Wei School's Three Good Students

Chapter 9 Running Under the Starlight

"What fun things have been developed in the 41st century? Like mobile games from the 21st century?" Xuan Chong asked the system during his day off when the blood and fire subsided.

Xuan Chong's original intention was to suggest that the system should provide some cheat codes, like the virtual space in some novels where you can practice skills.

Having just finished a battle, Xuan Chong had some free time and wanted to learn something. Ideally, he'd like to learn something that wouldn't cost him any credits, so he could get some benefits from the system.

System: "Are you, a middle school student, trying to experience the difficulty of the college entrance examination?"

Xuan Chong: "What, the college entrance exam?"

…beside the riverbank of Yingzhai…

Seeing that no one was around, Xuan Chong asked the system to explain to him what the college entrance examination was.

The system then indicated that this was a physical education teaching assessment for the fifteenth grade.

The familiar melody rings in my ears: the 154th set of broadcast gymnastics, "The Running of Xingtian," a difficulty level for the third grade of primary school, numbered one through four, five through eight.

Xuan Chong: "Stop, stop, stop!"

After performing just three movements, Xuan Chong immediately paused the music and questioned the system's demonstration of the movements in his view: "This is jumping from a six-meter-high platform, and doing the splits, and you're telling me it's calisthenics?"

The system prompted: "Yes, in the 40th century, well, in the 30th century, people of your age could basically complete this."

Xuan Chong kept quiet, fearing that if he said anything more, the system would pop up a message saying, "You are the worst class ever."

So Xuan Chong decided to give it another try.

A few minutes later, with a bang, due to the 360-degree rotation in the air causing his cerebellum to malfunction and lose his spatial awareness, Xuan Chong lost his footing and fell with a thud.

Xuan Chong snapped out of his daze and, racking his brains for the scientific knowledge he had received, speculated that this might be a physical fitness test for aviation personnel.

This ability to maintain a clear sense of direction even after rotating 365 degrees is explained in television programs about pilot training. Its specific application is being able to operate the instrument panel equipment even after the aircraft has experienced high G-forces.

Xuan Chong tentatively asked, "You said this is a physical education exam, so what's the passing score?"

The system states: "The time error for completing all actions should be within 0.07 seconds, and the position error of the marked points such as fingers should be within 3 millimeters."

Xuan Chong tried to process the information. His first reaction was, "I don't believe it. Is this an assessment? How many people can pass this kind of test?" But he suppressed his emotions with his rationality and decided to believe the system for the time being. So he patiently continued to ask, "To reach this level, you need a training system, right?"

Xuan Chong was quite certain that, given the level of scientific knowledge he possessed in his previous life, no one could naturally cultivate to this extent.

The system then prompted: "Yes, you need to practice this set of movements using a body composition analyzer."

Xuan Chong: "Huh?"

The system continued its lukewarm explanation: "Starting with the 99 sets of broadcast gymnastics, human physical training has basically been completed using 'physical fitness testing equipment.'" — But Xuan Chong couldn't help but feel that the system was doing this on purpose!
People during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods did not understand the word "cell phone"...

The "body composition analyzer" involves a complex human information system.

In the 21st century, smartphones are equipped with electronic gyroscopes. Shaking the phone and the screen rotating due to gravity are all achieved using this device. It's highly sensitive. However, humans can only perceive the operation of this tiny device through phone vibrations and looking at the screen.

The "body composition analyzer" system actually connects this series of tiny components directly to sensory organs to ensure that humans have firsthand perception of their own body movement data.

To give an analogy, it's like in old-fashioned air combat, where air traffic controllers would use communications to direct each fighter squadron leader, and then the squadron leader would issue orders through the squadron channel.

In an information-based system, each pilot can directly access information from ground radar, airborne early warning aircraft, and even surrounding drones on the screen in front of them. The system on the fighter jet can then integrate this information into the pilot's complete situational awareness within one second.

A well-structured air combat system is a crushing defeat for an unstructured one.

The guidance that traditional martial arts masters gave to their disciples on techniques, and the feedback that sports school coaches gave to athletes after each set of movements, all seem unsystematic from a modern perspective. Martial arts practitioners and athletes cannot immediately know whether their movements are correct or incorrect; they need feedback from their coaches.

