Wuhun element periodic table, rubbing black hole in Douluo

Chapter 405 Orange: What will this empire become? (choking back tears) (sobbing)

He knew that Jing Hongchen must be somewhere, silently observing everything here using some kind of soul tool.

He cannot show any intention to "turn" or "poach" anyone, otherwise, it will drive that old man completely mad.

All he had to do was sow the seeds of the "element theory".

This will make these young people, who are used to the brilliance of soul tools, realize that there is another equally powerful, or even more fundamental and primal, power system in this world.

that's enough.

Looking at the students of Sun Moon Academy around him, from initial curiosity to gradual focus, and then to shock, contemplation, and even the fervent light in their eyes, Lin You knew that he had initially achieved his goal.

……

The five-day exchange and competition finally came to an end, and life at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy seemed to have returned to its usual tranquility. But everyone knew that some things had quietly changed.

As evening fell, the setting sun painted the horizon a brilliant orange-red.

As soon as Lin You stepped out of the trial grounds, he was greeted by a beaming Ju Zi and an excited Ke Ke.

"Lin You, congratulations! Five consecutive wins, a resounding victory!"

Orange spoke first, her tone light and cheerful, her eyes filled with a sincere smile, "To celebrate the honor you won for us... well, for our three-person team, I've decided to cook something delicious to reward you!"

Lin You was taken aback for a moment, then laughed, "Oh? That's such an honor. Sister Orange, you're in such a good mood today?"

"Of course!"

Before Orange could answer, Keke interrupted, a hint of slyness and boastfulness on her face, "Sister Orange bet all her savings on you winning! With such high odds, you'll become rich overnight and turn into a super-rich woman!"

As Keke spoke, she proudly puffed out her large chest: "Ahem, of course, me...me too! Hehe, I made a fortune following Sister Orange! After all, we're the best three-person team!"

By the end, Keke's voice clearly betrayed a hint of guilt.

She secretly glanced at Orange, afraid that Orange would reveal that she had only dared to bet a small amount at first.

Orange rolled her eyes at her with amusement, but didn't expose the girl's thoughts. She simply nodded slightly to Lin You, her cheeks flushing a lovely blush in the sunset: "Don't listen to Keke's nonsense. I mainly wanted to thank you. You've worked hard these past few days. Let's go, I've already bought the ingredients, and we're just waiting for our great hero."

"Okay," Lin You readily agreed.

The three walked side by side toward Orange and Coco's dormitory.

On the way, Keke was still chattering about the crazy scene of the college betting market these past few days because of Lin You's competition, and how much money the two of them had won.

Orange, on the other hand, was relatively quiet, only occasionally smiling and agreeing with a few words. However, her gaze would often fall on Lin You's profile, carrying a mixture of inquiry, curiosity, and some complex emotions that she herself could not quite explain.

Soon, the three of them returned to the dormitory that Orange and Coco shared.

Although it's called a dormitory, it's more like a small suite with a separate kitchen and living room. The conditions are quite good, clearly the treatment of the core students of the academy. Although it's not as high-level as Mingde Hall, it already holds a considerable position within the academy.

On the living room table, some fresh ingredients were already laid out. There was also a small incident: when they were about to start cooking, they found a brand-new, open academic journal on the table.

Keke picked it up curiously and saw a striking title printed on the cover: "On the Discovery of Atomic Theory and Detailed Explanation of the Foundation of Matter - Mingdetang Joint Research Report, Issue 1".

"Huh? What is this?"

Keke flipped through the pages and exclaimed, "Mingdetang is moving so fast? It's only been a few days, and they've already published a special academic journal?"

Orange also came over to take a look and explained, "I heard that it was led by Professor Xuan and several top mentors in materials science and energy science who worked through the night to produce this. It is said that they have successfully observed... molecular-level structures through a new type of ultra-micro soul-guided vision mirror, and even vaguely seen signs of the existence of atoms, the smaller units that make up matter!"

At this point, Orange's tone was tinged with amazement: "This discovery is said to have caused a major upheaval within Mingde Hall. Now, not only the instructors, but even we students, after watching your battles over the past few days, have developed an extremely strong interest in 'elements' and 'atoms,' and many of us have become engrossed in researching them."

Upon hearing this, Lin You simply nodded calmly.

All of this was within his expectations. Once the spark of science is ignited, it will spread like wildfire.

Soon, a sumptuous dinner was prepared.

Although it can't compare to the skills of the chefs in Shrek Academy's cafeteria, the home-style dishes have their own unique flavor, especially the dishes that Orange made herself, which tasted quite good.

During the meal, the three chatted in a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere. Keke was still the most talkative one, excitedly planning how to spend the money she had won—whether to buy new soul tool parts or go on a big shopping spree in the most bustling commercial street of Xingluo City.

Ju Zi would occasionally serve food to Ke Ke and sometimes ask deeper questions about element theory, which Lin You would patiently answer.

Before they knew it, several bottles of fruit wine had been downed, and Keke was already a little dizzy, lying on the table giggling foolishly, while Ju Zi's cheeks were also flushed with an intoxicating blush.

As dinner drew to a close, Keke was helped back to her room to rest by Ju Zi. Only Lin You and Ju Zi remained in the living room.

Orange picked up her glass, took a small sip, and her eyes, under the influence of alcohol, seemed somewhat hazy, as if... she had shed some of her usual pretense.

She was silent for a moment, then suddenly looked up at Lin You and asked softly, "Lin You... junior, may I ask you a few questions?"

"Please speak, Sister Orange." Lin You put down her teacup.

Orange looked out the window. Night had fallen, and the city lights in the distance twinkled, outlining the bustling silhouette of the capital of the Sun Moon Empire.

"What do you think of...war?" Her voice was soft, tinged with a barely perceptible melancholy. "Or rather, what do you think of what our Sun Moon Empire is...doing?"

Lin You did not answer immediately, but just looked at her quietly.

Orange chuckled self-deprecatingly and continued, "We possess the most advanced soul tools on the continent and the most powerful soul master army. Everyone says that unifying the continent is just around the corner. But... what price has the empire paid for this power?"

Her voice lowered, carrying an undisguised pain and resentment: "The higher-ups live a life of debauchery and extravagance, while the lower classes are oppressed and exploited. Over the years, how many commoners have lost their homes and families because of conscription, exorbitant taxes, and the greed of those noble lords? Within the empire, resistance and uprisings from the lower classes have almost never ceased, but each time, they have been cruelly suppressed by the cold soul-guided devices."

"With hedonism rampant and extravagance and corruption spreading... what would such an empire become even if it truly unified the continent?"

(End of this chapter)