Chapter 300: Simulation Chamber
Lin Ye returned to the classroom and found another empty seat to sit down. Since most of his classmates had been sent to the Infirmary by him, the classroom was quite spacious.
A new textbook appeared on the desk, titled "Red Pigment and Flesh Alienation."
'Huh? This is...'
Lin Ye picked up the textbook from the desk with some surprise—it was thick enough to bludgeon someone to death. The title seemed somewhat related to his purpose for being here.
'Red pigment is one of the fundamental components of the Red Sea. High concentrations of red pigment cause rapid flesh alienation...'
'But red pigment is also an essential substance for physical evolution, one of the necessary elements for breaking physical limits...'
'How to control the concentration of red pigment within the body is essential knowledge every high-level spiritual energy user must master...'
...
Lin Ye read very seriously. This was his first time encountering knowledge related to red pigment, so he didn't read too quickly. Combined with considering the book's thickness, this gave the students who hadn't joined the siege against Lin Ye an opportunity to catch up.
There were two types of students who hadn't besieged Lin Ye: those who disliked causing trouble, and those confident in their learning abilities. Most of the remaining students belonged to the latter category. So if Lin Ye maintained his current pace, there was a possibility he could be overtaken.
But Lin Ye wasn't anxious. He continued concentrating on learning the knowledge in the book. Actually, he was quite good at studying, especially with knowledge that interested him.
He might start a bit slow, but once he grasped some foundational knowledge, it was about constructing a knowledge framework, piecing together all scattered information like building a skyscraper.
This was a learning technique Lin Ye had created during his school days. Back then, his memory wasn't as good as it is now, but for any knowledge he had learned, no matter how much time passed, he could always recall the vague outline of the entire framework.
By the way, this technique was particularly useful for medical students. Even now, Lin Ye could recite every disease he had learned from head to toe.
Including all relevant information about the diseases.
As the framework gradually became complete, Lin Ye's page-turning speed accelerated, making the students who occasionally watched him nervous.
This was also one reason Lin Ye wasn't worried. These students seemed not to have studied the Mental Concentration course, meaning Lin Ye's efficiency in utilizing mental energy would far surpass other students.
After some time, Lin Ye finally finished reading "Red Pigment and Flesh Alienation." He gained many new understandings about using red pigment to strengthen the body.
Having been continuously concentrating on studying, Lin Ye didn't know how much time he had spent on this book. He only knew he had felt hungry twice during the process, and his mental energy had bottomed out.
'First return to the dorm to recover mental energy, then go for the assessment.'
When Lin Ye stood up and left the classroom, the students who had been watching him nearby sighed with relief. They had started to believe Lin Ye didn't need rest.
"May I disturb you for a moment?"
As soon as Lin Ye stepped out of the classroom, the Tentacle Monster wearing formal attire approached to speak. It must have been waiting outside for some time.
Many students were recovering their mental energy outside the classroom. The Tower's absorption of mental energy operated on a gradient system: studying knowledge in the classroom consumed mental energy the fastest, followed by simply staying in the classroom, and finally being outside the classroom. Therefore, many students didn't return to their dorms at all, instead recovering their mental energy directly outside the classroom.
"If you can finish saying what you need to say on my way back to the dorm, then yes."
Compared to those barbarians who immediately resorted to violence, Lin Ye preferred the polite Tentacle Monster.
"What price must I pay to obtain your learning opportunity?"
Seeing that Lin Ye wasn't interested in casual conversation, the Tentacle Monster asked directly.
"What is a learning opportunity? This is my first time here."
Lin Ye didn't hide his lack of understanding about this place. As long as he could maintain his current learning speed, he would hold absolute initiative.
"Most students can only come here once in their lifetime. Only students who complete a certain amount of coursework before the end can obtain the opportunity to re-enter the Tower."
The Tentacle Monster waved its tentacles, walking beside Lin Ye, then continued:
"The first student to finish ten textbooks and pass the assessments can ask the Tower a question related to themselves. The Tower will provide corresponding teaching materials. This is the learning opportunity."
"So that's how it is. Then I'm sorry, but I came here specifically to solve my own problem, so we'll each have to rely on our own abilities."
The other's response roughly matched Lin Ye's speculation. He just hadn't known how many books needed to be studied, but he also wouldn't completely trust the information provided by the other party.
"What question do you want to ask? Perhaps the organization I belong to can provide you with a solution to your problem."
The Tentacle Monster didn't give up. It desperately needed this opportunity.
"How to control the God's Blood of the Abyssal Evil God."
If the other party could provide a reliable solution, Lin Ye would consider making a trade.
"...My apologies."
The Tentacle Monster stopped walking. The difficulty gap between its problem and Lin Ye's problem was enormous. It simply couldn't provide an answer to such a question, nor could it offer items of corresponding value.
"Goodbye."
After bidding farewell, Lin Ye walked alone toward the dormitory.
While walking and resting, Lin Ye didn't remain idle either. He continuously contemplated applications for this new knowledge, as he might encounter corresponding questions during the upcoming assessment.
After his mental energy fully recovered, Lin Ye smoothly passed the third assessment, once again receiving an Excellent evaluation.
[Assessment completed. Received Excellent evaluation. Obtained 30 Tower Points.]
'Still have 80 Tower Points left. Not sure where I can spend more points.'
Lin Ye couldn't take the Tower Points with him, so it was best to spend all his points before leaving.
Following the prompts, Lin Ye found the Combat Guidance Classroom. There wasn't a single person inside, only a complex machine composed of flesh and steel that connected the floor to the ceiling.
[Please enter the simulation pod to begin combat simulation.]
'This is a simulation pod? Why does it look like a control console dug out from inside some flesh giant?'
Just looking at the flesh-mechanical device before him gave Lin Ye an uneasy feeling.
[Please enter the simulation pod promptly, student. Otherwise, bear the consequences yourself.]
After seeing this slightly urgent prompt, Lin Ye opened the pod door and entered the simulation pod's interior.
The simulation pod's interior contained many strange flesh structures. As soon as Lin Ye sat down on the seat, those flesh structures automatically inserted into his body, establishing connections with his physical form.
A sealed helmet covered his head. Lin Ye's vision went dark, and he lost control of his body.
Several seconds later, Lin Ye regained consciousness. He opened his eyes and found himself lying face-down in a pool of deep red stagnant water.
Lin Ye stood up and observed his surroundings. He was in a room made of metal, with the ceiling damaged and red liquid leaking into the room from above.