Although I was very tired, seeing Qingyao and Ruanhuang embrace each other made me look forward to my own wedding.
"What do you think is the best way to hold our wedding? Should it be more complicated or more traditional? I saw some ancient wedding photos in a history book the other day, and they looked really nice. How about we try both styles?"
Ruan Minh Thu had many thoughts.
After a long string of words, Ruan Mingchu turned his head to take a look.
Good heavens, Mu Yu was already fast asleep; he probably didn't hear a single word he said.
After staring at Mu Yu's sleeping face for a while, Ruan Mingchu sighed and thought, "Oh well, there's still a long time before the wedding. I'll discuss it with him later."
Qingyao and Ruanhuang's wedding is over, and the school ship Ruanmingchu requested is finished. Normally, a ceremony should be held for the first official opening of a military academy or the first use of a starship, but Ruanmingchu, who has been deeply affected by weddings, gets a headache at the mere mention of ceremonies, so he simply decided not to hold one.
Let's celebrate properly on the first anniversary.
The starship is even larger than the largest warship before, but because the teaching facilities take up a lot of space, the actual number of people it can accommodate is not that many.
According to Nguyen Minh Thu’s plan, once the school becomes a regular institution with a four-year curriculum, it will enroll 3,000 new students each year, meaning the total number of students at the school will remain at 12,000.
On average, there should be one dedicated tutor for every three students, and the number of these tutors should be maintained at four thousand. In addition, there should be teachers for large classes, logistics staff, administrative staff, etc., bringing the total number of faculty and staff to approximately six thousand.
However, right now, there are a total of twenty-one students: fourteen Betas and seven Omegas.
Including Ruan Mingchu and Mu Yu, the number of faculty and staff has reached fifty. Most of them are retired soldiers who couldn't stand being at home, so they packed up and joined the workforce. There is also a four-person team responsible for logistics, mainly the canteen.
There are no administrative staff at all; with such a small number of people, there is absolutely no need to equip them with professional personnel. Nguyen Minh Thu and his four-person team can handle any issues that arise.
Ruan Mingchu and Mu Yu personally led the students to the dormitory. Each student had a single room, but the three of them shared a living room, which filled all seven large dorm rooms.
As for who will live with whom, Nguyen Minh Thu said, "You can negotiate yourselves, but once you decide, it will not change for at least the next year."
These children have been spending time together, and they generally know who they get along with and who they want to live with. But there are always some introverted ones who, after several days, still haven't been identified by anyone.
Ruan Mingchu looked at Qiu Qiu, who was all alone, with great interest. Would he make a change? Qiu Qiu had been imprisoned by his family since childhood and had never left his home in his seventeen years of life. The farthest place he had ever been was the wall in the backyard. He was extremely introverted.
A month ago, he mustered up the courage to follow Ruan Mingchu and Mu Yu. Now, will he muster the courage again to talk to his classmates?
It was clear that Qiu Qiu was clenching his fists and trying to encourage himself, but he never moved, remaining in the corner he had chosen after entering the room.
Finally, six trios appeared, leaving Qiu Qiu and two familiar faces: Qiao Yu and Da Song.
The two hit it off immediately because of their similar illness and compatible temperaments, and they never thought of turning their duo into a trio when they met other classmates.
However, the school now requires three people to share a large dormitory room. After everyone else had settled in, Qiao Yu saw Qiu Qiu alone and pulled Da Song towards Qiu Qiu.
Knowing full well that it was a done deal and the three of them would inevitably live together, Qiao Yu still smiled and extended an invitation to Qiu Qiu: "Would we be fortunate enough to spend every day with you in the future?"
"Of course," Qiu Qiu said with difficulty, stammering.
Because she has hardly spoken any words since childhood, even with professional guidance recently, Qiu Qiu can still speak, but she often stutters, especially when she is nervous.
After saying "Of course," Qiu Qiu felt that she wasn't enthusiastic enough and wanted to say a few more words, but the more anxious she became, the less she could speak. The child's eyes even turned red with anxiety.
Qiao Yu felt a pang of heartache seeing this, and immediately realized that this little Omega probably had some kind of problem, but it didn't matter, she would let her older sister take care of him.
"That's great! It's nice to meet you. My name is Qiao Yu, you can call me sister."
As Qiao Yu spoke, she casually took Qiu Qiu's hand, "Let's go to the dormitory together and put our things down."
