Zhang Wen, these three days were both novel and boring. Novel, because it was his first opportunity in two lifetimes to board a spaceship and embark on an interstellar journey; boring, because during the three days and two nights of travel, Zhang Wen encountered nothing particularly interesting. The Imperial people’s extreme lack of entertainment creativity meant they hadn’t even invented simple time-passing games like cards!
While sitting on the ship, Zhang Wen couldn’t help but wonder if he could make a fortune by “inventing” games like poker or mahjong, which encapsulated the essence of Earth’s entertainment.
However, during the last night of his journey, something unexpected happened to Zhang Wen.
At that time, Zhang Wen had just finished giving some guidance to Zack and Cloud. For no particular reason, he suddenly realized that Xiaoxi, his little shadow, hadn’t appeared in front of him for quite some time. Concerned about Xiaoxi’s condition, Zhang Wen decided to check on her in her room.
After knocking on Xiaoxi’s cabin door, Zhang Wen was surprised to find that the person who opened the door wasn’t Xiaoxi herself, but someone he hadn’t seen in a while—Garrett.
Seeing Garrett, Zhang Wen’s first thought was whether he had entered the wrong room.
After confirming the cabin number and realizing it was indeed Xiaoxi’s room, Zhang Wen instinctively closed his eyes for a moment before reopening them. Garrett being in Xiaoxi’s room—was someone slipping hallucinogens into his dinner?
“Instructor Zhang,” Garrett seemed a bit embarrassed.
“Garrett, come quickly! There’s a really strong guy over here! Xiaoxi and I can’t hold on much longer!” At that moment, a girl’s voice came from inside the room.
“Amilis is here too?” Zhang Wen was even more surprised.
“Ah!”
“Ah!” In an instant, both Amilis and Xiaoxi’s voices came from the room, sounding like a mix of screams and laughter.
“Hey! Flat-chested girl, what the hell are you doing…?!” Soon, Xiaoxi rushed out angrily. However, upon seeing Zhang Wen standing opposite Garrett, the red-haired girl’s tone immediately shifted, like a mouse seeing a cat.
“Ah! Instructor Zhang!” Amilis quickly noticed Zhang Wen standing outside the cabin door.
“What are you all doing?” Zhang Wen curiously peered into the cabin. He soon noticed that deep inside Xiaoxi’s room, there were three chairs with semi-circular metal headrests.
Zhang Wen remembered that there was a nearly identical chair in his own cabin. Its design resembled the kind of hairdressing chairs commonly found in Earth’s barber shops. Zhang Wen had even tried sitting in it before. However, at the time, he hadn’t found it particularly useful, and after his curiosity waned, he forgot about it. Only now did he realize that the chair’s function was quite different from what he had imagined.
“What are we doing? Isn’t it obvious? We’re training!” Amilis also pushed the chair aside and stood up with a smile.
“Training?”
“Ah? Instructor Zhang has never seen a ‘Mental Arts Combat Machine’ before? No way!” Zhang Wen’s puzzled expression made Amilis exclaim in surprise.
“Amilis, Instructor Zhang is from the Physical Arts Department. It’s normal for him not to have seen a Mental Arts Combat Machine before,” Garrett glared at Amilis, explaining on Zhang Wen’s behalf.
“You always take Instructor Zhang’s side. Xiaoxi is also specialized in Physical Arts, but she uses the Mental Arts Combat Machine more skillfully than I do,” Amilis muttered softly, making a face at Garrett.
“Alright, alright. Can someone tell me what that thing actually is?” Zhang Wen was never ashamed to ask about things he didn’t understand.
“Hmm… how should I put it? Well… just like how you Physical Arts practitioners have places like the Kemel Arena, the Mental Arts Combat Machine is like a platform for us Mental Arts practitioners to compete,” Amilis thought for a moment before answering.
“So you’re saying you’re competing with other people on the ship?”
“Who knows? Maybe people on the ship, maybe people from some planet in the Empire or the Federation,” Amilis’s answer only deepened Zhang Wen’s confusion.
“Other planets?”
“Ah? Of course!” Amilis nodded matter-of-factly. However, upon seeing Zhang Wen’s bewildered expression, her expression changed.
“In the universe, there are countless Mental Energy nodes that cannot be sensed through ordinary means. These nodes are scattered throughout the cosmos, connected to each other in some unknown way. By stimulating these nodes with special methods, we can allow trace amounts of Mental Energy to travel from one end of the universe to the other in an instant. This is basic knowledge in Mental Arts fundamentals! Instructor Zhang, you can’t possibly not know this, right?!”
“Uh… I really don’t know,” Zhang Wen’s face turned red under the astonished gazes of the three girls. Since arriving in this world, Zhang Wen had never been so thoroughly embarrassed by a question.
I’ll make sure to teach this unruly girl a lesson someday! Noticing the mischievous glint in Amilis’s eyes, Zhang Wen thought resentfully, casting a sly glance at Amilis’s well-rounded backside. He still fondly remembered the sensation from the last time he “punished” this little minx!
“In short, as long as we input Mental Energy into it, the Mental Arts Combat Machine will send out a corresponding Mental Energy signal, which is transmitted through the nodes to other connected Mental Arts Combat Machines. Once the receiving machine gets the signal, it immediately converts it back into Mental Energy. This way, we can compete with any opponent in the world at any time…”
The Cosmic Network!
After hearing Garrett’s thoughtful explanation, Zhang Wen’s mind involuntarily conjured up four golden words that left him in awe.
“Instructor Zhang, Instructor Zhang?” Garrett called out several times before finally snapping Zhang Wen out of his daze.
“Ah! I was just thinking, if you’re just sitting on that thing competing with people, wouldn’t it get boring?” Recalling the rich and varied content of Earth’s internet, Zhang Wen couldn’t help but feel a bit nostalgic.
“Haha! How could it be boring? This is a Federation invention! The things they make are completely different from what we Imperials create!” Amilis laughed carelessly, waving her hands dismissively.
“Oh? Is there really that much of a difference?”
“Of course! If this thing were invented by us Imperials, it would just be two people sitting there dryly, blasting Mental Energy at each other. Although the training effect might be the same, it would definitely be boring as hell. But the things the Federation makes are much more fun! Like this Mental Arts Combat Machine—you can form teams to compete, and it even has a simulation system that can create very realistic images, making it feel like you’re really fighting on a stage.”
Thus, on the fifth day after the decision to “postpone” the Almishas-Themis Survival Competition, and the third day after Governor Karajan and Themis Academy’s delegation returned to Fira, Zhang Wen boarded the spaceship bound for Fira.
A civilian spaceship journey from the planet Casares to Fira would take a total of three days.
For Zhang Wen, these three days were both novel and boring. Novel because it was the first time in his two lifetimes that he had the opportunity to travel aboard a spaceship through space; boring because during the first three days and two nights of the journey, Zhang Wen encountered not a single interesting event. The Empire’s severe lack of entertainment culture meant they hadn’t even invented something as simple as playing cards to pass the time!
While aboard the ship, Zhang Wen several times couldn’t help but think—if he were to “invent” games like poker and mahjong, which embodied Earth’s entertainment essence, and sell them, wouldn’t he immediately become incredibly wealthy?
