Caolu Academy

Hyperthymesia is an extremely rare medical anomaly, a branch of non-selective memory.

Individuals with hyperthymesia lack the ability to forget. They can recall everything they have personally experienced with perfect clarity, down to the smallest detail.

Don't mistake this for a gift from heaven.

It's a curse!

Because they can't forget, painful experiences and unpleasant encounters constantly replay in their minds.

Time can never heal the wounds in their hearts; the psychological damage repeats itself over and over.

Consequently, the probability of hyperthymesia patients suffering from depression is far higher than that of the general population.

However, the memory granted by the [Demon of Scholars] medal is equivalent to controllable hyperthymesia. It activates whenever needed and has no negative side effects when not in use. It's not an exaggeration to call it photographic memory.

As long as Ma Ran wills it, he can recall anything that happened in his past life.

If he were bored enough, he could even accurately count the number of rice grains he ate for lunch on a specific day ten years ago.

The most valuable aspect of the [Demon of Scholars] medal isn't limited to this.

The comprehension, analytical, calculation, and insight abilities it grants Ma Ran are on the same level as controllable hyperthymesia.

After several hours of travel, Ma Ran and his group finally arrived in the city.

A car was waiting for them after they disembarked from the high-speed train.

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

The four had met during the journey, and Wan Haihao, greatly impressed by the three juniors, had been very enthusiastic and energetic throughout.

"A Lexus LS, this car is quite nice..."

Wan Haihao lightly tapped his right hand with his left index finger, initiating conversation. "By the way, have any of you been to Xiangyang before?"

"No."

Su Qiangwei was engrossed in her studies, oblivious to the world around her. She had rarely left her hometown, let alone traveled out of the province.

"I have!"

Dong Huaiming was a chronic sufferer of chuunibyou. Despite being only a high school sophomore, he had utilized every holiday to travel across China.

He hadn't missed any historical sites rumored to be associated with supernatural phenomena. If he hadn't received the invitation from Caolu Academy, he had planned to take a six-month leave of absence to visit the pyramids in Egypt and the Americas.

Dong Huaiming looked around and casually asked, "Are we heading to Gulunzhong on this route?"

The driver uncle, wearing sunglasses, grinned and nodded, confirming Dong Huaiming's guess.

Dong Huaiming turned his head from the passenger seat. "Brother Ran, have you been there before?"

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

His single gesture instantly killed the conversation.

Wan Haihao sighed and tried again to find common ground with the three juniors.

Su Qiangwei had been quite talkative on the train, but now she had fallen silent, leaning against the window with her eyes closed, exuding an air of aloofness. It was unclear who she was imitating...

Well, she was imitating Ma Ran!

Wan Haihao had to admit that this senior, Ma Ran, possessed a peculiar charm. Despite not speaking much, he naturally became the focus of attention in any group.

Wherever he sat, it was as if a spotlight was shining on him.

A subtle change in his facial expression, an unintentional gesture, could draw everyone's attention.

This had nothing to do with his looks!

Wan Haihao had seen many celebrities who relied on their appearance, but they didn't impress him as much as Ma Ran, who evoked such strong curiosity.

Although they hadn't known each other long, Wan Haihao was startled to realize that he was unconsciously imitating Ma Ran's habitual small gestures.

When he started to speak, he felt the urge to tap something with his hand...

Forcing himself to stop the imitative gesture, Wan Haihao felt uncomfortable, but his eyes shone brighter.

He had been intensely curious since childhood, unable to tolerate any unsolved mysteries.

Ma Ran...

He held secrets!

Let alone high school students, even as a doctoral candidate with considerable experience, Wan Haihao had never met anyone who surpassed Ma Ran in terms of aura!

Not to mention his noticeable quirk of being a germaphobe.

Upon first meeting, he seemed approachable and friendly, yet one could clearly feel an aura that kept people at a distance.

This was definitely not shyness!

Nor was it arrogance!

A flash of inspiration struck Wan Haihao's mind.

"Understood!"

Ma Ran's behavior was...

He didn't want to hurt anyone.

"Understanding you means getting hurt?"

Wan Haihao chuckled and turned his head.

So arrogant!

What had this person gone through?

What had he encountered?

How many secrets did he keep in his heart?

He was very curious!

Wan Haihao's lips curved upwards slightly, his mood extremely joyful.

Accepting Caolu Academy's invitation was indeed the right choice!

During their casual chat, the group finally arrived at their destination.

A large red banner by the roadside bore the four characters "Caolu Academy."

The ancient-style walls and buildings still bore traces of recent completion, giving the feeling of stepping onto a historical drama set.

The cold wind howled, sharp as knives, stinging their faces.

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

"When I came before, it was the dead of winter, and it wasn't this cold, was it?"

As soon as Dong Huaiming got out of the car, he instantly livened up: "Speaking of which, the air here is really good!"

"If spiritual energy recovers, this place will definitely be a first-class blessed land."

After saying that, he began to take deep breaths, acting like a chuunibyo who wanted to absorb all the spiritual energy.

Su Qiangwei had been fine during the high-speed train ride, but now she felt a bit carsick, groggy, and her face was pale, showing a hint of exhaustion, giving her the appearance of Lin Daiyu.

Wan Haihao, meanwhile, was secretly observing Ma Ran.

As for Ma Ran himself...

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

The young lady in charge of reception was spirited and enthusiastic, exuding a strong sense of familiarity.

With a scan of the camera, Ma Ran's identity information all appeared on the computer on the desk.

Su Qiangwei, Dong Huaiming, and Wan Haihao followed one after another.

After registering, a dedicated person guided them to the cafeteria for a meal.

As for their personal belongings in their suitcases, a group of young men in military uniforms, standing like pine trees and moving like swift winds, were responsible for inspecting them and sending them to their assigned single rooms.

"This is really nice."

Upon entering the cafeteria, Wan Haihao ordered a complimentary stir-fried sea cucumber with scallions and Yangzhou fried rice. After a couple of bites, he couldn't help but exclaim: "The food here is just too good!"

"As a seasoned foodie, I can guarantee that the chef here is definitely of five-star chef caliber!"

"The ingredients are also the freshest and highest quality!"

"I can tell!"

"Six months ago, when I went to Magic City for an academic seminar, I didn't even get this kind of treatment."

"They arranged everything for us – food, accommodation, transportation – we didn't have to do anything."

"Tsk..."

Wan Haihao, having experienced society, wanted to chat more with Ma Ran but didn't get straight to the point. Instead, he started by talking about their current surroundings.

The word "we" instantly brought the four people present closer together.

Once the conversation started, Dong Huaiming, who was beside them, rolled his eyes, put down his bowl and chopsticks, and picked up the conversation: "There's no such thing as a free lunch!"

"The level of treatment we receive means we have to bear the same level of responsibility."

"I felt something was off before."

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

"I remember the tour guide saying back then that this was the place where Zhuge Wolong of the Three Kingdoms period lived in seclusion, and also where Liu Bei visited three times. It should have many tourists all year round."

"Now, this area seems to be completely sealed off, and I haven't seen anyone on the road. Don't you think something is wrong?"

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

hahahha

It feels great to wake up early!

Update complete!

See you tomorrow, everyone!