The Strongest Brain in the Interstellar

Meanwhile, on the other side of campus, a scene was unfolding in an enormous training field, far more spacious than the one where Jiang Hui and her peers were gathering.

This area was even livelier, with the normally quiet and solemn training ground now decorated in a festive manner. Bright posters and banners adorned the space, adding a vibrant touch. The seating was arranged in tiers, sloping upwards and wrapping densely around the field so that all spectators had a clear view of the central, multi-angled, three-dimensional projection.

At the heart of the screen was a live feed of the freshman assembly area, meaning that every move Jiang Hui and her classmates made was being broadcast to this large audience.

The instructors and faculty awaited here as well, seated in rows and quietly observing their students, anticipating how they would perform in the upcoming event.

Stark sat silently in his designated seat, watching the central screen without joining in the conversation with his colleagues. The person who had eagerly promised the night before to join him in watching the orientation race was notably absent.

Instructor Tan glanced around, wondering where Captain Zou had gone. Despite always appearing aloof and carrying himself like an aristocrat, Zou had a curious love for crowds and excitement that didn’t quite align with his haughty demeanor. He wasn’t the kind to stir up trouble, but his presence was almost always felt at any bustling event.

At times, Zou would even offer fair, balanced commentary, saying things that contrasted with his usual sharp demeanor. To put it in the words Jiang Hui might have used in her previous life, when he wasn’t being difficult, he actually resembled a hot-headed idealist with a decent—if somewhat rigid—sense of right and wrong.

Instructor Tan and the others observed this in silence, a bit amazed. It seemed Captain Zou wasn’t as difficult as he appeared—his personality was rather peculiar.

But on such a lively occasion, with their students ready to showcase their skills, it was surprising that Zou Yi wasn’t here early, engaging in his usual back-and-forth with Stark.

Stark glanced at the empty seat next to him and then looked away with little reaction. Why hadn’t Zou shown up? Likely, he couldn’t come at all; Stark had crossed paths with him during a mission the day before.

But that was irrelevant to Stark. He refocused on the main screen, his gaze settling on a small section where his students were. Those kids seemed carefree, oblivious to the recent turmoil on this planet and in the surrounding star system. Fortunately, things had started to calm down without causing any significant issues. Otherwise, Stark would have been genuinely hesitant about letting Jiang Hui stay here.

Jiang Hui herself, unaware of the numerous pairs of eyes watching her through the screen, was idly waiting for further instructions, just like the rest of her classmates.

As time passed, though, everyone began to feel something was off. They’d been left waiting on the training field for so long that they started to wonder if they’d been forgotten.

At first, Jiang Hui suspected it might be another hidden observation test, like the ones before where teachers would show up after half an hour to announce a grade deduction. But, on second thought, it didn’t seem likely. That kind of tactic worked well for fresh recruits who didn’t know the rules yet and needed a reality check. However, with military training nearly complete, there wouldn’t be much point in repeating the same trick now.

She leaned more towards the idea that the school was still in preparation. Didn’t she notice that aside from the necessary staff, there wasn’t a single teacher or instructor in sight?

Just when she was about to doze off from boredom while waiting, a sharp alarm suddenly blared throughout the venue, piercingly loud and startling. It caused all the first-year students present to freeze, nearly making them jump up in shock. Were they under air raid alert or something?!

Whether in her past life or this one, Jiang Hui was a person with a high level of focus and attention. The sudden, shrill alarm startled her so much that she almost jumped up. It took a while after the sound stopped for her heart rate to settle down.

“What was that noise? It scared me to death!”

“Could it be a warning that something’s happened? After all, it’s been so quiet for a while.”

“You guys are too naive. I think this is likely some kind of alternative test. We should probably stay still for now; maybe something will happen soon.”

“But I’m still a bit anxious. Last time, we were almost scared to death by the seniors who were attacked. Shouldn’t we find a place to hide, just in case the same thing happens again…”

…

“I don’t think it’s anything serious; it’s probably just a bell ringing.” Jiang Hui rubbed her sore ears and noticed that people had started to fill in the previously empty front rows.

Several unfamiliar soldiers in military uniforms had appeared at the front of the training ground without her realizing it.

Then, several small teams entered the training ground in an orderly manner, and the atmosphere gradually shifted. The first-year students seemed to be subtly affected by the tense atmosphere, quickly quieting down.

Jiang Hui had thought that these seemingly “supervising” unfamiliar officers would be responsible for opening the event, but she was being naive.

After the alarm, the relevant personnel entered, and the announcement repeatedly requested everyone to hand over any items that could potentially be prohibited. Those who did not comply would bear the consequences.

Once it was confirmed that no one would voluntarily confess, the soldiers began to move around the training ground with devices resembling detectors to conduct their inspections.

It was unclear what methods they used, or perhaps their technology was simply too advanced. Shortly after they began sweeping the area, several sharp alarm sounds went off. They then accurately identified individuals carrying prohibited items, pulling them out of the line and into an open space. The detection process was quick, and before long, a small group had formed.

These individuals included both regular and military students, of varying genders, and their faces were filled with fear. In relation to the total number of first-year students, this group wasn’t particularly large, but it certainly wasn’t small either.

Jiang Hui couldn’t help but sigh at the audacity of these people. What were they thinking? They had been warned so many times and given numerous opportunities, yet they still dared to take chances. Now, how would they face the consequences?

Fortunately, Jiang Hui passed through this process smoothly.

The individuals who had been caught due to a moment of carelessness now stood helplessly in front of the open space, waiting for arrangements or direct punishment.

In less than fifteen minutes, the officers completed their searches. The leading officer glanced at the anxious students, clearly not intending to waste time dealing with them, and directly called a few soldiers to escort them away from the scene.

These individuals would no longer be able to participate in the orienteering race, and how they would be dealt with was up to the school.

The remaining students stayed behind to officially participate in the orienteering race.