Wizards begin with Occlumency.

Chapter 212 Sudden Change

"Um?"

Link remained silent, his expression growing increasingly grim.

Since arriving at Star Fortress, nothing has been pleasant.

"How did he die?"

After a moment, Link asked a question.

Christina shook her head, indicating that she didn't know the specifics either.

The black smoke in the air outlined the sentence: "I only received Jimny's suicide note and news of his death; I don't know the details."

"Um."

Link nodded in understanding.

Even after becoming a formal wizard, there isn't much free time.

I have too much time to spend on studying, researching, and working. Where do I find the time to run around?

So far, aside from a few trips to other worlds, Link's activities in the Wizarding World have been confined to the Rivosos region.

I haven't even explored the Tudor region or the entire West Coast, let alone the Michel district.

Unless, like Jimny before, he spends all his time traveling around with caravans.

A hint of melancholy flashed across Link's face as he thought of Jimny.

Of the five boys who left the Quetzal Islands together, another one has died.

Only three people remain.

Another passerby has joined my life.

Link still clearly remembers that evening when Jimny tilted his head back and poured the crumbs of pastry he had caught in his palm into his mouth, squinting his eyes as he savored the delicious taste.

What a kind and simple young man.

Perhaps because he had just seen a ruined planet that was extremely similar to his hometown in his previous life, he was greatly shocked. Once the "brain shut-off technique" stopped working for a moment, his mood would be turbulent.

That's not good.

With a long sigh of relief, Link regained his composure and decided to put these matters aside and focus on finishing the important task at hand—the exchange and learning session—before dealing with anything else.

"Pex, is the docking complete?"

Link turned to face Pex, who was leading twenty academy apprentices in a standoff with the Shadow City team, and called out to him.

"Team leader,"

Pex remained fixed on the Shadow City deputy leader and shouted back, "We're fine, they're the ones with problems."

"What's the problem?"

Link frowned; he really didn't want to cause any trouble.

"The people of Shadow City say we must enter the ruins world behind them."

Pex explained the reason for the standoff, emphasizing, "They won't even come in with us!"

Link turned to Christina and asked, "What did you say?"

"Let's...go...intowards..."

Christina uttered a difficult sentence and turned to walk towards the Shadow City's group.

A minor dispute, which was clearly a test of each other, was thus resolved.

The exchange and learning, or rather the competition, begins the moment we meet.

The race to enter the ruins was an aggressive probe by the Shadow City apprentices.

Once you make a concession the first time, you can make a second, a third, and who knows how many more concessions you can make.

This is what is meant by "taking an inch and then a mile".

Under the guidance of their respective team leaders, the two apprentice teams stopped arguing and began preparing on their own.

At the academy, after consulting with Link and Pex, Lani Taylor officially began to assume the duties of the captain.

She first called the two vice-captains, Luna Colonna and Gillian Clark, aside.

To unify thinking, discuss the division of tasks, and implement refined management and command of the team.

Lani had clearly given this matter considerable thought on her way to Star Fortress.

She planned to divide the eighteen team members into four groups: one group for guard duty, one group for reconnaissance, one group for searching for supplies, and one group for filling any gaps.

Vice Captain Luna leads Group 1 and Group 2, while Vice Captain Gillian manages Group 3 and Group 4.

Lani herself took charge of the overall situation.

This plan was approved by Luna and Gillian.

Subsequently, the three team leaders began implementing the grouping plan.

Disband all the small teams, reorganize the personnel, and form four groups.

The operation in Shadow City is similar, with only minor differences in details.

With both teams of apprentices ready, the exchange and learning can now officially begin.

Link and Christina then applied to the Tower Spirit, the manager of the transportation hub, for permission to use the portal to enter the ruins world.

This star fortress is an asset belonging to the entire wizarding world, and any wizarding organization registered with the Supreme Council can use it for a fee.

However, unless otherwise permitted by the Supreme Council, members of wizarding organizations who come to Star Fortress cannot "wander" on Star Fortress; they can only transfer at transportation hubs.

The application for use submitted jointly by Rivoss Academy and Shadow City is of this nature.

The transportation hub management tower adjusted the relevant parameters of the portal after the Shadow City team arrived.

It's just that usage permissions haven't been granted yet.

They received two access certificates from Link and Christina.

After the Shadow City team arrived, the portal that had dimmed lit up again.

"Ready! Let's go!"

After confirming the teleportation coordinates with the intelligent puppet arranged by the academy, Link waved to signal the apprentice team.

Without delay, everyone immediately put on the protective suits prepared by the intelligent puppet.

This time, Pex led the way, with Link bringing up the rear, and the twenty-two of them filed into the portal.

"Set off."

