Arknights, I'm going to beat Kal'tsit, really?

Page 5

Kane was somewhat helpless. If things continued this way, the rumor that "Kristen Wright and that freshman named Kane have an unusual relationship" would definitely spread rapidly within certain circles like Originium dust.

"You..." A slightly cold voice broke the silence between the two. For the first time, Christensen spoke to her "regular" deskmate, "Why are you still in this classroom?"

Kane turned his head, his golden eyes calm and unwavering: "Of course I'm here to teach, Miss Wright. Although it's still a trial period, I've already chosen this professor. If nothing unexpected happens, I'll be here for the next year."

“…No.” Christensen seemed to realize that her question was abrupt, pursed her lips slightly, and corrected her wording.

"What I mean is, I thought you would... deliberately avoid me."

Since her family's decline, malice and unwarranted slander have become the norm. This unique environment has honed her unique skill—a keen ability to read people. The moment she stepped into the classroom yesterday, she accurately discerned the meaning behind every glance: the mockery and schadenfreude in the eyes of the elite students, and the confusion and subsequent fear on the faces of the ordinary students. The girl sitting next to her in the first class was so nervous she almost cried.

To avoid becoming the target of everyone's criticism, and to avoid dragging innocent people into an awkward situation, she could only choose Kane—the only person in the classroom who showed her neither "malice" nor "fear." He simply adopted an almost indifferent bystander's attitude, seemingly completely unconcerned about who she was or which infamous family she came from. The only emotion he displayed when she sat down was that he was "annoyed" by the focused gazes around them.

It's worth noting that Kristen was initially so intimidated by these stares that she almost dared not leave her house. Kane, on the other hand, merely found it "troublesome." This unusual calm itself was anything but ordinary.

So, although she felt very sorry for them, Christen had no choice but to involve Kane. Fortunately, Kane did withstand the pressure—he was not afraid of the stares from those around him.

She thought this was just good luck on the first day. During the "free choice" trial period, Kane would surely leave on the second day and choose another professor to avoid her, this "source of trouble." She was mentally prepared to be completely alone in university and to struggle to find collaborators when she had to team up—as long as the stigma of "Wright" remained, the discrimination would only intensify.

However, Kane still showed up today.

At that moment, a faint expectation, almost ignored by herself, quietly sprouted: if... if this person really did choose the same professor as her, then at least she would have a classmate who would treat her normally in her university life.

That's why she couldn't help but ask. She wanted to confirm: Was Kane's staying an unintentional coincidence, or did her tiny hope point to... a glimmer of hope?

Chapter 13 The First Friend

As the professor began his lecture, their private conversation was forced to a halt, but both knew that the dialogue was far from over—Kane intended to invest in this future tech giant in advance, sowing the seeds for future power arrangements; while Christensen, who had not yet transformed into the "cold-blooded overseer," still carried a hint of vulnerability wounded by her environment and desperately needed a reliable companion to support her through this "crisis-ridden" university life.

Kane discreetly activated his social media app on his mobile device and glanced to his left. Christine immediately understood, tapping her finger to display her friend code on the screen.

Kane quickly searched—an account with a paper airplane avatar came into view, its ID simple yet carrying a certain longing: "Starry Sky".

So, Miss Wright, why are you clinging to me like this?

They're clinging on and won't let go!

Christensen's earlobes flushed a barely perceptible red. The overly ambiguous word caught her off guard, and a surge of embarrassment and anger rushed to her head. She instinctively wanted to retort, but her mind quickly replayed the scenes of the past two days... her behavior was indeed no different from "clinging."

【No! Absolutely not!】 The screen instantly filled with urgent "NO"s and exclamation marks, and you could almost feel the pressure of Christensen's fingertips.

"But... since you know my surname, you must also understand my current situation, right?" Her explanation carried the straightforwardness typical of student days, lacking any deep cunning.

[Beset by rumors and family scandals.] Kane's reply was cold and precise.

Although it may not be directly related to you, as a member of the Wright family, it's hard not to suspect that you might be involved. He was well aware of Christensen's innocence, but these words allowed him to firmly grasp the initiative in the conversation.

I cannot vouch for the veracity of the family scandal. But I swear on my integrity—my parents were upright scientists! Their pursuit and adherence to truth cannot be easily tarnished by those who slander them!

Christensen's reply carried an almost stubborn firmness.

The pain of her parents' sudden passing is still fresh, but their teachings and love are the foundation that supports her. This unyielding belief is her ultimate bottom line.

Kane glanced sideways and saw Christensen with her lips tightly pressed together. Her eyes, which had been slightly distant, were now burning with a stubborn flame, an unquestionable defense of her parents' reputation.

