My setting is above yours!

Chapter 35 The Favor of the [Anti-Mystic Equation] (5k6)

This time, Kevin wasn't as unkempt as before.

He had clearly taken great care of himself; his blond hair was quite fluffy, and he was dressed in an exquisite suit, as if he were going to attend some important banquet.

When he's silent, Kevin does indeed possess that subtle detachment that Moen University student, a top genius, has...

Ron was initially hesitant to acknowledge his newfound senior brother, but the moment he heard his brother's classic grin and familiar tone, Ron immediately relaxed.

But... is it a good thing?

What wonderful things did Teacher Deng prepare for me that I even had to have a car from "Tian Ting Media" come to pick me up?
Is it related to a giant corporation?
With many questions popping into his mind, Ron didn't think about them too much. Instead, he pulled the obviously reserved An Hui and plopped down into the extended hovercar.

The moment Ron sat down in the pure black leather seat, he felt a softness that seemed to engulf him...

The soft, warm seat enveloped him, and for a moment Ron even felt a sweet fragrance wafting from the back of the seat, gently brushing past his ear, making him feel as if he were soaking in warm water, filling his heart with a sense of peace.

Don't worry... wait, what's with this fragrance?

Ron was startled and immediately held his breath, clearly realizing that the smell did not come from nowhere, but was blowing out from an air vent on the back of the seat!

"Don't panic, don't panic... Although it's not common in Zone D, it's very normal in Zones A and B—it's just a regular air freshener."

"Fresh air, eliminate fatigue, invigorate the spirit... Although some inferior OEM products use poor materials, resulting in a certain degree of addictiveness, that has nothing to do with us."

Seeing Ron's caution and wariness, Kevin turned around and said casually:

“There’s nothing cheap in this car—this air freshener is from Noah Pharmaceuticals, a big brand, so you can use it with peace of mind.”

"Yeah, it's definitely much better than those cheap air fresheners we use in dorms. No wonder it's a giant company..."

Ron turned his head and saw An Hui nodding in approval, seemingly already used to these air fresheners. He couldn't help but frown slightly.

It seems that... in Zone B, these "drugs" with a certain degree of addictiveness have become commonplace?

Although reason told Ron that the air freshener was indeed not dangerous, his old habits from his past life made him subconsciously open the car window and use [Vector Control] to blow away all the mist.

He's not really able to accept this kind of thing emotionally...

Just like before he became a superpowered person, Ron always heard stories of people taking some kind of "power-activating potion" and becoming superpowered—

However, when Ron saw that they had to be injected with those potions for eighty-one days straight to activate their abilities, until their heads were pointed, before they could possibly awaken their personal reality, he kept his distance from them.

As he breathed in the fresh air blowing in through the car window, he asked Kevin curiously:
"What exactly did the teacher prepare? Why was this car chosen to pick me up... And is this even related to 'Tian Ting Media'?"

"Let me tell you."

The driver, sitting in the driver's seat, wearing a suit and sunglasses, with a name tag shaped like a cloud and a camera around his neck, took over the conversation:
"Because Ms. Irina, the president of [TianTing Video], wants to meet you."

Irina? The president of [TianTing Video]?

Ron was filled with respect and immediately realized who this person was.

The president of a branch of Tianting Media, the helmsman of important assets of a giant enterprise, is a woman with very sharp business acumen.

It is said that decades ago, the Moen municipal government—also known as Moen Business—wanted to get a share of the video media industry and aggressively entered the market.

It's said that back then, the video market was in chaos due to various products of the era, such as the long and short video wars, giving red envelopes for watching videos, and offline social promotion...

However, over the past few years, despite its best efforts, Moen Business was unable to compete with Tianting Video and was eventually squeezed out of the market by Irina.

However, after all these years, this woman is still active on the front lines of her work; she must be over a hundred years old by now…

Ron felt a pang of emotion as he watched the driver skillfully maneuver the extended hovercar while speaking in a calm, businesslike tone:

"Based on Professor Deng Yin's introduction, we have conducted a comprehensive assessment of your personal information and reported it to the head office."

"[TianTing Media] values ​​talent like you highly and has allocated a sufficient budget to the company."

"But before finalizing the details of the collaboration, Ms. Irina and Professor Dunn have decided to give you a small reward first..."

Evaluation? Budget? Collaboration? Rewards?
Ron immediately extracted these keywords and realized what had happened.

