Chapter 4

A couple of weeks have passed since I woke up here. Since then, I’ve been helping out in the infirmary while Yijun comes by to teach me. Though I managed to get some of my equipment back they took all of my bladed weapons. They did return my guns and ammunition so I at least have something. The rifle I took from Private Saliem is a basic [XM7] with a single 20-count magazine. Because of the constant conflicts at the borders of the New Republic of Earth and the Sun Lords, a lot of our equipment was old and outdated. We didn’t have much choice since we weren’t able to manufacture the amo for the Sun Lord's weapons that we gathered. That isn’t to say we didn’t try and make weapons based on theirs. We managed to create a weapon series that, unfortunately, could only be used by psychic soldiers safely. It was called the [Star Killer] series. It was fitted with a special gem that could focus and contain psychic power. Something we thought was impossible, the discovery of these gems was life-saving. We named them [Psychic Crystals], and to get them we had to harvest them from the brains of dead psychic soldiers. The upside to such a dark weapon is that the gems don’t need to be changed. Since it can only contain and then focus the psychic energy there isn’t much risk of it breaking, a lot of times these gems would be the only thing left from psychic soldiers killed in combat. I also got the specially designed combat suit for psychic soldiers back as well. This combat suit protects against most sharp weapons and low-caliber firearms. It also can withstand any psychic abilities used on it or around it. The fibers used to make the suits are also from the dead psychic soldiers, though I’m not sure what part. Even though we are Earth’s strongest fighters we are also its most valuable resource.

To not attract attention to myself too much, I keep most of my psychic gear stashed in the room they assigned to me by the head doctor, Wei Chao, the old man who has taken care of me. The clothes I wear right now aren’t the most comfortable but it’s better than nothing. I’m still learning how the money of this world works since they keep paying with these orange stones that glow slightly. I’ve been told that I can use these to cultivate or buy cultivation arts and pills. I don’t know what cultivation is or the arts they talk about, and the pills aren’t the ones I’m used to either. They all have strange names like [Fire Cleansing Pill] or [Bone Strengthening Pill]. I bought a [Qi Forming Pill] which was their cheapest in stock. I’ve debated if I should take it or not since I don’t know its effects.

I finished sweeping the main entrance to the infirmary. It took only about twenty minutes to finish using my [Telekinesis] in-between. I walk to the side of the building where an archway goes along the side to the back yard where they grow the herbs for medicine. A small shed sits on the far wall while rows upon rows of herbs and elixirs stretch for what almost feels like miles. Ever since stepping outside, I’ve been taken aback when I see how vibrant the world is compared to where I once lived. This world seems to be more colorful than my own, to be honest, I prefer the colorful world to the bleak one. All my life, I’ve fought and killed, now I don’t have to do those things just to live. I put away the broom and head inside to meet Doctor Chao. He actually offered me a position as his assistant once we were able to hold a conversation. I get paid and don’t have to worry about food or a place to sleep since all workers of the infirmary sleep on the grounds, similar to a hospital on Earth.

“Ah! Peter, I see you have finished your morning chores yes?” Doctor Chao smiles at me brightly. I bow to him as I was shown by Yijun.

“Yes, I have Doctor Chao.”

“Good, good. Have you eaten anything yet?”

“No, I have not.”

“Well, that’s fix that right away! Hohohoho!” Doctor Choa chuckles as he strokes his beard walking towards the small mess hall on the third floor of the building. The food is cooked in a kitchen not far from here and is then brought over by servants. I was able to find out that not only did the people here dress like they are from ancient times but they also act like it too. Servants and slaves live here as well with the slaves being members of what they call ‘Demonic Cult’. The servants are people who aren’t able to cultivate but are allowed to live and work here.

“Good morning Master!” The assistants on the third floor all greet Doctor Chao in unison as he steps into the room. It’s still something I’m getting used to. He nods with a smile in greeting, taking a seat at the first free table. I go over to the chefs and make a serving for Doctor Chao and myself. I was surprised by how good the food was. Dishes with ducks and fish along with noodles and soups. I can’t believe this is what they would usually eat in the capital cities of the New Republic while we got dried nutrient biscuits. Supposedly they had two hundred percent of the needed nutrients in each one. I sit down in front of Doctor Chao, passing his food to him.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“Thank you, Peter, I trust you have started to adjust to life here.”

