Chapter 560: Chapter 3: The Great Challenge
"The school’s administrative capacity is really pathetic now, how can they allow students to run amok like this? They need to take responsibility for these kids. They are all the future hopes of our nation," Yu Gang, known in the academic circles as ’Mr. Nice Guy,’ couldn’t contain his irritation after his repeated requests were ignored. He had no choice but to make his way back to the entrance of the North Campus.
Mr. Zhang, tall and burly, also stood outside, still holding the extra-large suitcase that his daughter couldn’t bring inside and had to leave behind.
Both of their phones rang one after the other, "Uncle Yu, I’m already inside the school. It’s pretty good here, you can relax and head back." Xiao Xian’s words eased Yu Gang’s mind.
"Dad, we have everything we need here, you can take the luggage back." A similar message was also passed on to Mr. Zhang by Zhang Yiyi.
Inside the North Campus, after double-checking, Xiao Xian discovered a fact: the North Campus is a special, isolated area. The Spiritual Energy inside is much more abundant than outside; it’s clearly a meticulously designed space.
At the entrance, there’s a shared phone booth with the words "Free to Use" written on it. This was the phone Xiao Xian and Xuerou had just used to contact their respective elders.
But who designed such a space?
"Uncle Yu? I thought your uncle’s last name was Feng, haha, you, like me, both panicked and reported back for safety," Zhang Yiyi guessed that Mr. Zhang must be anxious outside, so she glossed over the situation at North Campus at the moment.
After signaling they were safe, Xiao Xian and Zhang Yiyi followed the somewhat clear sandy path from the entrance of the North Campus further down.
They walked for a bit and discovered a double-room flat building, in front of which was a public phone and daily necessities that had yet to be placed on shelves.
When Zhang Yiyi saw the convenience store styled like the two-room flat, she heaved a sigh of relief; she patted the pocket of her clothes—fortunately, her wallet was kept close to her body.
Aside from the environment, everything needed for daily life seemed to be available in this peculiar Campus, including this little store behind them; the only question was the prices.
Just coming in, Xiao Xian and Yiyi could guess from the heavy door that had been closed for who knows how long that the Reverse Genius Class of Huake Institute was likely a fully enclosed system—hard to get in, hard to get out.
"Are you new students of the Basic Class? Welcome to the Huake Institute’s freshman registration center," came an unenthusiastic greeting from inside the flat building.
The convenience store wasn’t big, with shelves on all four walls filled with food, daily necessities, medicine, and some simple clothes.
However, when Xiao Xian and Yiyi walked in, they hadn’t seen anyone; where did the voice come from?
"In the North Campus, you need to learn to observe from multiple angles: front, back, left, right, up, down. I’m below you, to your front-left." A black disc-shaped object had appeared at Xiao Xian and Yiyi’s feet at some point, roughly the size of a basketball, saucer-like and flat. When it spoke, lines of small red lights formed at the top of the disc-shaped object.
"What is this thing? A robot?" Curious cat Zhang Yiyi wanted to pick up the disc-shaped object to investigate further.
"Men and women should not touch each other so casually; I am Romeo One, the freshman guidance counselor of North Campus Area C. Please refrain from touching sensitive areas. I am an Advanced intelligent robot developed by Huake Institute," the black disc avoided Zhang Yiyi’s touch, nimbly moving to a corner of the convenience store.
"How fascinating, the owner of the convenience store turns out to be a talking robot," Zhang Yiyi’s eyes sparkled with interest, and her previous dissatisfaction with North Campus faded away instantly.
"Please don’t randomly name the ’Strategic Material Supply Center,’" Romeo One seemed clearly unimpressed with the term convenience store.
"Strategic Material Supply Center? That name does sound quite imposing. So, how are things sold here? Say, if I wanted to buy a washbasin? Is that also strategic material?" Zhang Yiyi asked amusingly.
"Yiyi, stop joking. Hello, we are new students, and since you are our guidance counselor, would it be possible for you to tell us more about the specifics of North Campus and the Reverse Genius Class?" Xiao Xian roughly estimated the area of North Campus, which should be even larger than South Campus.
From that door that even artillery shells would have a hard time penetrating to this robot calling itself Romeo One, North Campus might be more complex than any scene Xiao Xian had ever faced.
The briefing from Romeo One quickly confirmed Xiao Xian’s thoughts.