The Academy's Future

Bunker, Second Level.

The Function Layer was relatively open, because no residential structures could be built there.

But the people of the lower levels were not picky. As long as they found a place to lie down, they had somewhere to rest.

Humans were social creatures.

Even though there was plenty of open space on the Function Layer, everyone instinctively gathered together.

Outside the Level Six Hospital, a long line had formed.

It was the fourth hour since the Level Six Hospital had arrived. Wen Xishu's story was still being passed around.

Some people had already begun recovering after taking Level Six medicine.

Even if there was not enough medicine to go around, the Bunker's top medical experts would master the use of the equipment inside the Level Six Hospital in the shortest possible time.

Resolving this epidemic crisis, and even every epidemic crisis to come, was only a matter of time.

In an open area outside the hospital, a young man about Wen Xishu's age supported a middle-aged woman.

She was his mother. Her face was haggard, and her voice was weak.

But after taking the medicine, color slowly returned to her face.

The miraculous effects of the medicine left the young man amazed.

He lowered his head.

"I thought my talent was exceptional. During the Tower of Slaughter Academy entrance tests, I scored full marks in both the academic and physical examinations..."

"Even the teachers from Three Towers Academy said my talent was rare..."

The young man's mother laboriously raised a hand and stroked his chin.

"Child... of course you are outstanding. To your mother, you are the most outstanding child in the world."

But the young man shook his head.

"No, Mom, that isn't true. Only now do I understand that talent is merely a ticket through the door. Mr. Wen Xishu showed me that there is always someone greater."

"I have to work even harder. I can't become complacent just because I have talent. I can't allow my finish line to be nothing more than someone else's starting point!"

The young man was named Yue Yun. He was about to become a new student at Three Towers Academy, and he was also a promising prospect highly valued by the academy.

During the simulation phase, Yue Yun had received full marks for courage, nerve, methods, and physical ability. He had even received full marks in academic subjects.

Based on grades alone, he was the best among the prospective freshmen. With focused training, he was bound to achieve great things in the future.

Perhaps as soon as he graduated, the Bunker Security Bureau would recruit him and entrust him with important responsibilities.

Although Yue Yun came from the lower levels, he could be said to have defied fate and changed his life through talent alone.

At such a young age, he had been chosen by Three Towers Academy's Tower of Slaughter Academy. Naturally, he had been somewhat proud.

He had even imagined competing with people like Xun Hui and Wen Renjing in the future, becoming one of the Bunker's most outstanding young talents.

But life never went smoothly in every way.

Not long ago, Yue Yun's mother had contracted the epidemic. Yue Yun knew very well what caring for her meant.

It meant he could be infected himself, and his physical functions could be damaged. His talent might never be realized.

It was like football. Talent was certainly important, but avoiding injury through more than a dozen long seasons was what made someone a true legend. And that was even rarer than talent itself.

Yue Yun had fallen into a dilemma, but in the end, the young man had not chosen to abandon his mother. He continued caring for her, even after he began coughing himself.

Yue Yun had originally thought that he truly would miss his chance at the Tower of Slaughter Academy this time...

But he had never expected Wen Xishu's medicine to be Level Six medicine capable of treating all viral diseases.

Stories of Wen Xishu's deeds continued spreading among the Bunker's lower-level residents, growing ever more exaggerated.

Eighteen years old. A lower-level resident. Had not entered an academy. First time climbing a tower. Strange Tower. Level Six Completion.

Those words put together dealt Yue Yun an enormous shock.

He was deeply grateful for Wen Xishu's medicine, grateful that Wen Xishu had given him another chance to return to the academy.

But the pride in his heart had also taken a tremendous blow.

So there were geniuses like this. You thought getting first place in the academy simulations made you a genius.

But you did not realize that someone had saved most people, including you, in real combat that was countless times more difficult.

"I'll work hard to follow his example. I wonder whether the academy will find him. If they do, I'll definitely find a chance during my time at the academy to repay him."

Yue Yun's mother was deeply comforted. She knew that her son was upright and righteous, that he repaid kindness.

"Good child. Your mother is happy for you."

Mother and son embraced, happy that they had survived the epidemic.

There were many more stories like this.

Not far away, a younger sister took the medicine her older brother had brought her, and her complexion gradually began to improve.

Unlike Yue Yun, the siblings Jiang He and Jiang Xue attracted quite a bit of attention. People would always come over to ask if they needed help.

The reason was actually simple. Jiang Xue's features were simply too beautiful.

If Jiang He had not been tall and strong, and experienced in protecting his sister, Jiang Xue might have been harassed many times already.

"Brother, this medicine really works... I'm getting better. It's unbelievable!"

