vncnus Chapter 26 Reporting for Duty Locked
Chapter 26 Reporting for Duty Locked
The high-speed train slowly pulled into Jiangcheng East Station.
Hu Biao carried his simple luggage down the platform and followed the flow of people into the arrival hall.
The two families collected their checked luggage and walked out of the station.
The September sun in Wuhan was still blazing, and the air was filled with the unique, bustling heat of this central metropolis, mixed with the scent of the river.
"The car has been arranged," said Hu Shenyan, the nouveau riche, glancing at his phone.
A black seven-seater minivan pulled up at the right time. The driver, a kind-looking middle-aged man in his forties, immediately got out of the car upon seeing Hu Shenyan and efficiently helped load the various suitcases into the trunk.
The car smoothly drove away from the station and merged into the traffic.
As the car drove through the bustling city center and across the river bridge, the outline of the university town gradually became clear.
The road is lined with shady trees, and most of the pedestrians are young people carrying schoolbags or in groups of three or five, full of the unique vitality of the campus.
The main gate of Jiangcheng University is magnificent and grand. At this time, it is the peak period for new student registration. The gate is bustling with cars and people. The welcome tents of various colleges are lined up along the road, with colorful flags waving and a noisy atmosphere.
"There are so many people," Niu Yafei remarked, looking out the window.
Hu Biao watched quietly, a rare hint of anticipation for the unknown university life that belongs to someone his age rising in his heart, even though he still showed some disdain on the surface.
Ha, humans!!
You know nothing of the true nature hidden beneath that innocent exterior!
Since the two were not in the same college, after getting off the bus, they agreed to have dinner together after finishing their business, and then went their separate ways.
The registration process was quick. We checked our admission notice and ID card, and received our campus card, freshman handbook, dormitory key, and a small card with the class WeChat group QR code printed on it.
Hu Biao was assigned to room 412 in building 3 of the Meiyuan dormitory area.
"Excuse me, do you need any help with your luggage?" a tall male volunteer wearing glasses asked.
"No need, thank you." Hu Biao pointed to Old Chen and Hu Shenyan, who were taking boxes out of the trunk.
Niu Yafei couldn't wait to start looking around, her brows furrowing slightly: "This dormitory building looks a bit old... Sanhu, how about we go stay at Mom's for a few days? The place is all set up, and it's only a ten-minute drive from the school..."
"I'll stay in the dormitory," Hu Biao interrupted her, his tone calm but firm. "Everyone else stays there, why can't I?"
"But you've been like this all this time..." Niu Yafei lowered her voice, her eyes filled with deep worry.
"I'm fine now, really." Hu Biao looked at her. "Look at me, I'm perfectly fine now, right? Staying in the dorm is convenient, and I can meet more classmates."
Hu Shenyan carried over the largest suitcase, glanced at the mother and son, and said to Niu Yafei, "Let him stay here. He's a boy; he's in college now, it's time for him to be independent."
"That's right, I'm not a mama's boy," Hu Biao said casually.
Niu Yafei glared at her son, then looked at her husband, and finally sighed and gave in. "Well... let's go upstairs and see what we need, and buy it right away."
Room 412 is on the fourth floor. The door is open, and there are already people inside.
The four-person room had bunk beds with desks underneath, a private balcony, and a bathroom—better than Hu Biao had expected. The lower bunk on the right side of the door was already made up, and a slightly chubby, fair-skinned boy sat at the desk, fiddling with his phone. Hearing the noise, he looked up, adjusted his black-rimmed glasses, and gave a shy smile.
"Hello... Are you my new roommates? My name is Liu Bo, Bo as in 'erudite,' and I come from Chongqing."
"Hello, Hu Biao, from Dongling." Hu Biao nodded, gave a brief self-introduction, and pointed to the upper bunk on the left side of the balcony. "I'll sleep here?"
"Yes, it's still empty over there." Liu Bo nodded quickly, glanced at the family behind Hu Biao, stood up, and seemed a little reserved.
Hu Shenyan and Lao Chen put the boxes away, while Niu Yafei began to inspect the dormitory with astonishing efficiency. First, she touched the bed boards to see if they were sturdy, then she checked the tables and chairs for any burrs, and then she went to the balcony and the bathroom for a quick look.
