Chapter 81
When Ye Chong requested to use the Blue Ocean Academy's modification workshop, Headmaster Lan agreed without any hesitation and even brought him to the academy's most advanced workshop himself! As Ye Chong entered Blue Ocean Academy's reputedly most advanced workshop, seeing rows and rows of dream-like top cla.s.s machinery, he was mightily envious! Headmaster Lan generously declared that he was free to use the devices as he see fit, and that materials were provided too. Ye Chong felt like diving straight into his work!
Even Shang went into a frenzy, howling in excitement!
Headmaster Lan grinned as he saw Ye Chong's bland expression turn into a rich array of emotions for the first time. He was secretly pleased at himself. "Young man, I don't believe there's no way to keep you here!" Headmaster Lan had seen all sorts of people in his life, and knew the ways of appealing to one's interests!
Ye Chong began immediately, studying the many devices and mechanisms that he had never seen before, oblivious to Headmaster Lan, standing at the side!
Headmaster Lan smiled, taking no offense, and left quietly by himself. Before that, he ordered the person in charge of the workshop to fulfill Ye Chong's requests, whatever they may be! Of course, he hinted a little at the person's unfortunate and inevitable farewell to the academy should he fail to satisfy Ye Chong, and the employee felt fearful enough that he nodded profusely like a docile animal!
Ye Chong did not notice when Headmaster Lan left. If he knew that his vigilance had dropped to such a state, one wondered how he would take it. Shang was also uncharacteristically cooperative this time, accessing the virtual net and procuring the holographic schematics for an automatic noodle making machine without fuss. Ye Chong and Shang discussed amongst themselves, while the person in charge of the modification workshop a.s.sisted by his side with great care, fearing that Ye Chong's dissatisfaction would leave him without a job!
The person in charge stared as Ye Chong went into a daze, quiet as a mouse, for fear of interrupting whatever strange thoughts Ye Chong was having at the moment.
As he thought of all the effort he had put into securing his job at Blue Ocean Academy, and all the sweat and tears, he felt extremely discontented!
While today's modern society would not allow anyone to die of starvation, a person without a stable job would have to visit the relief center to receive government aid. One was guaranteed a basic living condition, but to achieve more, one would have to climb up the economic ladder!
Ye Chong was having a heated discussion with Shang! While Ye Chong was far worse in calculations than Shang, his occasional insight often impressed both Shang and Mu! As such, Ye Chong often proposed some unusual concepts, while Mu and Shang demonstrated, complemented and improved those concepts!
Suddenly, Ye Chong thought of a problem, and began to look around him.
The person in charge saw Ye Chong's behaviour, and immediately knew that he was looking for something. He hastily approached Ye Chong and put a smile on his face. "What are you finding for? I'm the person in charge of this workshop, just let me know if you have questions. The headmaster had informed me that all the materials here are at your disposal!"
Ye Chong froze. When he realized that he did not notice a person being so close to him, his expression turned sour. He relaxed after deducing that the person had no ill will against him, and warned himself against such carelessness!
However, since the person had offered, Ye Chong spoke, "I need flour and water!"
The person in charge was all ready for Ye Chong to ask for the most precious and expensive materials, thinking that he must procure materials for Ye Chong, even if he had to stake his life for it. What he did not expect, after all the mental preparation, was for Ye Chong to ask for flour and water.
Ye Chong took over the flour and water that the person in charge had procured for him, and, right before the person's disbelieving eyes, he began to make noodles in Blue Ocean Academy's most advanced modification workshop.
After five hours of hard work, Ye Chong looked satisfied at the ma.s.sive machine before him, while the person in charge stared in stupefaction. Since the modification workshop had no automatic noodle making machine, he had used the
Ye Chong carefully tasted the newly made noodles. The person in charge watched as Ye Chong used a mech's hollow leg that was over thirty kilograms heavy in place for a bowl, and felt like jumping off a building!
"Hmm, the taste was not bad, almost identical to the one I make myself." Of course, Ye Chong had no intention of inviting the person in charge for a taste. Instead, he swallowed all the noodles like a hungry tornado!
Ye Chong pointed to the automatic noodle making machine, and asked the person in charge, "Can I take this with me?"
The person in charge nodded mechanically.
He watched on as Ye Chong lifted the machine that weighed a few hundred kilograms and disappeared outside the door, and felt infinitely helpless. "Heavens, was the fellow crazy?" He felt like he had just seen a most sarcastic joke. "A person making noodles in Blue Ocean Academy's most advanced modification workshop? Kneading the dough on an ultra-smooth benchtop, one of only a hundred in the entire Fal galaxy? Eating out of a hundred-thousand-zuan mech's hollow leg? He did not even clean the hollow leg up after finis.h.i.+ng his meal!"
"Could it be that world was truly changing?" The person in charge felt like he burned a fuse in his brain somewhere, as he stared blankly at Ye Chong's gradually diminis.h.i.+ng figure through the workshop's entrance.
