When an AI chip was implanted in his brain, he rose to power

Untitled Part 8 Predestination

Jason eventually became an official student of the Foolish Master, though only nominally. He decided to take this step because practicing his spiritual powers seemed to be a promising way to strengthen his mind. After teaching him a simple technique to calm his mind, the Master gave him daily assignments to recite ancient scriptures or various texts, without any other demands, and then promptly left the city. It was as if he were fleeing a disaster, heading off to some religious conference in America, leaving Jason both puzzled and frustrated.

Wang Xing was just as baffled. His old friend's behavior was odd, to say the least, so he hurried to the airport to get some answers. The Master merely sighed and said, "Your grandson is no ordinary person. I can only guide him through the first steps. The rest of his journey, he must discover on his own. I have him reciting ancient texts not just to absorb the wisdom of the ancients, but also to bathe in the essence of Chinese culture. It's my way of helping him stay on the right path."

Back home, Wang Xing made sure Jason followed the Master's advice, giving him ancient Chinese texts to read aloud each day. Initially, Jason was impatient. After all, he could memorize these texts at a glance—why the need to recite them over and over? But after ten days, he began to realize that Chinese classics weren't meant to be merely read; they were meant to be recited.

The rhythmic cadence of the poetry, the conciseness of the ancient prose—reading them out loud immersed him in the words. His mind relaxed more from this activity than from boring meditation sessions. Jason soon began silently reciting texts even while meditating, finding the effects even stronger. Gradually, he came to appreciate the profound depth of Chinese culture.

Take the "I Ching" for example, a thin, ancient book. The first time you read it, it feels confusing and cryptic, even with annotations. But after reading it seven or eight times, you start to grasp its meaning. Every re-read reveals new insights, something that foreign books simply can't compare to.

There are countless annotated versions of the "I Ching" because each reader—and each reading—offers a different interpretation. Over time, great scholars have written their own commentaries, adding to the vast body of knowledge about the text.

Jason became addicted to reciting these works—not just Chinese classics but any beautiful or classic writing he could find. He had practically turned into a bookworm.

After his college entrance exams, Jason had a long summer break before classes began in September. Apart from his regular treatments for his grandmother, every Sunday, his family, except his uncle, would go on outings to explore the city. Having lived in Huadu for over four years, but rarely going out, Jason was finally getting the chance to see all the sights.

They took tons of photos, and happiness radiated from his sister, Faye, which brought great comfort to the family.

One day, while Jason was idly browsing the internet, his character in Miracle had already reached level 200. But as the game grew more popular, so did the cheats and hacks. Despite the developers' best efforts to combat them, Jason knew it was more about appearances. Banning a few accounts daily was not enough to deter anyone.

Given the state of online games, Jason thought they were all pretty much trash. Miracle had decent graphics, but the gameplay was terrible compared to Blizzard's Diablo II. The weapons and magic were too limited, and the poor management by the game's operators meant Miracle probably wouldn't remain popular much longer.

Jason began toying with the idea of selling his account. Based on his current level, equipment, and gems, he estimated it could fetch around 4,000 to 5,000 yuan.

While Jason was lost in thought, Faye suddenly exclaimed, "Hey, I think I've seen this girl before! Grandpa, come take a look."

Grandpa took the photo from her and said, "Oh, that's from when we visited the Great Wall. Of course, you've seen her."