And so, Qiu Qiu was taken away.
Only Ruan Mingchu and Mu Yu remained in the corridor. Hearing the cheerful laughter coming from the room, the two of them laughed too.
Boarding time was in the morning, giving the students a morning to pack their things and get to know each other.
After lunch, the opening ceremony officially began at 2 p.m.
Other ceremonies are optional, but an opening ceremony is essential. It's a necessary opportunity for teachers and students to get to know each other, and for everyone to learn about the upcoming course schedule and school rules and regulations.
Of course, inspirational quotes are also essential.
The person giving everyone this inspirational message is a retired female Omega who rose to the rank of general, the only Omega general in nearly two hundred years. She spent her entire life on the battlefield, only retiring three years ago after being severely wounded and forced to return home to recuperate.
When she heard that Ruan Mingchu was going to start a school, she was the first to approach him, wanting to teach the flowers of the empire.
Her name is Xu Qiqing.
Xu Qiqing is not tall, about 1.6 meters. Even though his hair is already gray, he still stands there as straight and sharp as a sword.
As soon as she stepped onto the stage, everyone present, including students and teachers, straightened their backs.
"I believe you have all noticed that there are no Alphas among the students. This is a military academy established for Betas and Omegas. What happened during its establishment, and whether it will continue to exist in the future, are not important."
"The important thing is, where do you think you are inferior to Alphas? Don't give general answers, answer my questions one by one, starting with you."
Xu Qiqing pointed a finger at Qiao Yu.
Qiao Yu immediately stood up. "Alpha's biggest advantage is its physiological advantage. Their physique, mental strength, and even pheromones are generally superior to OB's."
As for other aspects, Qiao Yu didn't think Alphas were any better than Omegas and Betas. Moreover, these could be leveled off or even surpassed through hard work. She knew the example of Zhong Yong, who was a prodigy who failed to live up to his potential.
Xu Qiqing did not comment on the answer, but simply nodded and gestured for the next person to answer.
Twenty-one people gave the same answer. What advantage could that possibly have? It's just something they were born with.
Xu Qiqing did not deny these answers. She only said, "And the most important point is that, for the same status, Alphas have an easier time acquiring resources than Omegas and Betas."
Improving one's strength is essentially about accumulating resources; without resources, even the best talent is useless.
What Xu Qiqing said is precisely the kind of gender discrimination that makes Betas and Omegas extremely unhappy.
In the very beginning, when people were poorly clothed and starving, there was no such thing as gender discrimination. However, those generations of Alphas grew faster than Omegas and Betas, which established their status and allowed them to acquire more resources. This cycle repeated itself, and the high status of Alphas became the norm.
"Now that we have compensated for the Alpha's artificial advantages, you will have access to the Empire's highest level of resources. Whether you can overcome the Alpha's innate advantages through your own efforts and allow the Omega and Beta to gain more say and resources is up to you."
"Perhaps His Highness did not tell you his purpose, but I'm putting it this way: if you feel you are not up to the task, then leave on your own."
Those who remain must strive towards that goal. Xu Qiqing's words directly placed these students in opposition to all Alphas, which is not appropriate in the long run, but it is necessary now.
This is still far from Ruan Minh Thu's ideal school, in which the school provides possibilities for everyone's preferences rather than imposing restrictions.
But we are now on the path of striving towards an ideal goal, so it's impossible to be idealistic.
From the very beginning, Ruan Mingchu's current goal is to create a group of Betas and Omegas with sufficient power and authority to initiate overall change.
The students he recruits are either deeply affected by gender discrimination or are competitive and driven, adhering to the belief that OB is inferior to A.
Of course, no one thought they couldn't do it. Even the most introverted Qiu Qiu was determined to surpass those despicable Alphas. Incidentally, it was precisely because of his Omega gender that Qiu Qiu was confined to a small space, allowing his parents to squeeze every last drop of profit out of him.
What Xu Qiqing said next might not be remembered by those present for long, but their emotions were certainly stirred up.
Enthusiasm is high.
There were no Alphas among the faculty and staff; in fact, apart from Ruan Mingchu and Mu Yu, there wasn't a single Alpha on this starship.
It's not that there aren't Alphas who share the same attitude and viewpoint as Ruan Mingchu, believing that equality is the right path, but it's not suitable for Alpha faculty and staff to be here now.
