The Mutation Was Officially Announced!

Deputy Director Shao led five students out, and the classroom erupted.

Why had those five been called out alone? Could it be some great news?

Everyone thought of the temporary physical test from a few days ago. In private, they'd all made various guesses about it, and most had heard a rumor or two.

Though there had been no official word, all the students had formed an unspoken consensus: the physical test might affect their prospects and their fates.

Those who had never been good students and had no hope of getting into college were especially fervent in their secret prayers, hoping fate would favor them.

Many couldn't hide their disappointment at not being called.

They pretended to flip through their books, but how could anyone focus on studying now?

Jiang Yue, on the other hand, acted as if nothing had happened. With a pen and a blank sheet of paper, he went back to scribbling and doodling.

About half an hour later, the five students who'd been called out returned to the classroom.

Deputy Director Shao came in shortly afterward and pressed down with both hands, signaling for everyone to quiet down.

"At nine o'clock this morning, we'll tune in to Channel One of National Television. The nation's leader will read an important document."

The bombshell announcement naturally sent the whole class into an uproar.

This had never happened before.

The nation's highest leader was making an impromptu announcement. At least in their generation and the one before it, no one had ever seen anything like this.

Usually, this only happened during a major national emergency, such as when the country was at war.

Even Jiang Yue was a little surprised.

The country was moving much faster than he'd expected.

Everyone waited for nine o'clock with a mix of nervousness, excitement, and unease.

The television had already switched to the backdrop for the national leader's speech.

Half a minute before the hour, the familiar face of the leader appeared on screen.

Calm, wise, steady—as imposing as a mountain, he always inspired a sense of security.

That was the impression the leader had left on most people in Great Zhang Country.

At nine, the leader began reading the document on time.

Everything was just as Jiang Yue had expected. It was indeed related to the rapid changes unfolding across Gaia Planet.

In view of the drastic changes occurring around Gaia Planet, and following extensive deliberations by numerous authoritative institutions around the world, human civilization was about to face unprecedented challenges. Humanity's fate had entered a new era.

The leader urged the people of Great Zhang Country not to give in to fear or retreat, but to rise to the occasion and prepare to struggle against adversity. They had to be ready, both physically and mentally, to face the New Era.

The leader also announced that nationwide physical tests would begin immediately. Tests for young people in particular would become a long-term program, allowing the country to assess the health of its people and identify new kinds of talent.

Of course, the leader also urged young people not to give up their studies. No matter how human civilization changed, scientific knowledge would always be useful. The country needed large numbers of talented people in every field.

If everything up to this point had been nothing more than hearsay and speculation online, then the leader's announcement was the most authoritative and official confirmation possible.

Jiang Yue listened to every word of the document, not missing a single one.

This was the highest-level strategy in all of Great Zhang Country, and it offered plenty of clues to analyze.

Traditional knowledge wouldn't suddenly become meaningless, but its importance would certainly diminish considerably.

Those with strong bodies who fit the country's new strategy would be in demand, even if they'd once been terrible students. They'd be perfectly placed to ride the wave.

It had to be said: after the document was announced, hardly any of the dozens of students in the classroom could focus on school anymore.

They'd spent over a decade studying, and in a single day, the whole landscape had changed.

It was only natural that few could keep their composure.

There was one exception: Li Yue.

Though she was one of the five on the list, she didn't seem affected at all. She continued reviewing her lessons with the same diligence as before.

It was as if all the commotion around her had nothing to do with her.

They were all sixth-year students, an age when one might expect them to be innocent and uncomplicated. But amid such a turbulent upheaval, human nature kept revealing itself in every little detail.

Some grinned from ear to ear, some secretly wiped away tears, some cursed the heavens, the earth, and society, while others sat in a daze, at a loss.

"Li Yue, the teacher called you out earlier. Was it good news? Did the teacher mention me, Mao Doudou?"

Mao Doudou was the first to lose his patience. He turned to ask Li Yue, convinced that he was the one who ought to be the chosen one blessed with exceptional talent and good fortune.

"Yeah, Li Yue, tell us! Did you get a particularly good score on the physical test?"

With more and more nosy classmates crowding around her, Li Yue gripped her pen tightly. Her knuckles had gone a little pale from the pressure, and she was clearly nervous.

She'd always been an inconspicuous nobody, and all she wanted was to stay quietly that way. Deep down, she felt she couldn't handle a scene like this.

The more nervous she got, the harder it became to speak.

"Come on, that's enough! Go ask someone else." Jiang Yue knew Li Yue too well. She was always quiet, and with so many people crowding around and asking questions, she'd be even less likely to say anything.

There were even more people gathered around the other students' desks. Everyone was curious.

Seeing Jiang Yue shield Li Yue and stop everyone from questioning her, someone immediately turned hostile. "Class monitor, I wasn't asking you, so why are you butting in? Think being a top student makes you so impressive?"

"Exactly. Times have changed. Top students aren't worth much anymore, so quit acting like you're better than us."

Mao Shijiu wasn't having it. "Damn it, can you people act like decent human beings? You couldn't solve this problem or that one, and who was it that used to follow Boss Jiang around like a dog all day? You haven't even crossed the river, and you're already tearing down the bridge?"

They were roommates, after all. Mao Shijiu's loyalty to Jiang Yue was absolute.

The two students who'd made the snide remarks flushed red, then pale. They clearly weren't convinced.

In truth, they weren't usually this arrogant. It was just that everything had changed so suddenly, and they hadn't been able to adjust. They'd blurted out things they normally wouldn't dare say.

