A Letter from the Military Department

Summer gave way to autumn. The heat gradually faded, and fallen leaves swirled through the air and drifted onto campus.

The girls' short skirts and knee-high socks had given way to long pants.

By the window in the back row of the classroom, Mo Xie rested his chin on his hand and gazed outside.

More than half of the first semester of high school had slipped by before he knew it.

Since everyone had only recently awakened, the teachers taught them the basics and gave them time to get a feel for Magic.

The school scheduled a few self-study periods so students would have time on campus for Meditation and control practice.

Right now, for example, the whole class sat at their desks with their eyes closed, deep in a state of Meditation.

Why wasn't Mo Xie cultivating? The answer was simple: he had spent too much time on it that morning.

He had ranked first in the entire school academically, a streak that had continued from middle school into high school.

The school had granted Mo Xie many privileges. One of his favorites was that he didn't have to attend classes.

He had made a rare trip to school today. He ought to experience high school life, after all. Once a week... that wasn't too little, was it?

When cultivating at home, Mo Xie could plan his time sensibly.

He knew exactly when to practice Meditation, when to practice control, and when to practice casting spells.

But once he was at school, Mo Xie had no desire to listen to the teachers talk about useless things.

So he had spent the entire morning cultivating. If he kept it up, he would have no time left that afternoon.

He had already mastered everything in the high school curriculum. How else did he come first on every exam?

Mages awakened Magic to fight Demon Beasts. It didn't matter how excellent their theoretical knowledge was or how powerful their cultivation became.

If they had never fought or killed a Demon Beast, they were still just flowers raised in a greenhouse.

The bell rang, jolting the entire class into opening their eyes.

"Damn it! I'd finally gotten into the zone, and that bell snapped me right out of it!"

One student cursed, his face twisted with anger.

"Yeah. The bell interrupts me every time self-study ends. I can't get any peace to cultivate."

"Can't we ask the school to stop ringing it after self-study?"

Hearing his classmates complain, Mo Xie shook his head helplessly.

When he cultivated, neither the teacher's voice nor his classmates' chatter could pull him out of his meditative state.

They had only recently awakened Magic, though. This was perfectly normal.

The process of Meditation was tedious. Those with steadier temperaments had an advantage and could settle into the right state quickly.

Those with restless minds could only let time wear down their rough edges.

After class, the students left the classroom in twos and threes.

A moment later, Zhang Xiaohou ran in and called out.

"Brother Xie, our homeroom teacher wants you in his office. He says it's about something important."

Something important?

Mo Xie raised an eyebrow. Their homeroom teacher hadn't bothered him once since school started. Why did he suddenly want to see him today?

"All right."

He got up and headed out of the classroom.

When he reached the office, Xue Musheng was bent over a stack of exam papers. Mo Xie knocked on the door.

Knock, knock.

Xue Musheng looked up at the sound. The moment he saw Mo Xie, he smiled.

"Mo Xie is here. Come with me."

With that, Xue Musheng led Mo Xie back out of the office.

On the way, Mo Xie couldn't help asking him.

"Where are we going, sir?"

"Don't worry, Mo Xie. The principal just wants to see you about something."

What could the principal want with me? Mo Xie couldn't guess, so he followed his teacher.

They walked all the way to the principal's office, where Xue Musheng knocked respectfully.

"Come in."

The office door opened. Principal Zhu sat behind his desk, smiling at Mo Xie.

"All right, you can go back. I'd like a word with Mo Xie alone."

Xue Musheng nodded, turned to leave, and closed the door behind him.

"Have a seat, Mo Xie."

Principal Zhu poured a cup of tea and set it in front of Mo Xie.

"Thank you, Principal."

Mo Xie accepted the cup and thanked him.

After taking a small sip, Mo Xie set down the cup and got to the point.

"What did you want to see me about, Principal?"

"Nothing much. There's a letter for you."

"A letter?"

Principal Zhu took an envelope from his desk drawer and placed it on the coffee table.

Mo Xie picked it up and examined the front.

The recipient was clearly written as: Mo Xie, Class 8, First Year, Tianlan Magic High School.

The sender's address was Snow Peak Mountain Post Station, and the Military Department insignia stood out prominently.

He opened the envelope and glanced at the letter. A few large words were written on it.

[If you don't come see me soon, you're dead! — Master]

When Mo Xie saw the signature, "Master," he more or less understood what was going on. He smiled helplessly.

Seeing that Mo Xie had finished reading, Principal Zhu asked him.

"Mo Xie, do you know someone in the Military Department?"

"More or less."

Mo Xie gave him a vague answer.

"Principal, I might not be coming to school for a while."

"Actually, Snow Peak Mountain Post Station has already arranged a month's leave for you, so you don't need to worry about that."

Principal Zhu quietly revealed something even Mo Xie found rather funny.

I see. He really isn't leaving me any way out... Mo Xie sighed and put the letter away.

The letter had come all the way to the school. It looked like he had no choice but to go.

Principal Zhu sat nearby, already forming a theory.

Mo Xie doesn't just know someone in the Military Department. He knows someone with serious influence!

That person had sent a letter bearing the Military Department insignia to Tianlan Magic High School in the name of Snow Peak Mountain Post Station—and had gotten the school to grant a student a month's leave.

Principal Zhu could think of only one person: Snow Peak Mountain Post Station's chief instructor and Bo City's military commander, Zhan Kong!

But he couldn't understand why a student like Mo Xie would know the highest-ranking figure in Bo City's Military Department.

Even as a pop idol, Mo Xie shouldn't have had access to someone at that level.

Are they relatives? Or have they known each other for years?

Principal Zhu considered plenty of possibilities, but he had no way to confirm any of them.

After chatting with Principal Zhu for a while about everyday matters and his studies, Mo Xie said goodbye.

On the way home from school, Mo Xie told Mo Fan that he would be leaving soon.

"I'm heading out tomorrow for a month of field training. Remember to help with the cooking at home, and don't forget to pick up Xin Xia."

"Okay."

Mo Fan nodded and committed each reminder to memory. Then he couldn't help sighing. "When will I get to go on field training?"

Mo Xie smiled at that.

"Once you're stronger, I can take you with me."

"Oh, right, brother. Where are you going for your training?"

"Snow Peak Mountain Post Station."

The new book is underway! Please support it with recommendations, follows, continued reading, and monthly votes!