Even Ruan Mingchu did not plan to appear in front of the students too often. He only sat in charge, pointing out the general direction, while observing and recording to prepare for the future.
The teacher's preparations for the students may fall into two categories: improving their physical abilities and elevating their ideological level. Although Xu Qiqing incites everyone to treat Alphas as enemies, the goal is still to promote gender equality, not to wage civil war.
Ideological courses are absolutely essential.
Mu Yu observes the students' first lesson from the shadows.
The purpose of attending classes on a starship isn't just because of its design, but because the universe serves as a vast testing ground.
The first lesson involved going into space without any protective gear to battle against teaching machines, testing the students' abilities.
With so many students, in addition to the shared ideological education classes, two students tutor one student. This first class was also a student selection process.
Mu Yu held a pen and notebook in his hand, jotting down what he felt he should record from time to time.
As for Nguyen Minh Thu, he was handling official business.
More than half of the places visited on the student recruitment trip had problems. For the sake of the empire's stability and the citizens' well-being, Nguyen Minh Thu had no choice but to launch a large-scale investigation, both overt and covert.
Since it was his idea, Qingyao unceremoniously let Ruan Mingchu handle it himself. He and Ruan Huang only provided moral support, ensuring that all his actions would proceed smoothly with Ruan Huang's approval.
Ruan Mingchu, who originally thought he could run the school well, had to send Mu Yu to do the work he had originally planned to do. Ruan Mingchu devoted a lot of work to it, and some things even required him to handle personally.
One word: busy!
Every night, Ruan Mingchu would review Mu Yu's notes and hold meetings with the teachers to analyze each student's condition and abilities.
They are all hidden gems, and what the school needs to do is to help them shine as brightly as possible, while ensuring their safety.
Ruan Mingchu and Mu Yu have consciously disappeared, but the students were all recruited by them, and they get along very well. Many of them are deeply grateful to Ruan Mingchu and Mu Yu.
They were all on the same starship, and it was fine if they didn't see each other for three or four days. But as time went on, students kept asking about Ruan Mingchu and Mu Yu.
Some teachers were quite annoyed, wondering why their students, whom they had taught with such dedication, were only thinking about others. However, it was just a tiny bit of sour grapes; they all knew how strong Ruan Mingchu's personal charm was.
Didn't you see that even these seasoned veterans are willingly following him and being driven by him?
Ruan Mingchu and Mu Yu had no choice but to step in. After thinking it over, Ruan Mingchu decided to take charge of the students' bi-weekly assessments.
The assessment was simple and brutal; students could choose Ruan Mingchu or Mu Yu as their opponents.
The two stood in the center of a circle with a diameter of seven meters. Twenty-one small metal red flowers were placed on the ground outside the circle. Getting a small red flower meant passing the test.
If they don't get it, it means they haven't passed the assessment, and the specific treatment they will receive will be decided by the two teachers who mentored them.
Ruan Mingchu or Mu Yu stood in the center of the circle and did not move an inch.
Before the assessment began, Xu Qiqing, who inexplicably became the leader, explained the rules and reminded everyone: "If you knowingly do something impossible and still try to do it, you will be seriously injured and have to lie in the treatment pod for a day."
Several confident students thought to themselves, "It's just getting a flower, and we're still so far away from the 'flower protector,' it's not difficult at all."
Qiao Yu was the most confident one, and she took the initiative to apply for the first assessment.
Xu Qiqing nodded and told the others to stand outside the assessment area. "Who do you choose?"
Qiao Yu chose Ruan Mingchu.
Ruan Mingchu smiled and stood in the center of the circle.
Xu Qiqing: "The assessment begins."
As soon as she finished speaking, Qiao Yu leaped forward, intending to seize the initiative and grab the little red flower with lightning speed.
Just centimeters from the little red flower, Qiao Yu felt an extremely powerful attack coming towards her. Her heart skipped a beat, and a voice inside her said, "If you don't defend yourself, you'll die."
This is the body's instinct; the instinct had already abandoned the little red flower that was within reach and chose to defend itself before Qiao Yu's brain could issue any instructions.
Having dodged the attack, Qiao Yu was filled with resentment. Now she was three or four meters away from Little Red Flower.
What made her regret it even more was yet to come. Qiao Yu keenly noticed that Ruan Mingchu's attacks were constantly intensifying.