The next day, news of Ye Chong's job offer acceptance as Blue Ocean Academy's mech mechanics teacher spread fast throughout the academy grounds, as though the news had grown a pair of wings. Everyone's attention was focused on the news, and the main event that was the MP Games had, for the first time in history, been largely ignored.
In the headmaster's office, only Ye Chong and the headmaster were present.
Headmaster Lan smiled lightly and said, "Mr Ye, please let me know if you have any requests! I think we'll make a great team!"
Ye Chong thought for a moment before speaking, "I'd like to take courses for alchemy!"
Shang leaped in excitement, having no indication of his decision beforehand. "Ye, hah, you've finally come around, that's great! Ah, weren't you reluctant to learn alchemy before this? What led to the change in mind?"
Ye Chong replied lightly, "It's nothing, I just want to get more Do Kun stone!"
"Even the obtuse can be enlightened?" Shang was not convinced, but spoke again after a pause, "Ye, I know you chose alchemy because of me, right?"
Ye Chong spoke apathetically, "Nope!"
Shang spoke with dismay, "Ye, don't answer so directly please, can you not just satisfy my tiny, tiny vanity?"
Ye Chong showed no signs of giving in. "No need for that!"
While the two were at an impa.s.se with each other, a warm feeling was binding Ye Chong and Shang together!
"If only Mu can join us!" thought Ye Chong.
Headmaster Lan could not help but be surprised by Ye Chong's odd request, but managed to gather himself and agreed to the request. "Oh, sure, no problem! I didn't think Mr Ye was so interested in alchemy. I think the alchemy faculty's Teacher Jiang would definitely welcome academic exchanges with you! Mm, any other problems for you?"
Ye Chong replied crisply, "None!"
Headmaster Lan nodded with satisfaction. "Then please come with me!" Headmaster Lan led Ye Chong into an adjacent cla.s.sroom, where a total of fifteen specialists sat within. They would a.s.sess Ye Chong's level and decide if he was the real deal, and if he was up to par to teach at Blue Ocean Academy!
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The whole building was crowded. The faculty of mech mechanics' students were all excited with the prospect of having Ye Chong as their teacher! Everyone was interested in the activities of this particular cla.s.sroom!
Rui Su was also very enthusiastic!
Ye Chong's strong impact was directly related to Rui Su. If Rui Su had not braved herself and switched all of Blue Ocean Academy's channels to the one with Ye Chong, the effect would not be as strong! This was also the first time the MP Games had directed all its cameras to only one contestant! One should be aware that it was a great risk, and easily blamed upon!
However, she had triumphed this time! Her decisiveness and exceptional courage had brought her victory!
"w.a.n.g Xiaoer, you better point that holographic camera on target, if you do well this time, sister will reward you after! But don't you forget yourself, when Ye Chong comes out, you point the holographic camera straight at him, got it? Let me repeat that, point it straight at him, hehe, sister will go the front lines by then. Take care of the lighting angles. Also, set the audio sync device right! Heh, if you mess up it this time, hehe …"
Rui Su would call herself "sister" when she was in a good mood, but when she was not, she would switch to the very crude "old lady"!
Rui Su stood handsomely before the entrance of the cla.s.sroom. For today, she had specially dressed herself, her natural beauty now more charming than ever. The students at the side were all terrified of her, and none stood within ten meters of Rui Su!
The jam packed corridor offered the queer sight of a peerless beauty, with a circular perimeter around her devoid of any human being!
Rui Su smiled, pleased with herself. "Hehe, these youngsters have known suffering well enough through me!"
Rui Su was twenty five, a natural beauty. As she grew more mature these few years, her actions had the quality of a mature woman. This was not something naive little girls could compare themselves with.
Logically speaking, such a woman should have a whole line of suitors waiting on her!
However, Rui Su was very skilful. Back in her days of studying in Blue Ocean Academy, she was known as the infamous "Witch Su" of the Blue Ocean Academy, and all were terrified of her! She was not the kind of woman that most people would dare to meddle with! Even some of the courageous sort had yielded under her methods. Of the new students that arrive every year, the ones who suffered in her hands were often in the hundreds!
The door to the cla.s.sroom suddenly opened, and Ye Chong stepped out calmly, followed by Headmaster Lan, all smiles.
The corridor was instantly in an uproar!
Headmaster Lan, with his worldly experiences, was not troubled, but instead stepped quickly in front of Ye Chong and pushed his hands downwards, signaling everyone to quiet down!
The headmaster was known for his practicality, and enjoyed a high reputation amongst the students. They immediately quieted down, and even "Witch Su" was silent like an obedient young lady!
As everyone quieted down, Headmaster Lan laughed pleasantly. "Good news to you all, Mr Ye Chong is officially recruited by Blue Ocean Academy as a teacher under the faculty of mech mechanics. Everyone is welcomed to join Teacher Ye's cla.s.ses!"
Once again, the entire block roared with excitement!