Future Masters in Modern Times

Chapter 24: Parting Is Always Bittersweet

The early morning sunlight spread across the horizon, instantly bathing the entire sky. The Duchy of Limes was located in a cold region, where temperatures were usually quite low; precisely because of this, the warmth the sunlight brought felt all the more intense. Zhao Wuji woke up in his bed, feeling refreshed. Last night, after dining with Catherine, he had returned to his room. He could certainly sense her undeniable fondness for him, but given his true psychological age, he didn’t yet have any special feelings for her. He did like her, but it hadn’t reached the level of love. Of course, this didn’t mean things would always stay that way—after all, who could say for certain what the future held? After getting up and freshening up, Zhao Wuji opened the door and ran into Catherine head-on at the corner near the elevator. Catherine was wearing a fur coat; while it concealed her slender figure, it also masked her youthful innocence, lending her an air of grace and maturity. “Hi, good morning, Zhao Wuji,” Catherine said upon seeing Zhao Wuji. A hint of joy flickered in the depths of her eyes, though she didn’t let it show; she simply stepped forward to greet him. “Good morning, Catherine…” Zhao Wuji smiled. Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows on the top floor of the Sharon Hotel, casting a golden glow on the tips of his hair. For a fleeting moment, Catherine was lost in thought… The two walked side by side to the window, gazing down from the great height at the sun-drenched landscape below, remaining silent for a long time. Catherine turned around, about to say something, when the sound of footsteps approached from the distance. “Catherine, what are you waiting for? We’re leaving here today,” Adelaide said as she walked over. Though she spoke to Catherine, her gaze lingered on Zhao Wuji. “Yes, Brother.” Catherine paused for a moment, lowered her head, and her tone suddenly became deeply sorrowful. Adelaide nodded, withdrew her gaze from Zhao Wuji, and walked away first. Catherine hesitated for a moment, then quickly followed in Adelaide’s footsteps. After taking a dozen or so steps, Catherine suddenly turned back. She parted her lips as if to say something, but in the end, she remained silent. Zhao Wuji’s eyes flickered, like a sudden, faint ripple on the surface of a calm lake. Then he stood alone by the floor-to-ceiling window, lost in thought. Amanda had walked up beside him at some point. After standing quietly with him for a while, she suddenly said, “You’ll be traveling there on a military supply procurement flight from the Duchy of Limes to Siberia. It departs in two days—you’d better get ready.” Zhao Wuji turned his gaze away from the window and fixed it on Amanda, nodding slightly. Amanda turned to leave, but in that instant, Zhao Wuji clearly heard her voice. “Do what you’re supposed to do.” Amanda was already a good distance away. “What’s that supposed to be—a threat?” Zhao Wuji snorted derisively, muttering to himself. Given Zhao Wuji’s temperament, he had never taken anyone’s threats to heart. When faced with a threat, he simply used his fists to resolve it—that was Zhao Wuji’s rule of life, and it was also the reason he was so eager to become stronger. Amid the dense layers of clouds, an airplane appeared and disappeared from view as it flew at breakneck speed. This was the private jet carrying Adelaide and her companions; at this point, the plane had already been airborne for half an hour. Yesterday, they had received an urgent call from the family, demanding that they return to the United States immediately. Adelaide didn’t dare delay and immediately made preparations to return home; had they followed their original plan, they wouldn’t have been in such a rush. On the private jet, Adelaide and her brother sat in the window seats, neither of them speaking. Catherine was now a completely different person from when she first arrived—it was as if she’d undergone a complete personality change. Adelaide looked at her younger sister, Catherine, a hint of resignation flashing in her eyes. She picked up the small, milky-white porcelain cup, intending to take a sip of coffee, only to discover that she had unknowingly finished it all. A flight attendant nearby, noticing this, was about to step forward to pour Adelaide a fresh cup of steaming coffee, but Adelaide waved her off, so the attendant held back. “Catherine,” Adelaide called softly. Seeing that she didn’t react, he gently patted her slender shoulder. Catherine, who had been lost in thought, snapped back to reality. Seeing Adelaide staring intently at her, a flicker of panic crossed her eyes. She brushed a strand of hair from her temple to hide her flustered expression. “Brother, wha… what’s the matter?” “Why are you spacing out like that? That’s not like you at all.” He knew exactly what was on his sister’s mind. But what could he say? Wasn’t he in the same boat—constantly constrained by family expectations, forced to do things he didn’t want to do? “It’s nothing, Brother.” Catherine turned toward the porthole, her gaze seeming to pierce through the layers of clouds, resting on a certain place, on a certain person… Zhao Wuji seemed to sense something; his gaze pierced through the window and into the clouds on the horizon. Over the next few days, Zhao Wuji stayed in his room, never stepping outside. He began to master the Battlefield Fist technique he had created in his previous life. Having undergone two rounds of enhancement, he could now unleash twenty percent of its