Chapter 4, Group

The journey to arrive took seven days, while the return to the city only required one day. They drove through a newly planned area that was neatly organized, and shortly after nightfall, they entered the old city. Mei Qianchong maneuvered the vehicle, making several circles before stopping on the street in front of an old building

Mei Qianchong sat in the car, extending her arm out of the window, waving to the two people, "We will be on the road for a day, so be prepared."

Lu Yezhou walked out with a smile, holding a steaming stack of pancakes in his hand, "A hug in exchange for a breakfast."

Spies have two career paths: one is to become an investigator, charging into the front lines, recruiting peripheral spies, and collecting as much material as possible; the other is to be an analyst, responsible for identifying the most valuable information from a vast amount of data

Be careful. Lu Linbei pointed to his own mouth.

Remember, remember, this is one of the phrases he inevitably repeats every semester. He also says: Nevertheless, one must still work hard and be well-prepared. The difference is that those who are unprepared die inexplicably, while those who are prepared will mutter before their death, 'So this is how I die'.

Lu Linbei said nothing; he finally achieved his wish of becoming a spy, yet there was little joy in his heart

The elevator is in such a dilapidated state that it raises concerns, so they decided to take the stairs to the third floor

Soon, the vehicle entered the designated area, capable of autonomous driving. The seats rotated 180 degrees, allowing the two passengers in the back to face each other, reminiscing about childhood memories, chatting and laughing all the way, skillfully locating the food in the car, which included wine and snacks

I am wondering why the family is recruiting a large number of newcomers at this time. Lu Linbei does not intend to discuss the other thoughts in his mind

Although it is a place arranged by the organization, Mei Qianchong still carefully checked everything according to the procedure, then let the two sit down while he stood opposite them, his expression becoming serious for the first time, "483, remember this number"

Lu Yezhou was also selected, and when Mei Qianchong took his leave, he casually informed him at the door

Lu Linbei decided to take a leave of absence from school, and this "leave" lasted for five years. Suddenly, the Mei family opened their doors to him, waving warmly. To be honest, this made him feel a bit strange

The building is about 20 to 30 stories high, which is relatively short compared to the surrounding structures

Soon, he noticed a detail: unlike those students who were "selected," the children with the surname Mei, whether they wished to or not, would be chosen.

After receiving two years of basic training, a spy instructor said to him: "You should become an analyst; it's a pity that your surname is not Mei"

Most cases of "Star Syndrome" manifest during childhood, while Lu Linbei is considered to have a very late onset, with moderate symptoms that do not interfere with daily life but do affect academic performance

You little rascal, how old are you still being so mischievous? Go on, get out, and don't dirty my kitchen

Lu Linbei's situation is somewhat more complex. He was selected early on to become a "Meijia person" and received basic espionage training. Apart from being slightly lacking in physical fitness, he excels in all other areas.

After getting into the car, Mei Qianchong said: "Those who come from the farm can be considered semi-public spies; no matter how one tries to hide, it may be of no use, but this is a habit that should be well maintained"

Upon discovering that the person who had always taken care of him was not his biological mother, Lu Linbei felt quite lost for a while. Aside from that, he had no other feelings; there were many children like him around, and he did not sense any obvious discrimination.

The living room is spacious, filled with tables and chairs of various sizes, leaving several winding paths that often lead to newcomers being bumped into

Children from the farm receive the same education from a young age, and around the age of 15, they diverge paths. A portion continues with conventional education, while a smaller group is selected by the family to enter special schools, where, in addition to the regular curriculum, they begin receiving training in espionage. Each year, some students are eliminated, while new ones join.

Lu Linbei repeated it again

There are numerous relevant academic articles, yet no conclusion has been reached.

Lu Linbei sat on the bed, while Lu Yezhou kept watch at the window, eager to spot the vehicle first. "They've arrived!" he shouted, turning around to pick up the leather suitcase by his feet

Lu Yezhou raised his hand and made a gesture of cutting his throat

Mei Qianchong has left

Lu Linbei and Lu Yezhou have been unable to join the family's espionage organization for different reasons

During his university years, Lu Yezhou made a mistake by boasting to outsiders about his knowledge of spies. Although most of his understanding was incorrect and would not cause actual harm to the organization, his superiors still deemed him to be insufficiently discreet, raising doubts about his suitability for espionage.

When preparing for university, he first exhibited a stubborn side, disregarding the advice of his teachers and insisting on applying to the Department of History, majoring in Earth History. This is a field that attracts few inquiries; some carefree youths enroll for four years out of momentary interest, while others are students with poor academic performance who have no other options.

Group 483, I am the group leader, and you are the group members. Keep this number in mind and do not speak of it in the future, to anyone, not even to those within the organization

Lu Yezhou stepped out and asked in confusion, "What did you see?"

Lu Linbei nodded in agreement

The memories made the two of them burst into laughter

Mei Qianchong ignored him and continued driving. Lu Yezhou had no choice but to retract his hand again and praised the pancakes endlessly. Lu Linbei did not eat; he had a bad feeling about this car, as if he could still smell Miss Yuan's scent.

Uncle San is a teacher, and he has said too many things; which one?

The sedan is semi-autonomous, and the driver is still required to assist in control in non-designated areas. Mei Qianzhong drove with one hand, naturally taking a thin pancake from Lu Yezhou's hand, taking a bite and praising, "It's still my mother's skill, delicious. It would be even better paired with the pickles she makes."

