The dock was in a "U" shape.
A long awning acted as a demarcation line, with a smaller section in front and a larger one behind.
Upon stepping past the awning, Link was momentarily taken aback by the sight before him.
Dozens of large aircraft, resembling the Antonov An-124 Ruslan, were neatly lined up in the open area, their rear ends facing the awning, rear cargo doors wide open.
This formation, this set up, this mighty display...
In a word, it was stunning!
Above the aircraft, the names and emblems of various Wizard Organizations hovered in mid-air, making it easy to identify and avoid confusion.
"Link, over here."
Jasmine stood next to the large aircraft of Ravensmouth Biological and Medical College, waving at Link from a distance.
She stood tall and graceful, with a calm smile on her face. As she waved, she gave a slight tilt of her head, appearing all the more adorable.
"Hmm..."
Link wet his lips, sensing that Jasmine had begun to throw charms at him, ever since she decided to enter Ravensmouth Biological and Medical College.
If he was the naïve blacksmith's son she assumed him to be, he would undoubtedly fall for her charms.
And then, he would probably end up as a henpecked beau, slaving away without complaint, willingly handing over his own resources on a silver platter.
Well...
Link admits that such thoughts reveal a darker side to him.
Though it's unwise to be suspicious of everyone, it's far better straying on the side of caution; Link had no qualms about judging people with the worst intentions.
"I'm coming."
Shrugging off his inner thoughts, Link waved back at Jasmine, rapidly closing the distance between them.
"Everyone has already gone up, I was waiting for you. I was a bit scared on my own."
As Link came closer, Jasmine unveiled a radiant smile and said, "Now that you're here, I'm not scared anymore."
"Ah..."
Speechless, Link found himself at a loss for words, unsure of how to respond to her sudden straightforward approach.
So blunt... with no emotional groundwork laid beforehand, did she just make a move on him like that?
Link was a bit perplexed about her tactics, so he decided not to respond at all.
"Let's go up."
This time, Link made his way aboard without having any physical contact with Jasmine.
Jasmine blinked, looking a bit surprised.
Had she done something wrong? Why did it seem like Link was intentionally keeping his distance from her?
After pondering for a while without any clear answer, Jasmine dismissed the thought and hurriedly followed Link onto the aircraft.
At the entrance of the cabin, a staff member in a uniform similar to those worn by the recruiters sat. To his left was a device resembling a tablet, and on his right was a square black box. Above his head, a white body with a glass lens hovered.
"Name?"
The staff member's voice was dull, devoid of any emotion.
"Link Grande."
"Hmm... intermediate fourth rank qualification, not bad."
The staff member tapped on the tablet and muttered a few words to himself before directing Link to a spot about two meters in front of him, marked with a short white line. "Stand straight there, look forward, don't blink, don't move."
Link obediently followed the instructions.
With a click,
The hovering white body above the staff member's head released a flash from its glass lens.
"A photo, huh?"
Link was increasingly fascinated by the wisdom encapsulated in the phrase, "mirroring the same principles despite methods' differences."
Up until now, Link had witnessed self-driving vehicles, full-metal ocean-going ships, handheld terminals, artificial intelligence, comprehensive lighting systems, aviation, and internet.
It proved that advanced wizard civilization was in no way inferior to ignorance.
While the means of realization might differ, the outcomes exhibited no significant differentiations from the technologically advanced civilization of Link's previous life—in fact, they may far surpass it in many fields.
So, seeing an unmanned aerial vehicle with photographing and recording features wasn't surprising for Link.
"Come here, place your hands on this."
The staff member pointed to the palm and fingerprint scanner.
Link did as instructed.
The scanner emanated blue light and swept back and forth several times, recording Link's palm and fingerprints in the database.
The square black box then started up, stuttering a few times before a slot opened at the bottom, dispenses a palm-sized card.
The emblem of Ravensmouth Biological and Medical College was at the top center of the card, with the full name of the college appearing underneath.
Link's half-body photo occupied the middle part of the card.
Below were his name "Link Grande" and the apprentice number "201140048".
"Alright, go in and find a seat."
The staff member handed the card to Link and casually instructed.
"Thank you."
Link bowed respectfully to the staff member.
It never hurts to be polite, especially in the Wizard World full of potent individuals. After his introspection a few days ago, Link always maintained a humble attitude.
Though it may not produce any benefits, it can at least minimize unnecessary animosity or even hostility.
Link entered the cabin door, waited in the aisle for a while until Jasmine registered her information, received her card, then they began searching for seats together.
After all, they both hailed from the same place; there was no point in distancing from one another due to his real or imagined suspicions about her.
Normal interactions should suffice.
Private cabins lined both sides of the aisle, available for two or four persons.
After discussing with Jasmine, Link chose an empty double cabin.
Sitting in the soft and comfortable seat that could be adjusted for seating or lying down, Jasmine fell silent for a moment before suddenly expressing her sentiment. "It feels like I'm dreaming."
"I know you might not say it, but I know I've lived a pampered life since childhood, and my living conditions have been much better than yours. However, compared to the wizards of the main continent, our conditions are like the difference between a barbarian slave and a noble."
As she spoke, Jasmine's expression became complex.
"I feel like a barbarian slave who's broken into the wizarding world, with narrow-minded views and feeling terrified!"
At this point, Jasmine turned towards Link, her eyes locked with his, asking earnestly, "Link, why is it that so many things that Jimmy and the others found hard to accept, you seem to take in stride? This isn't characteristic of an unsophisticated blacksmith's son. Can you tell me why?"
Link couldn't help but grow suspicious.
Sister, what's going on?
First, you threw a direct pitch, and now you're interrogating my soul?
We're not that close, at best, we're compatriots who've crossed paths by chance.
Is this the kind of question you should be asking?
Unruffled, Link responded calmly with the "Mind Closure Technique" at work, "Isn't it natural for Wizards to achieve anything? What's there to be surprised about?"
He paused before continuing, "My family can only forge one acceptable iron sword per month, but Viscount Holliday's soldiers never lack weapons. I've known since I was a kid that powerful figures can achieve things, there's no reason to doubt them with a mediocre perspective."
Are you persuaded by this? Only you can tell, Link added mentally to himself.