Chapter 174 The Fire is Gently Burning
Compared to the midsummer in the southern hemisphere, the North District is now in winter and the weather is relatively cold.
"But compared to the snowy situation in my hometown, the academy is much better."
In the lounge of the Ring Bird Wind Tower, Heshia and several classmates were chatting around a table. Under the table was a warm stove, and there were two cats squatting next to them, a gray cat and a tabby cat.
"Because the North District is surrounded by high mountains and valleys, it is not directly blown by the north wind, so it will be much warmer." Mel said, looking at the gray kitten under him, wanting to pick it up, but this guy seemed a little reluctant, probably in the rebellious period.
"Woo, cats don't like me anymore." Mel was a little disappointed.
"Meow~" The gray moon cat below meowed after hearing it, and then continued to lie down and lie next to the warm stove.
"Maybe it likes the stove below more." Heshia smiled.
"Come to think of it, Heshia has rarely stayed in school recently. I couldn't find you several times. The teacher said you were preparing for a competition, so you went out of town for training." Mel remembered something and said in a soft voice.
"Well, there is indeed a competition, but it will be next year, and it's just a warm-up now." Heshia nodded to the lovely Mel, indicating that she was not lying.
"Really? What competition is that? Can I go and see it then?" Mel was curious.
"This, uh... I should be able to see it, but it has to be kept secret for now." Heshia continued to explain, and suddenly felt like a bad guy who coaxed an ignorant girl.
"Heshia is so tight-lipped, probably because the competition is very special, then I won't ask." Mel saw that the girl was a little difficult to explain, so he explained for her.
Well, Mel has become more powerful, the girl thought silently in her heart, feeling that during the time when she was not there, this girl has become much smarter and more powerful.
In fact, if you think about it carefully, Mel's academic performance has always been good, but she is a little silly in her daily life, probably because she was well protected by her family in the past and had less contact with the outside world.
"It is indeed necessary to keep it a secret now, but I will definitely tell Mel in the future." This time, Heshia decided to give the girl in front of her a promise.
"Yeah, come on, Heshia." Mel nodded and said softly.
After that, the few people talked about the current situation at Iris Academy, talking about the upcoming exams at the end of the semester. Compared with the exams at Edes Academy, which have already been completed, the exam week at Iris Academy has not yet arrived. This is because the length of the spring and autumn semesters is different. The autumn and winter semesters are longer, while the spring and summer semesters are shorter.
"In addition to the normal exams at the end of the semester, there is also a league of the ten northern schools. The time will be after the exams, and it is also an important part of the Winter Festival Celebration."
"Because the northern regions are not as developed as the southern regions, the Four-Leaf Crystal Star Region's Winter Festival Celebration is always not among the top few, so the top-ranked academies in the north simply organized a league by themselves, that is, the top ten academies in the northern regions." A student explained.
"Is it considered a loser's group competition?"
"Don't say that, it's too cruel, haha.
" "Well, although the level of splendor and excitement is definitely not as good as the winter festival competition in the star field, the process is very interesting."
"Probably because there are so many tricks, and the fighting methods are very different." A student rubbed his chin and thought.
"For example, our Iris Garden uses extraordinary animal companions to fight, which is rare in other academies. In addition, there is the Three Phases Moon Academy that trains witches, the Heat Surge Breaking Sky Academy that trains martial artists, the Luo Zhen Eye Academy that teaches puppetry, the Twelve Single Academy that is famous for the art of changing clothes, and the Shanzhen Qingzhu Academy that is good at cooking, and the Five Colors Seven Wounds Academy that is famous for refining poisons and making medicines, etc."
"They are all remnants of the old era." A classmate picked up the teacup and took a sip, then slowly put it down.
"Because we have entered the interstellar era, the advantages of these previously powerful and exclusive things are not so obvious, so those factions have turned into academies in order to pass on their own skills and doctrines."
"Fortunately, there are always people who are interested and need them, so these academies have continued to exist in a tepid manner."
"Among them, our Yuanting is in a relatively good situation. If it weren't for the environmental damage of the Jade Skirt, which led to the disappearance of the 'courtyard' for cultivating extraordinary creatures, we might have been able to compete for the top ten positions in the star field."
"Things from the old era may not be without value. I believe that people will rekindle their love and enthusiasm for these things in the future." A student said with full ambition.
"Will there be such a day?" Someone next to him asked in a low voice.
"Yes." He patted his chest.
Although everyone knows that the possibility of this is actually very small, if it comes true, they can't bear to deny it.
