Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Why Is This System So Picky?

A few minutes later, Qian Qi added Su Xing Le’s Light-Brain ID, handed back his jacket and student card, then walked out of the boys’ dorm in a good mood as she murmured: “I still have one use of Analysis Skill left today, so let’s swing by Back Mountain.”

Awakener University gave each school its own space: the Magibeast School had a dissection lab, Beast Taming had a magibeast storage hall, the Commander School used a combat simulation room, and the Skills Department trained at the Dueling Plaza.

Back Mountain’s plantation belonged to the Magiplant School, where students planted and studied magiplants.

Standing on a ridge, Qian Qi shaded her eyes and looked down at the wild patch of magiplants as she thought: [Who should I analyze?] She was about to pick an easy target when the System Panel popped up and hovered above a dark red magiplant with a big chunky arrow pointing at it.

She eyed the arrow and asked the air like it could hear her: “You want me to analyze this one?”

She walked over and found the plant looked a lot like the spring orchid she knew from her past life: countless blood red, skinny leaves circled a single bud, each leaf edged with tight, sharp serrations, and three petals striped in orange red and blood red dotted the white bud.

On the panel, a line of data lit up:

Magiplant Name: Three Scale Orchid
Grade: E
Attack Methods: Leaves will strike on approach; bud and petals can fire projectiles
Weakness: Strong light
Organ Function Analysis: root, stem, leaf, flower, fruit, seed

She tapped through the Organ Function Analysis one by one, then her eyes brightened as she said: “The petals of the Three Scale Orchid can stop bleeding?”

She checked the Light-Brain and found papers saying the same thing, but the effect was poor and worse than human-made hemostatic potion, so the feature was basically ignored.

She stared at the System Panel and asked softly: “So… now what?”

The Blue System Panel flashed with a cheery pitch as if it were a late-night commercial: “Dear friend, are you lost about your future? Are you broke but dream of becoming a millionaire? Are you lonely and want eight male models to keep you company?”

Qian Qi pinched the bridge of her nose and said: “Speak human words.”

The panel sparkled and sang out: “For only 998, you can get the formula for Magic Potion: High Potency Hemostatic Potion! Why hesitate when you can act now? Only 998 to bring the potion home!”

Qian Qi froze, full of question marks, as she thought: [Why does this feel like a pushy infomercial?]

She pointed at two words on the screen and asked: “Magic potion?”

The panel chimed like a tour guide: “Magic potions are medicines made by mixing different magiplants in set ratios. They often work wonders. For example, ‘High Potency Hemostatic Potion’ can heal and stop bleeding instantly, even if a major artery is cut.”

Qian Qi’s eyes lit up as she whispered: “That amazing?” She glanced over the plantation and thought: [People here get hurt a lot. If I can make this potion, I can earn big.]

She clasped her hands and praised with full drama: “As expected of you! A function this powerful is rare in the world. Only you have it. Under your protection, I can walk sideways anywhere!”

The panel cleared its throat and answered modestly: “Ahem, you flatter me.”

She leaned closer and bargained with a straight face: “So can we make it cheaper? I think 20 yuan is just right.”

The panel snapped: “…Scram!”

She pulled out a worn, crumpled 20 and waved it under the Blue System Panel as she coaxed: “Come on, I need to stay alive first so I can make you more money, right?”

She had discovered the System’s engine was simple: pay money, get intel.

After a beat of silence, the panel offered like a loan shark trying to be kind: “Installments over two months. First month 20, second month 978.”

Qian Qi fired back in a crisp voice: “Ninety.”

The panel boomed: “Nine hundred seventy eight!”

She tried again as if haggling in a street market: “One hundred twenty.”

The panel repeated like a broken drum: “Nine hundred seventy eight!”

She folded her arms and said: “Three hundred. Can’t go higher.”

The panel caved a little: “Seven seven eight. Final, okay?”

She held the line: “Five seven eight. That’s my bottom line, or I starve.”

The panel vibrated with outrage, then spat out: “Six seven eight! One price! Deal or not!”

She beamed and chirped: “Deal! Lord System, you’re so generous.”

The panel slid back and ordered like a picky aunt at a fruit stand: “I want the brand new 20 in your pocket.”

Qian Qi glared and grumbled as she swapped bills: “Why are you so picky?”

The panel gulped the money. A second later, the recipe appeared:

High Potency Hemostatic Potion
Ingredients and ratio: Three Scale Orchid petals; equal grams of Zhuyan Grass leaves; Tuoseng Fruit peel; and peeled, deseeded Pu Feng Fruit pulp, all ground into powder. Then…

She rubbed her chin and nodded: “Mm.” It looked like she had to gather the materials next.

She remembered what Liang Yu Ting had said: each student could apply for ten magiplant seeds for free every semester. She decided: “I’ll go ask the instructor if these seeds are available.”

Awakener University, Administration Building.

The sun was warm, and Mo Yin Qiu lounged on the balcony chair of her office, enjoying a rare “paid day off.” Because the Magiplant major was unpopular, almost no one wanted to teach here. Even top grads mostly chose the better paid Magiplant Research Institute instead of the 2,000 yuan a month pay for a Magiplant teacher.

So the few teachers they had were borrowed from the Research Institute by the dean to lecture part time. Usually there were only five classes a week, and one teacher took turns on duty to answer questions.

Mo Yin Qiu was the first year instructor for Magiplant, and today was her duty day. She crossed her long legs, took a deep pull from a beer can, and with her pretty face and hot figure, she made the male teachers from the Magibeast School sneak glances every so often.

A knock sounded at the door, and she covered the beer with a small cloth as she said: “Come in.”

Qian Qi stepped through the door and saw a stunning beauty on the balcony. She searched her memories and confirmed it was the first year Magiplant instructor, Mo Yin Qiu.

Mo Yin Qiu also looked Qian Qi over. She knew this student: lazy, always fighting, often skipping class. She had warned her here in person that one more skipped class or fight meant expulsion. But this was Qian Qi’s first time coming to her on her own.

Mo Yin Qiu lifted her chin and asked coolly: “What is it?”

Qian Qi put on a model student face and asked politely: “Instructor Mo, I want to apply for magiplant seeds. What’s the process?”

Mo Yin Qiu narrowed her eyes with doubt. Most students had applied a few times already, and only Qian Qi had never applied. Qian Qi had never liked planting. Why the sudden interest?

She reminded in a level voice as her pretty face carried quiet authority: “Qian Qi, magiplant seeds cannot be sold outside. If you do, you’re expelled. You know that, right?”

Qian Qi thought for two seconds, then answered honestly: “I actually didn’t know.”

Mo Yin Qiu stared, speechless for a beat.