Chapter 023 Apprentice of the Future

　　The boy had never imagined that the "special figure" Master Wei spoke of would be the Chosen One himself! To experience his deeds from Chu Mufan’s own perspective—this was simply too wonderful!

　　As a die-hard fan of Chu Mufan, Gu Moxun deemed it an unimaginable stroke of great fortune to secure such a rare opportunity to witness the most authentic stories of the Chosen One, also Gu’s idol, through his memories!

　　This incredible blessing sent him into ecstatic delight! His excited demeanor was exactly like that of star-chasers in our time. Gu Moxun felt his legs trembling with excitement, his heart pounding as if it would leap out of his chest! He could not wait a single moment longer to catch a glimpse!

　　Soon, they reached the second-floor corridor. Wei Zhengdao lifted his leg and strolled in casually. But Gu Moxun, following behind, froze—overwhelmed with excitement at the thought of soon seeing the true face of the man revered by all. He was too thrilled to take a single step forward...

　　……

　　The second floor where Wei Zhengdao lived was much neater and cleaner than the first. It was filled with numerous green plants and flowers. Master Wei said these were some traditional Chinese medicinal herbs, but Gu Moxun—eager to catch a glimpse of the Destined One—had no time to think about what kind of medicine they were...

　　All the furniture, floors, tables, and chairs on the second floor were made of wood, showing Wei Zhengdao’s genuine fondness for wooden furniture. Gu Moxun’s mind was only on his idol. After a quick glance, he followed Wei Zhengdao closely, walking straight inward. They walked one after another through a corridor and stopped at the door of the innermost room.

　　“This is where I keep my device. It’s not very big—you can move it to your own room later! By the way, you haven’t chosen a house yet, have you? Later, go find an empty building outside, then pick a robot to be your assistant to clean it up. After that, you can move the device over…

　　During the day, you’ll train with Zheng Feng and me. At night, you can come back to watch the Destined One’s hologram. It’ll be both restful and save you the time of running back and forth! What you lack most now is time—we’re less than five years away from the return date, do you know?”

　　Before Gu Moxun could reply, the elder pushed the door open with a single hand, and a simple, elegant fragrance wafted out…

　　Gu Moxun craned his neck to look inside! The room inside was not large, with its walls painted in a special black coating. Speakers were installed in all four corners of the ceiling, and a large spherical device hung in the center. Numerous metal tubes protruded from the surface of the sphere—each tube was a holographic image projector, used to process image data…

　　It was truly rare to see so many holographic projectors integrated into one unit...

　　Beneath the sphere stood a comfortable leather armchair. On the seat cushion lay a helmet-like device that looked both like headphones and an eye mask, connected to the lower end of the spherical machine by a thick data cable.

　　“M-master, the… the book? C-Chu… Mufan’s… hand… written… n-notes…” Gu Moxun stammered, clearly more interested in Chu Mufan’s notes.

　　“You boy! It’s on the desk!” Wei Zhengdao, annoyed that the boy only cared about the Chosen One’s belongings and ignored his, pointed angrily at a black desk in the corner.

　　The desk, the same color as its surroundings, was embedded in the wall—had Wei Zhengdao not pointed it out, it would have been truly hard to spot. Gu Moxun hurried over. Sure enough, an old red notebook lay on the black desk.

　　“M-master, i-is… is this… really… the Chosen One… Chu Mufan’s… handwritten… n-notebook?”

　　“What? Of course it is! He personally handed this book to Dr. David for safekeeping! Now it’s a relic of the Chosen One…” After answering Gu Moxun’s doubt, the elder angrily flicked his finger hard on the boy’s forehead! The flick sent Gu Moxun stumbling backward. He clutched his head with both hands, tears swirling in his eyes from the pain!

　　Watching Gu Moxun rubbing his forehead, Wei Zhengdao spoke solemnly: "Remember, don’t just ask others about everything—you must observe more, listen more, and reflect on your own!"

　　"Yes, M-. m- master... I- I... know... I was wrong!" Gu Moxun bowed his head and apologized. The elder still seemed to hold some resentment as he continued: "The Chosen One’s life was full of ups and downs, hardships and wanderings—that’s what forged his legend! You must watch carefully, read with all your heart, and use this course-ware to truly understand it!

　　Don’t skip or fast-forward if you find it boring! Some details are foreshadowing for major events in the future! If you don’t take it seriously, you won’t sleep tonight!"

　　Gu Moxun nodded reluctantly in agreement.

　　Seeing the boy’s aggrieved face with tears glistening in his eyes from the pain, Wei Zhengdao softened his tone and added: "This journal was something Chu Mufan carried with him at all times, until he entrusted it to my master, Dr. David... You must cherish the chance to read it, understand?"

　　"Yes, M-master!"

　　After responding, Gu Moxun stepped forward, picked up the red notebook from the corner, and examined it carefully. The red notebook was roughly the size of an A5 sheet and quite thick. The writing on the cover had faded beyond recognition—only vague traces of the words "school notebook" could be made out. Its cover could find cracks and wear, showing that the notebook had gone through countless hardships alongside Chu Mufan. Even after special treatment, it remained tattered; it must have been severely damaged when it was handed over to Dr. David.

　　In the center of the notebook, there was a gap pierced by a sharp blade—running straight from the front cover to the back. It looked as if it had been stabbed forcefully by a blade of no small size! Gu Moxun quickly flipped through the pages. Some handwriting in the first half was damaged by the gap, and there were traces of dried dark red bloodstains...

　　The subsequent diary entries avoided the gap, written around its edges. On the last page was a motto—its handwriting neat and the clearest of all: "Once, I thought human civilization was infinitely powerful, but under the weight of war and greed, it proved so fragile... Once, I thought I could change the entire world, change everyone. When the cold dagger pierced my chest, I knew I was wrong again! Blood and tears have taught me that the only person I can change is myself! The moment 'Casting Heart' was born, the balance of the world tilted toward me. Having gained profound enlightenment, I will march into this Apocalypse with a reforged heart...

　　Staring at the clear motto in the notebook, Gu Moxun asked curiously: "M- master, t-this handwriting... is so... fresh. D-did... you... write it?"

　　"How could that be! These were written by the Destined One himself later. He handed the journal to Dr. David for safekeeping soon after finishing it, and the doctor treated the notebook specially—so the handwriting still looks as fresh as the day it was written, even after a hundred years!

　　Alright, go ahead and read. All your questions will be answered by the book in your hand and the memory hologram left by the Destined One. Many things you have to discover on your own—your master can only lead you to the door; your cultivation depends on yourself!" Wei Zhengdao said, glancing at the boy whose attention was fully fixed on the notebook. The boy was too preoccupied to respond properly, only muttering a simple "Hmm" as an answer...