The Last Sentinel

"Carbon-based boy!"

"If you want to enter the Calamity Academy, Entropy Eye alone is not enough; you also need the joint recommendation of at least 108 graduates of the Calamity Academy!"

"To get you into Pangu Academy, I've exhausted all my connections and begged and pleaded to get you a joint recommendation letter from 108 Pangu Academy graduates!"

"Do you realize the significance of this joint letter of recommendation?"

"These 108 graduates of Pangu Academy are all outstanding graduates of the Cataclysmic Academy, each one a figure of equal stature to your carbon-based universe's God of Machines, [Okarah]!"

"Imagine this, carbon-based kid. Your universe's three major natural disasters can bring about three civilizational shifts, while the 108 natural disaster bosses I've found can bring about 108 civilizational shifts!"

"What level of gold content does this have?"

"For ordinary people, just knowing the names of these big shots is an immense stroke of luck! Let alone meeting them and receiving their personal endorsement! Even many of their closest confidants don't receive this kind of treatment!"

"After all, the further you go, the more the big shots dislike endorsing others and having dealings with lower-level beings."

The mysterious merchant kept rambling on and on.

The mysterious businessman kept rambling on and on, his thick lips opening and closing repeatedly. Beads of sweat slid down his round cheeks and dripped onto the lapel of his evening gown, leaving a small damp patch.

One was as still as a virgin, while the other kept chattering. They traversed through black holes and soon arrived at the core of a dilapidated and decaying nebula.

"This used to be an active Pillar of Creation!" The mysterious merchant's tone was unusually solemn. He raised his hand and pointed to a blurry light and shadow in the distance, a hint of regret flashing in his eyes. "You know about the Pillars of Creation, right? I remember that you can also observe the Pillars of Creation in the One Dimension! Although you can't see the whole picture."

Ye Feng nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the decaying nebula: "I've seen some; places capable of giving birth to stellar life are generally light-years in diameter!"

"That's right," the mysterious merchant echoed, his tone regaining some of its familiarity. "The Pillars of Creation are important dimensional facilities. While they are active, they cannot be bought, sold, or rented. However, once they die, they will be occupied by powerful individuals and used as their offices!"

"The important person we're visiting today is the visa officer from the Pangu Academy's International Admissions Office!" He leaned closer to Ye Feng, his tone full of solemnity. "He's a very influential and senior visa officer with a lot of power. Don't lie to him, or you and I will both be in big trouble!"

Ye Feng replied solemnly, "Understood!"

The mysterious businessman's tone suddenly turned serious, his eyes filled with a desperate resolve: "All the connections and resources I've accumulated over the years are on you! I won't say anything more; victory or defeat hinges on this!"

Ye Feng raised his hand and patted the businessman on the shoulder, the pressure from his palm carrying a hint of reassurance. A confident smile played on his lips: "Going all in is a kind of wisdom. You need to have confidence in me, and even more so, confidence in your own judgment!"

"That's right!" A glint flashed in the mysterious merchant's eyes, as if infected by Ye Feng's confidence. He suddenly waved his hand, "Let's go!"

The two figures blurred instantly, and ripples spread through the surrounding space. The next moment, they appeared in an old library with a medieval style.

Dim light spilled from the retro chandelier overhead, the yellowish light fragmented by the dust floating in the air. The narrow blinds were tightly closed, not a sliver of light could seep through the gaps. The colorful glazed tiles reflected mottled light and shadow under the light, casting dappled patterns on the ground, like a broken oil painting.

The towering bookshelves were densely packed together, the covers of the books on them were already yellowed, exuding a faint smell of antiquity, and the whole space was filled with a somber and oppressive atmosphere, making even breathing feel particularly heavy.

In the darkness, a soft footstep sounded, and an elderly butler with white hair, dressed in a tailcoat, slowly emerged. His posture was as upright as a pine tree, his face etched with the wrinkles of time, his eyes cloudy yet sharp. As he swept his gaze over Ye Feng and the mysterious merchant, a scrutinizing look crossed his eyes: "Do you have an appointment, sir?"

