20demayo Page 27
Page 27
The Promised Land.
Gao Kuijuan's delicate eyebrows twitched.
Anyone with even a slight understanding of the Bible has heard of the Promised Land, a term that has become a Western "idiom" often used to describe a perfect and ideal destination.
Most importantly, when he saw Immanuel at school yesterday after his illness, Immanuel said: "Tomorrow someone will invite you; do not refuse, for that will be your promised land."
After persuading Gao Kui not to refuse the invitation, Emmanuel then insisted that Gao Kui must go up the viaduct, saying that once he was on the viaduct, he would be able to see Yuzuriha Inori.
Now Gao Kui is 90% convinced that he is the Son of God; Emmanuel truly is Emmanuel.
The only question is, what was the basis for Emmanuel's two pieces of advice to him? Now that he's gone up the viaduct and come down unharmed, when will he see Yuzuriha Inori?
Chapter 33 Gate of Kassel
Should we accept the invitation?
Should we believe Immanuel's words and go to the promised land he promised?
Gao Kui didn't think for long. If everything he had experienced was real, then apart from being a reincarnated saint, he was no different from Grandma Liu who had mistakenly entered Cybertron.
I know nothing, I understand nothing.
Given the current situation, he can only go with the flow. Or rather, if he doesn't go with the flow, what else can he do?
"I don't seem to have a reason to refuse. If I don't go to Kassel, I won't be able to get into any other university."
Gao Kui was very aware of his grades. He was always last in Shilan High School, and his abysmal academic performance made it difficult for him to even get into a junior college.
Of course, if he had strong connections, it wouldn't matter; even with a score of over 985, he could get into a top-tier university like the Shanghai Theatre Academy through special channels. Unfortunately, he doesn't have such strong connections or backing.
"great!"
Guderian burst into tears of joy: "I never expected you to agree so easily. To be honest, I was prepared to talk to you for a long time, and even kidnap you to Kassel."
"But I'm afraid I can't afford the tuition and fees in Kassel. I've heard that studying abroad costs a lot of money these days. Do I need to sign a student loan agreement or something?"
Gao Kui was not without worry. These days, studying abroad is a prestigious thing. In the past few years, many students from Shilan Middle School have gone abroad to study, and their families are either rich or noble.
He certainly doesn't have those conditions.
However, every cloud has a silver lining. Gao Kui knew about student loans abroad. High school students from middle-class families who got into prestigious universities would apply for student loans from banks, which amounted to astronomical sums.
The total cost of college years can amount to tens or hundreds of thousands of US dollars, and the loan debts can take more than a decade to pay off after graduation.
Chu Tianjiao said that Kassel students can earn hundreds of thousands of US dollars a year after graduation, and if they are frugal, they should be able to pay off their debts in two or three years.
On another note, how did Chu Tianjiao manage to afford the tuition and fees for Kassel? Could his uncle's family be some kind of hidden tycoon?
Before Gao Kui could expand his thoughts to other areas, Professor Guderian completely dispelled his doubts: "It's true that many college students in the United States apply for student loans, but you don't need to, you're a Super A!"
As far as I know, there are only a dozen or so S-class beings in the entire world, and not even one in a single country. And you are a Super A, second only to S-class.
In your China, even if he's not the top scorer in the national college entrance examination, he'd at least be the top scorer in the provincial college entrance examination. You've probably guessed it by now, right? Every year, your country's top universities fight tooth and nail to recruit the top scorers from each province.
Tuition and living expenses are things you don't need to worry about at all; you won't spend a single penny to study in Kassel.
I have a four-year, $36000 scholarship limit under my name, and the principal approved an additional $30,000 per year for me, plus some other miscellaneous allowances and benefits...
It's all yours. You go to school in Kassel, not only will you not have to spend any money, but you'll also receive nearly $40,000 after taxes from the school every year. Keep in mind that the average annual income in the United States this year is only $37,600, and that's before taxes..."
Guderian rambled on and on, mostly describing the future, making promises to Kao Kui, and planning the four-year Kao Kui University curriculum.
