Chapter 4: Even a Magazine Model Can Be an Instructor Now…
There was a saying circulating in the Third Institute: the only one who could control the Great Demon King was Old Tang.
Yu Shi was young and arrogant. He entered the Third Institute in the first year of his master’s. Just after becoming regular staff, he got an independent laboratory. Since then, he won awards until his hands went soft, rarely paying attention to others—except for his mentor, Tang Senmiao.
Tang Senmiao was the Dean and the City Representative of Zone 1, a national-level researcher. His subordinates were full of talent. He would retire in two years, and his position would most likely be handed to his two apprentices.
“Always elusive, seeing you is harder than ascending to heaven.” Tang Senmiao waved his hand. “Come in, hurry up.”
Yu Shi pursed his lips and had to return.
Tang Senmiao introduced them. “This is Lieutenant General Liang Xudong, Political Commissar of the National Defense University, and this is Major General Chen Zheng, Vice Principal. This is my apprentice, Yu Shi, whom I just mentioned to you.”
The NDU (National Defense University) was Sundial’s top military academy. Not only were physical tests strict there, but the academic score requirements also rivaled the top-ranked Kowa University, dedicated to cultivating military talents with high IQ and high physical ability.
Yu Shi greeted them. Liang Xudong praised, “Truly young and promising. To write that article on particle beams at this age… it seems Old Tang’s school is full of talent.”
“Haha, he has some talent, and works hard at academics too.” Tang Senmiao gave rare praise. “He just lacks actual combat experience. I always tell them, in our line of work, you can’t always sit in the lab; you have to go to the training grounds for field research.”
Yu Shi looked indifferent. After sitting down, he casually spun his pen.
Liang Xudong laughed. “Old Tang, don’t be modest. This one doesn’t look like he lacks experience. I know he went to the front lines with the army and had teaching experience. He’s not the type who only knows how to study.”
“Oh, compared to your students, it’s not worth mentioning.” Tang Senmiao waved his hand.
He looked at Yu Shi and said, “It just so happens the higher-ups are sending you on official business this time, allowing you to have more contact with real soldiers.”
If it were Luo Shengge, he would have agreed for the sake of face. But Yu Shi asked expressionlessly, “What official business? How come I don’t know?”
Both officers were shrewd people in the military. They spoke only half of what they meant and were used to bureaucratic tones. Hearing this, they looked at each other silently.
Tang Senmiao frowned. “NDU added a new weapons course. K9 decided you would teach it. Trial lectures for three months first. If the results are good, you’ll be appointed as an honorary professor. Didn’t your senior brother tell you?”
“Three months?” Yu Shi’s eyes widened.
This Luo Shengge. No other skills, but his skill in pitting his junior brother was first-class.
Tang Senmiao said, “The teaching schedule is set by the higher-ups. You have over twenty days to prepare. It’s not difficult; it’s all your area of expertise.”
Yu Shi remained silent. Chen Zheng gloated, “It seems Old Tang didn’t communicate well with his apprentice, hahahaha.”
Tang Senmiao glared at him. “Your senior brother said everything that needed to be said. Your Sister Ning is on exchange in Zone 5. Only you can go. The Institute will provide you with assistants. In addition, NDU has a ballistics laboratory. Dean Chen said you can apply for access.”
“For real?” Yu Shi’s eyes lit up.
He had coveted that laboratory for a long time, but NDU’s security measures were too good; non-internal personnel couldn’t enter at all.
Chen Zheng smiled. “It’s true. Director Yu is welcome to conduct experiments at our school. Old Tang, your apprentice is really interesting. By the way, Director Yu, our Principal is one of the judges for the Ten-Year Honor Award at the end of the year.”
The implication was obvious, but Yu Shi didn’t react much.
He only calculated that for the next three months, the laboratory issue was settled.
Tang Senmiao raised his hand to serve them tea. “He has a child’s temperament. I have to trouble the Commissar and Dean to look after him.”
“Certainly, certainly. Our students respect their teachers very much.”
After settling everything and sending the two off.
Tang Senmiao pointed at him, hating iron for not becoming steel. “Stubborn brain. How many times have I told you not to miss the opportunity to cooperate with NDU? You’re just going for trial lectures for three months. When you come back, your resume will be enhanced again. This is much more effective than staying in the lab for three months.”
Yu Shi remained motionless, just asking, “Doubling the funding wasn’t a lie, right?”
“Double, double, I’ll definitely double it for you!” Tang Senmiao’s blood pressure soared. “I’m retiring in two years. I don’t know if your senior brother can get promoted this year. Training you two is so exhausting. One only knows how to run around the world, the other only knows how to soak in the lab. Working these old bones to death.”
