Chapter 50: Reform

Spring was ending, and summer was approaching.
The thick garments worn on their bodies had been replaced by short-sleeved shirts and shorts, best suited for athletic activities.
The [Entrance Examination] was imminent.
The high-intensity training for the second semester of the senior year had fully concluded, and the remaining few days would primarily focus on maintaining physical condition.
The head teacher, Ruan Zhijun, uncharacteristically wore a military-green shirt and walked into the classroom carrying textbooks. It was difficult for everyone to associate him with the act of teaching.
However, the book in his hand was not a textbook, but rather materials related to the entrance examinations.
Using the multimedia podium scanner, the contents of the materials were clearly projected onto the blackboard.
"Today's class will cover matters related to the entrance physical examination, as well as this year's temporary reforms.
All of you, sit up straight and take good notes! During the next physical education class, I will randomly select five students to answer the corresponding content taught in this class. For every single character wrong or missing, you will run an extra five hundred meters."
Instantly, everyone broke out in a cold sweat, becoming far more attentive than during usual physical education classes.
"The speed and strength tests remain unchanged. Practice them just as you usually do.
Today, I will mainly talk about the issue of [Combat], and this year's reform is primarily targeted at this event. The target you will be facing will no longer be played by us physical education teachers, teachers from other schools, or examination commissioners.
Instead, based on the mature technology of the Research Bureau, it will be a real sense of practical combat.
What I am going to talk about next is brand new, not only concerning your entrance examinations, but it may even threaten your lives."
Nearly a year had passed since Roddy and the others participated in the "Simulated Practice" provided by the Research Institute.
The technology for the "Simulated Practice" had become quite mature and began to be popularized a few months ago. Most high school students were already aware of it and could directly make online reservations through the apps of various municipal research institutes.
Of course, the success rate of reservations was very low. After collecting the information of the students who made reservations, the Research Institute would probably only select 0.3% to 1% of elite students to participate. After all, this kind of practice was not only extremely difficult, but it also consumed a vast amount of manpower and material resources.
When the head teacher said these words, everyone first wondered if it meant that "Simulated Anomalies" would be introduced into the campus, with students directly handling anomalous events.
However, what the head teacher said next was something entirely different.
"Affiliated with the E.I.A. World Headquarters, the National Research Headquarters representing the letter [A] has successfully reached a long-term cooperative relationship with a special mimic contained within the headquarters—to be precise, an existence 'beyond mimics'."
"This entity possesses vitality that surpasses the limits of contemporary biology, and features such as [Directional Infection], [Invasive Occupation], and [Non-normal Avatars]."
"By extracting complete somatic cells, subjecting them to stability treatment, and injecting a cell community numbering less than 100 into a qualified corpse, a low-level derivative can be created."
"Through testing, the standard of this derivative is equivalent to a mimic of [within half a year]."
"Mass production is currently underway."
"During the entrance examinations, these derivatives will be deployed to major senior high schools across the country to conduct combat tests against this graduating batch. You are the very first batch of students to welcome this reform."
As soon as these words were spoken, the classroom immediately became restless, and everyone inevitably worried about the difficulty of the combat and the dangers involved.
Ruan Zhijun allowed the students to discuss it; after all, this reform had indeed come quite suddenly.
However, such "suddenness" was also very necessary, because in the future, when everyone graduated and entered society, they might all face sudden emergencies.
Unlike the focus of his classmates' discussion, Roddy was concerned with something else.
He was very curious about what kind of entity it could be that a mere extraction of one hundred cells could create a derivative equivalent to an ordinary mimic.
It was probably a high-tier existence that even investigators could not contend with—a "monster" capable of surviving in the deepest corners.
Seeing that the time was about right, Ruan Zhijun raised his right hand.
"Alright! Discussion over. Next, I will explain the specific combat method. At that time, drawing lots will be conducted on a class basis, also in groups of five."
"You are required to analyze the 'nature' of the target within a fixed time and complete the kill."
"The rules for taking medicine, wearing clothing, and carrying props remain unchanged."
"Scores will ultimately be assessed based on four points: personal performance, injury status, killing efficiency, and intelligence analysis."
"If you have any questions, you may raise them now."
The class monitor raised his right hand first.
"May I ask, can the characteristics and abilities of the target be revealed?"
"Strictly confidential!
You can only see what that thing looks like when you are in the examination hall and enter the 'Combat Space'. It is also forbidden to spread the intelligence after the assessment ends, otherwise your score will be canceled."
"Can't it be revealed at all?"
"I can reveal a small piece of intelligence: the entity contained in the General Research Bureau is related to a certain terrifying mythological literature."
"Terrifying mythological literature?"
The students immediately recorded this important piece of intelligence.
Gao Yuxuan also raised his hand at this moment: "May I ask, how is the risk assessment of the combat assessment? Is it possible for accidents to occur during the combat process?"
"The risk assessment is naturally higher than the previous combat against teachers, but lower than combat against real mimics."
"Through the current simulation tests of the Research Bureau, as long as senior high school students reach the average level, cooperate reasonably with a division of labor, gather intelligence, and find the weaknesses of the derivatives to break them together, the mortality rate can be reduced to 0%."
"Since this kind of derivative has passed layers of evaluation and can be put into use in schools, it must have been tested hundreds of times itself without any problems."
"Should an accident truly occur, our teachers on site will immediately suppress it."
Everyone successively threw out questions. After all, most students had not yet experienced anomalous events and were somewhat nervous. Ruan Zhijun was not as serious as usual and answered everyone's questions as patiently as possible.
"Time is almost up.
Today is the last day of class, and the subsequent three days will enter the self-study stage. How you arrange your time on campus will be decided by yourselves.
Avoid strenuous exercise as much as possible; adjusting your mindset is the most important thing.
Class dismissed!"
The words "class dismissed" rang out simultaneously with the bell. As he left, the head teacher gave Roddy a look, signaling that his "sword technique special training" for the next three days would remain unchanged.
During the break, everyone continued to discuss the sudden reform.
Some even began to pray, hoping that when the lots were drawn, they would get either the class monitor or Roddy.
Roddy maintained his usual habit. Before the end of the passing bell, he was already doing push-ups in the empty area at the back.
Little Gao was the same, even secretly competing with Roddy in strength.
Not only that, but at least eight students in Senior 3, Class 5 had found their respective positions to do push-ups. "Post-class push-ups" had unknowingly become the traditional art of Class 5.
"Roddy," Gao Yuxuan suddenly looked over to his side while doing push-ups.
"Hmm?"
"Can you accompany me to practice for the last three days? Since the target is a mimic-like derivative, I want to come up with something different, which might have miraculous effects."
"Alright. Vice monitor, do you plan to go to university for further studies after graduation, or what?"
"If the target is a mimic, and if my tactics are effective, perhaps I can get a high score during the combat and pull up my physical education grade.
My primary target is the 'Municipal Research Bureau' for now. What about you?"
"My family hopes I will work for a big company."
"Going to the capital to work for those five big companies?"
"Hmm, it is said that as long as I enter the top one hundred in the city during the entrance exam, I can go and take the internal test. I want to try."
"With your level, not to mention the top one hundred, even the top ten is possible. If I do well in the Municipal Research Bureau in the future, maybe I can also be transferred to the Research Headquarters in the capital. Let's strive to meet there."
"Okay."