Chapter 350 - 317: A Smooth First Half (2)

Chapter 350: Chapter 317: A Smooth First Half (2)

After Lloyd lent a hand, and with the help of the two instructors and the Teaching Assistant, the Orbital Array was completed without a hitch.

As Instructor Randy finished arranging the last few items, the Orbital Array activated, and an invisible, multi-functional Protective Shield enveloped everyone.

The Spiritual Contamination in the air diminished significantly in an instant. The few students who had been pale and on the verge of collapse regained the color in their faces.

The book pages and even students that had been drifting aimlessly were now pushed to the corners by the shield, no longer floating about unchecked.

The surroundings suddenly grew much quieter, as if the air itself had become heavier. The soundproofing feature must have kicked in.

But in Lloyd’s eyes, these were all minor details. What truly mattered was that when looking out from inside the shield, the library seemed to be covered in a sepia-toned filter, like an old photograph, giving the impression of time flowing past. It finally lent the scene a bit of an archeological feel.

According to the tips shared in the student handbook, once the Orbit was successfully deployed and the Protective Shield was raised, the operation was already halfway to being a success.

Instructor Randy, however, asked with a hint of confusion:

"Huh? Why does it look like this? The original design was supposed to have a green, refreshing, natural aesthetic."

As he spoke, he turned to look at the art student who had been in charge of that part.

But the student had already passed out and couldn’t answer his question.

Meanwhile, Lloyd, who had erased the other student’s Orbit design and redrawn it himself, kept his head down guiltily, not daring to confess.

Fortunately, Instructor Randy didn’t press the issue and simply said:

"It seems his mental state wasn’t good, so there must have been a slight deviation. Thankfully, it’s not a major issue, just a change in ambiance... Alright, everyone, take a break and get yourselves centered. We’ll move on to the next part of the assignment after that."

The other instructor smiled and asked,

"Did anyone bring a record player? Or any other instrument? Let’s get some music going. Something soothing, preferably. A blues bar style would be best."

"I did."

The Bounty Hunter Teaching Assistant replied. Then, as if by Magic, he suddenly produced a large-horned, hand-cranked phonograph, picked up a vinyl record, placed it on the turntable, and began turning the crank.

As a mellow, soothing melody began to fill the air, everyone present let out a long sigh of relief, their minds effectively put at ease.

Playing music was by no means an act of indulgence; it was a way for everyone to more quickly dispel the Spiritual Contamination they had just endured.

"Does anyone need a drink, some juice, or dessert? I’ve prepared plenty."

Instructor Randy continued, generously pulling out a large spread of refreshments and gesturing for everyone to help themselves.

Lloyd didn’t stand on ceremony. He picked out the most eye-catching bottle—a vibrant green bitter melon juice—and bravely took a sip.

’Shit, that’s bitter!’

"Hahaha, not everyone can handle that flavor."

Instructor Randy noticed Lloyd’s expression and couldn’t help but laugh, further easing the tension in the room.

The other instructor chimed in:

"Anyone have a story, or a joke? A performance would be fine too. Just remember, keep it light and cheerful. A positive attitude, optimism, and smiles, along with drinks and music—those are our best weapons against Spiritual Contamination! It’s a shame no women made the final cut for this trip, or we could have asked one of them to dance for us."

"I’ll go, I’ll go! I’ll tell you all a joke."

A history student volunteered and proceeded to tell a very awkward, cringey, and thoroughly unfunny joke.

But everyone there, save for those still unconscious, burst out laughing.

It wasn’t that the joke was actually funny. It was that everyone desperately wanted to laugh—or rather, they needed to create an atmosphere filled with laughter.

Lloyd was no exception; he was laughing too.

But once the laughter subsided, he didn’t forget his duties. He took out his Space Cube and performed a few simple calculations.

’Not bad. The surrounding spatial disturbances are even calmer than before.’

’Looks like their Divination was pretty accurate, huh? The Orbit deployed smoothly, and the Space hasn’t acted up. The outcome really is looking optimistic.’

Lloyd’s state of mind relaxed even further. He decided to seize this rare moment of calm. Aided by his two pieces of Spatial Equipment, he recalled the knowledge from his books and began to sense and commit to memory the changes within this Alternate Space.

Before long, a panel notification sounded in his ear:

[Ding! Skill Fragment +1]

’As expected, it’s a skill fragment for Spatial Domination. This is actually easier than just reading books.’

’It seems Professor Lawrence was a little off before. For me, this method of combining theory with practice is naturally better and faster than just burying my nose in a book.’

’If only I could read a book here...’

A bold thought popped into Lloyd’s head.

Fortunately, he didn’t dare act on it.

’Reading in an environment so saturated with Forbidden Knowledge... who knows what kind of things I’d end up learning...’

’I’d better stick to comprehending the changes in the Space and consolidating what I’ve already learned.’

Lloyd told himself.

The panel seemed to agree with his decision:

[Ding! Skill Fragment +1]

Meanwhile, the others, warmed up by the two jokes, had started to chat amongst themselves, sharing interesting stories about the academy or the outside world.

The few students who had previously fainted began to come around one by one. They joined the conversation, using the time to stabilize their mental states.

However, since everyone present was male, the idle chatter unconsciously followed a certain inherent rhythm—

At first, they were all discussing lighthearted, frivolous topics, but as the conversation wore on, it somehow veered in a more serious direction...

The atmosphere grew particularly somber when someone brought up the next phase of their assignment, as well as the whereabouts of Professor Fernando.

But the two instructors seemed to notice that everyone was sufficiently rested and that it was time to get serious. They didn’t shy away from the topic, instead picking up the conversational thread and speaking in turn:

"Once everyone finishes their drinks, we’re going to get down to business. We’ll work for a while, then stop for a break, and repeat that cycle until it’s time to withdraw."

"As for what we’ll be doing, it was mentioned in the previous briefing. Under our protection, you will need to make contact with the knowledge outside in an orderly fashion, filtering and retrieving it in a safe and cautious manner."

"If I recall correctly, this was once the largest library in Mizkatoke. Its true scale is far greater than what we can see, and it houses an immeasurable trove of knowledge. This knowledge is the precious heritage of a bygone era, but it also conceals a terrifying Spiritual Contamination."

"So, all of you must be extremely careful! Do not try to be a hero or act recklessly. You must follow our instructions to the letter."

"As for the professor... don’t worry. Or rather... we’re in no position to worry about them. We can only hope that our student from the Space System, Lloyd, can bring us some news of their situation."

Lloyd was a bit surprised, not expecting the topic to suddenly turn to him.

He wasn’t completely unprepared, however, and answered:

"They’re in another section of the library. As for the distance... uh, in a place like this, physical distance is meaningless. But their situation is pretty good. The Space they’re in is just as stable as ours."

In truth, the two pieces of equipment he held, combined with his current theoretical knowledge, weren’t enough for him to track someone’s spatial position like that.

That wasn’t part of his job description, anyway.

It was just that, through his earlier period of comprehension and consolidation, he had finally gathered enough skill fragments to raise the notoriously difficult-to-level [Spatial Domination] to Lv. 2.