This was an independent council within the academy’s Mech actual combat department. The department was one of ten organizations that were responsible for the matters regarding actual combat. Despite being a grassroots council, it had the ultimate power to decide the allocated funds.
“Nonosiva? After testing the Mechs, we determined it was definitely not an accident caused by a Mech malfunction. There were no problems when we evaluated the site either. Therefore, we shouldn’t bear the responsibility,” a bespectacled middle-aged woman nodded in agreement beside him.
“I don’t think that’s right,” said Instructor Hamm while furrowing his eyebrows. “According to the rules of the whole academy, medical bills for wounds that were sustained during the curriculum need to be assumed by the academic departments. This student should definitely already have basic insurance after paying school fees for so many years.”
“However, our department is facing financial issues now. Take a look at the things that are written here… Nerve restoration operation,” the Head Instructor picked up a piece of white paper and furrowed his eyebrows while skimming through the information. “The cost of this operation is not insignificant. If we pay the full amount, it may affect this year’s performance bonuses…”
“The Head Instructor is right.”
“We should not be responsible for providing this sum of money in any way. He’s right, we don’t need to compensate him.”
“I am in favor of the Head Instructor’s suggestion.”
Everyone who was seated there was an instructor in this department. They were the primary teachers of the academy and had obviously voiced their opinions at once when they heard that their benefits would be affected.
Instructor Hamm’s expression became somewhat unpleasant.
“This isn’t right though. You shouldn’t openly go against the academy’s general rules…”
“People are alive but rules are not. The rules are just a piece of scrap paper if we don’t have the finances. We’re not merely being difficult, we just don’t have this ability,” said the Vice Head Instructor helplessly while shrugging his shoulders.
“That’s true, we can’t just affect the lives of everyone seated here just because of one of the students in your class. Isn’t that right, Instructor Hamm?” said someone else in a dissatisfied tone.
Hamm scanned his surroundings before his gaze finally fell upon the face of Head Instructor Dylan.
“He was wounded during a class test. Don’t tell me the academy actually plans to release him and let things run their course without a single concern? Won’t this make the other students in the school fearful?” he said loudly.
Head Instructor Dylan wrinkled his brow slightly.
“Hamm, you must remember that this is Blackboard Academy. Fearful? What is there to fear? People need to sharpen their minds to come here and those who fear will simply die when they go out into the world. Survival of the fittest and natural selection were the highest rules and school codes of the academy originally.”
“I disagree with your views!” said Hamm in an even louder tone. “When we signed the contract to join the academy, we already agreed to be responsible for these students to a certain degree! Once the students of the academy discover that we can’t even ensure their basic safety, the consequences will be unimaginable!” he attempted to persuade the Head Instructor again.
“Alright, that’s enough. The allocated funds for this incident have been decided,” Head Instructor Dylan raised his hand and exchanged glances with a few of the other instructors who were council representatives.
“Head Instructor!” Hamm stood up suddenly.
“Don’t waste your breath,” Dylan glanced at him indifferently. “The second item is written below. Instructions have been sent from the superiors. Recently, there were wanted criminals who may have passed by through the Federation. Everyone needs to return and tell the students to be more careful when they go out. Tell them not to visit dangerous places frequently. As for the matters regarding a new eastern branch of the academy that will be built, the previous plans can be brought up now…”
Fury began to burn in Hamm’s mind. He glanced around and noticed that the few instructors who were once close to him were now evading his gaze. Suddenly, a tremble ran through his mind.
“Good! Very good!”
He suppressed his inner fury before turning around and walking away.
********************
In the hospital corridor
“The operation fees cannot be postponed any longer,” said the doctor to Instructor Hamm while furrowing his eyebrows. “It’s already been two weeks. If you drag it on any longer, it will be too late even if we do proceed with the operation. You haven’t received the allocated funds from your side?”
Hamm nodded his head with a somber look on his face.
“If this goes on, I’m expecting that the situation will only worsen. If this boy’s nerves are not restored in time, he may even face problems walking in the future,” the doctor began to sound slightly impatient. “In the beginning, we agreed to prepare the operation measures beforehand because of the Blackboard Academy’s reputation. However, we’ve waited a long time for the funds to arrive. It’s almost time for us to place an order for our drugs, so what do you want us to do?”
Hamm remained silent. After coaching for so many years, the most exceptional students he had taught were Fervale and Nonosiva who ranked first and third in class respectively. Now, one of his best students who had the chance to become a true Mech Pilot in the future was about to lose his life over delayed operation fees. This made him feel extremely uneasy. Misfortune like this made him recall his own bitter experiences in the past. No one had been there to support him during that time, and he could only control his life with his own strength. Fortunately, he was able to control his fate in the end. However, his Willpower had decreased by more than half of its initial value because of his heavy injuries. Finally, he could only retire as a regular instructor at the academy.
“Trust me,” he took a deep breath and made up his mind instantly. “The funds will arrive soon enough. I’m going to urge them to hasten things so that the funds will arrive in full tomorrow!”
“Are you sure?” the doctor was somewhat doubtful.
“I’m sure! You can prepare to perform the operation already!” Hamm lit a cigarette and took a deep puff.
This was not his first time doing this anyway. To hell with them! He could just smoke less and save some money, right?
His mind became calm at once.
“Alright, I’ll trust you this time,” the doctor nodded. After all, they were friends. “I’ll go and inform the operation theatre then. Also, this is a non-smoking zone!”
“Okay.”
Hamm nodded and stubbed the cigarette on the rubbish bin beside him quickly.