Will there be such a day? Heshia looked sideways at the stove under the table. There were still small pieces of firewood burning in it, and occasionally a slight spark sound was emitted, adding a touch of warmth to the quiet room.
Compared with electric stoves and heaters, such stoves are undoubtedly primitive, but looking at the burning orange flames and the occasional slight sparks, it gives people a kind of spiritual peace and comfort.
Technological progress is inevitable and unstoppable, but as an animal and life, the mark engraved in the gene will still be attached to those things that bring personal touches to oneself, such as beautiful and beautiful clothes, delicious food, fluffy animal companions to live with, strong body and sense of strength, the fragrance between the mouth and nose, and trees and plants close to nature. Perhaps
, it is these seemingly useless and instinctively liked things that make people live bravely. After all, people are not machines, so they need meaning and the world that brings him colorful feelings.
Suddenly, Heshia had a kind of enlightenment or premonition. She felt that the future would not be like many science fiction stories, where human lifestyles and architectural styles would be unified. The kind of architectural scene that is as neat and brilliant as bricks may never appear again after the short-lived Fourth Era.
As material things become more abundant, people will slowly turn to pursue their own personality and preferences. In fact, if you think about it carefully, you will understand that there are no two people in the world who are exactly the same. Therefore, everyone's personality and preferences must be very different.
In the past, the pursuit of unity and consistency was to overcome the harsh natural disaster environment and to fight and compete with enemies from various countries. Only unity and consistency can ensure the strength of strength and safeguard one's own dignity and interests.
However, now is the interstellar age. Humans no longer huddle in the small earth to fight like trapped beasts in a cage, and have even gradually spread their footsteps to other galaxies.
There are fewer reasons for war between countries. If it were not for the super-time and space technology, they might not meet for hundreds of years. The so-called rare resources in the past are not special in the entire universe, and they no longer have the dazzling attraction of the past.
After entering the unrestrained universe, it is inevitable that various decentralized ideas will spread. How to maintain a vast territory and keep the national model from falling apart is the biggest difficulty.
Most of the resources in each star system are self-sufficient. For people of this era, natural disasters are no longer a threat, and most of the resources are sufficient. There are no racial and national conflicts caused by the narrow geography in the past. So many people in the star field will wonder why we still have to stay in the federation and be subject to various jurisdictions and restrictions.
This question is not easy to answer. Heshia thought about it for a while and gradually gave up. It is estimated that there will be an answer after more experience in the future.
Although she didn't know how to answer, she also felt that if the Federation really disintegrated, it would not be a good thing, but the beginning of hell. How much violence was born under absolute freedom.
Although the Rose Federation has many shortcomings, its existence is ultimately a blessing.
The thoughts in her mind gradually faded, and Heshia continued to add a few pieces of firewood to the stove before looking up.
"Where are you going, Heshia?" Mel saw her stand up after adding some firewood, thinking that Heshia was going to leave again.
"I'll go get something to roast. I'm a little hungry." The girl turned around and waved to her, saying that she didn't need to worry.
After that, Heshia asked for some potatoes and sweet potatoes from the restaurant downstairs, and then some oranges she bought, and placed them next to the small stove under the table, and some were buried in the ash under the stove.
"Heshia is so skilled. Um, can oranges really be roasted?"
"You can roast them, but not for too long, or they will be very sour." As she said that, she placed the other oranges on the warm table and gave them to the students present.
"Ahaha, I haven't eaten roasted oranges yet, let's try it today."
There was a little more laughter and excitement in the lounge.
The next day.
Heshia was taking care of the three Call ducks she raised. Now the three ducklings have grown bigger, and their feathers have completely changed to white. The girl couldn't even put down a Call duck with one hand.
"It seems that you three have gained some weight." Squatting on the balcony, Heshia touched the feathers of the three big ducks with her hands, feeling very fluffy and warm. No wonder winter clothes used to be filled with duck down.
"Quack~Quack~Quack~" Surrounding the girl, three big white ducks with orange flat beaks made calls, as if they were looking for her for food.
"Okay, okay, stop calling, I'll take you to the buffet later."
The girl touched the three ducks, feeling a little reluctant, because the end of the semester was coming, and these three ducks would be handed in as course answers, and then the academy teachers would grade the three ducks according to their growth and the degree of training they received.
"Unconsciously, they have grown up." Thinking about the first two months, these three little guys were still following her to swim in the pond with crooked steps, and now they can fly.
