Ma Ran is the first person Wan Haihao doesn't know how to address.
Junior?
Little Ma?
Little Ran?
Theoretically, all these titles are possible.
But Wan Haihao always feels that such addressing seems a bit too flippant, not respectful enough.
Darn!
Who knows why he feels the need to respect a high school student who's younger than him and has no significant social contributions!
Wan Haihao can't entirely understand his own inexplicable desire to please.
In the end, he decided to call him by his name.
"Ma Ran, what do you think?"
Hearing this, Ma Ran finally put down the chicken drumstick he'd been holding with nothing but a small piece of meat left, gazed deeply at him, and then spoke in a soft tone, "The answer is simple."
As soon as he started speaking, the three people around him instantly went silent, listening intently.
"The times have changed."
The four words often seen in the comments section of various media, websites, forums, and video apps, when spoken by Ma Ran, always seem to carry a mysterious magic.
The three were somewhat puzzled but did not interrupt, just quietly listened.
"It's not just Ancient Longzhong in Xiangyang that has become a restricted area due to supernatural phenomena and superpower users."
Ma Ran said in a lingering tone, "Based on the intelligence I've gathered..."
"Anhui Huangshan, West Lake, Hangzhou, Yangtze River Qutang Gorge, Taiwan Province's Sun Moon Lake, Xi'an Terracotta Army area..."
"These places have been successively closed within four months, with external announcements claiming maintenance."
"And clubs similar to 'Grass Hut Academy' have also appeared one after another."
At this point, Ma Ran said no more, just picked up five more steaming, fragrant crispy chicken drumsticks and a serving of potato stewed with beef brisket, and began to enjoy them slowly.
Originally, Dong Huaiming, who was already full, suddenly found his appetite again, grabbed a bottle of Sprite, and gulped down two sips, looking excited, "I told you so!"
"No investigation, no right to speak!"
"Brother Ran must've come to the conclusion that there are indeed superpower users in the world through detailed investigation and careful analysis and research!"
Saying this, Dong Huaiming lowered his head, fervently muttering to himself, "Grass Hut Academy really... I actually guessed right... Oh my God!"
Wan Haihao, who originally just wanted to find a random topic to chat with Ma Ran, suddenly felt the situation was getting out of control.
Looking at Ma Ran's demeanor, he didn't seem like someone who likes to joke around...
Years of materialist education left Wan Haihao momentarily unable to accept the implications of Ma Ran's words.
"Since we have become members of Grass Hut Academy, we should soon genuinely encounter those supernatural phenomena."
"Don't overthink it."
After saying this, Ma Ran lowered his head and continued to enjoy the food.
In the last period before rebirth, the days of Earth humans weren't easy, and having a can of luncheon meat was considered a luxurious life.
Su Qiangwei, who only ordered a serving of vinegar cabbage, seemed not to be motion sick anymore after supplementing her vitamins.
She blinked her eyes, her gaze falling on Ma Ran who was eating, her focus obviously different from the two male counterparts: "How do you maintain that figure?"
Ma Ran's eating movements were very elegant, but his eating speed was fast and highly efficient.
Others didn't notice, but she had been paying attention.
A serving of spicy shredded pork fried rice, a serving of mushroom ramen, two meat buns, six crispy chicken legs, two tea eggs, a bowl of big bone soup, and a serving of potato stewed with beef brisket.
How should I put it...
A meal exploding with carbohydrates and proteins.
The portion sizes of the meals at Grass Hut Academy's canteen were substantial; a serving of fried rice could fill Su Qiangwei up to bursting.
One meal of Ma Ran's was equivalent to three days' worth of Su Qiangwei's usual intake!
"This appetite... it's not scientific."
Usually, Ma Ran doesn't engage in any large-scale physical activities, right?
Apart from PE class, he wasn't seen doing any extra exercise.
Putting biases aside, objectively speaking, Su Qiangwei thought Ma Ran's figure was still pretty good.
Not bloated, not too thin, with a kind of golden ratio beauty.
This appetite doesn't match his figure at all!
Ma Ran looked up at Su Qiangwei, "Intense brain activity, higher energy consumption."
After he said this, he wiped his mouth, took his tray to the washing station, turned and left the canteen, heading towards the dormitory.
Su Qiangwei accepted this explanation.
People with high mental workloads do tend to get hungry easily, and no matter how much they eat, they won't gain weight.
It's said that top Go players can even lose five pounds after a single match!
Those five pounds of weight can't possibly be all water.
This is also the reason why many people gorge themselves during their student years without gaining weight, but their weight keeps rising despite eating less after starting work.
"Hey! I still have questions I haven't finished asking! Wait for me!"
Su Qiangwei stood up, ready to chase after him.
Dong Huaiming also quickly followed, disgruntled, "Didn't you ask enough in the car? Why is a girl running off to the boys' dorm?"
He still had plenty of questions and theories about superpowers he wanted to discuss privately with Ma Ran.
Those private topics are inconvenient to discuss with a third party present.
Su Qiangwei sneered, retorting, "What does it matter to you if I go to Ma Ran's room? Don't tell me you're his roommate, I've already asked, academy members all have single rooms."
"Why are you being so unreasonable!"
Dong Huaiming got anxious, "What about this: Brother Ran stays with me today, and with you tomorrow, how about it?"
"Not a chance! Today is mine, tomorrow is yours!"
"You're just looking to ask about weight loss, or how to maintain your figure? We've joined Grass Hut Academy, and you're still asking such low-level questions. How low can you go?"
"Hmm? You wouldn't be thinking about asking how to become a superpower user, right? You've been trying on this path for so long, if you had any talent it'd show some signs of success now. The answer is obvious — you have no talent whatsoever. So don't waste Ma Ran's time! What's good for you is good for everyone!"
Watching the two suddenly start arguing ahead, Wan Haihao sighed, quietly deleting the message he originally intended to send on WeChat, replacing it with "Let's have breakfast early tomorrow."
That aloof little junior is really popular...
...
The single rooms provided to members by Grass Hut Academy aren't large, but they give off a cozy feeling due to the decorations.
The walls are painted a sapphire blue. Perhaps the person responsible for planning and decorating accessed the database to view Ma Ran's viewing history, and posters of Ultraman Tiga, Tielo, Reo, Seven, Mebius, and other Ultramen are pasted on the walls.
As for the furniture, everything from a computer, television, desk to a bath is included.
After sending off Su Qiangwei and Dong Huaiming, Ma Ran locked the door, lay on the bed, and began organizing his thoughts.
Grass Hut Academy is a supernatural club in the guise of an academic society, with an official nature.
Among many domestic supernatural groups, Grass Hut Academy is one of the top.
Joining Grass Hut Academy, members can immediately get access to two extraordinary routes.
①, Awakening superpowers through "Victory Stone."
②, By studying extraterrestrial star inscriptions, calculating acupoint positions, and cultivating inner qi.
There's not much to say about superpowers.
It's an extraordinary route that follows the principle of equivalent exchange, from basic control of the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth to form solidification, from flying to earth escape, it's varied and bizarre.
Awakening abilities has nothing to do with genes or personal wishes, it's purely based on luck, a carnival for gamblers and those with incredible luck.
The second extraordinary route has some aspects worth pondering...