Chapter 203: Goodbye Ivan
Ivanovich was, without a doubt, an extremely important figure in Planet Norma’s history of human colonization. He was also a very mysterious figure. Xiao Lin heard legends of that man from various people when in New Washington, and to top it off, he and Lilith found the place of Ivan’s alleged tomb in The Final Land.
Xiao Lin had no opinion on the impression he had of that legendary person, but one thing was certain: he definitely did not want to meet Ivan alone, let alone have any conflict with him. Regardless of what stand Ivan took, endless trouble was but a certainty.
That was due to the stark difference in the two individuals’ states, which could be likened to a deity’s and a mortal’s. Xiao Lin knew very well that he was currently still too weak, and he did not want to cause any possible trouble to himself.
“So, you’re not dead? The last time you snuck into my consciousness was in The Final Land. Did you take that opportunity to return to the New World? What’s your purpose?” Xiao Lin’s tone became more and more sullen as he fired a rapid barrage of questions.
Ivan was briefly startled before laughing heartily. “You’re really funny. If anyone else were in your position right now, they’d be more than eager to talk to me. Am I that unwelcome?”
Xiao Lin rolled his eyes angrily. “This is my dream! It’s my world! You came in without my permission. Am I supposed to thank you!”
Ivan was slightly taken aback. He smiled. “You’re right, but I’ll pay rent. When you wake up, you’ll discover just how perfect your talents are. Besides, you were learning skills a few days ago, weren’t you? Hmm, let me think about what skill that was. Phantom Steps? Don’t you think you’re progressing a bit too fast?”
“You’re the cause! Wait, no that’s impossible. This is my own, umm...” Xiao Lin obviously did not believe it. He wanted to say that it the effects were due to his SS-level talent, but on second thought, such secrets should not be revealed so recklessly.
Ivan immediately helped him finish his sentence. “Were you about to say that it’s because of the talent’s increased efficiency? That’s true, but don’t forget that you drank a very magical potion some days ago. Had it not been for my help in a.s.sisting you thoroughly absorb the ingredients of that potion, did you think it would have had such an amazing effect?”
“Training potion? You helped me to absorb it? I don’t quite understand.”
“It’s a very powerful potion. Although some people have proposed ideas about it in my time, no one had actually succeeded. I didn’t expect Dawn Academy to really be able to develop it.” Ivan sighed before the conversation took a different turn. “There aren’t any problems with the potion’s ingredients, but the developer is ignoring a big problem. Normal people would find it difficult to absorb such an agent, while those with talent can absorb it a little more, but not completely either. Without my help, you can only absorb about one-tenth of the effect of an agent like that.”
Xiao Lin suddenly had a realization. Although he did not express it verbally, he actually believed Ivan’s words somewhat. In fact, there were some amazing training effects in recent days, so much so that it confounded him a little.
After all, it only took him a week to train Phantom Steps to the fullest level. Such speed was almost faster than riding atop a rocket. He originally thought that all of it was due to the qualitative change effected by his Academic Genius talent as well as the training potion, but even Fei Yawen—the potion’s creator—was similarly amazed by the potion’s amazing effects. No experiment subject seemed to have reached that kind of level before.
Seeing Xiao Lin’s silence, Ivan narrowed his smile slightly. “You believe now, don’t you? I come without any ill intent. Why would I want to help you otherwise? You ought to know that, even though these things were a simple task for me in the past, I now have to pay a high price if I wanted to do them.”
Xiao Lin relaxed a little after acknowledging that Ivan was not going to do anything to him for the time being. Ivan seemed to have immediately sensed the same, and the big smile reappeared on his youthful face. He snapped his fingers and two cans of c.o.ke immediately dropped from above. He tossed one to Xiao Lin, then opened his own and took a few sips. He frowned for a moment, then snapped his fingers again.
With that, the apple tree beside him became stronger, with luxuriant branches and leaves that practically covered the entire sky. A lush gra.s.sland appeared under the tree and a faint fragrance could even be vaguely perceived.
An amazed Xiao Lin suddenly blurted out, “Is that your Creation ability?”
“Yes. It’s a pity that I can only use it only to this extent.”
“I’m curious. What state are you in now? If you’re not dead, you could’ve left when I arrived in New Washington.”
Ivan was somewhat reticent. He quietly drank his c.o.ke and casually threw the can away. It disappeared into thin air and he smiled slightly. “It’s a pity. I’m dead. I died a long time ago. I know what you want to say, but it’s difficult for me to explain my current state in just a few words. The point is, I’m not a ghost. If you insist on an explanation, you can call me a memory.”
“A memory? You’re saying that what I’m seeing right now is just a memory!”
“Yes. You could understand it that way. I’m only the fragment of a memory.” The expression on Ivan’s face was very sad.
The two of them were quiet for a while. Xiao Lin did not know what to say, as all his previous a.s.sumptions about Ivan had been clarified. Ivan really was long dead, as history said. Xiao Lin had no idea how to comfort the memory of a dead person, so he could only choose to stay silent.
After a long time, Xiao Lin deliberated before asking, “Then why are you helping me?”
“I want you to do me a favor.”
Sure enough, there was no free lunch in the world. Ivan was lending Xiao Lin a helping hand, speeding up the latter’s skill learning and talent advancement. How could he not ask for anything in return?
The sympathy that had just appeared in Xiao Lin was completely set aside. He had his guard up and interrupted Ivan vigilantly, “You don’t even need to think about it! Whatever the favor is, I won’t do it! You’ve got to be kidding me! What makes you think I can do something that even you can’t accomplish?”
Ivan said helplessly again, “Are you really so reluctant to help a dead man fulfil his last wish?”
“Please! Last wishes are for people who are going to die. You’re just a memory! And since you’re able to manifest using that memory, why don’t you just go and do it yourself? Or find someone who’s stronger? I’m just a freshman! I’m not even Black Iron-rank yet!” Xiao Lin did not even want to listen to Ivan’s request. His instinct was to distance himself from the whirlpool of potential trouble.
“You’re the only person I can seek out because you happened to be there at the time. I believe this was G.o.d’s plan!” Ivan stood up and approached Xiao Lin. He remarked seriously, “Xiao Lin, when you left The Final Land, it signified that you’ve absorbed part of the Book of Creation’s fragments. There’s no way for you to refuse!”