Chapter 60 The Aerial Track to the Shadowy Forest

Xu Han looked a little embarrassed. “They’re just my friends.”

The ponytailed senior seemed surprised. “I thought they were your girlfriends.”

“But, from what I can tell, Shui Lingyao seems to have a bit of a thing for you.”

“She’s such a beautiful girl; she’s bound to be the target of many boys at school. You’d better seize your chance!”

Xu Han, however, didn’t feel much about it. He bid the senior farewell and headed straight toward the A-rank student dormitory area.

After walking for more than ten minutes, he finally arrived near the A-rank dormitory area. Row upon row of European-style villas were neatly arranged beside a tranquil lake. This dormitory area seemed different from the others. As he drew near, even the air felt fresher. From the nearby woods came crisp birdsong, soothing his heart and quieting his thoughts.

Xu Han searched for his dormitory, looking at the number 39 on the sign. His place was in the first row, right beside Tenglong Lake, separated only by a small path lined with all kinds of greenery on both sides. Gazing at the emerald lake and listening to the clear birdsong, he thought to himself that this place was indeed perfect for living.

He stopped in front of his door. On the right side of the entrance was a password lock. He swiped his card over it.

Click.

The door unlocked automatically, and Xu Han entered. The interior was decorated in natural wood tones. Warm yellow lights bathed the whole house in a cozy atmosphere. After taking off his shoes, he stepped inside to a typical living room—sofa, television, coffee table. At the back was an expansive open-plan kitchen, equipped with all kinds of brand-new appliances and utensils.

On the other side of the living room was a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows. Opening them, he stepped out onto the balcony, where several potted plants and a table with chairs awaited. Sitting there, he could see Tenglong Lake not far away.

He then checked the other rooms. They were all empty, waiting to be furnished. The villa was spacious enough for three or four people with ease. Xu Han was more than satisfied. He knew well that in a place like the capital city, where every inch of land was precious, a small villa like this one must be worth a fortune—its value might even rival that of an epic-level piece of equipment.

No wonder Dragon University was considered so generous.

He made his way upstairs. The second floor had only two rooms and a lounge in the center. Xu Han planned to keep one room for himself and decide later what to do with the other. Suddenly, he remembered what the senior had said earlier—“You could even bring your girlfriend to live here…”

He shook his head, dismissing the thought. In this world, if you didn’t strive to improve your strength, you’d always be beneath others. In the face of absolute power, everything else was fleeting as clouds.

He brushed his hand over his spatial ring and took out all the belongings he’d brought from home, arranging them in his new room. Then he checked the map on his phone. The closest exit to Dragon University was naturally the South Gate. He’d seen it when the train came by earlier. Beyond the South Gate lay a vast plain.

According to the map, this plain was called the Gale Plains, inhabited by beasts ranging from level 1 to 20. If he wanted to level up, he’d have to venture deeper. Beyond the Gale Plains was the Gloomy Forest, home to beasts from level 20 to 60—a wide variety indeed. For real training, he’d have to head to the Gloomy Forest.

But trekking from the South Gate across the Gale Plains to reach the Gloomy Forest would take at least a day. With only four days left before the official start of the semester, spending two days on the road seemed like a waste.

Xu Han sighed. The world’s vastness had its downsides—travel took too long.

Just then, he noticed a track marked on the map, leading directly to the vicinity of the Gloomy Forest.

Wait a minute—could there really be an aerial railway from the capital to the Gloomy Forest? If so, it would take only half an hour to reach the forest, saving both time and effort.

After tidying up, he headed toward the school gate.

The ponytailed senior saw him coming out and asked curiously, “Xu Han, are you going out to buy daily necessities? There’s no need to leave campus for that—the school has everything you need. If you require furniture or equipment, just call the campus logistics office and they’ll deliver it right to your door.”

Xu Han was surprised. Dragon University’s logistics were that efficient?

He shook his head and asked, “Senior, could you tell me if there’s an aerial railway to the Gloomy Forest?”

She nodded. “Yes, it’s for convenience. Once you’re out the gate, walk three hundred meters to the left and you’ll find the station. From there, you can take a train straight to Maple Town, right outside the Gloomy Forest. Are you planning to go there? The beasts there are all above level 20—quite ferocious! At your current level, it’s safer to train on the Gale Plains.”

Xu Han smiled and nodded. “Thank you, Senior.”

With that, he hurried off.

Watching his retreating figure, the ponytailed senior sighed. “No wonder he’s the national top scorer. So hardworking—he’s even using these few days to level up. But young people can be so ambitious—wanting to go to the Gloomy Forest before even reaching level 20 is too dangerous.”

Someone behind her whispered, “Shen Meng, he’s already level 20.”

“What?!” Shen Meng’s eyes widened in shock as she turned to look at the speaker, who was holding Xu Han’s information sheet. In the column for level, it clearly read: 20.

“Twenty… level twenty?! It’s only been a month, hasn’t it? He went from awakening to level 20 in just a month?!”

Shen Meng was utterly incredulous, and the other person was equally bewildered.

“He’s a real monster. Remember Jiang Yuchen, the top recruit last year? She was only level 18 when she enrolled, and that already broke the school record. Tsk tsk… this Xu Han is truly extraordinary!”

Shen Meng stared blankly at Xu Han’s back. This junior’s talent was terrifying. How on earth had he managed it?

Xu Han, unaware that his level had caused such a stir, left the campus and, following Shen Meng’s directions, arrived at the station. This station was far smaller, resembling a bus stop, with only one train line departing to Maple Town. Several young people in various outfits were seated, waiting for the train. Xu Han guessed they were all students at Dragon University.

After buying his ticket, he sat down to wait. Soon, the train thundered into the station and came to a gradual halt. Xu Han boarded and found a seat at random. A few minutes later, the train started up again, the front car rising onto the aerial tracks, gliding between the city’s towering buildings.