Authorization

"Are you Feng Qingmo?"

An elderly man in a military uniform appeared in the computer's video call window. He wasn't wearing any epaulettes, so Feng Qingmo couldn't tell what rank he held. His voice was strong and steady, with a hint of authority beneath its calmness.

"Yes, I'm Feng Qingmo. Who are you?" Feng Qingmo asked, completely confused.

"I'm in charge of administration at the Training Camp. My name is Li Ping. You can call me Li Ping or Teacher Li." Seeing Feng Qingmo's confusion, the old man smiled and explained, "There aren't many people at the Training Camp right now, and I'm on leave too. You just applied to use a Gravity Room, but the Intelligent Management System couldn't make a decision, so it forwarded the request to me..."

Feng Qingmo immediately understood. No wonder his application had been pending for nearly a minute.

"The camp hasn't opened yet. Even though you arrived a few days early, you're technically not allowed to use the facilities before it officially opens—of course, going out to gain experience is even more out of the question!"

His tone grew stern. "You just applied to go out and gain experience. The system rejected you outright, didn't it?"

"...Yes."

"I've looked over your file. You've only just passed the Martial Artist Combat Assessment. There's no way I'd let you go alone into the Wilderness Zone to take risks..." The sternness on Li Ping's face gradually faded. He asked with concern, "I see you bought the first volume of the Wind-Washing Sword manual. I assume you haven't mastered it yet? Did you apply for the Gravity Room to practice the Wind-Washing Sword?"

"Uh, Teacher Li..." Feng Qingmo shook his head, then nodded. "I've already mastered the first level of the Wind-Washing Sword. I did apply for the Gravity Room to speed up my training..."

"What did you say?" Li Ping's eyes widened. "You've mastered the first level?"

He seemed to glance at the file on a screen beside him, then asked in even greater surprise, "You only bought the manual on February 1, and it was delivered to you on the 2nd. Today's only February 12, and you've already mastered it..."

"Yes. To be precise, I mastered it on February 5..." Feng Qingmo surprised him even more.

"Then your force output has already reached 1.8 times?"

"Yes."

"Your swordsmanship is at the specialization level? Your movement technique has reached the subtle level?"

"That's right."

"Good!" Li Ping's expression settled as he looked through the video call. "I've approved your application. For the next few days, until the camp opens, you can use No. 1 Gravity Chamber for ten hours each day. I'll have the system authorize you..."

"Teacher Li," Feng Qingmo said, seeing how approachable he was and unable to resist asking his question, "I heard that imitation Gravity Rooms could only go up to three times normal gravity. How can the Gravity Rooms at our Training Camp reach six times?"

"Haha, you've arrived at just the right time. The old Gravity Rooms really could only reach three times normal gravity, but before the New Year, a genius scientist studied and modified them, and managed to raise the limit to six times..."

Li Ping laughed.

"A genius scientist?" Feng Qingmo's heart stirred. He hurriedly asked, "Can I know who it was?"

"Her security clearance is very high. Technically, I shouldn't tell you," Li Ping said after hesitating. "But you met her just a few days ago... That's right, it was Dr. Long, the one who examined your eyesight!"

His face was full of admiration too. "Dr. Long specializes in biotechnology, but she visited the Training Camp last year. After experiencing how the Gravity Room worked, she spent a mere month studying it and easily raised its maximum gravity to six times normal."

He lowered his voice and reminded him, "This is a secure line, so there's no risk of the call being leaked, but don't tell anyone else..."

"All right, I understand..." Now that his guess had been confirmed, Feng Qingmo couldn't help admiring Dr. Long even more.

"No, you don't understand," Li Ping said, shaking his head. "It's Dr. Long's information that's confidential, not the information about the Gravity Rooms..."

"There's no need to keep the modified Gravity Rooms' capabilities confidential. Otherwise, they wouldn't be mentioned in the Student Handbook." Li Ping smiled. "Besides, if we spread the word, we can trade this technology for some good things..."

Feng Qingmo nodded repeatedly. This time, he really did understand.

"You should know," Li Ping said, sounding especially pleased as they discussed the topic, "that the virtual trial rooms and Combat Rooms at our Training Camp were also traded to us by Chief Jia from Hong of the Limit Dojo..."

"All right, I've had the system authorize your Student ID. You can use the Gravity Room whenever you like. That's all for now. See you in a few days when the camp officially opens!"

After Li Ping ended the video call, he picked up his phone as if to make a call. He hesitated, then typed out a message and sent it instead.

His phone rang less than a few seconds after the message went through.

He checked the caller ID and immediately stood up to answer. His voice brimmed with respect. "Chief!"

"Did you say that the newly recruited student at the Training Camp, Feng Qingmo, who awakened Spiritual Force, mastered the first level of the Wind-Washing Sword in just a few days?"

A deep voice came through the phone, resonant and forceful.

"Yes, Chief!" Li Ping answered respectfully.

"Have you confirmed it?"

"Not yet. But Feng Qingmo just applied through the Training Camp's Intelligent Management System to go to the Wilderness Zone for training, and the system rejected him. Then he applied to use a Gravity Room, and the system forwarded the request to me. I just finished speaking with him... Chief Jia, I've approved his request to use the Gravity Room before the camp opens..."

"You did the right thing," Jia Yi said over the phone. "To master the first level of the Wind-Washing Sword in just a few days means Feng Qingmo has good talent. And he's a Spiritual Master too, which is even rarer..."

"Here's what I want you to do. Make a note of this: after the camp opens, arrange for Guan Chenglong to be his teacher. Guan Chenglong has practiced the Wind-Washing Sword before and mastered the second level, so he's a good fit..."

"Understood, Chief."

"One more thing. Before the camp opens, confirm his progress. If I have time, I'll visit when the camp opens..."

"Yes!"

"Good. That's all for now..."

Jia Yi was clearly busy and hung up as soon as he finished speaking.

Meanwhile, after Li Ping ended the video call, the system prompted Feng Qingmo to place his Student ID on the card reader. There was a soft beep, and the authorization went through.

Picking up his Student ID, Feng Qingmo hurried toward the building that housed the Gravity Rooms—the large building at the center of the Training Camp.

Since he hadn't been authorized before, this was his first time in the Central Building. Apart from a few cleaners and maintenance workers, there were no other Martial Artists in the lobby. He swiped his card to enter, then took the elevator to the eighth floor, where the Gravity Rooms were located.

The elevator reached the eighth floor quickly. When he stepped out, he found a spacious corridor lined with more than a dozen rooms on either side. Each door had a plaque displaying a number.

"No. 1 Gravity Chamber!" Feng Qingmo took out his Student ID and swiped it over the door. There was a soft beep, and the door opened automatically.