"You mean... Tianting Media is planning to invest in me?"

"Yes."

The driver in sunglasses nodded: "Your abilities and strength far exceed those of ordinary students, and you haven't received any corporate investment yet. In our company's view, your resume is excellent."

"We have decided to invest in you to some extent in exchange for the right to participate in some experimental projects at Moen University."

As he spoke, he very restrained himself and shut his mouth:

"I can't go into specifics, Ms. Irina will discuss it with you in detail..."

The right to participate in experimental projects? I think I've heard of this kind of collaboration...

But is it really an investment from a giant corporation?

Ron couldn't help but feel a little emotional, but it seemed like it was only natural.

With such powerful abilities, anyone else would have already received investment from a giant corporation and used their credit points to pass the college entrance exam before it even started.

Unlike Ron, who was so stingy even when buying resurrection coins, he still feels the pinch when he thinks about those 150000 credits...

However, [Tian Ting Media]...

What benefits will their cooperation bring to the three major enterprises that own Ideal City?
Ron couldn't help but feel a surge of anticipation.

After all, this is one of the three behemoths of Ideal City. Even if they were to casually let a little credit point slip through their hands, it would be an astronomical figure that Ron could hardly imagine!

Not to mention cutting-edge technologies that only giant corporations have access to, and special equipment that can't be mass-produced in laboratories...

He might even obtain a device that enhances his personal reality and allows him to control vector manipulation through the support provided by Tianting Media!

With this expectation in mind, the extended hovercraft sped through the steel and neon lights.

The sun sets, and the blood moon rises.

Around 8 PM, they finally left the noisy D and C sections of Ideal City and arrived at a new world that Ron had never seen before.

Ideal City, Block B.

It's hard to imagine that after arriving in Block B of Ideal City, Ron strangely felt as if he had stepped back in time...

In this place, there is no longer a dense steel jungle, unlike the C and D areas of Ideal City, where concrete skyscrapers are crowded together on the ground.

On the contrary, just like in my previous life, the entire area resembled a normal metropolis, with forests, lakes, mountains, sand dunes, and snowfields visible within it...

Upon closer inspection, one can see that between these sparse high-rise buildings, there are clearly more novel projection advertisements.

People walk along folding bridges that resemble ribbons of light connecting buildings; state-of-the-art hovercars race through the mountains; and noticeable bubbles appear in the lakes, revealing bustling restaurants offering panoramic views.

In Zone B, space utilization is no longer of great significance.

For the sake of living comfort, the architects recreated the natural landscape that had long been flattened within the city, giving the residents of Zone B a more comfortable living environment...

Alas, rich people.

Ah, ideal city.

Ron couldn't help but sigh as he thought of the crowded steel jungles and old shacks in Sector C and Sector D.

He looked up and saw a tall building not far away, with the logo of "Tianting Video" projected on its wall. The ninety-nine-story building was brightly lit, clearly in its working hours.

Although Ideal City follows an eight-hour workday, voluntary overtime is quite common.

Some employees, in order to get more overtime pay from the company, would even rather live at the company and connect their brains to a computer to enter their personal reality while sleeping, using their consciousness to handle work...

Ron was thinking to himself when he noticed that the extended hovercar suddenly turned a corner and instead of going directly into the company building, it went directly to a large shopping mall with neon lights on the side.

Kevin opened the car door and gestured for Ron to get out:
"After all, we're going to meet some important people... Junior brother, you really can't wear that cheap outfit that costs 9.9 credits with free shipping this time."

As he spoke, he pointed at Ron somewhat tactfully:
"Leaving aside the style issue... at least the fabric should be decent."

Who are you calling a cheap seller?

This 9.9 credit point free shipping outfit has kept me warm and has helped me through my entire life since I came to the inner city of Ideal City. You are not allowed to speak ill of it!

If it doesn't mind that I'm poor, how could I possibly mind that it's not high-class?
Ron was about to refuse when he saw Kevin take a black card from the driver and wave it at Ron.
"Come on, let's get some nice outfits—this is a gift from Ms. Irina to you. She said there's no limit, buy as much as you like."

...But then again, wearing this kind of industrial waste every day is indeed bad for your health.

Ms. Irina said this is a gift for meeting, so how could we possibly refuse her?
Ron felt he had to accept the gift, since he couldn't be too polite.

Kevin led Ron and the other man into the mall, found a clearly high-end clothing store, pressed a series of checkmarks on the shopping screen, and bought every single item.

