Chapter 002: With no money to learn magic, I can only go save the world
Research requires materials, and in this day and age, it is not permissible to become overly proficient. Naturally, the rare and exotic creatures that cannot be purchased with money have become scarce. Therefore, the idea has turned to... the weak yet uniquely constituted magicians. Some unfortunate individuals may even be captured by the association and turned into specimens preserved in formalin.
In addition to increasing character affinity, extra events may also yield certain item rewards, or perhaps trigger ability growth events as well
Lu Mingfei was speechless. As Cardok spoke, a series of images began to intermittently surface in his mind. It started with him accidentally downing a drink as if it were plain water, and then, driven by the effects of intoxication, he joined a few Slavs in a game of rock-paper-scissors, getting into the spirit of the moment.
Kadok stared at Lu Mingfei, clearly intending to intimidate him. In fact, Lu Mingfei was indeed frightened, but he was inherently peculiar, a rare breed among recluses. While others might be withdrawn and inarticulate, he would uncontrollably blurt out nonsensical remarks whenever his emotions fluctuated
待续
In an awkward atmosphere, as long as I am not embarrassed, it is others who are awkward
However, in any case, Kardok has removed the label of the so-called 'lonely frail child' from Lu Mingfei's mind.
Ugh! What is this nonsense? Which unscrupulous person put vodka in a disposable cup as if it were water? What happened to the most basic trust between people?
Kardok was taken aback. Due to the reliable translation device's magical artifact, there was no difficulty in cross-language communication between the two parties, and he naturally understood what Lu Mingfei meant. However, the translation was so effective that the words exchanged between them carried some strange local accents when they reached each other's ears
It is recommended that someone passionately sings "Katyusha" on the tenth route.
Upon reflection, it seems that the icebreaker they were on encountered some issues, causing a slight delay in their arrival. Consequently, they unfortunately faced a severe snowstorm that blocked the roads in the Crazy Mountains, prompting a last-minute detour. They planned to stay for a day at a nearby Antarctic research station until the weather improved before continuing their journey
7. It is about to explode right now! (Forcing a duck onto a shelf)
I am a strange magician, but you should take note, if you encounter a normal magician, avoid them if possible
In summary, let's proceed with the determination of random numbers
Oh, oh. Lu Mingfei instinctively nodded and sat up straight.
However, in a certain sense, the term 'Tang Seng meat' does seem to be correct? The omnipotent translation machine enabled Cardok to understand the meaning behind Lu Mingfei's words
In the next moment, the howling voices of Lu Mingfei singing "Katyusha" together with a group of Slavic strongmen began to pound against his eardrums.
What will happen with the 2 additional plot determinations
--- [Divergence in the Development of the Story] ---
The Chaldean organization is located at the deepest point of Antarctica, towering at the highest peak of the mountains deep within the Antarctic continent. It is said to be the place on Earth closest to the universe, with an actual elevation higher than that of Mount Everest. The mountains are known for their steep environment and bizarre weather, and are referred to in small circles as the Mountains of Madness
Lu Mingfei frowned, thinking that something seemed amiss
Well, let me teach you a trick. If a suspicious person tries to abduct you, do not hesitate. Just lie down on the ground, expose your belly, and shout like a groundhog, 'Help! It's an assault!'
Senior Brother, please go ahead! Lu Mingfei immediately began to nod and bow, skillfully handing a cup of water to Cardock, drawing the attention of those around him.
Do you remember the previous health examination report? The results of your qualification assessment have been released
The attitude of Lu Mingfei towards Cardok: 60 + 1D40 = 60 + 20 = 80
Perhaps it is because he is not expected by anyone, including his parents, that he, having received no care, unexpectedly enjoys taking care of those around him. Although most of the time this leads to a situation where 'the people he helps quickly surpass him,' further deepening his feelings of inferiority
The process of leveling up for a magician is essentially a continuous and monotonous endeavor of "burning money" through experiments. Where is there research that does not cost money? Moreover, research is an endless pit; no one knows when success will be achieved. One can only keep eliminating one erroneous result after another and continue to "burn money" in hopes that the next experiment will succeed.
Lu Mingfei replied immediately: "Find my invoice! It's 20,000 US dollars! By the way, can this thing be considered my scholarship? I won't be 'voluntarily' taxed or anything, right?"
In a certain sense, this character is quite similar to Lu Mingfei's personality
Kadok was taken aback for a moment. He initially wanted to say that he wasn't, but upon reflection, it seemed that in this profession, it was the magicians who were tempted by Lu Mingfei's physique that were the truly normal magicians. Thus, he changed his words.