The mysterious businessman hurriedly stepped forward, respectfully handing over a letter with both hands, a fawning smile plastered on his face, his back slightly bent: "Yes, sir, this is a letter of introduction, containing a letter of recommendation and Ye Feng's personal information."

The old butler took the letter, glanced at it, and gently traced the patterns on it with his fingertips. After a moment, he raised his hand and gestured for him to come with him: "Very well, come with me."

The mysterious businessman walked behind, his large belly making progress, and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead again. He kept asking, "Sir, are there many people ahead? How is the visa officer's mood today?"

The old butler didn't stop walking, his tone still cold: "There's another student ahead of you. As for the visa officer's mood, I advise you not to ask. No matter who it is, being rehired thirteen times after retiring thirteen times wouldn't be in a good mood! The officer has already decided to apply for permanent resignation after this Yuanhui meeting, and even if it means self-destruction, he will not accept the academy's rehiring."

The mysterious merchant couldn't help but exclaim, "Sir, you're really working too hard! I would struggle to hold down this position even for a single Yuanhui, yet you've been rehired by the academy thirteen times! It's unbelievable!"

The three walked along the narrow aisle past rows of towering bookshelves, their fingertips occasionally brushing against the books on the shelves, feeling the rough texture of the paper.

The musty smell in the air grew stronger, with a faint hint of ink fragrance mixed in. Finally, we arrived at a secluded little pavilion.

The butler suddenly stopped, raised his hand in a shushing gesture, and gestured for the two to be quiet. Ye Feng and the mysterious merchant immediately stopped and stood obediently outside, holding their breath.

The attic door was ajar, and a faint ray of light shone through the crack, revealing three people standing inside.

At the head of the table sat a tall, elderly man. He was at least ten meters tall, and his wide black robe trailed to the ground, almost covering the entire chair. His white hair was neatly combed, and the wrinkles on his face were as deep as ravines. His eyes were sharp as an eagle's, and they seemed to be able to see right through people.

Opposite the old man stood two people, their figures identical to Ye Feng's, both around two meters tall. One was younger, with a hint of urgency and tension in his eyes, while the other looked much more weathered, his face full of weariness and anticipation.

Clearly, the younger one was the applicant standing in front of Ye Feng, and the one behind him was his introducer.

From the attic, a faint voice drifted out. The elderly visa officer's voice was deep and slow, carrying an undeniable authority: "Tell me, which college do you wish to study at?"

The young applicant tensed slightly, his hands unconsciously clenching the hem of his clothes. He hurriedly bowed and said, "Reporting to Your Excellency, I wish to go to the Underworld Branch Academy under Pangu Academy."

The visa officer's voice was calm and steady, his tone even and unchanging: "Why did you choose the Underworld Academy?"

The applicant raised his head slightly, his eyes hardening, and his tone sincere: "Because it's a relevant field, I previously studied timeline observation and soul verification engineering."

The visa officer raised an eyebrow, a hint of confusion in his voice: "You're a living being, not studying inanimate things?"

The applicant quickly explained, speaking faster: "It wasn't like that at first. I initially studied the biological science module, which involves obtaining the state of each atom in a deceased organism, and then calculating their position and state in the previous frame based on the patterns of the atoms. Then it's the previous frame number, the frame before that, and the frame before that, to calculate the complete life trajectory of the organism. In this way, it can be connected with the Timeline Destiny Theory Cycle Reconstruction Project of the Underworld Academy under Pangu Academy, which is why I chose the Underworld Branch."

The visa officer raised his hand, his fingertips lightly turning a huge mechanical typewriter in front of him. The crisp sound of metal clashing was particularly clear in the quiet attic. He nodded repeatedly, his tone indifferent: "The reason is passable, but the Underworld Branch's enrollment quota for this year is already full."

The job applicant froze, his eyes wide with disbelief, and he swayed slightly: "What? It's full? How could this be! Isn't the Underworld Academy a long-established academy?"

