Twenty-four, twenty-four.

The weather was clear and sunny, with the scorching sun hanging high in the sky.

In front of the main gate of the Imperial Academy, thousands of freshmen stood in neat rows, not daring to even breathe loudly.

Every student admitted to the seven top-tier academies was an elite from across the interstellar territories. Furthermore, since physical fitness was a mandatory component of the college entrance examination, everyone was well-accustomed to standing at attention in military posture.

Two hours of standing in formation sounded daunting, but for those who had overcome countless obstacles to pass the entrance exams, it was nothing more than a breeze—especially for the melee-oriented students, who were thick-skinned and hardy; for them, it was merely a warm-up.

Two hours passed in the blink of an eye.

"Punishment concluded," Feng Bai said, lowering his head to check the time. "We will continue with the briefing."

"The military training will last for one month. The first week is physical training, the second week is cold weapon and combat training, and the fourth week is the final exercise evaluation."

Having learned their lesson, the plaza remained silent this time. No one dared to voice an objection, fearful of being singled out as an example.

"Very good," Feng Bai said, satisfied with their compliance. "Let’s go."

The freshmen followed the instructors, marching in unison through the gates of the Imperial Academy.

Unlike the complex, classical grandeur of Silver Star Academy, the Imperial Academy was exactly as its name suggested. Surrounded by towering, majestic steel structures, the atmosphere was imposing, solemn, and permeated with a cold, rigid intensity.

Holding the top ranking in the competition for years wasn't just a title; the annual funding allocated by the Imperial Ministry of Finance to the Imperial Academy was several times that of Silver Star, a fact evident from the school's internal infrastructure.

They stopped at the military academy's drill ground. Soldiers from the Third Legion brought over a dozen large crates and placed them on the ground.

Feng Bai: "Line up, one by one, and come collect your wristbands."

Yuan Hanshuang followed the queue and received two wristbands. She weighed them in her hand, and the reality of the situation immediately became clear to her.

"Two wristbands—one is a mimicry restriction band, and the other is a weighted band."

The adjutant said indifferently: "Wear them on your left and right wrists respectively. You are not to remove them at will until you have completed the training objectives; otherwise, your weight load will be doubled the following day."

The freshmen followed instructions.

This was Yuan Hanshuang’s first time wearing a mimicry restriction band. The moment it clicked onto her wrist, she felt as if a thin wall had been erected between her and her mimicry.

She was not the only one; the other students felt the same.

"What’s going on! I can’t use my mimicry!"

"Me too. Not only can I not summon my mimicry, but I can't even synchronize."

"It’s so uncomfortable. I’ve been in an enhanced state this whole time, but after putting on the band, I feel like my body has become heavy."

Yuan Hanshuang lowered her eyes to sense her internal state.

She discovered that the restriction band’s isolation was highly effective against her Koi mimicry, but against her little black bird—which had already evolved into a mythical mimicry—the suppression was so weak it was almost non-existent. At the very least, based on her intuition, while she couldn't summon the Koi, she could still summon the little black bird.

Of course, she would have to be an idiot to expose herself.

'So that's how it is. The higher the level of the mimicry, the less effective the restriction band becomes.'

She mused to herself, keeping her hands obediently at her sides.

The other band was a standard weighted wristband, marked with the weight of ten kilograms.

Just as Yuan Hanshuang was pondering what the rest of the military training might entail, Feng Bai spoke again.

"Starting now, run five laps around the Imperial Academy and Silver Star Academy."

There were only seven high-level academies in the entire interstellar space, and none of them were small in size, let alone two campuses connected together. The distance of one lap was no less than a long-distance marathon.

"Impressive. Starting right off with mimicry suppression and long-distance weighted running."

Feng Yuanming, who was watching from the side, was surprised. "You’ve brought over the training standards for the ground forces, haven't you?"

A faint smile appeared on Wei Wenwei's face: "Nothing escapes your eyes, teacher."

"Besides, these military academy brats will all have to join the army in the future; they might as well get a taste of it early."

