Electric Light Thread (Part 2)

Li Mingde's face darkened. "You didn't understand how important club life was at Zhi Xing Institute before? Fine. But after the club fair on the 24th, can you still claim you don't understand? At the fair, I told you to take it seriously, find a club you liked as soon as possible, and apply to join, so you wouldn't lose credits. So many days have passed. Out of the hundred or so attendees, most have gotten results. But what about you?"

He tapped the desk. The sensor activated a simple AR display, showing a list of information. "Xue Lei, joined the Traditional Martial Arts Society on the 25th, then withdrew?"

"Their skills were too rough..." Xue Lei tried to explain, only to be viciously glared back into silence by Li Mingde. Ronan also shot him a glance, deeply impressed.

But then it was his turn. "And you, Ronan. You said you would attend the Mystic Studies Society interview on the 27th, but you never went. Heh heh, you skipped class all day!"

Ronan opened his mouth, wanting to explain, but eventually closed it again and merely stood there quietly.

Li Mingde went on to point out each of the others' failed—or utterly blank—club records. At last, he sneered. "You've all been awfully relaxed. I told you at the club fair: according to school regulations, club-related credits total twenty-four over three years, eight per year. If you don't join a club, all eight credits are deducted. Do the math. How many extra courses will you have to take to make up that shortfall?"

To the students, this was the most practical concern. After all, a core course was worth only four credits a year. A deficit equal to two core courses was enough to wipe out most people's efforts for the entire year.

The office immediately erupted into uneasy murmuring. So the school was serious? This was far too different from their former schools!

Then Li Mingde dealt them another heavy blow. "The final deadline for freshmen to join clubs is September 30th. Today is the 28th, so there's still time, right? But let me remind you: tomorrow is the weekend. The vast majority of clubs will not be handling freshman admissions anymore!"

A bunch of people lowered their heads to check the time, then went pale. Club activities ended at six, but it was already five twenty. In other words, even if they turned around and left right now, they had less than forty minutes to find a club, apply, and complete the procedures... and that was assuming the club was willing to accept them!

Someone immediately wailed, "Aren't we doomed?"

Xue Lei and Ronan exchanged a glance. They realized this was very similar to what Chen Xiaolin had warned them about, so both lowered their heads and played dead.

Seeing the group's lifeless faces and apocalyptic expressions, Li Mingde waved a hand. "The school, and I as your advisor, have fulfilled our duty to inform you. The consequences of the free choices you made are yours to bear... All right, time is short. Those of you who still want to save your credits, hurry up and do your best."

H-Hey, was that it?

Other than oddballs like Xue Lei, who had voluntarily withdrawn from a club, and special cases like Ronan, most of the people who had dragged their feet over club selection until now were introverted and indecisive. Add in the inexperience of being fifteen or sixteen, and after several rounds of bombardment, they had long since lost their bearings. What "free choice" was there left to talk about?

They looked at one another, and no one dared move. Some of the more timid ones were already on the verge of tears. Even Ronan and Xue Lei, who had intended to slip out, felt too embarrassed to move.

Only when someone a little quicker on the uptake hesitantly spoke up did the silence break. "Then... Advisor Li, at this point, even if we rush, it'll be too late. Can't the school make some kind of arrangement...?"

"The school will not interfere with students' free choices." Li Mingde continued to emphasize the words "free choices," sounding distinctly unconcerned.

When young people got anxious, they began to speak without thinking. "But you're our advisor! When students have difficulties, shouldn't you help solve them?"

"You brats want to push me to the front now?" Though he said that, the severity in Li Mingde's face softened slightly. Leaning back in his chair, he pondered for a moment. "Fine. I'll give you a suggestion. Just a suggestion!"

Whatever came out of his mouth, the desperate students would accept it. "A suggestion is fine. A suggestion works too."

One person took the lead, and many joined in. The office quickly became a noisy mess.

Li Mingde shook his head and pointed at them. "Actually, I only have one thing to say: at times like this, you'll have to be more realistic. Don't even think about famous clubs with good resources. Personal interests and talents should come later. Your sole goal should be getting into a club. First, make sure you have somewhere to belong..."

The young people ran it through their minds and immediately found it reasonable. "Right, right."

"Then you can only choose clubs with obscure focuses and low popularity. These clubs often have limited resources and don't put much effort into organizing activities. You probably just skimmed past them before, but at a time like this, you can't be picky."

Li Mingde sighed. "To put it plainly, keeping your credits and ensuring the quality of your studies come first. That's my suggestion. You've heard it, so hurry up and get to it."

The dozen or so young people exchanged looks. It sounded reasonable, but it was still far too vague.

Seeing their expressions, Li Mingde laughed. "I've gone this far, and you still want more? Think there isn't enough time? Fine, I'll make an exception for you. If you truly can't make a choice within half an hour, I'll give you one more night. Contact me before eight tomorrow morning and tell me your choice. I'll try to communicate with those clubs and arrange a response or an interview for you. No later than that. Any later, and there'll definitely be no way to arrange it... And even then, success isn't guaranteed."

Having an extra night to think was certainly good, but it still didn't sound reliable. Someone grimaced. "Advisor, there are more than four thousand clubs at the school. Could you narrow it down for us or something?"

"You think this is the Final Exam?"

Li Mingde glared at him, then thought for a while longer. He tapped the desk, and the intelligent office system switched interfaces. Based on the conditions he set, it displayed a row of club names—thirty or forty in all. "I searched for some through the management system. You can use these as references..."

The crowd surged forward. Xue Lei, at the very front, swept his eyes over the list and burst out laughing.

Man-Eating Plant Bonsai Art Interest Group?

Female Vague Poetry Psychological Research Society?

M31 Nebula Higher Life Telepathy Association?

What the hell?

Ronan did not join the commotion. The crowd made him dizzy, so while everyone pushed forward, he retreated toward the back to enjoy a moment of peace.

Credits and clubs were certainly important, but the Electric Light Thread still occupied more than half his mind. Without realizing it, he took out the thin plastic pouch and stared at it blankly.

At that moment, he saw that the Electric Light Thread had already pierced a tiny hole in the pouch. Half of it was sticking out, looking even sharper than he had imagined.

"The material really is unusual... but how could this be an issue with the material?" Ronan finally pinched the long thread between his fingers, and in the next instant, he froze.

For the first time, he touched it without obstruction. Though the thread was excessively fine, an unbelievable "warmth" seeped into him. On closer examination, it was neither cold nor hot. Instead, it felt like a tingling current of energy flowing in through his fingertips and spreading through his whole body in an instant.

Nothing had happened to his body yet, but the long thread drifting in the indoor breeze suddenly snapped straight. Like a resilient needle, it vibrated back and forth.

Ronan stared in shock, unable to understand what principle was at work. Just as his confusion deepened, his wristband gave a slight vibration. An incoming call had come through.

He instinctively reached out to answer it, forgetting about the "long thread" quivering at his fingertips. As he extended his hand, the tip of the taut thread touched the side of the wristband. Without a sound, it stabbed straight in. Of its seven or eight centimeters of length, more than half vanished inside in an instant.

At that very moment, an electric current ran through Ronan's hand. His fingertips went numb, and he could not keep hold of it. He could only watch as the remaining half of the long thread burrowed deeper, like a living creature, disappearing in the blink of an eye.