CHAPTER 683: CHAPTER 683: DREAMS AND REALITY

When the barrier between dreams and reality shatters, forcing one to choose, everyone is compelled to mature—pursue dreams? Or face reality? This is a difficult choice to make.

Persist in clinging to dreams?

Give up dreaming and return to reality?

Whichever you choose, you cannot determine or verify right and wrong at the moment of choice, because only time can testify to it.

But most people are just ordinary; after awakening from dreams, they lack the courage to stand alone and the daring to abandon all to chase their dreams. They often choose to bow to reality, to compromise with themselves...

This boy is one such person.

Is he wrong?

No!

Ji You even believes he is brave, at least, he has taken the first step toward the truth by crossing the barrier.

But—

Being forced to grow up, to recognize oneself, to give up dreams, still, isn’t it a very painful, very painful thing?

...

The boy stood still and silent, not stepping out of the training room, those slight, low, and suppressed sobs began to echo in the room, barely concealed...

The last students to leave the training room, including Ji You, Chu Jiaojiao, Shen Changqing, Sheng Qingyan, Yue Qiguang, and Yue Qiyuan, did not disturb him. They all pretended not to hear, not to see...

Chu Jiaojiao was the first to step away and leave.

Sheng Qingyan followed close behind.

Shen Changqing, Yue Qiyuan, and Yue Qiguang caught up.

Ji You was at the very end.

Everyone left the training room without looking back or turning their heads.

As the students left, the faint gasping sounds behind slowly grew louder...

The boy raised his head, quietly looking at the spacious training room he was in.

second.

seconds.

seconds.

...

The boy raised his hand, unconcerned with appearances, and vigorously wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes with his sleeve.

After wiping them away,

He stepped forward decisively and walked out of the Combat Department training room.

Goodbye.

Combat Department.

Goodbye.

Training room.

Goodbye.

My dream.

...

After eating and completing all her cleaning duties, Ji You headed straight to the medical room.

As she pushed the door open, she brushed past Liu Beibei, both halting in their steps. Ji You displayed a radiant smile on her face: "Liu Beibei, what a coincidence."

Liu Beibei, with her head slightly lowered and face reddened, said, "Ji You, what a coincidence."

After saying that, she clutched the Body Building Medicine Bag in her hand, looking uneasy and anxious.

Ji You pursed her lips and smiled, saying, "I won’t bother you any further; I’m off to see Dr. Luo."

Liu Beibei let out a sigh of relief and whispered softly, "Okay."

With that,

Liu Beibei saw Ji You push open the door and step into the medical room, she took a breath of relief, then finally moved on.

Ji You sighed: Truly a shy girl.

At Lanyue Star Military Academy, the Combat Department, regardless of gender, was all rough folks; even the girls from the Material Department weren’t as timid or prone to blushing as her...

Liu Beibei...

*Cough cough*...

Really is that sort of—

Soft...

Jiaojiao’s...

Every time you say a word to her, you can’t help but lower your voice, afraid of disturbing or scaring her.

Dr. Luo saw Ji You coming in and smiled, "Student 2B is here, welcome."

Ji You: "..."

Ji You turned around to leave.

However, after only a few steps, she immediately rushed back in a flash.

Dr. Luo smiled, "Not leaving anymore?"

Ji You held a serious face and said, "Dr. Luo, I am now solemnly telling you that your previous words have seriously damaged my physical and mental health. I formally protest to you, and if you don’t restrain yourself, I will complain to the school!"

Dr. Luo raised his hand, knocked on the desk, pointed to the Body Building Medicine Bag on the table, and smiled, "Alright, take your medicine and leave quickly."

Ji You reached out, grabbed the medicine bag, and decisively turned around.

Behind her, Dr. Luo muttered, "Such a short stature, such a small temper. What’s wrong with students these days? They’re getting worse with each generation."

Ji You: "..."

With twitching eyelids, Ji You turned around and looked at Dr. Luo with some helplessness, "Dr. Luo, I solemnly protest against your behavior..."

Dr. Luo winked at Ji You with a smile, "By the way, I have a secret recipe for growing taller, want it?"

Upon hearing this, Ji You’s anger and humiliation were thrown out the window!

She dashed up to Dr. Luo’s desk, asking with a fawning face, "Really?"

Dr. Luo smiled, "Not really."

Ji You: "..."

Dr. Luo covered her mouth, giggling.

Frustrated Ji You, peripherally glanced at a draft document on Dr. Luo’s desk. She didn’t read the details, but it was mainly concerning Liu Beibei’s body and spiritual power improvement plans one to three...

Ji You paused, couldn’t help but ask, "Dr. Luo, the Body Building Medicine that Liu Beibei used these days, was it effective?"

Dr. Luo went back to being serious, "Yes, slightly."

Ji You pursed her lips.

Dr. Luo sighed, "The main issue is that her spiritual power can’t handle the strong effects of the Body Building Medicine, so we can only use conventional materials, improve little by little, step by step."

Ji You didn’t ask further.

Took the medicine and left the medical room.

...

The next day.

Training in mechs ended for the day, and just as Teacher Mu Jianling announced the end of the class, on the spot, 3 more students accepted reality and requested a department transfer.

Among these three, there were two girls and one boy.

After giving up on the Combat Department, both girls applied to transfer to the Material Department.

The boy applied to transfer to the Mechanical Manufacturing System.

Teacher Mu Jianling immediately approved the applications of the three students on the spot.

Looking at the heavy atmosphere in the training room, Mu Jianling’s brows rose suddenly, and he sternly said, "Cheer up, all of you, what do you look like? Transferring departments is not a big deal. In your life, you’ll face countless situations where you’re powerless and have to give up. Does that mean, you’ll just stop living? Can’t get on with your day? Let me tell you, every day, the constant star that brings light will still rise as per usual, no matter how terrible your days, you’ll have to live through it!"

"Feeling miserable?"

"Hold it in!"

Students: "..."

The teacher’s words were so unreasonable, yet so assertive and powerfully delivered!

And...

You really had to just hold it in.

Mu Jianling waved his hand, "Class dismissed."

The students didn’t dare linger and all left the training room one after another.

The two girls who had applied for a transfer looked up at the training room, then glanced at each other, and holding hands, they walked out of the Combat Department together.

The boy hung his head low, silently walking at the very end of the crowd.

In this way, of the 11 students who failed the basic mech test, 4 had left, leaving 7.

But—

Like a domino effect, in the following days, another 4 students chose to apply for department transfer.

Out of the 11 who failed the assessment, now only 3 remained, still not giving up.