Chapter 3 Ravenwick Theological Seminary

Around 10 a.m., Liam arrived at Ravenwick Theological Seminary in his autonomous taxi. It was August 27, 2120—the final day for new students to report. As Liam stepped through the gates, he noticed a small group of students gathered on the sports field. The sparse turnout suggested that the seminary's enrollment numbers were less than impressive.

Standing at the entrance with his black backpack slung over his shoulder, Liam turned to take in the scenery, only to be utterly astounded once again.

The seminary's sprawling grounds and architectural style bore no resemblance to the photos published on its official website. Nestled amidst verdant mountains and flowing rivers, the campus was composed of widely scattered functional buildings. From Liam's vantage point, he couldn't even see the boundaries of the campus. Instead, his gaze was met with faintly visible Chinese-style courtyards, shrouded in the lush greenery of the surrounding landscape.

There were no basketball courts, football fields, cafeterias, dormitories, or libraries—none of the facilities one might expect at a university. The sole modern structure, an administrative building, was a far cry from the sleek, twenty-story high-rise shown on the website. In reality, the building was weathered and dilapidated, with cracks spidering across its walls and rain-faded paint peeling off its facade.

This place didn't resemble a seminary at all. It felt more like a secluded retreat for government officials or an abandoned campsite—empty, desolate, and bearing no semblance of a university.

How could this not be considered a scam? Why wasn't the education board cracking down on these fraudulent, second-rate institutions?

"Ugh," Liam sighed softly.

With conflicted feelings, he followed the signposts to the new student reception area. Disillusioned and suspecting he had walked into a trap, he found some solace in one undeniable truth: the natural beauty of this place was breathtaking.

The sky stretched in a brilliant azure expanse, while lush greenery rolled endlessly between heaven and earth. Radiant hues of the sunset painted the mountain slopes and waterfalls, as drifting clouds and soaring birds passed overhead. With each step, the crisp fragrance of grass and trees greeted Liam, carried on the gentle breeze.

In today's sprawling metropolises, the only sights one could behold were the rapid advancements of technology, towering steel skyscrapers, and an array of oddly shaped vehicles weaving through crowded streets. Though bustling with life, such places had long lost the essence of the natural world.

As a biology student, Liam found himself captivated by the pristine environment. He couldn't resist pausing to capture a few photos on his smartwatch phone, preserving the beauty of the moment.

Approaching the reception area, Liam's eyes were drawn to a familiar figure—the greasy man who had been striking an AI assistant at the station. To his astonishment, the man was now standing in the new student waiting area, holding what appeared to be an assortment of items distributed by the seminary to incoming students.

What on earth? This guy looked at least thirty-five years old. Could he seriously be a new student as well? The absurdity of it left Liam momentarily speechless.

Shaking off his disbelief, Liam stepped into the new student reception area.

...

Three days before his arrival, Liam had already sent Ravenwick Theological Seminary both the recommendation letter from his high school teacher and the one his adoptive father, Professor Henry, had prepared in advance. As a result, the check-in process at the reception desk was brief. After a quick verification of his information, he was instructed to wait in the designated area, where he was informed that a special admissions interview would be conducted.

An admissions interview—for a university check-in? Liam couldn't wrap his head around it. This wasn't a job application, after all. Everything about this place radiated a sense of oddity that he just couldn't shake.

After waiting in the reception area for about ten minutes, Liam noticed a sharply dressed man in his mid-to-late twenties approaching. The man, with striking features and a polished demeanor, spoke softly, "Are you Liam?"

"Yes, sir!" Liam responded politely.

"I'm Silas, your admissions advisor. I'll be conducting your interview," the man said with a warm smile, extending his hand. "Please, follow me."

"Of course, sir!" Liam picked up his backpack and promptly followed Silas down the corridor to the left of the reception area.

The two walked for approximately fifty meters before arriving at the end of the hallway. Silas paused in front of a sleek metal door and quickly blinked twice at the recognition scanner mounted beside it. With a low hum, the door slid open, revealing a pristine, well-lit corridor ahead.