However, this boring space journey took an unexpected turn on the very last night of Zhang Wen’s trip.
At that time, Zhang Wen had just finished giving Zax and Cloud some instruction. For no particular reason, Zhang Wen suddenly had an impulse and realized he hadn’t seen Xiao Xi, his little shadow, for quite some time. Concerned about Xiao Xi’s situation, Zhang Wen immediately decided to go check on her room.
Knocking on the cabin door of Xiao Xi’s room, Zhang Wen was greatly surprised moments later when the person who came to open the door was not Xiao Xi herself, but Joliet, whom he hadn’t seen in a while.
Seeing Joliet appear, Zhang Wen’s first thought was whether he had mistakenly gone to the wrong room.
After confirming the cabin number and realizing it was indeed Xiao Xi’s room, Zhang Wen instinctively closed his eyes tightly for a moment before reopening them. Joliet actually showed up in Xiao Xi’s room—could it be that someone had slipped hallucinogenic drugs into his dinner?
“Teacher Zhang,” Joliet seemed somewhat embarrassed.
“Joliet, hurry over! Someone really strong came! Xiao Xi and I can barely hold on anymore!” At that moment, a girl’s voice suddenly came from inside the room.
“Amelis is here too?” Zhang Wen became even more puzzled.
“Oh no!”
“Ahh!” Almost immediately, cries that sounded like a mix of screams and laughter came from Amelis and Xiao Xi inside the room.
“Hey! Flat-chested girl, what exactly are you up to…?” Soon after, Xiao Xi shouted furiously as she rushed out. However, upon seeing Zhang Wen standing opposite Joliet, the red-haired girl looked like a mouse seeing a cat, her tone suddenly changing in fear.
“Oh! Teacher Zhang!” Amelis soon noticed Zhang Wen standing outside the cabin door.
Although he has never achieved notable success in teaching, the efficiency of Instructor Fox from the Physical Arts Department at Almicus Academy in flattery is truly commendable, earning him a thumbs-up and a “respect” from everyone. Within two hours of leaving Principal Jackfleet’s office with Instructor Xin, Instructor Fox had already contacted the instructors and students from the Physical Arts Department who had visited Themis Academy last year. From the mouths of these six individuals, he gathered all the information they knew about Themis Academy’s ace student, “Link.”
“Chief Instructor, it seems that old hag Catherina was right. Our academy’s so-called talents are no match for Themis Academy’s Link! According to Instructor Karl and the students, this guy named Link had already reached the peak of the seventh rank and was on the verge of breaking into the elite eighth rank during our visit last year. With such a genius, breaking through the elite barrier in just over half a year should be no problem.”
“Hmm… You make a good point,” Instructor Xin nodded thoughtfully, then shamelessly added, “Then let Zhang Wen lead the team this time.”
With Instructor Xin’s decree, Zhang Wen’s leadership of the team to Themis Academy was set in stone.
The news of the academy’s impending expedition to Themis Academy under the strict orders of Governor Temiso quickly spread among the students and faculty of Almicus Academy. Along with it, the harsh words Governor Temiso had thrown at Principal Jackfleet also circulated.
“I know you have many difficulties. However, this time, when I ask you to go to Planet Fila, my demand is simple: you must win! If you win, the rewards from the Governor’s Office to Almicus Academy will be substantial, and I, Temiso, personally guarantee that the participating teachers and students will not go unrewarded! But let me be clear: if anyone embarrasses us on Planet Fila, they need not return! Kasares has no use for such failures!”
Governor Temiso’s words made his intentions crystal clear. If Almicus Academy achieves a resounding victory on Planet Fila, all will be well, with wealth and honor flowing in. However, if Almicus Academy fails to surpass Themis Academy, those who lose will face severe punishment from Governor Temiso.
The losers might not be directly expelled from Kasares City, but they could be sent to some remote corner of the planet to perform hard labor, or at the very least, be expelled from Almicus Academy! As the planetary governor personally appointed by the Emperor, Temiso indeed has such authority.
For an imperial citizen who values honor above life, having such a disgraceful mark on their record would undoubtedly cast a dark shadow over their life!
Under Governor Temiso’s immense pressure, not only did Zhang Wen’s Physical Arts Department fail to find additional willing participants, but even the usually dominant Mental Arts Department of Almicus Academy suddenly fell silent.
After all, the students from the Mental Arts Department who attended the Governor’s banquet had witnessed firsthand just how formidable Themis Academy’s Selene was.
Even Almicus Academy’s once-in-thirty-years genius, Luther, was sent flying by her, nearly suffering irreparable damage. Who among the other students of Almicus Academy’s Mental Arts Department would dare claim they could defeat such a monster? Even if five of them took her on in a relay, they would likely all end up defeated!
In just one day, the students and faculty of Almicus Academy had plunged into a state of despairing pessimism. Everyone could see clearly that this visit to Themis Academy was essentially a one-way ticket. Those boarding the ship to Planet Fila were already halfway out of Almicus Academy.
As a result, even the Mental Arts Department, led by Chief Instructor Catherina, nearly failed to gather enough participants. In the end, Catherina had to summon all the Mental Arts students, berating them harshly before finally assembling a team of five students for the visit.
In contrast, Zhang Wen’s Physical Arts Department finalized their lineup much more quickly. Zhang Wen had no intention of recruiting new members. The names on his team list remained the same three students who attended his combat classes: Amiris, Zack, and Cloud.
However, since Zhang Wen had five spots for the “Planet Fila Free Seven-Day Tour,” and taking care of Xiao Xi as her “temporary guardian” was a direct order from Governor Temiso, Xiao Xi’s inclusion in the trip to Planet Fila was essentially mandated by the governor. This way, Zhang Wen didn’t have to waste a spot or foolishly pay for Xiao Xi’s accommodation during the trip.
Thus, on Zhang Wen’s recommendation, Xiao Xi quickly became a “substitute member” of Almicus Academy’s Physical Arts Department delegation.
Whether by pure coincidence or Governor Temiso’s deliberate arrangement, the departure date for Almicus Academy’s delegation and the Kaimel Arena’s revenge squad was set for the same day. Moreover, both groups were to board the same ship. Regardless, Zhang Wen was quite satisfied with this outcome, as it saved him a lot of trouble.
Thus, on the fifth day after the Almicus-Themis Survival Competition was “temporarily postponed,” and the third day after Governor Kalayan and the Themis Academy delegation returned to Planet Fila, Zhang Wen boarded the ship to Planet Fila.
Traveling from Planet Kasares to Planet Fila on an imperial civilian ship would take three days.
For Zhang Wen, these three days were both novel and boring. Novel, because it was his first time in both his lives to board a ship and embark on a space journey; boring, because in the first three days and two nights of the trip, Zhang Wen encountered nothing interesting. The empire’s severely lacking entertainment culture hadn’t even invented simple time-killing games like cards!
Sitting on the ship, Zhang Wen couldn’t help but think that if he “invented” games like poker or mahjong, which encapsulated the essence of Earth’s entertainment, and sold them, he might make a fortune.
