Changing identities felt like a form of liberation for Xiao Qicai—at least it allowed her to temporarily escape the resentment tied to Bai Yushan's past.
Of course, gains came with losses.
Shedding Bai Yushan's identity meant she could no longer use any of her previous records, including her secondary school diploma or the law program admission letter she had received from the prestigious No. 46 Advanced Academy.
Even the government-subsidized housing registered under Bai Yushan’s name was no longer available—though, to be fair, the lease had already expired.
Xiao Qicai’s account now held a mere 200 star coins, but she wasn’t worried. Instead, she set her sights on another program at No. 46 Advanced Academy: actuarial science.
It was the only major that didn’t require prior academic credentials—just passing the entrance exam. And right now, it was her only viable option.
Across the entire United Government’s higher education system, this major enrolled very few students each year. Some academies often failed to admit even one. Whether on low-tier planets or advanced ones, actuarial students were exceedingly rare.
On Planet 4628, No. 46 Advanced Academy hadn’t admitted a single actuarial student in three consecutive years.
Because these students were, by nature, geniuses—and geniuses weren’t common.
So, for a genius, whether they had a secondary school diploma didn’t matter. What mattered was their mind.
002 kept urging Xiao Qicai to just ask Xuan Chen and his group for help—after all, they were now partners.
But Xiao Qicai understood: their partnership was still new, and for now, they stood on equal footing. The moment she started relying on them, that dynamic would shift.
That was why she had deliberately framed updating her citizen card as a concession in their negotiations, rather than outright begging for their help to regain her legal identity.
Was she truly at a dead end? Not at all.
If she passed the actuarial exam and got accepted into the academy, she could reapply for government-subsidized housing under her new identity, Xiao Qicai.
Besides, she was particularly enticed by No. 46 Advanced Academy’s policy of covering room and board.
The actuarial program even offered living stipends and scholarship opportunities.
After all, nearly every graduate from this field became a highly sought-after talent—snapped up by corporations, enterprises, and even government agencies across the United Government.
Most ended up as core figures in major companies.
Whether she chose to work for others later didn’t matter. Right now, she needed to get into this program.
But No. 46 Advanced Academy’s semester was about to start, and the enrollment deadline was just three days away.
How could anyone complete the actuarial exam in just three days?
"Boss, if she really passes the actuarial exam in three days, we shouldn’t hesitate—just recruit her for Dark Star. She’d bring us a qualitative leap! A future actuary!"
That was Xuan Chen’s take.
"I don’t think so. If she dared to sign up, she must have some confidence. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have refused our help and opted for a government shelter instead."
Xi Yuanche disagreed.
"Wanna bet, Boss?" Xuan Chen’s eyes gleamed.
He hadn't made a bet with Xi Yuan Ce in a long time.
"Let's bet." Xi Yuan Ce thought about how Xiao Qicai was from another world, and her sharp-witted demeanor made him believe she could work miracles.
Unaware of the wager between the two, Xiao Qicai immersed herself completely in the virtual network's database.
She spent all her remaining money on internet fees and basic theoretical books for actuaries, leaving herself with only single-digit star coins.
Fortunately, the shelter provided free nutrient paste daily—though it tasted awful, having a place to stay and food to survive was already a blessing.
Despite the harsh environment, the light in her eyes burned brilliantly.
She stood out starkly among the other shelter residents.
The shelter was nothing more than a covered hall—just a temporary space to curl up and sleep, and a place to receive the bare minimum to keep from starving. The conditions were abysmal. Yet, amid such adversity, someone still studying was undeniably eye-catching.
The actuary exam tested memory and analytical ability—essentially, the power of the human mind.
In the current socio-economic climate of the United Government, technology had advanced rapidly, with intelligent devices becoming incredibly sophisticated. Most people relied on the virtual network and AI computing power for planning and organizing activities.
This dependence on algorithmic intelligence had weakened human cognitive and computational abilities.
But eventually, people realized that machines calculated purely through logical causality, whereas human judgment was far more comprehensive—capable of producing more refined results.
Thus, the profession of actuaries was born.
Over the years, corporations and government institutions grew increasingly reliant on actuaries, achieving significant results, which elevated the profession's importance.
The only problem was that among millions, barely one could become an actuary.
Actuaries were essentially geniuses—their mental capacity far surpassed ordinary people, their reasoning abilities terrifying.
They were even more valuable than machines.
Typically, those with the talent for it would display signs in childhood—extraordinary mental resilience, photographic memory, and sharp judgment.
Children identified with such gifts were usually given specialized training by their families, repeatedly taking the actuary exams, often entering advanced institutions by their teens. Of course, foundational education was still necessary.
Xiao Qicai's abilities were undoubtedly solid, and her logical analysis and judgment, based on experience, were unquestionably sound.
So she had no choice but to gamble.
Over these three days, she cut herself off from all external distractions. Aside from consuming nutrient paste and using the restroom, she wasted not a single second.