And what about a body composition analyzer? Numerous micro-electronic devices, worn on the wrist, ankle, and even knee, collect information, which is then displayed visually and verbally through an eyepiece and cochlea. This eliminates the need to wait for a coach's feedback after performing a set of movements; the comprehensive assessment system provides precise corrective cues during the entire process.

Oh, this "physical fitness analyzer" technology was developed by major countries in the late 21st century for selecting athletes for international sports events. At that time, the situation at international sports events was that poor countries relied on doping to extract their potential, while powerful countries directly used technology.

In late 21st-century online novels, the theme of "leveling up and training in another world" no longer involved apprenticeship; instead, the protagonist first established a system.

But what about the 22nd century?
The system continued to ramble on: After the advancement of the technology for connecting neurons and external electronic devices in the 22nd century, "sports" underwent a major revolution. The physical fitness standards of pilots and athletes from a century ago can now be mass-produced through systematic education.

Xuan Chong realized that this thing created by people from the future would lower the threshold for national-level athletes. Once the threshold is lowered, the general public can participate, which means there will be competition. As the competition goes on, it will turn into a gamble. Poor kids in the 22nd century.

…To understand the future, to acknowledge the past…

After realizing the situation, he felt extremely embarrassed about his previous foolish attempt, and Xuan Chong blushed as he forced himself to calm down.

A thought flashed through my mind: Was the system doing this on purpose, waiting for me to embarrass myself before explaining? — Hmm, it must be on purpose, but blaming it would be a bad idea.

Xuan Chong took a deep breath and asked, "So, I can't practice without equipment?"

System: "You can practice. If you exchange 0.2 credits, you can apply for the 'First-Order Fixed Body Technique External Assist System' for training. You currently have 3.2 credits. Do you want to exchange them? Well, I recommend exchanging them. Although your future physical education teacher will arrange your training according to the established curriculum, I don't object to your confidence in skipping grades to take this kind of course."

…Xuan Chong suddenly realized that the system had been waiting for him all along, from the moment he tried to take advantage of the system, waiting for him to fail after his attempts to perform before bringing it up again…

Xuan Chong didn't dwell on the issue of "skipping a grade" consuming credits. Instead, he pressed the system with eyes blazing with anger: "I asked you before what auxiliary cultivation materials you had, and you said no! Why are you only telling me now?"

System: "First, the word 'cultivation' is not in my database. The Body-Fixing Technique belongs to 'Physical Education,' which is responsible for physical development. Second, I am responsible for history teaching, not your physical education teacher."

When the topic of his "low level of basic education" came up again, Xuan Chong quickly shut up. This was because it concerned whether his "student status" still existed. Since he only remembered the 21st century, how did this 40th-century education system select him? What if the system took it seriously and he couldn't explain himself? As a result, his so-called "student status" would be revoked, and he would only be able to cry to himself in this other world.

…Xuan Chong implicitly agrees that “whoever pays the salary can define it”…

As the white light seeped into his body from the outside, Xuan Chong couldn't help but ask, "System, is this really not an empowerment for me?"

The system did not respond and displayed "Operation in progress" on the screen.

Three minutes later, Xuan Chong completed the input of the body positioning device. Six hundred and thirty-seven points, including the ear canals, arms, and soles of the feet, were injected with "unknown information," completing a kind of "acupoint" marking. Twelve of these six hundred and thirty-seven points lit up like "beacons."

The system displayed a series of prompts explaining that this "body measurement device" is not composed of inorganic chip micro-devices on Earth, but rather of organic energy from this dimension. Therefore, it is necessary to pay extra attention to certain rules to ensure the stability of this body measurement device system.

Xuan Chong glanced at the instructions, which included this clause: "The body composition analyzer needs to ensure stability. In the current environment, changes in the emotions of external groups can interfere with the sensitivity of various components."

Hmm? Can the emotions of other people in the outside world affect my "body measurement device"? After thinking about it, I realized that the "human path" in this world can affect the distribution of spiritual energy, so I'll assume that the system in my body belongs to the "spiritual energy" composition of this world.

