Chapter 3 - Chapter 3 Teacher, the Instrument’s Broken

Yu Sheng stood before the instrument and took a deep breath. On its surface was a palm-shaped indentation. He placed his hand on it, and a sharp prick shot through his palm; a single drop of blood was instantly absorbed by the machine. A moment later, a strange energy coursed through the indentation and into Yu Sheng's body. In an instant, his blood raced, his skin flushed hot, and a surging power roamed unceasingly within him. The instrument began to tremble violently! On its display screen, a huge, golden character—Nine—blazed to life. As the character swelled larger and larger, even the teacher beside him's eyes flew wide open! A prodigy! A Nine-Pattern prodigy! This small county had never produced a Nine-Pattern Egg. To think... he would witness it today! But just then... "Teacher, the instrument's broken." Yu Sheng glanced at the locked door, then turned to the proctor, speaking earnestly. "Huh?" "It's not broken, is it?" The teacher froze, dumbfounded for a beat. Yu Sheng clenched his fist and slammed it into the display screen. The screen... shattered. Naturally, the cost was a gash on his palm from the shards, blood dripping to the floor. Fighting to suppress the boiling restlessness in his veins, Yu Sheng turned back to the teacher and said: "It's broken now." The teacher finally caught on, nodding instinctively: "You... you've got a point." ... "The instrument at this station needs repairs." "Everyone, move to the other two lines." He flung the door open in a hurry, called out to the queuing students outside, then fixed Yu Sheng with a dark scowl: "Vandalizing public property—come with me!" With that, a phantom of a blue bird materialized behind him, three dark green gemstones inlaid on its forehead. In the next instant, he grabbed Yu Sheng by the scruff and soared into the air. Wails erupted at once, and the students left behind seethed with bitter resentment toward Yu Sheng. In Yu Sheng's eyes, wisp after wisp of pale black mist rose from their heads, swirling toward him before being drawn into the scroll in his mind. And at the very edge of the dim scroll, a spot suddenly blazed to light. A steel rod. Nine golden patterns coiled around it like golden dragons. For more than a decade, the scroll had lain motionless. But from this moment on... It had finally stirred. ... Principal's Office The air in the room was thick with tension. The proctor finished his detailed report and took his leave. The principal stared intently at Yu Sheng, a flicker of excitement in his eyes. He took a deep breath. "Yu Sheng. Enrolled six months ago." "Eighteen years old." "From Sin City—one of only one annual spots to leave the city, awarded to you." "Your file is accurate, is it not?" The principal's gaze never left Yu Sheng's eyes, as if trying to peer into his very soul. But to his disappointment, Yu Sheng seemed miles away, as always. He didn't even react to the principal's words for a heartbeat: "Huh?" "Yeah." He grunted a dull reply, then slipped back into his daze. The principal's brows furrowed deeply. Sin City... To the human race, it had never been a name associated with anything good. Crime, darkness, inhumanity... It seemed every vile word imaginable could be laid at the feet of those from Sin City. A Nine-Pattern Egg... A child of destiny, one who might even reach the pinnacle of power one day. If such talent had emerged in a upstanding, noble young prodigy, it would have been a blessing for the human race. But to pour resources into nurturing a villain from Sin City... it would be a disaster. That was why the principal was desperate to read something—anything—in Yu Sheng's eyes. And why he was so bitterly disappointed. Little did he know, Yu Sheng was lost in his own confusion. At the moment of his Awakening, the scroll that had slumbered in his mind for eighteen years had finally unfurled. And as the students cursed and complained, a strange energy had surged into it. Now, in the farthest corner of the scroll, the golden dragon-coiled rod glowed with a faint, steady light. "So my guess was right—the scroll unfurls at Awakening?" "But what was that strange energy?" "And what do the patterns on the scroll mean?" Yu Sheng sank into deep thought. Watching Yu Sheng completely ignore him, the principal couldn't help but question his own life choices. A Nine-Pattern Egg! Was this boy not the least bit excited? The principal himself had requested this meeting—was he not the least bit eager to talk? "Uh, Yu Sheng," the principal said, finally breaking the silence, desperate to keep the conversation alive. He chose his words carefully, beating around the bush. "Hypothetically... hypothetically, mind you. If one day you achieved a Sixth Awakening, or even a Ninth Awakening—what would you do?" "Serve the people." Yu Sheng's eyes were still fixed on the scroll in his mind, his answer offhand. The principal was stunned. What kind of resolve was this? Was this really something a boy from Sin City would say? Listen to that! Serve the people. Words spoken like a true believer! "What have you done so far to pursue this ideal?" the principal probed, leaning forward slightly. After being questioned repeatedly, Yu Sheng finally snapped out of his trance. He paused for two seconds, then said: "My father solicited a prostitute yesterday. I reported him myself. Does that count?" ... The principal's mind went blank once more. "Go back and rest for now," he said, waving a hand weakly. "Say nothing of your Awakening result to anyone. I'll make arrangements for your studies going forward." "With your talent, you could enter any academy in the land—no questions asked." "If you have any thoughts on this, you can discuss it with your family and—" The principal cut himself off mid-sentence, as if suddenly remembering something. He sighed and waved Yu Sheng away: "Though I suspect your father won't be out for a while. Figure it out for yourself." Yu Sheng stood, bowed slightly to the principal with perfect deference, and said: "Goodbye, Principal." His manners were impeccable. He turned and left. Watching his retreating back, the principal let out a helpless sigh and massaged his throbbing temples. Ordinarily, a Nine-Pattern Egg from this backwater town would be a feat he could boast about for the rest of his life. Why did it have to be a boy from Sin City...?