novelraw Chapter 482 482: A World Transformed! The Ten-Year Literacy Plan!
Chapter 482 482: A World Transformed! The Ten-Year Literacy Plan!
Holy Land Mary Geoise, the residence of the Figarland family.
The atmosphere in the living room felt oppressive.
After Garling left, the pressure from their bloodline had vanished, but an invisible weight still lingered in Shanks' heart.
Of course, even if Garling was his father, Shanks' formidable strength meant he wouldn't feel overwhelmed by such pressure.
What truly weighed on him was the lingering pain in his chest from Orion's earth-shattering slash.
The overwhelming power of that strike still surged within him, making it impossible to resist the bloodline suppression from his father, Garling.
But none of that mattered now.
What mattered was that the familial bonds he had long severed—his relationship with his father, his brother, and his identity as a Celestial Dragon—had been brutally dredged up by Orion today, laid bare before him in all their bloody reality.
Shanks lifted his head and looked at his twin brother, Shamrock, who sat across from him.
Though they shared identical faces, their demeanors were polar opposites.
After a brief silence, Shanks was the first to break it. "Shall we take a walk?"
Shamrock turned his head slightly, his eyes—identical to Shanks'—devoid of emotion. His tone was so flat that Shanks couldn't detect any feeling in it.
"Want to see the changes in the Holy Land?"
Shanks didn't answer, tacitly agreeing as he turned and strode toward the door.
Shamrock sheathed his sword and followed in silence.
The two brothers walked side by side along the broad streets of Pangea Castle.
The buildings on either side stood in orderly rows, and the Celestial Dragons passing by had shed their former arrogance.
They treated one another with respect and courtesy, a far cry from their past behavior.
What struck Shanks as most absurd was that these World Nobles, who once rode on the backs of slaves and reveled in their privileges, were now all performing their assigned duties.
Among the passing Celestial Dragons, some had even discarded their bulky traditional attire and donned uniform work clothes.
They hurried through the streets and alleys of Pangea Castle, their faces bearing an expression of busyness Shanks had never seen on a Celestial Dragon before.
One particularly notorious figure, once infamous for collecting beautiful female slaves, now clumsily jogged while clutching a stack of documents taller than himself.
As he rounded a corner, he accidentally collided with an ordinary Navy clerk.
In the past, such an incident would have cost the clerk his head.
But now, that Celestial Dragon merely froze for a moment before forcing an expression uglier than crying onto his pampered face.
While scrambling to pick up the documents, he repeatedly exclaimed, "Sorry! Sorry! I wasn't watching where I was going!"
The naval clerk didn't remain standing but immediately crouched down to help.
This harmonious scene gave Shanks the illusion once again that this Holy Land was not the Holy Land he knew.
"Do all Celestial Dragons residing in the Holy Land now have jobs?" Shanks tilted his head to look at Shamrock beside him.
"Not all of them have to work," Shamrock explained in a flat tone. "Every Celestial Dragon living in the Holy Land has their own responsibilities. Some take up jobs, some go to the training grounds for drills, and others attend the newly established Celestial Dragon Academy."
Shanks asked in surprise, "Celestial Dragon Academy?"
"You'll understand if you go see for yourself."
Shamrock was too lazy to explain further. It wasn't that he was being deliberately terse, but Shanks was like an overly curious child, firing off one question after another—there was simply no end to it!
Soon, a white building starkly different from the surrounding luxurious architecture appeared before them.
Seeing the plaque above the entrance inscribed with the words "Celestial Dragon Academy," Shanks' eyes once again flickered with curiosity.
He tentatively asked, "Can we go in?"
Without a word, Shamrock strode directly inside.
Seeing this, Shanks followed closely behind without hesitation.
As soon as they stepped through the gate, a six-story teaching building came into Shanks' view.
The clear sound of reading echoed from classroom after classroom, resonating through the spacious campus.
Every classroom was filled with people—bearded middle-aged men, young men with runny noses, and many children.
Without exception, they were all former World Nobles of the Holy Land who had once known only indulgence and pleasure.
Driven by curiosity to find out what the Celestial Dragon Academy taught, Shanks made his way to a classroom on the right side of the first floor.
Inside, thirty to forty former World Nobles sat upright, attentively focused on the podium.
On the podium stood an elegant young woman.
She seemed to notice the gaze from outside the window, glancing briefly at Shanks and Shamrock before giving a slight nod and continuing with her lesson.
"Class, we just discussed the term 'nobility.'"
"In the past, whether it was those of us seated here or the esteemed individuals from former affiliated nations, the concept of nobility primarily centered on the word 'privilege.' Simply put, nobility in the past equated to privilege."
"However," the woman's tone shifted, her voice clear and resolute, "that is all in the past. Under the leadership of Saint Orion, nobility will no longer be a privileged class. We must redefine what it means to be noble!"
"True nobility should embody refined cultural upbringing, bear corresponding social responsibilities, and possess a soul that pursues genuine freedom…"
Hearing her words, Shanks' pupils contracted slightly.
He instinctively murmured, "Who is this woman? To have such insight!"
Shamrock shrugged. "Luna. She was once a noble from an affiliated kingdom. Because her father strongly opposed the king's oppressive taxation and harsh governance, her entire family was stripped of their noble status and exiled from the royal capital. Later, by chance, she saved the orphaned child of one of Admiral Orion's comrades, earning his appreciation. She is now the principal of this Celestial Dragon Academy."
"However, that's not important. What matters isn't that Luna has such insight, but that this is now the prevailing situation throughout the Holy Land."
"After all the royal families and nobles from the affiliated kingdoms migrated to the Holy Land, over a dozen academies like this have been established. Both the original Celestial Dragons of the Holy Land and the newly arrived royals and nobles must enter these academies for re-education."
"Re-education?" Shanks was completely stunned.
"Yes, re-education." Shamrock nodded, stepping forward toward the playground ahead as he spoke.
"Fleet Admiral Orion says the root cause of the chaos in this world isn't entirely the fault of the Celestial Dragons, nor is it solely the crime of those pirates at sea."
Shanks followed behind him, listening quietly.
The two stopped under a basketball hoop, and Shamrock continued, "The biggest reason is the universally low cultural level of this world. Whether it's the Celestial Dragons who once enjoyed privileges, the commoners living at the bottom, or the lawless criminals on the seas, they all suffer from cultural gaps, cognitive deficiencies, and low moral literacy, among other factors."
"Not only does the Holy Land have Celestial Dragon Academies, but the Marine Headquarters and major branch bases also have schools for Marine children. Various affiliated kingdoms are also undergoing massive construction, building libraries and schools everywhere."
At this point, Shamrock looked up at the azure sky, his expression solemn.
"Fleet Admiral Orion calls this the 'Ten-Year Literacy Plan.' He aims to ensure that everyone in this world attains a certain cultural level within ten years, using this to reshape everyone's worldview, values, and cognition."
Shanks froze in place.
Ten-Year Literacy Plan?
Reshape everyone's worldview, values, and cognition?
What is Orion trying to do?
Change the very fabric of the world?