Back in Shadow City, Christina simultaneously gave the order, speaking in a manner that barely matched Link's, who had deliberately slowed down his speech.

They were led by the deputy leader, with Christina at the back.

Both teams stepped into the portal at almost the same time.

Another wave of alienation from time and space washed over me.

Wearing his innate sorcery "Armor" on the inside, the "Defender 3202" suit inside, and the isolation suit on the outside, Link steadied himself and found himself standing on the roof of an abandoned skyscraper.

The group of apprentices was not far in front of him.

Under the command of Lanny Taylor, Luna Colonna, and Gillian Clark, the four teams had clear divisions of labor: some were on guard, some were conducting reconnaissance, some were gathering information, and some were filling in the gaps.

Pex had already floated in the air, disappearing from sight, with only Link able to see some traces of him.

Link immediately floated into the air without any fanfare, disappearing from sight.

From now on, everything depends on the apprentices' own abilities to find valuable items, and whether their total value can exceed that of Shadow City.

Link and Pex, the team leaders and deputy leaders, definitely cannot interfere in this matter.

Although the academy didn't explicitly say so, it's easy to guess that the team leader's involvement in the search for supplies would definitely be a negative point.

The team leader's primary task is to ensure the safety of the apprentice team and to guard against the Shadow City's shameless bullying tactics by the larger team leader and deputy team leader.

The Shadow City team appeared on the roof of another abandoned skyscraper.

The two sides were not far apart and could be seen with the naked eye, looking at each other across the distance.

Christina and her deputy leader took the same actions as Link.

They all floated in the air, following stealthily.

The four exchanged glances without speaking, but there was a tacit understanding between them.

For a long time, neither side will target the other's apprenticeships.

Unless something unexpected happens, such as one team making a discovery of exceptional value that could determine the outcome of this exchange and learning session.

This is the significance of deterrence with equal power.

Having a sword but not using it, and not having a sword at all, are two different things.

The balance will be broken if only one side has a formal wizard accompanying them, or if one side has more formal wizards than the other.

Whether the apprentice team will suffer a crushing defeat at the hands of a formal wizard depends entirely on the intentions of the additional formal wizard on the other side.

We can fight if we want, or we can choose not to fight if we don't want to.

The apprentices who are intimidated will remain in an atmosphere of constant anxiety.

This creates unequal competition!

(nuclear……)

As the apprentices continued their search down the building, Link saw more and more traces of his past life.

Somehow, this ruined world is unaffected by time.

More than six thousand years have passed, and the buildings, decorations, and furniture show no signs of weathering or decay.

Looking at the familiar decor, the cubicles-like workstations, and the computers, Link felt as if he had returned to the modern world of the 21st century.

It's just a modern world in the 21st century where nobody lives.

Just like in "I Am Legend," virologist Robert lives alone in empty New York, with no one to accompany him and no one to respond.

Link has already figured out that if this ruined world is indeed his hometown from his previous life, then this newly discovered area is the Shanghai Stock Exchange!

The skyscraper he is currently standing in is the world's third tallest building, the Shanghai Tower.

The skyscraper where the Shadow City team is located should be the Shanghai World Financial Center.

In his previous life, Link had never been to Shanghai, but as someone who enjoyed studying various maps, he had a detailed understanding of Shanghai's topography and various buildings.

As Link was reminiscing about his past life, he turned a corner and several huge maps appeared before him.

World map, national map, and Shanghai city map are laid out in order.

The three groups of apprentices have already arranged for personnel to photograph the map.

Valuable items and resources can contain information and knowledge.

After glancing at the three maps, Link's eyes were drawn to the name of a building, which lingered there for a long time.

Shanghai Planetarium!

It wasn't that the building was particularly special, but rather the word "astronomy" that sparked a flash of inspiration in Link, reminding him of his own creation, the "Great Universe Meditation Method."

He is lacking specific data on celestial bodies in the universe.

Now that we have the opportunity, why not take the chance to collect relevant data, so as not to have to rack our brains and rummage through our limited astronomical knowledge from our previous life?

"I'm going to check on things elsewhere. You keep an eye on things."

Without hesitation, Link used a telepathic telepathy to tell Pex the sentence, then turned and floated toward the fire escape.

Closing the normally closed fire door blocked the line of sight between Pex and the apprentices.

Link summoned Flandre and shared with her the addresses of the Shanghai Planetarium and some of the most famous universities and research institutions in Shanghai, as well as all his memories of Shanghai from his previous life.

Link can communicate with Flandre on a spiritual level without the need for "telepathy".

"Do you understand?"

"Understood, sir. Flandre will definitely find the knowledge and information you need."

Flandre patted her little chest and nodded vigorously, giving her assurance.

"Then go ahead, but be careful. If you encounter danger, return to the 'small world' immediately. Don't try to fight it head-on."