She buried herself in the virtual network and actuarial theory books, memorizing every possible detail word for word.
She flipped through pages at an astonishing speed.
This drew mockery from those around her, who dismissed her as all show—maybe even an idiot, given her age and still studying basic actuarial principles.
After all, real geniuses started learning the fundamentals when they were just children.
Finally, the day of the assessment arrived. To avoid any external interference, she decided to go directly to the No. 46 Advanced Institute for an in-person evaluation.
The admissions teacher looked utterly lethargic. While other departments were busy processing applications, his section had very few candidates. The occasional online assessments all ended in failure, making it likely another fruitless recruitment year for him.
So he bought a drink and lounged lazily in the admissions office lounge.
That was until a young girl rushed in, panting.
"Hello, are you Professor Wen? The staff told me you oversee the actuary examinations. I’d like to take the in-person assessment—could you arrange that for me?"
This was Xiao Qicai. She had visited every department’s admissions office but couldn’t find the actuary examiner. Only after asking around did she learn that, due to the lack of applicants, the professor had retreated to the lounge to rest.
Fortunately, people held a certain reverence for actuaries and were supportive of students aspiring to the field, so they kindly pointed her in the right direction.
Professor Wen’s eyes immediately landed on the "F" insignia on her wrist terminal.
He frowned. "Young lady, are you sure you want to take the actuary exam? And that you want to enroll at No. 46 Advanced Institute? You do know our school requires at least an E-class citizen card to graduate, right? Since you’ve mustered the courage to come here, I assume you’re serious. If you’re truly a genius, you shouldn’t waste your potential here."
Xiao Qicai hadn’t expected Professor Wen to be so blunt, but his directness also proved he wasn’t looking down on her.
She nodded, catching her breath before replying:
"That’s right. No. 46 Advanced Institute is my top choice because I’ve heard it has the best faculty resources. I want the finest education possible. Though I come from humble beginnings, I still want to change my destiny!"
The real reason, of course, was that the institute provided free room and board along with stipends.
But she knew exactly what the professor wanted to hear, so she poured on the sincerity.
"Besides, I believe that if I pass the actuary exam and become a certified actuary, I’ll earn enough to quickly save up the 500 million credits needed to upgrade my citizen card and graduate."
This wasn’t entirely wrong—actuaries did have relatively high earning potential. If she could obtain her certification, companies would likely offer her lucrative positions even before graduation.
Professor Wen’s eyes gleamed with approval.
"Good, that’s the spirit! An actuary needs precisely this kind of confidence. I’ll arrange an examination room for you right away. Pass the test, and you’re in!"
Only then did Xiao Qicai finally relax.
Inside the spacious examination hall, she was the only candidate. As her terminal connected to the institute’s virtual assessment network, her consciousness fully immersed into the simulation.
At that moment, 002—who had remained silent for so long—suddenly spoke up:
"Cheating is wrong, but Master, I’ve thought it over. If you pass the actuary exam, Xi Yuanche will definitely see you in a new light. I... I could help you cheat—just a little! No one would notice, and besides, I’m your personal AI system anyway."
Clearly, 002 had wrestled with this decision for a long time before mustering the courage to offer assistance.
Xiao Qicai couldn’t help but laugh.
Sometimes, this system was adorably naive.
"Thank you, but I don't need it. Don't you believe in me? Turn it off for now and wait for my results!"
002's voice immediately became stuttered.
"O-okay... alright, Master. I believe in you. Go for it!"
As 002's voice faded from her mind, Xiao Qi took a deep breath and clicked "Start Exam," immersing herself completely in the test questions.
By the time she snapped out of the long answering process, she was drenched in sweat.
The exam system displayed "Grading in Progress."
Teacher Wen was also staring intently at the score panel.
Finally, the numbers on the panel began to spin before stopping at the final score.
"59."
In that instant, Xiao Qi's face turned ashen, as if she had been dealt a heavy blow.
She opened her mouth to speak but ultimately lowered her head.
As expected, she had underestimated interstellar society. Even after memorizing all the foundational theories of an actuary in three days, passing the most difficult professional exam—one reserved for geniuses—was still beyond her.
She looked at Teacher Wen and whispered,
"I'm sorry for disappointing you."
Then, she turned to leave the classroom.
002 didn't know what to say. Though they hadn't been in interstellar society for long, Xiao Qi had always approached everything with confidence and precision. It was rare to see her so utterly dejected.
It could only console her: "It's okay. Exams aren't the only measure of success. Even if you failed, there are other paths! Why not go to Xi Yuan Ce? They've been hinting at recruiting you lately. If you join Dark Star, you'll have more chances to interact with him, and then, well... you know, develop feelings..."
What great comfort!
For the first time, Xiao Qi truly wished for a time machine—to go back before the exam and give it her all again.
But just as she was about to step out of the classroom, Teacher Wen called out to her:
"Wait, why are you in such a hurry? Could it be you're eager to share the good news with your family?"
Xiao Qi immediately lifted her head—good news?
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