Evolution - Chapter 27
Chapter 27
Ji Changqing and the others received their notice at the end of June. By the time she reported for duty on September 1st, she had basically figured out which things from the instance world could be used in reality and which were temporarily unusable due to inherent limitations.
The body tempering technique her Big Sister had tailor-made for her progressed slowly, but it was clearly more advanced than the standard version of Physique. Ji Changqing was secretly delighted. Rich people rely on technology, poor people rely on mutation, right? Even if cultivating the body tempering technique was a bit more painful than standard Physique training, she could grit her teeth and endure it.
Even though she was a pacifist and quite reasonable, there were always some people who needed to have a conversation with her fists.
She had plenty of time and was diligent enough. In those two months, she had painstakingly opened seven or eight acupoints, advancing her Physique to Level 3. She constantly felt brimming with power. Ji Changqing found this feeling—this illusion of omnipotence—to be absolutely wonderful. With no fear in her heart, she was dauntless, never letting setbacks stop her.
Having had a preliminary taste of the benefits of the interstellar era, Ji Changqing, feeling that her combat power was off the charts, went off to the fully enclosed training program full of anticipation.
She was more than willing to go. The “acceptance letter” for this program stated that it was a reward for passing the second stage, with room and board covered—no money required! It was paid for with their game points and contribution points. After confirming her attendance, a large portion of her points was deducted, but no one felt the sting. It wasn't real money, just something they got from playing a game. Rounding it off, it was basically free, so who cared if they were deducted?
Ji Changqing, who had noticed her food expenses skyrocketing recently, heard the orientation teacher repeatedly emphasize the important details. Her attention was entirely fixed on the duration: “six months to a year.” She silently calculated in her head and secretly resolved to take her time learning. Freeloading for a full year of meals would be perfect.
Her heart was set on being a slacker.
Ji Changqing soon discovered that while the food provided here was rather bland, it was incredibly filling. However, her appetite still stood out among the group. While one portion was more than enough for others, she could eat two. She wasn't stupid, and with her experience from the cultivation world, she guessed that the food was likely something akin to spirit food, rich in energy. Well, in that case, she wouldn't be polite. Eating the equivalent of five or six people's meals every time was tiring work, you know?!
Her cultivation speed also began to pick up, which made her beam with joy, further solidifying her determination to become a slacker and freeload to the very end.
She had no idea that the focus of this fully enclosed training program wasn't actually on the pace of learning. There was so much to learn about the Star Alliance anyway; once they mastered one subject, a few more would just be added. Until this group of people differentiated, their academic careers would never end.
With the heart of a slacker, Ji Changqing naturally wasn't going to put her all into studying. But among a group of people either engrossed in learning new knowledge or terrified of the shame of failing exams, being idle would be too conspicuous. So, she chose to cultivate!
Completely unaware of Ji Changqing's constant desire to be a slacker, the instructors saw her diligently spending her time in the training rooms and nodded in secret approval. They thought this older student was clever—talented, hardworking, and perceptive enough to know what was truly important.
And they were right. That academic knowledge could be learned in virtual classrooms on the StarNet. They had organized this enclosed program to ensure these people could get through their differentiation period safely, after which they would be taught about the specifics of being an ABO.
But cultivation was a different matter.
Whether it was Mental Power or Physique, one could learn “how” on the StarNet—a theoretical “how.” Ultimately, it was best to train in reality. But wasn't cultivation equipment precious? Outside of the military, only schools had such comprehensive facilities.
Oblivious to the great advantage she had stumbled upon, Ji Changqing knew nothing. While guiltily slacking off in her cultural classes, she compensated by training even more diligently. She had to be good at something!
The instructors' impression of her improved even more. They gave her a complete assessment and, based on the results, created a training plan for her, suggesting she strengthen certain areas and offering tips and precautions for her Physique training.
One side taught, the other learned. Both parties were exceptionally satisfied.
As they continued teaching, the instructors suddenly came to a realization.
“Chief, weren't those military training methods you were teaching her before?”
The chief, having been called out, was not pleased. Everyone had been teaching her; he wasn't about to take the fall alone. Not a chance! He cracked his knuckles and pointed to each of them in turn. “You, when you had her train her leg strength, weren't those military techniques? And you, when you adjusted her Mental Power training method, wasn't that the one the military uses? And you, you're even worse, the combat techniques you taught her…”
The instructors all chuckled sheepishly. It was just that teaching her was so enjoyable, they had unconsciously started treating her like a new recruit.
The chief, now reminded, also felt a bit of a headache coming on. But on second thought, was it really that bad? It had just slipped out during training; they hadn't taught her everything. A few bits and pieces here and there shouldn't be a problem, right?
At worst, they'd get a lecture and some minor punishment.
“Alright, alright, it's no big deal. Disperse, disperse. And don't spread this around, it wouldn't be good for her.” They had taught her on a whim; there was no reason to let her take the blame.
One of the instructors below still felt a bit regretful. Being stationed on Blue Star was dreadfully boring. It was rare to find someone with such good aptitude, and just when it was getting fun to teach her, they had to stop. As he thought this, he slapped his forehead. Good grief, how could they be so dense?!
“Hey, wait a minute. Chief, for the first few decades after a new civilization is discovered, don't they always grant a few special quotas and relax the assessment criteria for entering Alliance schools? Well, look at her. Isn't she a promising candidate?”