“Your health is fine; you won’t die anytime soon. And today’s matter isn’t my fault. You didn’t tell me in advance.”
Tang Senmiao raged, “I just got off the starship today! I sent the file to you the day before yesterday. Can you connect to the internet for once? Act like a young person! Even less fond of looking at the communicator than me. Go back to your caveman dwelling.”
Yu Shi thought for a moment. “Next time, after you say serious business, can you not send a ‘buy me an order of crab roe soup dumplings’? When I saw that sentence, I didn’t click in.”
“Scoundrel! I’ve mentored you for so many years, what’s wrong with eating an order of your crab roe soup dumplings!” Tang Senmiao was furious and threw a file bag at him.
Yu Shi caught it agilely, not forgetting to shout, “The Budget Department is off on weekends. Don’t forget to declare the funding today. Double.”
“Get out! You’ve drilled into the eyes of money!”
Qi Huan showed his head, heard the commotion, and shrank back quickly. Worthy of the Tang Sect; a ten-minute meeting could result in smashing the conference room.
Yu Shi went back to read the documents. He was to lead the third-year graduate students of the Command Academy. This academy was NDU’s ace major. From the current K9 Marshal to most members of the Military Commission and the Commander-in-Chief of the Falcon Regiment, all came from this academy.
The Command Academy had no summer vacation. Other academies’ holidays were their “Summer Training,” used to maintain various drills. They only took one cultural course, which was the one Yu Shi taught.
He led a total of three classes, ten people per class. Although the number was small, these people were definitely the toughest of the tough. He couldn’t treat them the way he treated ordinary students.
Yu Shi prepared for the trial lectures while doing experiments and writing reports. Twenty days flew by.
During this period, he didn’t go home, ignoring messages from Liu Yin and Yu Songwei, and certainly didn’t make time to look at those pink bubbles. He happily spent a period without blind dates.
Twenty days later, he, Xu Bohan, and Qi Huan sat on the transport vehicle heading to NDU.
Upon learning he had been sold out by Luo Shengge, Qi Huan stayed up for two nights straight. His eyes were swollen like a rabbit’s. He read up on NDU’s history in advance to prevent Yu Shi from spot-checking him, so anxious that a string of blisters grew on the corner of his mouth.
unlike his lifelessness, Xu Bohan was full of anticipation. He had dreamed of military school since childhood and was jubilant the whole way.
The transport vehicle was fully enclosed. Yu Shi closed his eyes to calculate funding, Xu Bohan excitedly made a Summer Training guide, and Qi Huan stole shots of pheromone catalyst with a face full of despair to avoid fainting later.
The three entered NDU with such disparate mindsets.
The vehicle speed gradually slowed down. The stainless steel baffles around them lowered. Xu Bohan curiously lifted the black cloth a crack.
They were driving over the speed bumps at the entrance. Sentries carrying rifles saluted the vehicle. More than ten heavy mechas were parked at the gate, flags of the country and the army inserted on top. Loud slogans came from the distance.
Passing the main gate, a transport vehicle next to them was unloading people. This type of vehicle had a step height of nearly two meters. The soldiers jumped down like dumplings into a pot whoosh whoosh, wearing combat uniforms with special markings, wearing crash helmets and face covers.
The commander stood in front of the team. He was a tall and upright Alpha.
He wore a pair of night-ops boots, the uppers stained with mud. His left hand was wrapped in a bandage, and his right hand rested on the gun at his waist. He seemed to glance here casually.
The Alpha wore a face cover, revealing only a pair of eyes, as if sizing up this vehicle. Even from a distance, one could feel the sharp oppression.
Xu Bohan exclaimed, “Such cool uniforms! I’ve never seen them before.”
“That’s protective field training gear. Looks like they just came back from a war zone,” Yu Shi said.
Zone 1 to Zone 5 of Blue Star were in a perpetual armistice; everywhere else was fighting intermittently.
“Did they go on a dangerous mission? That Alpha is injured,” Xu Bohan noted sharply.
“Should be a garrison mission.” Yu Shi observed carefully. “The helmet is ABS material, the sidearm is an AUG. Relatively suitable for Level 3 combat readiness.”
Xu Bohan looked worshipful. “Teacher Yu, you’re too awesome. You knew just by looking.”
Yu Shi glanced at him. “Isn’t it that you’re too stupid? Do you know why it’s a garrison mission?”
Suddenly questioned, Xu Bohan broke into a cold sweat, stammering, unable to answer.
Yu Shi looked at Qi Huan. He hurriedly said, “It’s… because their equipment isn’t enough to stop bullets. Also, the AUG body is light, short range, usually used for missions with lower danger levels. R-Right, Director Yu?”
