Cyber Era Witch
Chapter 918 - 739: Picking Up a Bubble

Chapter 918: Chapter 739: Picking Up a Bubble

"Boyfriends can’t be printed out of a machine," Xu Yang told her.

Although many people now use machines to design companions, Xu Cheng shouldn’t be the type who couldn’t find a partner.

"Quack?" Xu Cheng was puzzled. She felt that with her social habits, if she didn’t print out a boyfriend from a machine, she would never find one in the future.

"You can go out and meet some friends and then choose carefully," Xu Yang advised her.

"Pop pop..." Xu Cheng pondered seriously.

She felt she must have a companion. Her father was very busy with work and was out early and back late. Being alone was too boring, and she also wanted to meet people her age.

Xu Cheng mentioning a boyfriend made Xu Yang feel anxious and uncertain.

He didn’t know what it would be like to marry Xu Cheng off, and even though it was too early to discuss, it was inevitable.

One day in the future, Xu Cheng would fall in love with some jerk and leave her father’s embrace. Every father had to be mentally prepared for such a day.

"Seriously though, if you were to look for a boyfriend, have you thought about what kind of person he would be?" Xu Yang asked.

"Quack quack pop pop." Xu Cheng gesticulated from under the covers.

Three essential elements for Xu Cheng’s boyfriend:

First, he must be male.

Second, have enough money to buy milk.

Third, not have to work, so he can always keep her company.

"If he doesn’t work, how will he buy you milk?" Xu Yang questioned.

"Pop pop." Xu Cheng fell into deep thought.

As she pondered, she fell asleep hugging her father’s arm.

To this extent, the only requirement Xu Yang had for Xu Cheng’s partner was that he be good to her.

In the vast sea of people, there surely must exist such a person.

On Monday, Xu Yang went to the Quantum Computer Development Center to participate in scheme design, continuing the research on Heberon.

Xu Cheng also had to attend class remotely from home. She donned the Virtual Helmet, and her view quickly transformed with vibrant, swirling colors, shifting to a general education classroom.

A gender-neutral AI teacher taught Xu Cheng about literature, mathematics, science, history, and geography.

Due to the varying degrees of modifications humans underwent, there were different tiers of educational approaches.

The fastest method to instill knowledge was "knowledge imprinting," which directly created defined neural circuit structures in the mind. This method was very aggressive and caused indelible brain damage, usually employed by corporate personnel.

The second tier was "virtual reality courses," which required the participant to undergo some degree of cybernetic enhancement, at least a brain-computer interface, basic electronic brain processor, and neuro-electricity bundling, with the aim of converting part of the participant’s consciousness into operable and editable data codes. This made interaction with electronic programs easier, allowing participants to absorb knowledge far more efficiently than traditional learning methods.

Xu Cheng had not undergone any body modifications and thus could not participate in these virtual courses; in fact, she had no plans of undergoing any bodily enhancements. This approach was prevalent among families with the finances and determination to modify their children cybernetically.

The third tier was the remote teaching via helmet that Xu Cheng was currently using. It had minimal side effects on the biological body, and didn’t even cause myopia. All knowledge was presented in the form of virtual images, videos, and music.

A single helmet could replace the functions of textbooks, blackboards, and slides.

Looking around, she could see many of her classmates, who all existed as virtual avatars, many paying for fashionable appearances.

No one interacted with Xu Cheng because they found it tedious to communicate with her.

There were no extracurricular or group activities. During breaks, students would simply remove their helmets and entertain themselves in their own rooms.

This type of course isolated students from one another, weakening the cultivation of their social skills but also avoiding instances of school bullying. This was perfect for the inherently solitary Xu Cheng, unlike her initial struggles with Laila and her clique at the academy.

As for the fourth tier—traditional large classroom learning—recognized for its low efficiency and the physical and mental toll on students, it has been progressively phased out.

In the Northern Archipelago, the college entrance exam had changed. The significance of traditional selective examinations had been greatly diminished. Students once had to endure vast and brutal competition to gain entry into important institutions like Shangjing University, Capital City University, and Harutsu University.

The presence of Nestor Corporation had diminished the importance of such exams. Nestor Corporation didn’t care for academic qualifications; they focused on assessing skills. The company also provided a "career training" mode for prospective employees, allowing them to receive advanced skill training while working.

Many students choose to work and study at Nestor Corporation after high school graduation, opting for a work-study life. Consequently, students get familiar with the work during their educational journey, and upon graduation, they can choose to sign contracts to stay or utilize their accumulated industry experience to change jobs.

With years of early accumulation, their salaries and benefits greatly exceeded those of regular university graduates. They were already industry backbones, far surpassing their peers.

Attending college consumes time and money and does not necessarily guarantee employment.

Working at Nestor Corporation allows one to experience the nature of the job firsthand, learn skills that secure a livelihood, and save up a considerable salary.

In this way, about three hundred thousand students leave the college entrance exam track each year, adopting Nestor Corporation’s industry-oriented training model.