This means ensuring a basic level of order is maintained within one's social environment. The "camp uprising" is clearly an example of this loss of order, generating unknown disturbances and accelerating the depletion of the energy structure of one's internal "body monitoring system." Xuan Chong realized: he still needed to command the troops. Hoping to be unparalleled in freedom was impossible.

…Ten days later…

Xuan Chong, mounted on his dragon horse, suddenly shifted to the side, smoothly drawing a bow. He braced himself, then drew the bowstring taut. As the bow was drawn, Xuan Chong slung himself back onto the horse, aiming the arrow at a distant bird. With a thud, the arrow, moving with incredible speed and a slight sway, hurtled towards its target. A breath later, the arrow pierced the bird's wing, and the bird fell to the ground.

This set of consecutive movements for mounting a horse and drawing a bow was trained by Xuan Chong based on the data provided by the "physical fitness testing instrument" in recent days.

Xuan Chong still lacks the courage to charge into battle, but he is confident in starting with archery, which avoids close combat. As for the risk of falling off his horse due to large movements on horseback, he can now handle it with ease thanks to the system's prompts.

The guards cheered and ran towards the direction where the bird had fallen to help Wu Fei retrieve it.

This is Wu Fei's first time showing off his skills. In the previous few days, he had only been practicing alone, and when he mounted the horse, he was worried that the horse's back would shake and he would fall off. But then he improved rapidly. He could predict the ups and downs of the horse when it was running and kept his legs tightly gripping the horse's back to maintain stability.

It felt like stepping back into his childhood, when he could easily climb a ten-meter-high tree without shaking. Wu Fei is now fourteen years old. He's at the age where he learns everything quickly. At the same time, this is also an age of being eager for quick success and prone to overreaching.

…In the 21st century, it's not just young people who are addicted to mobile phones; middle-aged and elderly people are also addicted…

After drawing the bowstring again, Wu Fei once more arched his back and straightened his chest, using his waist to draw the bowstring. He then locked his gaze on the target, his movements instantly adjusting to his line of sight as if by reflex. He timed the entire movement according to his heartbeat, releasing the arrow at the precise moment. Fifty paces away, a running wild boar fell to the ground.

As an "ancient person", Wu Fei became obsessed with the advanced body composition analyzer after he received it and figured out some techniques.

The fact that Wu Fei was able to train the horse-drawn bow movement to this level in ten days is not because he is a genius, but because the body composition analyzer can directly program the movements.

How powerful is this thing?

Within the human body, which has evolved naturally, nerve conduction speed is not the fastest. For example, in Olympic sprinting, reaction time is defined as "0.100 seconds." Exceeding this time is considered a false start. Many people, when watching sports like table tennis, can see the movements, but their hands cannot.

Because the eyes see something, the information is directly transmitted to the brain, and then the brain transmits it to the hands to make a reaction. The eyes and brain are close, so they receive all the information. However, the hands and feet are far from the brain, so they need constant training to coordinate.

However, if a transmission chain (external neural link) is built outside the body, the effect of its electrical signal transmission is instantaneous. That is, after the eyes see it, the arm and steps are directly stimulated by the micro-electrical signals of the "tactile sensors" on the skin and quickly move to the most correct position.

For users, when they are performing the actions that their brains subjectively want to complete, their bodies give them very strong feedback; that is, if they move incorrectly, they will feel pain.

Once the trainee performs the movement correctly even once, the "physical fitness analyzer" will integrate all the sensor information and use it as a success case. The user then simply performs the same movement under safe conditions to replicate the movement and reinforce physical memory. If deviations occur during subsequent practical attempts, the information is retrieved again after adjustments are made to ensure accuracy, and training is performed to address the deviation. This process is called motion programming.

In the 22nd century, athletes are required to have no inorganic matter on their bodies except for clothing, but this system is used in other fields such as national defense, firefighting, and cross-country running.

After a major nuclear war, instead of using artificial external nerves made of carbon-titanium composite materials to create military-grade motion control systems, we will directly use Wi-Fi to integrate information from sensors throughout the body. This is much more miniaturized, making it possible for anyone to become an extreme athlete.

As for the foundation of Wu Fei's current system, it is not electronic components from Earth, but rather the spiritual energy possessed by the divination of this world. After building the system with this stuff, Wu Fei thought of a familiar term: "Eight Extraordinary Meridians".

