Chapter 156: So This Is the Meaning of the World Script
In the Medical Room of the Arena.
I can barely imagine that just a short while ago, I was a severely injured patient, with serious internal injuries and fractures.
And now, I’m lying on the hospital bed without even being wrapped up in bandages.
This is all thanks to Teacher Lina and the potion she gave me. With both internal and external application, I am nearly healed.
It hasn’t been long, and it’s no wonder—it’s an Extraordinary Potion.
However, Tan Han sitting across from me hasn’t been so lucky. Her injuries were similar to mine; she is mostly healed now but is still in a daze.
At this moment in the Medical Room, those volunteer seniors have already been sent out by the teachers.
So now, everyone here is someone I know.
Lina, Ji Niang, and… Sister Bai.
After seeing me defeat on the spectator stand, Sister Bai immediately ran past the protection spell around the audience and onto the arena. Although she was stopped, she eventually insisted on coming here.
Of course, Ji Niang’s approval was needed for her to enter, since this is the Medical Room for the contestants, and ordinary people naturally can’t enter at will.
“Xiao Han, how do you feel? Are you okay? Is there anything else that feels wrong?”
“I’m fine, Sister Bai. I’m doing great,” I smiled to reassure Sister Bai, meeting her anxious gaze.
“Okay, Bai Yu. Xiao Han is fine; don’t keep hovering over her,” Ji Niang said, seeing Bai Yu’s worried appearance, and stepped forward to pull her back.
Because there are more important matters to deal with next.
With a snap of her fingers, Lina cast a spell that enveloped this area, also separating us from the unconscious Tan Han.
From the outside, it looked like an independent space that was hard, soundproofed, and pixelated.
“Alright, no more dawdling. It’s time to talk about some serious matters,” Lina said as she walked towards me.
I was confused by this sudden change; wasn’t I just an injured person?
Am I no longer entitled to special treatment because I’m healed?
I watched as Lina handed me a piece of parchment, and I instinctively took it.
“A confidentiality contract?” I looked at the contents with some confusion and then glanced at Ji Niang and Sister Bai.
“What do you want me to keep secret?” I asked curiously, while also starting to read the content below.
The confidentiality contract required me to keep everything I saw related to the world script during this competition a secret, including but not limited to the concept of the world script and so on.
“I believe you’ve seen it; it’s the content on the contract.”
“But I don’t even know what the world script is! I don’t understand why I need to keep it a secret!” I asked Teacher Lina in bewilderment.
Moreover, this confidentiality contract included many restrictive stipulations. For example, it would limit personal behavior concerning the confidential content, such as if I inadvertently leaked information, I could suddenly be silenced.
Even subjective suggestion behaviors would be restricted; although I’m not sure how it would be enforced, the contract clearly detailed it.
“Don’t know, huh…” Lina looked at me with hesitation, sensing that I wasn’t lying, but the contract had already been handed out. Whether I’d seen it or not didn’t really matter.
The important thing about the world script theory was never its content, but that the concept could not be spread.
And for Lina, Yang Yuelan was like a vulnerability. Rather than letting her unknowingly explode at some point, it’s better to be upfront and impose restrictions from the start.
“So, do you want to know?”
“Um…” I looked at Lina in confusion. Was this teacher joking with me?
Did she come here specifically to tell me about a confidentiality matter and then ask me to sign a confidentiality agreement? Was there a leak somewhere, and was I being asked to take the blame?
“I don’t want to know. Can I not sign?”
“I’m afraid that won’t work. Even if you don’t know about the existence of the world script, you may have inadvertently come into contact with it. Think about it: have you encountered anything related to Tan Han? I know your Spirit Vision has reached the level of the Floating World, and you can see things many cannot.”
“Well… there are a lot of things. That huge golden eye, which seems to be the talent Tan Han refers to as Spirit Eye, and also…”
“And what else?” Lina leaned in to ask, clearly interested in my description.
“Also… Tan Han said she could observe fate, weave fate, and there was something about a golden thread.”
“Is it this kind of golden thread?” After hearing my description, Lina’s hand reached to my side, grasping something.
But when I saw what was in her hand, my pupils contracted!
Isn’t this a strand of the golden thread I saw Tan Han weaving before?
How is it possible for it to exist in reality too?
“It seems so. Do you want to know what this actually is?”
“Uh… I… kind of… err… I don’t want to. The more I know, the less happy I’ll be, and the quicker I’ll die.”
In response to my answer, Lina visibly showed a look of confusion. Are today’s kids really so… afraid of dying?
