novelraw Chapter 224: Different Paths, No Shared Plans
Chapter 224: Different Paths, No Shared Plans
Su Zhan was powerless against this, he could only accept reality.
But…
He…still had another way.
The path he had buried deep in his heart, the one he guarded day and night for fear of exposure… the Aberrant path!
He remembered clearly the exhilaration of that power surging wildly, the terrifying speed of breaking through four ranks in a single day, treating bottlenecks as nothing.
It was a thousand times, ten thousand times the training speed of the Awakened form!
However…
Su Zhan's gaze swept around the room.
At Vermilion Bird Academy, the strong were everywhere.
Ye Hongyu, Wang Mingyuan, Qin Bai, and many more powerful figures…Vermilion Bird Academy, the sacred ground of the Awakened.
Here, he walked on eggshells, terrified of showing even the slightest abnormality.
That restraint made it impossible for him to move freely.
When he first came to Vermilion Bird Academy, the main reason was that he was an SSS-grade Life Soul Awakened.
The academy's higher-ups insisted, he had no room to refuse.
The secondary reason, he had once naively thought, was that this place could help him improve his Awakened form to the greatest extent.
But now?
The Awakened form was ruined.
The greatest value he had at the academy no longer existed.
That raw jade of an SSS-grade Life Soul had become an uncarvable waste stone.
What purpose was there in staying?
Rely on the academy to find a Reforge Fruit?
Su Zhan believed that was impossible.
Only three had been found throughout Daxia's long history, so why would the fourth fall to him?
The academy might symbolically express regret, offer some ordinary compensation and consolation.
But it would never invest near-suicidal, unlikely-to-succeed resources to find a Reforge Fruit just for him.
And…
Staying in the academy was now like weaving a cocoon for himself!
Remaining among so many powerful people infinitely enlarged the risk of his Aberrant form being exposed.
Leave.
Once that idea rose, it could not be suppressed.
Now was the best time to leave Vermilion Bird Academy!
He was ruined.
His SSS-grade Life Soul was worthless.
He would soon become an embarrassing burden to the academy.
A student who could not progress and would waste resources.
The academy would be glad if he chose to leave voluntarily, so both sides could save face and the academy would not bear the stigma of abandoning an injured student.
If he asked to leave, chances were he would not be forcibly kept.
Once he left the academy and slipped out of so many powerful people's sight, he could gain relative freedom!
He could hunt Mist Creatures, devour without restraint, and wildly increase his Aberrant power.
That powerful shortcut would open to him!
Although the road ahead was still filled with unknown dangers.
At least he could seize his destiny again, instead of being trapped here like a wreck, rotting away while constantly fearing exposure of his Aberrant identity.
Su Zhan slowly raised his head, his eyes full of desperate resolution.
It was time to leave.
After a long inner struggle in the room.
Su Zhan belatedly felt a strong wave of hunger, his stomach empty and uneasy.
He took a deep breath, forcing down all emotion, his face regaining some calm.
He stood.
He moved his somewhat stiff limbs.
He walked to the door and reached out to open it.
What he saw outside froze him.
Feng Jue, Liu Ziming, and Xu Hao were there, leaning or standing at his door, worry plain on their faces.
Judging by their expressions, they had apparently been waiting for some time.
The three were startled as well, then immediately gathered around him.
"Su Zhan! Are you okay?"
Liu Ziming spoke first, his voice cautious, his eyes repeatedly scanning Su Zhan's face.
Xu Hao echoed, "Yeah, staying in the room so long… you okay?"
Feng Jue also examined him warily.
Su Zhan immediately understood their concern.
They feared he had taken his own life.
Fair enough…
For someone once considered a genius, having the road forward cut off was tantamount to a death sentence.
Su Zhan fell silent for a moment, avoiding their probing looks. "I'm fine, just a bit hungry. I want to go to the canteen to eat."
Hearing that,
the three immediately said:
"Eat? Fine, we'll go with you!"
"Yeah, yeah, we're hungry too!"
"Let's go to the canteen together."
They clustered around Su Zhan at once, instinctively shielding him in the middle as they headed toward the canteen.
Along the way, they no longer mentioned his injuries.
They racked their brains for academy anecdotes and trivial topics, trying to divert his attention.
The atmosphere felt deliberately lively.
Su Zhan had already decided to leave.
His mood was especially complicated.
Their concern was genuine, their worry sincere, their desire to help real.
But…
Su Zhan sighed deeply in his heart.
Sorry… my brothers.
He remembered this bond, maybe one day there would be an opportunity…but certainly not now.
Now he had stepped onto a desperate path.
He had chosen a perilous road that ran opposite to theirs.
Staying at Vermilion Bird Academy was only harmful to him, with no advantages.
As the ancients said: different paths, no shared plans.
He and they were no longer walking the same road.
They would continue down the radiant path of the Awakened, fighting for humanity's future.
He could only and must plunge into the dark depths unknown to others.
Aberrant and Awakened were born on opposing sides.
This was an iron law rooted deep in the world's rules.
Now they still fought side by side.
But later?
If… if his secret were exposed?
If one day they met on the battlefield?
If Vermilion Bird Academy issued an order to clear some dangerous Aberrant, and that target happened to be him?
He did not beg them to spare him then.
Su Zhan listened quietly as they spoke, nodding occasionally.
But his decision to leave was already rock-solid.
This canteen meal might be… farewell.
The four arrived at the canteen.
The dining rush had passed.
Yet many students remained.
Their presence drew some attention and whispers, clearly word of the frontline incident had spread in a small circle.
Liu Ziming snatched Su Zhan's tray, trying to sound upbeat. "Brother Su, sit! What do you want to eat? Today's on me, you have to eat something good to recover!"
Xu Hao vigorously nodded beside him: "Yeah, eat more. If it's not enough I'll go buy more!"
Feng Jue silently brought over several bowls of spirit-herb soup said to calm the mind and replenish qi, setting them in front of Su Zhan.
Su Zhan looked at the mound of food on the tray and forced a stiff smile. "…Thanks."
"What for, don't be formal with us!"
Liu Ziming waved his big hand, though his nose prickled as he quickly lowered his head and stuffed his own tray, trying to hide his emotion.
Su Zhan picked up his chopsticks and ate in silence.
The food was delicious, its spiritual energy seeping into his body in threads.
But for him now, it was useless.
Su Zhan chewed mechanically, the food tasting like dry paper.