"Get some equipment." Mu Daxian's voice came from the bookshelf ahead.

Lin Yi looked toward the sound and saw Mu Daxian's back. Mu was selecting an artboard, but there was the intermittent sound of 'clicking' from mechanical weaponry.

As Mao Feiyang approached, Lin Yi's view zoomed in continuously, and he then saw Mu Daxian deftly manipulating something. He hadn't seen what it looked like initially, but by the time he noticed, the item in Mu's hands had already taken on the outline of an artboard.

Then, like closing an umbrella, Mu flicked the artboard, and the sharp, icy-bright components quickly contracted, finally forming an artboard in his hands.

A simple artboard, with nothing seemingly amiss.

"What kind of 'equipment' is this?" Mao Feiyang asked curiously.

Mu Daxian slung the artboard on his back, started to mix some paint on his palette, and explained while he mixed,

"Just something for self-defense. Boys need to learn to protect themselves when they're out and about."

"This is for you."

Mu Daxian tossed a paintbrush dripping with paint to Mao Feiyang.

"Ouch!" Mao Feiyang clumsily caught the paintbrush and asked, puzzled, "Still life? Shouldn't we be going for dinner?"

"Of course, so it's essential to be prepared," Mu Daxian said, "This is the only thing you can take out of the art classroom."

Mao Feiyang was stunned and then realized something, exclaiming in surprise, "You, you plan to take this artboard to dinner?"

Lin Yi also realized, according to the Art Student Rules, art students could only take paintbrushes out of the classroom, but Mu Daxian was planning to take the artboard out.

But he knew that Mu Daxian indeed took the artboard out, and that the artboard could be transformed into an oversized cross-like weapon.

Using that thing to smash Nocturnal species, one wouldn't make a peep.

Mu Daxian smiled, "To correct you, it's not me going to dinner, it's me accompanying you to dinner. As for this thing..."

Mu Daxian patted the artboard.

"When you become like me, you can also bring it out. Of course, you can choose the style—cross, executioner's blade, great katana, heavy sword... You can have any style you like, or even create your own."

Mao Feiyang: "What???"

After Mu Daxian finished mixing the paints, he poured them all into a paint can, then covered it and threw the can into a cloth bag.

Next, he inserted several paintbrushes into a brush holder, then stored the holder in the cloth bag.

Finally, he slung the cloth bag over his shoulder, patted it, and said smilingly, "Alright, let's go have dinner."

Following Mu Daxian out of the art classroom—IV, Lin Yi's view again followed Mao Feiyang, but he quickly realized that his perspective had changed this time.

He intentionally tried it out and discovered that he indeed could move independently of Mao Feiyang's first-person perspective.

His range of motion was still quite limited, though, seemingly covering only the area around Mao Feiyang as the center; the further away from him, the dimmer and blurrier the details became.

He understood that this wasn't truly his "range of motion," but actually just Mao Feiyang's "field of vision."

And his so-called "movement" was essentially just observing different details within Mao Feiyang's field of vision.

When he wanted to observe something, he would zoom in on that part, giving the sensory impression that he had moved there, even though in reality he hadn't left Mao Feiyang's side much.

After leaving art classroom—IV, Mao Feiyang followed Mu Daxian down the dim corridor.

The corridor's walls were blotched with an ancient yellow-brown, and candle-lit sconces were placed at intervals.

The flickering candlelight, on its own, cast their shadows on the walls, resembling a mass of writhing specters.

As they passed other art students in the corridor, who greeted Mu Daxian, and he nodded in acknowledgment.

But when the art students noticed the artboard and the cloth bag Mu was carrying, their eyes invariably flickered with surprise.

"Old Mu, heading for dinner?"

"Yes."

"Rare, rare..."

"Heh heh."

Mao Feiyang listened to this exchange, his puzzled look intensifying.

Finally, as they were about to descend the spiral staircase leading to the circular hall, Mao Feiyang couldn't help but ask, "Um... Mu Daxian, do you normally not go to the cafeteria for meals?"

As Mu Daxian stepped down a few steps, he paused, turned around and said, "Well, unless necessary, I try to avoid that... place."

"But... doesn't the rule say that art students must go to the cafeteria for a meal within 24 hours?" Mao Feiyang asked, puzzled.

Mu Daxian smiled, "Life is like driving, rules are like a manual. When you've mastered everything, there's no need to stick rigidly to the rules."

Mao Feiyang pondered without asking further, but Lin Yi frowned.

It's not like that!

Driving is driving, rules are rules; knowing the rules doesn't mean you can just do as you please.

And the rules in the campus area certainly aren't comparable to driving rules—minor accidents scrape cars, major ones cause injuries, but in the campus area, breaking the rules is like walking into death.

Comparing campus life to driving completely misrepresented the concept!

All at once, Lin Yi became wary of Mu Daxian and worried for Mao Feiyang.

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