Chapter 10

The translation progress was extremely slow.

Because of the lack of grammatical research on Guren Script, Lin Sheng could only piece it together word by word, much like using a search engine translator.

He found local slang and certain idiomatic expressions particularly headache-inducing.

After entering the dream and copying the book for the second time, Lin Sheng was able to enter that manor every night thereafter.

Each time he went there, he would memorize a sentence or two of the text and then translate them into Celine Language, the language he used in his daily life.

This routine continued for four days straight.

Gradually, with the help of the research experience from his past life, the translation work began to go more smoothly.

Guren Script was not a particularly obscure language; there were quite a few relevant grammar books available for download online.

After verifying through multiple sources, Lin Sheng downloaded a good deal of material to assist with his translation work.

Soon, the text on the first page of the book was gradually translated.

What truly restricts me is my memory.

Lin Sheng sat silently in the corner of the sofa, recalling the content he had translated yesterday.

Today was Sunday, and relatives had come to visit.

It was his second uncle and his son, Lin Zhenyu.

Lin Zhenyu was nineteen this year, a year older than him, but he looked refined, wearing a pair of square-rimmed glasses. He sat next to his father without saying a word, merely looking down at the foreign language vocabulary book in his hands.

Second Uncle Lin Tao was drinking tea while frowning and discussing the arrangements for Grandfather with Lin Sheng's father.

According to him, since Grandfather was old and this incident had occurred, it was time to draw up a will. They needed to coordinate on how to divide the family assets and what opinions the siblings had.

There was also the more practical issue of buying a burial plot for Grandfather as soon as possible, who should pay for it, and if everyone was splitting the cost, how it should be divided.

After all, some people were in such poor financial condition that they couldn't afford much.

Even though Grandfather was still alive, Second Uncle wasn't worried about his health, but rather how to divide the inheritance and who would bear the costs.

Father Lin Zhounian looked rather grim, sitting in his seat and rarely speaking, mostly just listening.

Lin Sheng had no fondness for his second uncle's family.

His cousin Lin Zhenyu and cousin Lin Xiaoxiao got along well because their family was much better off than his, and the places they frequented were either bars or KTVs.

He occasionally heard that they would go on self-funded solo hiking trips, treating it as a way to temper themselves.

The circles they moved in and the things they did were a grade above Lin Sheng's.

Lin Sheng usually only hung out with a few other cousins at arcades and internet cafes; that was as far as it went.

So, even though they were of the same generation and age, there was absolutely no common ground between them.

The glances Lin Zhenyu cast his way from time to time also carried the implication that he considered Lin Sheng non-existent.

This guy was a good student and a top performer in his class. He heard that in the last senior year weekly exam, he had ranked tenth in the entire grade.

One had to know that the school Lin Zhenyu attended, Huaisha No. 1 High School, was one of the top key high schools in the area. It was on a completely different level from the ordinary Huian High School that Lin Sheng attended.

Fortunately, since the other party acted as if he didn't exist, Lin Sheng was happy to ignore him as well.

His mind was currently entirely buried in that book from the dream.

The content he had translated earlier was still flashing before his eyes.

'...From a long time ago, I, Ravel, an Empire Level 2 Swordsman, have wanted to leave behind a biographical record of my legacy.'

'I once fought on the Shaan battlefield, where I defeated seven elite enemy soldiers in a row. Although I never mastered the transcendent, I am well-deserving of my Level 2 rating.'

'Now, I am old. Having returned to my homeland, in this moment of despair, I wish to leave behind the final traces of my existence.'

'...Even now, in my eyes, I can still see the explosions as fire consumed the outpost, shells flying through the sky, cold weapons reflecting light as they clashed, and the occasional collision of my armor with that of my comrades.'

'Some fell, some climbed back up. The constant, thunderous impacts against the tower shields in front of us echoed, and the smoke, like stone pillars, connected to the sky. I do not fear death, but I do not want to die without value.'

There was nothing after that.

That was all the content Lin Sheng had translated. Combining it with the dictionary he bought and the grammatical materials he searched for online, he had perfected the flow of the sentences, and this was the information he had obtained.

This is a book left behind by a warrior who definitely saw the battlefield, he deduced.

After these days of intensive study, Lin Sheng had managed to grasp some basic vocabulary of the Guren Script.

He had been throwing himself into the translation day and night.

In his spare time, he would frantically memorize the vocabulary and grammar of the Guren Script.

He swore he had never been this crazy, this obsessively infatuated with learning. The books in the dream were like lethal poppies, carrying an alluring fragrance and attraction.

He urgently wanted to know what a Level 2 Swordsman represented, and whether he could truly obtain a method for practicing swordsmanship from that manual.

Based on the diagrams I saw earlier, it might actually be possible to obtain a way to practice swordsmanship, Lin Sheng pondered.

"Lin Sheng? Lin Sheng??"

Suddenly, a voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

Lin Sheng came to his senses and saw Lin Zhenyu looking at him with a frown, as if he had called him several times.

"What is it?" he replied hurriedly.

"If you need any study materials, I have some extras here. You can take them to get photocopied," Lin Zhenyu said calmly.

Lin Sheng paused, glancing at his father.

It was obvious that Lin Zhenyu wouldn't have offered this on his own; the one who must have asked him to speak up was his father, Lin Zhounian.

With the college entrance exams fast approaching, Lin Zhounian was clearly anxious. Seeing his son's grades stuck in the middle, he probably wanted to pick up some tips from Lin Zhenyu.

But Lin Sheng had absolutely no interest.

Possessing memories from his past life, he was far more mature than the average student. His mediocre grades were simply because he didn't want to study.

He had no interest in, nor did he approve of, this kind of ordinary test-oriented education. He considered it a complete waste of time.

The only reason he maintained a middling level was out of consideration for his parents' expectations, having put in just a little bit of effort.

In reality, he had no desire to spend his time and energy competing for points against other children.

He had had enough of that kind of life in his previous life.

"Study materials? No need, I already have plenty here. Thanks, Brother Zhenyu," Lin Sheng replied.

"Alright then." Lin Zhenyu was happy to be off the hook. "By the way, next week is Xiao Xiao's birthday. We're planning to go out together; do you want to come along?"

"I won't go. Time is too tight right now." Lin Sheng had no time to deal with this guy; his heart and mind were entirely focused on his dreams.

"Actually, you should try to get in touch with more mature circles. You're in your third year of high school now; you should have your own plans. You need a clear understanding of what the future looks like, what direction you want to take, and what path you want to follow."

Lin Zhenyu spoke with a hint of superiority, feigning a casual tone.

"Don't just bury your head in game consoles and trashy books. When you get out into the world, you have to be responsible for your own future."

These words made his second uncle beam with pride, while Lin Zhounian wore a look of helplessness.