After walking for a bit more, Huang Xiu took out her phone and checked her messages.
The message bar only contained messages from the freshman group, Shi Lei, Fang Miaoging, and a few old friends. There was no reply from Yuan Fei.
In truth, ever since she had been cleared out of the Touchpoint yesterday, she had been consistently following up on the village-in-city Touchpoint.
She had even sent a message to Professor Yuan this morning, yet she still hadn’t received a reply.
With no new information from anyone, Huang Xiu tucked her phone back into her pocket. A soft sigh escaped her lips.
“I wonder what’s happening with the village-in-city Touchpoint now.”
Her concern for the Touchpoint’s aftermath wasn’t solely because her academic credits would only be settled once the incident concluded.
She was also worried about the residents inside.
After the students left, the village-in-city residents would be left to face tens of millions of Dragon Abominations.
Even though Teacher Xu Gaoxuan had intervened.
There was a high probability of King-rank Dragon Abominations, and enormous Dragon Abominations even beyond that rank. None of them would be easy to handle.
Arriving at the cafeteria, she pushed the door open. The clamor that rushed out immediately made Huang Xiu feel as though she had come to the wrong place.
Her gaze swept across the cafeteria. She noticed an unusually large crowd today. The line for food snaked in a long, winding queue.
Moreover, a continuous stream of students entered from other doorways, quickly joining the end of the line.
“What’s going on today?” It was Huang Xiu’s first time seeing so many people in the cafeteria at once.
Based on her experience over the past few days, only the first-year students consistently arrived to eat on time.
Second and third-year students, however, seemed to eat at any hour.
“I’m not sure,” Ying Zhiyu tilted her head. “Could it be that today’s food is exceptionally delicious?”
A soft rumble.
Hearing this, Huang Xiu swallowed. Her small nose twitched. She genuinely caught a whiff of an incredibly enticing aroma.
“Come on, let’s hurry and join the queue!”
Huang Xiu nodded. “That’s right, this semester’s village-in-city Touchpoint—”
Huang Xiu turned her head. She saw Ying Zhiyu pulling two pieces of bread from her backpack. “Have some,” she offered, “so you don’t starve while waiting in line.”
Huang Xiu pulled out her phone and checked the time. “It’s still five minutes until noon. Waiting in this line will probably take at least half an hour.”
Ying Zhiyu nodded. “I think so too. We should eat these first, then queue up for more food later.”
The two of them found seats in a corner of the cafeteria. They ate their bread and chatted.
“Tomorrow will be the third day of the village-in-city Touchpoint event, won’t it?”
“Yes, after tomorrow, the village-in-city Touchpoint event will be officially over. And those students should be back in school for classes.”
“A lot has happened over these past three days.” Ying Zhiyu thought of everything she had witnessed. She couldn’t help but sigh.
Huang Xiu asked, “Indeed. What did you see out there during these three days?”
Ying Zhiyu glanced around. Only after confirming no one was paying attention did she whisper, “The atmosphere in that place was very strange, and I suspect there’s something *in there*.”
Huang Xiu questioned, “Something?”
Ying Zhiyu nodded. “When I went yesterday, I vaguely heard noises from inside. It sounded like something was tearing and chewing.”
As Huang Xiu listened, her expression subtly shifted.
Ying Zhiyu continued, “Furthermore, the Yin energy inside was extremely dense. It was clearly not a place for ordinary people.”
Huang Xiu asked, “And those students who stayed in there for three days, are they all right?”
Ying Zhiyu replied, “I wouldn’t know about that. All I know is that after they went in, they all seemed a bit listless.”
“When they came out, they weren’t very talkative. When asked what happened, they claimed ignorance, only saying they had slept very well for three days.”
Huang Xiu pondered for a moment, then said, “What you’re describing, I’ve heard Teacher Xu Gaoxuan mention it. It’s a unique characteristic of Touchpoints.”
“There are interference sources inside that cause those who enter to lose some memories.”
“These lost memories don’t truly vanish. Instead, they are sealed away. Once someone leaves the Touchpoint, they slowly begin to recover.”
“The Touchpoint’s influence isn’t a one-time event; it’s a gradual, subtle process. Therefore, after these students emerge, they’ll need to undergo examinations to determine if they’ve been affected in any way.”
Ying Zhiyu said, “I see. In that case, it’s a relief, as long as nothing serious happened.”
Huang Xiu said, “However, those lost memories don’t necessarily fully return just because they’re recovering. If provoked, there’s a chance they could be lost permanently.”
