Meeting at the Summit

"Zhou Yi, I'll come to Huadun to visit you someday."

That evening, Qin An brought dried bugs and invited Zhou Yi to meet on the rooftop, making a grand show of preparing for a formal farewell.

Zhou Yi had instinctively wanted to refuse. He could not stand sentimental scenes in his life; back on Earth, whenever he watched comedy skits, he never watched the endings.

What was there to say goodbye for? He was not dead yet.

But in the end, Zhou Yi compromised. There was no helping it—Qin An had brought far too many dried bugs...

Zhou Yi rubbed his arms, so thin they felt almost bony, and helplessly sat with Qin An on the roof of his house.

Qin An's family had money, so their roof was sturdier. If it had been Zhou Yi's own roof, he would not have gone up there even if someone beat him to death.

"Got it. Study hard when you get to school."

Zhou Yi did not take Qin An's words about coming back to visit him seriously. Once Qin An reached a new place, made new friends, and saw a broader world, he would soon forget his old friends.

"D71 Star Block will be dissolved soon. The relocation fee is ten thousand Star Coins. I know Uncle and Aunt work very hard to make money, and I've saved up some pocket money over the years..."

Qin An was a few months younger than Zhou Yi. He had followed Zhou Yi around ever since they were children, and he cared for Zhou Yi's parents not like ordinary neighbors, but more like actual uncles and aunts.

"Stop."

Zhou Yi knew what Qin An meant and did not let him continue.

"There's still nearly a year left. I'll figure something out."

"Fine, but if there ever comes a day when you really need my help, you have to come find me! I'm scared of pain, so I can't take a knife for you, but if money can solve it, I can solve it for you!"

Sixteen-year-old rich kid Qin began making bold declarations. At the time, he had no idea what price he would have to pay someday for his youthful recklessness.

"Okay, I'll remember that." Zhou Yi smiled.

The graduation break was shorter than any holiday before it, and the children were busier than usual.

Since they would be entering a new field of knowledge, parents with the means used this holiday to find private tutors for their newly awakened children, hoping to give them a head start before school began.

Zhou Yi's family had no means to hire a teacher. Besides, with D-rank talent, there really was no need to hire one...

A clumsy bird could get ahead by working harder, but if it had been born with crippled wings, there was no need to make things difficult for itself.

But Zhou Yi was, after all, a Chosen One with a growth-type star pattern, not someone with the lowest-grade talent.

During the short one-month break, he had already become proficient at controlling his star power.

His widened Chakra gradually stabilized, and his star power circulated in an orderly fashion. Although Zhou Yi did not know the exact numerical value of his star power, after the previous replenishment from the energy pod, he could feel that his energy had increased by at least five times. It was a qualitative leap!

Star power could only be measured with specialized instruments. Mech schools tested their students' star power values once every semester.

"If only I could try using a mech right now."

Zhou Yi spread his hands, and a ball of light flickered brightly in his palms.

As far as anyone knew, star power could only be applied by humans through mechs. The higher a person's star power, the greater the power they could unleash while operating a mech.

It was as though the person inside the mech was its core brain, possessing absolute control, while the star power in their body determined the greatest force the mech could wield.

"I wonder what the practice mechs Huadun gives its students are like. I'm really getting impatient."

Amid Zhou Yi's anticipation, the first day of school soon arrived.

"Dad, Mom, stay safely on D71 Star Block for now. Before it dissolves, I'll definitely find a way to take our whole family somewhere better."

Before leaving, Zhou Yi gave Zhou Jiang and Tang Zhen these instructions. During this year here, he had gradually grown used to no longer being an orphan.

He was not merely boasting about making money. His star pattern now had three star points, giving him the basic ability to create star patterns.

Once he got to Huadun and could obtain a mech for experimentation, he would surely find a way to make money.

Zhou Yi's words moved Zhou Jiang and Tang Zhen to tears. Only after Zhou Yi had gone far away did Zhou Jiang raise a hand to wipe his eyes.

"What did our son mean by that? How is he supposed to make money? Going alone to an unfamiliar place, he'd better not take the wrong path."

Tang Zhen wiped her eyes as well. "Put your mind at ease. Looking at that silhouette, only his own parents could tell he's a boy. All the bad paths are blocked off to him, so he doesn't have much chance."

As expected, the words of those closest to you hurt the most.

But Tang Zhen could not be blamed. Zhou Yi was so skinny that he looked as though he had never developed at all, and for convenience, he had cut his hair short to his ears.

From either the front or the back, Father Zhou truly had been worrying too much.

Of course, Zhou Yi knew none of this. At that moment, he was already standing beneath the Star Ship stop sign, waiting.

As a public means of transportation, Star Ships were very affordable.

The fare was based on distance. Zhou Yi only needed ten Star Coins and three hours to travel to the neighboring star block—fair prices for all.

Carrying a large backpack, Zhou Yi boarded the Star Ship and soon sped through the universe at the speed of light.

This was the first time Zhou Yi had left D71 Star Block in the year since he arrived.

Most people never left the star block where they were born in their entire lives.

Though they were neighboring star blocks, the distance between them was still immense. Zhou Yi watched D71 Star Block grow smaller and smaller until it gradually disappeared from his sight.

The universe beyond the star block did not seem completely dark. Lights flashed everywhere—some were enormous star blocks, while more were various vehicles and even mechs.

There was no need to deliberately distinguish them. The fast ones were private Star Ships, the slow ones were public transportation, and the ones that streaked past like beams of light, too fast to see clearly, were mechs.

"First time riding a Star Ship, little one?"

As Zhou Yi stared fixedly outside, an elderly man beside him struck up a conversation.

"Mm."

Zhou Yi usually could not be bothered to speak with strangers, but although the old man was simply dressed, he looked rather kind. Out of the fine virtue of respecting the elderly and caring for the young, Zhou Yi answered him.

"Going to school? Huadun?"

The old man continued.

Hearing that, Zhou Yi became slightly wary.

"How did you know?"

"Don't be nervous. From your age and appearance, it's obvious you're heading out for school. I know most schools certified by the Interstellar Alliance. This ship only passes a few of them, all D-rank. Huadun is the closest school to where you boarded, so there's no reason for you not to choose it."

The old man tried to help Zhou Yi relax. The wariness in the boy's eyes was unmistakable, and he somewhat regretted whether his abrupt conversation had frightened him.

"Who are you?"

Zhou Yi asked in return. There was no reason for the other person to know so much about him while he knew nothing about the man.

"I am..." The old man paused.

"My name is Zhuang Mu, an educator."

"My name is Zhou Yi, a student."