However, on the last night of this otherwise uneventful space journey, something unexpected happened to Zhang Wen.
At that time, Zhang Wen had just finished instructing Zack and Cloud. For no particular reason, he suddenly realized that Xiao Xi, his little shadow, hadn’t appeared in front of him for quite some time. Concerned about Xiao Xi’s well-being, Zhang Wen decided to check on her in her room.
Knocking on Xiao Xi’s cabin door, Zhang Wen was surprised to find that the person who opened the door wasn’t Xiao Xi herself, but Jaliet, whom he hadn’t seen in a while.
Seeing Jaliet, Zhang Wen’s first thought was that he had entered the wrong room.
After confirming the cabin number and realizing it was indeed Xiao Xi’s room, Zhang Wen instinctively closed his eyes for a moment before reopening them. Jaliet was in Xiao Xi’s room? Had someone slipped a hallucinogen into his dinner?
“Instructor Zhang,” Jaliet seemed a bit embarrassed.
“Jaliet, come quickly! There’s a really strong opponent here! Xiao Xi and I can’t hold out much longer!” A girl’s voice suddenly called out from inside the room.
“Amiris is here too?” Zhang Wen was even more surprised.
“Ah!”
“Ah!” In an instant, both Amiris and Xiao Xi’s voices rang out from the room, sounding like a mix of screams and laughter.
“Hey, flat-chested girl, what are you doing…?!” Soon, Xiao Xi stormed out angrily. However, upon seeing Zhang Wen standing opposite Jaliet, the red-haired girl’s tone immediately shifted, like a mouse seeing a cat.
“Ah! Instructor Zhang!” Amiris quickly noticed Zhang Wen standing outside the cabin door.
“What are you all doing?” Zhang Wen curiously peered into the cabin. He soon noticed three chairs with semi-circular metal hoods arranged in the back of Xiao Xi’s room.
Zhang Wen recalled that there was a nearly identical chair in his own cabin. Its design resembled the kind of hairdressing chairs commonly found in Earth’s barber shops. Zhang Wen had even tried sitting in it once. However, at the time, he hadn’t found any use for it and quickly forgot about it. Only now did he realize that the chair’s purpose was far different from what he had imagined.
“What are we doing? Isn’t it obvious? We’re training!” Amiris pushed the chair aside and stood up with a smile.
“Training?”
“Ah? Instructor Zhang, you’ve never seen a ‘Mental Arts Combat Machine’ before? No way!” Zhang Wen’s puzzled expression made Amiris exclaim in surprise.
“Amiris, Instructor Zhang is from the Physical Arts Department. It’s normal that he hasn’t seen a Mental Arts Combat Machine before,” Jaliet glared at Amiris, explaining on Zhang Wen’s behalf.
“You always take Instructor Zhang’s side. Xiao Xi is also specialized in Physical Arts, but she uses the Mental Arts Combat Machine more skillfully than I do,” Amiris muttered softly, sticking her tongue out at Jaliet.
“Alright, alright. Can someone tell me what that thing is?” Zhang Wen was never ashamed to ask about things he didn’t understand.
“Well… how should I put it? It’s like… just as you Physical Arts practitioners have places like the Kaimel Arena, the Mental Arts Combat Machine is like a platform for us Mental Arts practitioners to compete,” Amiris thought for a moment before answering.
“You mean you’re competing with others on the ship?”
“Who knows? It could be someone on the ship, or someone from some planet in the empire or the federation,” Amiris’s answer only deepened Zhang Wen’s confusion.
“Other planets?”
“Ah? Of course!” Amiris nodded matter-of-factly. However, upon seeing Zhang Wen’s bewildered expression, her expression changed.
“In the universe, there are countless Mental Energy nodes that cannot be sensed through ordinary means. These nodes are scattered throughout the universe, connected to each other in some unknown way. By stimulating these nodes with special methods, we can transmit trace amounts of Mental Energy from one end of the universe to the other in an instant. These are the most basic fundamentals of Mental Arts! Instructor Zhang, you really didn’t know?!”
“Uh… I really didn’t know,” Zhang Wen’s face turned red under the astonished gazes of the three beauties. Since arriving in this world, Zhang Wen had never been so thoroughly embarrassed.
I’ll make sure to teach this unruly girl a lesson someday! Noticing the mischievous glee in Amiris’s eyes, Zhang Wen thought resentfully, casting a sly glance at Amiris’s perky buttocks. He still fondly remembered the sensation from the last time he “punished” her.
“Anyway, as long as we input Mental Energy into it, the Mental Arts Combat Machine will emit a corresponding Mental Energy signal, which is transmitted through the nodes to other connected Mental Arts Combat Machines. Once the opposing machine receives the signal, it immediately converts it back into Mental Energy. This way, we can compete with any opponent in the world at any time…”
The Cosmic Network!
After Jaliet’s thoughtful explanation, Zhang Wen’s mind involuntarily conjured up four golden words that left him in awe.
“Instructor Zhang, Instructor Zhang?” Jaliet called out several times before finally snapping Zhang Wen out of his daze.
“Ah! I was just thinking, if you’re all sitting on this thing competing with others, wouldn’t it be boring?” Recalling the rich and varied content of Earth’s internet, Zhang Wen couldn’t help but feel a bit nostalgic.
“Haha! How could it be? This is a federation invention! The things they make are completely different from what we empire people create!” Amiris laughed heartily, waving her hands dismissively.
“Oh? Is the difference that big?”
“Of course! If this thing were invented by us empire people, it would just be two people sitting there dryly, throwing Mental Energy at each other. Although the training effect would be the same, it would be incredibly boring to use. But the things the federation makes are much more fun! Like this Mental Arts Combat Machine, you can form teams during competitions, and it has a simulation system that can create very realistic images, making it feel like you’re really competing on a stage.”
Zhang Wen remembered that there was almost an identical chair in his own cabin. Its design resembled the kind of reclining chairs commonly seen in Earth’s hair salons. Zhang Wen had even tried sitting on it before. At the time, he hadn’t noticed any particular function for the device, so after his initial curiosity passed, he had forgotten about it. Now, however, he finally realized that the chair’s purpose was quite different from what he had imagined.
“Us? What else could it be? We’re training, of course!” Amelis pushed the chair aside with a grin and stood up.
“Training?”
“Huh? Teacher Zhang has never seen a ‘Psychic Dueling Machine’ before? No way!” Amelis exclaimed in astonishment at Zhang Wen’s puzzled expression.
“Amelis, Teacher Zhang is from the martial arts department. It’s perfectly normal that he’s never seen a Psychic Dueling Machine before,” Joliet shot Amelis a glance and explained on Zhang Wen’s behalf.
“You always take Teacher Zhang’s side. Xiao Xi is also specialized in martial arts, yet she uses the Psychic Dueling Machine more skillfully than me,” Amelis muttered under her breath, making a face at Joliet.
“Okay, okay. Can someone please tell me what exactly this thing is?” Zhang Wen, always unashamed to ask when confronted with the unknown, inquired.
Although he has never achieved notable success in teaching, the efficiency of Instructor Fox from the Physical Arts Department of Almicus Academy in flattery is truly commendable, earning him a thumbs-up and a word of admiration.