I didn’t see that fear during the match earlier.
“You child, Xi Lan, go persuade her,” Lina said, getting up and pinching her forehead.
“What does this have to do with me,” Ji Niang said, crossing her arms and turning away.
“She’s your student; isn’t that reason enough?”
“Fine.”
In the end, Ji Niang agreed, not because she was persuaded, but because she didn’t want to be bothered further.
“Xiao Han, just sign the contract.”
“But…” I looked towards Ji Niang, then at Sister Bai.
With these two teachers here, even Sister Bai couldn’t interject.
“Sign it. I can help you secure the best resources, some things cannot be avoided. It’s like listening to a story; just get a general idea—it’ll be beneficial for your future life in the academy. Don’t you want to know why your Sister Bai didn’t let you have too much contact with Tan Han before?”
“That…”
I glanced at Sister Bai. To be honest, my hesitation is exactly why I haven’t signed yet. Even though I understand that out of this situation, I seem to have no choice.
But I feel a suffocating anger inside, as if I am being manipulated and have no strength to resist, especially since I just lost my first match.
Was it just because I stepped out of bounds?
But hadn’t I already defeated Tan Han before that?
“Bai Yu, persuade your Xiao Han. Previously, due to the confidentiality contract, you couldn’t speak freely, but the situation is different now,” Ji Niang then tossed the matter to Bai Yu.
“What? Do we still need to give you some private space? We can arrange that.”
“No need,” Bai Yu raised her hand to stop Ji Niang’s suggestion.
She walked towards me, her face a mixture of unspeakable complexity.
“Xiao Han, I just want to ask you one question: do you want a simple life, or do you want to be entangled with troubles, living a dramatic life?”
“Um… Is this a choice?” I hesitated before asking.
While a simple life is indeed true, I’ve experienced that kind of calm life in my previous life. If I want to live a simple life, who would choose to apply to the Extraordinary Academy?
But being trapped in troubles and living a dramatic life is another extreme. I don’t want that either; that kind of life is too exhausting.
Moreover, this isn’t something you can just choose to experience.
In life, even if someone provokes you everywhere, you just become an unwanted street rat, not a protagonist that rises to the occasion through conflict and a gamble.
No one will randomly seek trouble with you; life isn’t all about soaring forward without obstacles…
But none of this is something I can choose.
“You just need to pick one,” Bai Yu said softly.
“Pick one? Then I choose the third one. I want a life that isn’t defined, I don’t like either a simple life or being entangled in troubles.”
“Haha, I feel like you are a born witch, an undefined witch. At least that mindset is very similar, but the other aspects… still need some adjustment,” Ji Niang chuckled and commented from the side.
“Is that so…”
Bai Yu was somewhat surprised by my answer, but when she thought more carefully, it seemed not unexpected.
Just as she was contemplating how to further guide me, I had already picked up the pen, ready to sign.
“Sister Bai, I think I understand what you mean by this question, but I’m no longer a child. I don’t need you to consider my capacity or thoughts. I know that the situation has come to this—I actually have no choice. I just want to know: can I receive the same treatment as Tan Han?” I said my last sentence while looking at both teachers.
With that, my pen tip rested on the place for signing the contract. I understood that prolonging this might waste more time and everyone’s patience, so I made things clear.
The reason for my hesitation was just that I hadn’t seen the definitive point that would make me resolute.
I recalled Ji Niang’s earlier teachings about me being too shy to speak up or whatever. Plus, Ji Niang’s hint that there would be resource compensation made me not mind cooperating actively.
Isn’t the fuse for all this the battle I just had?
“I can’t guarantee it, but I will help you fight for it,” Ji Niang spoke up.
“Do you know what kind of treatment Tan Han receives? If you mean the resources she’s currently obtained, that’s naturally fine, but her treatment includes far more than just that,” Lina interjected, her voice directly overpowering Ji Niang.
“Then I’ll sign it. Can you explain it to me?” I watched the two teachers talk off each other, ultimately signing the contract. After all, this was something I would have to sign eventually; it was just like the contract I signed at the beginning of school—it wasn’t a matter of bargain.
“You signed? Well, that makes things easier,” Lina didn’t expect me to be so decisive. She thought she would have to talk even more.
With the contract signed, Lina no longer spoke in veiled terms. She seemed very relaxed now, even turning around to pull up a chair and sit next to me.
“Where should I start? Let’s talk about the theory of the world script. Xiao Han, do you like to read novels? You know those popular fast-food novels with clichéd plots, the kind that updates daily.”
“I know,” I nodded. How could I not know about that?