After becoming a skilled archer within ten days, Wu Fei immediately wanted to try other moves.

So, Wu Fei glanced at the fortified city. A few days later, a section of the wall on the fortified city began to be raised, and Wu Fei started to climb, taking a running start and stepping on the protrusions on the wall. This was called the first ascent!

As evening fell, Wu Fei, having single-handedly leaped onto the high platform of the camp using the "Ladder to the Clouds" technique, surveyed the smaller tents below and exclaimed: "What need is there for 'lightness skill manuals'? I am now a martial arts genius, one in a million, with innate talent and the ability to create my own divine skills!" — Laughing triumphantly, Wu Fei looked up at the starry sky, imagining himself on a battlefield, having been the first to reach the summit, surrounded by soldiers shouting, "The Star Immortal's power is boundless!" No, it should be, "General, you are truly a divine being!"

In the eyes of many soldiers in the camp, Wu Fei was acting very strangely that day, jumping around like a monkey.

However, the men who had just shared the spoils of war understood: after the Battle of Dacang, the young general had finally relaxed and should be happy.

...You can be crazy for a while, but you can't be reckless forever...

That evening, Wu Fei's smugness came to an end.

Wu Fei was very restless while sleeping at night, kicking the blanket off his body several times.

The next morning, Xuan Chong looked at the broken bed and was surprised, but then guessed that it might be because he had run too hard the day before. He then opened the system again to check the instructions for using the "physical fitness analyzer".

The instructions emphasize in red that, because your nervous system is still developing, it is best not to over-connect external nerves and to proceed gradually.

Narrator: The idea that the legs immediately activate upon seeing something has a side effect: during sleep, when the body's control is weak, the legs can activate on their own with even slight stimulation. Normally, the signal to the legs travels from the brain to the spine and then to the legs. While this process can sometimes be slower within the motor system, it's a more stable system.

Xuan Chong: "Oh, so that's the side effect? ​​I can just make a sleeping bag to solve it, right?"

System: "This is just the mildest side effect."

Xuan Chong was stunned.

The system notes: "Your current level of motor nerve remodeling activity is equivalent to that of a normal five- to six-year-old. At this stage, insufficient neural control can lead to more than just kicking off the blankets! You'll need to prepare diapers."

Xuan Chong immediately became alert.

System: "If you are too excited during the day, you will react to any dream stimuli at night, and at your current age, your reproductive system is almost fully developed."

Xuan Chong immediately understood; at this age, it's the stage where you wake up with inexplicable "snot" in your pants.

Xuan Chong gritted his teeth and said firmly, "I understand. I will reduce unnecessary stimulation."

…The dividing line where the boy is getting excited…

That evening, in the camp, Xiaoqing carried the fish soup she had prepared into the main tent. Her purple lips parted slightly as she prepared to invite the young master to dine, while also preparing herself to serve as his maid.

Xuan Chong, who was sitting cross-legged in meditation, preparing to let his motor nerves rest before sleep, said without looking up, "Oh, thank you. I've already eaten. I'm currently recuperating, so all my meals are on a fixed schedule. Don't bring me any more. Hmm, the great battle is over, you don't need to stay in my main tent anymore. Go out and get some fresh air." (Meaning, I'm granting you your freedom.)
Regarding playing with snakes, Xuan Chong said: I don't eat raw fish.

The idea that women in southern Xinjiang use Gu poison is something to be wary of, especially since I'm currently cultivating myself.

The tent curtains closed, and the snake woman, her eyes vacant, swayed as she emerged. She seemed to have lost her purpose, as if all her strength had been drained.

After a long while, a bitter smile appeared on his lips: "Even if I work like a slave now, I still can't get anything out of it?" Then he swayed his waist and left dejectedly.

…purple retreats, blue advances…

Six hundred miles away, a pair of wings of wind and thunder sped through the mountains and forests.

Wherever it passed, it emitted a ghostly blue flame, which squeezed out all life within a ten-foot radius like a press.

Beneath the Wind and Thunder Wings was a woman dressed in blue metallic armor, none other than Xian Daoren's junior sister!

(End of this chapter)