It seems there is still some time before it explodes (with 2 additional plot determinations)
However, effort remains unchanged. As long as someone expresses the need for him, as long as someone treats him a little better, he will respond with simplicity
3 / 6, there is still ample time for explosion preparation (there are 3 additional opportunities for plot determination)
Here, there will be a divergence in the possibilities of story development, which is the timing of Lu Mingfei's arrival. If there is still some time before the explosion occurs, then it will naturally allow for a certain amount of development time, potentially triggering more additional events
It seems quite friendly, and they appear to get along unexpectedly well
I heard Da Vinci say that you are a particularly lonely little brat. Goodness, I didn't see much loneliness when you were throwing a tantrum last night. I did witness quite a bit of your exuberance, especially the scene where you were shoulder to shoulder with those Slavic people, braving the blizzard outside, walking your birds while singing "Katyusha." I even recorded it. The singing was not quite standard, with a somewhat strange Japanese accent. Did you learn it from watching anime?
Did you understand?
Although Chaldea is not a school, it is not a problem if you insist on considering it a university. After all, as an outsider like you, regardless of your qualifications, there is still much to learn. There are few people like you who have just entered the world of magic, but they do exist. As for me, although I have not taken on a formal apprenticeship, I am currently learning alchemy from Director Da Finch of the Technical Development Bureau. Alchemy is considered a relatively simple introductory subject, so you can choose this as your entry point, and you can regard me as your senior.
So... am I becoming Tang Seng's meat?
Considering that the upcoming plot will involve interactions with Cardok, a random number determination will be made regarding 'how Cardok treats Lu Mingfei.' The higher the value, the more concern and care Cardok will show towards Lu Mingfei
"Learning requires money, research requires money, purchasing equipment requires money; whatever you want to do, you cannot avoid money," Cardock shrugged. "This is a fact. However, if you do not intend to pursue further studies in this field, participating in ordinary activities to save the world will earn you enough rewards to live a simple life for a lifetime, provided that the world does not come to an end."
Those Slavs are now being confined as punishment, as this is their first time causing such a commotion. Junior Brother Lu, you have made progress, you are not the first to climb the Mad Mountain, but you are definitely the first to go birdwatching in Antarctica. Would you like to see it
Stop reciting, stop reciting! Master, please stop reciting!
Lu Mingfei sat on the bed, feeling a chill on his shoulder. He shrank his neck and realized that he seemed to have overindulged last night, falling asleep without wearing anything. Who dragged him over here? Those muscular Slavic men? Just imagining that scene is a bit too horrifying, isn't it
The official beginning of the FGO story is undoubtedly marked by the event known as the "Caldea Great Explosion"
Subtitle: The First Person to Walk Birds in Antarctica
The attitude of Cardok towards Lu Mingfei: 50 + 1D50 = ?
The person who suddenly spoke was Cardok. He clicked his tongue in admiration, holding an Apple smartphone that Lu Mingfei could not afford, and his severely dark-circled eyes seemed unable to contain their laughter. Was what he was looking at really that shocking
Kadok Road: "Many people fall into this misconception, especially ordinary individuals who have just entered the mysterious world. They unconsciously apply the ideas from various fantasy works, believing that magicians are akin to leveling up by defeating monsters in RPG games, filled with all sorts of romantic fantasies"
S rank, I have confirmed it multiple times, your evaluation is S rank. You may not fully understand this, but in short, you just need to know that prior to this, the best evaluations in Chaldea were only two A ranks. Alright, you can start celebrating now
Current publicly available intelligence
That is to say ... ... ?
I truly cannot see where you feel lonely
Although this is the case, the family history is very shallow, with less than 200 years, and there is basically no assistance to be gained from the family. The qualifications are also quite mediocre. Although I have learned a lot through hard work and am a typical hard worker, there is nothing particularly outstanding about me
It seems that the two have quickly become familiar with each other
I don't quite understand, it's a bit like a riddle.
Is it not?
What are you looking for?" Cardock asked
Lu Mingfei suddenly became serious. It felt just like when a teacher announces the scores from the podium and asks the students to come up and collect their papers.
Kadok began to shake his head and then instructed Lu Mingfei to stop messing around and to listen carefully to what he was saying
Why do I feel that you, senior brother, are trying to fool me
Lu Mingfei was momentarily at a loss for words
Da Vinci once reminded me, she said, when you first hear this news, you will most likely think that you have received the script for "Harry Potter"
Kardok Zemlupus
Due to his personality, Cardok's attitude towards Lu Mingfei will have a fixed base value of 50
Compared to the stereotypical image of an old magician, Cardok resembles an ordinary young man. He enjoys modern music (mainly rock), likes watching movies (primarily blockbuster films), and despite being a magician, he can repair computers and even possesses unexpectedly strong hacking skills. If he had to mention something he considers a specialty, it would be his extensive experience in wilderness survival
In summary, if a strange person approaches you to talk, do not let yourself be misled. I may not be able to protect you, but Da Vinci can; I see that he is quite interested in you, and it was also his intention for me to pick you up along the way
9. It is very early; the detonation will have to wait until next year (there are still 4 additional opportunities for plot determination)
Kadok cleared his throat, and the previously playful atmosphere among peers shifted to one of seriousness. At the very least, his dark circles under the eyes, reminiscent of a cultivator in the Golden Core stage, conveyed this sense of seriousness.