Hasn’t that become a part of most people’s lives in society today?
“What’s your view on the protagonists in those novels?”
“The protagonist… Oh… wait, is that the meaning of the world script?” As soon as I realized this, it quickly dawned on me. If you consider a world as a novel, then the script must be the story’s development.
So, the protagonist of this world is… Tan Han?
“Looks like you’re quite perceptive; however, you think whatever you want. The world script is an inherently indefinable concept; just having this idea is enough.”
“…” I fell silent for a moment. Ultimately, guessing is just guessing; the teacher’s affirmation struck me like a punch.
“Feeling bad about this destined feeling? Many people develop this sentiment after learning about the concept—life always detests fate being controlled, but it’s just self-scare.”
“If the script was truly unbreakable, we wouldn’t need to prohibit the spread of this concept. Do you understand?”
“Our actions maintain the script because it is fragile but beautiful, and it is more profitable for us. The profitable factor is what matters most.”
“As the core of the entire script, Tan Han is entangled with something very important: fortune, the power of fortune.”
“Because of fortune, everything revolves around Tan Han, pulling many people and events into a huge whirlpool, and that’s why your Sister Bai wanted you to stay away from Tan Han.”
“Is this… really something I can know?” I raised my head and asked.
If it were just about resisting fate, then bring it on—ignorance is fearlessness!
But when it involves the interest relationship of the entire world, then sorry—I’m just an ordinary person; don’t drag me into this.
“Of course, but what do you mean?”
“Fortune and such—it still feels too ethereal.”
“Ethereal? Is that what you think? Then what about this strand that’s entangled with you?”
“This is fortune?” I looked at the golden thread next to me; from the perspective of Spirit Vision, it seemed impossibly entangled with me.
“Otherwise? This is the fortune you’ve harvested from Tan Han. Now it belongs to you, so even if you don’t use Spirit Vision, you can see it. Only you can touch it; even if it was taken away, it cannot be snatched by ordinary means. This is your fortune now.”
“What’s the use of fortune? I mean, what’s its concrete effect?” I reached out to hold the strand. At that moment, it seemed weightless in my hand, but I could see its existence and even felt a blurry connection between it and myself.
“I don’t know. It’s like luck. Can you describe it? There are too many things in this world that cannot be defined in a few simple words, but one thing is for sure: it will benefit you.”
“But I saw that Tan Han was bound by this, like a puppet on strings, without realizing it.” I tightened my grip on the strand and continued questioning.
“Hehe, in the end, aren’t you still worried? This world isn’t black and white; everything has duality. You said earlier you weren’t a child; you surely understand this principle, right?”
“Setting aside whether you accept it or not, objectively speaking, Tan Han paid the price to gain the reward. From your perspective, she may be a puppet without freedom, but from Tan Han’s perspective?”
“Don’t try to pity others; others may be quite happy in their circumstances. It’s all about acceptance or non-acceptance. Going further would involve more philosophical realms, which I’m not too familiar with, but if you’re still confused, you can check out the library—there’s a wealth of wisdom and philosophy there to guide you.”
“Do you have any other questions? If not, then we’ll end the discussion here. After the isolation spell is lifted, this content cannot be discussed anywhere. However, if you feel confused, you can always find me to talk.”
“Um…” Although I felt like I still had many questions, having received so much information at once, I needed to pause and process it.
“By the way, you can also discuss these questions with your counselor Xi Lan… um, Ji Niang. After all, I’m usually quite busy, and you might not always find me.”
“Next is about temporary compensation, which comes out of my personal compensation. The specifics regarding resource allocation still need to be negotiated, but you won’t have to wait too long.”
Then, Lina took out several items and handed them over. From my perspective, it was clear that these were spellbooks!
“Take these spellbooks for now. These are fundamental elemental manipulation spellbooks with minor magic power consumption, including the Fireball Spell you’re familiar with.”
“I appreciate your revised Fireball Spell and Energy Shield. I hope to see your related papers in the library later.”
“Of course, even though this is temporary compensation, it’s still insufficient. Here are some 10-point consumption spellbooks and one 100-point consumption spellbook. Forgive me for not carrying too many unused spellbooks with me normally; I’ll gather another hundred Magic Sources for you.”
“Stingy, only giving this much?” At this moment, Ji Niang started to interject.
“Xi Lan, don’t call me out; this is my personal compensation. The ones I brought, the class leader has none of these except for Tan Han’s treatment.”
“Heh.”
“Your rebuttal is useless, and soon you won’t be smiling anymore.” As Lina spoke, she placed the promised items in front of me and then pulled out a stack of envelopes.
