Chapter 24: Lightning Fiber (Part 1/2)
Actually the thread wasn’t that long. It was approximately seven, eight centimeters in length. But it naturally felt different from the delicate electronic circuit in comparison.
The students’ attention were naturally drawn over due to the extraction of the long thread. Someone asked: “What’s that?”
“Metallic properties? It appears to have decent toughness.”
“How was this mixed inside? Was it there in the first place?”
Zhai Gong did not give an answer to the aforementioned questions. As he looked at the object, he also looked at the state of the scanning tool. A moment passed before he directly put on a thin pair of membrane gloves. He pinched the long thread in his fingers, weighing it a bit before speaking:
“The mass is strange. There’s quite the downward force.”
Upon speaking, Zhai Gong prepared to place the long thread onto a digital scale. The students all gathered around in curiosity.
“Wait a moment.”
Luo Nan suddenly spoke out, causing everyone’s gazes to fall onto his face. Luo Nan spoke with a downcast head: “I’m sorry. I don’t want it repaired anymore.”
His words prodded the hornets nest. The group of society member by the repair stand spoke irritated:
“You did this on purpose then!”
“Damn. You really came to cause trouble? What grade are you?”
“The case is already removed. What are you playing at? Do you think we at Precision Electronics are easy targets?”
Luo Nan’s expression did not change. He repeated his prior words: “I’m sorry. I’ve decided not to get it repaired.”
On one side was boiling emotions. On the other was a stubborn attitude. The two sides collided against each other. Things were becoming more and more intense.
After a moment of startlement, Zhai Gong actually smoothed things over: “If he doesn’t want it fixed then we won’t fix it. In the end, it’s not our stuff. I believe that this student wouldn’t go so far as to make fun of us…… Anyway, the labor costs will certainly be paid right.”
Zhai Gong had intended to smooth things over with a bad joke, but no one laughed. On the other hand, Luo Nan was wholeheartedly thankful. He bowed once more:
“Thank you Zhai Gong. I’m sorry for today.”
Zhai Gong laughed in great delight. He did his best to calm the surrounding society members: “Alrighty. I’ll first restore the device back to normal. It won’t take too much time. Anyway, there’s some tricks to this. Y’all should pay attention.”
Luo Nan really admired Zhai Gong for demonstrating this much concern. Yet he had no choice but to remind Zhai Gong of something: “Zhai Gong. That thread……”
Zhai Gong immediately understood. He spoke chuckling: “In truth, I really had forgotten where I placed that toy.”
He took a small sealing membrane bag from the side and placed the long thread inside. Then he handed it over to Luo Nan.
Luo Nan already lost count how many times he gave thanks. He reached out and retrieved the bag carefully and cautiously. A dozen cold eyes fell on his body. It was without a doubt that he had turned into the most unwelcome person of the Precision Electronics Interest Society.
Luo Nan didn’t care about this at all. He only had that fine thread in his mind at this very moment.
Luo Nan walked out of the society hall ten minutes later. He held the notebook in one hand and he held the sealed bag in the other. He was somewhat puzzled. It wasn’t clear which side was heavier.
The rays from the sun gradually fell from the west onto his body. It felt warm and comfortable, like a light warm breeze brushing past.
Thinking for a bit, Luo Nan lifted his hands to let the sun’s rays illuminate the sealed membrane bag. He squinted his eyes. Something seemed off. He probably got hurt from the bright circulation of light from lightning.
The lightning originated from the long thread. Obviously, things could be explained as such:
The thread existed within a bolt of bright blazing lightning.
But there was no one at all in the surroundings who had a change in behavior in regards to this. Those who did notice things over here, only noticed due to Luo Nan’s unfathomable posture.
This bolt of lightning was like the burning wraith. It was also like the glowing cloud band that coiled around Zhang Yingying’s body. It only revealed itself on the mysterious and unobservable plane. Ordinary people wouldn’t be able to see it nor hear it. They wouldn’t know of it or be able to observe it.
This splendid light, this burning eye-dazzling sight only existed in Luo Nan’s eyes!
