Founded personally by Hainer Vincent and the oldest academy still in existence, Star Academy occupied an immense area. Within its grounds lay seven lakes and nine ponds, including Mingsi Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Zuohe District. The ecosystem was beautifully preserved, with luxuriant vegetation, aquatic grasses stretching like carpets, flocks of migratory birds, and picturesque scenery. Renting a shuttleboat to cruise the lakes and feed the birds had always been one of the students' favorite leisure activities. There were countless varieties of migratory birds here, none afraid of people. Whenever someone fed them, they gathered in great flocks, making a magnificent sight.
Ordinary shuttleboats were cheap to rent, costing only fifty Odi an hour. Luxury shuttleboats were also available, though they cost at least five thousand Odi an hour. Most students admitted to Star Academy came from wealthy families, so such sums were naturally nothing to them. Even students who had gained admission from the Common District received a substantial amount in monthly allowances and subsidies. If they took summer internships at companies affiliated with Star Academy, their income was even more impressive.
A fat man sat aboard a battered shuttleboat, his eyes fixed greedily on the lake. The boat cost only ten Odi an hour to rent and was less than four meters long. Its paint had peeled away long ago, leaving it a pitiful sight. Bare-chested, the fat man looked exactly like a ball of flesh. The unfortunate boat creaked and groaned as though it might fall apart at any moment. At the other end sat a rust-covered camping stove made with card machinery. An iron pot rested on it, its water boiling and steaming.
Every student who happened to fly past gave the fat man a strange look, their expressions disdainful. Fortunately, this was a secluded