“What do you plan to do after graduating from high school?” Johnny didn’t know why, but he was especially talkative today. This made William Carter, who had something on his mind, feel rather impatient, but he couldn’t bring himself to embarrass his classmate, so he just went along with it.

“My dad hopes I can get into Tsinghua University, but honestly, I can’t guarantee my grades.” William Carter let out a sigh, a genuine sigh of worry. “So, I might sign up for the military, try to get extra points after I retire, and then take the entrance exam again.”

Both of William Carter’s parents are researchers, and ever since he was little, they’ve instilled in him the desire to get into Tsinghua University and bring honor to the family.

Among universities in the Chinese-speaking world, and even globally, Tsinghua University has always been one of the best. William Carter’s parents, for reasons unknown, developed a kind of inexplicable obsession with Tsinghua. Ever since William Carter started school, they’ve tirelessly subjected him to what he calls mental torment.

Getting into Tsinghua became his goal as well. Although it was forced on him by his parents, after so many years, it gradually became his own aspiration.

But Tsinghua University isn’t easy to get into. Ever since Tsinghua in Beijing merged with Tsinghua in Hsinchu, Taiwan, it’s become one of the world’s top universities, and the difficulty of admission is beyond imagination.

Not only are the academic requirements almost harsh, but even the standards for internal energy cultivation are about fifty percent higher than those of ordinary universities. Because of this, the famous saying of a former Tsinghua president, “Work for the health of the motherland for fifty years,” has become “Work for the health of humanity for two hundred years.”

That’s right, two hundred years. After practicing body-strengthening techniques, human lifespans have already surpassed two hundred years. For outstanding talents, even longer lifespans are not a problem. So, “work for the health of humanity for two hundred years” has become one of the school mottos.

“My condolences!” Johnny looked at William Carter’s troubled face and naturally put on a helpless expression. He patted his old friend’s shoulder with genuine sympathy, as if he too felt sorry for him. Even though William Carter always ranked third in the class, it didn’t mean he had a real shot at Tsinghua. Maybe joining the army and trying again later was a real opportunity.

But joining the army meant at least a few years of hardship. Even though everyone’s physical fitness had improved greatly, leisurely training and toughening up in the military were two completely different things. Johnny admitted to himself that he didn’t have that kind of determination, and was glad his parents hadn’t forced such a perverse goal on him.

“But going to the army isn’t bad either. When you come back, if anyone bullies me, you’ll be responsible for beating them up for me, haha!” Johnny felt sorry for William Carter for a moment, but quickly thought of the upside and started laughing.

“Go to hell!” William Carter gritted his teeth and kicked Johnny, but Johnny dodged quickly, still wearing that infuriating smile, clearly taking pleasure in someone else’s pain.

But Johnny wasn’t wrong. In the army, you could learn systematic martial arts, including all kinds of attack and defense techniques—things you’d never learn in civilian life. Although you’d have to sign a non-disclosure agreement after retiring, no one really cared about the basics. Even if you got into a fight, as long as nothing major happened, it was usually overlooked.

When practicing body-strengthening techniques, William Carter couldn’t help but think of Emily Thompson. As geniuses, they should be able to lay their foundations and advance to higher stages much faster than ordinary people. He wondered if she had already started practicing first-level techniques, or even higher. Didn’t the military have accelerated training methods?

Although he envied their possible cultivation, William Carter would never envy their lives. Even while cultivating, they were probably under even stricter surveillance, training while being treated as lab rats by researchers, all for the sake of improving humanity as a whole.

That kind of life was something William Carter absolutely didn’t want.

Chapter Four: Teacher’s Advice (Part 1)

“You little rascals, don’t think I don’t know you’ve been secretly increasing your practice time.” The gorilla man standing on the platform clapped his hands, drawing everyone’s attention. But when they heard his words, everyone seemed a bit guilty and lowered their heads.

Wherever the gorilla man’s gaze landed, heads bowed. Including William Carter, who didn’t want to seem special, so he deliberately lowered his head as well. This made the gorilla man instructor quite pleased.

“But…” It was rare for the gorilla man to speak like this, and the thunderous scolding everyone expected didn’t come. They all looked up at the instructor in surprise.

“Your foundation-building progress is basically under our control. No one’s gone too far, so I’ll let you off this time.” As soon as the gorilla man finished speaking, everyone immediately cheered, their excited shouts filling the air.

“Yeah! Long live the teacher!” These were heartfelt cries. In the past, any deviation meant a one-on-one session with the gorilla man, and the suffering was unforgettable for every student who’d made a mistake. Suddenly realizing they wouldn’t be punished even after making a mistake, everyone was naturally overjoyed.