Within two hours of leaving Principal Jackfleet’s office with Instructor Xin, Instructor Fox had already contacted the instructors and students from the Physical Arts Department who had visited Themis Academy last year. From the mouths of these six individuals, he gathered all the information they knew about the ace student “Link” from Themis Academy’s Physical Arts Department.
“Chief Instructor, it seems that old hag Catherina was right. Our academy’s so-called talents are no match for Themis Academy’s Link! According to Instructor Carl and those students, this guy Link had already reached the peak of the seventh rank and was on the verge of breaking into the elite eighth rank during our visit last year. With nearly half a year to train, breaking through the elite barrier would be no problem for such a genius.”
“Hmm… You make a good point,” Instructor Xin nodded thoughtfully, then shamelessly added, “Then let Zhang Wen lead the team this time.”
With Instructor Xin’s decree, Zhang Wen’s leadership of the team to Themis Academy was set in stone.
The news of the academy’s impending expedition to Themis Academy under the strict orders of Governor Temiso quickly spread among the faculty and students of Almicus Academy. Along with it, the harsh words Governor Temiso had thrown at Principal Jackfleet in anger also circulated.
“I know you have many difficulties. However, this time, when I ask you to go to Fila Planet, my demand is simple: you must win! As long as you win, the rewards from the Governor’s Office to Almicus Academy will be substantial, and I, Temiso, can guarantee that the participating teachers and students will not go unrewarded! But let me be clear: if anyone embarrasses us again on Fila Planet, they need not return! Kasares has no use for such failures!”
Governor Temiso’s words made his intentions crystal clear. If Almicus Academy achieved a resounding victory in the competition on Fila Planet, everything would be fine, and both wealth and honor would follow. However, if Almicus Academy failed to surpass Themis Academy, those who lost would face severe punishment from Governor Temiso.
The losers might not be directly expelled from Kasares City, but they would likely be sent to some remote corner of the planet to perform hard labor, or at the very least, be kicked out of Almicus Academy! As the planetary governor personally appointed by the Emperor, Temiso indeed had such authority.
For an imperial citizen who values honor more than life, having such a disgraceful mark on their record would undoubtedly cast a dark shadow over their life!
Under Governor Temiso’s immense pressure, not only did Zhang Wen’s Physical Arts Department fail to find an additional willing participant, but even the usually dominant Mental Arts Department of Almicus Academy suddenly fell silent.
After all, the students from the Mental Arts Department who had attended the Governor’s banquet had seen firsthand just how formidable Themis Academy’s Selene was.
Even Almicus Academy’s once-in-thirty-years genius, Luther, had been sent flying by her, nearly suffering incurable aftereffects. Who among the other students of Almicus Academy’s Mental Arts Department would dare claim they could defeat such a monster? Even if five of them took turns fighting her, they would likely all end up defeated!
Within a single day, the faculty and students of Almicus Academy had fallen into a state of despair and pessimism. Everyone could see clearly that this visit to Themis Academy was essentially a one-way ticket. Those who boarded the ship to Fila Planet were already halfway out of Almicus Academy.
As a result, even the Mental Arts Department, led by Chief Instructor Catherina herself, nearly failed to gather enough participants. In the end, Catherina had to summon all the Mental Arts students and berate them fiercely before barely managing to assemble a team of five students for the visit.
In contrast, Zhang Wen’s Physical Arts Department finalized its lineup much more quickly. Zhang Wen himself had no intention of recruiting new members. The names on his team list remained the same three students who attended his combat classes: Amilis, Zacks, and Cloud.
However, since Zhang Wen had a total of five spots for the “Fila Planet Free Seven-Day Tour,” and Governor Temiso had personally ordered him to act as Xiao Xi’s “temporary guardian,” it was essentially the Governor’s directive for Xiao Xi to accompany Zhang Wen to Fila Planet. Thus, Zhang Wen naturally didn’t need to waste a spot or foolishly pay for Xiao Xi’s accommodation and meals during the trip.
Therefore, on Zhang Wen’s recommendation, Xiao Xi quickly became a “substitute member” of Almicus Academy’s Physical Arts Department delegation.
Whether by pure coincidence or Governor Temiso’s deliberate arrangement, the departure date for Almicus Academy’s delegation and the Kemer Arena’s revenge squad was set for the same day. Moreover, both groups were to board the same ship. Regardless, Zhang Wen was quite satisfied with this outcome, as it saved him a lot of trouble.
Thus, on the fifth day after the Almicus-Themis Survival Competition was “postponed,” and the third day after Governor Karayan and the Themis Academy delegation returned to Fila Planet, Zhang Wen boarded the ship bound for Fila Planet.
Traveling from Kasares Planet to Fila Planet on an imperial civilian ship took a total of three days.
For Zhang Wen, these three days were both novel and boring. Novel, because it was the first time in his two lifetimes that he had the opportunity to board a ship and embark on a space journey; boring, because during the first three days and two nights of the trip, Zhang Wen encountered nothing remotely interesting. The imperial people’s severe lack of entertainment creativity meant they hadn’t even invented simple time-passing games like cards!
Sitting on the ship, Zhang Wen couldn’t help but wonder if he could make a fortune by “inventing” games like poker or mahjong, which encapsulated the essence of Earth’s entertainment.
However, during the last night of his journey, something unexpected happened.
At that time, Zhang Wen had just finished giving some guidance to Zacks and Cloud. For no particular reason, he suddenly realized that Xiao Xi, his little shadow, hadn’t been around for quite some time. Concerned about her condition, Zhang Wen decided to check on her in her room.
Knocking on Xiao Xi’s cabin door, Zhang Wen was surprised to find that the person who opened the door wasn’t Xiao Xi herself, but Garit, whom he hadn’t seen in a while.
Seeing Garit, Zhang Wen’s first thought was that he had entered the wrong room.
After confirming the cabin number and realizing it was indeed Xiao Xi’s room, Zhang Wen instinctively closed his eyes for a moment before reopening them. Garit in Xiao Xi’s room? Did someone slip a hallucinogen into my dinner?
“Instructor Zhang,” Garit seemed a bit embarrassed.
“Garit, come quickly! There’s a really strong guy over here! Xiao Xi and I can’t hold out much longer!” A girl’s voice suddenly called out from inside the room.
“Amilis is here too?” Zhang Wen was even more surprised.
“Ah!”
“Ouch!” In an instant, both Amilis and Xiao Xi’s voices rang out, sounding like a mix of screams and laughter.
“Hey, flat-chested girl, what the hell are you doing?!” Soon, Xiao Xi stormed out angrily. However, upon seeing Zhang Wen standing across from Garit, the red-haired girl’s tone shifted like a mouse spotting a cat.
“Ah! Instructor Zhang!” Amilis quickly noticed Zhang Wen standing outside the cabin door.
“What are you all doing?” Zhang Wen curiously peered into the cabin. He soon noticed three chairs with semi-circular metal headrests placed deep inside Xiao Xi’s room.
