Apocalypse Forecast

Chapter 573 - 480: Finish Today's Tasks Today_1

「Ten minutes later.」

In the lounge, Huai Shi, Uncle Fang, and Raven were present. The ever-curious Fat Horse, with Beelzebub perched on his back, had also come to join the excitement. They were all looking at each other, confused about what had happened.

Horses can't talk, and it seemed that before Raven, Beelzebub had also lost his ability to speak. He just sat there, motionless, pretending to be offline.

Uncle Fang was free to speak his mind. If he had any real opinions or ideas, Huai Shi would definitely listen, sometimes even prioritizing them above his own. But Uncle Fang rarely expressed his views, except to keep Huai Shi out of the kitchen… When it came to this letter of invitation, he had even less to say.

"Young Master, take your time to think. I'm going to make a midnight snack."

And with that, he was gone…

It wasn't that Uncle Fang left the decision entirely to Huai Shi. Instead, he would blindly approve of whatever Huai Shi decided, provided it wasn't too outrageous.

Therefore, the only one left to offer Huai Shi any advice was Raven.

"Why would I suddenly get a letter like this?" Huai Shi scratched his head, unable to fathom the reason, and looked up at Raven. "It doesn't make sense. The Ivory Tower is such a big place; would they really be so short-staffed as to need someone like me and send me a special letter?"

"I think it would be strange if the Ivory Tower *didn't* value you," Raven calmly replied. "Don't forget, the Ivory Tower isn't just the world's leading research institution. It's also one of the few remaining strongholds of the Heavenly Kingdom Genealogy, home to the Path of Dusk and the Road of God Marrow. Why wouldn't they value a rising star from the same genealogy? Moreover, as a prestigious educational institution, why would they let such a promising student like you slip away?"

"That's a good point." Huai Shi pinched his chin and couldn't help but exclaim, "After all, it's not easy to find someone as amazing as me."

"Exactly, exactly." Raven nodded in agreement beside him, suppressing a mischievous grin.

"Huh?" Huai Shi suddenly looked up, surprised by Raven's serious and earnest expression. He hesitantly looked away, only to look up sharply again.

He found Raven's expression had grown even more solemn.

Strange. Huai Shi eyed her suspiciously. "Are you sure you're not behind this?"

Raven blinked, then looked confused. "Why would you think that?"

But Huai Shi's gaze sharpened even more. "Not denying it?" He narrowed his eyes. Then it's really you?

This evil creature that was always plotting to pilfer the allowance of innocent youngsters was at it again!

Raven, growing increasingly helpless, shook her head and sighed. "I'll admit, I did foresee this day, yes, but I have to say…" She paused, then pointed the finger back. "It's mainly your fault."

Huai Shi was astonished. "What? How is it my fault? Is even my breathing wrong?"

"No one's going to bother you for staying home, doing nothing but sucking in cold air and increasing global carbon emissions," Raven shook her head. "Do you have any idea how much face you won for the Astronomical Society on Group Star? Think about it. If someone from the Astronomy Association Asian Strategy Room hadn't leaked the news, how would the Judge card have come into play? Wasn't that to build you up?

And to get into specifics, did your activation of Osiris really fool anyone? They had a lead after checking the list, so why didn't they question you? Wasn't it to protect your secret, consider your feelings, and avoid speaking out proactively?

Since you didn't acknowledge it and stayed quiet, they couldn't openly credit you for this major accomplishment. Besides, you're still very young, having just turned eighteen last month. Promoting you, even if you deserved it, would be problematic—the heads of the Asian Decision Room would probably find it difficult too, right?"

"Are you saying this is the Decision Room's arrangement?" Huai Shi realized. "Arranging for me to go to school?"

"Understand your current identity and your position. It's not about attending school; it's about teaching," Raven corrected him. "You're a Gold Medal fighter for the Astronomical Society, a registered Third Stage Sublimator, an official Disastrous Musician, and an Abyss Kitchen Devil. If you were to be a student, who would even be qualified to teach you?

I guess the Ivory Tower also had a headache over this. Sending you for further study is fine, but you definitely can't be just a student. Otherwise, where would the Jurisdiction Bureau save face?

Once you've completed your stint at the Ivory Tower and returned, your advancement can be arranged quite naturally… Hey, if you ask me, this is a pretty good move."

Halfway through her speech, Raven stopped and instead glanced at Huai Shi's phone, which had just lit up. "There, the call bearing good news has arrived."

It was Chai Fei.

After taking the call, Huai Shi fell silent.

According to what Chai Fei revealed, the Ivory Tower placement was indeed an arrangement by the Jurisdiction Bureau. After all, Huai Shi was still too young; otherwise, none of these arrangements would have been so troublesome.

An eighteen-year-old Inspector was already shocking enough.

If he were promoted to a significant position, his age would make it hard for others to accept. Moreover, he was genuinely too young, lacking experience and even educational credentials.

