School Finally Starts

The day before school started, Zhou Yi was added to a group chat with over three hundred people – all the new students for that year.

A teacher managing the group posted a notice about the reporting time and location for the next day, and told everyone to contact him if they needed anything.

Zhou Yi clicked on the person's information. It was a very young male teacher named Lin Xu.

He was likely the counselor specifically in charge of managing students. Zhou Yi saved his contact information, figuring he'd need to reach out to him for things at school in the future.

With over three hundred young boys and girls, the group chat was incredibly lively.

At first, everyone was a bit reserved because the teacher was in the chat. But as the conversation deepened and they saw Lin Xu wasn't reacting, people gradually started to let loose.

Likely, before coming to Huadun, everyone had a certain understanding of the school and their future, so they became even more unrestrained.

Deep down, everyone vaguely knew that these three years of school life would probably be their last happy times.

Even though it was the lowest-tier Mech school, for a group of children who had never had any contact with Mechs, the start of school was still an exciting event.

The next day, everyone woke up early, tidied themselves up, and gathered on the school's sports field.

Zhou Yi only had three shirts and two pairs of pants. She threw on an outfit, washed her face, and left. Before going out, she drank a nutrient solution for breakfast.

She had spent until late last night researching knowledge about Mech power unit replacements and had barely slept, but she still felt very energetic.

The most abundant and least valuable resource on D-class Star Blocks was land. Huadun's sports field was frighteningly large.

Second and third-year students were in classes inside the buildings, while only the first-year freshmen were gathered and lined up.

Zhou Yi arrived a bit late and casually found a spot at the end of the line.

At the very front of the formation was a raised platform with stairs. The principal and several key school leaders were standing on it, waiting for everyone to assemble before giving a speech.

Seeing this scene and thinking about the inevitably long speech that was about to begin, Zhou Yi's eyes suddenly felt heavy.

She hadn't rested well to begin with, and the sudden sleepiness made her yawn.

The principal's lengthy speech was taking forever, and Zhou Yi started to scan the people in the formation.

Three hundred people sounded like a lot, but when spread out in the center of the vast sports field, it wasn't that many.

Looking around, most of the backs were short-haired. There were very few with long hair tied in braids and wearing skirts, making it difficult for Zhou Yi to distinguish between boys and girls.

In this interstellar era, with the threat of Star Beasts outside and the constant insecurity of losing their homes and becoming displaced from within, people's sense of insecurity was very strong.

Combat ability had become the most crucial thing for humans, and survival was the primary instinct.

Thus, through the evolution of survival of the fittest, women gradually shed some of their original gender characteristics. Neat short hair and practical clothing became the choice for most people.

The instinct for biological survival led women to abandon their perceived weakness; beauty became less important, replaced by a more resolute and brave demeanor.

In this formation, most people, like Zhou Yi, were standing around idly.

Only one sturdy and distinctive figure caught Zhou Yi's attention.

It was a chubby kid about Zhou Yi's height. Unlike the others' laziness, this chubby kid's back was straight, and his hands were resting obediently by his sides.

His head was held high. Even just looking at his back, Zhou Yi could guess how serious the chubby kid's expression was at that moment.

"It's rare to see such a diligent good student at Huadun."

The weather was very hot. The chubby kid stood so seriously and motionlessly that his clothes were soaked with sweat.

Zhou Yi actually quite admired this well-behaved child; he was quite cute.

After Zhou Yi had looked around at everyone else, the principal's speech finally began.

"Hello, students. I am Zhang Qingshan, the principal of Huadun. I am very happy to have you all join us. I wish you a happy time at Huadun and a smooth graduation. Meeting adjourned."

As soon as he finished the last two words, the principal started clapping himself, his smiling face looking very amiable.

The few leaders behind him followed suit, clapping along. Not a single one seemed prepared to speak further. The atmosphere was very harmonious.

10 seconds...

From the start of the speech to its conclusion, the principal only took ten seconds...

The students below were stunned. They didn't react immediately. When they finally did, the formation erupted in enthusiastic applause.

The applause was warm and sincere. Even Zhou Yi clapped her hands happily.

"As expected of Huadun, you really know how to do things!"

After all, having seen a compilation of classic principal speeches from previous years, Zhou Yi wasn't surprised by this approach at all.

When the applause stopped, the platform was already empty.

"Good grief, they're clocking out right after starting their shift."

However, even though the leaders had left, the meeting hadn't truly ended yet.

"Everyone listen up. Since everyone is here today, we'll first divide into disciplines, and classes will officially begin tomorrow."

A male teacher picked up a megaphone and shouted to everyone.

Zhou Yi recognized the teacher's face; it was the counselor who had posted the notice in the group chat yesterday, Lin Xu.

"Those choosing Mech Infantry, stand on my left. Those choosing Mech Master, stand on my right. Please be quick."

Although Lin Xu didn't look very old, he was very efficient in his work.

Soon, under Lin Xu's arrangements, the team split into two groups.

One group was large, numbering over two hundred people, and Zhou Yi was currently standing within this Mech Infantry group.

The other group was much smaller, only a few dozen people, less than half the number of the first group.

The smaller team was naturally the Mech Master team.

"Once you've chosen your positions, don't move. Wait for me to register. After registration, the Mech Infantry can leave first. Mech Masters, please wait for me a moment longer."

Although the Mech Infantry team was clearly larger, Lin Xu started registering them first.

Fortunately, the registration process was very fast. Lin Xu took out a small, square smart device with a screen and lightly scanned the Star Brains on everyone's wrists, and all the information was recorded.

Soon, the information for all over two hundred Mech Infantry members was completely recorded, and the group dispersed.

Zhou Yi was finally free. Instead of returning to the dormitory, he strode towards the library.

He hadn't forgotten the agreement made with Aunt Lan yesterday, nor the things Aunt Ying had mentioned on the third floor of the library.

"Hey, Zhou Yi! Are you heading back to the dorm? Let's go back together!"

A girl called out to Zhou Yi.

"Who are you?"

Zhou Yi had no impression of the girl in front of him and didn't even know how she knew his name.

"I'm Lu Xiaoxiao! I live next door to you. We met yesterday, I came over to say hello. Do you remember?"