The Last Vanguard

Chapter 1: The Symbiotic Beast(1)

In what once seemed like an era of world peace, the discovery of dimensional spaces brought unprecedented external threats. By the 40th century, societal structures had undergone massive changes compared to two millennia prior.

Upon discovering the fourth dimension, humanity encountered the naturally aggressive demons who launched a devastating attack on the exploration fleet. This hostile encounter between two vastly different civilizations marked the beginning of a brutal war in the alternate dimension. Humanity realized its insignificance and arrogance. Although they ultimately secured the dimensional gate, keeping the demonic creatures out of the human realm, the war prompted a profound societal reflection.

Following the demon war, governments worldwide underwent significant transformations. Government functions were gradually diminished in favor of increased global integration across economic, social, military, educational, medical, and international cooperation arenas.

A notable example of this shift is China's university district system. Two millennia ago, proximity-based enrollment was important for convenience, necessitating widespread school coverage in every neighborhood. But with advancements in transportation, this concern became obsolete.

The old school system required extensive coverage and repetitive construction of simple schools, leading to significant resource wastage. Wealthier schools often left educational facilities unused, while poorer schools couldn't afford necessary equipment. This disparity resulted in varying teaching quality and exorbitant tuition fees, preventing many talented individuals from completing their education.

To address these issues and facilitate orderly mass evacuations during crises, the government implemented a unified district-based system. Each district could accommodate all eligible children from surrounding areas, essentially becoming a standard fixture for larger cities, shared among three medium-sized cities, and distributed across fifteen smaller cities. Altogether, China established over 2,600 districts across its 31 provinces. This system not only improved education and reduced wartime chaos and casualties but also ensured that the government could efficiently evacuate minors during emergencies, maintaining national stability.

Each district functions as a self-sufficient society, enhancing students' independence and ensuring high educational standards. However, this system only applies to basic education, as higher education has evolved beyond traditional teaching to integrate with research institutions and corporate entities, focusing on practical applications. Without practice, education would merely be a time-wasting, meaningless endeavor.

The ten-year compulsory education system consists of knowledge-based and capability-based learning, aiming to apply acquired knowledge rather than memorizing dull symbols. It has already transitioned from monotonous methods to a new phase, condensing what were once primary, middle, and high school educations into a five-year curriculum.

This curriculum includes language, cultural history, natural sciences, social development, economics, politics, arts, music, and various sports, surpassing the educational scope of millennia ago by a hundredfold. Yet, with the extensive use of cognitive implants, rote memorization is no longer necessary. These microprocessors, embedded in the body and linked to the brain, transform laborious memorization into a mere seconds-long data input. Tedious vocabulary learning for foreign languages is simplified to direct data uploads, requiring only brief practical exercises for fluency. Even the slowest learners become proficient in a month, vastly improving learning efficiency.

China's 416th learning district is an example of such a super-sized district, accommodating youth from three neighboring cities. Covering over fifteen square kilometers, it boasts twenty teaching buildings, fifteen large sports fields, numerous educational facilities, and over 100,000 students, comparable to a small city.

At this particular time, although numerous students could still be seen at the spacious Sixth Plaza of the 416th district, it was far from bustling.

In the secluded southeast corner of the plaza, four young individuals—three males and one female—sat on the steps, engaged in a discussion about a major life event. Their presence here, instead of a public classroom, indicated the gravity of the situation.

Growing impatient, Li Jian stood up, exasperated, "Shao Lin, enough already! What's with the constant silly grinning? Have you lost your mind?"

Shao Lin turned, agitated, and responded loudly, "Haven't you heard of the expression 'laughing through tears'? I can't help but laugh because if I don't, I'll want to cry. Ancient books say a gentleman is not a vessel, and a man doesn't cry."

"Enough with the pretentiousness."

