Chapter 10: Minecraft

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Strictly speaking, “knowing” and “doing” were two different things. This was the difference between an empty talker and an actual professional.

After reading Tongji University’s Higher Mathematics and Linear Algebra, together with Zhejiang University’s Theory of Probability, his mathematics knowledge level was already enough for the test.

Just like how the “Layer by Layer” and “CFOP” methods in Lin Qi’s mind were both good, proven methods to restore the Rubik’s cube.

However, if he didn’t try his best to browse through textbook revision materials like “xxx Mathematics Revision Textbook”, “xxx1800 Questions”, and “xxx18 Lectures”, he would be at a loss in the examination hall.

Of course, geniuses were exceptions.

But then, Lin Qi was also beyond genius.

Looking at the exquisite Rubik’s cube in Wang Ruoling’s hand, his face suddenly turned pale.

If he was given half an hour, he would definitely be able to restore it to its original design by relying on the most basic Layer By Layer method.

However, if he used the more complicated “CFOP” method, which was commonly used in Rubik’s cube speed competitions, it would take him more than 10 minutes just to flip through the formulas. He would not be able to put up a good performance at all.

“Personally, I don’t like to attract attention. Let’s forget about that,” Lin Qi replied awkwardly, trying to show that he was adverse to posturing.

However, before Mo Feng could speak, Wang Ruoling, whose face was hidden under the white mask, immediately made her assertion.

“Student Lin Qi, this is the fruit of your hard work. How can I be the only one in the limelight?”

“A gentleman knows what he should or shouldn’t do. Mr. Mo Feng, I won’t do it if Lin Qi doesn’t.”

At this moment, Wang Ruoling’s pretty face was raised high, her fringe fluttering in the wind like a proud little swan.

Lin Qi was rendered speechless.

No need to stand on such ceremony, Student Wang!

This was just something I blurted out in a few minutes without even thinking.

Even the text and accompanying pictures were probably arranged by Mage Mo Feng. Throughout the whole time, he had really just shot off his mouth.

Yes, perhaps if he took more effort to read through the information in his sea of consciousness.

But Lin Qi couldn’t tell the truth.

He finally understood the adverse consequences of overdoing it. A simple Layer By Layer method would have been sufficient to prove one’s abilities, and it wouldn’t have led to this.

And ever since Mage Mo Feng graduated from the academy, he had roamed the outside world for more than ten years. Everywhere he went, people looked at him with awe and respect.

This was the first time he had seen two youths with such clear cut characters. He felt a little overwhelmed.

They were already like this even before entering the academy. They would be climbing all over him after they became apprentices.

Mo Feng turned around and smiled at the person he had been taking care of for the past few days.

“Lin Qi, you have to know that this society is a densely woven network. Otherwise, we mages wouldn’t have to come out of seclusion just to participate in the complicated politics of the ruling class, purposely adding obstacles to our path of cultivation.”

“And you’ll never be able to guess which powerful mage is standing behind those mage apprentices. But as long as you perform, your reputation will spread via their mouths. Your parents sent you to the academy to fulfill their lifelong wish. The rest of the road is up to you. This isn’t just to show off, but to display your talents to the outside world.”

“The faction has paved the way for you. This is only the first step, but it’s the key to fighting for the legendary position of Valedictorian.”

“The ‘Valedictorian’ of every school is a position that the Highest Council will pay close attention to. Every one of them has become a powerful mage. Even I myself was jealous of that person on the stage in my year.”

As he spoke, he glanced at the high students who were still trying hard to absorb the secret energy particles in the air using the breathing technique.

“For people like them, being a mage apprentice is the endpoint. Even if they can’t become mages, they are guaranteed a life of ease. But for people like you, being a mage apprentice is only the starting point.”

Lin Qi nodded, somewhat dazed.

As a high and mighty mage, Mo Feng must be truly invested to be able to say all these to them.

