A few seconds before Vaclav decided I wasn't worth the effort and my rightful place was six feet under in the wastelands, I said:

"Just tell her you're assigning Adam or Lina to watch over me. That'll reassure her more than any promise from me."

"Adam and Lina are going with her," Novak grunted — but he paused to think. The storm was passing, and I figured this was a good moment to explain.

"Kate's worried I'll try to break through the bottleneck without having enough energy stored."

"So what — you want me to get you a crystal?" Novak actually brightened at that.

"No. I want permission to consult a specialist before making a decision."

"Robinson — the one you've got wrapped around your little finger because of that damned Bloom," Novak snorted.

"I'm not my own enemy, sir. I'm not planning to ruin my life. But I don't want to miss a chance either. That'd be just plain stupid."

I didn't mention the crystals. Who knew how Novak would react? Maybe he'd start ranting about school property again.

"The problem, Jake, is that no specialist will give you a hundred percent guarantee. That's why the practice of breaking through on the second cultivation is the standard. It brings your chances as close to a hundred as they can get."

Damn it, he was probably right. I'd just told Bao recently that he shat himself metaphorically because he was too greedy.

"One last question, sir. What kind of crystal is needed for a bottleneck breakthrough? How much qi?"

"What, you got some?" Novak chuckled. "Because you're not getting one from me."

"Just kill my hope outright, why don't you."

"Fifty."

"That did it…" I sighed. "Should I call Kate myself?"

"Yes. I want her to hear the disappointment in your voice. You can tell her it's straight from me."

"Of course, sir," I sighed again. I just wanted to feel that power — that firm, decisive force behind a projected glow tearing out from my fist…

I threw a punch into the air, pouring every bit of frustration into it...

Nothing.

Deep down, I was still hoping a warning window would pop up in front of me — something about violating the rules of this location. I wanted another moment of enlightenment, something that would end with me apologising to local staff: Sorry — I'm just a genius.

Apparently, I wasn't.

Sighing again — this time, bitterly — I said goodbye to Novak and called Kate.

"I spoke to Novak. He explained the risks of breaking through the bottleneck on the first cultivation — and added the risk of losing limbs."

"Sorry, what?" Kate didn't follow.

"He promised to rip off anything that can be ripped off if I try to break through next time."

He hadn't, actually — but I figured this would be more convincing than any promise I could make.

"Oh…" she said sympathetically — though her voice sounded way too cheerful. "He's not someone you want to test."

"I noticed!"

"So you're not going to do anything stupid?"

I wasn't planning to — but those words might give the wrong impression.

I frowned extra hard and muttered, "I won't."

"Good!" Kate sounded positively delighted.

"A raid just popped up. I really didn't want to miss it. I'll be gone for a couple of days. You might break through before I'm back, so we need to talk. You free tomorrow morning?"

"For the world's best mentor, I always have time," I said enthusiastically.

"Uh-huh…" she replied, sceptically. "You're rubbish at arse-kissing."

"You've never tried it. Tomorrow morning I could show you."

Kate froze for a moment.

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"If that's a euphemism for what I think it is, I'm going to break you something," she promised.

"How would I know what you're thinking? Personally, I was talking about actual arse-kissing," I said with complete seriousness. A passing third-year cadet gave me a wary look.

"No, I am definitely breaking something. Actually — that's a great idea. Then you definitely won't be breaking through."

"Let's not get extreme. If you break something in me, I won't be able to cultivate at all. So, tomorrow morning — where and when?"

We agreed on 09:30, and Kate sent me the location — same café where I'd met Nur.

Which meant I had to call Novak again, let him know I'd sorted things out with Kate, and ask him to get Rahman off my back.

He told me to just send her off to the Garden. So then I had to message Rahman.

Should've called — because she rang back right away and started asking for details I had no intention of providing.

Then I remembered I still owed Kate some essence.

Had to get up a bit earlier, have breakfast in a nearly empty cafeteria — no chance to trade my food for anything decent — just so I could stop by the shop before meeting Wong.

While I was at the shop, Adam messaged me and asked if I could grab those memory cards and hand them over before my meeting with Kate. I replied that I couldn't manage it, so he agreed to meet up afterward.

I picked up air-type essence. Kate barely glanced at it — just shoved it in her pocket, and that was that.

My plans for the near future turned out pretty simple:

Routine in the Fist Garden, Flow Chamber cultivation every three days, and a breakthrough attempt after the second session — preferably under Doc's supervision. That, by the way, was an official paid service — ten points.

After that, I could start learning Chain Punch. We'd settled on a blue-tier technique, but I wasn't allowed to spend more than two hours a day on it. The rest of my time was to be dedicated to improving my sensitivity to Fist Qi until I could feel light techniques even when dampened by formation.

