Chapter 9: Velocity

“Class, if you have questions, feel free to ask AI,” Professor Chen said, then suddenly paused. He seemed both amused and exasperated. “I spoke too soon. You all probably started using AI long before I did. After all, young people adapt to new things far more easily than we do.”

“Teacher!” Someone suddenly raised their hand. After Professor Chen nodded, the student stood up immediately. “I want to ask! AI has only been around for a few years, but even so, it’s already showing terrifying potential. If it continues to develop like this, AI might completely replace humans in the future... or at least replace 90% of human jobs.”

“In that case, is what we’re studying even useful? Entering society now means a high chance of unemployment. What happens if this keeps progressing?”

“The only jobs AI seems unable to replace are things like manual labor or cleaning—those ‘blessed triple occupations.’ If this trend continues... what’s the point of learning? What’s the purpose of university? If graduating just means working in those jobs, wouldn’t it be better to enter society right after high school?”

“That’s a good question.” Professor Chen’s expression grew serious. He pondered for a moment before carefully choosing his words. “Studying is never wrong. Current AI acts as an amplifier. The stronger your own abilities, the more effectively you can leverage AI.”

“As for the future... I’m sorry, I can’t give a definite answer!” He spoke honestly, then added humorously, “Maybe you’d have better luck asking your political theory teacher? Though personally, I believe we can trust the government on this.”

“If it really comes to that point, the government will surely enact policies. Also, although this might sound lofty, learning isn’t solely for finding a job. It’s about enhancing your own abilities so that you can find suitable work through your own strength.”

The questioner opened his mouth but ended up nodding reluctantly and sat back down. To be fair, he wasn’t satisfied with the answer, but Professor Chen had been sincere, and that was all he could do.

“To be honest, most of it was just empty words, but I think old Chen made a valid point!” Lin Xia whispered quietly beside Chu Zhu.

“?” Chu Zhu looked at her, puzzled.

“Lofty and high-sounding,” Lin Xia replied.

Chu Zhu’s mouth twitched, but soon he realized something, his thoughts swirling. “Wait, what will AI really become in the future?”

It was a fascinating topic...

Could AI truly replace humans?

“If my dream really is the future... right, that AI.” Chu Zhu’s heart stirred with strange emotions. If it was truly the future, and if he could find an AI to communicate with, could he ask how many years separate that dream world from reality? What happened in between to make it like that?

Finally, class ended.

Next was naturally moving to another classroom for a different subject. Everything proceeded as usual.

***

This went on until after lunch.

There were no classes in the afternoon by chance.

Chu Zhu dragged Lin Xia out to the sports field.

“Wait, are you dragging me out to exercise?” Lin Xia twitched her eye and raised her hand in surrender. “I’m famously lazy! Maybe just forget it?”

“Not that.” Chu Zhu shook his head. “I want you to record something. I want to measure my exact running speed.”

Lin Xia blinked. “? You just dragged me out for that?”

“Not a problem, but you owe me dinner!” Lin Xia bargained.

“I don’t mind! But,” Chu Zhu calmly adjusted his collar, “I feel like in the end, you’ll be the one insisting on treating me.”

Lin Xia snorted. “You’re dreaming.”

Spring was turning to summer, and the plastic track had been baking under the sun all morning, slightly warm. Chu Zhu didn’t warm up; he just rubbed his feet lightly and nodded to Lin Xia.

“Run!”

Lin Xia swore that the moment he hit the timer, he almost thought he was hallucinating. Chu Zhu shot off like an arrow. This was beyond fast—it was absurd.

***

At the other side of the sports field.

Inside the physical education office.

Coach Zhang Song pushed up his glasses, set down his pen, and stretched lazily. “Finally finished filling out the physical fitness forms! College students nowadays... their bodies really are getting worse.”

As he stood up, a shadow suddenly flashed past his window with a whoosh. “What was that?!”

Zhang Song wondered if he’d imagined it, staring blankly for a moment before quickly opening the door and rushing outside. What he saw was a dense crowd of people.

***

There were always plenty of students on the sports field. Even before evening, many couples came here to stroll.

“Where did they go? That...” Zhang Song kept looking, and soon spotted someone running on the far side of the field. But that speed—

“Did they weave through the crowd? If they cut through the middle, I could understand... but if they ran along the track at that speed!” Zhang Song calculated in his mind, breaking out in cold sweat.

But soon he saw the two runners leave the field.

“No, wait... hey, hold on! You there!” Zhang Song called out anxiously, chasing after them. But it was useless. There were many students nearby, some looking at him with confusion.

Some even hesitantly waved him over, surrounding him, so he had to dodge them.

By the time he reached the other side of the field—

They had vanished.

“This is unbelievable.” Zhang Song was silent for a long moment, staring at his palm before slapping his own face hard. “Stop spacing out, stop spacing out, stop spacing out...”

After a while, he barely calmed down. But thinking pessimistically, could there really be a student with such athletic potential at this school?

If so, wouldn’t the routine physical tests have revealed it already? Or was it a new student?

If they had that ability, they should be a sports major, right? He would know.

“Check the records!” Zhang Song took a deep breath and made up his mind, rushing back to the office, but soon realized, “Wait, if it’s in the records, I’d know... So, better check the security office! They have video footage... maybe we can estimate the speed from that.”

“We have to be fast! What if that student isn’t from our school? Actually, that’s the most likely. We can’t let them get away.”

Zhang Song hurried off in a new direction.