Chapter 345 An Absurd World
The crowd gradually dispersed, and the restaurant returned to its previous tranquility, as if the "duel" wagered on an axe was merely a routine interlude.
Jemin looked down and carefully weighed the "battle axe" in his hand.
It feels heavy in your hand, the axe blade is sharp and has a cold, sharp gleam, and the wooden handle is polished smooth and comfortable to hold.
From any angle, this is a finely crafted and solidly made cold weapon axe.
In his previous life, it might have been considered a collectible art piece or a high-quality outdoor tool.
But that's all.
He repeatedly touched the axe blade with his fingertips, sensed the material of the axe body, and even secretly scratched an inconspicuous spot with his fingernail.
Even with his supernatural powers sealed, Jemin could quickly determine, thanks to his alchemy mastery, that the axe had no energy reaction, no hidden runes, and no special structure.
It is simply a good axe in a purely physical sense.
However, the gazes cast by the few students who had not yet completely left were still filled with undisguised envy and awe.
It was as if he were holding not iron or wood, but some kind of sacred object with mysterious power.
Jemin hesitated for a moment, then looked at Amy, who was still excited beside him, and adjusted his tone, saying with just the right amount of excitement, "This axe... looks pretty good, doesn't it?"
As he expected, Amy's eyes immediately lit up, and she explained in an almost chanting tone, "Of course! This axe is far more destructive than those iron bars we fought over in high school! Holding it means you have combat power far exceeding that of ordinary people!"
Her tone was sincere, full of the certainty that "this is common sense."
Victor, standing next to him, adjusted his glasses and calmly added supporting data: "Based on the physical condition of a normal adult male, theoretically, wielding an axe can increase the chance of winning a three-on-one conflict to over 90%. That's indeed a very powerful boost."
Jemin: "..."
He almost couldn't maintain his facade of a blank expression.
Therefore, the "power" and "special" nature of this axe lies in its ability to "enhance combat effectiveness"?
But isn't that obvious?
Any able-bodied adult, wielding a sharp axe, would have a significantly higher chance of winning against two or three unarmed ordinary people!
Does this have anything to do with your worship?
Also, why were people fighting over iron bars in high school?
Could it be that the so-called school bully is actually the school's top student?!
He probed further, confirming that in Amy and Victor's minds, the axe possessed no supernatural or extraordinary characteristics other than being "extremely sturdy and sharp," "a symbol of strength," and "capable of significantly enhancing the wielder's combat prowess."
"So... it really is just a better-made axe?" Jemin felt his understanding was being challenged once again.
He rubbed his temples helplessly, resigned to the situation. Carrying the heavy axe, he walked towards the afternoon classroom amidst envious glances from those around him.
The scene was truly bizarre—a young man dressed in modern university attire was carrying a sharp hand axe that clearly didn't belong in the campus setting, walking down a technologically advanced corridor.
The students and even faculty members encountered along the way, upon seeing the axe, were initially taken aback, but their expressions were not of fear or surprise, but rather a mixture of awe and...appreciation.
What's particularly outrageous is the young lecturer who gave the afternoon lecture.
When he saw the axe that Jemin had placed next to the table leg on the podium, his voice paused for a moment.
He then walked over to Jemin, bent down to examine him closely for a moment, then patted Jemin on the shoulder, a look of unusual satisfaction on his face:
"Excellent! It's a fine axe! The lines are smooth, the center of gravity is stable, and the edge hardening is excellent. My friend, cherish it; it carries the weight of knowledge!"
Jemin: "???!!!"
No, teacher, what are you so pleased about?
And what the heck is this "weight of knowledge"?
Was this axe forged from melted books?!
He was internally screaming, feeling that if things continued like this, he would eventually give himself away because he lost control of his facial expressions.
However, this absurd "axe incident" also made him keenly aware of another problem.
Information gap.
