Translator: AkazaTL
Proofreader/Editor: JWyck
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Chapter 150
After a pause, Meng Huai continued, “The culture at ‘Alpha Ability Academy’ leans toward aggression, so after joining new classes, some might challenge you to arena battles. That’s common there and not considered causing trouble. But I’m warning you—don’t forget I said not to disgrace the academy. If you accept a challenge, you must win. Anyone who loses will face extra training back here.”
Just extra training sounded manageable. After a semester and a half, everyone in the class had faced extra training a few times. It was definitely painful, but after enough times, it was bearable.
But before they could relax, Meng Huai, as if anticipating their thoughts, upped the stakes: “Lose three or more times, and you’ll voluntarily leave Class S. Lose after challenging someone yourself, and you’re out of Class S too. Understood?”
“Understood!” The five tensed, answering in unison.
Meng Huai’s requirements weren’t overly strict. At their own academy, none of the five would worry. But this was a foreign school with unknown student strength and different teaching methods. Who knew if their methods made students stronger?
Still, despite their concerns, they had their pride. If they lost that many times or challenged someone and lost, they’d be too ashamed to stay in Class S. After school, they regrouped, sharing info about the locations they weren’t visiting. At “Delicious Nightmare Beast Farm,” they’d experience employee life, feeding and capturing nightmare beasts.
According to Mu Tieren, the teachers arranged this to help them understand nightmare beast habits and characteristics.
For Ability Users, the most critical skill was eliminating nightmare beasts, so his judgment was likely correct.
Lastly, the “Ability User Job Base,” which Su Bei focused on most. Knowing trouble was certain there, learning more would help him figure out why “Black Flash” chose it for their scheme.
The “Ability User Job Base” was established by the Ability Government to help Ability Users who struggled in ordinary society find work in the ability world.
Jobs like low-level different space gatekeepers, service staff at nearby hotels or restaurants, intelligence gatherers confirming nightmare beast incidents, or cleaners and cafeteria staff at ability academies were typically assigned by the government to Ability Users with weak abilities who didn’t want to return to ordinary life.
The base trained these Ability Users to adapt to their roles quickly. Notably, the staff there were also Ability Users needing government-assigned jobs, making full use of resources.
As for why they were going, Ye Lin, the most reliable of the three teachers, patiently explained. Their academy often sent volunteers to assist with training.
Specifically, they’d act as unruly, powerful Ability Users causing trouble, letting trainees figure out how to handle it.
They’d also experience jobs like guarding different space gates or selling tickets. Over a month, they’d encounter a few difficult Ability Users. This experience would teach them not to make things hard for staff when visiting different spaces themselves.
All three activities sounded interesting. Though everyone had preferences, no one was particularly upset about their assignment.
Prep time passed quickly. On Sunday, they split into groups and used Lei Ze’en’s pre-set teleportation arrays to reach their destinations.
The five plus one teacher heading to “Alpha Ability Academy” didn’t arrive directly at the academy but near an airport in their country.
There was no choice—though Lei Ze’en could use [Teleportation] to reach another country, it was illegal under ability laws. Using abilities to enter another country required strict review and oversight to prevent illegal entry.
That was too cumbersome, so flying was simpler. Passports were prepared in advance, and tickets were booked.
The academy didn’t cover flight or living expenses, only paying for Jiang Tianming’s ticket. Meng Huai said they could earn their own money now. Unless they were subsidized students like Jiang Tianming or Wu Mingbai, the rest shouldn’t expect the academy to foot the bill.
Luggage was sent directly to the academy, letting them travel light.
They flew to Mus Country, where “Alpha Ability Academy” had sent someone to pick them up. The person was a refined man in a well-tailored suit.
He quickly spotted the group exiting the airport, striding over and addressing Meng Huai in fluent national language: “Teacher Meng, I presume? I’ve heard much about you. I’m John, assigned by ‘Alpha Ability Academy’ to receive you.”
Meng Huai, not one for small talk, nodded simply: “Hello. Are we heading to the accommodations now?”
Caught off guard by his directness, John paused but quickly recovered: “Yes, yes. We’ve arranged for you to stay in our school dorms—three boys in a four-person room, two girls in a double room.”
This was pre-arranged, and he mentioned it to inform the students and confirm with the teacher.
Seeing no issues, he led them to the airport’s Ability User zone, a space for Ability Users to use their powers without affecting ordinary people, common in airports and large malls.
John waved his hand, and a giant flying carpet appeared on the ground. He sat at the front, explaining to the six: “This is my ability, [Flying Magic Carpet]. Hop on, and I’ll take you straight to ‘Alpha Ability Academy.’”
Such an ability existed? Lan Subing’s eyes widened, then she noticed a concern, raising her hand cautiously: “Won’t ordinary people see us flying?”
In their country, flying required a license, and being seen by too many ordinary people could cause bad publicity and penalties.
“What’s wrong with being seen?” John asked, puzzled, then seemed to recall something. “Oh, our country doesn’t mind ordinary people seeing Ability Users in action, as long as it doesn’t harm public safety.”
