Caolu Academy

Hyperthymesia was an extremely rare medical anomaly, a branch of involuntary memory.

People with hyperthymesia had no ability to forget. They could remember everything they had personally experienced with crystal clarity, down to every detail.

Do not assume this was a gift from heaven.

It was a curse!

Because they lacked the ability to forget, painful experiences and unpleasant encounters would constantly resurface before their eyes, playing over and over again.

Time could never heal the wounds in their hearts. Their psychological trauma would repeat itself again and again.

As a result, people with hyperthymesia had a far higher risk of developing depression than the general population.

However, the memory brought by the Scholar's Medal was equivalent to controllable hyperthymesia. It took effect whenever needed and caused no negative effects when it was not needed. Calling it photographic memory would not be an exaggeration.

As long as Ma Ran wished, he could recall anything that had happened in his previous life.

If he were bored enough, he could even accurately count how many grains of rice he had eaten one noon ten years ago.

The most precious aspect of the Scholar's Medal was not limited to this.

The comprehension, analytical, calculation, and insight abilities it gave Ma Ran were all on the same level as controllable hyperthymesia.

After several hours on the road, Ma Ran and the others finally arrived in the city.

After getting off the high-speed train, a private car was waiting to pick them up.

Ma Ran, Su Qiangwei, Dong Huaiming, and a senior student named Wan Haihao rode in the same car.

The four had gotten to know one another during the journey. Wan Haihao greatly admired the three younger students and had been exceptionally warm and energetic along the way.

"Lexus LS. Not a bad car..."

Wan Haihao curled the index finger of his left hand and tapped it twice against his right hand before taking the initiative to start a conversation. "By the way, have any of you been to Xiangyang before?"

"No."

Su Qiangwei devoted herself entirely to reading the sages' books and paid no attention to the world outside. Let alone leaving the province, she had barely left the city a few times.

"I have!"

Dong Huaiming was a terminal chuunibyou patient. Although he was young and only in his second year of high school, he had already made full use of every vacation to travel all over China.

He had not missed a single scenic site rumored to involve supernatural phenomena. If he had not received the invitation from Caolu Academy, he had originally planned to take half a year off school and visit the pyramids in Egypt and the Americas.

Dong Huaiming looked around and asked casually, "This route we're taking... are we going to Gulunzhong?"

The driver, a middle-aged man wearing sunglasses, grinned and nodded, agreeing with Dong Huaiming.

Dong Huaiming turned around from the front passenger seat. "Brother Ran, have you been there?"

Ma Ran looked up at him, smiled, and shook his head.

That single gesture instantly killed the conversation.

Wan Haihao sighed and began thinking of another way to get closer to the three younger students.

Su Qiangwei had been quite talkative on the train, but now she had gone quiet. She leaned against the window with her eyes closed, looking aloof. He had no idea who she was imitating...

All right!

She was imitating Ma Ran!

Wan Haihao had to admit that this high school senior named Ma Ran possessed a strange kind of charm. He did not talk much, yet he naturally became the focus and center of any group.

Whenever he casually sat down somewhere, it was as though a spotlight had been shone on his face.

A subtle change in his expression or an inadvertent movement could draw everyone's attention.

This had nothing to do with looks!

Wan Haihao had seen many celebrities who made a living off their faces. In his opinion, those people were merely ordinary. They could not make him as intensely curious as Ma Ran did.

Although they had not known each other for long, Wan Haihao was startled to discover that he had unconsciously begun imitating Ma Ran's habitual little gestures.

Whenever he started speaking, he felt like tapping something with his hand...

Wan Haihao forcefully stopped himself from imitating the gesture. He felt uncomfortable all over, but his eyes grew brighter.

He had possessed a strong thirst for knowledge since childhood and could not tolerate any mysteries.

There was something about Ma Ran...

A secret!

Forget high school students—even as a doctoral student with considerable experience, he had never seen anyone surpass Ma Ran in sheer presence!