I believe you, Miss Wright, but the rest of the people, especially those gloating ones, won't. Your actions have already caused me trouble; several people came to inquire about my identity yesterday, though they haven't made any moves yet; but who knows what they might do in the future.

"I'm so sorry..." Christen's fingertips paused for a moment, as if gathering courage.

"I just..." She finally confided her predicament to Kane. She wasn't afraid of loneliness, but her goal was to make a difference at Tremont Polytechnic University—to continue her parents' unfinished research and prove to the world that the Wrights were not "crazy," and that their research was not a hoax!

In this elite university, many important projects require teamwork to complete. Even with her exceptional talent, she couldn't shoulder all the burdens alone. However, given her current "reputation," finding collaborators would be incredibly difficult. She was even prepared to sacrifice authorship rights or patent interests in exchange for opportunities.

"So, you just want to find people who won't be hostile towards you because of Wright's name?" Kane concluded.

"Yes," Christensen replied with a hint of hesitation.

Isn't it... childish?

En's fingers, which were typing on the keyboard, stopped. He felt a little... speechless. He had thought that Christensen was now harboring ambitions to establish Rhine Life, but he hadn't expected her request to be so "simple"—just wanting to make a friend she could get along with normally. It was indeed a bit naive.

However, considering that she was a pampered young lady before her family fell on hard times, the fact that she can still maintain control over her dignity, standard of living, and life plans at this moment shows that she has surpassed other players of the same level.

"Then why did you choose this professor's class?" Kane changed the subject.

His overall evaluation isn't top-tier. Wouldn't it be more sensible for him to follow a more accomplished professor?

Kane's initial purpose in choosing a middle-class professor was to avoid the conflicts between rich young masters and rich girls, so he was curious about why Christensen liked this professor.

"Those top professors' classrooms are packed with children of the upper class." Christensen's reply revealed a hint of helplessness and exhaustion.

Among them, there are probably very few who don't recognize me. Do you think... I could concentrate on my studies under those gazes?

She paused, then added, "Besides, you underestimate this professor. Thanks to my parents… I know perfectly well that he's just not good at socializing, which is why his grades haven't gone up. His scholarship is absolutely top-notch in all of Columbia."

Wow, does that mean you've found treasure?

Kane looked up at the podium. The professor was completely absorbed in the sea of ​​knowledge, oblivious to the students' fidgeting, focused solely on dissecting and explaining the complex theories layer by layer. Those distracted students had no idea what a treasure they were missing.

Miss Wright, I don't mind being friends with a wonderful person. But as you probably know, I'm not the type to get into trouble. If possible, let's maintain a proper distance on the surface—but I'll offer any help I can when you need it.

"Well..." Christensen seemed to hesitate for a moment before replying.

Can you tell me your name?

Ah, Kane was taken aback—indeed, the two had talked so much, but Kane seemed to have forgotten to introduce himself; Christine, because of her "famous reputation," had skipped the self-introduction.

“My name is Kane Mordred, nice to meet you.”

This time, Kane didn't send the message through the terminal; instead, he spoke his name in a voice that the two of them could hear.

A class period passes in the blink of an eye. Since it's still a trial period, the professor can't assign hard homework because most of the students will be replaced in the next class, making it impossible to collect assignments. Instead, the professor can only assign open-ended practice tasks.

The students filed out. To cover for Kane, Kristen quickly composed herself, put her cold and arrogant mask back on, and strode away from the classroom without looking to the side.

However, as she turned the corner into an empty corridor, her tense shoulders subtly relaxed. A barely suppressed smile, tinged with relief, appeared on her lips. She quickly pulled out her personal mobile terminal, her fingertips moving swiftly to send a message:

Yara, I made my first friend today!

Kane also indicated that the plan was working—he had successfully connected with Kristen, and as long as this pace was maintained, he would definitely be able to participate in the early stages of Rhine Lab's establishment.

Before that, if I accumulated enough wealth, I could even become the largest investor and achieve controlling interest in Rhine Life. Ah—a bright future beckons!

Chapter 14 Saria

Two days into the new semester, Kane's schedule has been very regular: attending classes, familiarizing himself with the school map, and then going home; because of his aloof and somewhat cold attitude that rejects social interaction, he currently only has two friends on his social media.

One was Muirsey, who "forcefully" joined his circle of friends, and the other was Christensen, who has a promising future; although he only had two friends, they brought a lot of social interaction.

Muirsey couldn't stop thinking about the weekend's "apology dinner" and kept messaging Kane to ask about his dietary preferences. Colombia, with its melting pot of immigrants, encompasses almost all the cuisines of the Terra region.

If we divide them by class, the most popular dishes among the pioneers are naturally those from Rembiton. As the country with the largest mining industry, Rembiton also has the largest number of miners. They know how to cook hearty dishes that can satisfy those who do heavy physical labor.

