Chapter 315 - 295: Survival Tips???

Chapter 315: Chapter 295: Survival Tips???

Do not attempt to change others’ beliefs, thoughts, or opinions. Doing so could very well get them killed. The number of students who have died or disappeared for this reason is enough to circle Mizkatoke three whole times!

Do not go near the Mental Ward, unless you want to become a madman yourself. The number of students who have died or disappeared for this reason is enough to circle Mizkatoke six whole times!

Do not be surprised by undocumented mysterious areas, such as ’the always-occupied study room’ or ’the mysteriously vanishing Association.’ If you encounter them, do not join, do not panic, and above all, do not get curious. The number of students who have died or disappeared for this reason is enough to circle Mizkatoke three whole times!

Do not enter the dangerous areas without permission. They are genuinely dangerous. The number of students who have died or disappeared for this reason is enough to circle Mizkatoke eight whole times!

Do not believe the stories the books in the library tell you. They are all lies. The number of students who have died or disappeared for this reason is enough to circle Mizkatoke two whole times!

Do not underestimate any subject, except for those in the arts.

Do not offend anyone from the Space System, or you might just inexplicably disappear.

Do not question the abilities and skills of the Medical System. In a critical, life-or-death moment, you can trust them completely; but do not trust them too much when it’s not an emergency. They’re capable of anything.

Do not attack or hunt any creature you perceive as ’dangerous.’ It could be a classmate, a classmate’s pet, or a research project.

Do not take the above advice lightly. The number of students who have died or disappeared for this reason is enough to circle Mizkatoke ten whole times!

After Lloyd finished reading, he froze for a moment, then couldn’t help but ask in a low voice:

"Is Mizkatoke forged from skeletons?"

But he quickly calmed down to think it over. After counting up the number of circles, he breathed a small sigh of relief.

’This must just be some kind of scary exaggeration,’ he thought. ’Otherwise, the numbers for the circles wouldn’t add up at all.’

’The number of circles must just be a metaphor for the level of danger...’

Lloyd went over the list again and noticed that aside from ’violating school rules’ and ’disregarding the Survival Tips,’ the most dangerous things were the ’dangerous areas’ and the ’Mental Ward.’

’That seems understandable, I guess?’

’But what I don’t get is why the ’Mental Ward’ is listed separately instead of being grouped under ’dangerous areas.’’

’And the danger levels for the rest all seem about the same?’

’’Offending classmates,’ on the other hand, seems relatively safe. At least no one has ended up as construction material for Mizkatoke over it.’

The rule about mysterious areas reminded Lloyd of the two stories he’d once seen in his older sister’s magazine.

’So those stories weren’t completely made up? They’re based on something real?’

’But the actual details can’t be what the stories described,’ he reasoned. ’That would fall under the category of ’important information’ that can’t be disclosed, per the third school rule.’

’So it’s likely that only the titles—’the always-occupied study room’ and ’the mysteriously vanishing Association’—got out, and then outsiders just ran with them and created those stories.’

’Yeah, that has to be it, right?’

Lloyd organized his thoughts and committed the advice firmly to memory.

He was starting to realize that student life at a place like Mizkatoke probably wasn’t going to be like the campus life you see in anime back on Earth. This wasn’t the kind of scene where you have hardly any classes, you’re surrounded by beautiful girls, and you can graduate just by falling in love.

’Then again... it did seem very likely that someone could just drop dead, or some kind of paranormal event could break out, right?’

’But I wonder if there’s any chance of suddenly gaining superpowers, or getting to pilot a giant robot?’

As his mind raced with wild thoughts, Lloyd continued to flip through the handbook.

The following sections introduced concepts like ’Year,’ ’Rating,’ ’Subjects,’ and ’Credits.’

The rules regarding ’Year’ were similar to what Dandy had mentioned. It was calculated by completing a subject, not by the actual time spent at the university. This meant many ’first-years’ could actually be old-timers who had been hanging around for years.

Furthermore, the approach to learning here was also very flexible and somewhat similar to the Eighteenth District, relying mainly on self-study.

There were no mandatory class times, no homework assignments, no prescribed study methods, and no regular exams, big or small.

After choosing a subject, one only had to pass a single, final ’Graduation Exam’ to be considered a graduate of that subject.

It felt like the educational model in the Eighteenth District was likely based on the one here.

But the actual examination methods were vastly different between the two places.

At Mizkatoke, exam times could also be chosen freely. There were no set dates; as long as a student felt ready to pass, they could find the professor in charge of the subject and request to take the exam.

Failing was no big deal; you could retake the exam at any time. As long as your score was higher than the previous attempt, you could even improve your ’Rating’ a little.

Conversely, if a student didn’t take an exam within an academic year, or if their score was lower than their last attempt, their Rating would decrease annually, with their yearly tuition increasing accordingly.

Reading this, Lloyd couldn’t help but imagine a scenario—

’Suppose there was some rich kid from a ridiculously wealthy family who wasn’t academically gifted. He wouldn’t have to worry about being expelled. He could just keep paying the astronomical tuition and retaking the exam until the end of time...’

’Of course, there probably aren’t any rich kids that foolish here...’

’But what if there was a brilliant student from a poor family, someone with off-the-charts academic talent? Could he pass an exam in just one month that takes others several years? Would that make him a ’first-year’ in just a month?’

’Then again, there probably aren’t any geniuses that incredible, either...’

Lloyd continued reading and found the section on various factors that affect one’s ’Rating.’

The most direct and significant factor affecting one’s ’Rating’ was exam performance. From the ’Entrance Exam’ with one’s guide to the annual ’Graduation Exam,’ any score would result in a corresponding ’Rating.’

Besides exams, completing various ’instructional tasks’ or ’research projects’ could also potentially raise one’s ’Rating.’

But by the same token, poor performance in these areas could also lower one’s ’Rating’...

The final method for improving one’s ’Rating’ was called ’Making an Outstanding Contribution to the University.’

However, there was no clear definition of what constituted an ’Outstanding Contribution,’ only a mention that it had to be acknowledged by the Dean or recommended by a joint endorsement from multiple professors.

’Unsurprisingly, that’s probably the most difficult path of all.’

Looking at it all, Lloyd felt that the ’Entrance Exam’ was the most critical part. It basically determined your starting line.

’And I didn’t even finish my own ’Entrance Exam’...’

’How could my own guide just disappear?’

’If the old professor hadn’t shown up in time to save my Rating, I’d have no idea how to even get by here...’

As Lloyd reflected on this, he felt a renewed sense of gratitude toward the old professor.

He continued flipping through the handbook, turning to the sections on ’Subjects’ and ’Credits.’