Scavenger-Mu Qing

After learning about Mu Qing's situation, Feng Qi suddenly understood why she had reacted that way.

In her eyes, she was a freak. It was only natural for Star City Academy students to fear her; not fearing her was what would be abnormal.

Through posts on the forum, he also learned that Mu Qing had actually been a Scavenger before entering Star City Academy.

Scavengers referred to people who had escaped from cities covered by Domains. Because their numbers were too great, many cities could not take them in on a large scale, so they became drifters outside the cities.

Compared with city residents, they lived in extremely harsh conditions. There was no trust between them, and sometimes, for the sake of food, they would even kill their companions without hesitation.

Their descendants had likewise grown up in such an environment, always following the survival law of the strong devouring the weak.

Star City had once taken in a group of Scavengers, giving them a settlement area and arranging jobs for them. But before long, Star City's public security became chaotic and its crime rate soared. Left with no choice, Star City eventually abandoned its Scavenger resettlement efforts.

Other cities had also adopted assistance measures for Scavengers, just like Star City, but every attempt had failed.

Though they were all human, in many people's eyes, Scavengers were unteachable outsiders.

Feng Qi did not have a bad impression of Scavengers.

He had first learned of their existence in Wang Jinsheng's history class.

Wang Jinsheng's assessment of Scavengers was not as extreme as that of many others.

He believed that, as fellow humans, they should live in harmony. There were also cultivators among the Scavengers, and on the long road of resisting Domain invasions in the future, they would be an important force. Only through the united efforts of all humanity could there be hope for the future.

Wang Jinsheng believed that city residents could not understand the behavior of Scavengers because of the differences in their living environments.

Scavengers lived outside the cities, where resources were scarce, while city residents did not have to worry about food or safety. This was what created such enormous differences in behavior and ways of thinking. The problem could be solved; what mattered was communication and the absence of prejudice.

Wang Jinsheng had also cited several cases of Scavengers helping Domain Battle Squads disperse Domain Fields, deepening Feng Qi's impression of them.

So Feng Qi did not feel any aversion toward Mu Qing.

But what puzzled him was that the Rune Modifier program had long been shelved because of severe hidden risks. Why had Mu Qing still become a Rune Modifier? And why had she been able to enter Star City Academy?

Unable to resolve his doubts, Feng Qi tried to find answers on the Star City Academy Forum.

While searching, a post on the forum's popularity rankings caught his attention.

This is incredible! The new exchange student, Lin Ran, is way too amazing. After listening to one class, I'm completely convinced.

Original poster: Star City Academy Little Overlord

Content:

I'm sure everyone has heard of junior Lin Ran from Winter Academy, and you must also know that he was pre-admitted by the Tiger Soul Research Institute. At the time, I wasn't convinced at all. I thought, didn't he just put forward a few ideas about Cultivation Methods research? It wasn't like he had personally developed a new technique. Why did he deserve such generous treatment? I could do it too.

It was only after meeting him in person that I realized the gap between people was real.

He was very young, but his research into Cultivation Methods had already opened up a new path, one completely different from the usual route. After the class, I went to the Training Room to put junior Lin Ran's theories into practice, and I was shocked once again.

Junior Lin Ran's theories could already be combined with practical application. They were not merely theoretical assumptions. It felt as though I were watching a new star of humanity rise.

"Where was the class held? Was there a video recording? I want to listen too."

"The first class was held in our Combat Class One. I don't know whether he'll hold more classes later, but I have to say, his class was really interesting. I benefited immensely after listening to it. It isn't limited to theoretical research like everyone thinks. I've already gone from skeptic to fan. He really is a gifted student pre-admitted by the Tiger Soul Research Institute."

"Is it really that exaggerated? No matter how impressive he is, how impressive can he be? We're all human. It's not like he has three heads and six arms, right? (confused Black guy face) Whoever recorded a video, post it so I can take a look."

There were already many replies beneath the post.

Aside from the students discussing Lin Ran, one teacher's reply made Feng Qi curious about him.

"As a teacher in the academy's combat department, I have personally experienced just how absurd the gap in talent between people can be. It can even be greater than the gap between a person and a pig. Back when I attended Future Academy, I studied Cultivation Research Studies. I can say without hesitation that I was the hardest-working person in my class, but in a class of one hundred, my grades could not even make the top fifty. The most outrageous part was one of my roommates. He copied my homework every day and was always careless and inattentive when studying, yet during the final exams, he scored 489 while I scored 271. Later, I understood that if you can't do it, you can't do it. I honestly switched to combat studies, and the road afterward became much smoother. Whether it was joining a Domain Battle Squad or later being recruited by Star City Academy as the teacher of Combat Class Three, I was never frustrated again. Even now, I still envy those classmates who continued down the path of technique research. Many of them later entered major Technique Research Institutes. That was once an unattainable dream for me. Every one of them shines like gold in my eyes. Student Lin Ran might be that kind of gifted student, someone similar to them."

The junior Lin Ran praised by everyone on the forum reminded Feng Qi of someone.

Wang Jinsheng.

He had once been an Outstanding Graduate of Star City Academy and, like Lin Ran, had been pre-recruited by the Tiger Soul Research Institute before graduating.

The only regret was that Wang Jinsheng had chosen to become a history teacher, burying his talent ever since.

Fortunately, Old Wang had already awakened ahead of time and was considering giving up teaching to work at the Tiger Soul Research Institute.

Otherwise, a pearl covered in dust would be a loss for all humanity.

Realizing that Lin Ran might be a highly gifted talent like Wang Jinsheng, Feng Qi developed the desire to get to know him.