In the male dormitory of Binhai University, Chen Mo put down his phone, a faint smile lingering on his face.
Today might just be the luckiest day of his life.
He reached for a thick textbook beside his bed and flipped it open.
Then he froze.
As his eyes skimmed the dense lines of symbols and formulas, something strange happened. The obscure mathematical equations started making sense—completely, instantly.
Ten pages in, he could still recall everything. Every formula, every theorem, even the solution steps.
What the hell?
Did I… just unlock photographic memory?
That's when Shu Lao's words echoed in his mind:
"Your brain is different now. A super brain."
It wasn't a metaphor. It was literal.
Excited, Chen Mo turned back to the start of the book and began reading with full focus. He flew through the pages—ten lines at a glance, one page every thirty seconds. Formulas, theories, diagrams, all flowing smoothly into his mind.
Even after closing the book, the content was perfectly clear. It was like he had an internal archive.
Just to check, he twisted his arm.
Ouch. Not dreaming.
With renewed fire, Chen Mo plunged back into study mode. In just under 30 minutes, he'd read half the book.
Leibniz's Rule, the Lagrange Mean Value Theorem, Cauchy's Theorem, Gaussian integrals...
Not only could he remember them, but he could also mentally derive variations and alternate forms. For the first time, higher mathematics felt easy.
An hour later, he closed the book with a snap.
Every formula was flashing clearly in his head. He even remembered the page numbers. Chen Mo couldn't stop grinning.
This was insane.
Once, math had been the bane of his existence. Now it felt like he was reading comic books.
High off this discovery, he grabbed a basic physics textbook and kept going.
Chen Mo had unlocked a learning cheat code, and he wasn't letting go.
While Chen Mo was buried in his books, the door opened, and a few roommates walked in.
They all paused.
Seeing Chen Mo hunched over a stack of textbooks, reading like a monk in seclusion, their expressions turned... complicated.
"Yo, did he get knocked dumb by that falling bookshelf?" joked the pudgy guy leading the group.
"Looks like it," said Liu De, the one with glasses.
The others nodded with exaggerated solemnity.
They shuffled in, muttering among themselves.
When they finally reached Chen Mo's side, he looked up from his book and blinked at them, as if surprised to remember they existed.
"When'd you get back?" the pudgy guy asked. "We heard a pretty girl was taking care of you. Didn't wanna bother. You good now?"
"I'm fine," Chen Mo said with a warm smile.
Liu De squinted at the book in Chen Mo's hand. "Wait... are you reading physics?"
Chen Mo nodded.
"Yo," said the tall, lanky one nicknamed Bamboo, "you sure you're okay? Got hit on the head a little too hard, huh?"
"The bookshelf knocked the nonsense outta him," said Puyuan, the youngest in the group. "He's been reborn into a nerd."
"Maybe his soul got enlightened by a wandering master."
"Pfft—should've brought a stick of incense."
The group burst out laughing. The roast meant only one thing: they knew he was fine.
The pudgy guy leaned closer, lowering his voice like he was about to spill royal gossip.
"So, the girl who took care of you… that cutie, what's her deal? Did you lock it in?"
Chen Mo remembered the gentle care, the shyness in her eyes, the porridge spooned carefully into his mouth. He couldn't help but smile.
"...Yeah," he said softly.
"OHHH, I get it now!" the guy slapped Chen Mo on the back with a grin. "My man! Comrades, let's celebrate our hero's glorious return to the realm of the living with a round of online battle!"
"Didn't you say no more gaming on weekdays?"
"We nearly OD'd on fried chicken yesterday, we need digital balance."
"That sentence made no sense."
Soon, the dorm was filled with the sound of keyboards and laughter, while Chen Mo quietly returned to his books.
The next morning, Chen Mo dragged himself out of bed with great difficulty.
He'd stayed up until 2 a.m., devouring books on his major courses. His body protested every movement.
But today was important. It was his first real "date" with Xiaoyu.
No way he was sleeping in.
He arrived at the library, his gaze lingering for a moment on the spot where the accident had happened. Everything had been cleaned up and restored.
Chen Mo grabbed a book titled "Chinese Herbal Illustrations and Pharmacological Analysis" and headed to a quiet corner in the study area.
It was still early, and the library wasn't too crowded. Most students were probably sleeping in.
As Chen Mo flipped through the pages, his speed picked up. Ten seconds per page. Each herb, its properties, uses, and illustrations, imprinted clearly in his memory.
Why Chinese medicine?
Because the Potential Development Technology required ingredients—plants and substances he needed to recognize. The system used obscure or outdated names. He had to figure out what they were in the modern world.
Without proper labs or tools, he had to start from scratch. Primitive methods, basic research, and building up—just like science should be.
Not long after, he sensed someone sit beside him.
He turned—and saw Xiaoyu.
They hadn't coordinated the floor or section, but they'd both ended up in the same spot.
A good sign.
"You feeling okay?" she asked gently.
Chen Mo smiled. "Yeah. No pain or anything."
Xiaoyu glanced at the herbal book in his hands. "Are you… studying medicine?"
"Not really," Chen Mo replied, "Just curious."
Xiaoyu's eyes blinked once—then she suddenly flushed and looked back at her book.
The silence between them was peaceful, comfortable.
Chen Mo continued reading, lost in the world of roots, stems, and leaves. Every detail clicked into place, and he cataloged everything, cross-referencing with the system info stored in his mind.
Then the vibe shifted.
He looked up and noticed a new girl sitting across the table.
She wore a short skirt and had flawless skin. Objectively gorgeous—but she didn't have Xiaoyu's soft warmth.
Xiaoyu stiffened beside him, visibly uncomfortable.
"Hi," the girl said, flashing a confident smile. "I'm Li Ruoxuan, Xiaoyu's roommate."
Chen Mo stood politely. "Nice to meet you. I'm Chen Mo."
They shook hands.
Ruoxuan gave him a piercing look. "You don't really seem like the study type. You here to hit on our little fish?"
Direct much?!
Chen Mo nearly choked.
"I'm actually here to study," he said honestly.
She leaned in, eyes sparkling mischievously. "Not answering is basically a yes. Since you saved her last time, I'll let you off with a pass."
Chen Mo glanced at Xiaoyu. She was practically glowing red, eyes glued to her book like it was a sacred relic.
"Let me tell you a bit about our little fish," Ruoxuan said, grinning. "We call her Kitten. She's sweet and quiet, but a little wild when you get close."
Chen Mo smiled, unsure if he should laugh or be nervous.
"She grew up by the sea. Loves blue. Height: 165. Weight: 49. She's got legs for days and measurements I won't tell unless you really want to know."
She leaned in with a smirk. "Wanna hear those?"
Chen Mo stared, sweat forming on the back of his neck.
Xiaoyu, next to him, was about to spontaneously combust.
To be continued…