*************
Garen lay on the sickbed. He was still unable to speak and could only make murmuring noises and blink his eyes. He could not do anything else.
This body had sustained extremely deep injuries that were impossible to heal in a short span of time.
His younger brother was carefully peeling a white pear beside him.
Garen could not move at all. Instead, he could only wait for his Soul Seeds to heal his body naturally. He observed his younger brother Alan and noticed that his face had lost much of its initial cowardice and was slightly more confident by now.
“Big Brother, you need to get well soon. You’ve been staying in the hospital for so many days and the hospital fees are so expensive. The recent earnings in our household have not been prosperous either…” his younger brother nagged him softly as if he was a little housewife.
This fellow was not more than fourteen or fifteen years old. However, it seemed as if he had not developed properly as he still resembled a twelve or thirteen-year-old. His black hair was constantly hanging downwards and covering half of his face. He liked lowering his head as well and always wore large framed glasses that made it impossible to see his features clearly. Meanwhile, his skin seemed sickly and pale.
He gave off a cowardly air that was not manly at all!
He was constantly hit and scolded by Nonosiva because he was disgusted and embarrassed by him. However, the younger boy had never retaliated.
He never expected that the younger brother who had always been bullied by him would now be the person that was taking care of him the most. Even his younger sister did not visit him as much as his brother.
“What’s his name?” Garen’s mind began to ponder. “Alan? Kellen? Or is it something else?”
He had not absorbed much of Nonosiva’s memory fragments. Therefore, he was still unclear about many things until now.
He could only obtain some information whenever his family arrived or he heard his younger siblings speak.
Knock knock knock.
The sound of someone knocking a door could be heard.
“Come in,” called his younger brother softly while standing up.
There was a squeaking noise when the door was pushed opened gently before Instructor Hamm walked inside.
“The operation is scheduled for tomorrow so get ready, Nono,” he said in a low voice while looking at Nono who was lying on the sickbed.
Garen blinked to show that he understood.
“The school has successfully reimbursed the medical fees. There will be a recovery period after the operation has been completed so just rest well in the hospital and don’t worry about anything else. As for your progress, there are many things that you don’t need to be frantic about,” Hamm attempted to soften his tone as much as possible, despite not knowing how to console others properly.
“Thank you, Uncle Hamm,” his younger brother stood on the side and bowed immediately to display his gratitude. Although he had merely increased his volume slightly to speak in a louder tone, his face and neck were flushed already.
“You must be Baylon. Good boy,” Hamm patted the younger boy’s shoulder and nodded. “Alright, I still have matters to attend to so I’ll return to the academy first. Take good care of your older brother.”
“Un… Understood…” Baylon was getting tongue-tied.
“It’s bad for young men to be easily embarrassed!” Baylon’s demeanor made Hamm laugh.
Once Hamm had left, Baylon closed the door properly and let out an unsuppressed cheer at once, “The operation fees have finally arrived!” he turned back to the front of the sickbed. “Many thanks to Uncle Instructor Hamm!”
Garen blinked in agreement.
“Big Brother, you’re going to get better soon,” said Baylon determinedly. However, he lowered his head in fear immediately when he saw Garen’s gaze shifting over and glaring at him. It was clear that he had recalled Nonosiva’s terrifying temper.
After receiving this good news, Garen could finally sigh in relief.
It was true that he could heal this body, but his Soul Seeds would definitely need to pay a heavy price and he’d incur great losses. Moreover, it would take a long time. With the current support of the operation, he would be able to restore his health quickly and control his body once again.
However, he could sense certain secrets regarding the medical fees through Instructor Hamm’s eyes earlier.
When his parents returned in the afternoon, they paid the warding fees with a tired look on their faces. They rested at his bedside for awhile and instructed young Baylon to take care of his older brother properly. Once they discovered that the operation fees would be reimbursed, the whole family was uncharacteristically happy and sighed in relief immediately.
It seemed as if his younger sister did not visit often because she was afraid of Nono. According to his parents, it seemed as though she liked going out a lot recently for unknown reasons. However, both of the parents were too busy working and had no time to pay attention to her. They were fine as long as she came home to eat and sleep on time.
Everything was moving in the right direction.
**********************
The cool moonlight of the night shrouded the entire Blackboard City in silvery gauze.
On a street somewhere in Blackboard City
Numerous magnetically levitated sedan cars moved along the roads constantly, their lights creating a dazzling light show. Drunkards could occasionally be seen waddling clumsily on both sides of the pavements, spewing nonsensical songs as they went on their way.
Between the black buildings beside the street, ten blinking black shadows could be seen vaguely. They flew and danced between the black buildings quickly.
Whenever these black shadows fell, they would not make a sound when they landed on the walls or roofs of the buildings. They resembled spiders that could land and climb up objects quietly before dropping somewhere else gently and jumping in another direction.
They flew around and passed through the sky but none of the cars or people below had noticed any trace of them.
“Disperse carefully!”
A voice echoed in the ears of one of the leaping black shadows.
“Mind your own business!”
It used a device to single-handedly stick itself to the wall before looking downwards at its surroundings. It jumped down suddenly and crashed into the glass window of the lofty building on the opposite side at once.
Crash!!
An ear-piercing alarm sounded at once while red light flashed and illuminated the entire floor.
A few black shadows rolled and evaded the red laser lights that were scanning about. They dodged the lasers as quietly and dexterously as leopards before arriving in front of a safe. One of them stretched its hands out before a fine needle sprang out and pierced the safe immediately.