13: Children after class

The corridor of the Star Rail Cultivation Center was spacious and bright. The walls displayed flowing nebula patterns, and the floor was a simulated starlight path, making it feel as if one were strolling through the Milky Way.

The children who had just finished the course “Introduction to Basic Science of the Interstellar Era” walked out in small groups, most still immersed in the grand vision depicted by Teacher Su Wan.

“Sister! Sister!”

Chen Yao excitedly tugged on Chen Xi's sleeve, her small face flushed with excitement.

“That ‘Star Dome Class’ battleship is so amazing! A full broadside from its main cannons is equivalent to an attack from a Planet-level Expert! Teacher Su also said there are even more powerful ones! How strong do you think the strongest battleship is? Can it defeat a Stellar Level big shot?”

Chen Xi looked at her sister's lively appearance, a hint of tenderness flashing in her eyes. She was much steadier than Chen Yao, but this steadiness wasn't Innate; she had tasted the hardships of life too early. She had lived a difficult life since she could remember; poor children mature early.

“Yao Yao, the strength of battleships, just like the Rank of Martial Artists, is also categorized.”

Chen Xi explained softly. She usually didn't talk much, but her observation and learning abilities were extremely strong, and she had already compiled a lot of information from various sources and eavesdropping.

“Teacher Su mentioned before that the Federation usually uses ‘Star Rank’ to categorize the combat energy level of main battleships.”

As she spoke, she gestured with her small hands in the air, as if outlining the silhouettes of those steel behemoths:

“The lowest Rank, the Frigate, roughly corresponds to the strength of a High-level Apprentice Rank or a newly stepped Planetary Level Initial Martial Artist, mainly responsible for domestic patrol and alert duties.”

“Moving up, there are Destroyers and Cruisers, which roughly correspond to Planetary Level Initial to Intermediate Martial Artists, serving as the backbone of the fleet.”

“Then there are battleships, like the ‘Star Dome Class’ we just mentioned, corresponding to Planetary Level High or even Peak.”

“Above battleships, there are even more powerful ‘Dreadnoughts.’ It is said that the power of their main cannons can threaten Stellar Level Initial Experts.”

“And the legendary ‘Titan Class’ carriers or Fortress Ships are the core and mobile fortresses of the entire fleet. Their combined firepower and defense are rumored to be able to directly contend with Stellar Level Intermediate or even High existences!”

Chen Yao's eyes lit up as she exclaimed:

“Wow! Titan Ships! They sound so amazing! If we have lots of Titan Ships, won't we be afraid of that wicked Empire anymore?”

Chen Xi gently shook her head, a solemn expression unbefitting her age appearing on her small face:

“Teacher Su said that the construction and maintenance of the highest-Rank battleships are extremely difficult, requiring astronomical amounts of resources. The entire Federation might not be able to build many. Furthermore, a true Stellar Level Expert is very flexible. Although battleships have strong firepower, they are also large targets... Therefore, the strongest power is ultimately the combination of powerful Martial Artists themselves and technology.”

A boy with fiery red short hair and an exuberant personality, who was standing nearby, overheard their conversation and interjected:

“I object! No matter how powerful battleships are, they are inanimate objects! Once I Awaken the ‘Acquired Martial Body’ and become a War God Level Expert in the future, I can smash a Cruiser with one punch!”

His name was Yan Hao, and his energy Affinity was S Rank. He was one of the most talented people in the class besides Chen Xi and Chen Yao, and he naturally worshipped individual might.

Another girl, who wore glasses and looked quieter, pushed up her spectacles and calmly countered:

“Yan Hao, Teacher Su just talked about the importance of technology and wisdom. Furthermore, becoming an Expert requires a lot of resources; Aptitude alone is not enough.”

Her name was Wen Jing (meaning quiet/gentle), and true to her name, her Affinity was A Rank, and her thinking was more rational.

“What are resources for!”

Yan Hao waved his hand dismissively,

“With my S Rank Affinity, even if my family doesn't provide resources, it's a certainty that I will naturally Awaken the ‘Acquired Martial Body’ when I reach adulthood!”

Just then, a boy named Leng Feng (SS Rank Affinity), who had a slightly arrogant demeanor, spoke indifferently:

“Natural Awakening? That is the least efficient method. For Affinities above A Rank, as long as resources keep up, there's no need to wait until adulthood. You can quickly condense the Acquired Martial Body early, Breakthrough to Warrior Rank, and lay a more solid foundation. Natural Awakening is simply a waste of Heaven's gifts. With my SS Rank, if resources are sufficient, charging toward War God Level before thirty is not a dream.”

His gaze inadvertently swept over Chen Xi and Chen Yao, carrying a hint of imperceptible envy and competitiveness.

He was a Genius, but these sisters were monsters.

Wen Jing nodded in agreement:

“Leng Feng is right. The better the Aptitude, the greater the return on resources invested in early Cultivation. Just look at Chen Xi and Chen Yao, they possess the Innate Martial Body; their starting point is far higher than ours.”

She looked at the sisters and asked curiously,

“Chen Xi, you know so much. You seem more mature than all of us.”

Chen Xi paused slightly, a faint shadow crossing her overly clear eyes. She spoke softly, her voice calm but carrying a clarity far beyond her age:

“It's nothing. It's just... before I was five, I watched my dad work four jobs every day, exhausting himself, aging quickly, just so we could eat and have a chance to participate in the Aptitude general survey. I knew then that having things Innate is not enough. Resources, effort, and... responsibility, are all very important.”

