Chapter 246: The Fifth Layer
Two hours was not very long. Moreover, during the flight, Xu Zhi barely felt any turbulence. Although she had never ridden in any flying vehicle before, she knew that takeoff and landing were usually accompanied by noticeable bumps. Yet here, she felt almost nothing.
Before arriving, Xu Zhi went over her plans in her mind.
Without a doubt, restoring her strength was the top priority. Secondly, she believed the Upper Layers must also have some kind of “weather forecast” regarding the Lower Layer. After all, the fog in the Lower Layer was a major event—there was no way the Upper Layer would completely ignore it.
When the next wave of fog arrived, she would use her “spirit body” to return to the Lower Layer and attempt to enter the depths of the fog.
But before that, it would be even better if she could complete the establishment of the [Moth] attribute extraordinary circuit.
A [Moth]-attribute spirit body that did not resemble her appearance, operating in the Lower Layer—if it did anything and was discovered, it would not be traced back to her.
At that point, she could truly act without restraint.
“I’m still lacking resources… After going up, I’ll have to think of a way.”
As for her blade, there was nothing she could do for now. She could only leave it in someone else’s custody.
Xu Zhi knew that the people of this world would certainly treat the blade as a clue and attempt to trace its origins. But the “forger” who had crafted it—and the world it came from—had already vanished. How could they possibly trace that?
After several rounds of thought, Xu Zhi raised a hand to rub her forehead, feeling somewhat irritated.
Back in Cloud City, when had she ever needed to be this cautious? If something displeased her, she would simply cut it down. Charging forward recklessly was enough.
But looking back now, she could see that her previous smooth journey had not been due solely to her talent and exceptional luck. There had been another crucial reason: the overall strength of the Federation world had simply been low.
It had been a small place to begin with. That was why she had been able to act so unrestrained. Now that she had broken free from it, she had already paid a tremendous price. To grow again to a height where she could act without fear might require many times more effort.
What a hassle.
She had to think of a way.
Xu Zhi’s eyes shifted slightly, and an outrageous idea surfaced in her mind.
It was far too unrealistic, though. She would need to plan it carefully.
[—Attention all personnel, RU2035 is undergoing identification verification.]
[—Identification confirmed. Verification passed. Clearance granted.]
Two voices suddenly echoed throughout the aircraft. When the words “clearance granted” fell, Xu Zhi finally felt a faint tremor from the craft.
Not long after, another slight vibration followed. Less than five minutes later, her door was knocked on.
“Miss Xu, we’ve arrived.”
Qi Yanxin adjusted her backpack and pushed Xu Zhi toward the door.
In truth, Xu Zhi could control the wheelchair herself. But whenever Qi Yanxin was by her side, she would insist on taking care of every little detail. Over time, Xu Zhi had unconsciously grown accustomed to it.
“Please follow us. Master Tan is waiting for you.”
The “Master Tan” he mentioned was likely Tan Jingyuan—the middle-aged man.
On the way to the exit, Xu Zhi saw quite a few people. Most were unfamiliar, though occasionally she recognized a few faces, such as the doctor and the young man from the consortium.
“Why don’t I see the others?” Xu Zhi asked the soldier beside her casually.
The soldier paused, then replied, “Some of the lords are from other places and will not be leaving with us.”
“I see.”
As they approached the exit, the light around them suddenly grew brighter. Not artificial lighting, but long-unseen… sunlight.
When the wheelchair was pushed out of the aircraft, direct sunlight finally fell upon her. Xu Zhi’s eyes stung slightly. She raised a hand to shield them, closing her eyes briefly to adjust to the sudden glare.
“…Such bright sunlight,” Qi Yanxin murmured beside her.
This was not the kind of weather found in the Lower Layer. Even on clear days there, the sun would never feel this warm.
When the sting in her eyes subsided a little, what came into view was a spacious, clean, and orderly “airport.”
Forgive her ignorance—she did not know how else to describe it. A port? An airport? Something else entirely?
In any case, it was astonishingly vast. The ground was firm and level. Beyond the bright yellow warning lines were several vehicles that appeared to be there to pick people up. Staff in uniform stood waiting. In the distance, smaller aircraft were taking off and landing. A tall control tower reflected the brilliant sunlight. Everything seemed perfectly organized.
It was scenery completely different from both the Lower Layer and the Federation.
“Miss Xu.”
Tan Jingyuan approached with several people behind him. He gestured to a uniformed woman at his side.
“Her name is Ke Yi. She’ll handle your paperwork and explain some matters about the Fifth Layer. I have other business to attend to, so I’ll be leaving first.”
After speaking, Tan Jingyuan departed directly. Xu Zhi noticed his steps were slightly hurried—it likely was not an excuse.
“Miss Xu, your household registration has already been processed. I’ll take you to the Light Academy to complete your enrollment procedures.”
Xu Zhi feigned surprise. “Doesn’t household registration usually require the person to be present?”
“Generally, yes,” Ke Yi replied.
“But Miss Xu’s situation is special. Naturally, the Light Academy handled what they could for you in advance.”
Nonsense. They were clearly tightening their grip on her.
“I see. Then I must thank you,” Xu Zhi said with a gentle smile.
“No need to be polite, Miss Xu. As a future Inner Court student, you’ll enjoy many conveniences,” Ke Yi replied while leading the way.
As expected, one of the vehicles waiting beyond the warning line was there to pick her up.
It seemed that from the moment she boarded the aircraft until she entered the Light Academy, she would not have a single opportunity to leave on her own.
They were truly cautious.
After getting into the car, Xu Zhi kept her gaze fixed outside the window. Seeing her curiosity, Ke Yi took the initiative to ask, “Miss Xu hasn’t been to the Fifth Layer before, has she? Would you like me to explain it to you?”
Xu Zhi nodded. “If it’s not too much trouble.”
“Unlike the Lower Layer, which is mostly factories with production as its primary function, the Fifth Layer mainly consists of the academies of various forces and their supporting facilities. Extraordinary individuals from the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Layers almost all come to the Fifth Layer for further study after completing their foundational education—this included the former Seventh Layer as well.”
“Although the Fifth Layer is most known for its higher extraordinary academies, its other facilities are also quite comprehensive. The commercial district established by the Fixed Star Consortium is especially popular—students almost always visit it during holidays. There, you can buy almost anything.”
“However, Miss Xu, you may need to be careful. There are… many temptations there. If your funds are limited, it’s best not to set foot in it.”
