Chapter Sixty-Two: Who Is the Boss

“In the Heavenly Mystery Academy, gold coins are nothing more than a slightly more valuable metal. Here, everything can only be exchanged with points. Points are earned by completing tasks, rather like the Mercenary Guild!”
“You’ve all seen the point cards in your hands, haven’t you? Each holds fifty points. After you complete tasks, the points on your card will automatically increase. Everything you need to know is listed in the Academy’s guidebook you received—if you don’t understand something, look it up yourself!”
“Any questions? If not, just follow the map in your guide to find your dormitory. Be sure to attend class at eight o’clock sharp tomorrow morning—don’t be late. Now, I’m off to train!”

After the unknown senior left, the children, who had been traveling day and night for ten days, immediately dispersed in small groups. Clutching the dormitory keys they’d been given upon admission, each matched the number on their key to the map in hand, eager to find their rooms and enjoy a well-deserved sleep.

“9527!”
Looking at his number tag, Wang Luo was speechless; he hadn’t expected such a comical number. Flipping to the map, he determined the direction and set out for his dormitory, mulling over all that had happened in the past ten days.

During their journey, as they drew nearer to the City of Fallen, the air grew heavier with the scent of blood, and the earth underfoot gradually darkened to a deep crimson. Wang Luo’s brow furrowed tighter with each step.

Though the children had grown somewhat accustomed to unusual sights in those days and could bear the environment, most still frowned, struggling to adapt—so no one thought it odd that Wang Luo’s expression was troubled.

“There’s blood flowing beneath the ground!”
The closer they drew to the City of Fallen, the more certain Wang Luo became of this thought. Owing to his affinity with blood energy, his perception of blood was especially acute, and he could sense a current of blood moving beneath the crimson earth, slowly converging upon the city.

Upon entering the city, this sensation grew even stronger. His eyes were immediately drawn to a statue at the city’s heart: a figure of the Buddha. Though it had been altered in many ways, Wang Luo recognized at once the likeness of the Tathagata Buddha from Earth.

The Buddha sat serenely atop a lotus, not the usual vermilion but a deep, blood-red, as if it might drip fresh blood. Around its neck hung sixteen luminous blood pearls, gleaming with a misty red light.

Wang Luo sensed all the blood currents converging on the statue—rising through the blood-red lotus, merging into the sixteen pearls, and finally condensing into a dot of vermilion at the Buddha’s brow.

Yet what astonished Wang Luo most was not these things, but the fleeting impression he had, in the instant he raised his eyes to the Buddha: it seemed the Buddha’s gaze flickered with a trace of a smile, gone in a heartbeat. When Wang Luo looked again, the Buddha sat as before, solemn and sacred, unchanged.

After confirming the direction to his dormitory, Wang Luo continued studying the map and noted the location of the library, resolving to research the City of Fallen’s history there—especially the origins of the Buddha statue. Although his spatial ring contained many books, those concerning the city were few, and only covered widely known facts, nothing of its deeper secrets.

“O omnipresent wind element, heed my call and become sharp blades to cut down all evil... Wind Blade!”
“O omnipresent fire element, heed my summons and become a blazing fireball to burn away all sin... Fireball!”

Just as Wang Luo found his dormitory, before he could enter, he heard the chanting of spells from within. Immediately, blue and red lights flared in the courtyard, followed by a bang as the door flew open on its own.

Momentarily stunned, Wang Luo stepped through the open door. In the courtyard, two boys of about ten, each panting and gripping a wand, faced off. Not far away, in the lounge, a boy with unusually large ears and nose sat grinning foolishly in a chair, watching their contest.

“Hmph, so what if you’re a level-one fire mage? That doesn’t make you so great—don’t think you can be our boss!”
“Hmph, you’re just a level-one wind mage! We’re the same rank, but I got here after ten days’ travel, so I’m the boss. You should all listen to me, right, Abigay?”

“Ah—”
The boy called Abigay, with his oversized ears and nose, froze in surprise as the two combatants suddenly turned to him. Scratching his head, he hesitated, not knowing what to say—until he spotted Wang Luo, who had entered unnoticed.

“Our last roommate is here. Why don’t you ask him who should be the boss!”

At Abigay’s words, the two boys immediately turned their attention to Wang Luo. One of them, recognizing him, exclaimed in delight, “It’s you! You’re the one who used that calming spell, aren’t you?”

“Yes, hello, I’m Wang Luo.”
Wang Luo nodded to the boy, then addressed the others. He remembered this boy had been the first to cast the Wind Soothing spell earlier—he hadn’t expected to end up sharing a dorm with him.

“Hello, I’m Prier. We’re having a magic contest—the winner becomes the boss, and everyone listens to him from now on!”

Seeing Wang Luo nod, Prier spoke up happily. Now the sides were even, two to two—although Abigay hadn’t picked a side, having spent several days with the other boy, he’d probably back him in the end.

Noting Prier’s thoughts at a glance, Wang Luo smiled slightly, then turned to the other boy, who stood across from Prier with a head of fiery red hair and a proud expression.

“I’m Kairo. We’re both level-one mages. Who do you think should be the boss?”

“Why can’t I be the boss?”
Wang Luo smiled with interest at Kairo’s words. Seeing these children reminded him of Xiaobai and the others—just as naive, just as childish.

“What a rookie. A level warrior’s no match for a mage—don’t you even know that much?”

“Oh, so that’s how it is!”
As Wang Luo nodded with apparent agreement, Kairo looked at him with open disdain. Yet Wang Luo’s next words left him dumbstruck, his face flushing instantly.

“But I’m a mage too. Who says mages can’t wear a warrior’s uniform? Don’t you even know that much?”

Seeing Kairo’s expression, Wang Luo’s smile deepened. Inwardly, he broke a sweat—he really wasn’t familiar with these simple facts. Most books in his spatial ring dealt with advanced matters, glossing over the commonplace.

异界青龙62_Chapter 62: Who is the Boss—End of Update!