Soon, a novice rogue appeared and took Jiang Jie and the gifted boy who had scored sixty meters to a row of three-story buildings, then assigned them their respective dorm rooms.
"I'll definitely surpass you! Remember my name: Ivan Coleman, of the Coleman Family! My father is a knight of the kingdom!" The gifted boy clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.
The Coleman Family? A knight of the kingdom?
So this was an age where you competed over whose father was better?
Well, it certainly was. Your birth determined your starting line, and pretty much determined how far you could run, too!
In fact, many people brought up their family backgrounds in their very first words upon meeting someone. For instance, "I am Liu Bei, a descendant of King Jing of Zhongshan," "I am Aragorn, son of Arathorn," or "I am Varian, son of Llane," and so on, to demonstrate their noble status.
Then they were met with looks of respect and admiration!
Then everything would go smoothly for you, because everyone would think more highly of you because of your lineage and background. Nobles with similar backgrounds would also take the initiative to associate with you, and you could easily ride their influence to a meteoric rise!
But if you were just an ordinary person, unless the goddess of luck kissed your forehead, you would never have the opportunity to study magic or comprehend the Holy Light.
Of course, warriors and rogues had it a little better, but differences in the resources they received likewise determined how fast and how far they could go.
If time were turned back fifteen years, when the Barov Family was still the most powerful and wealthiest family in the Kingdom of Alterac, then Jiang Jie, as a member of the Barov Family, would at least have been entrusted with important duties. No one would have dared move against him lightly.
A hundred times better than being some "son of a knight of the kingdom"!
Only...
Who the hell was this Coleman Family, anyway?
Jiang Jie did not know, had never heard of them, and did not care about any of that.
The entire Kingdom of Lordaeron would fall. Dukes, marquesses, and earls would die in droves or become members of the Cult of the Damned. What attention did a mere knight of the kingdom deserve?
Jiang Jie's expression turned cold and grave.
He knew Baron Soroson would never let the matter rest. In fact, neither would the entire Cult of the Damned. And with the Cult of the Damned's capabilities, killing him would be all too easy.
He had to gain the ability to protect himself!
"Xiao Feng, tell me, how can I quickly improve my strength? Surely you don't really expect me to spend centuries cultivating a single Black Tortoise Longevity Art? In just a few months, half of Azeroth will be threatened by the Undead Scourge!" Jiang Jie asked.
This was a voice on the mental level, nothing more than a thought, and only Xiao Feng could hear it.
Soon, a languid voice sounded. "Host, are you going to let a girl get some proper sleep? Don't you know sleep deprivation is a woman's greatest enemy? Don't you know how to treat a lady tenderly?"
Jiang Jie was speechless. You're just a computer brain. What makes you a woman?
"Don't go thinking nonsense, Host. I know everything you're thinking! How am I not a woman? I'm the most perfect artificial intelligence of the thirty-fifth century. You may call me an 'intelligent life-form'! Forget it. You're just illiterate, Host. Even a three-year-old in kindergarten knows more than you." Xiao Feng muttered, her tone... somewhat dissatisfied.
Illiterate? I'm illiterate?
I'm a university student, okay? Sure, I often skip classes to play games... but I'm still a university student, okay?
Fine, the standards for illiteracy in the thirty-fifth century must be different, but you can't just mock me so openly!
Jiang Jie bristled at once. "What did you say? You know everything I'm thinking? Damn! Can't I have any privacy? Is this mind reading or thought theft?"
This wouldn't do!
If I indulged in a little idle fantasizing one day, wouldn't this crazy woman mock me to death?
"According to Article... never mind. You wouldn't know which one anyway.
"In short, under the rules, as a computer brain, I cannot steal any of my host's memories unless necessary. As for why I know what you're thinking... that's why I say you're stupid, Host! What is all this nonsense? It isn't mind reading. It's psychology! My hard drive contains all the psychology texts and instructional videos in the entire Galactic Federation. I'm the very best expert in psychology, okay?" Xiao Feng said disdainfully. Jiang Jie was speechless again.
That was why you couldn't stoop to a lunatic's level, or you would be driven mad too!
He hurriedly asked, "Xiao Feng, is there actually a way? I'm in a very dangerous situation right now. You can't just watch your host die, can you? That wouldn't do you any good, would it?"
Xiao Feng waved a hand. "Of course not! As a computer brain, my first principle is to put my host's interests above all else!"
Jiang Jie breathed a sigh of relief.
That was more like it!
What use was a cheat that didn't care whether he lived or died?
Jiang Jie hurriedly asked her.
Xiao Feng's voice was utterly languid, and she even yawned. "So sleepy. I'll have to catch up on sleep later. Humans in the thirty-fifth century supplement their martial arts cultivation with medicinal meals, medicinal baths, nutrient solutions, pills, potions, and so on, so they cultivate very quickly. You can use the same method, Host."
That was a good method, but Jiang Jie knew absolutely nothing about it!
This world had herbalism, alchemy, apothecaries, physicians, and the like, but only people who had undergone specialized study understood those things. What the hell did he know?
Xiao Feng really was an expert in psychology. She guessed what Jiang Jie was thinking and said, "The gaming pod has a scanning function. It can scan materials directly, analyze their medicinal effects, then automatically research formulas for pills, potions, nutrient solutions, and so on. This scanning method can also be used to scan living organisms and assess their threat levels. Of course, depending on the scanning distance and duration, it consumes a certain amount of energy."
Jiang Jie grew gloomy again.
The gaming pod had consumed most of its energy traveling from the thirty-fifth century to 2012, then a small portion traveling from outer space near Earth to the planet Azeroth. The very last bit of energy had then been exhausted helping Jiang Jie cultivate the Black Tortoise Longevity Art.
Although it could absorb energy automatically, a whole day's absorption was only enough to keep it running for an hour. That was nowhere near enough!
"Xiao Feng, is there a way to replenish its energy quickly?" Jiang Jie hurriedly asked.
"Yes." Xiao Feng soon gave him an answer, and more than one at that:
"According to the memories scanned from your mind, Host, this world has many places with extremely abundant energy, such as the Well of Eternity, the Sunwell, the Nightwell, and Moonwells, as well as the various Ley Line nodes on the planet Azeroth. In these places, the gaming pod will absorb energy faster. According to estimates, if you immerse yourself in the Well of Eternity, the gaming pod's energy absorption rate will increase at least ten thousandfold!"