"This way," Silas said with a friendly nod, stepping forward to lead the way.

Liam followed closely, his eyes wide with astonishment as he took in his surroundings.

This appeared to be the seminary's administrative wing. Both sides of the corridor were lined with transparent office walls, allowing clear views of the bustling activity within. Numerous staff members, deeply engrossed in their work, moved with purpose behind the glass partitions, creating an atmosphere of order and efficiency that starkly contrasted with the seminary's outward appearance.

The entire office area was equipped with advanced holographic projection systems and an array of AI-assisted terminals. Data, templates, and information flowed visibly through the workspace, projected into the air in a seamless and dynamic display of efficiency.

Liam stood frozen, overwhelmed by the sight. He couldn't help but think, How much money does it take to set up a place like this? Even most government facilities don't have equipment this sophisticated!

Bang! Bang!

While Liam was still gawking at his surroundings like a country bumpkin, a series of heavy thuds echoed from the left. Turning his head, he saw a towering steel robot, standing at least 2.3 meters tall, forged from composite metals and exuding raw power. The robot was limping awkwardly as it moved forward.

"Holy crap!" Liam instinctively jumped to the side to avoid its path.

"Eric! Eric! Stop wandering around! Your leg needs to be re-welded. Go to the repair room—let me fix it for you!" A man in a work uniform hurried after the robot, shouting in concern.

Bang!

The robot, referred to as "Eric," swung its massive fist into a transparent wall panel, leaving a visible dent. Its voice boomed with fury. "It's definitely those bastards from Team Two! They know they can't beat us in next week's basketball match, so they sabotaged me while I was recharging. They stole the main bolt from my leg and sawed through my support frame! Damn it, one of these days, I'm going to settle the score with Yexian!"

Nearby, Liam stood utterly dumbfounded, his mind reeling as he thought to himself, A full titanium alloy frame, 34R0111STERNO piston neck, Deep Blue Parallel 9 core engine… Holy crap, what kind of monster is this? How much does something like this even cost?!

"You know about this kind of thing?" Silas asked with mild curiosity.

"I've always been fascinated by mechas and robotics," Liam replied, gradually recovering from his shock as he continued to study the imposing figure of Eric. "Someone called him 'teacher' just now…"

"Oh, he's one of your physical education instructors. His name is Eric," Silas explained with a smile. "Apparently, someone particularly creative programmed him with a passion for history when he was first designed, so he gave himself the title of 'Warlord.'"

"Impressive," Liam remarked, unable to hide his amazement.

"Hey, rookie! Are you a new student too? You look as skinny as a toothpick," Eric said, extending his massive mechanical arm to give Liam's head a playful tap.

"You're absolutely right about that, sir," Liam shot back with a quick retort.

"Cheeky little brat! Just don't end up in my class," Eric grumbled with mock indignation before limping off, his heavy frame echoing down the hall.

Liam turned to glance at him again, unable to shake the lingering sense of awe. The sheer disparity between the seminary's unassuming exterior and the cutting-edge sophistication of its interior was staggering.

From everything Liam had researched beforehand, Ravenwick Theological Seminary seemed like nothing more than a third-rate institution—a dubious establishment that likely engaged in false advertising. Yet, the moment he stepped through that metal door, he had been met with a completely different reality: a state-of-the-art facility brimming with technological and financial prowess, exuding an atmosphere of precision and professionalism that was impossible to ignore.

Due to family connections, Liam had visited Velmora University in the past. Without exaggeration, even the administrative workspaces at Velmora paled in comparison to what he had just seen here. At least at Velmora, no one ever mentioned professors with strong emotional characteristics and distinct personal styles—let alone robots embodying such traits. At most, there were AI-assisted instructors, but nothing like what Ravenwick seemed to offer.

What baffled Liam the most was the existence of someone like "Professor Eric." Only a handful of world-renowned manufacturers could even produce such an advanced robotic entity. While Eric appeared to be a support-oriented machine, its sheer presence was enough to be intimidating.