“As much as I can, though I’m still not used to the language here.”

“Hoho! I find that hard to believe since we can hold a conversation like this.” I suppose that’s somewhat true, though there are still some things to get used to. I chuckle as I dig into my breakfast. Doctor Chao and I eat the same breakfast together every morning. I copied what he got the first time I ate here since I wasn’t sure what anything else was. Turns out he has pretty good taste. We make small talk as we finish our breakfast, with a couple of other assistants joining us.

After breakfast, I go out to assist in the garden. It helps pass the time while I wait for Yijun to get back for our lessons. I’ve come to enjoy her visits, though more recently she hasn’t been coming alone. The young man, Chen Zemin, who was with Yijun when she found me and came to visit before has started coming along as well. I don’t mind that much but he doesn’t talk at all and simply sits nearby. I would have assumed he was her guard if Yijun hadn’t told me he was simply a friend and fellow disciple.

The place I am in is called the [Heavenly Star Sect] and is one of many sects in the [Xieshangong Kingdom], one of the many kingdoms in the world. The [Xieshangong Kingdom] is said to be a minor-sized kingdom compared to others with the most powerful faction in it the [Heavenely Star Sect] with many members of royalty and nobility coming here to train before returning to their clans. Fang Yijun and Chen Zemin are both core disciples and the ‘young leaders’ of their halls. What I thought was an infirmary is actually what they call a [Pill Hall], where all of their medicines are made and doctors train. They use something called alchemy to create pills and medicine, which requires a certain level of talent to even pull off. However, just because you have that talent doesn’t mean you’ll be any good since there are ranks to it.

Yijun is the young lord of the [Enforcer Hall]. The [Enforcer Hall] works similarly to the police from Earth. They enforce the rules of the sect and punish those who don’t follow them. It’s said that you must be impartial when doing so since if personal feelings are brought into the issue it could endanger the sect. So most members of the [Enforcer Hall] are said to be emotionless and have a deep loyalty to the sect, so deep that they would kill their own families if they violated the rules of the sect. Zemin is the young lord of the [Sword Hall] which is the hall that has everything to do with the sword. The [Sword Hall] practices and hones the way of the sword and as such all of its members have some talent in the sword. The two of them are quite popular in the sect and are also very powerful as well. Yijun gained the nickname ‘Snow Butterfly’ while Zemin is called the ‘Fire Jade Dragon’. These nicknames have something to do with their type of ‘Qi’.

‘Qi’ is an energy used by all things in the world, from humans to demons, to mythical beats and spirit animals. All things use and possess ‘qi’. This is as much as I know so far about though any time I try and learn more Yijun says it isn’t time yet. I let out an exhausted sigh as I wipe the sweat from my brow. The sun has risen high into the sky, a bell sounds far off higher into the sect, signaling midday. All the workers in the garden put back the farming tools, carry in the herbs they have collected, and dump the weeds into the compost. Once all of that is done, I make my way to the sect library, [Third Star Pavilion]. I don’t know why it was named that way and I can’t read the other signs of the buildings well enough to make any connections as to why either. Stepping up to the doors a pair of disciples stand guard. This is the first time I’m coming here alone so I can’t be sure if it’s alright for someone practically a servant to enter.

The guards look at me once before huffing in displeasure before letting me pass. I guess Yijun gave them a heads up I was coming beforehand. The inside of the library seems bigger than the outside, books line every inch of every wall with the tables and furniture spaced to fit more bookshelves. The smell of old pages and burning candles mix in the air as I look around for Yijun among the smattering of disciples and workers inside. The disciples all wear the same style of outfit though they are different colors and elegance to some of them. The more elegant ones must be from people ranked higher in the sect. The librarians all wear an ocean-blue robe with what appears to be a three-pointed star in a circle on the left side. They work around the ones reading, putting away books, and taking down stacks before taking them to tables with various groups. I finally see Yijun on the right side of the room with a few books neatly stacked beside her. She smiles brightly at me across the room before waving me over excitedly. As I get closer I notice we aren’t alone today, in fact, there is an extra person here today. Along with Zemin and Yijun, a new person is sitting at the table with them, a young woman with long pale blue hair and baby-blue eyes. Her outfit is the same gold color as Zemin’s and Yijun’s, meaning she is also a core disciple of the sect. She looks up at me with dispassionate eyes.

“Hello, you are Peter correct?”