While Wen Jing had been practicing the secret technique last night, the proficiency bar for the grasp level had filled up, replaced by a progress bar for the proficient level.
As long as Louisa dared to teach, Wen Jing dared to raise that proficient-level progress bar.
However, right now, she had something more important to do.
Gravity Silk had fully recovered. With the two skill points earned from her part-time work as a chef, Wen Jing now had seven skill points in total.
It was time for a daytime exploration of the Ancient Wilderness and to grow some sort of organ.
Chapter 19
After completing her study of the Energy Amplification Method, Wen Jing prepared to begin her first Ancient Wilderness expedition under normal circumstances.
Facing the setting sun, the girl ran through campus in long strides.
That run... covered over a hundred kilometers.
By the time she reached her destination, even Wen Jing's cheeks were slightly flushed, and she had worked up a little sweat.
She checked the time. It was already ten in the morning. Fortunately, she had set out an hour early, or she would have been a little late.
As for why there was a setting sun at ten in the morning? Naturally, it was because Red Earth Star's rotational day-night cycle was not twenty-four hours long. Often, the planet's natural day and night did not coincide with those of the Ancient Wilderness.
But human schedules were determined by society. Apart from the natural sunrise and sunset, which could not be changed, there were ways to adapt to everything.
The Ancient Wilderness Exploration Registration Center before her, for instance, was as bright as day under the surrounding streetlights and artificial dome.
Aside from its brightness, Wen Jing's second impression of the place was its emptiness.
There was only a registration center with a modest footprint, surrounded by an enormous, flat plaza stretching ten li around it. Everything was visible at a glance, with no additional buildings. It looked even more open than a spaceship docking port.
Even the registration center itself was situated at the edge of the academy, in the exact opposite direction from important facilities such as the research institute.
Naturally, this arrangement was meant to prevent unnecessary property damage caused by deviations in students' "landings" when they returned from the Ancient Wilderness.
If this registration center had been placed near the research institute or some materials warehouse, it was easy to imagine how many accidents would occur.
After entering the registration center, Wen Jing found that its interior facilities were simple as well, just as expected. The most distinctive features were the several circular platforms in the middle.
At that moment, five people stood waiting in the center of one of the circular platforms, while a staff member beside them recorded some data.
Apart from that group and a few people in work uniforms, there was no one else inside. Wen Jing's arrival immediately drew everyone's gaze.
Wen Jing also spotted a familiar figure among the five people in the center.
With ear-length hair and exceptionally fair skin, it was none other than Ji Shuang, the Operations Department genius she had met once at the welcome party.
The four people standing beside Ji Shuang included both men and women, all with different appearances. Their bearing was noticeably different from that of ordinary students; one glance was enough to tell they were outstanding students. Each had a golden feather emblem on the chest of their school uniform, marking them as members of the student council's Operations Department.
Seeing Wen Jing here, Ji Shuang's cool face showed clear surprise.
Wen Jing gave her a slight nod in greeting.
The other girl abruptly came back to her senses and nodded back with a complicated expression.
By then, a staff member at the counter had approached. Since Wen Jing clearly seemed acquainted with the group on the platform, he asked in puzzlement, "Oh, student, are you another Operations Department member joining them this time? Why have you only just..."
He stopped halfway through, noticing the absence of a feather emblem on Wen Jing's uniform.
"No, I'm alone," Wen Jing answered.
"You're alone?!"
At those words, the staff member's voice rose in surprise, and the expressions of the group on the platform changed as well.
Wen Jing was puzzled. "Am I not allowed to go alone?"
She had read the student handbook and the requirements in the academy's mission section. She did not remember anything saying that one could not travel to the Ancient Wilderness alone.
"No, no, you can go alone." The staff member came back to his senses and hurriedly said, "Please come this way to register your identity information."
He was so surprised because most Ancient Wilderness expeditions rarely involved anyone acting alone. Usually, Awakened of similar strength arranged to travel there at the same time.
Even Awakened who traveled at the same time were not guaranteed to meet, but having a chance to team up with fellow students was certainly better than exploring the Ancient Wilderness single-handedly.
Beep!
After connecting to Wen Jing's smart terminal signal, the staff member's expression changed again as he read the information displayed. He instinctively rubbed his eyes to check whether he had misread it.
Not only was the girl before him exploring the Ancient Wilderness alone, she was actually a freshman who had enrolled barely over ten days ago!
He could not help trying to dissuade her. "Student, exploring the Ancient Wilderness is very dangerous. You have no experience on your first expedition. Why not find some classmates to go with you?"
Wen Jing immediately shook her head and declined. "Thank you, but there's no need. I have experience traveling there."
