First Interstellar Guide Chapter 21.3: Yu Ran’s Plan (Part 3)

Chapter 21.3: Yu Ran’s Plan (Part 3)

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

Over the weekend, Monday was the day of the Guide Academy exam. Due to the guides’ memory being several times that of ordinary humans, they learned knowledge very quickly. What regular students took two months to learn, they could grasp in just a week, or even less.

After a week of popular science education, each new class of students would undergo a grade-level exam. Teachers assessed everyone’s understanding of the knowledge to adjust the pace of teaching accordingly.

All students valued this exam, especially the guides in the “key classes,” who wished they could score 100 on every subject.

The theoretical tests were straightforward, mainly consisting of noun explanations, and questions and answers that could be passed with minimal studying.

The crucial part was the practical exams, which Yu Ran needed to prepare for seriously.

Guide’s mental energy levels were generally judged by the size of their mental landscape. Class C guides had very small mental landscapes, visible at a glance. Therefore, Dean Xie Shiyi didn’t waste energy invigilating Class C students; his focus was on the highly talented guide students in Class A.

Class 107 was supervised by the homeroom teacher, Ai Qi.

This exam was conducted individually. Each student had to go to the designated mental energy meditation room and try to use mental tendrils to organize their mental landscape. The more proficiently they used mental tendrils, the higher the score. If they could add content to the scene in front of the examiner, they would receive additional points.

Students from Class 107 entered the exam room one by one according to their student numbers.

Yu Ran was number 37, and 36 classmates had already taken the exam before him. Their results disappointed homeroom teacher Ai Qi greatly.

The insights of Class C guides were indeed low. Many students struggled for a long time, sweating profusely, and ended up failing the exam as their mental landscapes became more chaotic.

Out of the 36 candidates, only 10 managed to gather their mental energy into mental tendrils successfully, but their duration was short-lived. Compared to the students in Class A who were adept at using mental tendrils to organize scenes, it was a world of difference.

When it was Yu Ran’s turn, Teacher Ai Qi sat up straight.

She liked this student not only because he voluntarily took on the role of class monitor. During this time, Yu Ran had also been studying very diligently, practicing in the mental energy meditation room whenever he had free time, which she noticed.

Ai Qi looked at Yu Ran gently and said, “Don’t be nervous. Just try to use the mental tendrils as you usually do and carefully organize your mental landscape.”

Yu Ran nodded earnestly, sat in front of her, closed his eyes, and began to concentrate his mental energy.

Ai Qi’s mental tendrils also lightly touched Yu Ran’s forehead, observing the changes in his mental world.

The clear lake was calm, and Yu Ran appeared in the center of the lake, standing above it. Countless points of light representing mental energy surrounded and flowed around him. A mental tendril emitting a soft green light gradually condensed into shape in his palm.

That tendril was like a sentient vine, extending slightly from his hand. The vine crawled slowly along the lake, as if patrolling the territory. Wherever the vine passed, the lake seemed to respond with a slight vibration of resonance.

Around the lake, a tree that was originally lifeless quietly sprouted green buds as the vine gently brushed over its roots. Following that, the dense fog around the tree dispersed, revealing a small patch of brown soil next to the tree.

“!!!” Ai Qi stared wide-eyed, unable to believe what she was seeing.

After a moment, Yu Ran’s voice echoed within the mental landscape, “Sorry, teacher, I can only hold on for so long.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the green mental tendrils dissolved into powder under the light, disappearing from sight.

Yu Ran opened his eyes, looking somewhat embarrassed as he glanced at the homeroom teacher. “I’m not proficient enough in using mental tendrils; I can only maintain it for a dozen seconds.”

Ai Qi stood up excitedly. “Yu Ran, did you notice that your mental landscape has changed?”

Yu Ran looked puzzled. “Changed? It seems like it. The mist around the lake seems to have dissipated a bit.”

Ai Qi was ecstatic. “Oh my, you’re a growing type guide!”

Yu Ran looked puzzled. “Growing type?”

Ai Qi explained, “The mental landscape of a growing type guide can expand! As you become more proficient with mental tendrils, the scenes will become larger, and the mental energy will become stronger—mental tendrils can expand the area of the mental landscape. That’s the typical characteristic of a growing type guide!”

Yu Ran seemed to understand. “So, my mental energy can still improve, right?”

Ai Qi smiled, patting his shoulder. “Yes. Professor Morvi is a growing type guide. When he first enrolled, he was at the C level of mental energy, but later, he elevated to the S level. Kroger from the Investigation Division rose to A+. Of course, some people can only reach the B level, but it varies from person to person. But with the growth attribute, you definitely won’t stay at the C level forever!”

Yu Ran listened, feeling happy. “That’s great! So, as long as I study hard in the future, I have the possibility to grow into a more powerful guide and do more things!”

