228. The Eighth Simulation, Initiated!
"Ah~! Why did I choose this thing?!"
Kiana's frustrated and distraught voice came from Yun Ling's room.
"Kiana, this isn't actually difficult. Just calm down and study."
Yun Ling looked at the book while organizing review materials for Kiana, and also guessed what Kiana's monthly exam paper for her minor course would be like.
"But... I can't calm down at all when I think about the exam coming up!" Kiana lowered her head dejectedly, and even the tuft of hair on her head drooped limply.
"It's just a monthly exam, not a life-or-death crisis. Why are you so nervous?" Yun Ling ruffled her hair, encouraging her.
"But... if I really fail, then the Valkyrie Assessment will definitely be affected! That means I won't be able to go on missions with everyone..."
Kiana explained with a mournful face. Mei and Yuna were also somewhat helpless; the classes at St. Freya Academy were quite difficult.
Mei wasn't too nervous; she'd always been a top student, but she still needed to spend time reviewing.
Yuna, on the other hand, only had a superficial understanding of the lessons, probably hovering around the passing grade.
As for Bronya, she was still in seclusion, training.
Therefore, the only one who could help Kiana was Yun Ling.
"Alright, don't worry, there's still a way."
A pocket watch suddenly appeared in Yun Ling's hand as if by magic.
"This is my secret weapon, a blessed pocket watch. Wearing it will make your concentration incredibly high, and your learning efficiency will increase exponentially."
A brief silence fell over the group. Just as Yun Ling was wondering, Kiana suddenly cried even louder.
"Yun Ling really thinks I'm an idiot!!!" Kiana buried her head in her arms.
"What on earth is this?" Yun Ling's face darkened.
"Uh, normally consecrating things is done with prayer beads or jade pendants, right?" Mei couldn't help but retort.
"Yeah, yeah." Yuna nodded in agreement.
"Sigh, it's hard to explain, let's try it out first." Yun Ling placed the pocket watch in Kiana's hand.
Kiana suddenly stopped crying, looking at the pocket watch in disbelief.
The moment she grasped the pocket watch, her anxiety and worry vanished instantly, and Kiana felt her desire to learn soaring!
"Did you explain this clearly?"
"Let me check again." Kiana's eyes seemed to gleam with a light called 'wisdom,' and her pen flew across the paper.
"You two aren't playing a trick on us, are you?" Mei clearly didn't believe such a magical thing existed.
"I also have a blessed pendant. While it doesn't offer the same dramatic improvement as the pocket watch, it does make me feel a little more relaxed."
Yun Ling took off the pendant he always wore and placed it around Yuna's neck.
"Eh…Eh?! Yun…Yun Ling…" Yuna was flattered, her emerald green eyes filled with surprise and joy.
"Your grades probably aren't great either, so you can wear this for now," Yun Ling explained.
"Thank you…Thank you, Yun Ling." Yuna carefully held the pendant to her chest, a warm feeling flowing through her heart.
"They both have them, what about me?" Mei's face was cold. Although she was the closest to Yun Ling, it didn't mean she wasn't jealous!
"Mei, of course you should come to my lap! I'll hold you while you study!"
Yun Ling sat down behind Mei without hesitation. After Mei's shy and slightly pushing struggles, she finally sat in Yun Ling's lap.
Kiana and Yuna suddenly felt their things weren't so appealing anymore; they wanted that seat too!
Feeling their envious gazes, Mei blushed and lowered her head, but the slight smile at the corner of her lips betrayed her.
The study session proceeded smoothly. With the pocket watch and necklace, Kiana and Yuna progressed rapidly, catching up with their minor courses and even making significant progress in their major courses.
"Hmm~"
Kiana stretched, her loose school uniform unable to conceal her curvaceous figure; her slender waist seemed as if it would break at the slightest exertion.
"Finally finished studying! This means I'll definitely be fine," Kiana said confidently.
"Don't get too excited. I definitely won't let you wear the pocket watch to the exam tomorrow. Don't get nervous and forget everything you've learned," Yun Ling reminded her.
"Ah..." Kiana's face immediately fell.
"Being able to face pressure is an essential quality of a Valkyrie. This pocket watch is like giving you a slight cheat on your life." Yun Ling gently tapped her forehead, then took the watch back from her hand.
"But I believe Kiana will definitely be fine. Good luck, get a good night's sleep tonight so you can prepare for tomorrow's exam."
"Yeah! Don't worry, even without the pocket watch, I can still get good grades!" Kiana said earnestly.
Yuna also consciously returned the pendant to Yun Ling; she was now completely confident.
The three returned to their dormitory, showered, and lay down on their beds to rest, preparing for tomorrow's exam.
Yun Ling glanced at the time; it should be about time.
『A new round of simulation attempts has been issued. Please use them as soon as possible.』
"If the previous simulations followed the order of alternating between the previous and present era, then this time it should be the present era's turn, right?" Yun Ling wasn't stupid; he could naturally guess the rotation order.
Although the sixth simulation takes place in the future, it's still within the present era.
"Start simulation," Yun Ling said softly, lying on the bed.
『Randomizing talents... Please select four talents from the following list.』
1. 『Dragon and Phoenix in Humanity (White): Dual gender, innate male-female body.』
2. 『Beyond Yin and Yang (White): Born genderless, you are who you think you are, Walmart shopping bags, armed helicopters—the choice is yours.』
3.『Under the Rainbow (White): You may have same-sex relationships.』
...
7.『Visitor from Another World (Purple): You may hear news from another world.』
"Refresh." Yun Ling looked at the unchanging "Dragon and Phoenix in Humanity" talent, seriously suspecting it was a system or its creator's twisted sense of humor.
After refreshing several times, a few talents finally appeared that Yun Ling was somewhat interested in.
1. 『Stubborn (White): Once you've made up your mind, you'll always stick to it.』
2. 『Attentive (Blue): Always able to notice details that ordinary people miss.』
3. 『Photographic Memory (Blue): Possesses the ability to remember everything seen.』
4. 『Rational Thinking (Purple): Able to enter a state of absolute rationality at any time, controllable.』
The only negative buff is being stubborn; the others are all talents leaning towards theory and critical thinking. Will he become a mathematician or a physicist?
Yun Ling closed his eyes in thought.
Soon, the system responded.
『Randomizing identity: Detective!』
『Eighth Life Simulation, activated!』
…