novelraw Chapter 225: Stance
Chapter 225: Stance
Time quietly slipped by, and in the blink of an eye, a month had passed.
This month became the most stable and peaceful period Daxia had experienced in three years.
The mist on the border lines had fallen silent.
Large-scale attack incidents had significantly decreased.
Perhaps it was because of the fierce offensive that swept across the entire Daxia a month ago, which also caused massive consumption to the Mist Creatures' side, requiring time to recuperate and lick their wounds.
But for Su Zhan, this month was spent in repeated cycles of despair and confirmation.
He still hadn't given up, absorbing spiritual energy time and time again.
The results were without exception, all failures.
The newly introduced spiritual energy was difficult to retain, let alone condense and grow.
As for that thought of leaving Vermilion Bird Academy, throughout this entire month, he hadn't revealed the slightest hint of it to Wang Mingyuan, Feng Jue, or anyone else.Su Zhan needed this month's time.
First, to make himself completely give up, to one hundred percent confirm that the path of an Awakened individual was completely severed, leaving no room for any unrealistic fantasies.
Second, to let everyone in the academy, from Wang Mingyuan to the higher-ups, clearly see the fact that he was already useless.
Only in this way, when he finally proposed leaving, would it seem logical and not arouse excessive suspicion.
A useless student who only consumed resources for nothing voluntarily proposing to leave.
The academy side would most likely only feel regret, but perhaps even more, they would be pleased to see it happen, saving them the trouble of subsequent arrangements.
During this month.
Instructor Wang Mingyuan hadn't given up, running around extensively for Su Zhan's sake.
Feng Jue, Liu Ziming, and Xu Hao also often came to visit him, bringing some folk remedies they had heard about or words of comfort.
But the outcome remained the same.
Nothing was of any use.
In Su Zhan's view, the timing for leaving was gradually ripening.
There was one more thing.
Xie Xi's parents had asked them about Xie Xi, and in the end, they appeared deeply grieved.
Fortunately, they didn't blame them due to emotional loss of control.
As for the funeral...
Xie Xi's parents said, if she's alive they want to see the person, if she's dead they want to see the body;
before receiving definite news, holding such a thing was impossible.
...
Inside the dean's office, the atmosphere was heavy.
Ye Hongyu sat upright in the main seat, covered in the dust of travel.
She had just returned to the academy from the rebuilt South Cang Fortress, without even a moment's rest.
Wang Mingyuan stood before the office desk: "Teacher, you've returned."
"Mm."
Ye Hongyu nodded slightly: "Regarding Su Zhan's situation, your communications over the past month haven't been detailed enough. How is it now, specifically?"
"All authoritative diagnostic results are consistent - fundamental meridian damage, irreversible."
Wang Mingyuan's tone was grave: "The path of an Awakened individual... is indeed severed. He has tried countless times this past month with no signs of improvement."
Ye Hongyu's eyes signaled for him to continue.
"Teacher, although his Awakened form is useless, but... you know, the potential of his Aberrant form is limitless, that advancement speed is terrifying."
Wang Mingyuan pushed his glasses: "Even if the broad, bright path is blocked, his future on the other path remains... immeasurable."
He was reminding Ye Hongyu of Su Zhan's value.
At a deeper level, he was worried that Ye Hongyu might think Su Zhan had lost his value and significance for control because his Awakened identity was useless, and thus make a... disposal decision.
After all, a highly potential Aberrant was, in many people's eyes, inherently a huge threat.
Ye Hongyu raised her eyes and said calmly: "Mingyuan, what are you worried about? Worried that I'll think he has no value and will dispose of him?"
Wang Mingyuan didn't deny it, nodding.
"No need to probe."
Ye Hongyu spoke slowly: "Mingyuan, what you say is true, correct. Back then, suppressing his secret, what we valued was precisely the unbelievable potential of his Aberrant form, not his empty title of SSS-grade Awakened.
But... do you know what it means now that his Awakened form is completely useless?"
"Your student is dull, please enlighten me, teacher."
Wang Mingyuan pushed his glasses and bowed slightly.
He actually had some vague guesses in his heart, but since Ye Hongyu brought it up, he wanted to hear his teacher's comprehensive consideration.
"He can't use his Awakened power. To survive, to gain strength, he can only rely on, only deeply develop his Aberrant form. Yes, that form has immense potential, perhaps even stronger than we imagined, but..."
Ye Hongyu looked piercingly at Wang Mingyuan: "The important reason I kept him back then was partly because he was both an Awakened individual and an Aberrant.
This dual identity made me feel he might become a bridge, or at the very least, deep inside, he could still identify himself as human. I believed he could be one of us.
But now?
His Awakened form is useless.
His future use, reliance, and foundation for survival will all come from Aberrant power.
So I ask you, by that time, when from the essence of his power to his way of life have completely tilted to the other side.
Will he still be the Awakened individual we consider him to be? Will he still be considered one of us?"
"Teacher, Su Zhan is different from other Aberrants."
Wang Mingyuan quickly said: "He has no need to hunt humans. This is his biggest difference from other Aberrants."
"No need for you to say that."
Ye Hongyu interrupted him: "If not for that point, the moment his secret was discovered, I would have personally killed him, never giving him any chance."
"Teacher."
Wang Mingyuan continued to plead: "An Aberrant that doesn't hunt humans, and instead hunts Mist Creatures, is it really still an Aberrant?"
"Yes."
Ye Hongyu didn't yield at all: "Because his power source still belongs to the mist, identical to Aberrants. Even if he is the good kind of Aberrant, none of that is important. What's important is that he is both an Awakened individual and an Aberrant.
Once his identity is publicly revealed, the entire Daxia will fall into an unprecedented crisis of trust because Awakened individuals can be Aberrants! At that time, the great building will collapse!"
Wang Mingyuan fell silent.
"But as we agreed back then, we wouldn't expose Su Zhan's identity and would secretly support him, we were gambling on his potential. But now that his Awakened form is useless, what I care about is his stance."
Ye Hongyu's eyes were profound: "Back then, I tried to use honor and sense of belonging to subtly influence him, to make him firmly stand on our side, preventing him from completely tilting towards or even joining the Aberrant camp.
But look at his previous behavior?
He didn't seem to care much about so-called honor and belonging.
I observed him;
he seems more like a pure pragmatist.
In his view, benefits are far more useful than honor and belonging.
Environment determines a person.
His Aberrant identity is destined to remain concealed. After his Awakened form became useless, I estimate he is already thinking about how to leave Vermilion Bird Academy.
At that time, he definitely won't live together with Awakened individuals as he does now.
So where will his future environment for survival and growth be?
It can only be places far from Awakened individuals.
The environment he will be in will also involve dealing with Aberrants and Mist Creatures.
Right now, we can still guarantee his heart is with our human camp.
But... by that time.
Tell me, over time, influenced by what he constantly sees and hears, will he still unwaveringly stand on our side?
Environment truly can change a person.
Especially someone like him, who already shows relative indifference to honor and belonging."
After listening, cold sweat seeped out on Wang Mingyuan's back.
Ye Hongyu's considerations were far deeper and more far-reaching than his.
What she worried about was Su Zhan's potential future stance change due to his environment!