Gacha games can't save this bizarre world.

Perhaps because Zhao Hao had a good attitude while copying the text that morning, Uncle Tie explained it to him during lunch: the characters on the scripture are called cloud seal script, and the entire scripture is written in cloud seal script, which is the kind of script used by Taoists to draw talismans.

Another interpretation of "cloud seal script" is: it refers to the swirling smoke when burning incense.

You can imagine what shape it is!

Uncle Tie, holding his bowl, ate his cucumber salad with a nonchalant expression, saying, "Copying scriptures can help stabilize your soul, or in our terms, stabilize your sanity, preventing your mind from being distorted by certain psychic energies. Many psychic energies have inherent biases that can easily influence those they come into contact with, and some evil psychic energies are extremely dangerous..."

Psychic energy is the foundation of superhumans; it is also called spiritual power, spiritual energy, chakra, ether, or mana—they are all the same thing.

The vast majority of supernatural powers are of this kind, only the channels of acquisition and manifestations differ.

Before engaging with psychic energy, Zhao Hao must first stabilize his soul, or rather, stabilize and improve his mental strength.

As for the mental abnormalities Zhao Hao encountered while copying scriptures, they were nothing more than basic occurrences.

When Zhao Hao can easily copy an entire scripture without experiencing any mental turmoil, he will have passed this test and be able to access spiritual energy.

Uncle Tie had predicted that there would be no business that day, and sure enough, no customers came in that afternoon.

However, Uncle Tie did not let Zhao Hao continue copying scriptures. He said that too much of a good thing is bad, and that entering the extraordinary circle should be done step by step.

In the afternoon, Uncle Tie told Zhao Hao a lot about the basic common sense, precautions and anecdotes of the extraordinary circle and the inner world, and also gave him a handwritten printed booklet.

The first page of "Notes on the Otherworld" lists the author as Colt Anican.

This must be a product of the Mysterious Bureau!

Then there were some introductory books on antique appreciation given by Uncle Tie. Becoming a superhuman was only part of it; Zhao Hao also had to become an apprentice at the antique shop.

Uncle Tie also mentioned Zhao Hao's salary and benefits. The Mysterious Bureau offered him a base salary of $1500, with additional commission for future missions.

The antique shop pays $300 a month, provides lunch, and also gives commissions for participating in antique sales.

This treatment is truly excellent!

Just from the base salary provided by the Secret Service, that's $18000 a year! We're practically living a comfortable life now!

No wonder the fat man said that the Bureau of Mysteries basically supports those self-taught superhumans. It's to prevent them from taking risks due to financial problems.

Besides, Zhao Hao is now like a graduate student under a professor's supervision. Income is not the key point; learning skills and becoming a master is the key point. Uncle Tie might even have to grade his performance.

No, it should be the more traditional apprenticeship system of the Song Dynasty.

PS:

I made a deal with an author friend to promote each other's works.

The author of "Whispering Poems" is an old hand at Thorn Cat, so everyone can enjoy it without worry.

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Chapter 16 Checking in at the Antique Shop

Although he didn't glance at the scripture again that afternoon, all the way until Zhao Hao closed his eyes that evening, he saw enchanting cloud-like characters floating and dancing before him, swaying their strokes like jellyfish.

The system responded in the evening.

Diary: As an exchange student for the Bureau of Mysteries, I was sent to Old Iron's Antique Shop for an exchange program. I spent the whole day drawing random symbols, and my head is about to explode! I long for Naiko! I want a study partner!

Unfortunately, this is America, not the hospitable and enthusiastic China that offers generous scholarships and the option to choose study partners.

Otherwise, with my status as an exchange student, I would be absolutely thrilled!

Zhao Hao didn't know much from Uncle Tie.

Just as Uncle Tie said, he would not let Zhao Hao come into contact with the inner world until Zhao Hao was ready.

However, Zhao Hao's curiosity was satisfied by the booklet written by Colt.

Compared to the old-fashioned, rule-abiding, and procedural Uncle Iron, the Mysterious Bureau is much more open. Moreover, they crave an influx of fresh blood.

Therefore, I don't mind letting the newcomers take on more responsibilities, giving them more information, and trying to win their favor.

The booklet provides a more systematic introduction to the Otherworld, covering many terms and their meanings.

For example, the issue of the levels of superhumans.

Mortal, Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Star. Each level is further divided into five stars.

Ordinary people, or, in Eastern terms, mortals.

Then there are the superhumans who awakened their psychic powers.

According to the pamphlet, everyone has latent spiritual energy within them, and theoretically, everyone has the potential to become a superhuman, but most people will never be able to detect or activate it in their lifetime.

The spiritual potential within each person is also different. People like Zhao Hao, who are born with extremely high spiritual vision, also have high potential.

In a sense, they are "reserved superhumans".

Some people even awakened their own psychic abilities, thus gaining special skills.

However, this may not be a good thing. The book especially emphasizes that this situation is extremely dangerous and recommends contacting Colt immediately.

A typical example of a similar situation is a medium, who can communicate with the dead or nature spirits through some means.

