Chapter 127: Academy

The children all stared at Feng Yan, their eyes filled with doubt.

"Big brother, what are you going to do?" a child, soaked from head to toe, asked Feng Yan softly after sneezing.

Feng Yan glanced at the children's drenched clothes, then solemnly nodded, and in an extremely gentle tone told them, saying: "Don't worry, about this trip there, you will definitely want to go, and it will completely follow your wishes."

"Completely follow our own wishes?" the children became even more doubtful, whispering, then gathered together to discuss.

"Is big brother talking about that place?"

"It's definitely that place from last time, what's there to think about?"

"Then will us few going or not become a burden to big brother?"

"By then we'll just follow big brother's arrangements; anyway I believe big brother won't deceive us."

"Let's go."

"Yeah, let's follow big brother to have a look!"

The children exchanged words back and forth, and after a period of discussion they finally decided to go to that previous courtyard; this time, they no longer held the fear their parents had felt when sending them to the academy, but instead looked forward to seeing how big brother would deal with this academy.

After all, last time big brother's appearance holding a long sword was truly heroic and imposing!

The children recalled Feng Yan's appearance at the academy before, unconsciously putting on a smile, and their admiration for Feng Yan deepened further.

"Have you decided?" Feng Yan asked the children.

"Done!" the children answered together.

After receiving the definite answer, Feng Yan smiled, thinking that this bunch of little rascals still had some lovable qualities, and then walked toward the academy.

It was already midnight; Feng Yan led the children, slowly advancing in the darkness toward the academy.

Power State, already deep into night, was very quiet; walking, one could clearly hear the echo of footsteps.

If it were only this, Feng Yan would have been relieved, but was it really just that? As the group's steps drew nearer to the academy, everything began to change.

The previously tranquil night sky was shattered; the air carried women's moans and children's wails, accompanied by heart-rending screams and the bell-like cries of women, leaving Feng Yan's feelings complex.

He lowered his head and looked behind; besides the black sky, there were now houses illuminated by candlelight.

Besides that was the nightlife of those in power, accompanied by decadence and women's company, and then with a bunch of servants singing grand operas, never considering the feelings of the lower classes.

What does power bring? The pleasure of conquering the lower classes? Or the joy of tormenting others? Or is it something that makes one reluctant to let go?

These questions suddenly appeared in Feng Yan's mind, followed by the pain of being unable to find answers.

Afterward Feng Yan kept thinking but never got the answer he wanted, only muttering to himself: "Could it be that those things are truly captivating to people?"

However, the biting north wind blew across Feng Yan's cheeks; the cold on his face told him the answer.

Blowing across his face, the wind was icy cold—this is exactly the life of the powerless, while those with power often live in wooden huts by a stove, leading comfortable lives.

"Ah, now I see this answer is so obvious!" Feng Yan whispered to himself, and slowly walked forward.

"It's the third watch!" As the night watchman passed by on the road, striking his copper gong once, Feng Yan was startled by the sound and involuntarily shivered.

"Ah, in my view this place has no meaning to exist, yet we cannot destroy it, for destroying it would only bring forth another shape‑shifting thing, and those who overturn power are never affected; under power there are many scapegoats." Feng Yan said, looking at the night watchman.

The night watchman looked at Feng Yan with disdain, then spat and said: "Tch! Fool, who in this world isn't greedy for power?"

The night watchman slowly left, leaving only a dark silhouette; seeing that silhouette, Feng Yan and the children turned, and Feng Yan asked the children: "Do you think I'm being too naive?"

Faced with Feng Yan's question, the children didn't know how to answer, so they could only respond in silence.

Feng Yan smiled helplessly, counting it as an answer to the children's question; he didn't know the answer, for the question itself had none, his memories had faded, leaving only a damaged Adventurer's Book and the occasional appearance of a girl in his dreams.

***** Blood flowed from the corner of her mouth, a hole opened in her chest, continuously bleeding, yet she still smiled, looking very happy; each time Feng Yan tried to reach out to help her up, he could only watch helplessly as she turned into a wisp of green smoke and vanished in the darkness.