"The bathroom is fairly clean, but the curtains are a bit old... The balcony railing is a little rusty, but it's okay on the fourth floor... The cabinet space is alright..." She commented as she inspected, making it sound like she was inspecting a construction project.
Hu Biao looked somewhat helpless, especially when he met Liu Bo's strange gaze. He smiled apologetically and said in a low voice, "There's nothing I can do, it's menopausal syndrome."
Liu Bo chuckled, "That's normal, everyone's the same!"
Soon, the other two roommates arrived. One was named Sun Hao, from Northeast China. He was tall, had a loud voice, and a hearty laugh. He immediately started chatting with Liu Bo about games. The other was named Wang Zhe, from Jiangnan. He was slender and refined, didn't talk much, but packed his things very neatly.
What follows are just some everyday trivia, best left unsaid.
After getting ready, we went to the agreed-upon restaurant and had lunch with Lin Wanqing's family. Finally, we saw the two families off.
Watching the van drive away, Hu Biao let out a long sigh of relief; he was so tired!
"You really dislike your parents that much?!"
Seeing Hu Biao's relieved expression, Lin Wanqing couldn't help but find it amusing.
Hu Biao glanced at her and said indifferently, "I treat all humans the same, and I don't like any of them."
Lin Wanqing opened her mouth, but faced with this arrogant man, she didn't know what to say for a moment.
The two walked back to school together, attracting many strange and envious glances along the way.
There's no way around it; after being tempered by darkness and life force, coupled with the great physique he gained from martial arts training, Hu Biao's current appearance surpasses that of top idols. As for Lin Wanqing, the artistic goddess is still quite formidable in combat.
The man and woman walking down the street were a truly beautiful sight.
Lin Wanqing was still a little unaccustomed to the large number of stares, and lowered her head slightly, looking somewhat shy, while Hu Biao didn't seem to care.
Pshaw, a bunch of ants!
When he returned to the dormitory, it was already afternoon. None of the other students were there. Hu Biao tidied up briefly and began to deal with his tinnitus.
The root cause of tinnitus has been found; the rest shouldn't be too difficult.
Lying on his bed, he blinked and lowered his gaze to a small village in Southeast Asia.
Nanyang, Golden Triangle area, an indigenous village
Sowin felt he was at the peak of his life.
He was wearing a dark robe embroidered with clumsy gold thread that he had somehow acquired, his hair was slicked back with hair oil and combed meticulously, and he was holding a Bible in his hand, which was covered with scribbles on rough bark paper.
Just a month ago, he was a loser who had been hit hard by the economic downturn and had to slink back to his impoverished hometown.
Having witnessed some of the prosperity of the outside world, he now finds himself confined to the bamboo house left by his grandmother, eating only leftover rice, which causes him extreme psychological imbalance.
But now, standing on a slightly leveled open space in the center of the village, facing dozens of kneeling believers with devout and even fanatical expressions, a slight smile appeared on his lips.
He opened his mouth and began to sing in the aria he had learned in the theaters of the big city, "...Our Lord is the judge who walks between reality and illusion!...His ears hear the sorrow and injustice of the world...His eyes see the darkness and filth in people's hearts..."
He spread his arms, pointing to the dark night sky, "When we pray sincerely, our voices can penetrate the void and reach His throne! Our faith is the best offering to Him! He will grant us peace and punish the sinners!"
Below, there were villagers in tattered clothes, a few survivors who had escaped from the park but were now mentally broken, and even one or two outsiders with shifty eyes who seemed to have ulterior motives. They all leaned forward slightly as he spoke, muttering to themselves.
Fear breeds the most blind faith, especially in a land where law and order are almost nonexistent and which has just experienced a series of bizarre events.
Sowin skillfully exploited this fear, and as he looked at the faces that looked up at him, a sense of satisfaction swelled within him, almost overflowing.
This was only the first step. He knew very well that this insignificant faith, built on lies and ignorance, was not solid. So, at this point, he did not start accumulating wealth, but only symbolically collected some "offerings." These offerings were not money, but just some necessities for life. At this time, he was trying to portray himself as an ascetic.
Once the influence has spread and a suitable backer has been found, that will be the time to reap the rewards.
This is just the beginning...
Soewin gave the believers a deep look, preparing for the final collective chant of the evening, to push their emotions to an even higher climax—
Without warning, his outstretched arms froze in place.