"Zhou, Liu Rui, we're leaving. You guys take care."
"See you in two months."
Shi Shang and Huang Guangming carried their suitcases as they waved goodbye. They left and only Liu Rui and Lu Zhou stayed in the spacious dorm room.
The summer vacation began.
Within a week, the entire school was deserted. It would not be the end of August until people started coming back to school. Only then would the school go back to being lively. Not only would the returning students come back, but new students would also arrive.
Lu Zhou signed up for the summer school application. He said goodbye to Liu Rui and left the dorm with his laptop. He first went to the dorm center to hand in his application before heading toward the library.
The style of study at the University of Jin Ling was intense. Even though a lot of students left the school, the library was still full of students studying for the graduate entrance exam. Piles of books occupied the empty seats, preventing anyone else from taking it.
Lu Zhou could not help but think what were these people doing. The books were starting to collect dust yet no one went back to the seat.
Lu Zhou saw his usual seat occupied by a book. He was about to find another seat before he saw Chen Yushan sitting right next to it. She swiftly removed the book and waved her hand at him.
Lu Zhou realized that she reserved the seat for him.
He took her up on the offer and walked toward her.
Lu Zhou placed his laptop down on the desk. He did not sit down immediately. Instead, he went to the bookshelves.
He remembered the contents of the book list. After a little bit of hesitation, he finally picked out [Linear Algebra (National Industry Edition)].
The system highlighted the location of the books using holographic images that only he could see. Unfortunately, the system did not label the value score of the books. He just had to use his own judgment to determine the reading order.
The order of reading was important as there was a correlation between the different knowledge contents. Even different subjects could influence each other.
Without reading [Semiconductor physics] and [Basic circuit design], it would be impossible to understand the topics of [Microelectronics]. Without the foundations of microelectronics, learning [IC design] would be like trying to learn magic.
Studying mathematics was undoubtedly a safe choice.
Normally, mathematical skills would often be applied in other scientific fields, but the opposite rarely happened. Luckily for Lu Zhou, mathematics was his strong suit. Even though the materials for the other disciplines were new to Lu Zhou, with his mathematical background, it would not be too difficult for him to learn them.
Perfectly for him, there were gaps in his knowledge of mathematics, so most of his understandings were shallow.
For example, the reason he was able to write his first thesis was because of his deep understanding of complex and real functions analysis. He would be completely lost on the other topics that the thesis did not cover.
Thank god no one was bored enough to test him with a textbook. Otherwise, he definitely would not be able to answer it.
If someone found out that he had not even finished a function analysis textbook, yet submitted a thesis called "Optimal Inversion Theory of Linear Operators and Linear Functionals", he would be ridiculed.
Lu Zhou stood behind the bookshelves and took out the white pill bottle from his pocket. "It'd be great if I have water," thought Lu Zhou. He looked at Chen Yushan's cup on her desk. Finally, he gave up on that daring idea.
Lu Zhou took out a pill, closed his eyes, and threw it in his mouth. He forced the pill down by swallowing his spit.
He waited for a while and did not notice any changes. Suddenly, a slight tingling sensation spread from the back of his head. It eventually swept through his eyes and gathered toward his eyebrows.
It was hard to describe the feeling. It was like an invisible ant crawling over his head.
Nanorobots?
Or some kind of special hormone?
Lu Zhou was unsure. The technology given by the system was beyond the scope of existing knowledge. The only feeling he had was that his brain felt sober and his thinking was extremely meticulous, almost like Newton or Einstein.
Also, this intense feeling was like eating a piece of Stride gum. It did not stop.
Lu Zhou realized that it was the drug's effect.
He did not hesitate before grabbing the book and sitting back down. Meticulously, he flipped to the first page of the book.
The focus capsule's effect was different than the immersive reading experience from his previous mission.
The immersive reading from last time was like his entire body was being swallowed into the belly of a whale.
Whereas the feeling the focus capsule gave him was like it stimulated his brain cell activity. He was taking in knowledge but also thinking critically.