This was on another level entirely!

In that moment, Liam's initial skepticism about Ravenwick Theological Seminary began to shift. Beyond merely investigating the questions that had brought him here, he started to feel that studying long-term at this institution might not be a bad idea after all.

Sometimes, a single glimpse is all it takes to grasp the whole picture. Even this one workspace spoke volumes about the seminary's untapped potential and its depth of educational resources.

...

Approximately five minutes later, Silas led Liam into an office. Unlike the transparent workspaces they had passed earlier, this room was designed for privacy, its atmosphere more intimate and secure.

"Coffee, tea, water—would you like something to drink?" Silas asked politely.

"No, thank you," Liam replied, shaking his head.

"Alright, please have a seat," Silas said, settling into his chair. With a swift motion, he accessed Liam's profile from the AI-powered database. "It says here you originally intended to join the biology department at Velmora University?"

"That's correct," Liam nodded.

Silas nodded thoughtfully, clasping his hands together as a faint smile played on his lips. "How much do you know about Ravenwick Theological Seminary?"

"To be honest, almost nothing," Liam admitted candidly. "Especially after stepping into this workspace with you—I feel even more lost."

"Understood," Silas said with a brief pause before continuing. "Then, how much do you know about Infinity Haven?"

"Of course, I know about it!" Liam replied immediately. "In today's world, who wouldn't? It's used by 99.999% of humanity, after all."

Infinity Haven was the groundbreaking creation of Lumora Technologies, a globally renowned company. Born from the conceptual framework of the metaverse, it was developed and launched as a globally connected virtual human community.

Through advanced technologies such as neural guidance and memory storage, Infinity Haven allowed human consciousness to experience an almost indistinguishable sense of reality within a virtual world.

It was a revolutionary innovation, akin to the transformative creations of Steve Jobs with Apple, Bill Gates with Microsoft, or Elon Musk with SpaceX. Like these visionaries, Infinity Haven reshaped human life and revolutionized the very fabric of society, merging technology and consciousness in ways previously unimaginable.

The explosive rise of Infinity Haven has shaped not just one generation but the course of human history.

In the interview room, Silas adjusted his phrasing slightly. "What I meant was, have you delved deeply into the governance structure and rules of Infinity Haven?"

Liam shook his head. "Not really."

Silas paused briefly before continuing, "May I ask a bold question? Would you be willing to enter Infinity Haven with me? I'd like to assess your baseline metrics within the virtual community—it's an important part of the interview."

"That's fine, but I didn't bring any peripherals," Liam replied.

"That won't be an issue," Silas said, leaning toward the microphone on his desk. "Nissa, bring me a set of portable neural connectors—brand new."

Five minutes later, Liam had donned the sleek holographic neural connector and reclined in his chair. "So, Freedom City, right? I'm entering now?"

"Let's begin," Silas said, already wearing his own neural interface.

Within three seconds, they both closed their eyes, and a sensation of weightlessness enveloped their bodies. A soft ding echoed in their ears, and in the blink of an eye, they found themselves fully immersed in Infinity Haven.

...

Meanwhile, back in the real world, in a shadowy, filthy basement within Velmora.

A man who had served as Liam's defense attorney in the Sophia case knelt on the grimy floor, his posture tense with fear.

A strikingly handsome young man spoke in a low, menacing voice, "Are you certain Liam went to Ravenwick Theological Seminary with Henry's recommendation letter?"

"Yes, sir, I swear I'm not lying! Please, have mercy…!"

The handsome man slowly rose to his feet, a faint smile gracing his lips as he made his way toward the door.

The lawyer, watching him leave, instinctively let out a sigh of relief, his body collapsing onto the cold, grimy floor in exhaustion.

At the doorway, the man placed his left hand on the handle but suddenly paused. Turning back, he lifted his right arm with deliberate slowness. "On second thought… I find a lawyer's words hard to trust."

Bang!

A beam of light shot from the mechanical palm of the man's right hand, flooding the room with an intense brilliance and reverberating with a deafening boom.