Section Thirteen
Ye Zhong was the only member of "Aurora" under the age of fifty.
His entry into "Aurora" was entirely accidental. Ye Zhong, a complete newbie—a rookie among rookies in the virtual net—had blundered naively and recklessly into the "Aurora" discussion room. However, none of the elderly members paid him any mind, either engrossed in small group discussions or buried solo in their research. Driven by curiosity, Ye Zhong went over to listen to a group arguing most vehemently. To his surprise, they were debating the pipeline design of mech engines. Deeply intrigued, Ye Zhong listened carefully, becoming more and more engrossed and fascinated.
Two old men were each championing their own proposed solutions, vigorously defending their respective plans.
Suddenly, Ye Zhong recalled an engine schematic of Mu Shang's that he had seen not long ago. Lost in the discussion, he subconsciously blurted out a completely new suggestion. Abruptly, the room fell silent. Both sides stopped talking, staring in astonishment at this little brat who had appeared out of nowhere!
Instantly, Ye Zhong broke out in a cold sweat!
From then on, Ye Zhong became acquainted with this group of old men. On a whim, one of them insisted that Ye Zhong join "Aurora." Unexpectedly, this met with the approval of many others. They didn't even give Ye Zhong a chance to speak before adding him as a member of "Aurora."
Just like that, Ye Zhong muddle-headedly became a member of the seemingly unattainably prestigious "Aurora."
As for Ye Zhong himself, he felt extremely disgruntled. He had previously thought he had learned seventy or eighty percent of his father's skills and was quite confident in mechanical modification. But here, he discovered that any random person was enough to make him look up in awe. How could this not dishearten him?
Never one to resign himself to lagging behind, Ye Zhong embarked on his arduous journey of learning.
Any random question, after being continuously deepened and expanded upon by these old men, became tens of thousands of times more difficult, profound, and broad in scope. Fortunately, Ye Zhong's foundation was extremely solid. He was like a vortex spinning at ultra-high speed, frantically absorbing everything around him.
Very quickly, the old men discovered Ye Zhong's exceptional talent, astonishing learning ability, and solid foundation.
These old men had achieved significant results in their lifetimes and enjoyed high authority in their respective fields. However, many of them faced the dilemma of having no successors for their knowledge. A good teacher is hard to find, but a good disciple is even rarer!
The old men grew increasingly fond of Ye Zhong. He was like a hot commodity, and every one of them coveted him as a pupil. When Ye Zhong sought their guidance, they spared no effort. Questions that had previously been deepened ten-thousand-fold were now deepened a hundred-thousand-fold. Yet even so, Ye Zhong remained meticulous in his studies, unashamed to ask and learn from those below. This made the old men think even more highly of him.
Ye Zhong became the only apprentice in "Aurora," and moreover, a public apprentice shared by all.
Whenever he entered the discussion room, all the old men would immediately gather around.
"Ah, isn't this Little Y? Haven't seen you for days! Did you figure out that equation I taught you last time? No? It's fine, we can demonstrate it from other angles, for example..."
Before he could finish, another angrily scolded: "You old fogey, bombarding Little Y with questions as soon as you see him! If you make Little Y stupid from studying, I'll have words with you!" Then, turning to Ye Zhong with a kindly expression, he said, "Little Y, come here, let Grandpa see if you've grown taller... Oh, not taller? No matter, no matter! The body is just a mortal shell; substance and knowledge are more important. Grandpa has some notes from his research over the years here, take them back and just flip through them casually!"
"Well now, Old Man Du! You actually thought of this trick! Why didn't I think of it? I must go back and sort out my notes properly!"
Meanwhile, Old Man Du stood by, looking immensely pleased with himself. Caught amidst the group of old men, Ye Zhong held the information chip Old Man Du had just thrust into his hand. Faced with their enthusiasm, he stood there like a dumbstruck goose, utterly at a loss.
※※※
In an ornately decorated room.
Jie Ben's handsome face was contorted, as if he had suddenly transformed from a noble, elegant aristocrat into a ferocious demon.
Damn it! To think I'd capsize in a drain ditch today! The thought that his proud, confident demeanor had seemed like a clumsy clown's performance in the other's eyes made Jie Ben's rage surge uncontrollably, burning his mind into a blood-red haze.
The accumulated frustration from recent days peaked at this moment. Jie Ben could no longer contain himself. He grabbed the virtual net connector in his hand and smashed it violently onto the intricately patterned carpet. Crack! Only fragments remained.
The mere thought of that guy who played dumb to eat the tiger made Jie Ben almost frantic. In his heart, he cursed the damned YC with the most vicious curses countless times.
This isn't over! It absolutely will not end like this! Jie Ben roared silently in his heart.
How can my noble soul be trampled by such a lowly scum? I will make him pay! Kill him! Yes! I will kill him! His reason gone, the once-charming eyes of Jie Ben were now bloodshot. Imagining the scene of his opponent wailing and begging for mercy under his sword, Jie Ben couldn't help but throw his head back and let out a neurotic, maniacal laugh.
A few minutes later, having finally calmed down, Jie Ben returned to his usual noble and composed demeanor. He picked up the communicator on the table and commanded imperiously, "Steward Qiu, come here immediately!"
A shrewd and efficient middle-aged man stood respectfully before Jie Ben, hands at his sides, slightly bowed. This was Steward Qiu, the butler of the Jie family.
Gnashing his teeth, Jie Ben enunciated each word slowly, "Steward Qiu, find out everything about a registered user named YC at the Mech Pilot Consciousness Training Base. I want all his information. Remember, all of it!"
A trace of sinister calculation flashed in Steward Qiu's downcast eyes. Most likely, this YC has offended this good-for-nothing heir. He knew deeply that aside from his good looks, this young master was utterly useless, unlearned and unskilled, spending his days chasing women, and moreover, narrow-minded and vengeful. Those who crossed him never met a good end; many had their families ruined and lives destroyed.
Steward Qiu sighed inwardly. I wonder who's going to be unlucky this time.
But he still responded with utmost deference, "Yes, sir." He had no desire to offend this profligate son. Otherwise, his days in this household would likely be numbered. He didn't want to be dismissed, especially not now at this very delicate moment where he was highly likely to advance further.
Dealing with this type of person was actually quite simple. Just go through the motions superficially, and you could哄得他团团转哄得他团团转. It was nothing like dealing with the Eldest Young Master, who was much harder to handle. Remembering the Eldest Young Master's inscrutable, seemingly all-penetrating gaze sent a shiver down Steward Qiu's spine.
Jie Ben was very satisfied with Steward Qiu's reaction. He regained his sense of superiority through the steward. With an affectedly elegant wave, he示意示意 Steward Qiu to withdraw.
Hmph! Just you wait, you brat! You're in for it now! I'll make you understand the consequences of offending me!
Jie Ben picked up a goblet, took a sip of three-hundred-year-old natural red wine, and raised the glass to examine it closely, his eyes inscrutable. The soft light refracted and shifted within the mellow wine, emanating a fatal allure like that of fresh blood.