The conspicuous little flaw of germaphobia aside.

At first glance, Ma Ran seemed affable and approachable, yet one could clearly sense an aura that kept others at a distance.

This was definitely not social withdrawal!

Nor was it arrogance!

A flash of inspiration struck Wan Haihao.

"Got it!"

Ma Ran acted this way because...

He did not want to hurt others.

"Once you understand him, you'll get hurt?"

Wan Haihao chuckled and turned his head slightly.

How conceited!

What had this person been through?

What had he encountered?

How many secrets was he hiding in his heart?

He was curious!

The corners of Wan Haihao's lips lifted slightly, and he was in an exceptionally good mood.

Accepting Caolu Academy's invitation had indeed been the right choice!

During their idle conversation, the group finally reached their destination.

The four large characters "Caolu Academy" were written on a bright-red banner by the roadside.

The walls and buildings, which had a strong traditional style, still bore traces of having been completed not long ago, giving people the feeling of walking into a costume-film studio.

The cold wind howled. It was as sharp as a knife, slicing painfully across their faces.

"It's not quite the same as when I came last time!"

"When I came before, it was the dead of winter. Wasn't it this cold, either?"

The moment Dong Huaiming got out of the car, he became lively. "Come to think of it, the air here is really good!"

"If spiritual energy is restored, this place will definitely be a first-rate Blessed Land."

After saying this, he began taking deep breaths, adopting the chuunibyou pose of "I'm going to absorb enough spiritual energy."

Su Qiangwei had been fine on the train earlier, but now she was feeling carsick. She was groggy, her complexion slightly pale, and her face showed a hint of weariness, making her look a little like Lin Daiyu.

Wan Haihao, meanwhile, was secretly observing Ma Ran.

As for Ma Ran himself...

After getting out of the car, he went straight to the registration desk.

The young woman in charge of reception was spirited and enthusiastic, radiating a strong sense of friendliness.

After the camera swept over him, all of Ma Ran's identity information appeared on the computer at the desk.

Su Qiangwei, Dong Huaiming, and Wan Haihao followed in succession.

After registering, a staff member led them to the cafeteria for a meal.

As for the personal belongings in their suitcases, a group of soldiers who stood straight as pines and moved like the wind inspected them before sending them to their assigned single dormitories.

"Not bad at all."

After entering the cafeteria, Wan Haihao ordered a free serving of scallion-braised sea cucumber and Yangzhou Fried Rice. After taking a couple of bites, he could not help praising it. "The food here is way too good!"

"As a veteran foodie, I guarantee that whoever's in charge of the cooking here is absolutely at five-star-chef level!"

"The ingredients are the freshest and highest-quality, too!"

"I can taste it!"

"Half a year ago, when I went to Magic City for an academic conference, I didn't get treatment like this."

"They've arranged everything—food, drinks, lodging, and transportation. We don't have to do a thing."

"Tsk..."

Having been tempered by society, Wan Haihao wanted to chat with Ma Ran a little more, but he did not get straight to the point. Instead, he began by discussing the environment they were currently in.

The two words "we" instantly brought the four people closer together.

Once the conversation got going, Dong Huaiming's eyes shifted. He immediately put down his bowl and chopsticks and picked up the thread. "There's no such thing as a free lunch!"

"The level of treatment we receive means we'll have to shoulder a corresponding level of responsibility."

"I already felt that something was off."

"Now that I think about it, isn't Gulunzhong a scenic area?"

"I remember the tour guide saying that this was where Zhuge Wolong lived in seclusion during the Three Kingdoms period, and also where Liu Bei had visited three times to recruit him. There should be plenty of tourists here all year round."

"But now the entire area seems to be under complete lockdown. We haven't seen anyone on the road, either. Don't you think something's wrong?"

Hearing this, Wan Haihao turned his head. "Ma Ran, what do you think?"

Hahahaha

Getting up early really feels great!

The update is complete!

See you tomorrow, everyone!