NEC Chapter 59: The Little Grind King Teaches Memorization

The Cloudmist Domain team began their return journey.

As planned, they would head back to Whitestone City, cross the Gloomy Forest into the Greenspine Kingdom, and then make their way to the Emerald Duchy, finally returning to the earl’s territory under the duchy’s rule.

The journey spanned over a thousand kilometers and would take more than twenty days.

During this tedious trek, the Cloudmist team witnessed Chen Mo’s relentless intensity.

He always woke up exactly fifty-five minutes before departure, engaging in a quick morning workout. Occasionally, he used this time to pester Captain Paven for tips on physical training methods from the Starry Continent, pushing himself until he was drenched in sweat.

Like a whirlwind, he’d finish washing up. While others leisurely enjoyed the morning, Chen Mo wolfed down breakfast in thirty seconds and headed straight to his carriage.

While the team chatted and joked, Chen Mo set up magic arrays in his carriage, placed magical materials, and began meditating. After meditation, he practiced spell models, took a brief rest, then resumed meditating…

Aside from the punctual chime of his reminder alarm and the steady rhythm of his breathing, no other sound came from his carriage.

The maid assigned to serve tea in his carriage barely dared to breathe. Knights riding past instinctively slowed their horses, muffling their hoofbeats to avoid disturbing him.

In the presence of a grind king, especially one so respected by Cloudmist’s leaders, everyone showed genuine reverence from the inside out.

At noon, the team set up camp and prepared meals.

Meal times were typically flexible, with lunch often served within a half-hour or forty-minute window, as cooking couldn’t be precisely controlled.

But not for Chen Mo. His schedule was rigid.

If he emerged from his practice and the meal wasn’t ready, he’d sip some water, nibble on dry rations, and dive into the next training session, skipping lunch entirely.

If the meal was ready but he hadn’t finished, he’d specifically instructed the team not to wait for him. He’d grab whatever leftovers were available when he was done.

His discipline sent chills down the spine of Paven, a seasoned military swordsman.

Within just two days, Chen Mo’s influence forced the Cloudmist team to adjust their schedule. Lunch and dinner were now served with a margin of error no greater than three minutes.

Out of respect for the Cloudmist team and a desire to learn more about this world, Chen Mo set aside fifteen minutes each evening after dinner to chat with the young countess and Master Locke or consult Paven about swordsman techniques.

His modern-world perspective and experiences allowed him to hold conversations with anyone, occasionally tossing in a small joke that sent the group into fits of laughter.

The young countess was genuinely amused, while the others, well, they seemed to be, and that was enough for Chen Mo.

But no matter how lively or engaging the conversation, the moment his wristwatch chimed, Chen Mo would offer an apologetic nod and leave.

At first, the team was bewildered, thinking they’d said something to offend their esteemed guest. But they soon realized he was simply an unrelenting practice machine.

This demeanor even softened Linda, who had always harbored some reservations about Chen Mo, and she began using him as an example to lecture the young countess.

“Look at Mr. Chen Mo! His origins may be… somewhat mysterious, but look at his dedication to learning!”

“Even without supervision, he conducts himself with discipline. That’s true noble bearing. Doesn’t it inspire you even a little, Your Highness?”

“Alright, Mr. Chen Mo’s off to study again. It’s time, Countess, let’s get to your lessons!”

Lady Frost’s face fell instantly. Resigned, she pulled out the tome thicker than her fist, The Complete Guide to Noble Etiquette, and began her daily “torture”—memorization.

As she recited mechanically, her resentful eyes darted toward Chen Mo’s tightly shut carriage. Clearly, now that “Chen Mo” had become Linda’s golden standard, the countess suddenly found him a bit annoying.

Anything that interfered with her slacking was an enemy!

Catching the countess’s “life-is-hopeless” expression and her less-than-friendly glances, Chen Mo’s internal alarm bells rang.

Running a quick analysis with his micro-expression device, he decided to sacrifice some practice time to appease this “top-tier medicine supplier.”

True to her word, the countess had already given him three pills. However, due to frequent Sacrificial Altar material transfers, his four shunting uses were exhausted, so he’d have to wait for the skill to cool down.

Through casual chats, Chen Mo confirmed a key detail: these pills weren’t human-made but were high-end products, Everchant Essence, crafted from the legendary life spring water of the elf clan.

Given the elves’ insular, isolationist stance, acquiring such medicine through trade was nearly impossible. The “aunt” the countess mentioned must be a significant figure in the elf clan to send her such gifts annually.

To Chen Mo, this was a monopoly on strategic resources.

As the most valuable item he could send back home, Chen Mo was determined to secure all of the countess’s future pill supplies. If she was unhappy, he couldn’t be happy either.

Practice? It could wait! Coaxing this little VIP was the priority.

The guileless countess soon revealed the truth: she hated memorizing. Not only was she painfully slow, but she forgot today’s lessons by tomorrow and tomorrow’s by the day after. The thick Noble Etiquette book drove her to the brink of despair.

“Ugh… I can’t memorize it! I can’t! Memorizing every day, it’s driving me crazy! I’d rather die!” Frost clutched her hair in frustration.

“No way!” Chen Mo quickly intervened. If you die, what happens to my medicine supply?!

“Here, let’s try something. Read through today’s assignment with me, and I’ll see if there’s a trick to make it easier to remember.”

Reluctantly, the countess, half-doubting, recited the task Linda had assigned.

Chen Mo corrected her a few times, adjusting her pace, emphasizing pauses, and controlling rhythm. After several rounds, with the countess’s face turning faintly green, they wrapped up the “study session.”

During breaks, Chen Mo discreetly coached her on memorization techniques.

Then, a miracle happened. That evening, when Linda tested her, the countess recited slowly but flawlessly.

Linda’s eyes nearly popped out, Master Locke’s eyebrows twitched wildly, and even the usually stoic Captain Paven cast a surprised glance.

Passing her lesson with flying colors, Lady Frost bounced over excitedly. “Chen Mo, Chen Mo, your method really works! You have to teach me again tomorrow!”

Chen Mo smiled and nodded. “Sure, I’ll try to make time…”

“You have to help me! Don’t worry, as long as you help me memorize, I’ll give you all the medicine my aunt sends me!”

Chen Mo bowed a full ninety degrees. “Honored Lady, it is my privilege to serve you!”

The countess’s academic progress soared, and the team was brimming with joy, both curious and admiring of Chen Mo’s talents.

Of course, Chen Mo paid a price.

Namely, a miniature recording device.

And a pair of wireless earbuds from East Xia’s Weilan Electronics Precision Lab—bone-conducting, highly optimized, tightly constrained, and leak-proof.

Alright, Chen Mo didn’t have some magical ability to turn a poor student into a genius overnight. After testing the countess’s “anti-talent” for learning, he decisively turned to technology.

He was helping her cheat!

>>> NEXT CHAPTER