Zhang Wen recalled that there was a nearly identical chair in his own cabin. Its design resembled the kind of hairdressing chairs commonly found in Earth’s barbershops. Zhang Wen had even tried sitting in it, but at the time, he hadn’t found it particularly useful and had quickly forgotten about it. Only now did he realize that the chair’s purpose was far different from what he had imagined.
“Us? Isn’t it obvious? We’re training!” Amilis pushed the chair aside and stood up with a grin.
“Training?”
“Huh? Instructor Zhang, you’ve never seen a ‘Mental Arts Duel Machine’ before? No way!” Zhang Wen’s puzzled expression made Amilis exclaim in surprise.
“Amilis, Instructor Zhang is from the Physical Arts Department. It’s normal for him not to have seen a Mental Arts Duel Machine before,” Garit shot Amilis a look, explaining on Zhang Wen’s behalf.
“You always take Instructor Zhang’s side. Xiao Xi is also specialized in Physical Arts, yet she uses the Mental Arts Duel Machine more skillfully than I do,” Amilis muttered under her breath, sticking her tongue out at Garit.
“Alright, alright. Can someone tell me what that thing actually is?” Zhang Wen was never ashamed to ask about things he didn’t understand.
“Hmm… How should I put it? Well… Just like how you Physical Arts practitioners have places like the Kemer Arena, the Mental Arts Duel Machine is like a platform for us Mental Arts practitioners to compete,” Amilis thought for a moment before answering.
“So, you’re competing with other people on the ship?”
“Who knows? Maybe it’s people on the ship, or maybe it’s people from some planet in the Empire or the Federation,” Amilis’s response only deepened Zhang Wen’s confusion.
“Other planets?”
“Of course!” Amilis nodded matter-of-factly. But when she saw Zhang Wen’s bewildered expression, her face changed.
“In the universe, there are countless Mental Energy nodes that cannot be sensed through ordinary means. These nodes are scattered throughout the cosmos, connected to each other in some unknown way. By stimulating these nodes with special methods, we can allow trace amounts of Mental Energy to travel from one end of the universe to the other in an instant. This is basic knowledge in Mental Arts! Instructor Zhang, you can’t possibly not know this, can you?!”
“Uh… I really didn’t know,” Zhang Wen’s face turned red under the astonished gazes of the three girls. Since arriving in this world, Zhang Wen had never been so thoroughly embarrassed.
Next time, I’ll make sure to teach this unruly girl a lesson! Noticing the mischievous glee in Amilis’s eyes, Zhang Wen thought resentfully, casting a sly glance at Amilis’s well-endowed figure. He still fondly remembered the sensation from the last time he “punished” her.
“In short, when we input Mental Energy into the machine, the Mental Arts Duel Machine sends out a corresponding Mental Energy signal, which is transmitted through the nodes to other connected machines. The receiving machine then immediately converts the signal back into Mental Energy. This way, we can compete with any opponent in the world at any time…”
The Cosmic Network!
After listening to Garit’s thoughtful explanation, Zhang Wen’s mind involuntarily conjured up four golden words that left him in awe.
“Instructor Zhang? Instructor Zhang?” Garit called out several times before finally snapping Zhang Wen out of his daze.
“Ah! I was just thinking, wouldn’t it be boring if you just sat on that thing and competed with others?” Recalling the rich and varied content of Earth’s internet, Zhang Wen couldn’t help but feel a bit nostalgic.
“Haha! Not at all! This is a Federation invention! What they create is completely different from what we Imperials make!” Amilis laughed carelessly, waving her hand dismissively.
“Oh? Is the difference that big?”
“Of course! If this were an Imperial invention, it would just be two people sitting there dryly, blasting Mental Energy at each other. While the training effect might be the same, it would be incredibly boring to use. But the Federation’s creations are much more fun! For example, this Mental Arts Duel Machine allows team battles, and it has a simulation system that can create realistic images, making it feel like you’re really competing on a stage.”
“So you mean you’re fighting against others on the ship?”
“Who knows? It could be someone on the ship, or maybe someone from some unknown planet in the Empire or the Federation,” Amelis’s answer left Zhang Wen even more confused.
“Other planets?”
“Of course!” Amelis nodded matter-of-factly at first. But when she saw Zhang Wen’s bewildered expression again, her face changed.
“There are countless psychic energy nodes in space that can’t be detected by normal means. These nodes are spread throughout space and connected to each other in some unknown way. So by stimulating these nodes with special methods, we can instantly transmit tiny amounts of psychic energy from one end of the universe to the other. These are the most basic fundamentals of psychic arts! Teacher Zhang, you really don’t know about this?”
“Uh… I really don’t,” Zhang Wen replied, his face turning red under the three girls’ astonished gazes. Since arriving in this world, Zhang Wen had never been caught so embarrassingly unprepared.
Next time I get the chance, I’ll make sure to get back at this little troublemaker! Noticing the mischievous amusement in Amelis’s eyes, Zhang Wen thought resentfully, casting a sly glance at Amelis’s plump, shapely rear. He had always fondly remembered the sensation from the last time he had punished her!
“In short, once we input psychic energy, the Psychic Dueling Machine emits a corresponding psychic signal, which is transmitted through the nodes to the connected Psychic Dueling Machine. Once the opposing machine receives the signal, it immediately converts the signal back into psychic energy. This way, we can challenge opponents anywhere in the world at any time…”
A cosmic network!
After Joliet’s helpful explanation, the four golden characters that came unbidden to Zhang Wen’s mind were “cosmic network.”
“Teacher Zhang, Teacher Zhang?” Joliet struggled for a while before finally snapping Zhang Wen out of his daze.
“Oh! I was just wondering, if you just sit on this thing and fight opponents, wouldn’t it be pretty boring?” Recalling the rich and diverse content of Earth’s internet, Zhang Wen couldn’t help but feel a sense of nostalgia.
“Haha! Not at all! This is an invention from the Federation, you know! Their creations are completely different from ours in the Empire!” Amelis laughed carefreely, waving her hand dismissively.
“Oh? Such a big difference?”
Although he has never achieved any remarkable results in teaching, the efficiency of Instructor Fox from the Physical Arts Department of Almicus Academy in flattery is truly something that makes people have to give a thumbs-up and say “impressive.” Within just two hours after leaving Principal Jackfleet’s office with Instructor Xin, Instructor Fox had already contacted the instructors and students from the Physical Arts Department who had participated in the visit to Themis Academy last year. From the mouths of those six individuals, he managed to gather everything they knew about Themis Academy’s ace student, “Link.”
“Chief Instructor, it seems that old hag Catherina was right. Our academy’s so-called talents probably can’t handle Themis Academy’s Link. According to Instructor Carl and those students, this guy named Link had already reached the peak of the seventh rank and was on the verge of breaking into the elite eighth rank during our visit last year. With nearly half a year since then, breaking through a mere elite barrier shouldn’t be a problem for such a genius.”
“Hmm… You make a good point,” Instructor Xin nodded thoughtfully, then shamelessly added, “Then let Zhang Wen lead the team this time.”
With Instructor Xin’s decree, Zhang Wen’s leadership of the team to Themis Academy was set in stone.