"Anyway, Ms. Irina has plenty of money, so buying everything will save her the trouble of picking and choosing..."

He glanced at the time as he spoke, "Hey, you guys hurry up and pick out something to change into. If you don't want to wear it, just have it delivered to your door. We need to hurry up and go upstairs."

How do I choose from this pile?
Ron scratched his head and, from among a bunch of clothes he couldn't even decipher, precisely chose a simple shirt and trousers that looked no different from what he'd worn before.

Aside from the price increasing a thousandfold, perhaps because she was about to meet the president of a giant corporation, An Hui seemed quite reserved and hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to wear.

Finally, urged anxiously by Kevin, he turned to Ron for help—

But the result of her seeking help from Ron was that, under Ron's peculiar aesthetic sense, she ended up wearing a dress that was almost indistinguishable from a high school uniform.

...Anyway, I can't see what's so high-end about their clothes.

Ron and his two companions left the mall and got back into the car, soon arriving at the entrance of the [Tian Ting Video] building.

A 99-story building looks alright from a distance, but up close it truly seems to reach straight into the clouds. Standing at the bottom of the building, you can deeply feel your own insignificance.

Ron got out of the car, only to see several people dressed in expensive clothes but looking rather slovenly loitering in front of the [Tian Ting Video] building... "people"?
They stood dazedly by the roadside, heads drooping and backs bent like broken puppets, swaying as if their spines had been emptied...

These people had dazed and intoxicated expressions on their faces, with saliva dripping from the corners of their mouths, and obvious needle marks visible on their bodies.

It was as if they were sinking into another world.

"What...what's going on?"

Ron frowned, only to find that everyone else seemed unfazed.

"A bunch of rich people having a blast..."

An Hui tugged at Ron's sleeve and whispered:

“These kinds of people are everywhere in Area B, and there are quite a few at Moen University too. We need to stay away from them; these people aren’t quite mentally stable.”

It turns out it was caused by drug abuse...

But I don't remember Ideal City passing the Chemical Bliss Act?
These highly addictive drugs should be completely banned!
Ron frowned, cautiously maintaining a safe distance from these zombie-like creatures.

They took the elevator and soon arrived at the ninety-ninth floor of the building.

Because the 99th floor is the president's top-floor office and belongs to a special access level, they had to swipe several access cards given to them by Ms. Irina before they were allowed to open the elevator door.

In the office, which resembled a nostalgic mansion, the first thing they saw was a dignified woman with a sharp look and silver hair sitting on the sofa, chattering away with great interest.

Beside her, Deng Yin, dressed impeccably and leaning on a cane, patiently dealt with her.

If you listen carefully, you can only hear some numbers and symbols that are hard to understand, and you don't know what they are talking about.

Oh, Professor Deng Yin is here too?

Oh right, after all, he's the one who wants to "make it up" to me, so it's impossible for him not to be there...

Ron seemed to be deep in thought, and the two people who were chatting naturally noticed their presence.

“This is my… friend, um, you can call her Ms. Irina.”

Deng immediately stopped the daunting exchange of numerical codes and forcefully shifted the topic to Ron, introducing him with a hesitant tone.

At this moment, Irina reluctantly stopped what she had just said and reached out to shake hands with Ron.

Upon closer inspection, Ron realized that the woman looked much younger than he had imagined.

Judging by her appearance alone, and considering the work pressure in Ideal City, Ron would even doubt whether she was only thirty years old...

And... it seems like there's a little story between Deng Yin and her.
Ron keenly sensed the somewhat unusual atmosphere between the two, but simply greeted Irina without daring to question their relationship.

Irina seemed eager to return to the previous topic, but Deng Yin had clearly had enough and forcefully steered the conversation back to the main point.

"Now that everyone's here, let's get back to the point... Irina, this isn't just my last chance, it's yours too."

“I think… Ron has the potential to be recognized by [Prometheus] and take charge of sector authority.”

"The investment support from [Tian Ting Media] should be upgraded to the highest level. This is the price a genius who is destined to become a Lv.5 should be paid!"

what?
Ron shuddered.

Although he couldn't understand a word Deng Yin was saying, he clearly heard the words "Lv.5"—

Is TianTing Media actually preparing to support him to become Lv.5 with the highest level of investment?
But the next moment, Ron saw Irina shake her head and retort:

“I will indeed invest in him, but from a business perspective… I think the investment level still needs to be carefully considered.”

