The Strongest Brain in the Interstellar

“I hope there won’t be any more incidents like this in the future,” he addressed the entire class.

“Orders must be followed! This is the first lesson I will teach you. If you truly want to take this step and become a real soldier, you must strictly adhere to this principle.”

“Orders must be followed.” Even though he didn’t raise his voice much, those four words felt as heavy as lead, dropping straight into their hearts.

In just this brief opening, lasting less than a few minutes, the students’ playful spirits were scattered without a trace, and the young kids began to confront the purpose of their presence here.

Very good. Seeing the expressions on their faces gradually becoming serious, the instructor felt a sense of satisfaction.

“Now, we will begin our meeting for Class 89983-2. I am your class instructor, Tang Stark. You can call me Instructor Stark.”

Hmm, very good. This had the right vibe; he was probably two or three times more Spartan than the instructors she had encountered during her military training back on Blue Star. Jiang Hui could already foresee her “difficult” life ahead.

Is this what the principal referred to as the new path? If so, this path might be a bit too tough.

“Roll call. When your name is called, just respond. No need to stand up in the classroom. This will be the same rule moving forward; I shouldn’t have to say it twice.” The captain said in a deep voice.

“Yes!” This time, the entire classroom responded in unison.

Indeed, it was a military style: when something is said, action follows, with no wasted words. He immediately began calling out names.

The first few caught everyone off guard, and some were hesitant or embarrassed, responding weakly. They even needed reminders from those beside them to realize they should call out “present.”

Instructor Stark seemed dissatisfied with the beginning. He placed his palm on the desk, the edge pressing against the surface, and lifted his hand, gently tapping a few times on the table. With just this simple action, everyone seemed to pick up on an unspoken signal and became tense. As a result, when the next student called out, the response was noticeably louder.

The voices behind grew progressively louder, and some even added a rhythmic tone to their responses.

Then, when a relatively familiar stranger was called, the atmosphere shifted again: “Present.”

This student, with a higher standing, was straightforward and decisive. His tone was moderate, but he managed to convey a sense of determination that made his voice stand out among the crowd.

Don’t ask Jiang Hui how she discerned the “determination” in that voice; she just couldn’t help but look in the direction of the speaker upon hearing it. It was Clarens, the classmate she had briefly partnered with before, and almost the entire class was looking at him—with a gaze that Jiang Hui couldn’t quite comprehend, a mix of envy and admiration.

Jiang Hui: …

Roll with it, roll with it, and school hasn’t even started yet.

Instructor Stark cast a surprised glance at Clarens but quickly regained his composure and moved on.

Watching as names were called one after another without her being mentioned, Jiang Hui couldn’t help but feel a bit anxious, silently estimating when her name would come up.

“… Chen Wenbai.” A slender boy, obviously of Chinese descent, responded weakly, which was a stark contrast to the strong presence of the previous students. It was clear he wasn’t someone who had trained before.

“Leis Longmeir.”

The lady’s response was much more composed, although not as robust as those of the previous students.

Finally—

“Jiang Hui.”

Her name was called. The feeling of suspense was incredibly hard to endure. So, she was genuinely happy it was finally her turn, and her voice unconsciously rose a bit, even sounding slightly off-key.

That was okay; it wasn’t a big deal because this way, she seemed to blend in perfectly with the earlier group that had been so flamboyant, so she probably wouldn’t come across as too… out of place, right?

However, she couldn’t shake the feeling that Instructor Stark seemed to linger on her for a moment.

“There are a total of thirty-five students, and everyone has been accounted for.” Stark looked at the names and corresponding positions displayed on the holographic screen of the desk, nodding as if pondering something. “From now on, our class will be arranged based on this number.”

Jiang Hui was slightly shocked by this implication: this meant that the class would be officially recorded based on this count. So, the latecomers and those who didn’t show up would not be accepted?

It was clear that Jiang Hui wasn’t the only one to catch the underlying message in Instructor Stark’s words.

Even the most mature fifteen or sixteen-year-olds were still kids, belonging to the younger crowd, whether in the interstellar realm or on Blue Star, and their emotional stability was somewhat lacking. Upon hearing Stark’s decision regarding the latecomers, they couldn’t help but feel the urge to discuss it.

However, Instructor Stark had already set a good example for them, so they didn’t dare to slack off or whisper too freely. Nearby students exchanged glances, and a suppressed undercurrent of discussion flowed through the class.

“Indeed, as you all have surmised. It’s regrettable that those few students… my class will no longer accept them. This is my rule, and I hope all of you will take heed in the future.”

The students were caught off guard by Stark’s severity; classes hadn’t even officially started yet, and merely missing an introductory meeting resulted in the instructor outright expelling them from the class.

“You can rest assured that while my class does not intend to accept these few students, there are other classes that will. Anyone admitted to Beska Intermediate Academy naturally has the opportunity to receive an education at the school; it’s just that they are clearly not suited for my class.”

Though that was the case, all students admitted to the academy had already been assigned to classes, and to be expelled from a class on the very first day was likely quite embarrassing for those students.

Experiencing this kind of expulsion, which could even lead to being kicked out of the Combat Individual Training program, was something that Jiang Hui, who was eager to change her major, definitely did not want to go through.

Jiang Hui felt somewhat relieved to have passed this initial hurdle but also worried about how well she would adapt to such a clearly strict educational style and environment. She certainly didn’t want to end up being kicked out of this class in such a disgraceful manner. That was not what she wanted.

Young people’s emotions are always rich; many who are willing to defend their homeland and dedicate their lives to their country often have a sincere heart beneath their various appearances.

Upon hearing that the classmates who were not meant to be in their class would not be expelled from the school, quite a few of them breathed a sigh of relief.

It wasn’t about whether these students deserved sympathy for their mistakes; life inevitably involves making errors. If even a small mistake could lead to the negation of a person’s entire worth, then the world would indeed be too harsh. As part of this group, they preferred to see a more forgiving side of the world.

However, this incident also served as a warning that the world does not tolerate every mistake; some would always pay a heavy price for them.

The same principle applies to the military—perhaps this was the real first lesson that Captain Stark was teaching his students.