Lan Subing nodded, realizing she’d forgotten the cultural difference. She gave John an embarrassed nod: “Sorry, dumb question.”
John didn’t mind, smiling and shaking his head: “Come on up. I’ll fly you to the school.”
They boarded the giant carpet. The Ability User zone was open-air, and John maneuvered the carpet into the air. The soft carpet easily supported seven people, carrying them skyward.
Si Zhaohua, used to flying with his [Angel] ability, found it mildly novel but unremarkable. Meng Huai sat calmly at the back, observing below.
Ai Baozhu, slightly afraid of heights, sat in the middle, trembling and avoiding looking down, though her position blocked the view anyway.
Lan Subing patted Ai Baozhu’s back, comforting her softly while curiously looking around. She’d never flown like this, and everything felt fresh. Jiang Tianming felt the same, but sitting near the front, the wind blasted his face, turning his hair into a slicked-back style.
“Pfft!” Su Bei, seeing this, couldn’t hold back a laugh. He smartly sat sideways, enjoying the view without the wind forcing a hairstyle on him.
Mocked, Jiang Tianming didn’t mind. He mimicked Su Bei, turning to sit sideways, but didn’t dare dangle his legs off the carpet like Su Bei, opting to cross them instead.
Seeing Su Bei so relaxed, he asked curiously, “Aren’t you afraid of falling like that?”
Jiang Tianming wasn’t afraid of heights, but sitting in such a risky position on an unprotected carpet felt too daring.
“How many people do you think have fallen off this carpet?” Su Bei didn’t answer directly, countering with a question.
Jiang Tianming glanced at John, then nodded honestly. With no roof or railings, he genuinely thought plenty must have fallen.
Su Bei thought so too, continuing, “So why is Teacher John still allowed to pick people up with this carpet?”
Jiang Tianming caught his meaning. If many had died falling, John would’ve been banned from flying long ago, or he wouldn’t be here.
Since he was assigned, safety was assured. Even if they fell, John likely had a way to catch them.
Suddenly, Lan Subing, listening quietly, answered Su Bei’s question: “Maybe because the compensation is good.”
She understood Su Bei’s point but couldn’t resist a quip.
“Hahahahaha!” John, also eavesdropping, burst out laughing first, and the others couldn’t help but chuckle.
After the laughter, John undid his top button, making his formal demeanor more casual. Smiling, he said, “The blond boy’s right. Lots of people have fallen off my carpet, but no one’s ever been hurt. If you’re curious, you can try it yourselves.”
How would he catch them? A high-speed chase in the air, diving to save the fallen? That’d be thrilling.
After exchanging glances, Si Zhaohua raised his hand: “I’ll try.”
His [Angel] ability let him fly, so even if John failed to catch him, he could fly back.
With John’s approval, Si Zhaohua jumped off the carpet. Before he fell far, a small carpet appeared out of nowhere, swiftly catching him and bringing him back.
“Who said I can only control one carpet?” John said slyly.
So that’s how! They’d forgotten that possibility. Su Bei raised his hand, eager: “Then why not give each of us a carpet?”
“Behave yourself!” Meng Huai cut him off, glaring fiercely, his expression saying, “I’ll deal with you later.”
Su Bei went quiet as a mouse.
John chuckled, explaining, “Controlling six carpets for each of you makes it hard to dodge unexpected obstacles, like flocks of birds.”
Except for Ai Baozhu, everyone internally sighed in disappointment. Compared to sharing one carpet, individual ones sounded more fun. But they kept quiet, lest they face Meng Huai’s wrath like Su Bei.
Soon, they reached their destination— “Alpha Ability Academy.”
Unlike “Endless Ability Academy,” “Alpha Ability Academy” was styled like a white palace, with a grand, majestic white arch as its gate.
Though it was Sunday, the school offered boarding, so a few students were still coming and going.
Seeing a group of foreign faces, they paused to stare. A female teacher in a black suit at the gate approached, exchanging a practiced but tedious round of greetings before getting to business: “Let the five kids settle into their dorms first. Their luggage is already there. Meet back at the gate in one hour for a quick campus tour.”
“No problem,” Meng Huai agreed, giving Jiang Tianming and the others a warning look. “Meet here in an hour. You’re all old enough to be responsible—you'd better not be late.”
After the brief warning, the five split into two groups: one with the female teacher to the girls’ dorm, the other with the male teacher to the boys’ dorm. Meng Huai went with the boys but would stay in the faculty dorm; he was just tagging along.
Though “Alpha Ability Academy”’s dorms were four-person rooms, the environment was no worse than “Endless Ability Academy”’s single rooms. Each four-person room was like a small apartment, with four small bedrooms, a bathroom with a shower, and a small living room. No kitchen, but there was a microwave.
John gave a brief introduction before leaving with Meng Huai. The faculty dorm was a bit far, and they couldn’t dawdle.
Once they left, Su Bei looked at the empty room, relieved: “Good thing they didn’t make the teacher stay with us.”