She paused, then continued to explain, as if organizing her own thoughts:

“Also, Teacher Su said that high energy Affinity, by absorbing Universe energy, will subtly nourish the brain and Soul, making us more precocious than ordinary children and think more deeply.”

This statement resonated with the other children. They indeed felt that their cognitive abilities and learning speed far surpassed those of ordinary children.

“Speaking of resources,”

Wen Jing pushed up her glasses, bringing the topic back to reality,

“The most important thing must be ‘yuan coin,’ right? My dad said that is the hard currency of the Martial Artist world.”

Yan Hao eagerly chimed in:

“Exactly! yuan coin is the crystallization of highly condensed Universe energy! Only Warrior Rank Martial Artists who have Awakened the Acquired Martial Body can condense it themselves! A Planetary Level Initial Warrior, Cultivating 8 hours a day, can condense about one standard yuan coin in a year!”

Leng Feng added, his tone reflecting the knowledge of his social stratum:

“One yuan coin has an official exchange rate of ten thousand Credit Points. But usually, no one is foolish enough to exchange yuan coin for Credit Points, because many Cultivation resources, Advanced equipment, and even Genetic Potions only accept yuan coin; Credit Points simply cannot buy them.”

Chen Yao asked curiously:

“Ten thousand Credit Points? Is that a lot?”

She hadn't dealt with ordinary people's currency since arriving at the headquarters.

Wen Jing patiently explained:

“Extremely much. An ordinary Mortal with B Rank Affinity, working desperately in a factory for a year without rest, might only earn five or six thousand Credit Points. That is to say, the value created in a year by the most ordinary Initial Warrior—even one with D Rank Affinity who used vast resources to Awaken the Acquired Martial Body—just by Cultivating 8 hours a day to condense yuan coin, is equivalent to two Mortals with B Rank Affinity who, due to poverty and lack of resources for Cultivation, were thrown into a welfare home, failed to Awaken the Acquired Martial Body and step into the Warrior Rank, working hard for an entire year! After all, once you pass eighteen and your body is fully formed, if you haven't Awakened the Acquired Martial Body, you are basically destined to be unconnected with Martial Artists! Unless you pay an even greater price! But for parents so poor they couldn't afford the resources to Awaken the Acquired Martial Body before eighteen, breaking physical limits to Awaken the Martial Body after adulthood is just a pipe dream!”

This comparison made Chen Yao gasp. She finally understood why the gap between the Martial Artist class and the Mortal class was so immense.

Chen Xi softly took over, pointing out the key:

“Therefore, this is why the Federation and major powers place such importance on Aptitude Cultivation. If resources are provided to help someone Awaken the Acquired Martial Body early and become a Warrior, they can produce yuan coin themselves later. yuan coin is a rigid demand for the Federation; all kinds of high-end industries require it. As long as one Awakens the Acquired Martial Body and becomes a Martial Artist, even an Initial Martial Artist, they are contributing to the Federation! If a family is poor and cannot afford Genetic Awakening Potions and initial Cultivation resources, and the Federation doesn't prioritize them, let alone D Rank Aptitude, even B Rank Aptitude might mean they can never naturally Awaken and can only remain a Mortal, unable to contribute much to the Federation. You must know, B Rank Aptitude, if properly cultivated, has the potential to become a War General Rank Martial Artist. After all, most people have E or F Rank Aptitude. Once someone reaches D Rank Aptitude, the Federation starts paying attention with subsidies and policies—unless that person was abandoned in a welfare home...”

Speaking of this, Chen Xi paused, her brows slightly furrowed.

“As for people like us,”

Leng Feng interjected, his tone filled with pride,

“With Aptitude above A Rank, even without Cultivation, we will definitely naturally Awaken the Acquired Martial Body and step into the Warrior Rank before adulthood; we are Heaven's favored ones. But if massive resources are invested, we can Awaken even earlier, develop our potential more thoroughly, and go further. For example, my goal is to achieve War God Level before thirty!”

At this moment, Lin Xue, another girl with S Rank Affinity who had been quiet and had a gentle temperament, said softly:

“That's why the Federation values Chen Xi and Chen Yao so much. Innate Martial Body... I heard that even without any Cultivation, they will at least reach War God Peak when they reach adulthood!”

Wen Jing pushed up her glasses, and a data-like glint flashed across the lenses:

“Not ‘at least,’ but ‘certainly.’ The lower limit of the Innate Martial Body is War God Peak. And if resources are invested for careful Cultivation, the probability of Breakthrough to Planetary Level is extremely high! Rumor has it there are even precedents for Breakthrough to Stellar Level! Think about it: a Planet-level Expert, or even Stellar Level, possessing a lifespan of ten thousand years! If they dedicate themselves to scientific research, even using only one-tenth of that time, the technological advancements they could bring would be revolutionary! This is the greatest strategic value of the Innate Martial Body! Individual combat power is secondary.”

All the children, including the proud Yan Hao and Leng Feng, looked at Chen Xi and Chen Yao again, their gazes complex.

They pursued the War God Level, but Planetary Level... that was a Rank they had to look up to.

The endpoint they pursued was only the starting point for these sisters.