SCOM - Chapter 17
Chapter 17
That night, many students in the Information Department were sleepless. The top fifty on the Red List were basically first and second years. First years took classes by cohort, and the Academic Affairs Office had public schedules; a quick check revealed them. But second-year schedules were completely 'privately customized'. With the first week of course selection not yet over, they could only inquire and eliminate possibilities through various means to compile the list.
Out of the fifty Red List members, excluding the dozen or so freshmen who had just made the list last month, the rest were all second years. Among them, some had revealed their schedules to friends or on other occasions. The Information Department students quickly gathered their correct schedules from forums or class groups.
Eleven remained who hadn't revealed their schedules to outsiders. However, starting with other students under the same instructors, they could find out which courses had already been taken. Military students had a total of three main courses and two interest courses. With courses yet to be taken this week, the Information Department students could only research the family background, personality, and rank of these eleven, deduce which courses they might choose, and fill in the schedules.
This was a major undertaking. The military students, new to information gathering, pulled all-nighters, employing a myriad of methods, barely managing to complete the fifty schedules by dawn.
Jiang Hong happened to have chosen this course as well. The Jiang family wasn't one of the fifteen major army groups on the Military Council, but they were one of the most indispensable families in the Federation because the Jiang family specialized in information gathering. Having grown up in this environment, this assignment wasn't difficult for him. Plus, he knew one person more than others.
Zuo Luohuan had shown him her schedule that day.
Gathering and deducing, Jiang Hong finished the fifty schedules by 1 AM.
Jiang Hong poured himself a glass of water and returned to the desk. He looked at the anonymous forum's challenge regarding Ji Yuezhi's schedule and smiled; this kind of information gathering wasn't too hard.
Ji Yuezhi shared one main course with him. Jiang Hong rubbed his chin, thinking, Ji Yuezhi and Zuo Luohuan had come from the same direction during the day. At that time, in that direction, only Jia Hailan had class.
Jiang Hong filled in The Nature of Command. Not just the course name, but also the instructor's name, class time, and location – everything was entered into the table.
Based on Ji Yuezhi's background, his other main course should be chosen from the Weapons Development Department. This department had six popular instructors, with three teaching second years this year.
Jiang Hong pulled up the profiles of these three instructors. One researched general mechanical weapons, while the other two focused on aerial strike directions. The Ji family excelled in general mechanical weapons. In his opinion, Ji Yuezhi, aiming to master all possibilities, would favor areas where the Ji family was slightly weaker.
Finally, he had to eliminate one of these two instructors.
Jiang Hong repeatedly reviewed the instructors' profiles, speculating about their relationships with the Ji family. Suddenly, inspiration struck. Remembering Instructor He Yue's words during the day, he looked back at Ji Yuezhi's first two main courses.
Jia Hailan (Alpha), He Yue (Omega), the remaining instructor...
Jiang Hong looked at the two instructors from the Weapons Development Department. Sure enough, one was a Beta. He unhesitatingly filled in 'Bai Feng - Weapons Research'.
If correct, Ji Yuezhi likely had OCD.
Two interest courses remained. Jiang Hong continued his deductions: Knowing Ji Yuezhi had chosen one main course each from the Command, Combat, and Weapons Development departments, his interest courses were highly likely to be one from the Warship Department and one from the Information Department. However, since Ji Yuezhi hadn't chosen Single Combat as a main course, it was possible he put it in his interest courses.
At 2 AM, Jiang Hong finally completed Ji Yuezhi's schedule, guessing he had forgone Warship courses and chosen Single Combat as an interest course.
The reason being Ji Yuezhi's rivalry with Zuo Luohuan.
Before sleeping, Jiang Hong posted the deduced schedule for Ji Yuezhi on the forum, hiding his contribution and name.
...
The next morning, the Information Department students collectively submitted their schedules. The teacher didn't verify their accuracy on the spot, simply continuing the lecture.
However, after an all-nighter, this group of military students couldn't bear not knowing the answers. First, classmates compared schedules amongst themselves. Then, some curious Red List top fifty members joined in, posting their own schedules. Thus, a 'schedule comparison' activity heatedly commenced.
By the afternoon, the anonymous forum was flooded with 'schedule activity' posts. As the schedules of the Red List top fifty were revealed, the deductions made by the Information Department students were also verified.
[Stayed up all night writing fifty schedules, not a single one completely correct...]
[Bro, take my advice, if you can't even get the first-year schedules right, this course isn't for you.]
[Got thirty-six schedules right, not bad.]
[Amazing, the fifty schedules that Jiang Hong kid wrote are identical to the ones posted by the Red List members, even the class times are perfect!]
[Jiang family, normal, they're born for this stuff.]
[Last night, wasn't there an ID called 'Gong Si' that posted Ji Yuezhi's schedule?]
[Yes, yes, I saw it! Isn't Gong Si just Hong? It's Jiang Hong, right?]
[2:10 AM, at that time, normal Information students were still deducing the Red List top fifty schedules. Only Jiang Hong would have the leisure to deduce Ji Yuezhi's schedule.]
[So our Senior Ji chose these courses, hehe, I'll choose the same when I'm a sophomore.]
With Jiang Hong's perfect score on the fifty schedules, the anonymous forum instantly accepted his deduced schedule for Ji Yuezhi as the standard answer.
[Schedule saved, going for a chance encounter next time, thanks Bodhisattva Jiang for the kind deduction.]
[Sob sob sob, our Senior Ji is indeed an outstanding and self-reliant person. Even after suddenly differentiating into an Omega, he still chose combat!]
[Alphas of the First Military Academy, wait to be crushed by Senior Ji!!!]
...