"Hmm, that is true."

*But the students at your Imperial Academy are military cadets, and we at Silver Star are not!*

The teachers from Silver Star standing on the sidelines listened to their casual conversation, swallowing their anger. There was nothing they could do; since Silver Star had indeed tagged along for the military training with their neighbors this year, they had no choice but to follow the host's rules.

After the preliminary procedures, Feng Bai stood with his hands behind his back, leaving the task to another burly instructor, Sergeant Niu. This instructor was clearly a defense-type; he was half a head taller than Ke Junda, and his muscles were so massive they seemed to burst through his military uniform, exuding an intense sense of oppression.

"What are you standing around for? Execute orders! Run! Move it!"

Under Sergeant Niu’s rough roar, the freshmen reluctantly began to move.

At the beginning, everyone’s pace was relatively light. Ten kilograms was a bit of weight for a tier three or four talent, but not overwhelming.

Of course, with the exception of Wu Haoxuan, who rarely exercised. Especially since he had already run several kilometers that morning, his legs were sore and aching. Every step felt like an ordeal.

"Help me, if I had known, I wouldn't have gone running with the boss this morning!"

Not long after starting, Wu Haoxuan’s face was twisted in agony as he fell to the back of the pack, moving at a snail's pace.

Running five laps around the schools without the aid of mimicry was indeed a massive challenge. To conserve energy, the students tacitly agreed to maintain a slow, steady jog.

Unfortunately, fate had other plans.

Just as everyone was jogging along sluggishly, the deadly voice of Sergeant Niu sounded again.

"Running so slowly, are you lot out for a stroll? Did the Chief Instructor forget to mention that the last three hundred students to finish will be punished?"

The effect of this sentence was no less than a starting pistol. The students immediately began to speed up frantically. They were being trained by the bona fide Imperial Legion; no one wanted to find out the specifics of the punishment.

In an instant, the previously bunched-up queue showed clear stratification.

Most other specialties handled it well, but the support-type students looked as if they were mourning the dead.

Those running at the front were mostly melee and agility types, followed by defense, then control and ranged. Bringing up the rear, one didn't even need to look to know, were exclusively support-types.

Yuan Hanshuang did not accelerate, running leisurely in the middle of the pack. Ke Junda maintained the same steady pace, half a step behind her.

"Boss, look at the person at the very front."

With the group stratified, the student at the very front was naturally the most eye-catching. Furthermore, this student had a shock of bright, radiant golden hair, which multiplied the attention he received. Everyone knew that this hair, which looked like molten gold and could rival the sun, was the exclusive mark of the Imperial royal family.

"Hmm, the forums were full of posts last night about how an Imperial royal grandson enrolled in Silver Star this year."

Yuan Hanshuang said nonchalantly: "He’s quite impressive. It’s said he possesses an S-rank mimicry and has a bright future ahead of him."

"S-rank?"

Ke Junda was taken aback: "I recall that S-ranks are rare even among the seven academies; in our school, only the department heads are S-rank."

"His hair is so bright... come to think of it, Boss, your golden hair used to be about that same shade."

The sudden, straightforward comment made Yuan Hanshuang slow her pace. She narrowed her eyes.

To be honest, before the incident years ago, her activities on Planet 1999 were not exactly a secret. If someone determined enough investigated the clues involving her father, they could uncover her identity. Moreover, not long after Yuan Hanshuang transmigrated, she didn't realize what that bright golden hair represented and had done plenty of things without hiding.

Fortunately, back then, she had pilfered the spoils of two unlucky souls on a contaminated planet and accidentally created a death certificate, allowing her to abandon her past identity. Like a drop of water merging into the ocean, she left no further trace.

Ke Junda had been her underling for many years. The events on the contaminated planet were already strange enough, and combined with her sudden "resurrection" after years of not canceling her status, coupled with her decision to cut ties with everyone from her past—as long as someone wasn't a fool, they would eventually notice something.

Should she reveal part of the truth to her top underling?

In those few seconds, several thoughts flashed through Yuan Hanshuang’s mind.