The news that the academy, under the strict orders of Governor Temiso, would soon embark on an expedition to Themis Academy quickly spread among the faculty and students of Almicus Academy. Along with it spread the harsh words Governor Temiso had thrown at Principal Jackfleet in anger.
“I know you have many difficulties. However, this time, when I ask you to go to Planet Fila, my demand is simple: you must win! As long as you win, the rewards from the Governor’s Office to Almicus Academy will naturally follow, and I, Temiso, can guarantee that the participating teachers and students will not go unrewarded! But let me make this clear: if anyone embarrasses us again on Planet Fila, they need not return! Casares has no use for such failures!”
Governor Temiso’s words made his intentions crystal clear. If Almicus Academy achieved a sweeping victory in the competition on Planet Fila, everything would be fine, and both wealth and honor would come pouring in. However, if Almicus Academy failed to surpass Themis Academy, those who lost would face severe punishment from Governor Temiso.
The losers might not be directly expelled from Casares City, but they could be sent to some remote corner of the planet to perform hard labor, or at the very least, be kicked out of Almicus Academy! As the planetary governor personally appointed by the Emperor, Temiso indeed had such authority.
For an imperial citizen who values honor more than life, having such a disgraceful mark added to their record would undoubtedly cast a dark shadow over their life!
Under the immense pressure from Governor Temiso, not only did Zhang Wen’s Physical Arts Department fail to find an additional willing participant, but even the usually dominant Mental Arts Department of Almicus Academy suddenly fell silent.
After all, the students from the Mental Arts Department who had attended the Governor’s banquet had seen firsthand just how formidable Themis Academy’s Selene was.
Even Almicus Academy’s once-in-thirty-years genius, Luther, had been sent flying by her, nearly suffering incurable aftereffects. Who among the other students of Almicus Academy’s Mental Arts Department would dare claim they could defeat such a monster? Even if five of them took turns fighting her, they would likely end up defeated one by one!
Within just a single day, the faculty and students of Almicus Academy had fallen into a state of despair and pessimism. Everyone could clearly see that this visit to Themis Academy was essentially a one-way ticket with no return. Those who boarded the ship to Planet Fila were already halfway out of Almicus Academy.
As a result, the Mental Arts Department, led personally by Chief Instructor Catherina, nearly failed to recruit enough participants this time. In the end, Catherina had to gather all the Mental Arts students together and berate them harshly before finally managing to assemble a team of five students for the visit.
In contrast, Zhang Wen’s Physical Arts Department finalized its lineup much more quickly. Zhang Wen himself had no intention of finding any new members. The names on his team list remained the same three who attended his combat classes: Amiris, Zack, and Cloud.
However, since Zhang Wen had a total of five spots for the “Planet Fila Free Seven-Day Tour,” and being Xiaoxi’s “temporary guardian” was a direct order from Governor Temiso, it was essentially the governor’s directive for Xiaoxi to accompany Zhang Wen to Planet Fila. Thus, Zhang Wen naturally didn’t need to waste a spot or foolishly pay for Xiaoxi’s accommodation during the trip.
Under Zhang Wen’s recommendation, Xiaoxi quickly became a “substitute member” of Almicus Academy’s Physical Arts Department delegation.
Whether by pure coincidence or deliberate arrangement by Governor Temiso, the departure date for Almicus Academy’s delegation and the Kemel Arena’s revenge squad was set for the same day. Moreover, both groups were to board the same ship. Regardless, Zhang Wen was quite satisfied with this outcome, as it saved him a lot of trouble.
Thus, on the fifth day after the Almicus-Themis Survival Competition was “temporarily postponed,” and the third day after Governor Kalayan and the Themis Academy delegation returned to Planet Fila, Zhang Wen boarded the ship to Planet Fila.
Traveling from Planet Casares to Planet Fila on an imperial civilian ship took a total of three days.
For Zhang Wen, these three days were both novel and boring. Novel, because it was the first time in his two lifetimes that he had the opportunity to board a ship and embark on a space journey; boring, because during the first three days and two nights of the trip, Zhang Wen encountered nothing interesting. The empire’s severely lacking entertainment culture hadn’t even invented simple time-killing games like cards!
While sitting on the ship, Zhang Wen couldn’t help but wonder if he could make a fortune by “inventing” games like poker or mahjong, which encapsulated the essence of Earth’s entertainment.
However, on the last night of his stay on the ship, something unexpected happened to Zhang Wen.
At that time, Zhang Wen had just finished giving some guidance to Zack and Cloud. For no particular reason, he suddenly realized that Xiaoxi, his little shadow, hadn’t been around for quite some time. Concerned about her condition, Zhang Wen decided to check on her in her room.
After knocking on Xiaoxi’s cabin door, Zhang Wen was surprised to find that the person who opened the door wasn’t Xiaoxi herself, but Galit, whom he hadn’t seen in a while.
Seeing Galit, Zhang Wen’s first thought was that he had entered the wrong room.
After confirming the cabin number and realizing it was indeed Xiaoxi’s room, Zhang Wen instinctively closed his eyes for a moment before reopening them. Galit was in Xiaoxi’s room? Had someone slipped a hallucinogen into his dinner?
“Instructor Zhang,” Galit seemed a bit embarrassed.
“Galit, come quickly! There’s a really strong opponent here! Xiaoxi and I can’t hold on much longer!” At that moment, a girl’s voice came from inside the room.
“Amiris is here too?” Zhang Wen was even more surprised.
“Ah!”
“Ah!” In an instant, both Amiris and Xiaoxi let out sounds that were somewhere between screams and laughter.
“Hey! Flat-chested girl, what the hell are you doing?!” Soon, Xiaoxi stormed out angrily. However, upon seeing Zhang Wen standing opposite Galit, the red-haired girl’s tone shifted as if she had seen a cat.
“Ah! Instructor Zhang!” Amiris quickly noticed Zhang Wen standing outside the cabin door.
“What are you all doing?” Zhang Wen curiously peered into the cabin. He soon noticed that deep inside Xiaoxi’s room, there were three chairs with semi-circular metal headrests.
Zhang Wen remembered that there was a nearly identical chair in his own cabin. Its design resembled the backrest chairs commonly found in Earth’s hair salons for perming hair. Zhang Wen had even tried sitting in it before. However, at the time, he hadn’t found any use for it, and after his curiosity waned, he had forgotten about it. Only now did he realize that the chair’s function was quite different from what he had imagined.
“What are we doing? Isn’t it obvious? We’re training!” Amiris also pushed her chair aside and stood up with a smile.
“Training?”
“Ah? Instructor Zhang has never seen a ‘Mental Arts Dueling Machine’ before? No way!” Zhang Wen’s puzzled expression made Amiris exclaim in surprise.
“Amiris, Instructor Zhang is from the Physical Arts Department. It’s normal for him not to have seen a Mental Arts Dueling Machine before,” Galit glared at Amiris and explained on Zhang Wen’s behalf.
“You always take Instructor Zhang’s side. Xiaoxi is also specialized in physical arts, yet she uses the Mental Arts Dueling Machine more skillfully than I do,” Amiris muttered under her breath, making a face at Galit.
