Chapter Thirteen

Ye Chong was the only member of “Aurora” under the age of fifty.

His entry into “Aurora” was purely accidental. A complete novice in the virtual net, Ye Chong had unwittingly stumbled into the “Aurora” discussion room. Among this group of elders, not a single one paid him any mind; some were deep in conversation, others were absorbed in their own research. Driven by curiosity, Ye Chong wandered over to the most heated group to listen in, only to discover they were debating the design of the light armor engine’s conduit. Fascinated, he listened intently, growing more engrossed with every word.

Two elders each proposed their own solution, fiercely defending their respective designs.

Suddenly, Ye Chong recalled a schematic he had recently studied—Mu Shang’s engine diagram. Without realizing, he blurted out a novel suggestion. The room fell silent in an instant. Both sides stopped talking, staring in astonishment at this unknown youngster who had appeared out of nowhere.

Ye Chong broke into a cold sweat.

From then on, Ye Chong became acquainted with this group of elders. One, struck by a whim, insisted Ye Chong join “Aurora.” Unexpectedly, many others agreed. Without even giving Ye Chong a chance to refuse, they added him as a member.

Just like that, Ye Chong, bewildered and confused, became part of the lofty and esteemed “Aurora.”

As for Ye Chong himself, he was deeply frustrated. He had once believed he had mastered most of his father’s skills, confident in his mechanical modification abilities. But here, he realized that any random member was someone worthy of his admiration. How could he not feel disheartened?

Never one to accept being left behind, Ye Chong embarked on a rigorous journey of learning.

Any simple question, once these elders began to expand and deepen it, became exponentially more complex. Fortunately, Ye Chong had a solid foundation. Like a whirlpool spinning at high speed, he absorbed everything around him frantically.

Soon, the elders noticed Ye Chong’s exceptional talent, astonishing learning abilities, and firm grounding.

These elders were distinguished in their respective fields, but many faced the predicament of having no successor for their lifetime of expertise. A good teacher is hard to find, but a worthy apprentice is even rarer!

Their fondness for Ye Chong grew, and he became a coveted treasure among them. When Ye Chong asked questions, they spared no effort in their explanations—what had once been expanded ten thousand times was now expanded a hundred thousand times. Yet, Ye Chong learned with meticulous diligence and humility, earning even greater respect from the elders.

Ye Chong became the only apprentice in “Aurora,” and a public apprentice at that.

Whenever he entered the discussion room, all the elders would immediately gather around him.

“Ah, isn’t this little Y? Haven’t seen you in days. Did you figure out the equation I taught you last time? No? That’s alright, we can approach it from another angle, for example…”

Before he could finish, another elder barked angrily, “You old coot, every time you see little Y you bombard him with questions. If you turn him into a fool, I won’t forgive you!” Turning kindly to Ye Chong, he said, “Little Y, come here, let Grandpa see if you’ve grown taller. Oh, not taller yet? No matter, the body is just a shell; what matters is knowledge and character. Here, I have some insights from over the years—take them home and browse at your leisure!”

“Wow, Elder Du, I can’t believe you came up with that! Why didn’t I think of it? I need to organize my notes when I get back!”

Elder Du beamed with pride, thoroughly pleased with himself. Ye Chong stood among the crowd, clutching the information chip Elder Du had just handed him, bewildered by their enthusiasm like a dumb goose.

In a lavishly decorated room reminiscent of the Tang Dynasty, Jeben’s handsome features were twisted, as if he had transformed from a noble gentleman into a fiendish demon.

Damn it. He hadn’t expected to suffer such a setback today. The thought that his smug demeanor was nothing but a clownish performance in his opponent’s eyes filled Jeben with uncontrollable rage, burning his mind red with fury.

The accumulated frustrations of the past days reached a peak at this moment. Unable to hold back, Jeben grabbed the virtual net connector in his hand and smashed it fiercely onto the intricately patterned carpet. With a crack, only fragments remained.

Whenever he thought of that cunning “pig in sheep’s clothing,” Jeben felt a near-maniacal urge to lash out. In his heart, he cursed that damned YC with the vilest curses, over and over.

This could not go unpunished! Absolutely not! Jeben roared silently within.

How could my noble soul allow such a lowly creature to trample upon it? I’ll make him pay. Kill him—yes, I’ll kill him! By now, Jeben had lost all reason; his once charming eyes were bloodshot. Imagining his adversary begging for mercy beneath his sword, Jeben couldn’t help but throw his head back and laugh maniacally.

A few minutes later, Jeben finally regained his composure, returning to his usual air of noble elegance. Picking up the communicator on the desk, he commanded, “Steward Qiu, come here!”

A shrewd, efficient-looking middle-aged man stood respectfully before Jeben; this was Qiu, the steward of the Jeben household.

Jeben spoke through gritted teeth, each word deliberate: “Steward Qiu, find out everything about a registered name YC at the Warrior Consciousness Training Base. I mean everything—every detail!”

A trace of cold calculation flickered in Qiu’s lowered eyes as he pondered silently. It was almost certain that YC had offended this second-generation heir. Qiu knew well that this young master, aside from his handsome face, was utterly useless—uneducated, indulging in debauchery, narrow-minded, and vengeful. Those who crossed him rarely met a good end; ruined homes and destroyed lives were common.

Qiu sighed inwardly, wondering who would be the unlucky one this time.

Nevertheless, he responded with utmost respect. He had no desire to offend this prodigal son; otherwise, his days in this household would be numbered. He certainly didn’t wish to be dismissed, especially at this delicate moment when his prospects were promising.

Dealing with such people was simple: a bit of flattery was all it took to have them dancing in circles, unlike the elder son, who was incomparably harder to handle. At the thought of the elder son’s penetrating gaze that seemed to see through all, Qiu shivered inwardly.

Jeben was very satisfied with Qiu’s reaction, once again finding his sense of superiority in the steward.

Feigning elegance, he waved Qiu away.

“Hmph, just wait, boy. You’ll see soon enough. I’ll make sure you learn the price of offending me!”

Jeben raised his goblet, sipped the three-hundred-year-old natural red wine, then lifted the glass before his eyes, scrutinizing it closely. His gaze was enigmatic. The soft light refracted through the fragrant wine, swirling like blood, exuding a deadly allure.