She had the secret of infinite evolution, so naturally, she needed to develop as a lone wolf. At least at this stage, she would not team up with anyone.
Hearing this, the staff member scrolled farther down her records and saw the entry for her previous trip to the Ancient Wilderness-emergency evacuation in space, nighttime.
Had successfully returning from the Ancient Wilderness at night through sheer luck gone to her head?
Young people...
The staff member shook his head inwardly and did not try to persuade her again. Having worked here for so long, he had seen plenty of reckless young people like her. Some had suffered serious injuries in the Ancient Wilderness, while others had never returned at all... Once they learned their lesson, they would understand the need for caution.
Besides, an Awakened's affairs were not something an ordinary person earning five thousand credits a month like him should worry about.
The five Operations Department members on the platform were also watching Wen Jing as she spoke with the staff member. One of the girls leaned toward Ji Shuang with interest and whispered, "Xiao Shuang, is she Wen Jing?"
Ji Shuang nodded.
"So? Is she really that strong?"
The others also pricked up their ears and looked at Ji Shuang.
Several members of the team had also graduated from School District Planet and had heard during their school days that a genius named Wen Jing had appeared in a lower year. However, none of them had attended First High, and Wen Jing had been a year below them, so they had not been competitors. Thus, they had only heard of her and knew little about her.
It was only a few days ago, when they heard that an F-rank-potential freshman like her had managed to get the better of even Ji Shuang, that they had become this curious.
Ji Shuang looked conflicted, finding it difficult to describe. "It's not a question of whether she's strong. She's really... the very unusual sort."
They saw the staff member guide Wen Jing to a platform on the other side.
A second-year student from the Operations Department smiled. "Since she's as unusual as you say, should we invite her to join our expedition?"
"Hm?" Ji Shuang paused at the suggestion, then actually looked as though she was considering it.
Seeing her reaction, the others exchanged surprised looks.
They had teamed up many times and naturally knew Ji Shuang's level of strength.
Their earlier questions about Wen Jing had mostly been intended to tease Ji Shuang. They had assumed she had only slipped up against a freshman through a moment's carelessness.
Judging by her attitude now, however, she genuinely thought highly of Wen Jing, even believing her strong enough to join their E-rank expedition.
Meanwhile, one of the boys in their team stiffened at those words, his expression becoming unnatural.
His name was Du Ran. He had placed second in the first-year autumn class and had been recruited into the student council's Operations Department for his outstanding talent.
Now that he had made his breakthrough, he was already first in the autumn class, but in the Operations Department, which gathered the academy's geniuses, he was merely a newcomer.
This was his first time teaming up with senior department members to explore the Ancient Wilderness. If he were kicked out...
The person who had joked earlier hurriedly patted his shoulder with a smile. "I was kidding. A Locator Stone can only group five people at a time. How could we fit her in? Besides, she's F-rank. Who knows how many more Locator Stones we'd need to spend to team up with her?"
A companion nudged the joker. "Look how you scared Du Ran. Du Ran, don't take it to heart. This guy's just jealous of your talent."
Their banter dispelled the awkwardness.
Du Ran inwardly breathed a sigh of relief and smiled along, his gaze casually passing over Wen Jing as she stepped onto the platform alone.
Whatever the case, her potential was only F-rank. Their futures were different.
Whoosh!
With a flash of light, Wen Jing watched the five Operations Department members vanish together before her.
At the same time, a stone resembling a blue crystal placed in the center of the platform instantly crumbled and disappeared into space.
"Was that a Locator Stone?" Wen Jing asked the staff member beside her upon seeing this.
"Yes," the staff member answered. "They're on a team expedition organized by the Operations Department. Consuming a Locator Stone lets them locate the Ancient Wilderness region they explored last time, while also guaranteeing that all five of them will be together when they enter. However, the world depth they enter in the Ancient Wilderness corresponds to the strongest member among them."
Wen Jing nodded, recalling the Locator Stones she had come across in the points shop. They could only be purchased with points, came in different grades, and were priced by the gram. Every use cost at least five hundred points' worth. The higher the grade, the more expensive they were, yet they remained hot sellers.
After all, this function was incredibly practical. If someone discovered precious resources during one expedition but lacked the strength to bring them back, they could gather teammates for another attempt next time!
Ji Shuang and the others' current expedition was just such a case. As long as their final gains covered the cost of the Locator Stone, they would turn a profit.
The staff member explained the final precautions. "The academy recommends exploring the Ancient Wilderness for more than one hour and less than three. Be sure to find a safe location before returning. Even if you go over three hours, prioritize your own safety."
"Likewise, if you encounter a danger beyond your ability to handle during your exploration, don't worry about whether an hour has passed. Find somewhere safe immediately and return."