Ying Zhiyu said, “Then wouldn’t they be very susceptible to problems?”
Huang Xiu nodded. “Exactly. That’s why they need to be checked to prevent any issues.”
Ying Zhiyu sighed. “But, how should I put it, something still feels off.”
Huang Xiu said, “Don’t worry. This kind of thing has happened many times before. There’s a complete set of countermeasures in place, so nothing major will go wrong.”
Huang Xiu looked up at the clock on the wall. It was already five past twelve. The cafeteria had thinned out slightly.
Huang Xiu stood up. “Let’s go. The line’s shorter now, we can get some food.”
Ying Zhiyu nodded. The two stood and headed to the queuing area.
Although the queue had shortened somewhat, it still stretched quite long.
Huang Xiu and Ying Zhiyu joined the very end of the line. It took them about ten minutes before it was their turn.
Huang Xiu got their food, while Ying Zhiyu searched for a table.
Carrying their trays, they made their way to a corner table in the cafeteria.
Huang Xiu took a bite of her food. Her face instantly registered surprise.
“This…” Huang Xiu’s eyes widened. “Today’s food is incredibly delicious!”
Ying Zhiyu tasted her meal. Her own face showed surprise. “You’re right, it’s much better than usual.”
As they ate, they couldn’t help but pick up their pace.
Soon, they had devoured everything on their plates.
“Today’s food was truly excellent.” Huang Xiu licked her lips, still savoring the taste.
Ying Zhiyu nodded in agreement. “I wish the food were this good every day.”
They rose from their seats, placing their trays in the designated return area.
Huang Xiu said, “It’s a shame, but I doubt the food will be this delicious tomorrow.”
Ying Zhiyu paused, startled, then asked, “Why?”
Huang Xiu explained, “Because the village-in-city Touchpoint event ends tomorrow. Those students will be back in class, and the chefs will lose their motivation.”
Hearing this, Ying Zhiyu couldn’t help but sigh. “It’s true,” she said. “Without that motivation, the food quality is bound to drop.”
As they exited the cafeteria, Huang Xiu’s phone suddenly rang.
Huang Xiu took out her phone. She saw it was a call from Teacher Xu Gaoxuan.
Huang Xiu answered the call. Teacher Xu Gaoxuan’s voice came through the phone. “Huang Xiu, are you free right now?”
Huang Xiu replied, “Yes, Teacher Xu. Is there something you need?”
Teacher Xu Gaoxuan said, “Yes, there is. Could you come to my office for a moment?”
Huang Xiu said, “Of course, I’ll be right there.”
Huang Xiu hung up the phone, then told Ying Zhiyu, “Teacher Xu needs me for something. I’ll head over there first.”
Ying Zhiyu nodded. “Okay, go ahead.”
Huang Xiu hurried towards Teacher Xu Gaoxuan’s office.
Upon reaching the office, Teacher Xu Gaoxuan sat in his chair, his expression somewhat solemn.
“Teacher Xu.” Huang Xiu stepped forward.
Teacher Xu Gaoxuan looked up at Huang Xiu, then gestured to a chair. “Have a seat.”
Huang Xiu sat down.
Teacher Xu Gaoxuan said, “Huang Xiu, something has happened at the village-in-city Touchpoint.”
Huang Xiu’s heart leaped. “Something happened?”
Teacher Xu Gaoxuan nodded. “Yes, a situation has arisen at the village-in-city Touchpoint. The circumstances are somewhat unclear.”
Huang Xiu asked, “What kind of situation?”
Teacher Xu Gaoxuan said, “The interference source within the Touchpoint suddenly vanished.”
She quickly joined the back of the line, craning her body to look at the electronic screen in the center of the cafeteria.
[Charcoal-Grilled Claw Meat (Limited Supply), Spicy Bullfrog, Beer Duck…]
“Charcoal-Grilled Claw Meat? What kind of dish is that?”
This was Huang Xiu’s first time seeing a limited-supply dish in the cafeteria. She couldn’t help but wonder what kind of divine claw meat could be so rare that even Tiandu University, a place so rich it seemed to have nothing but money, had to limit its supply.
‘Could it be the paw of a Rolling Beast?’
She swallowed again, her stomach churning with hunger. As she slowly shuffled forward with the queue, Huang Xiu noticed that even the small, private kitchen window, usually sparsely visited, had a considerable line.
Most of these were senior students from their second and third years. The ‘small kitchen window’ was their unofficial name for it; the school’s official designation was the ‘Paid Order Window.’