Right, educational credentials… The Astronomical Society cared about those too. Regardless of how inflated those credentials might be, at least one couldn't be a high school dropout who hadn't even attended college, right?

It wasn't as if there was no place for him if he didn't go to university. Countless Border and Hell observation stations were desperate for headstrong, capable Sublimators who could fight. But to arrange things that way, even if it looked like a promotion, who wouldn't know you were essentially being exiled? That wouldn't do.

In any case, according to Chai Fei, after spending a few years at the Ivory Tower and returning, everything else would be easy to arrange, with plenty of opportunities for advancement.

"Don't worry; your future duties were already adjusted in today's meeting. And guess what? The second-in-command Military Officer of the Nanjing Astronomical Association Branch is due for a transfer in four years! That's right around when you'd finish your studies. What a coincidence, huh?"

Alright, a coincidence. It's really too much of a coincidence.

Frankly, this arrangement was patently obvious, as clear as crystal. It couldn't be said to lack thoroughness, thoughtfulness, or a sense of great responsibility. Even if one were a Husky, they should be able to perceive the organization's profound expectations and trust. And it saved so much trouble.

A golden path was laid at your feet. It was even the version with a conveyor belt—you just needed to stand on it, and you could reach the end by simply lying down...

But for some reason, even with Chai Fei's intentional or unintentional hints over the phone probing Huai Shi's intentions, Huai Shi still hesitated. He didn't give her a clear answer, just said he would think about it a little more. But he didn't specify for how long.

Chai Fei didn't press him to make a decision either, only mentioning that he could call her anytime before September if any issues arose.

The call ended.

Huai Shi lay on the couch, staring blankly at the ceiling. He then looked down at the letter of appointment on the table.

"You really don't want to go?" Raven asked.

Huai Shi shook his head, scratching his messy hair. "I don't know. I'll think about it some more..."

He said nothing further, tossed the letter of appointment on the table, and got up to go back to his room.

He took a shower, brushed his teeth, and lay down in bed. Once he closed his eyes, he decided not to think about this crappy matter and soon fell asleep.

But in the haze between sleep and wakefulness, he couldn't help but open his eyes and look at the phone on the bedside table. He wanted to make a call.

But who to call? What to say? He couldn't figure it out and closed his eyes again.

「One night passed uneventfully.」

「Then another.」

In fact, there wasn't much to say over the following ten-odd days either. No unexpected problems arose.

Huai Shi went through the final sprint before the exams in an ordinary, simple manner, and then the college entrance exam, which he once cared so much about, arrived.

For three consecutive days, he didn't secretly use the Astronomical Society's phone to cheat, nor did he look for answers in the Book of Fate. Huai Shi honestly answered to the best of his ability, although he knew deep down that his results wouldn't be great… merely decent at best.

When he put down his pen and walked out of the exam room into the scorching afternoon sun, he couldn't help but look up at the sun overhead. He let out a long sigh.

In a daze, it felt as if a train thundered past him, carrying something far away. But when he turned around, he saw nothing. Only the afternoon teaching building stood quietly in the dim yellow sunset, and the students flooded towards him like a noisy tide, sweeping him out the door. There was no chance to stay there any longer.

Huai Shi looked back wistfully but didn't see the shadow he was searching for. He couldn't help but sigh.

"Excuse me, student, excuse me..." A reporter with a photographer excitedly approached, having spotted the youth who stood out from the crowd. He extended the microphone towards him. "How do you think you did on the exam?"

"Not bad, I guess." Huai Shi scratched his head and thought for a moment. "I didn't really know any of it, so I just winged it."

Apparently not expecting such an honest answer, the reporter was stunned, then suddenly had a thought. "Were you too nervous?"

"Not really," Huai Shi replied. "Compared to protecting the world, it's no big deal. What I didn't know, I still don't know."

The reporter stood frozen, his expression twitching involuntarily. He couldn't help but laugh. "You're very humorous, student."

"Yeah," Huai Shi laughed too. He studied the reporter in front of him, then suddenly raised his hand and patted the reporter's shoulder seriously. "So, you all need to live good lives, cherish every day!"

Without waiting for the reporter to ask another question, the youth waved his hand and turned away.

The reporter and the photographer looked at each other, baffled by what seemed to be an extreme case of teenage melodrama.

Meanwhile, in the departing crowd, Huai Shi answered a call.

"Hello? Huai Shi, are you done with your exam?" Fu Yi's voice came through the phone. "Want to run a five-stack? Hurry up, or we'll lose our spots!"

"Coming, coming! Today, I'll let you all experience what it means when they say, 'If Heaven hadn't created me, Little Peiqi, then all of history would be like an endless night!'"

After taking the call, Huai Shi grabbed a rental bike and sped off like lightning.

All his recent melancholy had already been tossed into the Sea Trench Prison.

Today's games must be played today. Tomorrow's worries can wait for tomorrow!