Time quickly passed by and soon, it was already 6 o'clock at night. An orange skyline shone through the windows.
Chen Yushan stretched and looked at Lu Zhou. She saw that he had the same position as an hour ago and could not help but admire.
How talented!
I guess this is how you train to be a genius!
But isn't his neck sore from sitting like this?
Chen Yushan poked Lu Zhou's arm and asked softly, "Oi, little brother, are you going to the cafeteria?"
Lu Zhou shook his head and replied, "You go first, I'm not hungry yet."
Five hours had passed by. The drug's effect was starting to decrease but there was still some effect left.
He wondered, "How long would this effect last?"
"Then, I'll go first…" replied Chen Yushan. She suddenly thought about something and asked softly, "Oh yeah, do you still remember about the job I talked about?"
Lu Zhou asked, "Yeah, when do I start?"
Chen Yushan suggested, "Tomorrow is Saturday. How about we meet at a planned time? I'll take you to meet my auntie."
Lu Zhou thought about it and nodded his head: "…"
Anyway, he was free tomorrow and the drug had a 24 hour of no effect period after consumption.
200 yuan an hour. If he just worked a few times, his tuition next year would be covered.
After the two agreed to meet outside the school at nine o'clock, Chen Yushan packed her stuff and left for the cafeteria.
After Chen Yushan left, Lu Zhou turned his attention back onto the textbook.
Over time, he could clearly feel the level of his attention decreasing back to his normal state.
The topics that could be understood in one read would now require a few readings.
The most obvious part was that without the drug's effect, he would constantly get distracted, even more so than normal.
Lu Zhou looked at his notes and his notebook. He sighed and took out his phone to look at the time.
It was already half past seven.
He was finally hungry.
"The pill's effect lasted for five hours. After that, the effect would slowly decrease over the course of an hour, until there is no effect left."
"I can't study at all without the pill. This is not good…"
Lu Zhou picked up the book and went to the librarian. He took out his library card and borrowed the book. He then packed his stuff and left the library.
He went to the cafeteria on the way back to his dorm and ate some noodles for dinner.
He then went back to his dorm, sat down, and continued to read the book.
He did not care how slow his knowledge absorption was, studying was studying.
Although under normal circumstances his studying speed was very slow, it did not prevent him from remembering the topics that he had already learned. He could still extend his current knowledge.
Of course, the most important part was that he did not want to be over-reliant on this focus capsule.
After all, there were only 40 capsules in a bottle. It would soon be gone. It would be difficult for him to obtain it again, given its probability.
Around 9 o'clock, Liu Rui came back to the dorm from his mathematical modeling competition training meeting.
He glanced at Lu Zhou who was studying and put down his backpack before walking over.
"Zhou, exams are already over and you're still studying?"
"I have nothing to do anyway. There's not much stuff doing on," replied Lu Zhou with a smile.
Liu Rui looked at the contents of the book Lu Zhou was reading and did not say anything.
He found that his mind was much more peaceful after he accepted this situation.
If they were close in skill level, he could still hope to catch up. However, the difference between 90 and full marks was too huge. He did not even have the motivation to try.
It was still painful to think about it.
The month before exams, he would study the second he woke up until the second he slept. Lu Zhou was still working part-time, but somehow "awakened" before the exam. He tried a bit and easily surpassed him and Luo Rundong.
Liu Rui did not understand what had happened to Lu Zhou's body that made him so amazing.
At last, he could not resist and asked to clear his confusion.
"Zhou, do you have any techniques for studying mathematics? Can you teach me?"
Liu Rui was blushing slightly when he said this.
Before, he would never help when his roommates asked for his notes.
Lu Zhou paused and seriously thought for a bit.
"I don't know either… Maybe it's talent?"
"…"
Liu Rui heard him and nearly puked.
Stop being so fake. You should still respect me even though I'm a dumb student!
Lu Zhou looked at Liu Rui from behind. He secretly sighed and knew that his friend had gone crazy.
But what could he do?
He was in despair as well.
I can't tell anyone that I have a system in my head right?