Teacher, the Machine Is Broken

Standing before the machine, Yu Sheng took a deep breath.

There was a palm-shaped recess on the machine's surface.

He placed his hand in it. A sudden sting shot through his palm, and the machine absorbed a drop of blood.

Immediately afterward, a peculiar energy passed through the recess into Yu Sheng's body. In an instant, his blood circulated faster, his body grew hot, and a powerful energy coursed through him.

The machine began to shake violently!

An enormous golden "nine" appeared on the display.

As the "nine" grew larger and larger, even the teacher beside him widened his eyes!

A genius!

A nine-pattern genius!

This county town had never produced a Nine-Pattern Egg.

Who would have thought...

He would have the good fortune to witness one today!

But just then...

"Teacher, the machine is broken."

Yu Sheng glanced at the tightly shut door, then looked at the teacher administering the test and spoke earnestly.

"Huh?"

"It's not broken, is it?"

The teacher froze, not quite processing his words.

Yu Sheng clenched his fist and punched the display.

The display... shattered.

Of course, the price was that the glass shards cut Yu Sheng's hand as well, and blood dripped down.

Struggling to suppress the agitation in his blood, Yu Sheng turned to the teacher and said, "Now it's broken."

The teacher finally understood something and nodded instinctively. "You... make a very good point."

"The machine at this station needs repairs."

"Go join the other two lines."

He hurriedly opened the door and instructed the people waiting outside, then turned to Yu Sheng with a grim expression. "Damaging public property! Come with me!"

With that, a phantom Azure Bird appeared behind him, three dark green gems embedded in its forehead.

Then he grabbed Yu Sheng and flew straight off.

Wails erupted everywhere, and the students behind Yu Sheng felt intense resentment toward him.

Through Yu Sheng's eyes, wisps of pale black smoke rose from their heads and gathered toward him, before being absorbed into the scroll painting in his mind.

At the very edge of the dim painting, something suddenly lit up.

An iron rod.

Nine golden patterns coiled around it like golden dragons.

The painting, which had shown no activity for over a decade, from that moment...

Finally displayed something unusual.

The principal's office.

The atmosphere in the room was somewhat heavy. After reporting the situation in detail, the teacher who had administered the test turned and left.

The principal studied Yu Sheng intently, a hint of excitement showing in his eyes.

He took a deep breath.

"Yu Sheng. Enrolled six months ago."

"Eighteen years old."

"Born in Sin City. You recently secured the sole annual spot to leave Sin City."

"Is that information correct?"

The principal kept his gaze fixed on Yu Sheng's eyes the entire time, trying to discern something about him.

Unfortunately, however...

Yu Sheng had been... somewhere else entirely.

It even took him a moment to respond to the principal's words. "Huh?"

"Yes."

After that somewhat dull response, Yu Sheng fell into a daze again.

The principal's brows furrowed deeply.

Sin City...

Among humanity, Sin City had never been synonymous with anything good.

Evil, darkness, inhumanity...

It seemed every imaginable negative word in the world could be applied to the people of Sin City.

A Nine-Pattern Egg...

A prodigy who might even reach the pinnacle in the future.

If this talent belonged to a promising young person with an impeccable background, it would absolutely be a blessing for humanity.

But Sin City...

If they poured resources into nurturing an evil person, it would instead become a disaster.

That was why the principal was so eager to discern something about Yu Sheng, only to be sorely disappointed.

Little did he know that Yu Sheng was also bewildered at that moment.

At the moment of awakening, the scroll painting that had lain dormant in his mind for eighteen years had finally unfurled, and when the students complained, some peculiar energy seemed to flow into it.

Now, in the farthest corner of the painting, a rod with golden dragons coiled around it was already giving off a faint glow.

So the painting really does unfurl upon awakening, just as I predicted?

But what was that peculiar energy?

And what do the images in this painting represent?

Yu Sheng sank into thought.

Watching Yu Sheng show absolutely no interest in engaging with him, the principal could not help questioning everything.

Nine patterns, and he isn't excited?

A personal meeting with the principal, and he doesn't want to talk?

"Well, Yu Sheng, I'm just curious. If... I'm saying if, all right? If one day you undergo six awakenings, or even nine, what would you want to do?"

Seeing that the conversation would die if he did not speak again, the principal finally could not resist opening his mouth and asking another "roundabout" question.

"Serve the people."

Still observing the scene within the painting, Yu Sheng answered offhandedly.

The principal was stunned.

What dedication!

Were those really words that someone from Sin City could say?

Just listen!

Serve the people. What a fine thing to say!

"Then what have you done toward that ideal before now?"

The principal probed again.

After the repeated questions, Yu Sheng finally emerged from that muddled state. He pondered for two seconds before saying, "My father visited a prostitute yesterday, and I personally reported him. Does that count?"

The principal was thrown into disarray once again.

"Go back and rest for now. Don't tell anyone the results of this awakening. I'll find a way to arrange your future studies."

"Actually, with your current talent, you can take your pick of any college."

"If you have any thoughts on that, you can also discuss them with your family..."

Halfway through, the principal seemed to remember something. He paused, then waved a somewhat helpless hand. "Your father probably won't be getting out anytime soon. Think it over yourself."

Yu Sheng stood and bowed slightly to the principal with respect. "Goodbye, Principal."

With nothing to fault in his manners, Yu Sheng turned and left.

Watching Yu Sheng's retreating figure, the principal sighed helplessly and held his forehead, his head aching.

Normally, if someone with nine patterns appeared in their remote area, he could brag about it for the rest of his life as principal. But why did that person have to come from Sin City...?