Meanwhile, white-collar workers and elites in the city are fond of Gallic and Vitórian cuisine, both of which have deep connections with Colombia's past and have naturally inherited a lot of culture. Of course, what really attracts them is the "aristocratic sentiment" that has been officially abolished in Colombia but is still deeply ingrained in their bones—the elaborate etiquette and exquisite plating are the best props to show off status.

The variety of cuisines available to ordinary students is also extremely diverse—pizza and drinks from Syracuse, roast meats and snacks from Lungmen, pickled fish from Iberia, and even black bread and jam from Ursus.

Kane remembered his "persona"—a Rupert, whose father was a Syracuse immigrant—so naturally he had to lean towards the Syracuse style. Therefore, Kane and Muirsey agreed to try a newly opened pizzeria in Tremont, whose main selling point was that the owner was a native Syracuse.

Muirsey is a girl who knows how to enjoy life. Fashion, food, Lancaster movies... it seems she can find something to talk about on any topic. More importantly, she is really enthusiastic, and Kane's subtle sense of distance cannot stop her at all.

Christensen was much easier to deal with than Muirsey. Her social interactions with Kane were extremely awkward—she had no way of guessing Kane's preferences and could only anchor their conversations on their shared subject—a homework assignment in high-energy physics. She meticulously analyzed Columbia's leaps in this field, the sheer volume of information even giving Kane's core processor a slight feeling of "overload"—how could such a "young" country climb the technology tree so rapidly?

On the third day, Kane was unable to meet with Christen because Christen was taking a business administration class that day. This was a very diverse course, covering a wide range of disciplines including management, economics, law, and accounting. Like a silent badge, it revealed the budding ambition of this future governor.

Kane then entered the classroom of "Originium Applications Science." The boundaries of this discipline are almost equivalent to all areas that Originium energy can reach:

Medical – Treatment and healing spells for Oripathy; Engineering – Design of Originium equipment and construction of mobile cities; Energy – Conversion rate optimization and high-purity refining… Kane has not yet determined his core research direction, but based on his own characteristics and future needs, he is vaguely pointing to a cure for Oripathy – which may be the path that best fits his “program goals”.

Kane continued to follow his choice, neither vying for the best professor nor going to the worst one, avoiding the peak and staying away from the trough.

He leisurely arrived at the classroom of a mid-level professor. As the automatic door slid open, there was already a person inside.

Kane had expected the place to be empty, since he had gotten up very early and there was still an hour before class.

Upon entering the classroom, the "first place" naturally attracted attention. Kane and she sized each other up, and it turned out that they both "recognized" each other.

His silver-white hair was neatly tied into a high ponytail, and thick, dark orange horns extended from the back of his head, piercing forward with an undeniable sense of power. A clear surprise flashed in his amber eyes—it was the Vaivafan girl he had met briefly on the first day of school while exploring the map. Her highly distinctive features stood out even among the Vaivafans, so he naturally remembered her.

With over ten thousand new students in Tremont, the probability of encountering a mere acquaintance in such a vast sea of ​​people is as low as Originium spontaneously lining up in an orderly array. This tiny "miracle" stirred a rare excitement within Kane. Perhaps stemming from the other person's similar choices, he, for the first time, had the initiative to get to know someone.

"Hello, my name is Kane Mordred. We've met once before, do you remember me?"

Kane's attitude was neither offensive nor frivolous, and Saria was naturally happy to respond to this kindness. In recent days, she had been bothered by him to no end—her outstanding appearance, coupled with her unusual tough temperament and the faint traces of combat training, had become a "hot" symbol that some "playboys" wanted to conquer.

She couldn't guarantee that she wouldn't end up punching some clueless guy in the face.

"Hello, my name is Saria. We met by chance while we were getting familiar with the campus."

The concise and powerful words spoken by Saria led Kane to conclude that her personality was at least not like Muirsey's.

Saria sat upright in the center of the first row—the symbolic seat of a "good student": facing the professor directly, making it easy to ask questions, but also meaning that her every move was under the absolute surveillance of the podium, with no concealment whatsoever. The higher seats in the back, however, became a breeding ground for slacking off due to obstructed views, where small movements on the desk were difficult to detect.

Kane was not a lazy person, but he preferred the back row because no one could see his back or the contents of his desk.

Kane remained true to himself and sat directly in the last row without hesitation; the distance between them instantly widened not only physically, but also seemed to draw an invisible chasm. In this position, any attempt by Ren Sanwu (7) to continue the conversation seemed clumsy and inefficient.

Seria's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. She refused to judge others based on their seating arrangement, but in the unspoken rules of Tremont Polytechnic, a "corner in the last row" was indeed far from associated with "diligence." She mentally labeled Kane "to be observed"—if his classroom performance confirmed her suspicions of "slacking off," she would not hesitate to end this brief social attempt.