He had offended Yu Shi before. Although he knew the answer, he answered without confidence.
Unexpectedly, Yu Shi didn’t make things difficult for him. He said to Xu Bohan, “Learn from others. Do more homework.”
“Understood,” Xu Bohan pouted.
Being “praised” by him for the first time, Qi Huan blushed unexpectedly and lowered his head awkwardly.
The transport vehicle arrived at the dormitory building. The three brought a lot of luggage and hauled it into the elevator, huffing and puffing.
This dormitory had five floors in total, dedicated to the Command Academy. To accommodate them, the fifth floor was specially cleared out.
After entering the elevator, a cleaning uncle pushed a huge linen cart in, squeezing them into the corner.
He blocked the door with things and apologized, “Sorry, teachers. I have to move some things. This elevator is super slow, I’m in a rush to go up.”
“It’s okay, go ahead,” Xu Bohan said from behind the linen cart.
Yu Shi stood in the farthest corner. He had encountered many Alphas along the way, but his wristband hadn’t alarmed once. Indeed, the higher the level, the better the control over pheromones. In this place almost entirely full of Alphas, he surprisingly felt no discomfort.
While the cleaner moved things, several Alphas walked in from outside, seeming like two groups bumping into each other.
“Yo! Look who it is, our Zone 9 Pickup Artist King is back!”
“Isn’t this Brother Ren? Haven’t seen you for two months, got more handsome. Does Zone 9 have some elixir?”
“Holy crap, how did Brother Ren get injured? What steel monster could hurt you?”
A deep, lazy male voice sounded, “Your skin itching for a beating? Meet at the training ground tonight?”
This person’s voice was hoarse, as if he had just experienced a dry climate.
Yu Shi vaguely guessed he must have just returned from a mission in Zone 9. That was Blue Star’s high-risk zone, indeed a desert with sparse population.
“No, no, no, you want to drill me right after coming back? I was wrong, okay, Bro.”
“Too late. Calling me Bro is useless.”
“I was wrong! Daddy! Don’t do it!”
These students were incredibly juvenile, playing around as they walked into the elevator. One of them even asked the cleaner, “Uncle Zhang, need our help?”
“No need!” the cleaner shouted. “You guys broke my cart last time. Leave it, I’ll do it myself!”
Those people didn’t see the three behind the linen cart, chattering and boasting.
“Hey, did you guys see the instructor list? It’s actually that guy named Shi… hey, Shi something, I can’t remember.”
Xu Bohan and Qi Huan originally felt it was none of their business. Hearing this, they instantly looked up at Yu Shi. The person involved looked calm, as if he hadn’t heard his name.
“I know. Is it the magazine model mentioned last time?”
The three froze, eyes confused.
Brother Desert scoffed, “These days, even a magazine model can be an instructor?”
“Hahahaha, not a real model. It’s that Omega who livestreamed accepting the award last time. Zhao Yi said he takes photos like shooting a magazine spread. That picture was the headline that day. He smiled like a flower-preening little celebrity.”
The air suddenly turned cold.
Xu Bohan and Qi Huan looked terrified, looking at Yu Shi in unison. The “Magazine Model’s” face darkened, coldly listening to them running their mouths.
The Alpha named Zhao Yi retorted, “That wasn’t my original words. I said he smiled like a fox, just that kind of half-smile feeling… Ah, it’s hard to describe, but definitely beautiful. No wonder those fans voted him to first on the trending list. Hey, do you guys think an Omega like that can teach us? I don’t really believe it.”
“Bingyang, what do you think? Is that little model your type… Ouch, Brother Ren, why did you kick me? Stop stepping on me, pain pain pain, ow—”
Xu Bohan felt a little bit dead inside, ready at any moment for Yu Shi to push the linen cart onto them, roll up his sleeves, and have a big fight with these idiots.
At this moment, the cleaning uncle walked in, and everyone shut their mouths.
The elevator was silent, stopping at every floor. By the fifth floor, only the three of them were left.
Xu Bohan was trembling, facing a formidable enemy. Qi Huan was shivering even more, shrunk into a ball like a quail.
Yu Shi said with icy rage, “Go check the surveillance. Get me the names of those idiots.”
With that, he pushed his luggage and stormed out of the elevator heavily.
Twenty minutes later, he got the list of gossipers: Xie Ren, Zhao Yi, Ye Bingyang.
The leader, Xie Ren, was precisely the assistant instructor for this Summer Training, monitor of Command Class 1, and commander of the Falcon Regiment—the “Desert Pickup Artist King” who just returned from Zone 9.
Yu Shi let out a cold laugh. These military ruffians… it was time to teach them how to be human again.
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