Teacher Ai Qi gave him a hug. “Yes, congratulations, Yu Ran!”

Soon, Ai Qi reported this matter to the Dean of the Guide Academy, Xie Shiyi. Dean Xie personally came to the exam room to inspect Yu Ran’s mental landscape and indeed found that when Yu Ran touched the boundaries of the scene with mental tendrils, the area around the lake would expand.

Although he was not yet proficient in the use of mental tendrils, the expanded range was negligible. But as long as he could expand it and accumulate it slowly, one day, his mental energy would undergo a qualitative improvement.

Xie Shiyi smiled and said, “Yu Ran, you’re the only growing type guide among this year’s students. Cherish your talent. Also, don’t spread this matter around. It’s enough that you and I know about it. Outstanding talents are easy to provoke jealousy. Do you understand?”

Yu Ran nodded earnestly. “I understand!”

Xie Shiyi looked at Teacher Ai Qi. “From now on, you will personally tutor Yu Ran in his meditation classes.”

Ai Qi said excitedly, “Understood, Dean!”

After the exam, Dean Xie informed Mrs. Joseph, “The Yu Ran you’ve been asking me to look after unexpectedly turned out to be a growing type guide in today’s first-year joint exam. Moreover, his mental tendrils are of a rare green color—indicating forest-type healing abilities.”

Mrs. Joseph widened her eyes. “My goodness! Does Ranran have such potential?!”

According to the different types of mental tendrils, there were many branches of healing type guides. Among them, forest-type guides had the strongest healing abilities.

Other guides, when tidying up the sentinel mental landscape, could mostly perform “dispelling” of the holy light type or “purification” of the ocean type. The greatest strength of the forest type lay in “reconstruction.”

In other words, if a sentinel’s mental landscape was damaged, Mrs. Joseph could only dispel the negative emotions in his mental world, making him feel happier and less distressed.

This treatment was “treating the symptoms, not the root cause.”

But Yu Ran—if he could evolve into an S-level healing ability—he could even reconstruct a completely new mental landscape for a sentinel on the verge of mental collapse.

In other words, those sentinels on the brink of hysteria might receive healing from Yu Ran at their very roots!

Mrs. Joseph took a deep breath to calm herself down and said solemnly, “Except for you, me, and Yu Ran’s homeroom teacher, don’t let anyone else know about this news. Although growing type guides have unlimited potential, they may provoke jealousy from others. I don’t want this young sapling to be destroyed before it grows up.”

Xie Shiyi nodded. “Rest assured, I understand your concerns. I will protect Yu Ran.”

Among the students of the Guide Academy, there were many high-level guides from prominent families who had been pampered since childhood. Once the news of Yu Ran being a growing type guide leaked out, the immature minds of these teenagers might inevitably do something outrageous out of jealousy, even leading to campus violence.

Yu Ran had no parents and no support, making him an easy target for those outstanding students.

Let him continue to be ordinary. Sometimes, being ordinary is the best protection.

***

Back in the dormitory, Yu Ran sent a long message to Lu Zexuan.

“General Lu, today was the school’s joint exam, and the teacher said I’m a growing type guide. They also told me not to tell anyone about this secret. But since we’re getting to know each other, I feel like I shouldn’t hide this from you. Before, because I was a Class C guide and you’re an S-level sentinel, I’ve always felt inferior in front of you. Even though our compatibility is high, I didn’t dare to have too much contact with you. But now, the teacher says growing type guides have great potential. I think as long as I study hard, I can become stronger. In the future, standing by your side, I won’t be laughed at by others.”

Lu Zexuan was speechless. Was this… genuine expression?

Actually, he had always had a fondness for General Lu, but because of their family backgrounds, mental energy levels, and various other factors, he felt inadequate compared to Lu Zexuan. So, every time they met, he felt nervous? And now, unexpectedly finding out he was a growing type guide, he happily told Lu Zexuan? Was that it?

At this moment, the Eagle starship was in interstellar navigation.

Seeing Lu Zexuan’s complex expression, Mohr couldn’t help but ask, “Who sent the message? Why do you look like that?”

“Nothing, just private matters,” Lu Zexuan cleared his throat lightly, adjusted his expression, and quickly replied, “Congratulations. Growing type guides are very rare. It’s okay if your mental energy is lower for now; you can gradually improve it in the future.”

Yu Ran looked at the reply and smiled, then turned off the communicator. Being a growing type guide was a very flexible character setting.

When he needed to be strong, he could instantly elevate his healing ability to S level, which could be explained by a burst of mental energy due to stimulation. When he needed to stay low-key, he could just say, “Sorry, my talent can only improve to a B level.”

He could attack and defend as needed. With control over his mental energy levels, he could freely manipulate the situation. I wonder what General Lu would think when he sees this message? Would he think that this highly compatible little guide is also worth cultivating?