How Am I Still Alive?-Chapter 418 - 398: Merger
"...So, thereโs really no way, huh?" ๐ฏ๐ง๐๐๐ฌ๐๐๐ฃ๐ค๐๐ฎ๐ต.๐๐ค๐ข
What drove Lu Pingโan to helplessness was the side effect accompanying the physical increase brought about by the magic plants transformation: "Reflex", which seemed incurable like a stock market crash.
Although it hadnโt fallen this time... perhaps the base was already too low to fall any further, this had clearly become his biggest weakness.
He could feel that his reaction speed had slowed down, along with his dynamic vision and physical response... This might not be an issue for other gardeners, but for Lu Pingโan, it was a hidden danger that had to be addressed.
His reflexes were already low enough, and reducing them further would turn him into a tree-man.
"Thereโs no way. You shouldโve sensed the changes in your body. Itโs a change in the essence of life. You canโt have the resilience of plants and the agility of animals at the same time..."
The changes at the cellular level were gradually eroding his flesh, and his body began to reshape itself.
With the significant increase in physique and additional regenerative ability, the decline of reflex nerves seemed to be unavoidable.
And this was just the first time. It would likely continue to happen, and as a non-mainstream gardener, Lu Pingโan hoped to avoid it.
"...Thereโs a price to pay for magic plant transformation, but there are a few ways to mitigate it to some extent..."
Professor Wenโs "answer" was not fresh, and most of it was already familiar to Lu Pingโan.
The simplest method was for the gardener to rely on consuming potions, using potions to compensate for the deficiencies... Ignoring the various side effects and costs of magic potions, the magic potions that permanently increased basic abilities and reflexes were too expensive.
It wasnโt just expensive, but rather it had no cost-effectiveness to speak of. Even considering the price of the permanent magic potions, one might as well consider purchasing taboo items or quasi-polluting items to enhance their strength.
The most cost-effective solution was to recruit a Magic Alchemist, provide materials as a gardener, and let them provide potions... but this was obviously something without a clear plan.
"...Prioritize recruiting a highly skilled Magic Alchemist."
With Lu Pingโanโs current resources, it wouldnโt be difficult to recruit a Logistics Department magic potion student from Ancient City University at Miss Lululuโs level.
But he was too picky... or rather, Big Cat had too high standards.
In her view, the quality and yield of courtyard magic plants were astonishing. Rather than wasting them on noobs, better find an expert who could cover most of the basic magic potions.
She wasnโt unwilling to invest, but long-term cooperation required good character and training from scratch needed a good prospect.
But finding a candidate with both strength and reliability was not so easy, and so it remained on standby for now.
The second solution was to rely on equipment, whether it was the Mechanical Spiritualistโs "prosthetic limbs" or "external components" or high-quality taboo items like Heavenly Boots, they could all have an immediate effect.
However, this couldnโt fundamentally solve the problem... When it was really time to fight, Lu Pingโan wouldnโt be taking off his Heavenly Boots.
"...Healer, Mechanical Spiritualist, and other body modification techniques should not be used on us. Sometimes they fail, sometimes they conflict..."
This could be considered Professor Wenโs well-meaning advice, but it seemed to also be the price of becoming a "Parasitic Tree". A body that was too close to nature had become a separate matter from most normal bodies.
"...But we have our own modification methods. You can form a symbiosis with a high-reflex magic plant. Even without symbiosis, you can try the external attachments, using them as an extension of your hands and feet. I see that your control of tentacles is quite mature..."
As expected, it was the consistent treatment method of the Life system.
"These magic plants are not particularly difficult to find, itโs just that your requirements are quite high. When I purchased them, the price was 10% higher than the market rate, so youโll have to add 10% to my cost..."
This was basically the cost price, and Lu Pingโan readily accepted it.
"Drilling Grass", or Mola Mengrass, was the special magic plant that Professor Wen had helped Lu Pingโan purchase.