Feng Yan felt that the girl was within his heart; he left a smile in his heart, which then gradually faded, while also leaving pain and a painful dream in Feng Yan's heart.

Feng Yan began to vaguely recall some things: he faintly remembered a girl with excellent demeanor, a friend who had harmed him, and a guy who had deceived him.

When he recalled that person, his chest still ached somewhat.

"Is this pain?" Feng Yan touched his chest and walked forward; he saw the children and also began to secretly make a decision in his heart.

In a few more days, let the children return to their parents' sides.

As the sound gradually faded, the surrounding houses went from luxurious to ever more shabby, and their party finally arrived at the destination.

The academy the children spoke of was Feng Yan's second visit here.

"This is the place!" Feng Yan said, looking at the gate before him.

Feng Yan looked around, raised his head again and saw the angel statue with outstretched wings on the roof; at the same time it had become dirtier, almost a clump of mud.

"You don't want to see this filthy place either? Or perhaps, if you don't open your eyes, you don't need to save the world?" Feng Yan said mockingly while looking at the angel statue.

"Who are you? Get lost! Is this a place you can come to?" The gatekeepers who had previously not noticed the group now began to shout.

However, Feng Yan ignored them, and on his own drew the Black Sword from its sheath on his back, emitting a faint sword hum.

"Stop!"

Several people shouted together, yet they themselves dared not go forward to attack.

Several people looked in terror at Feng Yan raising his right hand with the long sword, about to strike down, when a voice appeared.

"Please stop, honored Adventurer."

Feng Yan followed the voice, and his final gaze landed on a person.

That person's clothing was extremely splendid, with gold-thread lines, plus silk garments, matched with a small necklace around the neck, from which hung a small object; because they were somewhat far away, it wasn't very clear.

While Feng Yan carefully examined the person before him, he also sheathed his sword and then called out: "Who are you?"

"I am the master of this place, a modest teacher at the academy, surnamed Wu." The man replied, bowing respectfully to Feng Yan.

Feng Yan kicked the gate hard, paying no heed to the man's words; as the gate clanged shut, everyone inside awaited the master's command.

As long as the master issued a single command, they would withdraw directly, thus also escaping the opportunity to face such a terrifying battle ahead.

Everyone understood that power is good, but you need to have the life to use it.

However, the master secretly issued an order, commanding everyone to retreat.

As everyone exhaled, Feng Yan stepped forward and came beside that man; at that moment Feng Yan finally saw his face clearly.

His black hair, left unkempt for a long time, had become somewhat curly; his eyes were shaped like an inverted triangle, pupils tiny, and he resembled a certain uncle in real life.

Feng Yan was momentarily stunned and actually called out, "Uncle Yang?"

The man jokingly replied, "I'm not Uncle Yang; my surname is Wu, and my given name is just the character Wang."

"Wu Wang?"

Feng Yan thought the name was odd, but the man before him didn't seem to have any vicious means for dealing with children.

But when Feng Yan turned around, the children he had brought all huddled together, their eyes filled with fear, their bodies trembling continuously.

Feng Yan cracked a smile and, teasingly, said to Wu Wang, "It seems the children I brought still have a great dread of you!"

"Sir, you're joking. Here we merely cultivate talent and serve His Majesty the King. If you feel fear toward us, any matter should be met with reverence toward His Majesty the King," Wu Wang said, flattery toward the king as he listened to Feng Yan's teasing.

After hearing that, Feng Yan didn't tighten his grip, his face showing fatigue. He knew that with such words, he couldn't lose his temper.

It could be said that Feng Yan was now extremely troubled; he wanted to avenge that boy, but as a foreigner he could not meddle in another country's affairs, no matter how unreasonable his own existence seemed to him.

"Alas," Feng Yan sighed, lifted his head and glanced at the sky about to break into dawn.

At this moment Chen Hao was also about to reach the moat; he knelt at its edge, cupped water with both hands, washed his face, and tried to calculate how long he had been in this game world. He felt that this place, while fascinating, also made him miss his hometown even more.

"It seems that a human body is just a cheap skeleton; at home you think of the outside, and abroad you think of home."