Jiang Xue's complexion became rosier, her eyes filled with vitality, and the smile on her lips grew more obvious.

Jiang He merely smiled and said nothing.

Jiang Xue noticed his expression and sighed softly.

"Brother... I'm better now. You should be happy for me. Today is a day worth celebrating for the entire first and second levels."

Jiang He shook his head slightly.

"Little Sister, now that you're better, you'll go to the Tower of Desire Academy again, right?"

Jiang Xue hesitated for a second, but still nodded.

The recent epidemic had made her think she might no longer have the chance to become a freshman at Three Towers Academy's Tower of Desire Academy.

Unlike the Tower of Slaughter Academy, the Desire Tower was somewhere everyone wanted to go, so the Tower of Desire Academy had many students admitted through connections.

Jiang Xue was very beautiful, beautiful enough to topple cities.

But the epidemic could quickly leave her haggard. To compete with those students who had connections, Jiang Xue needed to be in her best condition.

Beauty was also a form of wealth, and this was especially apparent at the Tower of Desire Academy. For ordinary people to enter the Tower of Desire Academy, outward qualities were a hard requirement.

Jiang Xue understood very well that if she contracted the epidemic, setting aside whether she could recover, her sickly appearance alone would make it difficult for her to stand out.

Originally, she had thought heaven had blocked off that path for her.

Jiang He said,

"Little Sister, I can fight for my life to get into the Tower of Slaughter Academy. Your brother can support you for the rest of your life!"

"Failing this time doesn't mean I'll fail next time! I'll keep training my body. I believe I'll get into the Tower of Slaughter Academy next time. Promise me, don't go to the Tower of Desire Academy, okay?"

"That place... really isn't good."

Jiang He truly cared deeply about this. His eyes filled with tears from anxiety.

Jiang Xue lowered her head, her voice gentle yet beyond dispute.

"Yes, I know Brother would fight for me. I also know that place isn't good."

"What can women learn at the Tower of Desire Academy? How to seduce people, how to please people, how to entice people?"

"The Tower of Desire Academy is filled with nobles. A girl with nothing but looks and no family background, if she goes there... who knows what she might encounter."

"Maybe it is even more dangerous than the Desire Tower itself?"

"And even after graduation, heh, she might be assigned to some... special institutions in the upper levels."

"Brother, I know. I know all of it. I know everything."

"But our family... is poor!"

Jiang Xue slowly raised her head. The normally gentle girl had a fierce look in her eyes. Jiang He felt her hand clench tightly.

"We are lower-level people. Our lives are cheap. We are the kind of people those above try every possible way to stay away from. If not for Wen Xishu, we siblings might have silently collapsed onto the ground at some point... and died in pain and sickness."

"We wandered, we gathered, we shouted and fought, hoping the people above would save us... but they closed the passageways."

"We are people who can be discarded at any time! In their eyes, we are nothing!"

"Brother, I don't want this! I can endure every humiliation, but I don't want to be humiliated and end up with nothing to hold onto."

"Being insulted is fine. Being bullied is fine. Accepting their mockery is fine. Even... paying an even greater price is fine. I want to climb upward!"

Tears glimmered in Jiang Xue's eyes.

She thought of the beatings and humiliations her brother had suffered over the years to protect her.

How much oppression they had endured just to survive. How much hardship and exhaustion he had suffered to pay for her schooling.

Children from poor families grew up early. Jiang Xue had realized long ago that beauty alone could instead become a burden.

"I want to climb to the top of the Bunker! I want to trample those who bullied me beneath my feet! I want to do everything in my power to become someone who can stand on her own! One day, no one will dare speak of the humiliations of my past."

"Brother, I want to protect you too. I won't let a single person who hurt you go. I want power and strength, even if I have to do the most degrading things for them!"

Jiang Xue spoke every word softly, but every word was filled with boundless hatred, hatred so deep that her teeth clenched.

Tears fell from Jiang He's eyes. He knew he could not persuade his sister, so he could only pull her into his arms.

All he could do was pray that her career would go smoothly.

Countless people were embracing one another. Countless people were crying.

Wen Xishu had no idea how many people's fates he had changed.

He only knew... if no one came to save him soon, his fate would probably end today.

Bunker, Fourth Level. Wen Xishu's interrogation was still ongoing.

Xie Changfeng had beaten Wen Xishu viciously for a long time.

Wen Xishu's consciousness had already begun to blur. The drugs had not yet been used on him, but he figured...

If he passed out and still refused to talk, Xie Changfeng would use the drugs.

The effect of provoking Xie Changfeng was steadily weakening.

Especially since... he was truly weak, so weak that he could no longer think of any sharp insults to curse with.