Which window in the school cafeteria serves the best Minnan cuisine? What courses should I take in my first year to efficiently earn credits? Which clubs have the most girls and offer the best chance of finding a sweet romance after joining?
Guderian wished he could compile his own college experience into a "College Life Handbook" and personally guide Gao Kui on how to make his four years in Kassel as colorful as possible.
Gao Kui let it go in one ear and out the other. When Guderian mentioned the nearly $40,000 in after-tax scholarships each year, Gao Kui's thoughts had already wandered off to the other side of his mind.
Forty thousand US dollars, that's a lot of money. Even if he got into college normally and got into a big company as a small-town exam taker, he probably wouldn't have that level of income in the first few years.
Now, all he has to do is nod, and Guderian will hand him the money.
What can you do with $40,000?
Take the upcoming side-scrolling action game "DNF" as an example. Forty thousand US dollars can buy 14000 months of Black Diamond membership, but then again, directly buying Black Diamond membership is not very cost-effective.
Let's save our money and go find some big spenders on online card-selling platforms to get our VIP memberships. Then all those yellow, green, and red VIP memberships will be available as annual fees – a dazzling array of colors, how cool would that be!
Seeing Gao Kui's shifty gaze, Masashi Tomiyama knew that Gao Kui's thoughts were wandering again. Right now, Guderian and Gao Kui were each talking to themselves and thinking to themselves.
Masashi Tomiyama nudged Guderian: "Professor, the most urgent task is to quickly create an enrollment file for Gao Kui."
"Oh, alright!"
Professor Guderian stopped his long-winded speech, took out his phone from his pocket and fiddled with it for a bit, then said, "We don't have the admission application documents or the Abrahamic blood pact here. We didn't expect to be able to admit you so quickly. The principal should send those things over in a few days."
But none of that matters. We'll create a file for you on the school's central computer first.
"Gao Kui, I'll ask you one last time, are you sure you want to join Kassel College?"
Gao Kui did not answer.
Professor Guderian said those things were unimportant, but Gao Kui took the words "Abraham's Blood Pact" to heart, or more precisely, the name Abraham.
In the Old Testament, Abraham was Adam's eighth or ninth generation descendant, in short, Adam's direct descendant.
Most importantly, in the Old Testament, Abraham was one of the few who made a covenant with God.
Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, King David... God made covenants with each of these people, and these covenants are collectively known as the Old Testament, which is why the Old Testament is called the Old Testament.
Abraham's covenant with God carries significant weight in the Old Testament. The blood oath in Kassel, bearing Abraham's name, is certainly not something "unimportant."
"Gao Kui, are you sure you want to join Kassel?"
Guderian asked again in a low voice, knowing that Gao Kui suffered from flight of ideas, and his attention would always wander to other things without him realizing it.
“I’m sure.” Gao Kui refocused his attention.
I've already experienced the Second Coming of God, why should I care about the Abrahamic blood pact?
"Verification successful, option enabled."
Kui Gao, English name Messiah Gold, born on December 25, 1990, male, ID number AA0001, class [A+], listed in the Kassel College roster.
Database access permissions are enabled, accounts are created, and course selection tables are generated.
I'm Norma, secretary of Kassel College. It's a pleasure to assist you. Welcome to Kassel, Messiah.
Chapter 34 New Classmates
Gao Kui was slightly taken aback.
Guderian explained, "The person who just spoke was Norma, the supercomputer in Kassel, which is what people usually refer to as artificial intelligence."
But don't worry, Norma won't be like Skynet from Terminator, obsessed with wanting to wipe out humanity and destroy the world.
Norma is a good girl.
"No, what I really want to ask is, why is my English name Messiah God?"
Gao Kui has an English name.
I remember it was my first English class in elementary school. The English teacher, who was dressed very fashionably, wrote down English names on dozens of small slips of paper and let the students draw one. Whichever slip they drew became their English name, and they would call each other by their English names in class from then on.
Gao Kui drew "Benjamin," and at the time he was very dissatisfied with this English name, and envied those students who drew Parker, Jack, Edison, and Bruce.
