Chapter 21: Deep Sea University Admission Letter

Before Chen could ask Fierce Tiger for an explanation, another cod fell from the sky. This one was golden, entirely different from the "Friend Request" cod that had been dropped earlier.

"Well, look at that. A meal that changes destiny has arrived," Fierce Tiger remarked, teasingly eyeing the golden fish descending from above.

Many of the surrounding penguins noticed the golden cod and waddled over to gawk.

"Holy cow, an acceptance letter! How long has it been since I last saw a golden cod?" a yellow-haired penguin exclaimed dramatically, blowing the bangs out of his eyes.

"The last time I saw a golden cod was the time before last," a bespectacled penguin said, pushing up his glasses.

"...Say something we don't already know!"

"Buddy, hurry up and open it! Which institution accepted you?"

The penguins crowded closer, staring at him as if coveting the fish, waiting for him to finish eating so they could hear what it tasted like.

"You guys... you all know what this is?" Chen was speechless; these onlookers knew more than he, the one about to eat the fish, did.

"Stop talking! It’s either an acceptance letter from the Vinegar School of Deep Sea University or the Dumpling School. You'll know once you eat it. Eat up!"

"Eat it, eat it!"

The surrounding penguins were growing impatient, and their gazes toward Chen began to turn unfriendly.

With no other choice, Chen picked up the wriggling golden cod and swallowed it right in front of the crowd.

*Gulp!*

"How is it? What’s it taste like?" Fierce Tiger asked, leaning in closest.

Chen let out a burp. The golden cod tasted strange, with a sour, cooling sensation—it was the taste of vinegar.

The surrounding penguins sniffed the air at Chen’s burp, their expressions turning to realization: he’d been accepted by the Vinegar School.

"Congrats, buddy! Your gaming career has finally hit the big leagues!"

"Sigh, when will I ever be able to pull something good out of the Great Vortex and escape? If only a seagull could send me an acceptance letter to Deep Sea University—if that happened, I’d be willing to drive fancy cars and live in a mansion!"

"A three-course meal in one fish, indeed."

***

Once the penguins saw he had consumed the golden cod, they offered a few remarks before dispersing, leaving only Fierce Tiger waiting on the spot.

However, Chen was no longer in the mood to talk to him. A massive golden gate had opened before his eyes, its brilliant light nearly blinding him.

[Congratulations, you have been accepted into the Vinegar School of Deep Sea University.]

[Deep Sea University is an institution specifically established by our company to bridge the gap between Deep Sea games and graduate re-employment.]

[The Vinegar School is the core department of Deep Sea University. We train only the most outstanding Deep Sea players here. You can meet like-minded companions, join various clubs, and if you are exceptional enough, you may be invited to stay and teach, becoming a Deep Sea Professor.]

[Join us and become the freest person of all!]

Behind the gate, a seal emerged and bumped its belly against Chen's.

"Greetings, Mr. Chen. Please follow me. Beyond this gate lies Deep Sea University. I will provide you with a detailed introduction to our four major departments. Once you fully understand, please return to reality, where the liaison officer in your region will visit to handle your registration." The seal patted its belly and gestured for him to follow.

Chen was bewildered. He glanced at Fierce Tiger, only to realize that the other man didn't seem to see the seal at all; he was just staring blankly at Chen.

"Please follow me. Your friend did not eat the cod, so he cannot see the gates of Deep Sea University," the seal explained as it hopped up the steps.

Chen had no choice but to follow. "Can I ask... what exactly is Deep Sea University?"

The seal was startled. A bumpkin? And an incredibly lucky one at that—accepted without even knowing what Deep Sea University was? But since the person had entered the Vinegar School, they were a future pillar of the Deep Sea Company, and a customer service representative like himself couldn't afford to offend them. He slowed his pace and began to explain:

"Deep Sea University is an online university. You don't need to attend any courses in person; it’s more like a player community than a conventional university."

"In this community, only the top 10,000 Deep Sea players are accepted. Even then, it is divided into two major schools and multiple departments."

"The Vinegar School is dedicated to cultivating the most elite Deep Sea players. Its requirements are particularly rigorous, and every student possesses certain 'special' abilities."

"The Dumpling School covers both online and offline components. Its primary purpose is to train consultants to help students of the Vinegar School understand the rules within the instances and to provide suggestions for future development."

"The four major departments are the Fantasy Department, the Eye Department, the System Department, and the Buff Department. These are just the ones currently available; as the number of Great Vortexes increases in the future, we may expand."

Chen understood. This Deep Sea University was essentially an online management agency specifically for coordinating high-end players... No wonder there was a Deep Sea leaderboard; so that was how it worked.

***

"Well then, my mission is complete. I wish you a happy and pleasant time at Deep Sea University."

The seal led Chen into the golden gate. Once the doors closed, the scene inside left Chen in utter amazement.

He saw one Earth crushing another, countless Earths colliding with each other in the sky, splashing blue and green plasma that was then spread evenly onto a slice of bread.

This was the virtual lobby of Deep Sea University, rendered with such meticulous detail that it was nearly impossible to distinguish from reality.

"Oh, Wei Long, you're finally here!"

"Quick, quick, have a seat! Welcome to our System Department. My goodness, we've been waiting for you; Professor Iced Cola has been talking about you for ages."

Two muscular men stood up, abandoning their card game to welcome Chen.

Chen looked at himself and realized his body had changed back from a penguin to its original form. He had a thin layer of muscle, his face was uncovered, and aside from a pair of shorts, he was basically naked.

"Don't be shy. Everyone is like this when they first enter Deep Sea University. You can change your clothes; it's just a one-click process."

The muscular man with a sailor flag tattooed on his arm operated a few controls. His sportswear instantly shifted into a spacesuit, then into a suit.

The black muscular man beside him also changed, swapping into a samurai outfit.

Chen followed suit and changed into casual wear.

"Come on, little junior, welcome to our System Department. I'm Jia Xiu, from Singapore," the man with the sailor tattoo said with a smile, extending a hand.

The black man didn't reach out but nodded at Chen. "I'm Yovari, from South Africa."

"Chen Lai, from China." Chen shook Jia Xiu's hand, feeling puzzled. "You were waiting for me? And who is Iced Cola?"

Seeing Chen's confusion, Jia Xiu laughed and turned the display screen behind him.

The beautiful woman Chen had seen before was on the screen. She didn't seem to be in the game at the moment but was browsing on her phone in an office, her cold, sharp eyes staring straight at Chen.

Chen suddenly realized—she was the woman Fierce Tiger had dragged into his domain during the [Shibuya Incident]. What a coincidence.