Trial Steps

Trial Steps

"Is this title trying to sound like a comedy clip?"

Curious, Luo Jun tapped on the short video. It showed surveillance footage from outside a movie theater. A young man who looked like a student was stopping passersby to ask them something, only for everyone to wave their hands and shake their heads, refusing him.

There was no audio in the video, but special-effect captions had been added.

"Want a ticket? The latest blockbuster!"

"No, no..."

The instant Luo Jun saw the video, his eyes widened. Isn't that me?

The video had clearly been edited. It soon cut to the moment Luo Jun grabbed Windbreaker Man, only to be sent flying backward by a kick from the man. The caption read: "I said I didn't want one. Can't you understand?"

The video Abruptly Stopped there, frozen on Luo Jun just as he arched backward and flew away, wearing a mask of pain toward the camera.

The video only had a few hundred shares and comments, so it was hardly trending. But since the protagonist was someone they knew, the class group chat erupted into lively discussion.

"Hahaha... Luo Jun, have you developed a second career?"

"I remember you asked Ling Xin to see a movie with you the other day. Was that the ticket you were selling?"

"He didn't deny it. You must have guessed right..."

"Jun Ge, you should've told me earlier! I saw that movie too, and it was pretty good. If I'd known, I would've bought your ticket!"

"That kick looked powerful. Are you hurt?"

"Don't ask. He's in the ICU and just had his oxygen tube removed..."

More and more classmates joined the discussion, and quite a few @'d Luo Jun, demanding that he come out and explain himself.

Luo Jun frowned, though it was not because he was being mocked. Now that he had the Dice of Heavenly Secrets and had come into contact with the extraordinary world, his mindset had long since changed.

What he truly cared about was how this video had ended up online.

When he reported what had happened, he had also asked Captain Cheng whether so many people witnessing a Supernatural Phenomenon at the mall would cause panic.

The answer he received was that the Yuan Cultivation Society had a Cleanup Department. Using special abilities and tools, they could alter the memories of onlookers and even hypnotize them into deleting any videos and photos they had taken. Even if there were occasionally a few Lingering Fish, footage involving extraordinary phenomena would be suppressed online, or comments would guide people into believing it was special-effects footage, preventing it from spreading on a large scale.

Could this be one of those Lingering Fish? But this angle looked like mall surveillance footage, didn't it? Shouldn't that have been a priority for cleanup?

Just As Luo Jun was thinking, the messages in the group chat stopped. Curious, he looked over and discovered that someone had finally spoken up for him.

"That's enough, isn't it? Is it really so fun to make a classmate the butt of your jokes?"

One sentence ended the topic! Who had spoken with such authority? The chat had been cleared out in an instant!

The support surprised Luo Jun. The person who had defended him had a cute kitten as their profile picture. Luo Jun was somewhat unfamiliar with it; this person probably rarely spoke in the group chat. Looking closer, he saw the name beside it... Ling Xin?

It was actually her? Luo Jun was a little surprised.

Though they were in the same class, they had barely interacted in daily life. If not for the coercion of the Dice of Heavenly Secrets, Luo Jun might not have exchanged a single word with her in a month.

She would speak up for me? Could it be that she felt guilty for rejecting me and wanted to make it up to me?

I Didn't Expect Ling Xin, who Looks Like she's so cold and aloof, to actually be quite kind. She's a good Girl!

Ling Xin's words silenced the group chat for a while. In the end, Gao Qiang, the one who had started the whole thing, broke the awkwardness.

"Oh, Ling Xin, everyone just thought the video was funny and was joking around. Look, Luo Jun himself doesn't seem to mind, right?"

The implication was clear: the person involved had not even said anything, so why was she getting worked up?

"You reminded me!" Ling Xin showed him no courtesy and shot back, "You followed me on Friday. What were you trying to do?"

"Who followed you? Don't slander me!" Gao Qiang immediately retorted.

"You dare do it but not admit it? Scum!"

The moment Ling Xin said that, the group chat's attention was immediately diverted. Everyone seemed to forget about Luo Jun's video and began egging them on.

Ling Xin might appear somewhat cool and distant, but she had always been gentle and proper in her interactions with others, with a faint air of elegance. In all three years of high school, she had never gotten into conflict with anyone, much less cursed at someone.

Yet today, she had openly challenged Gao Qiang in the group chat. It utterly shocked everyone, and they eagerly piled in to watch the drama.

"Ohoho, Gao Qiang, you really know how to have fun. Stalking someone on the street? So thrilling."

"Luo Jun selling tickets can at least be considered making ends meet. You, on the other hand, are kind of a refined scumbag, aren't you?"

"Come on, explain yourself."

"There's nothing shameful about having a crush. No need to stalk her—just confess loudly in the group chat. We'll support you!"