“Alright, alright. Can someone tell me what that thing actually is?” Zhang Wen was never ashamed to ask about things he didn’t understand.
“Hmm… How should I put it? Well… Just like how you physical artists have places like the Kemel Arena, the Mental Arts Dueling Machine is like a platform for us mental artists to compete against each other,” Amiris thought for a moment before answering.
“So you’re saying you’re competing against other people on the ship?”
“Who knows? It could be people on the ship, or it could be people from some planet in the empire or the federation,” Amiris’s answer left Zhang Wen even more confused.
“Other planets?”
“Ah? Of course!” Amiris nodded as if it were obvious. However, when she saw Zhang Wen’s bewildered expression, her face changed.
“In the universe, there are countless mental energy nodes that cannot be sensed through ordinary means. These nodes are scattered throughout the cosmos and are connected to each other in some unknown way. By stimulating these nodes through special methods, we can allow a tiny amount of mental energy to travel from one end of the universe to the other in an instant. These are the most basic fundamentals in mental arts! Instructor Zhang, you can’t possibly not know this, can you?!”
“Uh… I really didn’t know,” Zhang Wen’s face turned red under the stunned gazes of the three girls. Since arriving in this world, Zhang Wen had never been put on the spot like this.
I’ll make sure to teach this unruly little girl a lesson someday! Noticing the mischievous glee hidden in Amiris’s eyes, Zhang Wen thought resentfully, casting a sly glance at Amiris’s perky buttocks. He still fondly remembered the sensation from the last time he “punished” this little girl!
“Anyway, as long as we input mental energy into it, the Mental Arts Dueling Machine will send out a corresponding mental energy signal, which is transmitted through the nodes to other connected Mental Arts Dueling Machines. Once the opposing machine receives the signal, it immediately converts it back into mental energy. This way, we can compete with any opponent in the world at any time…”
The Cosmic Network!
After listening to Galit’s thoughtful explanation, four golden words involuntarily flashed in Zhang Wen’s mind.
“Instructor Zhang? Instructor Zhang?” Galit called out several times before finally snapping Zhang Wen out of his daze.
“Ah! I was just thinking, wouldn’t it be boring if you just sat on that thing and competed with others?” Recalling the rich and varied content of Earth’s internet, Zhang Wen couldn’t help but feel a bit nostalgic.
“Haha! How could it be boring? This is a federation invention! The things they make are completely different from what we empire folks produce!” Amiris laughed carelessly, waving her hands dismissively.
“Oh? Is the difference that big?”
“Of course! If this thing were invented by us empire folks, it would probably just be two people sitting there dryly, taking turns blasting mental energy at each other. While the training effect might be the same, it would definitely be boring as hell. But the things the federation makes are much more fun! Like this Mental Arts Dueling Machine here—you can form teams to compete, and it has a simulation system that can create very realistic images, making it feel like you’re really fighting on a stage.”
“Oh, by the way! I heard that the Federation is planning to develop a ‘Martial Arts Combat Simulator’ specifically for martial artists. Recently, they even released an ‘experimental version’ within the Psychic Combat Simulator system, seeking feedback from martial artists across the universe! If those Federation folks really succeed in developing it, won’t the Empire’s arenas be in danger? They might even go out of business…”
As soon as the Psychic Combat Simulator was mentioned, Amelis couldn’t help but get excited.
“What exactly is this Psychic Combat Simulator? Isn’t it just basically a super video game? And it’s connected across the entire universe too!” As Amelis rambled on enthusiastically, Zhang Wen felt like he could only look up at the sky in helpless disbelief. He had no idea that such a “super video game” had been right beside him all along. He had even complained about how boring his journey was for three days and nights straight.
Of course, although Zhang Wen found the Psychic Combat Simulator intriguing, he didn’t really agree with Amelis’s idea that the Empire’s arenas might actually close down.
To the people of the Empire, martial arts competitions were like football matches on Earth, an integral part of their lives. The bounty fighters in the arenas were like professional athletes. Even if the Federation did develop psychic equipment that could connect across the universe, it would undoubtedly affect arena revenues, but the impact probably wouldn’t be severe enough to cause serious damage.
It’s like someone building a free basketball court right outside your house, where you can play whenever you want and experience the feeling of being in a real game. But from that day on, would you really stop watching professional matches altogether?
“By the way! I heard that the Federation is planning to develop a ‘Combat Simulator’ for martial artists. They recently added a ‘trial version’ to the system of the Psychic Combat Simulator and are seeking feedback from martial artists across the universe! If those Federation folks really manage to develop it, wouldn’t the Empire’s arenas be in danger? They might even go out of business…” As soon as the topic of the Psychic Combat Simulator came up, Amilis couldn’t contain her excitement.
What’s this Psychic Combat Simulator? It’s essentially a super gaming console! And it’s connected across the entire universe! Listening to Amilis’s enthusiastic explanation, Zhang Wen couldn’t help but feel utterly speechless. Turns out, this “super gaming console” had been right beside him all along, and here he was, complaining about how boring the journey had been for days on end.
Of course, while Zhang Wen found the Psychic Combat Simulators in front of him somewhat intriguing, he didn’t quite agree with Amilis’s view that “the arenas might go out of business.”
For the people of the Empire, martial arts competitions are like sports on Earth—they’ve long become an integral part of their lives. The bounty fighters in the arenas are like professional athletes. If the Federation really develops a universe-connected psychic device, it would certainly impact the arenas’ revenue, but it probably wouldn’t be severe enough to cripple them.
It’s like this: if a free sports field were built near someone’s home, allowing them to play anytime and experience the thrill of being in a match, would that person stop watching professional sports from then on?
“By the way! Speaking of the ‘Combat Simulator,’ I just remembered something!” After rambling excitedly for a while, Amilis suddenly stopped and then put on a rather indignant expression.
“Oh? What did you remember?” Zhang Wen found Amilis’s sudden change in expression quite amusing.
“Come with me!” Amilis was always the type to act on her impulses. Without caring that Calit and Xiao Xi were still nearby, she grabbed Zhang Wen’s arm and dragged him into the room.
“Hey, hey! Amilis, are you sure you’re not mistaken? I’m not a psychic; I can’t use this thing!” Stumbling as Amilis pulled him toward the Psychic Combat Simulators, Zhang Wen looked at the petite beauty in confusion.
“I know! It’s the trial version of the Combat Simulator! The trial version!” Amilis shouted in frustration. But it was clear that Zhang Wen wasn’t the one who had upset her—it was someone else.
“Oh! You’re talking about that guy!” To Zhang Wen’s surprise, after hearing Amilis’s outburst, Calit and Xiao Xi also showed expressions of shared indignation.
“What’s going on?” Before Zhang Wen could even finish his question, the three girls had already pushed him onto one of the Psychic Combat Simulators.
“Mr. Zhang, didn’t I just tell you? Recently, those Federation folks are planning to develop a ‘Combat Simulator,’ so they released a trial version on the Psychic Combat Simulator first,” Amilis explained seriously while she, Calit, and Xiao Xi busily connected various wires from the simulator to Zhang Wen. She even shamelessly removed his shoes and socks, securing his feet on the sensor-covered pedals.