Also, I was now allowed to train not only in the Garden, but on the combat grounds as well. Kate suggested two instructors who could help me learn the technique, but since that would cost points, the decision was mine.

My déjà vu, which had been quiet for a few days, suddenly woke up and informed me that no self-study guide could compare to a live instructor, so I made a note of their names.

As for how Nur fit into this programme...

Well — she didn't.

Not at all.

But Kate didn't need my worries; she had enough of her own. I didn't know what kind of mission she was preparing for, but it clearly mattered — the tension showed in every movement.

After about an hour and four cups of coffee, Kate finally let me go. I headed back to the dorm, grabbed the memory cards, and came right back to hand them off to Adam.

I had no energy left for the Fist Garden, so I dropped by the business centre and bought some regular black tea — because of course I'd forgotten to grab it this morning while buying the essence.

The first half of the day flew by fast and pointlessly — all that was left was mental exhaustion and a sense of time wasted. I messaged everyone that I'd be having lunch early. I also told Rahman to come by after lunch.

When she showed up, I was in a blissful post-lunch nap. A proper lunar siesta.

"Wow, you've been so busy," she teased, eyeing my half-asleep face.

"Yup," I said, handing her the kettle. "Go fetch some water."

Over tea, we talked about her issues.

Well, "issues" wasn't wholly accurate.. Her Fist Root had reached ten today. The demon in her head wasn't throwing a fit. Didn't throw one yesterday either — just refused to react to the thinhorn the doctor had brought her to. Today, it only gave a half-hearted growl at Diego in the Garden and ignored me.

"So maybe it's the other way around?" I asked. "Maybe Flow Chamber cultivation weakens it?"

Rahman didn't know — and the doctor hadn't said anything of the sort. What he had said was that she should keep cultivating and monitor her condition. Every time she had a migraine, she was now supposed to report it the moment she could.

She'd reported Diego.

My shift in the block was calm. Nur and I just browsed the library — she was reading up on Wooden Ogre Fist, and I was going through materials on bottleneck breakthroughs.

In the evening, we had two more Garden shifts, dinner, and then parted ways. She went off to her room. I went to see Novak.

At his station platform, I was met by the same doctor — F. Bulsara — who led me to Novak's quarters.

The doctor addressed Vaclav as "Master", with a tone full of genuine respect. Looked like he'd once been Novak's student too. Now, though, he'd traded his grey cadet uniform for the black of school staff.

Vaclav poured him bourbon.

Me? I got tea. Something cheap — tasted just like my Gunpowder.

Once we were seated and had taken a sip, Novak passed the doctor a small box — the kind you'd expect jewellery to come in.

Bulsara set down his glass of bourbon and opened it. I still couldn't see what was inside.

"Yes," he nodded. "That should be enough for now. Good work."

"The best I could get on short notice — and fairly expensive," Novak grimaced.

The doctor closed the box and handed it back, but Novak nodded toward me instead.

Bulsara redirected his hand.

I took the box and opened it. Inside was a pair of earrings — quite elegant, feminine ones, set with faceted green stones shaped like teardrops.

I looked over at Novak, clearly expecting an explanation.

"Give them to Rahman. She's to wear them — and not take them off."

"So it is possible to make a tracker after all," I said.

"It's not a tracker," the doctor corrected me. "It's diagnostic. They'll record everything going on in her head."

"Understood."

I closed the box and slipped it into my pocket.

"From now on," Novak said, "for anything regarding Rahman, you'll report to Farukh."

So that's what the 'F' in F. Bulsara stood for.

"He's qualified to handle this," Vaclav finished.

A chill ran down my spine, and I gave Bulsara a sharper look than I meant to. Apparently, the doctor's earlier line about the wastelands being close wasn't just a figure of speech.

Novak went on.

"I also want him to inspect the elixir. Farukh, have you ever heard of a Qi Purification elixir brewed with Yellow Pine Blossom?"

Bulsara raised his eyebrows, then lowered them into a frown.

"Theoretically… it's possible."

"And what's your opinion on Doctor Robinson?"

"Robinson?" Farukh thought for a second. "A rather diligent young man."

Young man? He was at least fifty.

I glanced at Farukh's interface:

Lifespan: 154 / 251

Bloody hell!

And he calls Novak "Master"? How old is Vaclav?

"Right," Novak said, getting to his feet. Farukh followed immediately — and shot me a mildly irritated look when I didn't leap up after them.

Novak stepped into the next room — where he apparently kept his valuables — and returned with a large tea box.

"Exactly seventy grams," he said, handing it to me. "If Robinson manages to brew the elixir — good. But we can't rule out failure. If he succeeds, you'll pass it to Farukh."

"And if he does fail," Novak added with a sharp look, "he'll owe me two hundred thousand."

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