Marvel Magic Case Files

Chapter 888 Forgetting the Past (Second Update)

Kaf woke with a start again, panting in a cold sweat, his eyes wide as he tried to pierce the thick, lightless darkness. He didn't turn on the nightlight by his bedside, choosing instead to remain lying there. In just two days since arriving here, he had dreamt of his hometown and family again. Strangely, however, whenever he was fully conscious, the past seemed shrouded in a thick fog. As time passed, all the past memories began to yellow, become damp, and finally vanish completely, like watching a black-and-white film from the distant past, filled only with blurry, screaming faces.

"Are you dreaming again?" The soft question came from the next bed. If everyone else hadn't been fast asleep, even slightly heavier breathing would have drowned it out. Kaf blinked in vain; though he couldn't see clearly, he knew who was speaking. It was Badia, the skinny boy from the same village, the only one he recognized among the group of boys. They hadn't come to this underground city alone; there were others from other villages and even other countries. They had been grouped together and then separated, and in Kaf's male dormitory, only Badia spoke the same dialect as him.

"It's probably because I ate too many desserts today," Kraft said. "I forgot what I dreamed about."

"Me too." A creaking sound came from the direction of Badia's bed. Although he couldn't see, Kaf could still imagine Badia huddled under the covers. Just like before, while other children his age played, Badia always watched from the sidelines. Because he was too thin to play football, he could only swing on the swing. "What do you think those people want us to do?"

"I don't know," Kraft shook his head. Over the past two days, they had experienced many things they couldn't understand at all. First, they were issued several sets of clothing for different seasons, ranging from simple T-shirts to heavy, sophisticated black coats. Then came a tablet computer, a large pile of books with incomprehensible writing, and a locker with their names on it. The boy and girl lived on opposite sides of the square, only seeing each other after waking up.

"Maybe they wanted to teach us to read, like those foreigners who came to the village in the past." Kaf immediately regretted saying this, because Badya's mother had died at the hands of foreigners. The poor woman was dragged behind a car with her legs bound, and no one ever saw her again. Kaf sensed something was wrong, but he didn't have time to think about it further, and quickly added, "I mean, the ones who didn't have guns."

"Reporters," Badia said. "Do you consider all of these people to be reporters?"

"Pretty much." Kraft licked his dry lips. "I want vanilla ice cream tomorrow."

"Are they good people?" Badia continued to ask.

"I don't think so," Kraft sighed.

The rules here are very strict. They are not only required to perform specific exercises in the morning, but all prayer is forbidden. They were informed of this on their first day here, but not everyone complied. This morning (or perhaps early morning), they were called to watch a flogging, carried out by women in black armor—two men and three women of varying ages. They were stripped naked, hung up, and lashed twice on the back. From then on, no one prayed. Kaf managed to find out about the five men through slightly different dialects and gestures; they were reportedly taken to the hospital and haven't been released yet.

In addition, their activity range is strictly limited.

The high walls of the compound were topped with barbed wire and sentry posts, patrolled 24 hours a day by armed soldiers and searchlights. Aside from resembling a prison, they had no security concerns. There were no sudden air raids, no military vehicles or soldiers breaking in; they could even sleep soundly without worry. More importantly, the food was plentiful and incredibly delicious. They not only had enough to eat each day, but every meal was served with the finest touches, like something out of a high-class restaurant on television. This was a life unimaginable in the past; sometimes, Kaf felt like he was still dreaming. However, even such idyllic days couldn't bring peace of mind. Even the youngest child knew that no one would give you anything for free, and everything given would be taken back tenfold.

But most people are more relaxed than when they first arrived.

They had no idea where they were, what their master wanted them to do, or how long this would last. Since they couldn't resist, they decided to enjoy the present. After all, they had great food and TV shows to watch every day, and if they were afraid, they would have to wait until the end.

"Go to bed early, you have to go for a run tomorrow morning."

Goodnight, Kraft.

Goodnight, Badia.

"Look! What school still serves French lamb chops for lunch these days! And beef sauce, that's a sauce you only find in high-end French restaurants!" Salomon pointed to little Lorna beside him, who was eating a lamb chop with a mouthful of grease in a way that Athena would absolutely hate to see. The leftover plates and bones were piled high on the desk in the academy office. Stephanie would be the academy's first headmistress, overseeing the children's education, and Salomon didn't intend to tell her that her desk had once been piled high with lamb fat and bones. "Would you like some too?" The arcane mage nodded to the homunculus who kept bringing out plates. "Don't be shy, there's always leftovers."

"At first I thought..." Natasha laughed awkwardly. She had expected to see something different during her visit, and indeed she had, though not quite what she had imagined. "I didn't realize you built your academy to Eton's standards."

"Did you think I set up a concentration camp? Don't be ridiculous, this is a Latin course! That's what those vulgar Americans only learn in private high schools!" Salomon rolled his eyes dismissively. "It's definitely those Americans' influence on you. It'll be good for you to have less contact with Americans; they're not very bright. This period is an exception. I developed an contact plan based on psychologists' advice to minimize their resistance. It seems to be working well; at least many kids won't wake up in the middle of the night. Sedatives and forgetfulness potions will let them sleep well. Once the professors start teaching and assign them to different majors, they will become the future of the Immortal City, filling various departments and starting to play their roles. As long as they learn well, they can go from refugees to scholars and soldiers, becoming the best among ordinary people. And what I've paid is time, money, patience, and a whole host of resources that are unimaginable to outsiders."

What major have you chosen?

"Research Department, Internal Affairs Department, Sisterhood Convent, and Operations Department. Each major has its sub-categories, and each sub-major has its own sub-specialties. Besides interest, the most important factor is the teachers' selection based on students' strengths. For example, in the Operations Department, only the top students can enter the supervisory team, and in the Research Department, only the most outstanding students can join the gene laboratory. Some departments use mixed-gender teaching. For example, the medical department of the Sisterhood Convent, the medical school of the Research Department, and the field hospital of the Operations Department will have classes together, only at different paces. Another example is that the armored vehicle training in the Operations Department will be conducted together with the armored vehicle training in the Sisterhood. Except for those who can enter the Sisterhood Convent, other majors are mixed-gender, but all students must undergo military training and at least learn to use firearms and melee weapons."

"Wow, you're planning to replicate the teaching model of S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy?"

"Yes, you definitely want to meet Agent Weaver. I went to great lengths to recruit her."

"What do you plan to name this academy?" Romanov asked. "The academy certainly has a name."

"Well……"

Please vote for me!

(End of this chapter)