Her life motto is like tempered steel: "Strength comes from within, failure from cowardice, and responsibility cannot be shirked." This is how she walks the world—relying on external forces and unafraid of solitude. Such a path of the "strong" is destined to be incompatible with those content to remain in the position of the "weak."

Chapter 15 The Devil Professor

An hour passed in silent waiting. As class approached, students flooded into the classroom, filling all the seats in the last ten minutes. Of course, two unfortunate students, however, were caught off guard by the intricate campus layout and arrived late.

According to the usual practice during trial periods, and given their status as new students, professors typically wouldn't be harsh. After all, they might not become the final students. However, Professor Felin on the podium was clearly an exception. Her gaze, like a poisoned thorn, instantly froze the two latecomers in place. The verdict she uttered was even colder and more chilling:

“You don’t need to come in. Get out of here, you neighbor (II) Wo Shi.”

"Professor! Please wait!" one of them cried out urgently, his face a mixture of panic and resentment.

"We were only one minute late! We know we were wrong and promise we won't do it again!"

"Admit your mistakes?" Professor Felin's lips curled into a cold, emotionless smile. "In my field, there is no forgiveness for admitting mistakes, only the payment of the price. Your laxity is the price you are paying now." Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried an iron-like firmness, clearly penetrating the entire classroom.

The professor looked quite young; by Terran standards, a Felin under forty was in her prime. Perhaps because of her youth, she exuded an unpolished sharpness, and her teaching methods were as extreme and efficient as her gaze.

“Triumph Institute of Technology upholds academic freedom! We are not your slaves! You have no right to decide our fate!” Another student angrily raised his voice, attempting to retaliate with school rules.

"Ha, if I had the power of the Indians, I would fire you directly, instead of just turning you away."

"I will sue you!"

"As you wish."

Two students, seething with anger, stormed into the academic affairs office. The air in the classroom froze; the remaining students were stunned into silence by this swift action. Many had already made a decision: this classroom's code would be permanently blacklisted when selecting courses.

Kane witnessed the entire process. His sharp mind instantly completed the analysis: the reason this professor's rating consistently hovered in the middle was found—the deluge of student complaints. However, a deeper deduction immediately surfaced: how could so many complaints fail to shake her position at Tremont Polytechnic, even maintaining her upper-middle-class academic evaluation? ...Could it be that he had once again "luckily" stumbled upon an academically brilliant but temperamental individual?

"The interlude is over." Professor Felin's voice cut off all thoughts, without the slightest hesitation.

"Class begins now!"

After dealing with the two unfortunate individuals, the professor began her lecture with remarkable efficiency and grace. There was no time for jokes or relaxation in her class; each point of knowledge led to the next, and her clean, concise, and precise explanations broke down complex concepts into the simplest Colombian language.

As long as you can keep up with this rapid pace, getting an A rating will be a piece of cake.

The gap between students was laid bare at this moment.

Saria, seated in the very center of the first row, seemed born for this kind of efficiency. Her amber eyes were fixed on the podium, her pen moving like a blur as she rapidly scribbled, underlined, and annotated in her books and notebooks. Her thoughts and lecture progressed in sync, without any hesitation. The "elite circle" radiating out from her, though occasionally showing moments of furrowed brows in thought, generally managed to keep up.

The last two rows became a disaster zone. Students who had initially approached the class with a "test the waters" mentality completely collapsed under this intense bombardment. Forget taking notes, many had even brought the wrong textbooks. If it weren't for the piercing gaze of the lecturer on the podium and the warnings of past mistakes, they would have already collapsed into sleep. Now, they could only force themselves to stay awake, feigning focus, and frantically praying that time would speed up so they could escape this "tyrant's" domain forever.

However, how could a professor who believed in "ironclad rules" easily let this group of undisciplined students off the hook? Although the school mandated a uniform pace for the first two weeks, this professor's efficiency far surpassed others. She completed her lectures cleanly and efficiently in just two-thirds of the class time. As for the remaining third? Naturally, she wouldn't generously end the class early.

"That concludes today's content." She surveyed the room, her gaze sweeping over the back rows like a cold searchlight.

"I have given you the key to the basics of Originium Arts. My classes rarely have homework—" She paused deliberately, a knowing sneer playing on her lips.

"—Because that's meaningless. The real test is now. Starting from the last row, from left to right, answer my questions one by one."

"Just a heads up." Her voice suddenly turned cold, like a chilling wave sweeping across the room.

“If you can’t even answer such basic questions, even if you choose me in the future, you will never be welcome in my class.”

Who the hell would choose you!

Upon hearing this, the rascals in the back row practically gritted their teeth as they uttered these words.