Thousand Years Cultivator

9 Going to the City for College

The next morning, as the morning sun bathed the village in its golden light, Kevin was already prepared to leave.

Indah was still asleep when Kevin departed. But even though she might be sad, Indah would surely rejoice, for beside her lay twenty bars of gold, each weighing one kilogram, which would certainly be enough to sustain Indah for the rest of her life.

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Kevin stood in the yard of Wiro's house wearing different clothes. Wiro had given him modern attire purchased from a shop in the nearest town the night before. Blue jeans, a plain white t-shirt, and a thin gray jacket. Though simple, the clothes only made Kevin stand out even more.

His handsome face combined with modern clothing made him look like a model strolling through the countryside.

"Kevin, are you sure you want to leave now?" Wiro asked with a sad face.

"It is time. I have not seen the outside world for a hundred years. There is much I wish to learn."

Wiro's mother, standing behind her son, approached Kevin and handed him a cloth bundle containing rice and side dishes. "This is for your journey, young Kevin. Please be careful."

"Thank you, Ma'am." Kevin accepted the bundle and bowed respectfully.

Kevin walked toward the village's main road leading to the city. Wiro accompanied him to the intercity bus stop about two kilometers from the village. When the bus arrived, they shook hands.

"Thank you for everything, Kevin. You saved my life and freed our village."

"You helped me as well, Wiro. The handphone you gave me is very valuable to me."

Wiro chuckled softly. "Take care of yourself, Kevin. If you need anything, contact me. My number is already saved in that handphone."

Kevin boarded the bus and chose a seat by the window. The bus began to move, leaving the small village at the foot of Mount Lembean behind. Kevin gazed at the changing scenery from countryside to wider paved roads, from green rice fields to increasingly dense buildings.

He took out the handphone from his jacket pocket and opened the AI application that Wiro had taught him to use. His fingers, accustomed for seven thousand years to holding swords and concocting medicines, now learned to type on the smooth glass screen.

One by one, questions flowed through his mind, and the AI answered them all. He read about the developments of the world over the last hundred years. World wars. The technological revolution. The internet. Artificial intelligence. Airplanes. Rockets that carried humans to the moon. He absorbed everything with remarkable speed; a mind honed over seven thousand years could process information with an efficiency unmatched by ordinary humans.

Then he found something that caught his attention. Campus. University. A place where modern humans pursued knowledge.

'Interesting,' Kevin thought as he read about the modern education system. 'In ancient times, I studied at a martial arts sect. Three thousand years ago, I once studied literature at an ancient academy. Perhaps it is time for me to experience once again what it feels like to be a student.'

But then he read that to enter a university, one needed a high school diploma. He certainly did not possess one. He continued digging for information through the AI, and eventually he found the address of someone in the city who could produce fake diplomas.

'The modern world is not so different from the old world after all,' Kevin mused with a faint smile. 'There is always a shortcut for those who know where to look.'

The bus arrived in the city after a three-hour journey. Kevin stepped down and looked around with eyes full of curiosity. Tall buildings towered into the sky. Cars sped along wide roads. People walked hurriedly, their faces bowed toward the same rectangular object he held in his hand. The sound of horns, the roar of engines, and the hustle and bustle of city life struck his senses from all directions.

'The world has truly changed,' he thought. But he did not feel overwhelmed. Over seven thousand years, he had witnessed civilizations rise and fall, kingdoms stand and crumble, technology evolve from stone to bronze to iron. Change was the only constant in his long life.

Kevin followed Wiro's instructions to sell a one-kilogram bar of gold.

The gold shop owner was bewildered when the payment money suddenly vanished after Kevin touched it.

He thought Kevin was a magician, so he did not pursue the matter further.

Kevin followed the directions from the AI and found the address of the fake diploma maker in a narrow alley on the outskirts of the city. The transaction was quick and without many questions. Within two hours, he held a sheet of high school diploma in the name of Kevin that looked convincing enough.

With that diploma in hand, Kevin headed to a university he had researched through the AI. The campus was quite large with four-story buildings and shady gardens. Students milled about with backpacks on their shoulders, laughing and chatting.

Kevin entered the administration building and met with an admissions officer sitting behind a desk piled with registration files. The officer was around forty years old with thick glasses and a stiff expression.

"You want to enroll?" the officer asked, pushing up his glasses.

"Yes, I would like to enroll as a new student."

The officer looked Kevin over from head to toe. His clothes were simple, showing no signs of affluence. Then the officer accepted the diploma Kevin handed over and examined it. His eyes narrowed. There was something odd about this diploma, though he could not pinpoint exactly what was wrong.

"Where is this diploma from? I've never heard of this school."

"A small school in a remote area," Kevin answered calmly.

The officer stared at Kevin again with a doubtful look. "Look, young man. The enrollment process isn't that simple. There are requirements to fulfill, an entrance exam, document verification... and besides... this diploma..."

Kevin slipped his hand behind his jacket. His hand touched the storage ring on his ring finger, and a second later a one-kilogram bar of gold was in his grasp. He placed the gold bar on the officer's desk.

The officer's eyes widened behind his thick glasses. The gold gleamed under the office's fluorescent lamp, reflecting light throughout the room. The officer swallowed. His hand slowly reached out and touched the surface of the gold, feeling its tangible weight.

"Of course," the officer said, his voice suddenly becoming very friendly. "Actually, this diploma looks very valid indeed. No problem at all." He reached for a registration form and began filling it out quickly. "What major would young Kevin like to take?"