It only accepted individual orders and was notoriously expensive. The cafeteria auntie serving the food was incredibly fast, and the line ahead quickly dwindled. After about ten minutes, Huang Xiu finally reached the window and received her eagerly anticipated Charcoal-Grilled Claw Meat.
Finding an empty table, Huang Xiu poked at the reddish chunk of meat on her tray. The Charcoal-Grilled Claw Meat was cut into perfect cubes, roughly a third the size of a Rubik’s Cube, and each person was limited to one piece.
‘It feels… no different from beef, really?’ If she had to point out a difference, the claw meat had a coarser texture, a redder surface, and felt more elastic to the touch.
Chi Xue, sitting opposite, took a deep sniff. “But this claw meat smells so good!” Her inner glutton could no longer be restrained.
Huang Xiu speared the meat with two chopsticks, like a skewer, lifted it, and took a hearty bite. She didn’t know what animal this claw meat came from, but it was rich in fat, chewy, and bursting with juices.
The sweet meat juices instantly burst forth. Just one bite filled her mouth with a delightful aroma. The meat was firm but not difficult to chew; with a little more mastication, it melted in her mouth like jelly.
“Seriously, for the first time, I understand what the ‘so delicious your feet curl’ expression in the Big Black Book means!” Huang Xiu exclaimed, her eyes half-closed, savoring the deliciousness of the claw meat.
‘Feet curling’ was not an exaggeration. The meat was so delectable, she felt as if she might ascend, her entire being suffused with comfort. Even the faint cramps of her period seemed suppressed. Her internal Void Energy ocean stirred, and her Void Energy level increased by a tiny amount.
Wait… her Void Energy increased?
Huang Xiu’s eyes snapped open. She took another bite of the claw meat, then closed her eyes to sense it. The amount of Void Energy in her internal ocean had indeed increased by an extremely subtle amount.
“This meat!” She opened her eyes. “It can actually increase one’s Void Energy level.”
“It can!” Yang Qu was the most impatient, so his reaction was second only to Huang Xiu’s. “I felt it too.”
The other five, a beat slower, also confirmed they felt an increase in their internal Void Energy.
“So what exactly is this meat from?” Huang Xiu stared at the chunk she had bitten into. This absolutely couldn’t be meat from an animal in the Present World, because anything related to Void Energy could only originate from the Void Realm…
She suddenly remembered the name of the dish: Charcoal-Grilled Claw Meat. “Could this be the claw meat from that gigantic Dragon Abomination we encountered that day?” Huang Xiu’s eyes widened.
“Are you talking about the one you guys met that day?” Chi Xue asked. She hadn’t been there herself, only hearing Huang Xiu’s description in the crowd. Thus, she had only an abstract understanding of a claw the size of a tabletop, and even knowing didn’t shock her much.
But Ying Zhiyu was different. She was so startled she nearly knocked over her plate. “This is really the meat from *that* claw!”
“It is!”
Huang Xiu nodded, then suddenly realized, “Doesn’t this mean the village-in-city Touchpoint has officially ended?”
Even the claw of what was likely a Star Brocade Rank Dragon Abomination had been severed; there was no reason for the Touchpoint not to be over. She quickly pulled out her phone. There was still no message from Yuan Fei, but she saw new messages from Yun Ning and Huai Nannan.
Huai Nannan had added her as a friend after she exited the Touchpoint—a reliable senior female student, and an important connection. Huang Xiu, who had already collected all the freshman friends, had taken her first step towards collecting senior students.
Huang Xiu habitually checked Yun Ning’s message first.
[Yun Ning: The village-in-city Touchpoint has just been declared over. The AI system has calculated the academic credits, and they’ve been distributed to each student’s account according to the default team ratio. Junior Sister, check your academic system backend to see if the credits have arrived.]
“Holy cow, the credits are in!” After reading the message, Huang Xiu immediately looked up to share the good news with her friends. At that moment, her heart was filled with the joy of a farmer’s harvest; she had finally taken a significant step towards a scholarship.
The ‘default ratio’ referred to the allocation of academic credits. The school encouraged teamwork, so credits were first summed up and then distributed according to the pre-teaming ratio. For temporary teams like theirs yesterday, where there was no time to discuss specific distribution ratios, the default ratio of 4:3:3 was generally used.
This was a very reasonable ratio. Huang Xiu didn’t know the allocation ratios of other teams, but she was quite satisfied with this one. After all, she was still just a first-year student. Furthermore, while team members only needed to focus on fighting, the captain had far more to worry about than the members.
This chapter text was shuffled. NEED FIXING.