The visa officer remained calm: "Didn't your referrer tell you? In Pangu Academy, the newer the academy, the more likely it is to be overcrowded, especially some new majors. New majors mean that you can connect with the latest trends in the superdimensional multidimensional universe, and you will have better employment prospects after graduation. So everyone applies for the new ones rather than the old ones."

"Speaking of which, although the Underworld Academy is an established academy, it has undergone significant reforms in recent years and its majors are now popular and promising! You've enrolled too late! I suggest you consider transferring to another major, such as the Priestess branch or the Destiny branch!"

The salesperson stepped forward, his face full of urgency, his tone somewhat ingratiating: "Sir, can we pay more?"

The visa officer paused, then turned his gaze to the person who had introduced him, his eyes scrutinizing him: "What is your relationship with him?"

The introducer bowed immediately, speaking respectfully: "He is my nephew, my blood relative in the Triad Multidimensional Universe. He graduated from the Trident Pillar of Creation High-Dimensional Academy and entered the Hemba Cosmic Law Security Academy with the highest score in the current Universe. As you know, Hemba Academy is the best remedial academy, specializing in teaching cosmic rules and breaking cosmic rules. He has been preparing for today's interview for a long time and is a rare high achiever."

"Indeed." The visa officer nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the applicant, his tone more approving. "Judging from his resume, he has indeed put in a lot of effort along the way; he's a top student. However, Pangu Academy has never lacked top students. What Pangu Academy lacks are geniuses. Do you understand what a genius is? You know, the kind who shines brightly, who can bring a qualitative leap to a Pangu Academy branch as soon as they appear, someone who can achieve great success!"

The matchmaker, his face filled with despair, pleaded, "Sir, I'm willing to raise the price, one hundred tapolis!"

The visa officer paused, then turned his gaze back to the applicant, his tone softening slightly: "What do you want to do after graduation?"

The applicant looked up, tears glistening in his eyes, his tone firm and sincere: "My parents both sacrificed themselves in the dimensional war. Although they weren't students of the academy, they were heroes who fought to the death for the academy and those amateur cultivators. I've always wanted to find their souls and spirits, but I'm not content with virtual copies of their original will. I want them to truly return. That's why I went to the Underworld Academy, and that's what I want to do after graduation."

The visa officer's gaze softened, and his tone became more emotional: "A child of a dimensional war warrior? Indeed, we can open a door of convenience for you."

"Really? My lord!" Hope instantly ignited in the matchmaker's eyes, and he hurriedly tugged at his nephew's sleeve. "Thank you for your kindness, my lord! Quickly, kowtow to my lord!"

The visa officer raised his hand to stop him, his tone still serious: "Don't be too happy yet, I haven't finished speaking! The official quota for the Underworld Academy is indeed full, you can't get in, no matter how much money you offer. However, you can find a student who has officially entered the academy and is at least a 3A level student to be his servant."

"According to the academy's new rules, any student who is rated 3A+ or higher can be called a genius. A genius can have their own attendant, and the attendant can choose a favorite academy to study in seclusion so as not to be abandoned by their master."

"This is the only way you can access the academy right now."

"So don't waste your time here. Leave and find a genius to be his sidekick. You might be able to keep up with this year's enrollment plan. If you miss this chance, you'll never have another one."

"Alright, next one!"

Faced with the visa officer's cold rejection, the introducer and his nephew exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with despair and resentment.

The job applicant's lips trembled slightly, but he ultimately didn't utter a word. The two walked out of the pavilion dejectedly, their steps heavy as if filled with lead.

The butler waved to Ye Feng and the mysterious merchant, saying calmly, "It's your turn."

The mysterious businessman adjusted his belt, took a deep breath to suppress the tension in his eyes, and nodded to Ye Feng: "Let's go!"

Ye Feng followed closely behind, and as the two entered the pavilion, they brushed past the two who came out.

Ye Feng subconsciously glanced at the applicant. He had heavy dark circles under his eyes, his face was pale and bloodless, his golden hair was messy and stuck to his scalp, and he was thin. He looked like a standard necromancer.

The job applicant glanced at Ye Feng, forced a smile, and nodded slightly as a greeting.

Ye Feng nodded, and the two brushed past each other without exchanging any further words.