Link gave a word of advice, like an old father worrying about the safety of his youngest daughter who was about to travel far away.

"Yes, thank you for your concern, sir."

Flandre smiled brightly and happily agreed.

The master really cares about her.

"Go."

"Master, Flandre is on her way."

I watched as Flandre transformed into a blurry shadow, passing through the wall and out of the building, before turning into a gentle breeze and drifting towards the first stop, the Shanghai Planetarium.

Link turned around abruptly, his eyes fixed on Christina, who had stealthily approached from the corner after Flandre left.

After a moment, Link gave up his plan to make a move.

The person in front of me is not a real person.

"What's up?"

The term "telepathy" was used again.

It wasn't that Link didn't want to use the more secure "mind link," but rather that the True Spirit Wizarding course at the Advanced Academy didn't teach this spell.

No relevant information or literature on "spiritual connection" can be found through conventional channels.

It is said that one must join the True Spirit Wizards Association, a relatively loose organization, to obtain all the learning materials and access to "Mind Link".

Christina nodded.

A wisp of black smoke appeared in the air, twisting and coiling like a snake, outlining a few lines of text.

"This is my clone, it only lasts a short time, to make a long story short."

"I can give you all the biochemical modification data I've accepted, and I can also provide you with a piece of my flesh and blood for your research."

"I have only one favor to ask of you."

"Let my child be a normal person."

As the black smoke swirled, Christina placed her hands on her lower abdomen, her eyes gleaming with maternal love.

When they first met at Star Fortress, Link realized that Christina was pregnant.

He was initially quite surprised. Could it be that Christina had met a good man she could entrust her life to?

It wasn't until he saw the line, "The person who transformed her was swallowed by me," that Link began to piece together the whole story.

I won't go into details, but it's nothing more than the awful things in the world.

Sinful, disgusting, it makes one want to kill it.

Link thought for a moment and replied, "I can only do my best, I can't guarantee anything. You know, biochemical modifications are very difficult to reverse."

Well……

It is indeed very difficult to reverse.

For example, in the fairy world, the frontline medical department of the Paro Sage Legion is unable to reverse the fairy's mutation.

It was Link who finally managed to complete this task.

"Can."

The black smoke outlined the word before disappearing along with Christina's phantom.

Link turned and left the fire escape, finding the team that had advanced quite a distance. He stood side by side with Pex, looking down at the apprentices' orderly search.

It must be said that Lanny Taylor is extremely outstanding, and these top-tier third-class wizard apprentices who have reached the point of becoming formal wizards are all exceptional individuals.

Once they got into the zone, each of them displayed exceptional intelligence and profound knowledge.

Anything of value, especially carriers of knowledge and information, was looted.

Fortunately, the academy was thoughtful and equipped the apprentice team with a spatial storage device.

Otherwise, the final burden would crush the entire apprentice team.

There was a loud bang.

Then came a series of booming explosions.

Suddenly, news came from the direction of the Shadow City team.

Lani reacted immediately, issuing the following orders: "Group 1, expand the perimeter; Group 2, conduct close reconnaissance; Group 3, continue the search; Group 4, become the reserve team. Support whichever group is short-handed."

"Yes."

The team members responded in unison.

The college's educational system always includes various elements that enhance teamwork.

Whether in the course or in extracurricular activities.

A typical example is the annual competition for each grade level held by junior colleges.

Apart from a few one-on-one duels, most of them emphasize teamwork and competition.

At the advanced college level, internships are conducted halfway through advanced studies, and these are all carried out in the form of small groups.

Therefore, once the wizarding apprentices or full-fledged wizards of the academy are in mission mode, they can quickly break up and mix together to carry out the mission.

The eighteen team members quickly acted according to the instructions.

Lanny then summoned the two vice-captains and whispered, "We don't know what happened in Shadow City yet, but we must be on high alert to prevent the worst from happening."

After a pause, Lani emphasized, "I think the three of us need to unify our thinking from now on and be prepared to strike at any time."

This is to interpret the commotion in Shadow City as a highly important discovery rather than an encounter with danger.

We are ready to go to war.

"Can."

Luna and Gillian agreed with Lanny's worst-case scenario plan.

Strike first and you'll have the upper hand; strike later and you'll suffer the consequences.

Even if there are no major discoveries in Shadow City, and even if Shadow City is in danger, a preemptive strike will always give us the advantage.

As for the other team leaders, our two team leaders will handle them; there's no need for them to worry about us.

What they need to do is win this exchange and learning opportunity.

Through legitimate channels, the winner is whoever collects more valuable supplies.

Launching an attack and eliminating the opponent is also a victory.

The college only cares about results, so they should just submit the results.

Who cares how it's achieved?

(End of this chapter)