Race: Call Duck Subspecies
Status: Healthy (Sub-adult)
Job: Nature Sequence 2 Fast Feather White Duck (Ordinary Copper Level)
Talent: [Duck Down White Feather] (Ordinary): Has a good warming effect and can also assist in flight.
Ability:
[Fast Feather] (Excellent): When the feathers are flapping, they can gain greater lift and power, making flight possible.
[Cold Resistance] (Ordinary): Can live normally above -10°C.
Skills: [Flying Lv.2] [Fishing Lv.1]
Just looking at the panel, it seems very ordinary, but if the academy teacher were to evaluate, this girl is definitely gifted in the aspect of a trainer.
Because Call ducks are ordinary animals, and their IQ is not outstanding, it is extremely difficult to make them condense magic power and advance to extraordinary animals. What's more, these three are not only Sequence 1, but also Sequence 2. Even if it is the most basic Sequence 2 core template, as long as it is successfully condensed, it will be a record-breaking existence. After all, in the past, this type of duck was only raised as the most basic pets or even poultry. Very few people would specially cultivate it into extraordinary animals.
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Three days later, the students each brought their own ducks to the scene. The whole scene was filled with quacking sounds. Many students could be seen chasing their own ducks, fearing that they would get lost. In order to distinguish each other's ducks, everyone also tied their names and numbers on their feet.
"Look, look, although I can't catch them when they fly to the tree, you can see that these few are not very strong. The little cuties I cultivated have always eaten well." A chubby boy stood under the tree with his hands on his waist and said to his companions beside him, calling out from time to time to try to call the ducks down from the tree.
"I really don't understand. The duck's webbed feet are obviously not suitable for grabbing trees, so why do they stay there and not come down?" After shouting for a while, the chubby boy was a little embarrassed when he saw that his ducks didn't give him face.
"Maybe it's because you are down there, haha." Several classmates around him laughed, but they could also see that these ducks were indeed well raised. They can fly up trees, are healthy, and have bright white feathers.
"Okay, next one." In the center of the scene, the teacher finished grading the ducks raised by a classmate, and then called the next student.
"I'm here." Wearing a gray-blue winter coat, Qiu Shu trotted over, followed by three quacking white ducks. It seems that he often takes his ducks for jogging.
"Okay, let me take a look and check." The teacher greeted him with a smile, and then asked one of the ducks to weigh it.
"Well, the weight ratio is good, the wings are strong, the call is crisp, and there are no diseases or insects on the body. It seems unreasonable not to give you a '3A'."
"Hehe, thank you for the compliment, teacher." Qiu Shu put down the duck in his hand and scratched his head.
"Next, Heshia." After finishing the grading, the teacher continued to call according to the list.
"I'm here." The gray-haired girl was sitting on a bluestone at the scene, looking at the three white ducks circling around her feet under her.
Heshia jumped off the bluestone and came to the teacher with the three wobbling guys.
"Heshia's training is not bad." The teacher looked up at the three ducks with snow-white feathers and couldn't help but praise them, but soon his eyes froze again, as if a little unbelievable.
"Did you help them advance?"
"Yes, you did. Didn't you say before that the purpose of our study is to help many animals that are not talented enough and not very smart to advance? So I tried for a while and barely cultivated them to Sequence 2. Unfortunately, it is difficult to advance further." The girl shook her head with regret. Although the big white duck is a bit cute, the life span of Sequence 2 is only slightly better than that of ordinary ducks, and it cannot accompany people for a long time.
Seeing the girl's regretful look, the teacher wanted to say something to comfort her.
"In fact, it is already very good. No, no, no, it has already broken the record. Heshiya, you may not know that the first grade is mainly about familiarity. You haven't been exposed to various secret techniques that help extraordinary creatures advance. Cultivating extraordinary animals is not easy to achieve... But you can do all this in the first grade, which is surprising." He shook his head.
"The life spans of animals vary, and differences are inevitable."
"Originally, the academy planned to find suitable owners for these Call ducks after you trained them, and let them live as pets. However, your three ducks are quite special, and it is definitely not okay for you to keep them. This will delay your study and life energy. If you don't mind, the academy will adopt them for you and place them in a small lake in the back mountain, where there are also some other gentle birds."
"Thank you for the arrangement, teacher." The girl bowed and saluted, knowing that this was an exception for her, which made the teacher embarrassed.
"It's okay, I just feel that every generation has its own talents. When I was in school, I was also a little genius, but now it seems that I am not as good as your generation."
(End of this chapter)
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