Chapter 313: Ze Xi Academy
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"If you have the money, I’d definitely advise you to attend Engradie Academy. It’s the best school on Zhou Jian, and one of the best academies in the He Yue galaxy. The students are mostly from rich families, and many of them are aristocrats. But you don’t look rich, so maybe you’d like to try the Ze Xi Academy. It’s the best school for commoners, and the fee is cheap. While you, my friend, look a little older, it’s common to see children from poorer families to attend night cla.s.ses. They won’t turn you down." Before they parted ways, the blonde man took Ye Chong’s hands in his, and advised him with deep sincerity.
Standing in front of Ze Xi Academy, looking at the students bustling in and out, Ye Chong thought it felt surreal. His days in Blue Ocean Academy came back to him. It was impossible to forget about Grandpa Qian, Xiu and Sun Xuelin. However, times had changed, and now, he did not even have Mu and Shang by his side. It was just like the time when he was a teacher in the Academy, except that now he was a student.
Engradie Academy was a good education inst.i.tution, and Ye Chong himself was not lacking money, but in the end he chose to attend school at Ze Xi Academy. The fact that Engradie Academy’s many students were aristocrats was enough to help Ye Chong make his decision.
Ye Chong was in plain attire, which was why the blonde man thought of him as poor. In fact, Ye Chong had never bought any clothing himself. The ones he was wearing were bought by Old Chief Guo and his company. Ye Chong only asked that the clothing be resilient to wear and tear. Old Chief Guo knew that Ye Chong and the Sang tribe members would not be picky with fas.h.i.+on, so he bought the hardiest and cheapest clothing he could find.
Ye Chong was not aware that people were often judged by what they wear. However, if even he found out, he would probably feel indifferent about it.
"First step to getting used to living here," Ye Chong thought to himself. He had decided to put more effort into improving his social skills. He was not dumb, but was in fact intelligent; he knew exactly what he was lacking of. If Mu and Shang were with him, perhaps he would have remained the same way he was before. Now, however, with Mu and Shang missing, he would have to try everything he could to find them. If he could not mix with people, then how can he find Mu and Shang in this large world? Without connections, how could he find a way to return to the Five Galaxies from the Three Aristocratic Families?
Unlike the matter of finding Mu and Shang, Ye Chong was not as driven to find out about his past. However, given that he had no information on Mu and Shang, but had found some information about his past, the matter of his past had become priority for the time being. For now, Ye Chong must not only familiarize himself with the He Yue galaxy, but also study the Three Aristocratic Families discreetly, especially the Ye Family.
Ye Chong knew from experience that all fields of knowledge have a complete system. Only through systematic learning would he be able to understand more deeply. This was something Ye Chong thought of when the blonde man talked about joining academies. Aside from that, the community in schools were more isolated and simpler. He should be able to avoid attention here.
After paying the required fee, Ye Chong became an official student of the Ze Xi Academy.
Ze Xi Academy’s learning policy was liberal. Students were free to choose their desired courses. Ye Chong did not choose courses for mech piloting, combat, mech modification and the like. He knew what he wanted out of this learning experience. He chose He Yue"s history, language, psychology, theology, aristocracy and so on.
When he submitted his course schedule, the teacher was surprised. It was normal to see a schedule like in Engradie Academy, but the students of Ze Xi Academy came mostly from poor families - they hoped to find a reliable job in future, and so would choose courses like mech piloting, mech modification and alchemy. "This student must come from a well-to-do family, but his clothing doesn’t look like it," the teacher thought as he took a quick glance at Ye Chong, but quickly arranged for Ye Chong’s courses.
Ye Chong’s plain clothing, horrible looks, and quiet nature had allowed him to escape attention easily.
The active student life, filled with brawls and arguments, all looked dull to Ye Chong, who had been through countless battles of life and death. He poured all his attention into studying. The humanities courses all demanded a large amount of reading. To other people, Ye Chong looked like a typical bookworm. To them, Ye Chong may look ugly, but his mild demeanor and quiet nature made him easy to get along with.
Ye Chong did not know how he appeared to other people. He only focused on his studies.
