559 Chapter 559: Another Time Skip (1/2)

After the whole vampire incident in Saint Teresa Academy, I had no reason to stick around so I returned to Jing Tian City and Jing Tian Academy. I kept in touch with Rossetti and Kufa, and sometimes spoke to Zhao Yan and Yue Jian. Ji Yan still had not recovered, her mind broken and her sanity shattered after Xu Wu Cheng's abuse. I had no idea how long she would need to heal her mind, if it would ever recover at that.

After returning to Jing Tian Academy, I completed the rest of the year there. My third year flew past, I finished the Gao Kao (basically the high school examination that allowed students to graduate and enter university). I received an invitation from Vermillion University, with Henry Porter sending me an offer letter even before I passed my exams.

The guy had too much faith in me.

Since my aim was to enter a prestigious university and graduate from it to enter the ranks of mercenaries, or at least follow my dad as a real, qualified mercenary, I had no reason to refuse. So I accepted the invitation and took the train to Vermillion City.

”I'm proud of you, Richie.” Dad was grinning when he sent me off. I nodded and waved at him, having to proceed past the ticket barriers in order to enter the train platform below.

”I'll contact you again when I get there.”

”Make sure you do. Take care of yourself!”

He was aso waving. I nodded, waved one last time and then trned around to head down the elevator and toward the train platform below. After over a year back in Jing Tian City, I had gotten used to lazing around and spending time at home and with my dad (when he wasn't away in missions), so this was just…odd.

I cast my mind back to Adrian and Melina, wondering if they would do all right. After my exchange session was done, the two of them no longer continued to learn from me. Adrian had returned to Southampton City, and Melina probably continued on toward the high school department of Saint Teresa Academy.

Man, there was so much that had happened in Flandor City…

Shaking my head, I stepped into the carriage and hauled my luggage up to shove it into the compartment above. Once that was done, I dropped down on the comfortable sofa-like seats and leaned back. It was going to be a long trip, so I had best get comfortable.

If I was more versatile, I would have a sister and my dad sitting with me in the train because our city would have just suffered a vicious invasion (well…it did, more than a year ago), and moving with me to the new city. But…nope. Dad decided to stay in Jing Tian City, but he encouraged me to move to Vermillion City and attend the university there.

After all, the whole reason why I applied for university was to become a fully qualified combat mage, with an eye on joining mercenary guilds in future. Or at least following Dad along on missions. We were going to fight evil and save the world!

Speaking of which, the Dark Church had gone dormant and deeper into hiding. Despite the Silver Wolves' best efforts, they weren't able to uncover their base. Lin Xuan Chi also never showed up again, and none of the Dark Church members attacked or provoked me in a manner similar to the vampires of the now annihilated Crimson Blood Demonic Night clan.

Well, that made sense. Unlike the irrational, illogical and completely retarded bishounen vampires in the Crimson Blood Demonic Night clan, who went around doing the most stupid things possible, there was no reason for the Dark Church to target me specifically. They wouldn't hold a grudge against me in particular. Even though I did thwart several of their schemes, such as nuking the three thousand monsters they meant to set on the city, prevent them from getting their hands on the Holy Spring and other nonsensical stuff, I wasn't the only one who got in their way. The world was full of heroes and mercenaries who tirelessly worked against their schemes and stopped them from allowing monsters to take over to wipe out humanity.

Honestly, I was just an insignificant person among all these countless heroes.

Staring at the scenery that turned into a blur when the train lurched forward, the maglev train shooting forward at immense speeds. Fortunately, the train contained inertial dampeners so the passengers didn't suffer from gravitational forces pinning them down to their seats. All around me, I could see other passengers moving about.

There were a huge variety of people. Some were in business suits, particularly middle-aged salaraymen who were making business trips. A couple of old men who wwere playing chess, but with holographic pieces on a translucent board made out of light instead of a real chess board and pieces. There was a family, their kids running up and down the aisle, much to their parents' dismay. Fortunately, the parents managed to grab them and haul them back to their seats with a sharp reprimand. Just in time too, because the ticket attendants and train staff were beginning to move up the aisle.

One of them was pushing a trolley, selling food and drinks. A young couple flagged her to purchase a bento box and bottled drinks. I didn't order anything because I didn't feel hungry and I didn't want to spend the money. Yet.

Rather than eat, I would prefer to sleep. I could follow the example of the teenagers a few rows ahead of me and watch a movie on my smartphone, projecting a holographic window and loading a video from online. But I didn't bother. I was tired, I was a bit bored and I was in no mood to do anything. So I closed my eyes and dozed off.

I didn't know how long I had dozed off for, but I was woken up by one of the older passengers about an hour or so into the trip. He was placing his hands on his hips before sitting down on the couch-like seat opposite me.

”Wake up!” he snapped. I ogled him for a few moments, confused.

”Uh, who?”

”I'm a professor from a university,” he proudly bragged. I blinked and nodded.

”Uh, okay…? Vermillion University, sir?”

”No. Cerulean University.”

So he wasn't a professor from my university. I didn't know what he wanted from me, though. So I took a deep breath.

”Can I hep you, sir?”

”No, but you can help everyone on the train.”