“Ah…” Zhang Wen nodded inexplicably, feeling a sense of absurdity rising within him. Was this… sexual harassment by his own students?
“Since it’s a trial version, the ‘Combat Simulator’ can’t let people use combat energy yet—it’s only for move-based combat. But I think this is perfect for me to play… I mean, to train! So, a couple of days ago, I logged into the trial version to spar with others. At first, it was really fun… I mean, the training went smoothly!” Amilis gritted her teeth as she spoke, still trying to hide the fact that she was treating the Psychic Combat Simulator as a gaming console.
“Ugh! Long Legs, you’re making it too complicated!” Xiao Xi, who had been listening to Amilis ramble for a while without getting to the point, couldn’t help but interject. She sighed and spread her hands toward Zhang Wen. “Let me put it simply, Zhang Wen. This Long Legs here wanted to show off the weird moves you taught her on the trial version and crush a few newbies. But she accidentally ran into a tough opponent and got completely wrecked instead. Now she wants you to help her get revenge! That’s all there is to it.”
“That’s all there is to it?” Zhang Wen glanced at Amilis.
“Well… more or less,” Amilis admitted, nervously fiddling with the hem of her clothes. But then she quickly switched to a coaxing tone. “But Mr. Zhang, if that guy had just beaten me, I wouldn’t have minded. The thing is, he completely trashed all the moves you taught me! How could I not be angry?”
“Is that really why you’re angry?”
“Y-yes,” Amilis replied, though her voice lacked conviction.
“Alright, alright. Zhang Wen, just help Long Legs out. You have no idea how badly she got beaten by that guy. Even though it’s just a trial version, losing in the Combat Simulator comes with serious penalties! And she, in a fit of anger, set the penalty level to the highest… Pfft! Hahaha! I can’t hold it in anymore!” Xiao Xi started off seemingly trying to plead for Amilis, but halfway through, she was already laughing so hard that she collapsed onto Zhang Wen, tears nearly streaming down her face.
“Half an hour! She was tickled on that machine for a full half hour. Long Legs was screaming so dramatically, I almost thought she was going to die laughing! By the time the penalty ended, she was slumped in the chair, her bones practically melted from laughter.”
“Xiao Xi!” Amilis shouted in frustration. “Since you’re bringing it up, I’ll be honest too! You and Calit also got taught a lesson by that guy, laughing until you cried!”
“Huh?!” Xiao Xi’s laughter abruptly stopped.
“There’s more to it?” Zhang Wen turned to Calit.
“Yeah. If you lose on the Psychic Combat Simulator, the usual penalty is to stimulate the parts of the body that make you laugh with psychic energy…” Calit replied, her face slightly red, clearly still embarrassed by the memory of losing and being punished.
“Alright then. If my students have been ‘taken care of’ by someone else, as their teacher, I can’t just ignore it.” Zhang Wen smiled faintly, taking the last psychic energy transmission line from Amilis and attaching it to his arm.
“Oh? What now?” Her sudden change in expression amused Zhang Wen.
“Come with me!” Amelis was always a girl who acted on impulse. Without caring that Garret and Xiaoxi were still around, she grabbed Zhang Wen’s arm and dragged him into the room.
“Hey hey! Amelis, aren’t you mistaken? I’m not a psychic user—I can’t use this thing!” Stumbling along, Zhang Wen was pulled in front of several Psychic Combat Simulators, puzzled by what was happening.
“I know! It’s the experimental version of the Martial Arts Combat Simulator! The experimental version!” Amelis shouted in frustration. Obviously though, her anger wasn’t directed at Zhang Wen, but at someone else entirely.
“Oh! You mean that thing!” Much to Zhang Wen’s surprise, after hearing Amelis’s shout, both Garret and Xiaoxi also showed expressions of shared indignation.
“What’s going on exactly?” Before Zhang Wen could even finish asking, the three girls had already pushed him onto one of the Psychic Combat Simulators.
“Mr. Zhang, didn’t I just tell you? Recently, the Federation guys are trying to develop a ‘Martial Arts Combat Simulator,’ so they put up an experimental version on the Psychic Combat Simulator first.” As Amelis explained seriously to Zhang Wen, she and Garret and Xiaoxi began hurriedly attaching various cables from the simulator to Zhang Wen’s body. She even fearlessly took off his shoes and socks, fastening his feet onto the pedal covered in sensors.
“Ah…” Zhang Wen nodded in confusion, feeling a strange sense of absurdity. It almost felt like he was being sexually harassed by his own female students!
“Because it’s just an experimental version, the Martial Arts Combat Simulator currently doesn’t allow users to fight using battle energy—it only supports technique-based combat. But I think that’s perfect for me to play around on… Ah, no! I mean, to train!” Amelis clenched her teeth as she spoke, not forgetting to try to hide her true intention of treating the Psychic Combat Simulator like a game console.
“Ugh! Tall girl, you’re making this too complicated!” Xiaoxi interrupted impatiently, sighing as she turned to Zhang Wen with her hands spread wide. “To put it simply, Zhang Wen, this tall girl originally wanted to show off those weird moves you taught her on the experimental version and beat up a few newbies. But she accidentally ran into a real opponent and ended up getting utterly crushed. Now she wants you to help her get revenge. That’s all there is to it.”
“That’s really what happened?” Zhang Wen glanced at Amelis.
“Um… more or less,” Amelis mumbled shyly, tugging at her clothes before quickly switching to a coaxing tone. “But Mr. Zhang, if that person had just beaten me, it would’ve been fine. But you won’t believe it—he insulted all those amazing techniques you taught me, saying they were completely worthless! How could I not be angry?”
“Is that really why you’re angry?”
“Rea… really.” Amelis’s answer clearly lacked conviction.
“Alright, alright. Listen, Zhang Wen, just help the tall girl out. You don’t know how badly that guy treated her. Even though it was just the experimental version, losing in martial arts combat still brings serious consequences! And she even stubbornly turned the punishment level all the way up to maximum… Haha! I can’t help it!” Xiaoxi had started off trying to plead for Amelis, but halfway through, she was already laughing so hard she collapsed onto Zhang Wen’s shoulder, almost crying.
“Half an hour! She was tickled nonstop for half an hour on that machine! She screamed so dramatically—I almost thought she was going to die laughing! When the punishment ended, she was lying on the chair like all her bones had melted.”
“Xiaoxi!” Amelis shouted furiously.
“Well then, since you’re bringing it up, I won’t hold back either! You and Garret also got beaten up by that person and laughed so hard tears came out!”
“Eh?!” Xiaoxi’s laughter stopped abruptly.
“There’s that too?” Zhang Wen turned to Garret.
“Yes. Usually, if you lose on the Psychic Combat Simulator, they use this method for punishment—stimulating the parts of your body that make you laugh using psychic energy…” Garret’s face turned slightly red as she answered, clearly still remembering the embarrassment of her own punishment.
“Alright then! Since my students have been treated this way, I, as their teacher, can’t just pretend nothing happened.” Zhang Wen smiled faintly and took the last psychic energy transmission cable from Amelis’s hand, attaching it to his arm.
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