The age of Half-Humans

"My name is Jiu Zhengxuan. I'm eighteen."

"Half-Humans."

"But for the past eighteen years, I've been training within my family."

"I know what Teacher Qing is worried about."

An enormous close-up of the transfer student appeared on the screen.

He turned to glance at the young teacher standing quietly at the podium.

"Please rest assured, everyone."

"I've never considered myself entitled to any privileges."

"Nor would I ever do anything unfair."

"There are many prestigious schools in B6 Sector, but I'm here at 053 High School on time today entirely because of the education system's placement results."

"There's no denying it."

"My father holds a high position."

"But throughout my childhood, all he ever gave me was more education, stricter education, even education that bordered on cruel."

"Raised under his influence, I've always had clear values."

"As a person, you must be absolutely upright."

"In your actions, you must be absolutely aboveboard."

"And whenever and wherever you encounter injustice, you must step forward."

Jiu Zhengxuan glanced at Qin Yiguan, then looked back at the young teacher at the podium.

Meanwhile, the young teacher stood there with his arms folded, still showing no particular reaction.

Even back in the principal's office, when the principal had pounded the desk so hard that a fountain pen flew out of its holder and embedded itself in a nearby cactus like a dart, ordering him to give this new student special treatment, he had worn an expression that said he couldn't give a damn.

The teacher had calmly replied, "A student with both character and ability is a good student in my eyes. What the hell does his father's identity have to do with me?"

Utterly helpless against this defiant young teacher, the principal had suffered another cerebral hemorrhage on the spot.

In truth, Jiu Zhengxuan was rather helpless too.

The school administration's welcoming ceremony had been excessive, conspicuous, and ostentatious. It wasn't what he had wanted.

Then.

Jiu Zhengxuan bent down, picked up his electronic textbook, and left the seat some flatterer had offered him.

He walked straight to the last row and stopped. "I'm the 3,326th student in this class. According to the rules, I should sit in seat five of row 226. That's only right."

"I'm your new classmate, Jiu Zhengxuan."

"In the days ahead, I look forward to learning from all of you and Teacher Qing."

As he spoke, Jiu Zhengxuan sincerely surveyed the room, finally looking at Teacher Qing before bowing deeply.

Infected by Jiu Zhengxuan's upright bearing, the students began applauding.

The young teacher fell silent for a moment. At last, the sternness on his face faded, and he nodded slowly. "All right, the welcome for our new student is over. Not bad."

Taotie Clam, sitting beside Qin Yiguan, curled his lip and whispered, "This transfer student seems decent, but he's targeting Qin Yiguan the moment he arrives. It's not like you've been eating his family's food."

Hearing that, the boy.

Pressed his lips together slightly.

Even if he told him, Clam wouldn't believe it.

Fate works in strange ways. Life really plays tricks on you.

I actually have eaten his family's food.

Not only eaten it, but 'borrowed' some too.

I even shared it with those little troublemakers in Rust City.

And his family's fruit is pretty good. I was planning to keep visiting.

"Class begins."

Teacher Qing, dressed in a fitted blue suit, straightened up, his expression instantly turning serious.

"Students, no matter when it is, you must remember that times have changed. Going to school isn't worth a damn anymore."

"..."

The corners of the students' mouths twitched. This was standard procedure for Teacher Qing. Stay calm.

"Study geography?"

"The area inside the Metaverse is already forty-eight million times that of Earth."

"All that ancient geography..."

Teacher Qing slipped one hand into his pocket and raised his chin rakishly. "What damn use is it?"

"Study physics?"

Teacher Qing shook his head. "Inside the Metaverse, the most common application of universal gravitation is holding down Newton's coffin lid."

"What damn use is learning that?"

"Foreign languages?"

"Countless countries in the Metaverse, all with simultaneous translation!"

"None of that old-era knowledge is worth a damn!"

Teacher Qing shook his head. "Inside the Metaverse, every cutting-edge conjecture is constantly being tested. Principles of chemistry and physics are being overturned at any moment."

