Chapter 940: A Chance!
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 940: A Chance!
"Why do you ask that?"
I found Ming Xueming’s question somewhat baffling. After all, anyone who gave it a moment's thought could figure out who the driving force behind Tan Han was. It wasn't the kind of question she should be asking at a time like this.
"Because... the moment I saw that massive Ancient Remnant Ice King, the first figure that came to my mind... was you. My intuition has always been sharp. If I’ve guessed wrong, please forgive my presumption."
I looked at her with genuine surprise but gave her an answer nonetheless. "I can only say that it is indeed closely related to me."
"Thank you for your answer. I understand now."
"As long as you understand. You seem like a smart person, so I wonder—what else do you have in mind?" I asked.
I truly didn't know why she had come looking for me. If she were just anxious to pick a side, there was no need to go to such lengths.
"As for what comes next... naturally, we’re here to talk business. I imagine Teaching Assistant Xiao Han would be quite interested in that, wouldn't you?" Ming Xueming said.
The Jack-of-all-trades Club couldn't possibly be unaware of what Millian had been up to lately. Trying to establish the Baking House in the academy at this stage and gain a firm foothold was no small feat.
"Talk business? Then you should be talking to Millian, not me. My understanding of such matters is, as you people put it... lacking any sense of scale or priority."
"No, I believe discussing macro-level strategic cooperation and layout with you is highly meaningful. No matter how you look at it, Millian is merely an extension of your will; she is ultimately serving you. We are sincere about this collaboration. To that end, we can provide you with many conveniences."
"Interesting... won't that damage the interests of the Jack-of-all-trades Club? You don't think we're competitors?" I asked with a smile.
"You jest. I am no longer the President of the Jack-of-all-trades Club. The interests we represent now do not represent the club in its pure form. While there will be some pressure, it isn't enough to shake our intent to cooperate."
In that moment, Ming Xueming once again demonstrated just how distant the line between profit and sentiment could be.
The moment her status changed, she dared to come directly to me, offering to trade the club's interests for the benefit of her own faction.
Truly... everyone is playing their own game.
However, if one understood the composition of the Jack-of-all-trades Club, this was more or less expected.
"You sound very sincere," I chuckled.
And her sincerity was indeed genuine.
Heart Sense doesn't lie, so I spoke again: "Since you know I don't care for all those twists and turns, let's be direct. What is it you want?"
"We will establish a partnership with the Baking House and help clear the path for you to gain a firm foothold in the academy. To be honest, some of the methods Millian has shown recently are still a bit green."
"And what do you want in return?" I asked, ignoring the second half of her sentence.
Everyone has their period of being 'green,' and Millian was no exception. The value of her loyalty far outweighed her current ability.
"The... Expansion Realm."
Ming Xueming gave those three words after a moment of deliberation. But those three words alone revealed her foresight regarding future events.
"I have no doubt that you have the ability to shut out the vast majority of the academy's factions. From your relationship with the Ninglan City Lord to the regions outside the Ninglan Territory that developed from shelters—whether it's the Jack-of-all-trades Club or the Witch Secret Realm Club, the resistance we would face trying to enter would be no less than what the Baking House faces now."
"And?" I prompted.
As I said before, Ming Xueming was a smart person, and smart people prefer to make as many friends and as few enemies as possible.
I even had reason to suspect that Ming Xueming had intentionally stepped down as President.
She was nearing graduation, after all. She likely wanted to use her status as a student to do things outside the scope of the President's office before she left.
"I am well aware that if you wished it, the Baking House would soar the moment the academy lifts the restrictions on the Expansion Realm. But that won't happen immediately. I believe... this window of time is my opportunity. I can guarantee that this will be a collaboration led by you and your Baking House. Teaching Assistant Xiao Han, are you willing to give us such a chance?"
Ming Xueming’s posture and tone were very humble as she spoke.
It was because she could no longer see through the person in front of her.
A year ago, if she wanted to understand her opponent, it would have been simple. But not anymore.
Even if she discussed it with her mentor, she wouldn't necessarily learn anything.
The Little Witch sitting before her looked so ordinary and unpretentious, yet she was gradually drifting beyond Ming Xueming's field of vision.
It was as if ordinary students could no longer glimpse what people at this level were doing.
So, she was truly afraid.
After all, self-awareness is a vital quality. The less the other party cared about you, the more it proved you had no value.
The Glacial Throne Secret Realm had taught her a lesson. She had come here seeking an answer, and she had found it.
This person was the one controlling the board, and the board was set by the Witch Academy. Did that not explain everything?
To join the game, one must see the grand trend.
The basic framework of reality is that ordinary people cannot defeat the Transcendent class. They weren't targeting this Teaching Assistant Little Witch named Yang Yuehan; they were trying to use their status as ordinary people to oppose the Transcendent class.
In a situation where defeat was certain and their stance was doomed, why not change sides immediately?
What was the point of clinging to a bit of face and comfort in the present?
Only those outside the academy, who hadn't witnessed the power of the Transcendent, would think, I could do that too.
While she wasn't yet trapped and hadn't placed too much weight on certain things, this was her only chance.
When the end draws near, do the villains really not know they are wrong, or that they are destined to lose? They know; they just can't turn back.
"A chance, huh..."
I looked at her. Her words, expression, and gestures were saturated with sincerity and heavy hints—no, they were explicit declarations.
But because of that, I found her quite interesting.
Yes, there were too many opportunities around me—so many that the only people I could use were Millian, Tan Han, and a few others.
I could believe that Ming Xueming wasn't the only one who saw this opportunity, but others lacked her boldness. They certainly didn't dare to emulate Millian’s hotheaded maneuvers.
If Ming Xueming fired the first shot, everything that followed would be like a rolling snowball... no, an avalanche!