The chief caught on. This was interesting. He stroked his chin. “You mean, have her apply to a military academy?” He considered it seriously, then shook his head with a hint of regret. “Military academies usually only accept applicants under thirty.”
His subordinate looked at his dense boss with exasperation. “But it's different! In the Alliance, who doesn't start training from childhood? If you can't reach Physique Level 6 by thirty, you've got no chance. But how long has she been training? She's already at Physique Level 3, and her Mental Power is almost at Level 3 too!”
The chief, being silently berated by his subordinate: ...
Don't think I don't know you're cursing me in your head!
After calculating Ji Changqing's training time and looking at the data in his hands, he couldn't help but grimace. This was too impressive. All told, it had only been a little over a year. Most people on Blue Star were still struggling between high Level 1 and low Level 2, yet she was about to break into Level 3 in both.
A double-S aptitude was considered quite good, even in the Alliance. Add to that the fifty-year grace period for new civilizations joining the Alliance… If the few of them gave her some special tutoring on the side, it seemed genuinely feasible.
“We just don't know if she'd be willing,” another instructor said reasonably. “Very few women on Blue Star join the military.”
The chief waved a dismissive hand. What kind of problem was that? He had studied history, okay?! Just think about how many Omegas applied to military academies after the enlistment restrictions were lifted.
He refused to believe that Ji Changqing didn't have some aspirations. Otherwise, why would she be training so desperately?!
To get free food, my friend!
But for these instructors, that line of reasoning was far too bizarre. They could rack their brains all day and never come up with such a ridiculous reason. They unanimously concluded that Ji Changqing, with her single-minded pursuit of strength, must be very interested in becoming a soldier.
Well, even if she wasn't interested now, that was fine. They could make her interested!
Ji Changqing noticed that the instructors had been acting strangely lately, as if they were bored out of their minds. They would find any excuse to chat with her, and the conversation would invariably drift toward the various benefits of military service in the Alliance.
It was just chatting, just shooting the breeze. Ji Changqing thought, I know this one, leave it to me!
Having someone to talk to was a nice break from the monotony of daily training, and they were talking about the Alliance, which seemed so close yet was substantively distant. As the time spent chatting increased, her training time decreased by a tiny bit, but neither side seemed to mind, both playing along with the other's agenda with ulterior motives.
I need to get a deeper understanding of my future living environment, after all! Ji Changqing thought with perfect self-righteousness.
Recruitment requires a comprehensive introduction! Besides, training requires a balance of work and rest! the instructors silently reassured themselves.
Even so, Ji Changqing's progress in Physique training left these instructors, who considered themselves seasoned veterans who had seen plenty of geniuses, speechless. In just under six months, she had nearly mastered Level 3. They estimated that she would break through to Level 4 in two more months at most.
Only Ji Changqing knew it was all thanks to the body tempering technique her Big Sister had given her. In those six months, she had opened seventy or eighty acupoints, and her cultivation speed was constantly accelerating. After a quick mental calculation, Ji Changqing figured that although Physique became progressively harder, the boost from her technique might allow her advancement speed to remain constant.
But there was no need to say such things out loud and scare people. She thought, quite cheerfully.
Just then, someone finally began to differentiate.
A few boys were gathered together watching a sports game one night when one of them suddenly developed a fever. The others didn't think much of it and told him to go back and rest. But soon, others also started running a fever. Everyone got a little scared. A fever wasn't a contagious disease, so how was it that after one person got sick, others started showing signs one after another?
While they were still bewildered, the instructors rushed in and swiftly subdued them. Doctors methodically performed examinations and nodded. “Differentiation has begun.”
It was like the starting gun at a race. Students in the program began developing fevers one after another. At first, everyone was afraid it was some kind of epidemic, but the teachers calmly reassured them, “You're not sick. The fever is a sign that your body is evolving. It will pass after this period.”
Perhaps because she had been training so diligently, Ji Changqing's body was strong and her immune system was excellent. As her classmates fell ill one by one, and even as people from the second and third batches who had passed the second stage later on began to get fevers, she remained completely unaffected.
She started to have some doubts herself. Could her obsession with freeloading for a full year be that powerful?
When the calendar turned to May, not long after the fifth batch of students had arrived, Ji Changqing finally felt a fever coming on and let out a long sigh of relief.
Finally, she could rejoin the mainstream and not seem so peculiar. She was the last one left from the first batch. Even the second and third batches were nearly empty. Despite her ambition to be a slacker, this feeling of being the difficult student who couldn't graduate was not pleasant.
But she had sighed in relief too soon.
After finally waking from the feverish haze of the differentiation period under the meticulous care of doctors and nurses, Ji Changqing groggily made her way to the bathroom, preparing to wash off a body's worth of sweat. It was then that she discovered, with a completely dumbfounded expression, that she seemed to have grown… something extra.
A wave of panic washed over Ji Changqing. She was attracted to women, but she never wanted to become a man! What was she supposed to do now? Was she still herself? Did the small fortune she had painstakingly saved up still belong to her?
Who was it that had so brazenly performed such an utterly botched sex-change operation on her?!
The psychological counselor waiting for her outside subtly read her question and quickly composed his face into a serious expression.
It wasn't me, I didn't do it, don't talk nonsense.
Still in a state of shock, Ji Changqing saw a stranger appear in her “sickroom” and, with great sluggishness, uttered the most profound question from the depths of her soul: “Who are you?”
The psychological counselor swiftly entered professional mode, his voice steady. “Ji Changqing, congratulations on differentiating into an Alpha. I am your counselor.”
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