For example, Zhao Hao, a person with exceptionally high spiritual vision, possesses the ability to perceive spiritual energy and mysterious entities in a way that is incomprehensible to ordinary people.

In addition, Zhao Hao also found some other key information.

For example, the underworld!

The Inner World isn't just a description of the circle of extraordinary individuals; it's a real space relative to the Outer World. It's said that the vast majority of extraordinary beings currently reside in the Inner World because the "psionic concentration" is higher and psionic energy is more active there!

There are also secret realms and eerie realms!

Secret realms are stable passages connecting the surface world and the inner world.

The eerie realm is indescribable; it's a conceptual space. The brochure doesn't elaborate on it.

There's also the Ghost God. The booklet contains only one sentence: Any information involving the Ghost God must be reported to the Bureau of Mysteries immediately, otherwise it will be considered treason and crimes against humanity.

It's probably something dangerous!

The booklet also mentioned a term called the "psychic dormancy period"...

Zhao Hao thus began to imagine some things about the extraordinary history of this world.

It is said that long, long ago, the world was not divided into inner and outer worlds; humans and gods lived together, and extraordinary people and ordinary people lived in the same space.

However, a powerful being later separated the inner and outer worlds, causing the psionic tides in the outer world to weaken and the activity of psionic energy to decrease.

This makes it difficult for those extraordinary individuals to navigate the surface world, like saltwater fish migrating to a freshwater lake. They won't die, but they'll definitely feel uncomfortable.

Moreover, in this situation, spiritual energy will involuntarily dissipate. Even if one can preserve the spiritual energy within the body, it cannot be restored and will decrease with use, only recovering in the inner world.

This ushered in the era of mortals!

But that wasn't the end of it. In the fourteenth century, the concentration of psionic energy in the surface world plummeted again, and even continued to decline for hundreds of years! Just like the stock market!

According to Eastern accounts, Liu Ji (Liu Bowen), with the powerful national strength of the Hongwu Dynasty, implemented a method to slay dragons. Starting from Kunlun Mountain, he slew ninety-nine dragons, severing the dragon veins of the outer world!

At this point, it was virtually impossible for superhumans of the Black Iron level and above to appear in the surface world; it was almost like committing slow suicide.

Until 70 years ago, or 8 years ago, the psionic tides in the surface world became active again. The psionic concentration seemed to have hit rock bottom, and there were even signs of a rebound!

This is known as the Extraordinary Rebirth!

"In other words, there will be more and more unbelievable things happening in the future! And more and more extraordinary people?!"

A sentence suddenly popped into Zhao Hao's mind: The wheels of history keep rolling forward!

Or perhaps: a brand new door is gradually opening?

The next day, Zhao Hao got up early, signed in to get +3 Fate Points, then bought breakfast and took a car to the antique shop.

Even if the old bachelor knew how to cook, he'd probably be too lazy to do it, so bringing his own saved Uncle Tie the trouble. It's a disciple's duty.

After breakfast, without being told, Zhao Hao diligently started cleaning. He didn't dare touch the antiques or anything like that; he just mopped the floor and wiped the counters.

If you want to learn it, you have to sleep with your master first! No, that's not it.

The apprenticeship system was the attitude people had when they wanted to learn martial arts or other skills in the old society.

This is, after all, a skill that allows you to make a living. If you're not respectful, how can your master possibly teach you anything real?

Then, after mentally preparing himself, he began copying the scriptures... copying until he was dizzy and his mind was completely absorbed!

He looked even more haggard than if he had spent a whole week staying at an internet cafe.

Uncle Tie was very satisfied with this: the young man is sensible.

This feels so good!

Things are different now. These days, young people think the sky is the most important thing, and even the earth has to come second. If they really encounter someone who's completely unreasonable, they'll be so angry they'll roll their backs!

This Zhao Hao is not bad!

Uncle Tie has started to pay more attention to things, rather than just being businesslike...

Of course, Zhao Hao wasn't idle either. After getting to know the shop better over the next few days, he took advantage of cleaning time to absorb the fate points of six different antiques in the shop.

+116!

He even found an opportunity to strike a pose with a peace sign while Uncle Tie was organizing things in the warehouse, and successfully clocked in for ten seconds.

There were no Fate Points rewards for checking in, but a card was awarded!

According to feedback from the Destiny Card system, you need to perform special actions at certain locations to check in.

Once you successfully check in, you will receive certain cards.

It's unclear whether it was because of checking in at the antique shop, but Zhao Hao received a card related to antiques.

Antique Monocles for Appreciation

Black Iron 2-Star Item Card

Appreciating antiques: The wearer can gain some information and value about the antiques.

Note: Let me see how much money you can scam?

This thing looks like a round, framed eyeglass lens with a thin silver chain attached; it's clipped to your eye socket. It's not very comfortable to wear, but it looks very high-end!

Wearing this will create a light-like effect when you see genuine antiques.

Judging from the items in Uncle Tie's shop, the more valuable the item, the brighter its luster. Some of the more recent handicrafts and antiques also have a different kind of charm.

However, those worthless fakes and counterfeit goods, as well as recent handicrafts, will appear in a black, white, or gray color.