Chapter Seventeen: Enrollment (Part 1)

The experience of using the World Transmission Array was entirely different from stepping through a portal. With a portal, a single step would take you instantly to your destination, with no sensation of travel in between. But passing through the World Transmission Array, Lando felt as if he were wrapped in a bubble, drifting for a long while.

When the bubble finally burst and faded away, the three of them found themselves surrounded by verdant mountains and crystal-clear waters, beneath a sky of brilliant blue and drifting white clouds. In the distance, mountain ranges undulated endlessly; birds flitted through the air, animals played and frolicked—a true outdoor paradise.

Yet Lando sensed something was off. It was like watching the latest 3D movie back in his previous life; the scenery, the flowers and grass, were all lifelike, yet he could instantly tell they were computer-generated.

“Let’s go,” Carter said, striding forward. But the moment he stepped out, he vanished.

Before Lando could react, Alice gave him a playful shove, grinning. The idyllic mountains and rivers around them evaporated, replaced by a city brimming with futuristic flair. Towering skyscrapers floated above the ground, countless flying shuttles darted through the sky, and on the ground were all manner of amusement parks and recreational facilities. Youngsters chased each other on flight boards, and humans and non-humans mingled in harmony.

Lando glanced back and saw a vast circular plaza behind him. People appeared there one after another, slowly materializing, and with a single step, they would find themselves outside the plaza.

“What was that just now?”

“You mean that holographic projection? It’s an advertisement from some merchant guild. Astonishing, isn’t it? I can’t believe Silver Tower has advanced this far in just a few years while I was away. That level of simulation used to be possible only in virtual worlds, never in reality.”

Alice laughed. “Hehehe, Carter, there’s so much you don’t know yet.”

Lando: “…”

“All right, let’s head to the academy to process your enrollment. I need to report to my mentor as well. Let’s go.” With that, Carter produced Veil, and after the three of them entered, a cute little girl with twin ponytails appeared—Veil’s virtual avatar.

“Master, master, Silver Tower requests a surface link. Should I approve it?”

“Approve it!”

“Request granted. Initiating connection. Ding. Surface link established. Master Carter, Silver Tower welcomes your return.”

“Veil, thank them for me. Take us to the academy.”

“Understood, Master! Heading to the academy. Route set. Departing now!”

Accompanied by the cheerful, crisp voice of the little girl, they arrived in a matter of minutes before the gates of a sprawling academy. Since flight was prohibited within the academy, they verified their identities at the entrance and continued on foot.

“Mr. Carter, will I be directly joining an existing class?” Lando asked.

“Inserting into a class?” Carter looked puzzled.

Alice chimed in with a giggle. “The academy uses a self-directed learning system. You’ll be given an academy terminal, which is connected to a specially designed intelligent core. You can ask it any questions you have, or request anything you need.”

‘It’s just like a university, but even freer!’ Lando thought.

“So what do the teachers do?” he asked. If every question could be answered by the intelligent core, wouldn’t the teachers become obsolete?

“Teachers focus on researching their chosen fields. If you’re interested in a particular teacher’s research, you can apply to join their team. If you develop research or theories that intrigue a teacher, they may invite you to collaborate. Occasionally, teachers will give public lectures or host discussion forums with other staff. You’re free to sign up if you wish.”

“Is it really that relaxed?” Lando was speechless.

“Of course! Whether you seek knowledge or power, it’s all up to you—the path is laid out before you. If you won’t take it, who else can carry you forward?”

“…Makes sense,” Lando thought.

All the academy staff they encountered were mechanical golems. Even enrollment registration and accommodation assignment were handled directly by Carter at a machine terminal.

Carter handed him a silver bracelet, gave Alice another, and then went off on his own.

“This is the academy’s intelligent terminal,” Alice explained, showing off a pink bracelet on her own wrist.

“Is there a color difference for male and female students?” Lando muttered.

Alice laughed. “Nope, watch.” She gently shook her bracelet, and the pink shifted through several other colors before returning to pink.

“Don’t you think it’s cute this way?”

Lando put the bracelet on, resigned.

“Until you develop your own intelligent core, the academy’s central core will allocate a portion of its processing power to create a subsidiary core to assist you in your studies and daily life. You can even give it a name.”

No sooner had Alice finished speaking than a voice sounded in Lando’s mind: “Connection established. Identity verified. Generating subsidiary program… Generation complete. Greetings, new student Lando! Welcome to Silver Tower Academy. We boast the finest faculty, the most excellent traditions… From the transformer of Iron Golems, the creator of Diamond Golems, the master of the Mechanical Labyrinth, the Seventh Arcane Emperor, Lord Edison Cornett… We have nurtured… We oversee 102 seats of power across the world… We also have usage rights to six world laboratories… blah blah… abba abba…”

By the time the bracelet finished its introduction, Lando’s mind was buzzing. He looked at Alice, who was doubled over with laughter, and managed a wry smile. “You could’ve warned me!”

Alice giggled. “That’s a tradition for all new students here. Oh, and you can actually interrupt Silver’s intro.”

Hearing this, Lando felt even more exasperated.

“All right, the tradition is done. I need to check in with my mentor now. For any other questions, just ask Silver. And remember—make lots of friends!” With that, she turned and left.

“…So you stayed just to see me embarrassed?” Lando thought he might need to reassess his impressions of the people here.

“So, what do I do next?” he muttered, feeling a little lost.

“Hello, student Lando. I am Silverlight, the academy’s intelligent core—this is my subsidiary program. You may give me a name for easier future communication.”

“…Snowy?” Lando ventured cautiously.

“…Very well. Name recorded. Would you like to customize an avatar for me?”

Lando’s mind flashed with the image of a big white dog. He quickly shook his head. “No, not for now.”

“Your dormitory has been assigned. Would you like directions?”

“Yes, please.”

An arrow appeared in his vision, pointing the way. Just as he was about to step forward, a thought occurred to him and his expression darkened. “Is this an external projection?”

“No, this is a visual overlay I generated by manipulating your visual nerves.”

“You can control my visual nerves? Can you control my body as well?”

“I can.”

“…?!”

“Statistically, 97.9% of new students choose to research independent intelligent cores as their first project. Should I draft a study plan for you?”

“…”