Those names are more commonly seen in Western movies and superhero comics.
Besides this English name, Gao Kui has used other English names, all of which were acquired by chance under various circumstances, but none of them were called Messiah God.
Messiah is the English translation of the Hebrew word Mashiach, originally meaning "anointed one," but now meaning "savior." Like Immanuel, it is also one of the names for Jesus.
God, that needs no explanation.
It's hard not to be puzzled by the sudden appearance of such a cool, arrogant, and overbearing English name.
"You misheard. It's not God, it's Gold, which means gold. It sounds similar to your surname, but the two words do sound very alike."
As for Messiah, the principal said you could become the Messiah of Kassel, and this English name was probably chosen for you by the principal beforehand.
On another note, you're super A, you're totally deserving of the title of savior.
The school hasn't produced a Super A-level student for several years. The last one was a Japanese exchange student named Chiyuki, who is now the executive director of the Japanese branch..."
Guderian rattled off a long explanation, temporarily dispelling Gao Kui's doubts.
Strictly speaking, Gao Kui's doubts were not dispelled by Guderian's explanation, but rather by his own distraction and failure to delve deeper into the matter.
Even though he had taken medication, Gao Kui's mental state was still not normal. However, his delusions and hallucinations would not recur, and he would not easily get headaches or nervous system disorders.
After chatting with Gao Kui about various things, Guderian, filled with the joy of a bountiful harvest, left the ward with Masashi Tomiyama. Mental patients who have just recovered from serious illnesses still need rest.
It rained for the next three days.
Typhoon Hyacinth was just as strong and long-lasting as Typhoon Dandelion four years ago. Even though the typhoon has passed, its aftershocks continue to deeply affect this coastal town.
With their mission accomplished and no longer needing to feign mental illness, the executive members bid farewell to Gao Kui, reminiscing about their shared experiences as fellow sufferers before going their separate ways.
Most of the school staff stayed behind and worked with Professor Guderian to transform the Psychological Research Center into a preparatory school for Kassel. This can be considered a form of resource recycling, as Kassel is not so wealthy as to disregard money.
During this period, Gao Kui and Chu Zihang both stayed in the hospital ward, which became their student dormitory.
Gao Kui's personal belongings were also taken from his rented apartment by the school janitor. Actually, there weren't many important personal items, mainly just the Apple laptop.
To this day, Gao Kui still doesn't remember how that computer ended up in his hands, but that doesn't stop him from cherishing it immensely.
Now that he has money, Gao Kui has not abandoned his old partner.
Having long been accustomed to staying in the ward, Gao Kui felt at home when he returned to the Psychological Research Center. He ate and slept as usual, and when he woke up, he would lie in bed with his computer watching Hollywood movies, all of which were pirated versions.
In comparison, Chu Zihang seemed a bit fussy.
The new parents seemed quite at ease with Chu Zihang. After getting a general understanding of Kassel, they didn't care about him anymore, even though Chu Zihang said he would stay in the preparatory class for the entire holiday.
It's as if Chu Zihang was completely adopted.
That said, the entrepreneur surnamed Lu should be quite happy that Chu Zihang can live in the preparatory class, so that he and Chu Zihang's mother can enjoy some alone time together.
On the contrary, Chu Tianjiao, who had always ignored Chu Zihang, would call Chu Zihang at random times every day, sometimes in the dead of night, and sometimes in the middle of the day.
Chu Zihang said, "Dad, don't worry about me. Professor Guderian is great, Gao Kui is great, everything is great. They say my bloodline is guaranteed to be at least Grade A, I definitely won't be able to endure the hardship in Kassel..."
Chu Tianjiao said, "Son, don't worry about me. My driving the semi-trailer into the city was exposed. I just had a chat with the traffic police a couple of days ago. But my company has strong connections and the boss is very resourceful. I've been released now, and my license hasn't been penalized at all. The only pity is that the company has assigned me new work, so I won't be able to visit you at the mental hospital for the next few days..."