He lost the most miserably, naturally being the first to be eliminated. Goodness, Lu Mingfei seemed to be able to imagine a notification of the achievement "First Person to Walk Birds in Antarctica" popping up in the lower right corner of his vision.
It seems that there is still some time before the explosion of Chaldea
A Polish youth born into a family of magicians, raised and trained to be a magician
Cadoc looked somewhat pleased with himself
Kadok changed to a feigned somberness and said in a tone reminiscent of intimidation
That is the destination of Lu Mingfei's journey. However, he has just crawled out of bed and his head is a bit sore
Then press the play button
Kardok was momentarily at a loss for words. He was somewhat puzzled as to whether Lu Mingfei was genuinely optimistic or simply too foolish to recognize the threatening undertones in his own words.
Lu Mingfei began to learn how to mimic the sound of a groundhog after being choked.
1/4, Chaldea is about to explode (only 1 additional plot determination)
This is akin to holding a thunderbolt in one's hands, as the master of awkward conversations, Lu Mingfei, skillfully tossed the awkwardness back to Cardok.
At this moment, there was a call from outside urging Lu Mingfei and his team to set out. Kadok left the room directly, and Lu Mingfei hurriedly began to get dressed, taking only a few belongings with him. Before leaving, he casually downed the glass of water that Kadok had not finished.
Kadok's heart said that his reminders had also reached him, though it was unclear whether they were of any use. In any case, seeing Lu Mingfei's current state, it seems ineffective. As for future matters, they can be addressed later.
The dividing line of the story
The more Lu Mingfei thought about it, the more embarrassed he felt. He had a peculiar habit: when others felt awkward, they often didn't know what to say, but when he felt awkward, he couldn't help but start rambling in colloquial language, like this:
The time point of Lu Mingfei's arrival is ... ...
... ...
In summary, my apprentice, listen carefully. In the field of magicians, qualifications are divided into two parts. One part is the physical qualifications, where some rare studies have special requirements for physical attributes, and you fall into this category. However, what is more emphasized is the qualification of learning ability. Do you know what happens to those in our profession who have good physical attributes but are not adept at learning their craft
With such a level of insensitivity, are you telling me he is lonely
--- [Divergence in Story Development] ---
AI is generating a random number within the range of 1 to 50, with possible values being 1, 2, 3, and so on. The result of this random number generation is 38
The result was that I accidentally got caught by a group of burly Slavs who were playing streetball and *graphic* boxing. If we lost, we had to down a drink and take off a piece of clothing. Under the influence of alcohol, I impulsively joined in the fun with them. Now it seems I have a bit of a hangover. What exactly happened later?
In a normal story, this should be the point where a female character is introduced, but instead, it is he who appears. Perhaps it is the mutual attraction between unfortunate children
Thus, Cardock removed his headphones, switched the audio to external speakers, and turned the volume up to the maximum
Lu Mingfei suddenly sprang up from the bed. Cardok casually tossed his underwear over, and Lu Mingfei quickly put it on before diving into his pile of luggage
Alright, let's leave it at that. I'm not joking with you anymore; the blizzard is about to end, and they are urging us to set off. There are some matters I need to clarify with you—right now, I will make it clear here, and do not let it leak out.
Kadok casually set the water aside without drinking it, appearing somewhat pleased as if he was enjoying Lu Mingfei's flattery, yet he did not pause the serious conversation at hand
Originally unable to suppress a laugh, Lu Mingfei awkwardly lowered his head again and said, "Uh, isn't this a good thing?"
The attitude of Cardok towards Lu Mingfei: 50 + 38 = 88
Lu Mingfei chose to concede without hesitation. It is true that he has extensive experience in awkward conversations, but he has rarely emerged victorious; his most proficient skill remains various methods of conceding.
Lu Mingfei was taken aback: "Isn't this just too damn real?!"
Then you can lie down on the ground and start learning to be a groundhog now
What is Lu Mingfei's attitude towards Cardok? After all, this is Lu Mingfei, and as long as someone treats him well, his basic attitude is likely to be friendly or better, right?
Oh... so are you a strange magician, Senior Brother?" Lu Mingfei asked
Although one strives hard, it is precisely because of the effort of the mediocre that one can more easily recognize one's own limitations, thus making it very easy to fall into a sense of inferiority when facing genius
10. Chaotic Super Expansion
What is 1D10
AI is generating a random number, with a range from 1 to 10. The random number generated this time is 5
Of course not, the essence of a magician is that they are individuals who study magic, which is fundamentally quite similar to that of a scientist. In our practice, there is no experience points; rather, it is an infinite cycle of continuous learning, experimentation, failure, organization, and learning again. As long as experiments are conducted, encountering failure is inevitable. Each failure consumes a significant amount of materials, which means that
"Should I scream a few times?" Lu Mingfei instinctively grabbed the blanket with his hand, covering his chest like a little girl who had been violated.