Faced with the public criticism from his classmates, Gao Qiang was truly unable to defend himself. That day, Han Yuri had asked him to find out who Ling Xin was meeting. He had indeed followed her for two intersections, but Ling Xin had turned a corner and Disappeared. He had not seen anything at all.

A girl—and a girl with Ling Xin's looks and temperament, at that—would have plenty of people believing her even if she were making things up, much less when she was telling the truth.

With just a few words, she had shifted the discussion to Gao Qiang stalking her. No one in the group chat talked about Luo Jun's little video anymore.

Though he did not care that much, Luo Jun was still rather grateful. Of course, he was not sure whether Ling Xin had truly been helping him out of a tight spot, or whether she was simply furious about being followed and wanted to lash out at Gao Qiang. At the very least, the result had indeed helped him.

So Luo Jun privately messaged Ling Xin and sent her a thank-you.

Two minutes later, Ling Xin replied, "You're welcome."

Luo Jun smiled, set his phone aside, turned off the light, and pulled up the blanket...

Early the next morning, Luo Jun sent his homeroom teacher a message claiming he had a fever and was requesting a day off. Without waiting to see whether it was approved, he packed the cigarettes and liquor he had prepared into an inconspicuous paper bag and headed out.

Ningdong University stood at the foot of Ningyuan Mountain in the West Suburbs of Ningdong City. Although the university was named after Ningdong City, to most people in Dawnland, Ningdong University was far more famous than Ningdong City.

It was one of Dawnland's top ten institutions of higher learning and the ultimate dream of local Ningdong students.

Honestly, with Luo Jun's grades, he would have been thanking heaven if he managed to get into an ordinary university. He had never imagined that he would have anything to do with such a prestigious school.

"Hello..." At ten in the morning, Luo Jun arrived at the south gate on time and Knocked open the duty room window.

"Professor Yuan sent me."

"Professor Yuan?" The young security guard froze, thinking, There are so many professors at this school. How am I supposed to know which one has the surname Yuan...

But before the words could leave his mouth, the guard suddenly Looked Down, as if he had nodded off. When he raised his head again, his gaze was somewhat unfocused.

"Alright, follow me." As he spoke, he Turned head and called out to his colleague inside. "I need to handle something inside. I'll be back soon."

Luo Jun had no idea what was going on, but he followed the young security guard into the campus.

Ningdong University's campus covered a vast area and had abundant greenery. Standing on campus, one could look up and see towering Ningyuan Mountain. Buildings of every style were arranged in pleasing layers, blending seamlessly with the natural scenery. Students could often be seen coming and going along the paths, and the entire place exuded an atmosphere of intellect and youth.

"It really is a prestigious university. The feeling is completely different..." Luo Jun marveled as he walked, then Looked towards the young security guard. "Which department does Professor Yuan teach in?"

The guard seemed not to hear him and ignored him, merely continuing onward.

Having gotten nowhere, Luo Jun Pursed lips and quickly caught up.

The two passed the Teaching Building, gymnasium, library, dormitories... Before long, they had nearly crossed the entire campus. There were fewer and fewer students around, and the area grew increasingly desolate.

Luo Jun looked up at Ningyuan Mountain, which was drawing ever closer, and muttered to himself, Where are we going?

At last, after passing through a patch of hazy mist, they arrived beside a stone staircase in the mountains.

"Follow these stone steps all the way up, and you'll see Professor Yuan."

"Go from here?" Luo Jun looked up. "Isn't this a mountain trail?"

Before he could question it further, the guard turned and left.

Knowing that Old Yuan was a remarkable man proficient in Vital Energy and could not be judged by common sense, Luo Jun sighed and started up the steps.

With Luo Jun's current physical condition, climbing a mountain was no different from walking on level ground. To save time, he strode upward at a run, each step clearing seven or eight stairs as he rapidly ascended.

But he soon sensed that Something's Wrong. The higher he climbed, the more he felt an invisible resistance pressing down on him. Gradually, each step could only clear four or five stairs, then only two at a time. In the end, even with his stamina, his legs felt as though they had been filled with lead, and he could only climb one step at a time.

At first, Luo Jun guessed that the gravity on the stone steps was unusual. But when he saw that the fragile paper bag in his hand remained completely intact, he realized that the resistance affected only him.

Is this a test?

Luo Jun gritted his teeth and circulated the Vital Energy within him, concentrating it especially in his legs, waist, and abdomen as he desperately climbed upward. But he soon discovered that the steps consumed Vital Energy at an incredible rate. Before he had climbed very far, his reserves had been depleted. In the end, he could only rely on his muscles to continue climbing.

Finally, after taking who knew how many steps, he arrived at a mountain pavilion. Inside sat an old man holding a thermos, with a goatee and an obvious bald patch. It was Yuan Shouzhen.