"What, you got a problem with that? Then let's settle it after school. One-on-one or all of you against me, your choice." Relying on his imposing build, Mao Shijiu challenged them.

"Come on, let's all get along. We don't need to fight." Tong Feifei, Mao Shijiu's desk mate, smiled as he tried to smooth things over.

Then he gave Li Yue a sly grin. "Xiao Yueyue, if you can't say it here, tell us in secret later."

Li Yue picked up her textbook and returned to her usual inconspicuous self.

At that moment, Du Yifeng was the center of attention. He sat on the windowsill with one leg crossed over the other, propping it on a desk.

"You all saw the video I posted in the group chat last time. Honestly, you're only finding out about this now? You're way behind the times. People at the top had heard about it days ago. Do you know what they call people like us, the first batch to score well on the physical test? Awakened Ones! Let me put it this way: aside from a few exceptionally gifted people who stood out as Awakened Ones in this test, how many of them hadn't already made some preparations? Fang Ziyang, can you say you didn't? Wang Shen, can you say you didn't? Han Jingjing..."

"Du Yifeng, if you don't shut up, no one's going to mistake you for a mute!" Han Jingjing wasn't falling for his act.

"Jingjing, look, our physical test scores were about the same. That's practically fate, written in the stars!"

"Du Yifeng, have you ever heard this saying?" Han Jingjing asked.

"What?"

"Villains die because they talk too much." Han Jingjing went in for another jab. "I have a feeling that getting a good score on the physical test might not be a good thing for you. A scumbag suits your image better."

"Jingjing, you really misunderstand me. Is there nothing about me that attracts you?"

"There is one thing."

"What?"

"Stay away from me!"

With the leader's speech and the release of the physical test results, the once-excellent atmosphere in the graduating class completely fell apart.

A frivolous mood spread silently through the classroom.

The calm focus that had defined the graduating students' studies vanished in an instant.

In its place, most people's thoughts began to wander.

The whole class reshuffled at a speed almost visible to the naked eye.

Apart from people like Li Yue, who'd always kept to herself and wasn't naturally inclined to form close ties with others, the other four students who'd scored well on the physical test and been called out—the so-called Awakened Ones—were all surrounded by crowds.

Du Yifeng, in particular, was in his element.

The study groups that had taken shape over six years of middle school dissolved at an astonishing speed.

Jiang Yue wasn't especially bothered. In the past, as the top student and class monitor, he'd always had plenty of people around him.

Most people gathered when it suited them and drifted away when it didn't.

Mao Shijiu, on the other hand, was furious. "They're all damn fair-weather friends, flocking wherever the wind blows."

Jiang Yue said nothing, but Mao Doudou felt strongly that it was unfair to him.

He was Jiang Yue's closest friend, and he'd always looked up to him as a big brother, with unwavering devotion.

Of course, he knew how much Jiang Yue had looked after everyone. Whether it was with their studies or in their personal lives, whenever someone ran into trouble and asked for help, Jiang Yue had never turned them away.

When students from other classes got into a conflict with them, Jiang Yue, as class monitor, had often stepped in to sort things out.

That Du Yifeng might've been some big shot in the social scene, full of streetwise bravado and fond of showing off, but when it really mattered, he'd be lucky if he didn't just stand by and watch. He'd never lift a finger to help.

How could anyone compare him to Jiang Yue? These sycophants really had no idea what they were looking at.

"Doudou, keep your cool and focus on doing your own thing. That's what matters most."

Tong Di, sitting nearby, nodded in agreement. "As expected of the class monitor. That's a very profound thing to say. He means the New Era has only just begun, so we need to think long-term. We shouldn't be shortsighted or let temporary gains and losses throw us off. The New Era is a fair start for everyone. As long as we focus on doing our best, everyone will have an equal chance..."

Mao Doudou looked utterly confused, his eyes rolling around like two little beans. "Boss, is that what you meant?"

Jiang Yue gave a wry smile. He really wanted to say that wasn't what he meant at all.

He'd just said it offhandedly. It was only because Tong Di had read too many novels that he'd let his imagination run wild.

As long as Gaia Planet didn't explode, Tong Di's imagination would never stop.

"Mao Shijiu, this is why I say you're not levelheaded. Why is the class monitor the class monitor, while no one else is? If he could be class monitor in the old era, do you think he'd turn into a weakling in the New Era? Ever heard the saying, 'The strong only get stronger'? In my humble opinion, the class monitor is a born child of destiny—'Without Boss Jiang, Great Zhang would be plunged into eternal night.' The reason he didn't make the teacher's list this time can only be one of a few things..."

"First, the esteemed class monitor is deliberately playing the long game so he can make a spectacular entrance later."

"Second, just like the protagonists in all those novels, the class monitor must have a supreme bloodline. It just hasn't triggered his cheat yet, and he hasn't awakened. Once he does, he'll show them all what 'Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river' means..."

"And third... maybe the esteemed class monitor awakened his power long ago, and he's incredibly powerful. He's just naturally cautious and determined to be an old turtle, avoiding all kinds of cause and effect. That sort of thing is pretty popular these days."

Tong Di rambled on, carried away by his own imagination.

As long as Gaia Planet didn't explode, Tong Di's imagination knew no bounds.

Mao Doudou was even more bewildered. He looked at Jiang Yue with wide eyes. "Boss, is that true?"

Jiang Yue held his forehead and fell silent for a long time...