Nanfeng City was genuinely enormous. Last night, even with Jiang He's driver, the journey had taken a considerable time.
In the dim nighttime light, nothing had been clearly visible. It was only in daylight that the peculiar scenes from his inherited memories could be seen firsthand.
Metal rail tracks crisscrossed mid-air, elevated trains shuttling along them. The further he walked toward the city center, the taller the buildings on both sides grew — reminiscent of the towering skylines from his previous life.
"What kind of world is this, exactly..."
Even with the original's memories to draw upon, Su Chen couldn't help but marvel. He strolled through the streets, occasionally stopping to ask for directions to confirm his location.
The closer he got to the area beneath the light source, the more prosperous everything became.
Between the outer and inner cities, there was even a toll to pay. Su Chen didn't have a single coin to his name. Fortunately, flashing the guest-student pass got him through.
The clothing styles on the streets were wildly eclectic, as though eras had collided — he even spotted someone with a mechanical metal arm.
The journey of walking and asking turned abstract memories inherited from his predecessor into his own firsthand experiences.
It was well past midday by the time he finally reached Nanfeng Academy. Located in the northern district of Nanfeng's inner city, its gray-brown walls stretched endlessly, standing three to four meters tall.
The imposing metal gates were intricately carved and firmly shut. Only the smaller side entrances on either flank stood open, with a steady stream of young-looking people flowing in and out.
He spotted Jiang He immediately, standing beside the left entrance. She was impossible to miss. A gray instructor's skirt fell just past her knees, a purple blouse outlined her striking figure, and she even wore gold-rimmed glasses.
Every passing student — and half the people on the street — stole glances her way.
Jiang He seemed long accustomed to it. Her face wore an impatient expression, her eyes scanning restlessly.
She noticed Su Chen at once and sauntered over in her signature alluring stride.
"What took you so long?" Her expression was sour. She'd been waiting half the day and had begun to worry something had gone wrong.
"Too far. Couldn't help it."
"You didn't take the elevated rail?" She frowned.
"No money." Su Chen was frank.
Jiang He fell silent. She turned. "Follow me."
Their exchange drew considerable attention. Whispers spread, and more than a few male students couldn't disguise the envy in their eyes.
Jiang He was one of the academy's most talked-about instructors. Rumor had it that several good-looking students had previously engaged in very "in-depth discussions" with her — the kind that fueled imagination.
Once inside the campus, the scrutiny only intensified. Some people even surreptitiously pointed devices in their direction.
Nanfeng Academy was no small campus. It took the two of them some time to reach the administrative building.
"Guest student?" The registrar was a middle-aged woman.
Her voice drew the attention of several older male colleagues in the same office. The looks they directed at Su Chen already carried a certain implication — and now those looks transformed into undisguised jealousy.
"Yes, Teacher Zhao, let's make this quick." Jiang He urged. "Oh, and arrange a dormitory for him."
Su Chen added, "Preferably a single room."
Teacher Zhao glanced at Su Chen's face, shook her head internally, and took the guest-student pass.
She worked the device before her — the one projecting the gray-yellow holographic screen. "Identity code."
Su Chen recited a string of characters from memory. His file loaded onto the virtual display.
"A refugee?" Teacher Zhao's eyes went wide.
The gathering stares turned even more astonished. The looks directed at Jiang He took on a decidedly strange quality.
"Just hurry up." Jiang He's tone was clipped. She clearly held some authority here.
The registrar didn't dare delay, swiftly processing the data and importing it into Nanfeng Academy's system.
"Done. Mystic Studies, Year One. You'll attend classes directly under her. Dormitory is Building B-13, Room 301. Tuition, housing, and miscellaneous fees total 1,246 gold..."
Teacher Zhao looked up at Su Chen. Su Chen looked at Jiang He.
Jiang He's face darkened. "I know. I'll pay for him later."
"Right. And then, wait — hm?" Teacher Zhao's expression suddenly changed. "Why does it say he has to leave the city in half a month?"
"Half a month?" Jiang He was equally startled. She turned to Su Chen. "You told me it was three or four months away."
"In my memory, it was three or four months." Su Chen thought back. The original had been acutely aware of this date — he shouldn't have been wrong about it.
Jiang He's expression shifted through several shades. "I see."
"Your student ID..." Teacher Zhao retrieved a gilded card from a device to her side. Su Chen's photo was printed on it.
"You'll need this for nearly everything at the academy."
The two left in single file. Behind them, the office buzzed with discussion.
"Is she doing the whole 'raise them from scratch' thing now? And she picked a refugee, no less. Tsk, tsk... She's even paying his tuition..."
"Who knows? Maybe the kid's got some special talent and knows how to keep her happy..."
"Still, isn't it a bit late to be enrolling? He has to leave the city in half a month. Even as a guest student who only patrols near the walls, it's not without danger..."
"Someone altered your records..." Jiang He murmured in the corridor.
"Can't you change them back?" Su Chen asked.
"If your file were still with the Refugee Bureau, I could pull strings. But now that it's been imported into Nanfeng Academy's system, it's much harder..." Jiang He was visibly irritated. "They moved fast — already took action last night."
"He's probably trying to use you to find out what happened last night."
"Why haven't you gotten rid of him yet?" Su Chen asked. He knew who she was referring to.
"The situation is complicated. He's not the only one pulling strings behind the scenes. We want to flush them all out. And besides, he's not easy to deal with..." Jiang He hedged, then continued.
"But you're already a Strongman, so the danger shouldn't be too great. I've made all the necessary arrangements. I need to investigate who tampered with your records — it might be the breakthrough we need."
She looked almost eager. Su Chen's usefulness was already proving itself.
They exited the building and Jiang He hurried off. Su Chen looked around, stopped a passing student, and asked, "Excuse me — where's the library?"
The student's attitude noticeably softened upon seeing Su Chen's student ID and pointed him in the general direction.
Su Chen took two steps, then halted with a rueful sigh. "Forgot to ask her for money."
Shaking his head, he made for the library. He needed to get up to speed as quickly as possible.
The artificial light source suspended above all of Nanfeng City gradually shifted from blazing white to muted gray-yellow.
On the fourth floor of the Nanfeng City Library, Su Chen let out a long breath, rolled his stiffened neck until it crackled, and closed the copy of "Professional Fundamentals and Essential Notes" in his hand, returning it to its shelf.
He'd crammed a mountain of basic information that even the original hadn't known — starting with the profession sequences.
Broadly speaking, professions fell into three categories: physical, mental, and miscellaneous.
Physical professions strengthened the body, subscribing to the philosophy that true power resided within oneself.
Mental professions focused on the mind, channeling mysterious, external forces.
But the two weren't as distinct as the Jing and Wei rivers. In the book's deliberately vague descriptions, some professions could embody both physical and mental attributes simultaneously.
The categorical division was merely a method of classification. Miscellaneous professions were the most eclectic of all — the Binding Adept, for instance, fell under this umbrella.
The book offered several common examples. A Cartographer, for instance, could transform verbal descriptions — or even thoughts — directly into detailed blueprints.
An Architect could coordinate building materials in unison, erecting large structures in astonishingly short timeframes.
Miscellaneous professions were woven throughout every industry and trade.