"All that textbook recitation."

"Its only purpose is passing exams."

"It's pathetic. Even in this era, humanity's leaders still cling to educational ideas like 'competition is the only way forward' and 'obedience is the only path to a future.' They practically want to train children into zombies."

Teacher Qing lifted his chin slightly and smiled. "When I become master of this world someday, I'll abolish all those miscellaneous courses and leave only my exploration class, plus... health and sex education."

The students burst into laughter.

The atmosphere instantly grew lively.

"So."

"I've commandeered all of today's classes."

Teacher Qing's smile grew brighter. "I'm going to give you an exploration class that lasts the entire day!"

The classroom fell silent for a moment.

"Yeah!!!"

"Long live Teacher Qing!"

"Teacher Qing is a badass!"

The students erupted in cheers.

Exploration was the most popular class, bar none.

Never dull, its content was interesting, exciting, and novel!

As for Teacher Qing.

He was every student's idol.

Young, handsome, bold, and brimming with a spirit of exploration.

He had wandered into countless girls' dreams to do naughty things.

Just as some female teachers wandered into boys' dreams.

Qin Yiguan also watched the handsome figure at the podium.

On his first day at school.

This very man had patted his shoulder and said, "Qin Yiguan. Yiguan, as in 'smartly dressed.' A good name. Don't worry about the rumors out there. With me around, nobody will dare discriminate against you. Keep your chin up..."

Those words.

Had let the first trace of warmth flow through the heart of the boy who had been so anxious then.

After all, Qin Yiguan was the only student in the entire class who came from Rust City.

And in the eyes of Half-Humans, Rust City was practically synonymous with a city of lunatics.

The boy smiled.

Teacher Qing was a warmhearted man.

Now.

Completely relaxed and eager to cooperate, the students switched on their electronic textbooks of their own accord.

Qin Yiguan slowly lowered his head too.

The device in his hand resembled a metal rod. It stored all his textbooks and incorporated every learning function, including writing input and homework submission.

Bzz...

Qin Yiguan pressed the switch, and a faint electrical hum sounded.

The image projected by the electronic textbook trembled slightly, flickered for a while, then turned to static across half the display.

The boy frowned.

Not only was his antique three versions out of date, it had long been in disrepair. Today, it had finally reached the end of its life.

The thing cost nine thousand, and everything he owned still wasn't enough to buy a new one.

But the next instant, the boy discovered a brand-new electronic textbook resting quietly in his desk drawer.

A note was attached beside it-A gift from Teacher Qing.

The boy's heart filled with gratitude.

Teacher Qing was a warmhearted man.

At the podium, Teacher Qing smiled and lifted his chin slightly.

Holding the brand-new electronic textbook, the boy whispered, "Teacher Qing, I'll pay you back."

Teacher Qing merely smiled.

Then he turned his gaze to the entire class.

He raised his arm slightly, then lowered it.

At that instant.

The holographic equipment activated, and the entire classroom transformed.

The furnishings vanished in an instant. Every student seemed to escape gravity, floating in midair.

The light was dim.

A blue planet floated quietly before them.

"This is our home, Earth."

Teacher Qing spoke slowly.

The next instant.

Like an orange peeled open by God, Earth's surface unfolded into a flat map spanning 510 million square kilometers, its continents and oceans all visible.

Then.

A blue glow appeared along the edges of the map, and its total area began expanding. As though God were creating the world, land, mountains, rivers, and oceans all extended outward.

The territory grew larger and larger. Earth's original surface became its core, and as the area increased, that core grew smaller and smaller.

By the time the entire map took shape, what had once been Earth's surface had become a black dot, almost impossible to spot without searching carefully.

"This is the map of the entire Metaverse."

With the vast world behind him, Teacher Qing declared, "Humanity has entered the age of Half-Humans. And so this territory is the world we truly live in."

"The area beyond Earth was expanded by the Gemini Superbrain."

