Declaration of War

A Life Alchemist gave me an introductory book for Matter Alchemists.

Considering how Old Lu changed during his lecture, was he planning to switch fields?

Or was he trying to make a clean break with his past self?

After finishing his conversation with Lu Guanhong, Lu Zhan stood alone in front of the teaching building, holding Introduction to Material Fundamentals.

September in Yero City marked the beginning of the windy season.

Gentle breezes brushed past Lu Zhan, turning the pages of Introduction to Material Fundamentals in his hand.

Lu Zhan glanced down casually, only to discover, to his surprise, that the book had been read before.

Not only that, but the reader had also left notes inside.

Looking at the familiar handwriting, Lu Zhan could not help wondering whether he had been unfairly suspicious earlier.

Lu Guanhong had been willing to give him a book he had personally annotated. That was a considerable show of sincerity.

Had Old Lu really changed his attitude toward him purely out of an appreciation for talent?

Hah. If I really were just an eighteen-year-old boy, or had only just transmigrated here, these little favors might genuinely have moved me to tears.

But I would sooner trust my own special ability than a false show of sincerity.

I learned one lesson from Lu Guanhong: never let my attention wander in front of others, or let my thoughts run wild.

If I could pick up the thoughts Old Lu inadvertently leaked, other people in this world might well have that ability too.

Lu Zhan felt that his greatest gain today was neither his "reconciliation" with Lu Guanhong nor the Introduction to Material Fundamentals in his hand.

It was the demonstration Lu Guanhong had personally given him of how a brain could leak information.

Lu Zhan had never realized just how insecure the human brain could be.

Although he had previously used the Blood-Red Antenna's ability to pick up information emitted by human cells, he had never done so with the brain.

The brain had never been involved at all.

Before today, Lu Zhan had never imagined that he could actually read other people's thoughts.

Borrowing a concept from the cultivation novels of my previous life, Lu Guanhong had too many scattered thoughts and couldn't rein them in. They leaked out, allowing me to pick them up.

And the success rate for picking them up was extremely low. The timing, circumstances, and people involved all had to align.

From that, I can draw one conclusion: under normal circumstances, human thoughts don't leak out.

Even if some thoughts do leak, ordinary people have no means of detecting or deciphering them.

But what I'll be facing from now on is already beyond the ordinary.

So, starting now, I need to learn from Lu Guanhong's mistake. In front of others, I must guard my mind and never let their words shake me.

Of course, that level of protection is still nowhere near enough.

If I can use the Blood-Red Antenna to contain the information leaking from me, then I can truly rest easy.

Lu Zhan found himself growing increasingly dependent on the Blood-Red Antenna.

It might have appeared out of nowhere, but it really was useful.

After gaining a preliminary understanding of some of its functions, Lu Zhan had also developed a new understanding of that night's bloodshed.

For instance, why none of them could remember the Mutant Beast's true form.

The Mutant Beast must have used an ability similar to an Eye Art.

If the Mutant Beast really can contain the leakage of its own life information, just as I suspect...

Xin Ya's investigation must be struggling to make any progress, right?

If the Mutant Beast is doing it deliberately, then it might really be a human in disguise.

But if it isn't a human disguise, the Mutant Beast's true form becomes even more incredible.

Although Lu Zhan had a very favorable impression of Xin Ya and sincerely hoped her work would go smoothly, something held him back.

Some instinct convinced him that Xin Ya and her colleagues would never find that Mutant Beast.

Realizing this, Lu Zhan could not help feeling relieved that enlisting had been the right choice.

Otherwise, Xin Ya would probably have come knocking on his door long ago.

Rustle, rustle!

Introduction to Material Fundamentals kept "showing itself off" in the wind, as though urging Lu Zhan to start studying it as soon as possible.

Although the knowledge recorded in this book was not the Life Alchemy Lu Zhan longed for most, it was still valuable.

It was another cornerstone of this world.

Ever since transmigrating, perhaps because only his soul had crossed over, Lu Zhan had never felt out of place in this world.

Technology existed here too, and the various materials and buildings resembled those of his previous life.

But given his predecessor's limited knowledge, Lu Zhan could not be certain that this world was still identical to Blue Star on a microscopic level.

The Introduction to Material Fundamentals before him was the key to resolving all those questions.

Introduction to Material Fundamentals kept fluttering in the wind, repeatedly "posing seductively" at Lu Zhan.

In the end, however, Lu Zhan restrained himself.

He really was interested in the knowledge recorded inside, so much so that he could barely wait.

But his schedule for today was already packed.

If he did not keep training hard in Basic Combat today, how would he make Liu Chenghu's jaw drop tomorrow?

If he could not redeem himself and finish showing off in style, wouldn't all the hunger he had endured earlier have been for nothing?

"Meow, meow, meow!"

On his way to the training grounds, Lu Zhan spotted the cat his classmates had been gossiping about-the one that could do front flips.

The instant he saw that kung fu cat, Lu Zhan nearly exploded with anger.

You stupid, ugly cat. Don't think I won't recognize you just because you've put a yellow plastic bag over your head.

With that smooth, hairless head, who exactly are you mocking?

Of course, that alone would not have gotten Lu Zhan so worked up.

But the ugly cat followed each front flip with a backflip, and each backflip with another front flip.

Anyone who didn't know better might have thought it had been possessed by a pendulum!

Is that how I taught you yesterday?

Bang!

"What exactly is going on?"

"That little girl from the Inspection Office won't listen to reason. She still refuses to release our people."

"Is she determined to make trouble for our Wutu Gang?"

The same gentle breeze blew through another corner of Yero City, yet there it felt like a biting wind that chilled them to the bone.

Inside the Wutu Gang's meeting hall, the assembled leaders' faces

were livid, and the atmosphere had dropped to freezing.

Their previous gang meeting had established a policy of smoothing things over.

The Wutu Gang's leaders believed Xin Ya was making trouble for them because of Lu Zhan.

As long as they were willing to pay a little, Xin Ya would surely quit while she was ahead and make concessions.

To their fury, however, the negotiation expert they sent had been turned away at the door without even getting to see Xin Ya.

The Wutu Gang was certainly not willing to leave it at that. They called on their old connections and sent Xin Ya a direct expression of their "sincerity."

As long as Xin Ya was willing to release their people, she could name her terms.

In the eyes of the Wutu Gang's leaders, Xin Ya had absolutely no reason to refuse.

After all, Lu Zhan's enlistment was already a settled matter. Continuing to tangle with them would gain Xin Ya nothing beyond the satisfaction of venting her anger.

She might as well take the opportunity to "extort" some tangible benefits.

They had never imagined that all they would get from Xin Ya was a reply saying she would "enforce the law impartially."

Was this an outright declaration of war?