The Top Graduate Student in Theology

Tan Jilai studies religious studies. On his first day of graduate school, his advisor, Meng Tong, tricks him into going to western Hunan.

Yes, that western Hunan, famous from the Story Collection for corpse-driving, cave maidens, and Miao witchcraft.

Clutching his head, he asks his advisor, Meng Tong, "What are we doing here?"

Meng Tong adjusts his glasses. "In theology, we believe in field research."

Field research?

Researching what?

Theology?

How can theology involve field research?

Tan Jilai stammers, "Isn't theology the discipline that studies the development of Christianity in medieval Europe???"

Meng Tong gives him a cruel smile. "You've got it wrong. What you're talking about is the religious studies department next door."

"So our major is..."

"Studying the scientific principles behind supernatural phenomena like zombies, parasites, and parallel universes..."

Tan Jilai gets chased by a zombie while collecting environmental samples, runs calculations in higher dimensions and creates more than ten versions of himself, and gets investigated as a suspect by the special police just for looking something up. He howls in despair: I picked the wrong major! I want to drop out!

*%.#^_^=&@...

Clang, crash, bang, thud...

Three years later, bruised and battered, Tan Jilai tearfully submits his thesis: On the Correct Way to Access Higher-Dimensional Space.

Once published, it becomes a global sensation. With a master's degree to his name, he transforms overnight into one of the world's top experts in supernatural studies.

During a TV interview, the host asks, "Could you tell us about your journey and what inspired you to dedicate yourself to the common cause of all humanity?"

Tan Jilai covers his face. "I only ended up on the research path by accident..."

[Reader's Guide]

1. One-on-one romance, mutual devotion, mutual commitment, mutual protection, happy ending.

2. Straightforward student bottom x gentle special-police officer top.

3. The main plot follows one unlucky master's student's tragic research journey (and sweet love story).

4. The author is a materialist; this novel is idealist. The sci-fi is nonsense, and the theories are made up.

5. Cover art thanks to @Qing Shi.

[Upcoming Novel: Infinite Auction]

In an infinite game, players are divided into teams. They fight together and use game currency to participate in auctions, earning survival time and game items.

Each team starts with only 100 points. Spend it all, and it's gone... and so are you.

Every player carefully guards their team's game currency.

Except one team, whose beautiful young man has an expression of pure, innocent stupidity. Ten minutes from the start, he says...

"I bid 99."

His teammates nearly lose their minds. You're spending 99 points on a bottle of mineral water? What the hell is wrong with you?!

The beautiful fool, whose only asset is his face and whose name is Ji Nan, ignores them and earnestly asks the other teams, "Anyone bidding 100?"

The other teams: …

That team's a lost cause.

*

They look at Ji Nan's teammates with pity, certain the whole team will be eliminated in no time.

But as they wait... huh? Hold on, why is that team's wealth growing so fast?!

Word has it Ji Nan first used that bottle of mineral water to unlock a special story, earning 200 points. Then he recruited a major boss, along with equipment worth 800 points.

One level after another, Ji Nan scoops up nearly every reward. Even the coins that fall from the sky might as well have his surname on them.

By the later stages, Ji Nan's teammates watch their game currency shoot up by the second and smile wearily. We can't spend it all. There's just too much.

The starving players next door, thin as sticks and splitting half a steamed bun into three meals, can only say: I*%.#^_^=&@...

*

Ji Nan was born with a beautiful, harmless-looking face and a slender build.

His teammates all think he's an idiot and a deadweight.

Only after he effortlessly crushes a boss's skull and earns over a thousand game coins do they realize they're the deadweight.

Ji Nan: I want to throw away 10,000 points. Nobody minds, right?

Teammates: Not at all! Play however you like!

[Rich bottom who spends money like water and earns it like a waterfall x rich young master top who's just as lucky with money, to everyone's envy]

[Upcoming Novel: Beyond Science]

University professor Jiang Ran leads a calm, uneventful life, shuttling between home and campus.

Then the neighbor across the hall moves out and a young neighbor moves in. Suddenly, Jiang Ran's life turns bizarre.

One moment, he's getting into the elevator with his neighbor. The next, he's alone inside.

One moment, he watches his neighbor walk out of the complex. The next, the neighbor's at his door before Jiang Ran can finish replying to a message.

Xiao Ziyang: "I bought some hickory nuts. Want any?"

Jiang Ran: "..."

I'm afraid to eat them, buddy...

He secretly called the police once. After giving a statement, he didn't see anyone come or go from the apartment across the hall for a long time.

Then, one day, while interviewing applicants for his doctoral program, Jiang Ran is surprised to find that his long-missing neighbor has applied.

Even more absurdly, the neighbor looks five or six years older and is half a head taller than him.

Jiang Ran: "There's one condition for getting into my program."

Xiao Ziyang: "What is it?"

Jiang Ran: "You have to be human, for starters..."

Xiao Ziyang: "...Who are you saying isn't human?"

[This is not a supernatural story. The author is a staunch materialist and believes in science.]

[Teasing, flirtatious doctoral student top x honest professor bottom]

Theme: Hard work is the path to realizing your life's worth.