The standard two-bedroom apartment is the residence of two newcomers

Indeed. Lu Yezhou sat on the edge of the bed, lost in thought for a while. "Mom has been rearranging the room these past few days. It seems those university students won't be coming back for the holidays, which means they have already joined the organization ahead of time. In any case, this is a good thing for us; if it weren't for the lack of people, we would have been stuck here. Just the thought of going to work on the farm makes me... it's not that I look down on them; they are all good people, but they are just too boring." In any case, this is a good thing for us; if it weren't for the lack of people, we would have been stuck here. Just the thought of going to work on the farm makes me... it's not that I look down on them; they are all good people, but they are just too boring.

Oh. A dismissive sound came from the kitchen

It was not until he was about fifteen years old that he finally realized the meaning of "interstellar orphan". Although he had read related articles long before, he had always thought that it was a term unrelated to himself

His gaze was quickly drawn to the scene across the street, unable to look away for a long time

Lu Yezhou also called out, receiving the same response. Eager to leave the farm, he suddenly felt an emotional stir, put down his suitcase, and ran into the kitchen

According to the rules, teachers should not say such things to students, so he never brought it up again. Lu Linbei did not inquire further, and the turmoil in his heart quickly subsided, willingly accepting the arrangement of fate

The deceased heir of the planet, that is his barbershop, I have seen it in the news

Lu Linbei grabbed the suitcase and got out of the car, while Lu Yezhou paused for a moment before following.

The Mei family intends to abandon this seedling, as evidenced by the absence of regular teacher visits.

Mei Qianchong smiled and said, "Let me say this for now, you all take a break. I will come again to assign you tasks."

There is no clear boundary between the two; everyone must start as an investigator, but ultimately only a select few have the potential to become analysts. Unfortunately, although this position is not high-ranking, it involves too much sensitive information and can only be held by the most trusted individuals

The other children have not yet gotten up, and in the kitchen, mother is busily preparing breakfast

Lu Linbei walked to the window and saw that the vehicle he had arrived in was still there, but Mei Qianchong had not appeared again

Strictly speaking, this is not classified as a disease; it falls under a certain psychological phenomenon where one may inexplicably enter a state of pessimism. It is not as severe as depression and typically resolves on its own without the need for treatment. It is commonly referred to as "Star Loneliness Syndrome".

"Are you still thinking about that woman?" Lu Yezhou came over to ask, as Mei Qianchong had already walked far away. "With this kind of mindset, you won't be able to work. It's a problem even bigger than talking too much. You wouldn't... fall back into old habits again, would you?"

The probability of interstellar orphans exhibiting such symptoms is as high as 20 to 40 percent. Some speculate that this may be related to experiences during the embryonic stage, as the prolonged interstellar journey has had a certain magical effect on these small cellular clusters

He said that spies can never be fully prepared, and those who excel in school may very well struggle to even pass the first hurdle when they enter the field

I am your only team leader and the sole superior. If one day, someone suddenly comes to you claiming to be a higher authority, even if this person is from the farm and someone you know, what will you do

Lu Yezhou was extremely happy, modestly expressing his thanks. Once Mei Qianchong left, he performed a somersault in the cramped bedroom. After regaining his balance, he immediately rushed to the window and gazed outside for a while, saying: "Lao Qian must have become the regional group leader; we are the new team he is going to establish. Lao Qian is a remarkable person; he has been since childhood. We all regard him as our leader, and even the older children do not exception. I guess he will be able to become a deputy director in the future, or even a director. If we stick with him, we will also have a chance for promotion... Lao Qian is a remarkable person; he has been since childhood. We all regard him as our leader, and even the older children do not exception. I guess he will be able to become a deputy director in the future, or even a director. If we stick with him, we will also have a chance for promotion... Why aren't you speaking?"

"483." Lu Yezhou immediately said

Ha, I will no longer make the mistake of being overly talkative. This is not with you, but if it were someone else, even my mother, I would..." Lu Yezhou made a gesture of sealing his lips.

Mei Qianchong is a normally born child from a farm. Through interactions with the children from the library and the orphans, they have become close and are accustomed to calling each other "mother"

Lu Yezhou had always watched Mei Qianchong with admiring eyes, immediately nodding in agreement, eager to say something, but the other party had already turned to look out the window

The mother has always been rather indifferent towards her adult child and did not come out to see him off. Lu Linbei said loudly, "Mother, we are leaving"

First was Mei Qianchong, then came Lu Linbei. In just a few sentences, Lu Yezhou had already "followed" the two individuals closely

The next day, before dawn, the two of them packed their luggage, each with a suitcase, waiting for Mei Qianchong's arrival

Hmm. Lu Linbei seemed to be listening, yet not listening.

Old Bei, you are the second most capable person among our group. If it weren't for those minor health issues, you would have already become the team leader. Now that the opportunity has come, you will surely stand out. Don't leave me behind; I am following you closely.

Even so, Lu Linbei may still be absorbed by the organization, as spies always need an identity, and being a historian is not a bad option

In the middle of the journey, they changed vehicles again, and the process was quite thrilling, as the cars on the road were coming one after another, driving at high speed

However, during his junior year, Lu Linbei "fell ill".

These future spies will participate in regular examinations and can only officially join the organization after graduating from university

Not long after leaving the farm, Mei Qianchong changed vehicles by the roadside at a very fast pace, without any prior warning. He stopped the car by the roadside, said "Go," opened the door, and strode towards another vehicle parked ahead.

Lu Linbei pointed with his hand, and Lu Yezhou looked for a while, "It's just a small barbershop."

Lu Yezhou patrolled around and discovered food in the small kitchen, cheering with joy

I am going to get something. Lu Yezhou made a move to push the door of the cart.

The two individuals nodded

Having shared the same bed for many years, Lu Linbei had grown accustomed to such remarks and paid them no mind. In order to dispel unwarranted thoughts, he began to recall the spy training he had undergone. "Do you remember what Uncle San said?"