12. Ingredient Preparation Class

Seeing Chen Nan kneeling before Ning Xuan, a turbulent storm surged within Ning Chuchu’s heart. She had returned specifically for Ning Xuan. The families of Wu Di and Wang Chen had provided her with the most premium psychic power-enhancing agents, yet her own psychic energy had stalled at 670, as if obstructed by some invisible barrier. Deep down, she sensed that this barrier was none other than Ning Xuan.

She had first felt this sensation on the eve of her initial psychic awakening; that night, she had consumed so much of Ning Xuan’s blood that her powers finally manifested. Since then, before every level promotion, she experienced the same sensation. Only by consuming large quantities of Ning Xuan’s blood could she break through the barrier and ascend to the next level. Over these many years, she had tried the blood of others, but it was useless; only Ning Xuan’s blood was what she required.

Chen Nan stood beside Ning Xuan, towering over her. Even though Ning Xuan’s current body was already 1.7 meters tall, Chen Nan stood at a towering 1.9 meters.

"Sister Xuan, your psychic level is low. If you have any conscience left, don’t hold back Major General Chen’s bright future!" Ning Chuchu clamored.

No sooner had she spoken than Chen Nan flashed forward. With a loud "bang," he kicked the returning Wu Di, sending him flying once more. He then scanned the surroundings. "Is there no class in session?"

Under Chen Nan’s piercing gaze, the crowd of onlookers scattered in an instant.

"Ms. Ning Chuchu, just worry about your own contractor. There is no need to concern yourself with the future of others!" Chen Nan said, looking at her with a flat expression.

"You—hmpf! Good words fall on deaf ears. You damned fool, just wait until your psychic powers riot and you become a cripple!" Seeing that she would gain no advantage today, Ning Chuchu stormed off in a rage, with Wu Di, who had just scrambled back from a distance, hurriedly chasing after her.

"Thank you for helping me today. I will repay this favor if there is an opportunity," Ning Xuan said before turning to leave.

"Master, I have purchased every item you browsed for more than ten seconds last night and had them delivered to your home; the housekeeping robot will sign for them automatically. All of my own possessions have also been packed and shipped there. You are free to use all the star coins in my StarNet account," Chen Nan said rapidly.

Ning Xuan looked at him in shock. Although federal law dictated that a contractor’s assets were to be shared with their master, in reality, contractors only provided a fixed amount for living expenses and never truly opened their accounts for their masters to use.

"I will pick you up to go home this afternoon," Chen Nan said with a smile.

"According to federal law, if you hide your information for more than ten years, the Mainframe will automatically dissolve our contract. Why did you suddenly change your mind?" Ning Xuan asked, puzzled.

"It is time for class, Master. I will explain it to you in detail when we go home this afternoon, shall I?" Chen Nan bowed his head slightly, his golden hair catching the sunlight and shimmering with fine light.

"Coach Chen!" The Dean of Students was calling for Chen Nan from the entrance of the Combat Department building.

"Master, if you encounter any danger, please send me a message immediately; I will be by your side at once!" Chen Nan tapped the light-computer on his wrist, bowed respectfully to Ning Xuan, and then turned to leave.

The moment Chen Nan disappeared, Hu Tao popped out from nowhere. "Xuanxuan, let’s go, let’s go! We’re going to be late for class. If we arrive late, Professor Qu will start lecturing us!"

Ning Xuan was dragged along by Hu Tao, running until they reached a relatively low, somewhat aged teaching building. Upon entering the classroom, Ning Xuan became the center of attention; her classmates glanced at her while whispering without restraint.

"Has Ning Xuan really awakened?"
"Didn't they say you can't awaken after the age of 15?"
"What are you talking about? Some say it’s impossible after 12. Everything has a probability!"
"Is Major General Chen really her contractor?"
"Is it true that Major General Chen is the new officer for the Combat Department?"

"Quiet, everyone, quiet! Class is starting. Let’s not discuss matters unrelated to our studies. Today we are having an ingredient processing class. The teaching assistant robots will distribute the ingredients to you shortly. Anyone who processes their ingredients well may keep half of them as a reward," said Professor Qu Jingyuan, a sharp-looking woman with short hair, as she adjusted her glasses.

"Ah, what kind of luck is this? These ingredients are so difficult to process!" a student nearby lamented after receiving their portion, muttering under their breath.

Ning Xuan looked at the ingredient in front of her: a hard, brownish-black outer skin with a texture like animal fur, about half a meter in diameter, and shaped like a round cauliflower. She had seen this on the light-computer last night; it was called "Blue-Flower White." Its skin was toxic, and one had to peel away the entire outer layer to reveal the edible white portion inside.

She glanced to the side and saw Hu Tao already wearing the provided gloves, holding a knife from the tray, and beginning to work. She cut into the top and carefully peeled the skin layer by layer. The skin was tough and resilient. The progress of the other students was quite slow. By the end of the class, Hu Tao had managed to peel only two complete Blue-Flower Whites. She was thrilled to keep one for herself, as a single processed Blue-Flower White could sell for 500 star coins!

Ning Xuan stared at the four fist-sized white objects sitting in front of her. While the ingredient looked large, the edible portion was pitifully small.

"Ning Xuan, you actually processed four Blue-Flower Whites? That’s too amazing! Now that your psychic power has awakened, has your manual dexterity improved that much?" Hu Tao asked, looking at Ning Xuan’s table in surprise. Previously, Ning Xuan couldn't even process a single one in a whole class, which was why ingredient processing was one of her most hated subjects.

"Ning Xuan, now that you’ve awakened your psychic power, can you choose other courses? Didn't you want to join the Music Department before? You were always rejected because you lacked psychic power. Can you apply now? With your looks, if you complete the Music Department’s curriculum, you could definitely sing on StarNet or host live streams—you wouldn't have to worry about earning star coins then!" a classmate nearby chimed in.

Just then, Professor Qu, who was collecting the processed ingredients, walked over. "Since you have awakened your psychic power, it is the perfect time to finish the courses in our department. Culinary arts are a vital part of our daily lives. If you do it well, you won't have to worry about earning money if you open a restaurant. Student Ning, don't give up halfway; you must see things through to the end!"

Seeing the vast improvement in Ning Xuan’s processing speed, Professor Qu looked at her with great satisfaction. How could she possibly let such a promising student slip away?