Unexpectedly, while she was still hesitating, Ke Junda spoke again.

"It’s a good thing the Boss dyed her hair black, otherwise it would really be too eye-catching. The Boss is truly far-sighted!"

He chuckled foolishly, completely unaware of anything amiss. A qualified top underling was one who could shower his boss with compliments in every possible way!

Yuan Hanshuang: "..."

*The flattery was well-received, but please don't do it again.*

She glanced at her underling’s foolish, happy face with a complicated expression. After a moment of hesitation, she finally sighed: "Forget it. Remember, you are never to mention my previous hair color to anyone else."

Ke Junda: "Understood!"

By the third lap, the line of the group had stretched to nearly the length of half the school. Long-distance running and carrying weight were not the main difficulty; the real challenge was the suppression of mimicry.

The seemingly unremarkable ten kilograms became increasingly heavy during the long-distance run. Hanging heavily from their wrists, it made their whole bodies feel as if they had been filled with lead, causing extreme discomfort.

Many students who had been at ease during the first lap began to show signs of heavy breathing, disorganized footsteps, and sweat pouring down their foreheads.

The most miserable among them were the support-types. Their stamina was already poor, and with their mimicry restricted and the added weight, it was truly a struggle for survival.

"Haha, don't worry, brothers."

Falling to the back, a sweating Wu Haoxuan tried to comfort his classmates: "We are delicate support-types; it’s normal that our stamina can't compare to other specialties. The instructors won't be so unreasonable."

"You’re right." A fellow military academy support-type gasped for air, deeply agreeing.

Even in the physical fitness components of the college entrance exam, there were appropriate accommodations for the rare support-type students. Melee types needed a score of eighty to pass, while support-types only needed fifty; there was no reason the military training would force them to meet the same standards as the melee types.

Thinking of this, the support-types at the back of the pack gained some confidence. Instead of accelerating, they slowed down even further, moving at a sluggish pace.

As for Yuan Hanshuang and Ke Junda, the two of them maintained a steady, moderate pace.

The benefits of years of consistent early-morning physical training were fully manifested at this moment. Although they had already run eight kilometers that morning, they were completely unaffected.

If someone were watching closely, they would have noticed that their footwork and the way they exerted force while running differed slightly from the other students, and they had even adjusted their breathing to the slow, steady rhythm most suitable for long-distance running.

'It's a good thing I’ve been practicing the training methods the Boss taught me all these years, and my physical training hasn't slipped. Otherwise, today would have been a nightmare,' Ke Junda thought with a sigh.

By the fifth lap, this advantage became even more obvious.

Even though their speed wasn't particularly fast, as the main group in front began to show signs of exhaustion and fell behind, they gradually moved from the middle of the pack, steadily overtaking others until they reached the front.

Other students showed at least some signs of fatigue, but these two were rock solid. Especially Yuan Hanshuang; her pace was light and steady. Not only was her hair not disheveled, but she didn't even have a drop of sweat.

Even Xuanyuan Sheng, who had been leading the group the entire time, couldn't help but turn back to look at them.

"The finish line is near."

The two of them successfully squeezed into the top ten to arrive.

Although they reached the finish line early, the instructor showed no intention of letting them disband for free time. Thus, Yuan Hanshuang could only find a bench near a flower bed to sit down, browsing the forums while waiting for the remaining students to finish.

This wait lasted for three hours. During that time, she even went to the cafeteria for a meal. By the usual standard, she finished a whole day’s worth of nutrient paste in one sitting and even drank part of Ke Junda’s contribution.

"All, assemble!"

When the last support-type reached the finish line, Sergeant Niu blew his whistle.

"I’ll count to thirty seconds. If you haven't assembled by then, you will also be punished. Thirty, twenty-nine, twenty-eight..."

Hearing the whistle, the students who were so exhausted they just wanted to lie on the ground and sleep scrambled to their feet in a panic.

When the thirty-second countdown ended, everyone stood back in their original positions.

"The last three hundred, step forward! Don't try to be clever, your names have all been recorded."

