After two days of rest, Liu Hai took the opportunity to experience what schools were like in the interstellar era.
The combination of 100% virtual technology, StarNet, and the Gene Optimization Technology provided by the Federation Welfare Institute ensured that ordinary people born in the interstellar era possessed physical capabilities and cognitive memory functions at least three times greater than those from the homeworld era.
"Photographic memory" might be an overstatement, but with the widespread use of memory techniques, it was indeed achievable.
Thanks to genetic optimization, the average lifespan of Federation citizens extended to three hundred years, giving them ample time to learn and improve themselves. Even just by investing time, they could elevate their skills to a decent level.
As a result, with the Federation's growing population and the unrelenting spirit of expansion, a significant proportion of people pursued military careers. Even among Liu Hai's company employees, many who worked as clerks harbored a warrior's heart.
This time, Liu Hai truly witnessed the interstellar era's even more cutthroat competition compared to the homeworld era. Over the two days, he wandered through various teaching sessions under the pretense of observational learning.
A single class might only have a few dozen enrolled students, but over a hundred thousand learners attended via StarNet. Courses taught by renowned instructors could attract millions—and that was with participation restricted to the local star sector. If opened to all, the numbers would likely multiply by several orders of magnitude.
This was especially true for starship training courses. Since simulated combat involved every aspect of warship operations, the Konor Military Academy's teaching method involved holding a large-scale session once a month, where students from different disciplines participated and formed complete starship crews—either by self-selection or random assignment.
These teams piloted starships in the virtual network, engaging in battles against simulated pirates, enemy forces, or even other teams. StarNet evaluated their performance, converting their scores into academic credits.
Naturally, top performers garnered significant attention. Upon graduation, numerous corporations would extend offers in scenes as lively as auction houses.
However, most high-achieving students ultimately chose to join either military exploration fleets or various Lord Legions.
This path offered the best chance for them to break through class barriers and become lords in their own right. In contrast, joining corporate expansion teams required signing long-term contracts, and the benefits paled in comparison to those offered by the military or lord factions.
During his time there, Liu Hai even sat in on a lecture by a renowned professor ranked third in the command department. Despite having no prior knowledge, he found the two-hour session immensely rewarding, sparking an urge to enroll and study properly.
In the end, it was Igor, who had joined him for the lecture, who dissuaded him. As Igor put it, "You're the boss—why would you need to personally command a fleet on the front lines? What's the point of spending so much money to hire all these people then?"
Two days later, at Academy One Square, Liu Hai stood by the floor-to-ceiling window observing the neatly lined-up students waiting for their interviews below. He couldn't help but marvel—this was indeed a military academy. While the students seemed no different from those at regular universities during leisure time, they immediately revealed their military discipline when it mattered most!
Looking down at the tens of thousands of students standing as straight as pines, their queues perfectly matched the 396 companies present for recruitment. This meant they had already self-assigned their first-choice companies. After completing their interviews, they would autonomously proceed to queue for their second-choice companies.
Despite the crowd of tens of thousands, there was none of the expected clamor or congestion. Everything flowed smoothly with impeccable order.
"The Konor Military Academy truly lives up to its reputation as the top military institution. I never imagined an interview process could resemble army training—executed flawlessly without a hint of chaos. Your academy's teaching prowess is truly admirable," Liu Hai remarked to the academy instructor beside him, who was also observing the scene below.
"Haha, Chairman Liu flatters us. As a military academy, if we couldn't even maintain basic order, we might as well shut down to avoid failing our students," Li Yingji replied modestly, though the smile on his face showed he was pleased with the praise.
"By the way, have the commander and captain candidates arrived for their interviews?" Liu Hai turned to ask Li Ping. Receiving a confirming nod, he said, "Since they're here, let's begin."
Only ten commander candidates had come for interviews, primarily because many were skeptical of the newly emerged Star Sea Group. Currently just a shell company, Star Sea possessed a modest fleet without even a single Battleship as its main force.
Thus, the Starsea Fleet's appeal ranked near the bottom compared to other established corporations. Other groups, some operating for decades or even centuries, offered far more credibility than this newcomer.
The commander candidates applying here were mid-tier graduates—welcome at large corporations but with modest treatment, or desired by smaller companies but unsatisfied with their offers.
"The first interviewee is Li Yali, ranked 132nd in the academy, with a record of organizing classmates to annihilate a mid-sized pirate fleet," Li Ping projected each candidate's profile, detailing their backgrounds before notifying them to enter upon Liu Hai's approval.
"Reporting! Command Department cadet Li Yali, present for interview!" Li Yali, clad in her academy uniform and standing tall, announced loudly at the doorway.
"Please come in, Cadet Li Yali," Li Ping personally invited her inside.
Liu Hai watched as she marched to the center of the room without glancing sideways, reporting again: "Command Department cadet Li Yali reporting for duty. Awaiting instructions!"
"At ease," Instructor Li Yingji gestured for her to sit.
Liu Hai's gaze swept over her, pausing in surprise at the weighty grapefruits she carried. Even after genetic optimization, their size was remarkable—had they been specifically enhanced?
"Student Li Yali, I believe you have a basic understanding of our company's situation. Could you share your reasons for choosing our company?" Liu Hai inquired while reviewing her detailed profile.
Li Yali sat upright with perfect posture, her voice gentle yet resonant: "I've conducted in-depth research on your company's information. However, from my sources, I couldn't find any details about the chairman's background prior to joining the Kono Administrative Star. Additionally, the company's funding sources appear unusual—it suddenly obtained its initial startup capital from the Thunder God Shipyard, and subsequently generated revenue from films and games that far exceeded their intrinsic value in a short period."
"Therefore, I believe your company is likely a branch of some family or other organization. Joining now would be highly beneficial for my future growth."
"Answer complete!"
Liu Hai and Li Yingji exchanged knowing smiles. These surface-level details were publicly available, and indeed many people shared this assumption. Yet few actually acted on it, because Liu Hai didn't exhibit the strategic intelligence expected of a major power's representative.
The company's operations also showed no signs of being managed by any expert team. Consequently, many regarded Liu Hai's emergence with skepticism, adopting a policy of neither engaging nor antagonizing.
Most people in the interstellar era exercised patience, unwilling to invest in high-risk ventures.