Jiang Tianming and Si Zhaohua froze, then nodded vigorously. The spare room could’ve housed Meng Huai, and if he stayed, their month would’ve been rough.
Seriously, they were here to have fun—who wanted to live with a guardian?
They set out toiletries, made their beds, and finished settling in. Not wasting time, the three quickly returned to the gate.
They arrived early, and the others weren’t back yet. Honestly, if Meng Huai hadn’t stressed not to cause trouble, they’d have started wandering. But for the protagonist group, events always came knocking, whether they sought them or not.
“Who are you?” Two boys in casual clothes approached, eyeing Su Bei’s group with curiosity and wariness, asking in a foreign language.
Luckily, the three were top students and understood perfectly, avoiding any awkwardness. They looked like boarding students. Jiang Tianming, unguarded, answered, “We’re exchange students from ‘Endless Ability Academy.’”
Unexpectedly, their initially friendly demeanor turned hostile: “Exchange students? So you’re hot stuff, huh?”
All three were sensitive to emotions and noticed the shift. Though unclear why, they weren’t about to grovel.
“Probably better than you,” Jiang Tianming replied politely, judging he wasn’t starting trouble.
Su Bei thought Jiang Tianming was a perfect match for Wu Mingbai—one mocked with sunny cheer, the other with calm courtesy. From their expressions and tone, no one would guess they were throwing shade.
Unsurprisingly, he enraged the two. The boy in the red hoodie snapped, “What’d you say? Ha! Big talk! Dare to spar with us now?”
“Is this the quality of your school’s students?” Si Zhaohua’s cold face carried authority. “This is your welcome for new guests?”
The red hoodie boy sneered, “Guests? Who do you think you are?”
The green hoodie boy nudged him, signaling to shut up—not out of guilt but because teachers were coming.
Meng Huai and John approached together.
“What’re you doing?” Teachers were often stricter with their own students than outsiders. John, so mild and fun with Su Bei’s group, had Meng Huai’s usual intensity with the “hoodie duo.”
The “hoodie duo” didn’t dare keep provoking in front of teachers. They just disliked Jiang Tianming’s group, not lost their minds, and weren’t about to get themselves in trouble.
“Nothing, Teacher. We were just joking with them,” the red hoodie said, winking at Jiang Tianming’s group.
The gist was, “Student stuff stays between students—you’re not snitching, right?”
Jiang Tianming and Si Zhaohua had no intention of snitching, believing they could handle it themselves without resorting to childish tattling.
But Su Bei had no such principles. He raised his hand: “Teacher John, they said we’re not school guests.”
He didn’t embellish, just stated the fact clearly.
John’s face darkened instantly. Glancing at the two students, who looked incredulous but couldn’t refute, he knew Su Bei wasn’t lying.
In front of the other teacher, he gave an awkward but polite smile: “Of course you’re our school’s guests. These two idiots don’t know how to talk. Please don’t mind them.”
Su Bei’s group didn’t press further. It was their turf, and even if they were in the right, they might not come out on top. Besides, it was minor. Su Bei only snitched to mess with them.
To prevent more trouble, John shooed the duo away and waited with the group for the girls. Lan Subing and Ai Baozhu cut it close, arriving with one minute to spare.
Seeing they weren’t late, Meng Huai said nothing. He was slightly gentler with girls, though these girls were no pushovers. With everyone present, John led the campus tour.
“Alpha Ability Academy” was slightly larger than “Endless Ability Academy,” with five campuses and five teaching buildings. The sports field was in the center, with the cafeteria nearby.
Like “Endless Ability Academy,” the campus was park-like. But here, it was a grassy park, while their academy had a proper park with a lake and scenery. Though the lake was built for water Ability Users, everyone could enjoy it.
After a quick tour of the campus exterior, they entered the teaching buildings. These were cylindrical, with each floor forming a ring. Combined with staggered staircases, it was easy to get lost.
“Why aren’t the stairs straight up and down?” Ai Baozhu asked, puzzled. She couldn’t see the point of segmented stairs beyond inconveniencing students.
“Don’t you think it’s stylish?” John saw no issue. “For straight stairs, there’s the external staircase, which is also well-designed. Our school was built by the era’s most famous international designer, and it’s still timeless.”
Indeed, the buildings had external staircases, winding around the structure, undeniably aesthetic. Like “Endless Ability Academy,” “Alpha Ability Academy” had a long history, and such designs were remarkable for their time.
Ai Baozhu partly agreed—beauty often trumped unnecessary practicality in her view. But as a student, she struggled to appreciate the school’s aesthetics. After a while, all schools felt equally annoying.
After touring the five buildings, Su Bei had to admit “Alpha Ability Academy” prioritized aesthetics. Though the buildings looked identical outside, their interiors were customized to each academy’s theme.
For example, the attack track building’s corridors displayed armor, knight statues, and weapon sculptures. The special track’s walls were adorned with oddities—seashells, stones, discs—full of artistic flair. The defense track building had shields piled in corners…
It was a completely different vibe from their school, putting the five in a good mood. Staying in one school too long caused visual fatigue, so a change of scenery at a distinct school was refreshing.