The students looked at each other and reluctantly stepped out.

Yuan Hanshuang keenly noticed that not only was Wu Haoxuan among them, but her roommate, the young lady Xia Mengrou, was also in the bottom three hundred—a rare case of a control-type trailing behind.

Sergeant Niu was concise: "Your punishment is to run one more lap."

When Wu Haoxuan heard that the punishment was another lap, his vision went dark, and he almost fainted on the spot.

Apparently, the bad news didn't stop there.

Feng Bai, who was observing from the side, suddenly spoke: "Divide according to academy. Military cadets, take two steps forward."

The students followed orders.

It was obvious that among the last three hundred, the number of Silver Star students was nearly double that of the military cadets. Many military cadets, while silent, wore expressions of arrogance.

This result was not surprising; after all, the admission scores for the military academy were higher, and those who managed to get into the Imperial Academy were one in a million, with overall strength far superior to Silver Star.

"Very good."

Feng Bai didn't seem surprised by this result either: "The Silver Star group has one hundred and twenty more people lagging behind than the Imperial group. All Silver Star students, step forward!"

Yuan Hanshuang stepped forward, a faint premonition of what was to come in her heart.

As expected, the adjutant adjusted his glasses and said: "Because of the Silver Star group's performance, all Silver Star students will receive an additional penalty lap."

"Excuse me, I object."

As soon as the words fell, the Silver Star students began to protest.

The one to protest first was none other than the Imperial royal grandson who had been leading the pack.

Facing several legion generals, Xuanyuan Sheng showed no fear. Instead, he lifted his chin slightly, carrying a hint of condescension: "I have been in first place for all three laps. Why should I be punished because others fell behind?"

"Because you are a single unit. From the moment military training began, you have been wearing the labels of your respective schools. Individual performance does not represent a single person, but the group as a whole. You flourish together, and you suffer together."

Feng Bai’s expression remained blank: "Your Highness, since you are a member of Silver Star, you are not exempt from the rules."

Xuanyuan Sheng tightened his brow and said nothing.

Perhaps his lead encouraged them, but other Silver Star students also raised objections.

Wu Haoxuan was the first to raise his hand: "Instructor, our support-type stamina is naturally weaker than other talents, so it’s normal that we can't keep up in a weighted run. Comparing us with other specialties is unfair!"

"That’s right! It’s unfair!"

These words came from the heart, and other support-type students chimed in.

"Unfair? Then tell me, where is it unfair?"

Feng Bai sneered: "When you go to the battlefield and face the Zerg, will they show special mercy to the support-types? Will they have to bow to you just because you’re support?"

The clamor of protest ceased instantly.

"Do you think war is far from you?"

The adjutant’s sharp gaze swept over their innocent faces. Although he was only a civil officer, the sharpness and the iron-blooded aura of a soldier hidden in his gaze made them subconsciously look away.

Not a single student could meet his gaze, for it was the mark of someone who had been to war.

"Thirty years ago, the Doomsday Zerg Wave broke out, and the Imperial Federation was caught off guard; eighteen years ago, a new Zerg Empress was born, leading the Zerg army and threatening the Bright Moon Pass."

"The peace we have today was bought with the blood and bones of countless Imperial and Federation soldiers. And this hard-won respite could be broken at any moment."

"According to protocol, once the Zerg form a new wave, with military forces concentrated on the front lines and local defenses insufficient, students from high-level academies will be the first to be drafted to the battlefield. You must shoulder the duty of protecting civilians; you should prepare yourselves mentally."

As he said this, Feng Bai suddenly paused.

Among the others who were either dodging his gaze or bowing their heads, the black-haired girl with twin tails, who remained calm and met his eyes, was particularly conspicuous.

Fortunately, Yuan Hanshuang realized that she shouldn't be so arrogant at this moment and quickly lowered her eyes.

"War is not far away. If you want to survive, the instructors will treat everyone equally."

Feng Bai’s gaze lingered on the top of her black head for a long moment before he slowly withdrew it.