novelraw Chapter 162: There are great benefits
Chapter 162: There are great benefits
The reporters looked at each other.
This interview was like squeezing toothpaste from a tube.
But they still refused to give up.
"As an outstanding student of Vermilion Bird Academy, what are your thoughts on this incident?"
Su Zhan looked at the growing crowd of onlookers outside the window, knowing he wouldn't be able to leave without saying something: "I'm grateful for the academy's training, thankful for the Aberrant Purge Division's cooperation, and I hope the victims recover soon."
"What personal gains have you made from this?"
Su Zhan glanced at his watch: "Catching the high-speed train."
In the distance.
The taxi driver honked his horn: "If we don't leave now, you'll miss your train!"
"I should go."Su Zhan felt as if he had received a pardon.
He struggled to move outward while carrying an armful of gifts.
The crowd automatically made way for him, but words of gratitude continued unabated.
The reporters still refused to give up, chasing after him:
"Say a few more words!"
"The citizens are very concerned..."
Until he got into the taxi.
Only after turning the corner did those noisy sounds finally disappear.
The driver wiped his sweat: "Oh my god, these reporters are scarier than aberrations..."
Su Zhan leaned back in his seat and let out a long sigh.
So troublesome...
Sigh, it wouldn't be good to just throw away these gifts.
Or rather... he couldn't discard them so obviously either.
So he could only stuff them into his backpack.
Fortunately, he hadn't brought much luggage—just his weapons and two changes of clothes.
After stuffing these things inside, the backpack became completely full.
The taxi driver glanced at him in the rearview mirror and smiled: "Young man, what good deed did you do? This commotion..."
Su Zhan remained silent.
He just handed another 100 Daxia currency forward.
The taxi driver immediately understood and kept quiet.
...
Behind Vermilion Bird Academy.
Su Zhan stepped through the school gates.
Wang Mingyuan had been waiting here for a long time.
And Xie Xi, Xu Hao, Liu Ziming, and Feng Jue were also there.
Su Zhan nodded to each of them in turn.
"Well, if it isn't our big celebrity returning."
Liu Ziming said with a teasing expression: "You've become famous after just one trip out."
Su Zhan looked puzzled.
"Check your phone."
Wang Mingyuan adjusted his glasses: "Liu Ziming is right, you're quite famous now."
Su Zhan already had a rough idea of what had happened.
He took out his phone.
Opened the trending section of a video app.
[Yun City Daily: Vermilion Bird Academy's genius student cleverly destroys aberrant nest, over twenty imprisoned civilians rescued]
[Awakened Weekly: The hero emerging from the mist—documenting Vermilion Bird Academy's Su Zhan]
[Yun City Television: Exclusive interview with rescued families: "Without him, there would be no rebirth for us"]
Su Zhan opened social media, where the trending list prominently featured:
#Su Zhan Mist Hero, explosive
#Vermilion Bird Academy Produces Another Genius Student, hot
...
Scrolling down, the comment section was even more lively:
"I heard he's only eighteen? That's incredibly strong!"
"My cousin was one of the rescued, she said the young man was especially gentle!"
"Vermilion Bird Academy forever awesome!"
"I was there! The way he held the sunflowers made me fall in love instantly!"
Some people had even started technical analysis threads on forums:
[In-depth analysis of Su Zhan's investigative approach: Examining an awakener's tactical literacy through the waterfall mechanism]
Wang Mingyuan watched Su Zhan's increasingly stiff expression and couldn't help laughing: "So, how does it feel to be famous?"
Su Zhan silently turned off his phone and said expressionlessly: "Being too famous isn't good."
"Too late for that."
Wang Mingyuan patted his shoulder: "But it's all positive reputation, nothing problematic."
"Brother Su, awesome."
Xu Hao silently gave a thumbs-up.
Xie Xi and Feng Jue both nodded to show their agreement.
Liu Ziming threw an arm around Su Zhan's shoulder: "Nothing more to say, you're famous now. If you feel uncomfortable about it, that's fine. This internet thing—the heat will die down after a while."
Su Zhan nodded upon hearing this.
Fame portends trouble for men as fattening does for pigs.
He was really afraid of becoming famous.
Because of his dual identity, he preferred to keep a low profile.
Unless... there were benefits.
Otherwise, this kind of thing was purely negative.
Many bad things happened precisely because someone became too famous.
It was indeed as Liu Ziming said.
This internet thing—the heat would pass after a while.
It wouldn't take a month... maybe not even a week, and the buzz would probably fade considerably.
What he needed to focus on now was...
How to make reasonable use of two months of free cultivation resources and training time?
He wouldn't take on any missions during these two months.
He would focus on improving his cultivation level.
Then after two months, the mist creatures from the mist incident should have reached much higher realms.
Absorbing life essence would then achieve twice the result with half the effort.
The plan was decided.
For the time ahead...
Let's begin!
...
Su Zhan swiped his permission card.
[Identity confirmed: Su Zhan (special permissions)]
[Remaining free time: 59 days, 23 hours, 58 minutes]
Su Zhan went straight to the deepest potion area.
Familiarly selected several expensive potions.
After taking the injections.
He came to the special training area.
Wave Balance Training Pod entrance.
The silver-white hatch slid open silently.
Revealing the training space inside filled with futuristic technology.
"Permissions confirmed, student Su Zhan, Dew Realm eighth tier, specialized training mode activated."
A gentle electronic voice sounded.
The entire training pod's floor liquefied.
Turning into a silver-gray liquid metal sea surface.
Su Zhan stepped inside.
The ground beneath his feet began to fluctuate violently.
Simulating the deck state in level eight winds and waves.
"First item: Dynamic balance training."
Mechanical arms extended from the surrounding walls.
Beginning to irregularly launch low-pressure energy bullets.
Su Zhan had to maintain balance on the constantly undulating liquid metal ground while simultaneously dodging attacks.
"Attention, surge level increased to level 3."
The fluctuation amplitude beneath his feet suddenly intensified.
Su Zhan slightly bent his knees, his body naturally rising and falling with the wave rhythms.
"Entering second stage: Water environment adaptation training."
The liquid metal ground sank.
The training pod filled with special buffer liquid.
Capable of perfectly simulating various aquatic environments.
"Current simulation: Rapid river."
The liquid began rotating at high speed.
Forming powerful undercurrents.
Su Zhan had to complete designated tactical movements in this environment.
...
Two months passed quickly.
The online public opinion about Su Zhan gradually dissipated.
There was no buzz about him online anymore.
Su Zhan felt relieved.
These two months could be considered as cultivating his awakener realm.
Could also be considered as cultivating the mist creatures' realms from the mist incident.
Could also be considered as laying low for two months.
In any case, the benefits were substantial.
Su Zhan woke up in his dormitory.
Stretched lazily.
Currently, his awakener realm and aberrant realm.
One was Dew Realm tenth tier, the other was Low-Risk Tier 10.
Both were about to step into the next major realm.