As it poured down, it would inevitably crush all the little lackeys trying to go against the flow.
"I can certainly give you a chance." I stopped fiddling with the badge in my hand and tossed it to Ming Xueming.
Hearing my response, Ming Xueming immediately caught the token firmly.
Then, she smiled. Because the object in her hand was no longer just a simple badge—it was a chance!
And she... had caught it!
* * *
Meanwhile, at the Primitive Dream Laboratory.
Under Dean Mei's arrangements, they had returned today.
The Qi Observation Art instrument was nearly finished with its calibration. They were performing the final tests; if there were no issues, it would be dismantled and moved.
Of course, once moved, it wouldn't be returned to Dean Mei's office-cum-laboratory. The instrument would be placed in a more suitable location for the Witch Academy's strategic observation of Luck.
Dean Mei had also hinted that with this Qi Observation instrument as the experimental core, they would open several more research projects themed around Luck observation. These would be used to deal with the complex and ever-changing situation in the Main World.
It could be said that there were far too many witches in the Witch Academy with nothing to do. A single call for participants could rally a massive crowd. The fact that I, as a mere student, could get Witch Mentors to work for me was a perfect example.
After giving the three Body Cultivation Witches—Muli, Long, and Fanny—a brief explanation of what needed to be done next, they all agreed.
Dean Mei had already spoken to them about this before they arrived, including the matter of taking over the Primitive Dream Laboratory.
After all, it was truly difficult to lie in front of Heart-Sensing Body Cultivators. It was easier to win their understanding by getting straight to the point.
And they were very much in favor of it.
Taking over the Primitive Dream Laboratory wasn't something they could achieve right now. They had much more to do: mastering a mature Dream Domain Order and adapting to deep-layer environments.
Of course, the most important part was the development of their Self-Awakened Body Cultivation abilities.
They knew so little about Self-Awakened Body Cultivation that when they encountered the dream realm, they felt completely out of their element.
To use an analogy: if the dream is reality, once a person has a clear sense of self and masters their learning talent, they can quickly become self-sufficient. Learning anything just requires effort and a bit of talent.
But they couldn't do that. If I compared "Dream Domain" to learning to ride a bicycle, their so-called adaptation was merely getting used to the pain of falling. They didn't understand why a two-wheeled vehicle could move without falling over.
To use another analogy for Self-Awakened Body Cultivation: they had an innate talent for riding. My job in helping them develop that talent was to use effective methods to help them understand and master it, and then let it flourish. Ideally, they would eventually develop their own unique understanding of "riding a bicycle" (the Dream Domain).
As for Long, who lacked Self-Awakened Body Cultivation... her position was a bit awkward, but she had come to terms with it.
Talent was just a shortcut. She believed her hard work could reach the same heights as talent.
What Long valued most was the tempering of her spirit and will by the Primitive Dream Realm. Ever since she first saw the Primitive Dream Realm and suffered the setback of "falling" in the laboratory, she had been eyeing this "tempering ground" for a long time. She even wanted to promote it to others.
So, she wanted to use this opportunity for long-term self-discipline—to learn and master this method!
She didn't care about innovation or thinking outside the box; she just wanted to master the technique. She hoped to use this method to help more Body Cultivators, or even witches who weren't Body Cultivators. This was a way to temper mental power and willpower! It was one thing to look at it with envy, but another entirely to master it for oneself.
The other two, Muli and Fanny, who did have Self-Awakened Body Cultivation, had similar thoughts. However, they were more interested in whether they could innovate by combining these methods with their existing Body Cultivation power once they mastered them.
After all, this power originated from Self-Awakened Body Cultivation. Powers from the same source were easier to use in tandem. Even if the gap between the two was wide... if they truly combined them, wouldn't they be even more powerful?
Thus, a faint sense of competition had developed between Muli and Fanny. It was a spontaneous, resonant thought—the kind where two people think of the same thing at once. It was truly a case of mutual appreciation between Body Cultivators.
"Xiao Han~ the final calibration is done! Hehe!"
At that moment, the several Witch Sisters busy with the Qi Observation instrument happily announced the news to me.
As the team responsible for the overall framework and application design of the instrument, they would be the leaders of the related research projects in the future! Once the project was over, they could add a brilliant stroke to their life's resumes!
"Then congratulations on the successful completion of your project!" I offered my congratulations.
After a round of cheering, a few of the sisters ran over and whispered to me.
"Xiao Han~ now that the calibration is over, we're planning a celebration party. Want to come?"
"Well~ that might be difficult. I can't leave for the time being."
"A clone is fine too! If Xiao Han isn't there, the party will really lose its meaning!"
"Hmm... alright. I'll manifest a clone to go. Or... you can just grab one of my clones? I have quite a few in the academy."
"How can we just 'grab' one! For such a meaningful occasion, it has to be a fresh one!"
"Fine, fine, I can't say no to you all~ It's a deal then~"
After making the promise, they happily went off to dismantle the instrument.
The three Body Cultivation Witches then approached, as they weren't without curiosity.
"Xiao Han, what are they doing? Is the project over?"
"Yes, it's a high-security experimental project. You don't need to help them. That's a calibrated observation instrument; the core components can't even be dismantled. Transporting it requires a temporary loading into a space-stabilized dungeon world."
After giving them a brief explanation of what I could share, we quickly moved on to our experimental steps.
However, we didn't start with practical application this time. Instead, we began with a theoretical lecture. This stage of the experiment was a bit rushed, but being rushed was already par for the course for me.
I just had to teach them.
For the sake of efficiency, I even activated two temporary clones to provide individual guidance to the three of them.
As for my main self... I naturally went to teach Long personally.
Given the gap in Long's innate talent, she naturally required more professional, high-level guidance.
The other two witches understood this perfectly.