Favor and Duty

Chu Fei returned to the classroom at nearly 18:00, only to find Cao Liwen sitting in his seat. The students all had their heads lowered like a flock of little quails.

Cao Liwen gave Chu Fei a slight nod but said nothing and did not get up.

Chu Fei took a deep breath and walked to the podium. A mathematics textbook and a lesson plan book had already been placed there—the same lesson plan book Chu Fei had finished reading earlier.

He swept his gaze around the classroom again. Though there were only twenty students, with one strange fellow mixed among them, a faint sense of boldness rose in his heart at that moment.

After glancing at the textbook and lesson plan book, a great deal of knowledge flashed through his mind. Chu Fei began speaking:

"Students, starting tonight, we plan to set aside an hour during evening self-study every day to review what we've learned before.

"First, we'll start with mathematics. Tonight, we'll discuss the meaning of mathematics."

After a brief pause, Chu Fei tossed the textbook and lesson plan book aside. Without even looking at Cao Liwen, he said directly:

"Based on the past month and a half of study, especially after hearing everyone's complaints, I've discovered a fundamental problem.

"Mathematics is difficult—but where does that difficulty lie?

"The difficulty is that everyone instinctively rejects mathematics.

"So, if you want to learn mathematics well, you must first truly understand it."

"Now let me ask a question. How many minutes does it take to get from the classroom to the dormitory?"

Someone immediately answered, "Three minutes walking slowly, two minutes walking quickly, one minute running."

Chu Fei asked again, "What about the cafeteria?"

"Two minutes at a sprint."

Chu Fei smiled. "What if you walk slowly?"

"Of course we sprint when it's time to grab food. Who has the leisure to walk slowly?"

Laughter spread through the class. Even Cao Liwen showed a faint smile.

Chu Fei nodded, but his expression turned serious. "See? These things may seem like experience, but in essence, they're all applications of mathematics.

"Why do you consider three methods for getting to the dormitory, but only sprinting when going to the cafeteria?

"The fundamental reason is that you've already calculated it in your minds."

The laughter vanished, and everyone seemed thoughtful.

Chu Fei continued, "Mathematics is the eyes through which we recognize the world.

"They are the eyes of knowledge, the eyes of wisdom.

"Without mathematics, we wouldn't even be able to understand this world.

"There are 365 days in a year, 24 hours in a day, and breakfast is at seven in the morning;

"One meter equals one hundred centimeters, and the average height in our classroom is 162 centimeters;

"The whips we usually see come in three meters, two meters, and one meter;

"We usually like the decimal system best, but human genes use the octal system, while electronic computers use the binary system.

"And so on. We know all these things so clearly because of mathematics!

"Mathematics has long since merged into our souls. It is the foundation of how we understand the world, even of our survival; it is also the foundation of science and technology, and the foundation of Big Data Cultivation!

"Students, face mathematics head-on and accept it.

"Today, we'll begin with everyday life and understand mathematics from a different perspective."

Chu Fei's voice was loud and clear, and his thoughts were well organized. From time to time, he paused to answer the students' questions or ask questions of his own.

Gradually, Chu Fei realized that rather than leading the students in review, this kind of explanation was more like testing his own knowledge.

Test it, discover shortcomings, make up for them, improve.

Knowledge accumulated bit by bit in just this way, until small amounts became much. That one hour of review had actually accumulated a full drop of Wisdom Dewdrop!

The set alarm rang. It was already 19:00. Chu Fei stopped, gave a brief summary, and stepped down from the podium.

Cao Liwen stood up and began clapping first. Soon after, thunderous applause erupted.

"Well said!" Cao Liwen looked at Chu Fei with immense admiration. "Your approach just now was excellent. Continue tomorrow."

Chu Fei was in high spirits until Sun Xiangqing came looking for him after he returned to the dormitory that night.

"Brother Sun, good evening." Chu Fei was warmly enthusiastic.

Sun Xiangqing could not help shuddering as he glanced at the pistol at Chu Fei's waist.

You used to call Huang Dapeng 'Brother Huang,' and then you killed him; you called Tang Zhengang 'Brother Tang,' and then you shot him dead. Don't call me brother. It's terrifying.

But thinking of the task he had been given, Sun Xiangqing had no choice but to brace himself and walk up to Chu Fei. "Chu Fei, Captain Liu wants to know: you clearly knew about the spells and the map long ago, so why didn't you tell her?"

That urgent? They couldn't even wait until tomorrow?

But Chu Fei wore a smile. "Brother Sun, do you remember the conditions for accepting the investment?"

"Of course!" Sun Xiangqing immediately recited them.

Once Sun Xiangqing finished, Chu Fei smiled. "Brother Sun, the terms make it very clear: I join the team after graduation.

"But I haven't graduated yet. I'm still a student of Dawn Academy.

"So I have an obligation to inform Dawn Academy.

"But as for the Greedy Wolf Team, all I can say is this:

"Telling you is a favor; not telling you is my duty.

"And as for the favor between us..."

Chu Fei enunciated every word. "The Superbrain Potion you quoted at ten thousand yuan has a factory price of only one-fifth that!"

Sun Xiangqing froze. He clearly had not expected Chu Fei to be so forceful.

Just as he was about to say something, he suddenly remembered the long-dead Huang Dapeng and Tang Zhengang, and swallowed the words that had reached his lips.

In the end, Sun Xiangqing could only mutter, "The profit margin on potions is always over 300%; outside the city, there are even tenfold profits. And the Superbrain Potion selling for ten thousand yuan really is the market price."

Chu Fei: "..."

Chu Fei took a deep breath before saying, "I want to learn the trump-card techniques of those four elderly whip users. They're asking ten thousand yuan, and the training will take two months.

"Help me ask Captain Liu whether that's acceptable."

Sun Xiangqing looked at Chu Fei strangely. You're amazing. Captain Liu sent me here to question you, yet you're actually setting conditions for her!

But after hesitating for a moment, Sun Xiangqing still turned and left.

Can't afford to offend him, can't afford to offend him. I'm only here to deliver a message. There's no need to risk my life.

Come to think of it, after Chu Fei got rid of Huang Dapeng and Tang Zhengang, my treatment even improved.

Days passed one after another. The courses grew steadily more difficult, but with Chu Fei taking the lead in reviewing, everyone's studies improved noticeably.

Before they knew it, two weeks had passed. Chu Fei had "graduated" from the four elders' training, yet Sun Xiangqing still had not brought back any reply.

At this time, Chu Fei and the others also faced the second wave of "elimination."

However, there was one difference from last time. After the examination on Saturday night, Cao Liwen announced the elimination requirements in advance:

Potential improvement of 0.012, and a top-ten ranking in both exam scores and running results.

Compared with the previous elimination requirements—potential improvement of 0.015, and top-ten rankings in both exam scores and running results—this time was slightly more relaxed.

After Cao Liwen left, everyone chattered away. There was anticipation and unease, but even more anxiety.

Improved academic performance and enhanced meditation ability were beneficial to improving one's potential, but they could not be equated completely!

Moreover, though this time's requirements appeared lower, considering that improving potential became increasingly difficult, the actual elimination criteria were harsher than last time.

Some people wanted to ask Chu Fei, but when they saw his serious, tense expression, they ultimately said nothing.