"That is what we call the 'Experimental Zone.'"

"Of the Metaverse's forty-eight-millionfold expansion, it accounts for forty-seven million nine hundred ninety thousand."

"Unknown, vast, and defying logic."

"And just yesterday, the Gemini Superbrain announced: Experimental Zone order, minus fifty percent!"

Teacher Qing pointed at those regions. "'Experimental Zone' isn't some nickname. It's the description the Gemini Superbrain gave us a hundred years ago."

"Just what is it trying to experiment on?"

Teacher Qing lifted his chin slightly. "That will be the ultimate mystery."

The students gazed at the immense map, their faces filled with bewilderment and longing.

"What I do know is that within the Experimental Zone, human potential is unleashed, and the brain's abilities are enhanced."

"With technology fully unleashed."

"Superpowers no longer exist only in fantasy."

Teacher Qing paused, then said breezily, "And what is the meaning of life? Courage, exploration, and growth!"

"So..."

Teacher Qing narrowed his eyes, the corners of his mouth curling upward. "Today's exploration class will involve... the entire class entering the Experimental Zone for a full seven hours of sightseeing and fun!"

"What?"

"Teacher Qing, are you serious?"

"I have a Nutrient Pod, sure, but my dad won't let me go in. Last time, I snuck over to the boundary and had barely taken one step across before I got caught. My parents went straight into mixed doubles on me!"

"I have a cousin who went off to the Experimental Zone three years ago to make his way. I heard his forces are huge now, and he rules a whole region!"

"I heard the Experimental Zone isn't some beautiful rice field. It's a world of chaos..."

The classroom erupted.

There was some fear in the students' eyes, but far more excitement.

Teacher Qing said confidently, "Don't worry, students. I've already made the arrangements. Once we enter the Experimental Zone, I can guarantee your safety."

"All you need to do is keep your eyes wide open, put your brains to work, and do your best to absorb what you see and hear."

"Understanding and insight are the most precious abilities in this world."

"Remember, aim high and you'll reach the middle. Aim for the middle and you'll end up at the bottom!"

The classroom fell silent for a moment.

"Let's do it!"

"We have to go with Teacher Qing. This opportunity is too precious to miss!"

The students' eyes shone with excitement.

Teacher Qing smiled. "Everyone, gather in the clearing behind the building and get ready to board the train. Next stop: the Metaverse's Experimental Zone-Snow City of Heavenly Light!"

A student called out from a distance, "Teacher Qing, the principal will definitely stop us!"

Teacher Qing waved a hand calmly. "Don't worry. He's had a brain hemorrhage!"

A little while later.

The classroom grew quiet.

Only two people remained.

One was Teacher Qing at the lectern.

The other was Qin Yiguan in his seat.

Teacher Qing looked at him calmly. "A lesson like this is very unfair to you."

The boy gazed into the distant sky.

He had once spent all his login time riding a train to the boundary of a map region in the Metaverse, but all he had seen were clusters of blurry bubbles.

His sight, hearing, and touch had all failed to form a complete picture.

The Neural Helmet he used was a stripped-down version with limited functionality and restrictions on sensory transmission, unable to process the data within the Experimental Zone.

Filled with longing, the boy had watched them.

He had begun counting the bubbles one by one.

One per second. When he reached the 130th, his meager login time ran out completely, and he was forcibly logged out.

Now.

The boy merely smiled. "Teacher, I'm not that petty. It's true that my brain condition means I can't get approved for a Nutrient Pod."

"But I have absolutely no right to make you change your lesson plan."

"Much less to deprive my classmates of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

The boy's smile was calm. "When you all come back, I can listen to everyone share their experiences."

Teacher Qing smiled too.

Those eyes were filled with approval for the boy.

Then.

With one hand in a pocket, Teacher Qing walked to the classroom door and said without turning around, "Keep that hope in your heart. Turn it into conviction, even into passion. One day, it will come true and light the road ahead of you."

Moved, the boy nodded. "Yes."