full power. What did that twenty percent actually mean? It meant his strength had increased exponentially. The rushing water “whooshed” over Zhao Wuji’s body as he stood beneath the stream, constantly washing away the sweat. The intense exercise had left him drenched in sweat. On the living room floor lay more than a dozen heavy barbells; during his training, Zhao Wuji had performed his boxing techniques while carrying them on his back. The boxing style Zhao Wuji had invented was unlike any other; it was highly destructive and naturally consumed a great deal of energy. Otherwise, how could he have expended so much energy given his current physical condition? After his shower, Zhao Wuji had mostly recovered his stamina. He grabbed a towel to dry off and walked into the living room. The dining table was already set with platters piled high with meat—including pork, beef, and more. Zhao Wuji had instructed the hotel to prepare these meats specifically to help him replenish his energy. Zhao Wuji picked up a glass, poured himself some water, and began devouring the meat. Only when his stomach felt full did he stop eating. Rubbing his belly, he felt quite satisfied—no matter how much humans may change, their craving for food has remained unchanged for thousands of years. The floor-to-ceiling curtains in the bedroom were still drawn, leaving the room in complete darkness. Zhao Wuji walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and pulled the curtains open with a swift motion. Instantly, dazzling sunlight flooded the entire bedroom. It illuminated the scene inside the bedroom with crystal clarity. The blankets on the bed were folded neatly, as if by a soldier. Other than that, there was nothing out of the ordinary in the room; everything was quite ordinary. The phone on the nightstand lay silent. Zhao Wuji had been waiting for it to ring for the past two days; he was already eager to head to the Siberian Training Camp. Being cooped up in the hotel was driving him absolutely crazy. Zhao Wuji stared at the phone for quite a while. Once he was certain it wouldn’t ring, he got dressed and slammed the door shut. He decided to go out for some fresh air. Once he stepped out of his room, the hotel hallway was silent, seemingly deserted. The elevator light was on; Zhao Wuji pressed the button, the doors opened, and he stepped inside, pressing the button for the basement level. Since the Sharon Hotel was a world-class establishment, its guiding principle had to be customer-centric. Therefore, entertainment options were surely a must here—and the Sharon Hotel’s basement was exactly that kind of place. The basement of the Sharon Hotel covered a large area, though few people knew about it simply because it was underground. Here, every conceivable form of entertainment is available—bars, casinos, and other amenities—and there’s even an underground boxing ring for those seeking thrills. The elevator came to a stop, and the indicator light lit up for the basement level. As soon as the doors opened, Zhao Wuji could feel the atmosphere here—scorching and passionate, as if it were about to set the air ablaze. The lighting designer had cast a suggestive, faint red glow; the male waiters coming and going were handsome and dashing, with a unique aura, while the female waitresses wore revealing, sultry outfits that were incredibly alluring. Naturally, the patrons here were no ordinary crowd either; their attire was extravagant and unconventional. As Zhao Wuji walked in, he didn’t stand out at all. In fact, the clothes he wore were far from ordinary—they were all specially tailored pieces—but few people here would recognize them. Zhao Wuji wandered around casually, fending off several groups of beautiful women who approached him to strike up a conversation. The enhanced Zhao Wuji exuded a unique aura that was irresistible to women. However, he suspected that the women here had equally discerning eyes—they seemed to have noticed that his clothes were quite expensive. The suggestive atmosphere here didn’t seem to hold Zhao Wuji’s attention. As he walked through the venue, he sensed the scent of combat wafting from the distance—a scent so familiar that he could easily distinguish it. And so, Zhao Wuji followed that scent, gradually leaving the bar behind and venturing deeper into the venue. Finally, Zhao Wuji stopped. Two burly men stood guard beside a massive wooden door several meters wide, their eyes cold as they watched wave after wave of patrons pass before them. “Sir, please show us your room key card,” they said, their expressions unchanging as they held out their hands to block his path upon seeing Zhao Wuji approach. “Room key.” Zhao Wuji took the dark black, gold-trimmed room key from his pocket and held it up before the two burly men. In that instant, Zhao Wuji clearly saw a flash of astonishment in their eyes, followed by respect. They stepped aside and bowed deeply. “Esteemed guest, please forgive our rudeness. You may go wherever you wish, and we are happy to be at your service at any time.” “It seems this room key is no ordinary one!” At that moment, Zhao Wuji experienced a different kind of charm—one that made him, who had always favored resolving issues through brute force, feel something new. Upon entering, he found the place teeming with people and bustling with activity. It turned out to be a massive casino where people gambled on everything—but nothing was more thrilling than betting on the outcomes of the fights in the ring. Zhao Wuji’s gaze swept past the gambling tables and settled on the massive boxing ring in the distance.