Having been together for so long, Chai Lijun and Li Jian knew the typically gentle Shao Lin well. Though dubbed 'goblin' by Li Jian and often teased as 'Sister Lin,' he wasn't prone to melodramatic sentimentality. He just had an exceptionally mild disposition, which made him an easy target for friendly mockery. Today, his low spirits were due to being rejected by the girl he'd admired for a long time.

After ten years of compulsory education, in the year 4118 A.D., another class graduated from the capability education division of China's 416th district. As the time to part and pursue different paths approached, 'Sister Lin,' urged by his mischievous friends, finally mustered the courage to confess his feelings to his long-admired girl, Wang Xu.

Naturally, the outcome was expected: the fiercely independent Wang Xu disliked boys lacking assertiveness, with Shao Lin being an extreme example, and she thus resolutely rejected him. She even dismissed his suggestion to stay in touch, making it clear by blocking all communication from Shao Lin on her cognitive implant.

Li Jian, Chai Lijun, and Zheng Lishuang, Shao Lin's closest friends, surrounded him, offering solace to the dejected young man. But repeated attempts at 'stimulus therapy' resulted in the opposite effect.

"No need to worry about me. Tomorrow, I'll find another girlfriend…"

Shao Lin, having given up on arguing back, yelled loudly, garnering much attention. Several classes were engaged in outdoor activities at the Sixth Plaza, and Shao Lin's proclamation caught the interest of many onlookers. Unfortunately, his declaration attracted not a pretty girl but a group of tough-looking troublemakers.

"Shao Lin, what are you shouting about? If shouting could get us girlfriends, we'd all be screaming every day."

"Have you seen Lu Yinan? We're looking for him."

These trouble-seekers, after sneering, asked a question. Despite his smile, Zhao Pinghu, the group's leader, clearly harbored long-simmering animosity. His search for Lu Yinan was clearly not for friendly chit-chat.

Li Jian was known in the 416th district as an all-around sports talent in legitimate competitions, whereas Lu Yinan excelled in more unconventional 'sports activities.’ In the somewhat violent sports arena, Lu Yinan was unrivaled in the 416th district as the 'Fight King.'

Lu Yinan, known for being an avid fan of martial arts novels and a passionate enthusiast in ancient martial arts, had a reputation for being extremely amicable but sometimes prone to violent tendencies. He was famously unbeaten in all his altercations, regardless of the number of opponents. Only by apologizing on the spot and leaving in disgrace could one avoid a severe beating.

The enmity with Zhao Pinghu dated back years; the entire district knew about Zhao's repeated losses to Lu Yinan. Although Lu Yinan was generally easygoing and well-connected, including with Shao Lin and his friends, any students caught bullying others in front of Lu Yinan would inevitably face violent repercussions, often resulting in bloody confrontations.

Three years ago, Lu Yinan, originally from Shengyin City, transferred from the 501st district to the 416th district due to his parents’ job relocation. In his first week at the district, the local big shots targeted him, damaging his outdated personal cognitive device, a cherished birthday gift from his late grandfather. Furious, Lu Yinan retaliated, sending some to the hospital, igniting a bitter feud.

Zhao Pinghu and his gang never relented, repeatedly goading Lu Yinan into confrontations. Lu Yinan, gentle yet old-fashioned, often fled when outnumbered but would eventually hunt down each adversary, creating a district-wide stir. After several setbacks, some resorted to sneaky tactics, enlisting students fused with symbiotic creatures to ambush Lu Yinan. However, they were apprehended by district authorities, as laws dictate lifelong bans from creature fusion for such violations, leading to a lengthy five-month hospitalization for Lu Yinan.

It was Zhao Pinghu's crowd who orchestrated the attack on Lu Yinan.

Upon recovery, Lu Yinan didn’t hold back in retaliation. Had it not been for modern medical advances, his adversaries might have ended up permanently injured. The district supervisors intervened to temper the situation since everyone involved was a minor, and thus the matter was hushed up.

Yet, grievances remained unresolved. Clearly, Zhao Pinghu sought to reignite the feud, intending to challenge Lu Yinan one last time before graduation and leaving the district behind.