“What is this?” I asked curiously as Lina handed these letters to me.
“These are invitations from other teachers asking you to join their laboratories and research rooms. If you agree, there will be corresponding resources included…”
“Wait! I didn’t know about this! When did they write them? Are they trying to poach me? Don’t they know that Xiao Han is someone I recruited?”
“Xi Lan, it’s not my fault. That research group you formed was just playing around. I shouldn’t have agreed to let you be a counselor, letting you lead Class 14 is a disaster. Do you understand?”
“How is it a disaster! What does this have to do with Xiao Han? Did it go through my approval? Did it go through Xiao Han’s too?”
At this moment, Ji Niang was like a cat that had its tail stepped on, regardless of Lina being the grade leader, she was still arguing back.
“I merely offered a choice. If you can’t hold onto it, that’s your inadequacy. Xiao Han only has these few spellbooks up until now; you might want to consider whose fault that is.”
“Xiao Han’s focus has never been on the New Student Combat Competition. I don’t mind whether she can achieve good results. I have already planned a gradual path for her; you don’t need to worry about it.”
“Hehe, that’s why I say you’re not suited to be a teacher. Look at what you’re saying—not caring at all?”
While these two teachers bickered, I quietly took all the spellbooks.
I didn’t worry about whether it was too much to handle. After experiencing being crushed by multiple spells, I realized that only by being greedily ambitious now could I have any chance later. Otherwise, I wouldn’t even have something to eat in the future.
Previously, my mindset was limited to modified spells. Because of insufficient time, I didn’t have a comparison, plus my energy was limited, so I didn’t see the need. Coupled with Ji Niang’s attitude of just giving whenever asked, I didn’t take it seriously.
Now, a contrast had made the difference clearer.
In the end, the discussion between Ji Niang and Lina became quite heated. Ultimately, I comforted Ji Niang, assuring her that I wouldn’t leave, and only then did this matter come to a close.
In fact, I had no intention of leaving. After all, Ji Niang was my counselor, and this connection couldn’t just be severed. Also, going back and forth would only waste time. I believe that after this incident, Ji Niang would not treat me poorly.
In fact, she even gave me another hundred Magic Sources, so now my Magic Source count had reached three digits, and I could even use spellbooks with three-digit consumption!
After the isolation spell was lifted, we reappeared in the Medical Room.
The two teachers did not linger further, and after Lina expressed a bit of concern for Tan Han, she also left.
Just as she said, she was very busy, especially with the new student combat competition having caused such a troublesome incident. The morning’s events might be delayed until the afternoon.
Fortunately, there’s a specific spell for cleaning up the arena; otherwise, it could have taken even more time.
When only the three of us were left in the Medical Room, Tan Han, who had been on the bed, stopped pretending.
She had woken up midway but saw no one around, only an isolation spell in place. Unfortunately, she had no way of understanding what had transpired inside.
Regrettably, she resumed her closed-eye meditation.
With only three of us left now, Tan Han directly spoke.
“Xiao Han… you were right. Perhaps I was too conceited, but… congratulations on winning this competition…”
“You’re awake? But it seems you are still unclear about what happened. I have to leave first; see you again if fate allows.” I interrupted her words; her speech now felt sarcastic to me. However, it also implied that she had fainted before the referee announced the results.
I had stepped out of bounds before Tan Han lost consciousness, and I got the specifics only after consulting a teacher.
Although Tan Han now saying this made sense, to me, it felt like an implied mockery.
Moreover, this kind of victory seemed a bit too trivial. Still, everyone watching felt that in this match, there were no losers.
But I clearly knew that in this match, there were no winners—I had not defeated that script, and Tan Han had not defeated me.
And this would be Tan Han’s only chance to nominally win against me. If she kept maintaining this stance, she would not catch up to me in the future.
This realization brought confidence after the battle—or on that note, it was my first time to face myself candidly. I would not be inferior to Tan Han.
“Hey! Where are you going?”
“Going to prepare for the afternoon Resurrection Match. Tan Han, just focus on resting here,” I said as I linked arms with Sister Bai, preparing to leave the Medical Room.
I intentionally maintained a tone and address that kept us at a distance. On one hand, I promised Sister Bai that I wouldn’t have further contact with Tan Han, and on the other hand, I discerned the pros and cons—Tan Han was currently a source of trouble, and I should indeed keep my distance.
“Resurrection Match? Wait, why are you going to the Resurrection Match…”
But all that responded to her was the sound of a cold door closing.
