t Deep in the Jungle (Part 1)Mare Pasture Mountain Forest Park is located twenty kilometers outside of Xiahai City. It covers over a thousand hectares, with an average altitude of more than seven hund...Chapter 36 Not a Hero

The following days were rather uneventful. The only surprising event was what happened on the 9th.

The World Trade Center in downtown New York, USA, was attacked by Osama bin Laden's terrorist organization, and the moment the two towers collapsed became more shocking than any Hollywood blockbuster, appearing on televisions screens worldwide.

Instantly, various opinions about this event flooded the campus, and all that Su Cun could hear were discussions about it.

The School of Economics talked about how the attack would affect the Dow Jones Index and global stock markets. The School of Management focused on the computer data and intellectual assets of major corporations affected by the loss at the World Trade Center. The Institute of International Relations analyzed the subsequent impacts on oil prices and the aviation industry's adjustments. The College of Chemistry calculated the explosive energy released when the planes' fuel tanks ignited upon crashing into the buildings. The Physics Department discussed in detail how long it took for each plane to be hijacked, their flight paths, the pressure exerted as the towers crumbled floor by floor—there were endless analyses and discussions from every angle. Rational and intelligent, they mirrored the impression this university gave. Su Cun remained silent on this; there was nothing he could do.

This event had exceeded his sphere of influence. After all, he was merely a reincarnated soul who could grasp the pulse of the times but couldn't control the world's layout and development. Any warnings or predictions he made would put him in an extremely dangerous situation, with little opportunity to change this outcome.

He was no saint, nor was he a part of the power machinery of terrorist organizations or superpowers; as an insignificant individual caught in this whirlwind, he would be crushed at any moment. He hoped to live a life vastly different from his previous one and didn't aspire to take part in the tumultuous affairs of the world.

When the incident was discussed during a lecture, some applauded it but were promptly silenced by the professor who sternly stated, "Though I also despise America, remember that those who should be condemned are not the people buried under these ruins." These words struck everyone like a bolt of lightning. At this moment, Su Cen felt particularly embarrassed.

Subsequently, it sparked a wave of heated discussions across several dozen colleges in Shanghai and even spread to the entire People's Republic of China and beyond.

However, for Room 202, life proceeded as usual. Li Han, with physical capabilities that rivaled those of sports college students, would still punctually fetch four bottles of hot water from the bathroom for their dormitory every day. Following this, numerous individuals seeking an excuse to borrow water would be sternly turned away by the roommates, piling up grievances against them. But due to a close relationship with Wang Dongjian (the "blogger"), others had no choice but to endure.

On his way to a public course, Xiao Xu encountered a famous second-year female student from the northern campus of Nanjing University, leading him back home unable to concentrate on tea or food. It was rumored that she already had a boyfriend and planned to study at Waseda University in Japan this autumn, with both families intending for them to marry after graduation. Despite his strong feelings, Xiao Xu could not intervene, so he immersed himself in StarCraft as a way of venting the love that seemed to have died prematurely.

Zhang Xiaqiao continued to express her complex inner world on paper, sorrowfully waiting for time to pass and numbly dealing with her father’s unrealistic life plans. Qian Zhongyuan occasionally appeared without warning and mingled with friends here and there but avoided Room 202 like the plague. Su Cen was still busy in his daily routine, sometimes chatting long-distance on the phone with equally busy Tang Wu. Time passed swiftly, and September came to an end. During this month, some of his old acquaintances called him.

Xue Yiyang did well at Changsha University of Science and Technology; visiting the Changsha Star Webpage reveals that he has made it into one of the top sixteen teams, with his photos still showing bulging eyes like an ET. His online nickname is "555," and those who memorized the periodic table would recognize this as the relative atomic mass of iron. Despite the collapse of his dream to join the military, there is still a hint of passion in him.

This made Su Can subconsciously think back to high school when Xue Yiyang carried bricks and wildly danced with them. In the previous life, there was no such scene; Xue Yiyang from the previous life had lost his life, while now he is full of vigor.

Liu Rui studies at Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications. He says that his school sits atop Nan Shan in Chongqing, resembling a luxurious resort villa compared to other hilly schools in Chongqing. The view from the observation deck overlooks the entire city, but such luxuries are out of reach for students like him. At night, when he rides his second-hand motorcycle down the mountain roads, patrol helicopters beam their searchlights as he cruises through scenic areas.

Lin Zhouwu at PLA Information Engineering University speaks mysteriously over the phone about confidential matters and technical aspects of military life. After graduation, he has a variety of options: going to an army unit or administrative office is up to him.

Wang Weiwei seems to be in a noisy place while talking to me; it doesn’t take much imagination to guess that the brat is probably at some entertainment venue like a nightclub. However, calling Wang Weiwei to feel less lonely shows he's not the clueless and slightly conniving playboy from before.

When he mentions studying at China Youth Political College, one can hear the respect in his voice. Year after year, it’s the first choice for many students, but only he knows how much of a facade this reputation is. Graduating from such a small school leaves one with awkward job prospects and even he doesn’t know what he has learned or where to go next.

But Su Can knew that Wang Weiwei was merely being modest; with his background, after graduating from that university, he wouldn't end up too lowly. Moreover, considering his status, there was no need for him to actively seek out people to associate with, but inevitably a circle of dubious acquaintances would gather around him.

Lin Luoran had followed the Fudan debate team on their failed challenge and returned to school since enrollment. Apart from occasionally sending text messages like "I've just finished my shower. Do you think it looks better if I wear black or red pajamas" which made his blood pressure spike, there was no phone contact for a while.

He could also hear through some well-informed channels that among the new students at Fudan was a pure and radiant girl with an exceptional talent for languages, who was very popular. She came from a diplomatic family; her father was said to be the newly appointed Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Press Department, frequently featured in foreign newspapers, while her mother had only been seen driving a Maserati upon enrollment.

This type of outstanding female student belonged to the magnificent castle that countless Fudan students wished to conquer. It was just unclear how many people were currently queuing up to join the expeditionary force.

At least Su Can wasn't one of them; he was busy defending his own fortress and certainly no superhero with three heads and six arms.e with Tang Wu, but finding a girlfriend comparable to her in beauty would not be a problem. My model friends could introduce at least two girls who match up."The crowd was silent.Su Can smiled bitter...