This was indeed not a small schoolyard squabble. Countless people in the workplace and bureaucracy were fighting for the chance to present themselves in front of the leader.

However, the prerequisite was that he really knew how to do it.

While watching a livestream, even the low-ranking player in the game Honor of Kings could comment and laugh at the mistakes of the main players of the first and second professional teams.

The two people in front of him would never expect this at all.

Don’t talk about using the formula to restore the Rubik’s cube while blindfolded, he could barely even understand the instruction manual.

Now that things had come to this, he had no choice but to quietly buy a Rubik’s cube and put in some extra practice at night.

Seeing that Lin Qi had accepted it, Mage Mo Feng nodded in satisfaction and turned back to look at the teenage girl.

“Ruoling, your computational ability is weak. Practice more over the next few days and see if you can restore two Rubik’s cube at once blindfolded.”

When Lin Qi heard that, he felt even more pressured. Would he have to offer instructions to the others at the same time?

Even playing chess blindfolded would not be so difficult.

Nevertheless, he could practice openly. He had some leeway there.

However, Mo Feng turned back to Lin Qi and said, “With your abilities, you just need to rest well these few days. Avoid wasting too much mental energy.”

“Especially since I heard some strange noises outside. So from now on till you report for school, we’ll stay in the same room. In this way, I can keep close to protect you.”

Stiffly, Lin Qi tried his best to maintain his smile. “Mage Mo Feng, thank you so much.”

—————

The night was quiet and the lights were bright.

After washing up, Lin Qi made a cup of black tea and sat in a corner alone, quietly reading the book “God Does Play Dice With the Universe” in his sea of consciousness. Using the language style of popular fiction, this book described the early 20th century theory of relativity, as well as the process and debate of the birth of quantum mechanics.

Lin Qi was feeling rather shocked as he read this exciting history of science.

Mo Feng was still very particular about basic necessities. Tonight, he chose the presidential suite. There was even a mini swimming pool beside the floor-to-ceiling windows in the living room.

However, Lin Qi was not in the mood to enjoy it. Instead, he looked at the dazzling array of memory books sitting in the countless bookshelves in the depths of his sea of consciousness, pondering about his next move.

Right now, he was like a beginner who held an expert-level chess strategy, but did not have a chessboard to review.

Going by the various chess strategies, the first seven or eight steps were passable, but the second half was impossible.

He wandered around in the sea of bookshelves. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks and his eyes landed on a book called “Lin Qi Carpentry Memories”.

Back then, in order to find a place for his garage kit, he bought a thin piece of pine wood and used a chainsaw and a hammer to build a “house-shaped bookshelf”.

Wasn’t he just lacking a ‘Rubik’s cube’?

Couldn’t he just make one himself?

And now?

Weren’t these bookshelves the perfect materials?

Thinking of this, Lin Qi directly kicked the bookshelf in front of him. In an instant, the entire shelf fell apart like a prop, and the books inside scattered to the ground.

Seeing this, Lin Qi picked up a cross bar which was part of the shelf. The material was mysterious and difficult to distinguish.

He squeezed it and that part of the material softened. When he relaxed his grip, it became stiff again like clay.

In the next moment, the shelf and memory books scattered on the ground returned to normal as if time had reversed.

The only difference was that the cross bar he picked up was still in his hand.

If he picked it up, it would belong to him.

Excited, Lin Qi took up the “memory book” that he had used to restore the Rubik’s cube in order to look cool. Using the cross abr in his hand as material, he began to shape it.

One central axis, six central blocks, 12 edges, eight corners and 26 parts appeared in his hands. He then assembled them to form the “prototype of the Rubik’s cube”.

Lin Qi even managed to replicate the colors onto the six surfaces of the Rubik’s cube by referring to the memory book.

But by this time, Lin Qi no longer felt the initial urge he had when he wanted to create the Rubik’s cube.

In his mind, he was thinking of something else entirely—

Minecraft.