The Three Aristocratic Families were the most resilient of all aristocrats. There was plenty of historical research on them, and Ye Chong ploughed through all of them in search for clues. These courses transformed Ye Chong’s mindset. If it was before, he would never had thought of searching for information from historical material.
Sang Pu and the rest kept in touch with Ye Chong frequently. Ye Chong knew from Sang Pu that the tribe members had learnt how to better conceal their threatening aura. In fact, it was a skill that they had picked up much earlier on, but had never thought of using it now. Back in Archipelago, they had used this skill when hunting. Wild beasts were very sensitive to deathly auras, so the tribe members had to learn to conceal their aura to avoid being noticed.
This concealing skill was already second nature to them, so no one thought of applying it now. For the moment, however, they had much more to learn.
Francis Jr, on the other hand, was greatly surprised. "Wah, Boss, you look so … So …." He could remember the word. Old Chief Guo continued his sentence, "Scholarly."
"Yes yes yes, ‘scholarly’, that’s right. Like a really smart person." Francis Jr looked at Ye Chong, full of admiration.
In fact, Ye Chong had changed dramatically in these two months. His cold features were now softer on the edges. With a whole two months of courses on literature and history, Ye Chong no longer consider things in only structural and calculative terms.
From the other end of the comms device came Sang Tie’s m.u.f.fled voice, "Lian, what’s this scholarly thing?"
Hai Lian replied, "Er, scholarly, it means … It means the person read plenty, and gives the impression of being very intelligent."
Somewhere not captured on the screen of the comms device, Sang Tie beat his chest and said, "Then I want that scholarly thing too."
"Then you should go learn from the Boss."
Hai Lian’s pained groan was met with laughter from the gang. It was an enjoyable call.
Ye Chong could not help but smiled. He remembered something then, and said to Sang Pu, "Pu, remember to send someone back to the village and teach them about concealing their aura. Everyone must learn this, especially the children."
"Yes sir," Sang Pu answered swiftly.
After asking Sang Pu and the rest to study those devices used to manufacture mechs, Ye Chong ended the call. He should continue reading in the afternoon. He had not finished his last book yet.
The truth was, Ye Chong was intimidated by all those reading at first. His mindset was almost crystallized, thinking only in terms of numbers and logic. These psychology and theology courses seemed like an insurmountable task to him. However, due to his good memory, Ye Chong managed to endure the suffering during his first month, and gradually immersed himself into this whole new body of knowledge.
Walking in the academy grounds, Ye Chong looked no different than any other student around, except for his slightly uglier looks.
"I say, Mi De, Ze Xi Academy is full of beautiful girls. I’ve always thought the pretty ones are all at our school!" This came from a vastly overweight youngster in casual outfit. For the initiated, they would notice that his clothing was very expensive.
At his side was another man with a hat on. "That’s what you think! Those d*mba.s.ses back at school are all so arrogant and foolish. And those ladies, they’re all proud as peac.o.c.ks, the lot. Hehe, those ladies, don’t be fooled by their elegant looks, it’s all the work of makeup. ‘Sides, you know how rotten their lives really are." The one called Mi De was a few inches taller than Fatty. His hat was worn low.
Fatty nodded, chewing his gum as he mumbled, "That’s right, that’s right."
"It’s totally different here. Look, the girls here rarely wear makeup. Now that’s true beauty. Tsk tsk, their skin is porcelain white. Besides, they’re quite conservative, all about purity and innocence, nothing compared to the rotten girls back at school."
Fatty nodded strongly in agreement.
Mi De smiled cheekily and said, "Hehe, I’ve visited all 75 schools for the commoners. When it comes to the quant.i.ty and quality of beautiful girls, mm, and the girls’ temperaments, Ze Xi Academy is the best."
Ye Chong walked past them, and heard every word clearly. However, he was thinking, just how should he a.n.a.lyze these two people’s behavior from a psychological perspective?
A rush of footsteps came from behind, breaking Ye Chong’s train of thought. 16 of them! The a.s.sessment came quick as lightning to Ye Chong’s mind.
"You two, please leave our school, we don’t welcome you here!" The voice was fierce and unyielding.