“I could give him the highest level of investment right now and include him in the 100-person investment program, but that might be burying his talent.”

Irina's gaze was intense: "I need to be sure whether his powerful abilities still possess such an incomprehensible strength when truly facing the 'void'."

"If there is such a plan... I will apply to the head office to create a customized investment plan!"

As she spoke, she stood up and pressed a button on her desk. Suddenly, the bookshelves in the room opened, revealing a hidden door—

She went in and quickly came out with two items.

One of them was a silver-white collar, similar to the "ability limiter" Ron wore around his neck.

The other item was a secure metal box, sealed tightly with multiple layers of locks...

What is this?
The doubts that had just begun to arise in Ron's mind were quickly dispelled by Irina's serious demeanor as she peeled back the layers of confusion—

Inside the sealed safe lay a scarlet eyeball that seemed to be alive, trembling and exuding a slightly eerie aura!
The scarlet eyeball had a distinctly ethereal quality, so transparent that the texture of the metal box beneath it could be seen.

This is... something that fell out of the "hole"?!
Wait, this thing seems even stranger compared to the finger bone the mad supervisor got...

Ron frowned, secretly switched to [Embers of the Age of Gods], and activated his Magic Vision—

Sure enough, in the magical vision, a deep, dark blue magical power was surging on this eyeball, completely out of place with the rest of the space!

Ron could even see that the magic fluctuated inexplicably when it touched the air, as if it were being worn down by something.

Although it seems that it would be completely shattered if subjected to even more intense abrasion...

However, it still managed to maintain a certain degree of magical activity and did not completely dissipate into dust.

Why is it that it has magic power but hasn't been completely worn away...? Could it be that the power of "void" is protecting it?

Just as Ron was wondering what was going on, he saw Irina put on a serious expression and place the small box in front of him.

"Don't use the power of the ability itself, just touch it with your body and let your personal reality completely envelop it..."

"Then close your eyes and imagine erasing it like erasing pencil lines with an eraser."

As Irina spoke, she placed the silver-white collar she was holding on the table.

"I will determine the level of investment the company will make in you based on how much your personal circumstances affect it."

This 'Ability Amplifier,' which helps you control your ability model and temporarily enhances your personal reality to level 3, is the first reward I'm giving you on behalf of the company after you received the exclusive investment plan.

As she spoke, she changed the subject:
"But... that's all under the condition that your personal reality can erase the influence of 'emptiness'."

She said in a serious tone, "Let me make it clear beforehand that the erosion of the 'void' is extremely dangerous. This is not a simulation of reality. If you are not willing to take the risk, I can understand."

"However, in that case, I won't give you an investment level that goes beyond the norm."

"You can only be one of the hundred students in the [Tian Ting Media] investment program, and will receive a more cautious investment plan from our company..."

In that case, the "ability amplifier" that can temporarily grant a person a Level 3 personal ability would be gone, right?
An enhancement device that has temporarily reached Lv.3... cannot be let go easily.

Ron looked at the silver collar with great interest, then at the eyeball that radiated deep blue magic, his expression becoming somewhat strange.

I never imagined that... there's a difference in talent when it comes to using personal reality to dispel mystery.

Perhaps if someone else came here, they might really be unlucky and not get the highest investment level.

But for Ron...

What is “empty”? What is “mysterious”?
Go talk to my [Fantasy Resolution]!

He switched back to [Superpowered Person] and loaded [Illusion Dissolved].

Then, it simply touched the cold and eerie eyeball lightly...

The next moment, it really did just like a pencil drawing erased by an eraser, suddenly crumbling and disappearing into the air!

Seeing Ron's relaxed demeanor, Irina's serious warning stuck in her throat.

What's happening here?
His personal reality, the nature of his abilities...

Just how much favor did he receive from the [Anti-Mystic Equation]?
　Brothers, I'm begging you! I was organizing the outline and details today, and I ended up writing for too long. When I came to my senses, it was already afternoon.

　　Then I tried my best to write the main text, but I only managed to write 5,600 words, and it's already so late. I really can't write 10,000 words today...

　　I must come forward with my head and kowtow three times in the air to express my apology.

　　To avoid this happening again in the future, I've decided to stay up until the early hours to write a chapter for tomorrow's update, and then try to maintain a daily update of 10,000 words after the start of the new month...

　　The update time is still 11:50 PM!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)