Part 1 Special Episode: Four Years
(TN: This is a special/extra that should be read after chapter 33. It starts right after Xiu got sucked into the door.)
Xiu woke up and found himself in a silver-white enclosed space with no entrance or exit. He remembered being sucked in by that door.
As Xiu got up, a foreign body attracted his attention and he noticed that he had some papers in his hand – it was the pages that had been torn from Du Ze’s book when they were separated by the door. When they were in the reverse side of the continent, Xiu had opened that book and read until the second page before Du Ze woke up.
Xiu hesitated for a moment, then examined the pages.
The whole space was quiet. The only sound came from Xiu turning the pages, but the gnome’s tiny ears, hidden in his flaxen hair, became tinged with crimson.
Suddenly, a blue light swept over the room and a small figure appeared. Xiu unthinkingly hid the papers behind his back. The figure was short and had pointed ears, showing that he was a gnome. The gnome smiled at Xiu.
“Welcome to the Gate of Wisdom, child.”
***
“It’s really a work of art,” the gnome exclaimed as the examined the mechanical puppet. “There’s no difference between this mechanical puppet and a man.”
He tiptoed to touch the head of the mechanical puppet. “If it has feelings then it’s no different from real people.”
The gnome looked at Xiu: “You are the most gifted child I have ever seen.”
Hearing the praise, Xiu did not show a happy expression and he just asked: “Can I leave?”
“Of course, child.” The gnome waved his hand and a metal bracelet engraved with three stars appeared in front of Xiu: “This is the highest mechanical certificate I can give you. In fact, you are already a five star mechanic. After you get out of here, you can take your work to the “Severity” plaza to upgrade your star rank – I suggest that you get five stars so you can take five-star materials from the “Foundation” plaza.1
The gnome rankings use stars. There are a total of 7 star ranks. Depending on the gnome’s star ranking, they can get the corresponding star level material and command the corresponding star ranked mechanical puppet.
Xiu took the bracelet and the metal chain automatically clasped itself on his wrist. The gnome stood opposite him. This time his smile looked more spontaneous and less programmed.
“Congratulations child, you are ready to graduate.”
When Xiu came out of the Gate of Wisdom, he saw Old John guarding the door. The old mechanical puppet saw Xiu and the blue lights in its eyes glowed with delight.
“Welcome back.” Old John looked at the bracelet on Xiu’s wrist: “Three stars already? Looks like our new little Master is very good.”
Beside them a machine beeped. It seemed to agree and cheer. Xiu glanced around him but did not find the person he was looking for.
“Where is he?”
Old John’s blue lights flickered and his voice was full of sadness.
“There is one thing I have to tell you …”
The little Phoenix stood at the top of the wheel of time, languishing. It occasionally pecked the golden outer ring of the wheel of time as though trying to get the big guy to return its “Mother.” Suddenly, a small figure appeared in its field of vision and the small Phoenix issued a tender cry, bouncing up and down on the wheel of time.
