Chapter 128: Signing the Confidentiality Contract
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 128: Signing the Confidentiality Contract
"Wait! Teacher! I wanted to ask—is it mandatory to sign?" After a brief, heavy silence, someone in the class finally voiced an objection.
The earlier mention of completely severing ties with the outside world was a bitter pill for many to swallow.
Quite a few students had already discovered that their phones no longer worked within the academy. After an initial bout of anxiety, most had resigned themselves to reality; after all, it was common knowledge that students at Transcendent Academies were cut off from the world.
However, hope springs eternal. With a first "brave bird" leading the way, the emotions of the rest of the class began to stir.
"I am not negotiating with you; I am notifying you." Ji Niang’s gaze shifted toward the girl who had spoken. The sheer weight of the pressure radiating from the counselor’s soul made it impossible for the girl to even remain standing.
Her legs gave out, and she slumped back into her seat. The girl next to her jumped in surprise, hurriedly reaching out to steady her.
"Since you chose a Witch Academy, I expect you to abide by the academy's rules. This contract is meant to restrain your behavior and prevent certain loose-lipped individuals from blabbing. If that happens, having your 'behavior restrained' will be the least of your worries."
As Ji Niang spoke, a smile remained plastered on her face, as if she had just done something utterly trivial. A thick stack of parchment appeared in her hand—the standard contracts used by the academy for its students.
"Here, pass these back. One per person, don't take extras. Oh, and I noticed none of you brought pens. That is a bad habit. You will need to take notes frequently in a Transcendent Academy. It’s best to prepare your own pens and notebooks. After all, the palest ink is better than the best memory, isn't it?"
"Those without pens can come to me later. If I run out, borrow from each other." Ji Niang checked the count and began distributing the parchment.
Sitting in the front row, I was the first to receive the contract.
As for a pen... I actually had one. Yesterday’s incident with the analysis report had made me realize how woefully unprepared I was, so I’d made sure to pack some. I even had several notebooks tucked away in my storage leg ring just in case.
After passing the stack back, I began to scan the document. While signing was mandatory, that didn't stop me from reviewing the contents. At the very least, I should know exactly what kind of "unequal treaty" I was entering into.
After a careful reading, I grasped the general gist. While the contract was essentially a restraint, it wouldn't affect me much given my personality. I wasn't the type to go around gossiping anyway.
I signed it decisively. The completed contract immediately burst into flames and turned to ash, burning so thoroughly that not a single ember remained.
My actions naturally drew a lot of attention. Most of the others had only just received their papers and hadn't even had time to read the first line, yet someone had already finished signing. The magical flare of the contract's completion drew every eye toward me.
I took a deep breath, ignoring their stares, and turned to the girl beside me. "Do you need a pen, Hong Chenyi? I have a spare."
"Eh? Yes! Definitely! Thanks, Sister Xiao Han."
Seeing how readily I had signed, Hong Chenyi followed suit without hesitation. People naturally have a herd mentality; once someone takes the lead, others are quick to follow.
As a flash of fire erupted in front of Hong Chenyi, the second person to complete the contract emerged.
Soon, students began trickling up to the front to borrow pens. Ji Niang looked visibly pleased by these more sensible students.
More and more people completed the signing. Even those who were still hesitating eventually steeled themselves and scrawled their names.
Ji Niang was quite satisfied with the efficiency. At least no "troublemakers" had jumped up to scream protests or incite the crowd. If such a person had appeared, Ji Niang wouldn't have minded making an example out of them.
Time ticked by. Unfortunately, my pen had been passed around to who-knows-where, and many of the pens Ji Niang brought had been borrowed as well.
Finally, under Ji Niang’s icy gaze, the last student finished signing.
"Excellent. Everyone has signed. Your efficiency was exactly as high as I expected. You are all such obedient children. Now, let’s move on to the next item. You all received one of these when you enrolled, right?"
Ji Niang’s voice rang out through the classroom again. A clear image appeared on the blackboard—a distinctive design with censored personal details. It was the student card issued at the start of the term.
That card was a product of Ley Line energy. It could also be used in conjunction with a phone to view one's personal data. Strictly speaking, this was the formal interface for Ley Line information exchange.
It seemed that freshmen couldn't bind the student card to themselves on their own; they needed assistance. My own card had been bound for me by Sister Bai.
"This is your student card. It is your identity, your proof of status within the Transcendent Academy. Once bound to you, you can use your phone to access the academy system and view your personal information and other data."
At this point, Ji Niang looked over the class again. "You all brought them, right? I personally reminded you in the group chat yesterday. This meeting doesn't have much to cover; surely you haven't failed to meet even this simple requirement?"
Most of the students spoke up, confirming they had brought theirs. However, a few looked away with panicked expressions, clearly having forgotten.
"For those who brought them, I will help you bind your personal information now. Those who didn't can find me during your free time, or ask a senior sister you know to help you."
After a brief explanation, Ji Niang stepped down from the podium to help the students one by one.
With her skills, she could have easily bound them all at once, but she wasn't in a hurry. She wanted to go through them individually. Since she had taken on the role of counselor, she needed to get to know her students. Statistical data and photos were never as impressionable as a face-to-face meeting.
Although her primary interest was Yang Yuehan, that didn't stop her from scouting for other talented little geniuses.
Ji Niang worked quickly. Those who were finished immediately began checking their personal data with excitement.
Even though the version on their phones was a condensed summary, it was enough for them to start comparing stats with one another.
The classroom grew noisy. Ji Niang didn't stop them; the passion of youth was impossible to suppress entirely. She would only intervene once their excitement died down and the conversation turned to mindless chatter.
With fewer than a hundred students in the class, Ji Niang finished her rounds quickly and returned to the lectern.
"Alright, quiet down."
Ji Niang spoke softly, yet her voice instantly quelled the classroom's din. Everyone fell silent, waiting for her next announcement.
"We don't have much left for this meeting. The next item is your class schedule. Some of you may have noticed it already, but I suspect most haven't. The schedule is also in the academy system; you can check it yourselves. If you can't find it, just search for 'schedule' and take a screenshot. I don't want the term to officially start only for you to have no idea which class you're supposed to be in."
"Um, Teacher? What about textbooks? When will they be distributed?" someone took the opportunity to ask a question on everyone's mind.
"Textbooks? Do you really think classes in a Transcendent Academy consist of a teacher reading case studies from a book? We generally don't use textbooks here. Teachers will demonstrate and teach live, using the blackboard behind me. Furthermore, every teacher’s style is vastly different."
"So, make sure you have your pens and multiple notebooks ready to record the key points. I don't want to get to the end of the semester and have you unable to explain a single thing the teacher taught."
After giving the class a brief lecture, Ji Niang spoke again. "Any other questions? If not, we will move on to the final announcement."
She waited a moment. When no one spoke, she continued.
"Since there are no questions, I shall announce the Class Monitor for Class 14. I imagine most of you are already familiar with her."