Chapter 20: Return and Engraving Runes

Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Return and Engraving Runes

As Chen Shang stepped out of the Teleportation Gate, the sight before him was not the laboratory he had imagined, but a massive Half-Plane.

He was currently standing at the edge of a high platform. Beneath his feet were perfectly polished, uniformly shaped Stone Slabs. Faint Blue light flowed across them, forming Runes he couldn’t comprehend.

Countless Rune-inscribed Stone Slabs paved the way into the distance. Their light merged into a larger river of light further away, which in turn flowed into an ocean of light, filling his entire field of vision.

He looked up. The sky was highly surreal, with an image of a starry night projected onto the dome. The stars moved slowly along precise orbits. Occasionally, a shooting star streaked by, leaving a long Tail in its wake.

In the distance stood many High Towers. The tallest one was pitch-black throughout, its surface covered in countless dense, fine patterns, and its spire pierced the clouds.

The other High Towers were shorter, but each had its own unique shape.

Between the High Towers, things were flying—various creations he couldn’t name. Some looked like shuttles, some like jellyfish, and others like trains, darting back and forth.

The buildings on the ground were even denser, spreading out in neat rows. They came in all shapes, but their surfaces were all covered with flowing light patterns.

Between the buildings, bands of light crisscrossed in a myriad of colors, hovering about a foot above the ground. Objects could glide along them.

Chen Shang stood on the high platform, taking it all in. The High Towers were like individual organs, and the bands of light were the blood vessels connecting them. The entire Half-Plane felt like a living organism to him.

"Is this... the Starfall Laboratory?"

"That’s right. One of Lord Haimer’s Half-Planes. When you become a Third Level Wizard, you can get a few of your own," Leia joked.

Chen Shang fell silent. He was currently still scratching his head in frustration over the First Level Apprentice assessment!

"Let’s go. We still have a lot to do."

Leia led him down the high platform. Beneath them was a band of light. When he stepped onto it, a gentle thrust supported the soles of his feet, carrying him forward in a smooth glide.

"This is the factory district. Alchemy Materials processing, Rune Carrier manufacturing, Potion Semi-Finished Products synthesis... it’s all done over there. It’s highly automated and doesn’t require much manual labor."

Leia pointed to an area as she introduced it to Chen Shang. Following her gaze, he saw countless pipes protruding from the roofs of those buildings. Liquids of various colors flowed through the pipes, converging into a massive spherical storage tank in the center.

The Runes on the surface of the tank flickered rhythmically, like a beating Heart.

"That’s the transportation hub." Leia pointed in another direction. On a giant circular plaza, densely packed Teleportation Gates of varying colors were lined up.

All kinds of races and artificial creations bustled among those Teleportation Gates, going in and out like worker bees in a hive.

"Those Teleportation Gates lead to different worlds. Resource gathering, species exchange, personnel transit... they all rely on them. The worlds under Lord Haimer’s name, as well as some public worlds, are basically all connected through these Teleportation Gates."

Chen Shang’s Heart pounded wildly as he looked at the dense cluster of Teleportation Gates. This was the Power of the Wizard World. A single Half-Plane under a Third Level Wizard could mobilize so many world resources... Then what about even higher-level Wizards? Chen Shang couldn’t even imagine.

"That’s the school over there. The training ground for apprentices. Rune Basics, Elemental Theory, Alchemy Introduction... they’re all taught there. If your talent had been detected when you were a child, you would have taken classes there too."

Chen Shang followed her gaze. It was a cluster of low buildings. In the open space, many children could be seen practicing, their expressions full of Concentration.

He looked at the children and suddenly felt a wave of surrealism. If his talent had been detected as a child, would he be studying here too?

The Wizard community and the outside were truly two entirely different worlds!

"Stop staring," Leia gave him a slight push. "Let’s go. You still have a lot of procedures to go through."

Next, Leia took Chen Shang into a room in a High Tower. An apprentice in a white robe tested his Spiritual Power intensity, Elemental Affinity, Physique Data, and Soul Stability...

The data was entered into a Crystal Plate and stored in a massive cabinet.

Then came identity authentication. An instrument recorded the fluctuations of his Spiritual Power, transformed them into a set of Runes, and carved them onto a Crystal Chip the size of a fingernail.

The Crystal Chip was embedded into a card. The front of the card displayed his name, serial number, and affiliated organization, while the back showed the map of his Spiritual Power fluctuations.

Leia tossed the card to Chen Shang. "Starfall Laboratory, pending apprentice. From now on, you can use this identity to enter and exit the Half-Plane, collect supplies, and consult information..."

Then came his residence. It was a three-story house, not far from the factory district. There was a small open space in front of the door, planted with vegetation he couldn’t name.

The building was fully equipped with a living room, bedroom, study, laboratory, and a small Rune Recording Platform.

Chen Shang looked at the Rune Recording Platform, a bit tempted. "Can I use this?"

"Of course you can. Your monthly quota is thirty Standard Rune Carriers, five Basic Alchemy Materials, and three Low Tier Recovery Potions. Once you run out, you’ll have to earn Contribution Points or use Wizard Coins to exchange for more."

Leia slapped a checklist onto the table. "Your access permit is also ready. You now have permission to enter and exit the Half-Plane, access the factory district, and audit classes at the school.

"However, there are some places you can’t enter, such as the high-level laboratories, the core database, and Master Wizard’s private areas. You can only go there when your level is high enough."

Chen Shang looked at the checklist and suddenly felt a sense of familiarity. When he joined a new company in his previous life, the HR representative also issued his employee badge, handed out office supplies, and introduced company policies just like this.

Only this time, the "company" had many worlds under its command.

"Oh, by the way. I’ve already signed you up for the Dragon Blood Body Refinement in the Giant Dragon World Community, and I’ve sent you the relevant Body Refinement materials. You’ll depart in three days. Someone will be there to receive you when you arrive."

Receive me? Chen Shang was taken aback for a moment. "I’m going by myself?"

Leia nodded. "Yes! Normally, many apprentices go in groups after finishing their term at the end of the semester, but you joined late and aren’t in the normal school system, so you have to go alone."

"Alright!" Chen Shang nodded. He had now officially entered the pace of a Wizard Apprentice’s life.

Before Leia left, he requested those few combat units, constructed the blueprints for the Ben Bo’Erba Mechanical Armor several times, and then selected Number Three to officially begin Rune Carving.

The bodies of the combat units were excellent carriers, so he carved directly onto its body. For his first Rune, Chen Shang chose "Dark Vision."

Gathering Light, Sensitivity Enhancement, Noise Reduction, Imaging... He carved onto the temples on both sides of Number Three’s head. Every stroke he drew left behind a faint Gold engraving.

Three days later, several Runes linked end-to-end to form a unified whole. Chen Shang asked excitedly, "How is it? Do you feel anything?"

Number Three blinked. "It’s very clear. Vision in dark conditions has been enhanced!"

Chen Shang nodded in satisfaction. This was a good start. He could continue carving the rest on the way to the Giant Dragon World.

Half an hour later, Chen Shang and Number Three stepped into the Teleportation Gate.

"Identity verification passed. Destination: Giant Dragon World Community. Teleportation initiating."