Luo Nan lowered his arm and his five fingers gripped tightly, nearly ripping the bag. The more Luo Nan gripped, the more he experienced the marvelous qualities of the long thread…… It was completely disharmonious with its fine and delicate shape.
Such a marvelous object had been concealed within the flexible e-ink screen all this time, providing no knowledge of its existence. It provided no hints whatsoever, just like its last master.
And so this inconceivable thing had its origins from that coward!
Did he make it? Or did he obtain it through some channel?
Why did he hide it in the flexible e-ink screen and send it back?
Why were there no hints at all?
That coward, what kind of plan is he playing at in the end?
Luo Nan’s brain was a complete mess. His mind was perturbed. As a foot went out to take a step, he suddenly felt his knee weaken. He actually lost his balance and suddenly fell headfirst.
“Oh dear. You’re alright right.”
Right when he was about to fall, it was Xue Lei who caught up to him from behind and supported him up. Puzzlement and worry could both be seen on Xue Lei’s face: “What’s wrong? I was just yelling for you, but you didn’t respond at all. What setback did you hit?”
Only now did Luo Nan remember that Xue Lei was still waiting for him so that they could go to their grade advisor’s place together.
“What time is it?”
“4:50……”
“It’s that late?”
Luo Nan was shocked at first, then he remembered that he had been situated in the repair center for at least forty minutes. Wasn’t he cutting things close?
Fortunately Xue Lei has kept waiting for him stubbornly all this time.
“Then let’s move quickly.”
Luo Nan took the sealed bag with the long thread and stuffed it in the cover layer of his notebook for a temporary placement. He needed to calm his head down for a moment and organize his thoughts.
Xue Lei had long since been hopping mad with anxiety. But when he saw the state of Luo Nan’s body, his heart naturally shifted directions: “I’m saying Nanster, that your body and bones are a bit weak. You normally don’t work out much right? In my opinion, you should come to our gym and train for a few months. You will absolutely experience a major change.”
Luo Nan stopped at the campus electric shuttle, pulling Xue Lei onto the vehicle. At the same time he inputted the shortest route to get to the grade advisor’s office in his wristband. Then his lips spoke without thinking:
“When I have time.”
“Then it’s settled!”
“......”
Luo Nan suddenly understood why Xue Lei and Chen Xiaolin were a couple!
The appropriate route was planned. With a bit of luck, Luo Nan and Xue Lei would practically enter the grade advisor’s office at right on the dot.
The number of new half-entered students in the school was not much. Those who had yet to enter a society by the end of the month numbered even fewer. However there were still a dozen or so people, making the office crammed and packed.
Luo Nan and Xue Lei were the last to enter. Originally they wanted to hide themselves within the crowd, but Xue Lei’s large frame was too conspicuous within the group of fifteen to sixteen year olds. It was even enough to bring Luo Nan into this.
“The last ones to arrive. Come to the front.”
The grade advisor Li Mingde, also known as “Elder”, was nearly seventy years old. He was pretty much at retirement age. He maintained his physique quite well. He was tall and skinny with a sage-like appearance. He normally didn’t talk or laugh much and looked to be hard to get close to. This was concrete proof that this person was truly hard to deal with.
The crowd was subtly disturbed. Luo Nan and Xue Lei were helplessly served as targets. They squeezed their way to the front row.
Li Mingde use a strict gaze to cut through Luo Nan and Xue Lei’s face. Then he cut his gaze through the others. This was an example by punishment, like killing a chicken to warn a monkey; it was very effective. Some students who had been a bit rowdy braced their bodies one by one. They adopted obedient attitudes.
Due to the elective style courses, there were no set head teachers for the seventh year and above at Acumen College. Instead there was a special advisor arranged for each grade to be responsible for and to handle the daily lives and psychological needs of the students. This format appeared to be quite trendy, but quite a few advisors were running the role of being a Disciplinary Directory in the actual implementation. The were in charge of disciplining, in evaluation, and so on.
Li Mingde was a model representation of that. Just like in a class, this person first did roll call to verify that everyone was present. Only then did he start admonishing the students: “What did I clearly call you all over here for?”
All the students were silent. Not a person spoke a sound.