Zuo Luohuan had heard about this matter; after all, Jiang Hong bragged about himself constantly. She didn't pay much attention – it was just a schedule. As for those saving Ji Yuezhi's schedule hoping for a chance encounter, they likely wouldn't have much luck.
She didn't think someone as aloof as Ji Yuezhi would like anyone.
As time passed, Ji Yuezhi's schedule became widely circulated, and he did indeed attend Bai Feng's Weapons Research class. This served as further strong evidence, and people on the forum practically deified Jiang Hong.
Over the next two days, some people saw their interest course was the same as Ji Yuezhi's, with the same instructor, and eagerly awaited the class. However, after attending, they didn't see Ji Yuezhi.
Did Jiang Hong's schedule have errors?
Initially, people didn't believe it, asking if Ji Yuezhi had taken leave. But the instructor hadn't mentioned any student absences.
Missed the first interest course, missed the second interest course too. Completely wrong?
When Jiang Hong heard about this, his first reaction was: Impossible!
He might have deduced one course wrong – he had hesitated between Single Combat and Warship courses – but it was impossible for both to be incorrect.
Jiang Hong was extremely confident in his information gathering and deduction abilities. He wondered if the class times and instructors didn't match up and promptly posted a revised schedule that same day.
However, on Thursday, still no one encountered Ji Yuezhi.
Jiang Hong: "..."
On the last afternoon of the week, a post on the anonymous forum finally caught everyone's attention.
[I'm dumbfounded. I took a flower arranging class this afternoon and ran into Ji Yuezhi.]
[Huh? What arranging class?]
[Flower Arranging Art]
[Eh? Is this a Combat Department course? Arranging flowers in the enemy's head?]
[Such a brutal course? I didn't even choose it!]
[Wow, cranial flower arranging? Truly artistic, this course suits Senior Ji so well!]
The original poster had initially posted stealthily during class just to share their shock, but the thread immediately derailed, discussing 108 ways to crack open an enemy's skull. Finally, the OP simply posted a photo.
In the classroom, students in black military uniforms each had various flowers spread out before them, with several vases nearby. Most eye-catching was a person in the corner. He held an already arranged bouquet, one hand resting on the flowers, seemingly adjusting the angle. Looking down at the flowers, his expression was surprisingly gentle. Although the corner lacked much light and was somewhat dim, he stood there as if he were the light source, dazzlingly bright.
[Beautiful... I mean the flowers are beautiful.]
[Ahhhhhhh, who will be so lucky in the future to receive flowers personally arranged by Senior Ji! Just thinking about it makes me die of envy!]
[Help, I want to be the flower in Ji Yuezhi's hand. Gentlemen, am I wrong?]
[No, you're not wrong, I want to be too. Draw your sword!]
[Sob sob sob, this must be 'a tiger in the heart, sniffing the rose.']
When Jiang Hong saw this post, he was lounging in his dorm with his feet up. The moment he saw the picture, he sprayed a mouthful of water onto the table.
Damn, Flower Arranging Art? What logic was Ji Yuezhi following?!
Jiang Hong felt he must have overlooked some crucial information. Did this course have a special meaning? Otherwise, why would Ji Yuezhi choose it?
Try as he might, he couldn't figure it out. Others from the same class posted on the forum. Jiang Hong carefully examined their pictures. Many Alphas and Betas attended this class. Some genuinely liked flower arranging, but he estimated most were trying to please Omegas in the future.
So why did Ji Yuezhi choose this course?
Jiang Hong couldn't understand. He simply left his dorm and walked towards that classroom, wanting to see from the outside what mystery this Flower Arranging Art held.
However, by the time he arrived, the flower arranging class was almost over. Students emerged from the classroom one after another. The instructor was a teacher invited from the neighboring art university. He peeked inside, seeing only flowers and vases. When class ended, students left holding bouquets. It seemed like a normal flower arranging class, no mystery at all.
Just then, Jiang Hong suddenly remembered Ji Yuezhi still had one interest course left. His mind raced. At this time, the Warship and Weapons Development departments still had two A-rank courses available. That shouldn't be right; why would a provisionally S-rank student choose A-rank courses?
As Ji Yuezhi emerged holding flowers, he saw Jiang Hong pondering intensely at the door. His eyes seemed to casually sweep past, but not seeing the person he wanted to see, he turned and walked towards the next classroom.
Jiang Hong finally snapped back to reality after a long moment, looked up, and saw him walk across the hall, stop at a dance studio, and finally push the door open and enter.
"???"
At this time, in this classroom, wasn't it only the most unpopular course left?!
Jiang Hong was utterly baffled. He quickly tapped his optical computer, pulled up the course schedules for various instructors from the Academic Affairs Office, and found the entry for Friday afternoon: Soft Yoga, Instructor Yu Yue, Location: Mixed Building Room 612.
Right now, Jiang Hong stood on the sixth floor of the Mixed Building, room 606, opposite classroom 612. And just moments ago, Ji Yuezhi had pushed open the door to room 612 and walked in.
Soft what, what yoga? Before the equal rights movement, this was a course specifically designed in Omega academies to train Omega body flexibility!
Which student attending the First Military Academy didn't dream of future battlefields and meritorious service? Omegas simply wouldn't choose this kind of course. Soft Yoga was established because the school found a small number of Alphas had excessive strength but were too stiff, hindering combat. After discussion, the instructors decided to offer the course, but it remained the most unpopular course at the First Military Academy, bar none.
Jiang Hong's eyes strained until they were sore, but he didn't see Ji Yuezhi come out of that classroom. Finally, he had to accept the fact that Ji Yuezhi had chosen Soft Yoga.
Simply outrageous!
No wonder his later schedule predictions were wrong!
Filled with excitement and disbelief, Jiang Hong sent a communication message to Zuo Luohuan: [Do you know what two interest courses Ji Yuezhi chose?]
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