Its ranking is probably between first-tier and 2-tier, and itโs a somewhat useless exotic plant.
As its alternative name suggests, its only effect is "drilling"....its tentacle sensing ability is quite strong, as long as the tip of the leaf is touched, it will start up instantaneously and drill the entire magic plant dozens of meters deep underground.
Many people have tried to exploit its effect, but the only use that has emerged is hiding things within it.
"For a while, people called it the Treasure Chest Grass. At that time, some people tied the things they wanted to hide to it and let it drill freely into the ground, and some even went out into the wild to dig them up....But later, it was found to be too troublesome to retrieve, and no one did such a foolish thing anymore."
Professor Wen was also curious about what Lu Pingโan wanted to do with this impractical object.
As for Lu Pingโan himself, he came to consult Professor Wenโs advice.
"...With these plants and the other magic plant Iโve acquired before, I can design a second-tier Bonsai Designer scene as my Gardener 2-tier..."
Lu Pingโan briefly explained, Professor Wen thought for a moment and nodded affirmatively.
"Not a bad idea, but a bit risky. Itโs best not to use it within the city. Just these two types of magic plants are not enough, I suggest you get some more...."
Experts are worldly-wise. Professor Wenโs suggestions sounded very reliable, and Lu Pingโan took out his notebook to jot down the types and names of these magic plants.
If he can handle it himself, heโll do it. If he canโt, heโll have to trouble Professor Wen in front of him.
At this point, he was even more certain of the importance of "connections within the gardening industry." Many banned and out-of-print items on the market are nothing to the relatively high-end academic circles.
However, he was somewhat interested in another matter mentioned by the professor earlier...
"The merger issue? Oh, did I mention it earlier? Thatโs not good, I shouldnโt discuss it with students. You wonโt go around spreading it, will you?"
"Of course, I can keep a secret." After Lu Pingโan promised not to spread the news, Professor Wen began to discuss recent matters.
"Ancient City isnโt big, having six top-notch training institutions is a bit excessive. Itโs the higher-upsโ idea to use this round of educational reform to integrate the system..." Lu Pingโan immediately understood that this was to make the "New Generation" more controllable.
The six universities were actually products of the heyday of industrial development in the old era. At that time, Ancient City was much more famous than it is now, and the industrial zone of the old city still has the smell of coal and smokestacks.-->During that era, both intellectuals and skilled workers were needed, so vocational schools and universities gradually increased. Some were relocated from other places, while others were locally reorganized into new teams.
With the rise of the "Secret Keepers" later on, the demand for training institutions grew, and the universities each formed their teams, hiring experts from outside and gradually becoming what they are today.
Nowadays, each has become a knowledge barrier, with its own ace paths.....You need enough exclusive resources to attract more quality students, and the heavy rewards before the college entrance exams keep increasing every year.
Now, it seems that the educational reform canโt stop the trend.
"...Possibly, in no time, there will be only three or at most four universities left..."
Itโs already been decided that Ancient City University will merge with "Private Yingwu Biomedical University"....Just by the name, you can tell what this private university is about.
But soon, there will only be the Ancient City University Yingwu Campus.
The merger will only combine the students and teaching staff of special majors; it sounds nice to say itโs a merger, but everyone knows itโs a direct takeover.
The anticipated reform is for the top-ranked universities to merge with the lower-ranked ones. For some schools, this is probably a doomsday disaster, but since the beneficiary is Ancient City University, itโs not an issue - at least the teachers are relaxed...even if all six universities merge, the officially backed Ancient City University will still have the advantage.
"Actually, theyโre quite good at healing, animal taming, gardening, and biological transformation. We can easily send people over, but they might be deceived or rendered powerless. The Vice Principal wanted me to be their โPlant Department Directorโ, but I donโt have the time and flatly refused. But it seems I canโt dodge being assigned there for a project, so you can come with me to see it then..."
Lu Pingโan, who was also interested in other schools, readily agreed.