When he forcibly broke through the cover of false memories, his methods were too brutal, which may have resulted in the loss of some of the "common sense" or "basic knowledge" belonging to this world.
This explains why Amy, Victor, and even the lecturer held the axe in a kind of admiration that he couldn't understand, while he only found it absurd.
Some things that seem obvious to the world are full of contradictions and strangeness in his eyes.
Furthermore, after a day of observation, he became even more certain of the unusual aspects of the campus: an extremely high student-to-faculty ratio.
The university has a pitifully small number of students, but it seems to have a full complement of lecturers, professors, and even various administrative staff, giving the impression that there are more faculty than students.
There were also sporadic news broadcasts glimpsed on the classroom's light screen—constantly emphasizing that the planet faced ongoing external threats and was in a state of war.
The atmosphere of the entire society, from campuses to the streets, was unbelievably peaceful, lacking any of the tension, rationing, or defensive fortifications that should exist in a wartime environment.
"What a troublesome world." Jemin pinched the bridge of his nose wearily and began to mentally plan his tasks. "So, I have quite a lot to do."
"The primary task is to connect with the internal space and confirm the passage of time. The mobilization of spiritual energy cannot be stopped. The secondary task is to frantically replenish 'common sense', make up for memory gaps, and avoid being exposed due to differences in cognition."
"Finally, there is the long-term goal: to uncover the truth of the world."
The most urgent tasks are still the first two.
Strength and information are the foundation for surviving and breaking through any predicament.
Just as he was getting his thoughts straight, the lecturer on the podium introduced a new theoretical model.
Jemin's ears twitched; he was instantly drawn in.
"This knowledge point... is something I don't know! It sounds valuable, and the logic seems to be consistent..."
The instinct to pursue knowledge and truth overwhelmed the urge to complain about the absurdity of the situation.
Jemin quickly immersed himself in the class again, rapidly taking notes and understanding this unfamiliar yet real knowledge.
When the bell rang, Jemin carefully stuffed the "battle axe" into his backpack.
Just then, Amy and Victor arrived at the classroom door.
When the two saw Jemin empty-handed and his bulging backpack, their faces simultaneously showed visible disappointment.
Jemin: "..."
He forcibly suppressed the urge to rub his forehead.
"It really is just an axe! Isn't it the most normal thing to do to put it in a backpack?! What are you all so disappointed about?!" He felt that the amount of complaints he had made in his mind today was more than he had in the past few hundred years combined.
Fortunately, Amy and Victor were only disappointed, and there was no doubt in their eyes.
It seems that putting away the axe is just a personal choice, which, while not "sparkling," is understandable.
This made Jemin secretly relieved—at least he didn't have to act like a lunatic, swaggering around the modern city all day with an axe.
Arriving at the school gate, Amy checked her personal terminal and said, "My aunt is picking me up today. She's taking me to the amusement park in the next district, so I'm off now!"
Jemin and Victor nodded, said goodbye, and then walked home side by side.
As Amy watched the two figures disappear, she was about to turn around when a voice sounded from behind her: "Congratulations on getting into university, Amy."
"Thank you, Auntie." Amy looked surprised and turned to look at the tall woman who had appeared behind her at some point.
"But even in college, will you only be hanging out with two friends? I wish you could make new friends there..."
"Auntie" smiled and smoothed her long, silver-gray hair.
Amy blinked: "But Auntie, don't you have any friends either?"
The woman waved her hand, turned around and walked ahead first: "My situation is special, so it's okay, but you and I are different, aren't we..."
"I have a feeling that you really want me to make friends, Auntie. Why is that?" Amy followed after her, puzzled. "Besides, I actually get along well with a lot of people."
"Oh, you know very well that we just have a good relationship, not that we're friends."
Auntie sighed in disappointment: "I actually wanted you to fail, so that you could be strong in the face of pain. I was actually looking forward to your failure..."
"Wow...what a terrible personality..."
(End of this chapter)
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