Chapter 44 - 43: Machinery or Rune
Buzz, buzz, buzz…
Just as Bai Qi adjusted himself and was about to start meditating, his phone in his pocket started to vibrate.
The caller was Luo Xiang, who had previously assessed Bai Qi in the Special Training Program.
“Hey Bai Qi, hurry over to the Star Mechanics Academy right now. I have something to discuss with you.’1
“I’m saying, Team Leader Luo, it’s five in the afternoon right now, and the school is currently on holiday, what are you doing over there?”
“Don’t ask so many questions. Just hurry over here, it’s good news.”
Beep, beep, beep…
Bai Qi put down the phone that was already hung up, and silently sighed while watching the gradually setting sun outside the window.
Were superiors always on the job?
Bai Qi was a member of the Gusu City Beastmaster Association, but in the Special Training Program, he was under the command of Luo Xiang. Now that Luo Xiang summoned him, Bai Qi found it embarrassing to refuse.
Of course, there was also the matter of the good news that Luo Xiang mentioned.
The Star Mechanics Academy sat in the center of Gusu City. This time coincided with the peak period of people getting off work. By the time Bai Qi arrived at the Star Mechanics Academy, it was already dusk.
“Bai Qi, this way.”
Luo Xiang, who had been waiting for a while, immediately signaled to Bai Qi once he spotted him. “Hurry up, Professor Dong has been waiting for a long time.”
“Professor Dong? Who is that?” Bai Qi was confused.
Even though the Star Mechanics Academy was famous for its Mechanical Engineering Department, there were many other large and small departments. Bai Qi had no idea who Professor Dong in Luo Xiang’s mouth was.
“You haven’t heard of Professor Dong from the Ancient Rune Department? What have you been doing all these years in school?”
Is it strange for a student of the Mechanical Engineering Department not to know a professor from the Ancient Rune Department?
Moreover, most of the students don’t even know all the professors in their own department.
Bai Qi rolled his eyes in exasperation. “Team Leader Luo, can you finally tell me what it is now?”
“You remember what I mentioned to you last time, right? The matter about studying rune knowledge.”
Bai Qi nodded, a bad premonition rising in his heart.
“Originally, I wanted to take you to headquarters for training, but Old Qin didn’t agree, and I couldn’t stay here for too long. So, I asked Professor Dong from the Rune Department of Star Mechanics Academy to teach you about runes.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve already taken care of the relationship for you, so it won’t affect your studies in the Mechanical specialisation. You just need to find some time to go there occasionally.”
Thanks a lot!
Telling a Mechanical Engineering student to go study runes, isn’t this a bit too interdisciplinary?
Bai Qi looked at Luo Xiang with a bitter expression and suddenly regretted joining the Special Training Program.
If only he could get his money back if he quit the program now.
“I know what you’re thinking. Although your [Breaking the Void] talent can ignore the rune seal of the Secret Realm Tower, this talent can’t always be triggered, so in most cases, you have to rely on yourself to solve it.”
Bai Qi asked, “Team Leader Luo, you seem to be very familiar with this kind of talent?”
Luo Xiang nodded. “Yes. Because I have it too. How else do you think I could be an examiner?”
Alright, it was my fault to be fooled.
Bai Qi remained silent and followed Luo Xiang to the teaching building of the Rune Department.
Compared to the techno-style Mechanical Engineering Department, the building of the Rune Department seemed to have a style of a Western wizard from a past life.
Strange runes, deep paths. It was enough to give anyone the creeps.
“Professor Dong is a prominent figure in the Federation’s Rune Department. She moved to Gusu City after retirement, so remember to be polite to her.” Luo Xiang solemnly warned Bai Qi as they arrived at the office door. After Bai Qi admitted to understanding, Luo Xiang knocked on the office door.
“Professor Dong, I’ve brought the kid.”
“Oh, it’s you, young Luo. Please come in.”
A gentle voice sounded from inside the room, and Luo Xiang cautiously opened the door and walked in with Bai Qi.
Bai Qi looked around. The style of this office was quite different from the wizard-like style he had imagined, it looked more like a library.
Almost everywhere he looked, there were stacks of various books.
The voice came from behind a pile of books.
“I was worried you might not come. Let me take a look. Who is this talented individual you personally recommended?”
An old lady with a constant smile on her face emerged from behind the book pile. Seeing Bai Qi, she asked in surprise, “How come I don’t recall having such a student in the Rune Department?”
This old lady couldn’t memorize every student in the entire department, could she?
“Professor Dong can draw all of the one hundred and four thousand nine hundred and eighty-one runes discovered up to this point by hand, without any errors. Do you think she will find it hard to remember the students in one department?” Luo Xiang whispered to Bai Qi about Professor Dong’s glorious history, and explained to Professor Dong, “Bai Qi is indeed not a student of the Rune Department. He is specialized in Mechanical”
Upon hearing this, Professor Dong was surprised, “Mechanical? A student of Professor Chu?”
Bai Qi nodded. “Yes, I’ve taken almost all of Professor Chu’s classes.”
Looking at the situation, do these two have some kind of feud? He hoped this Professor Dong would kindly refuse to tutor him.
“That’s fine, if you can digest Professor Chu’s courses, you’ll definitely have no problem with learning runes.”
When Bai Qi heard this, his expression immediately became gloomy, feeling like he had shot himself in the foot.
Since when are Mechanical and Runes correlated? The two are huge leaps apart, aren’t they?
Bai Qi glanced at Luo Xiang, who was sitting upright next to him and became increasingly convinced that this man must have known that it would end up like this, hence his assurance.
“Um, Professor Dong, won’t it be a bit too late for me to switch fields now?”
Professor Dong smilingly said, “Don’t worry, learning runes is not as difficult as you think. In some ways, runes and the Mechanical Department even have some similarities.”
With that said, Professor Dong took out a thick book from a nearby shelf and said, “This book contains all the runes and their corresponding explanations discovered so far. Read it first and if you have any doubts, feel free to come and ask me.”
“If you’re not too bothered by it, you can also try to imitate the runes according to the book. It’s very beneficial for your Spirit Power.”
Imitating runes can enhance Spirit Power? Are you guys sure you’re in the right place, Professor Dong?
This is the Beastmaster World, not Hogwarts.
Seeing Bai Qi’s doubtful expression, Professor Dong didn’t mind. Luo Xiang directly opened the Rune Dictionary and pointed to a rune on the first page and said, “Try it out, and you’ll know.”
Bai Qi looked where Luo Xiang was pointing and was immediately convinced after seeing the rune, which was as warped as Cthulhu.
If he could imitate such a complex rune, it would be strange if his spirit power didn’t increase.
And there were one hundred and four thousand nine hundred and eighty-one more runes like this one!
Suddenly, he thinks that what Professor Dong said earlier might be reversed.
If one could learn runes, there is no way they couldn’t learn Mechanical!