On the day the final overall evaluations were announced, a silent blue light flowed across the exterior wall of Stellar University's central data tower. Two names were **displayed side by side** at the top of the list: Shan Jue and Qian Hui.
Their victory held no suspense, yet was filled with unseen friction.
Shan Jue logged into the "Mirror" system. His data spectrum displayed a near-ruthless, perfect symmetry. This was not the spark of genius, but the result of meticulous programming. He had transformed the 743 detailed assessment criteria from the student handbook into a daily script for his own conduct. A single elective course report could simultaneously satisfy five implicit indicators such as "academic innovation," "cross-disciplinary application," and "expressive influence." His complimentary medical records showed physical fitness data exceeding the baseline by 47%; the ratio of books to clothing in his purchase history precisely matched the "ideal cognitive development model." He was like a top-tier lawyer—never violating the rules, yet always able to find the most advantageous interpretation within the regulations, constructing an impeccable chain of evidence for himself. He had become the perfect embodiment of the system's evaluation logic.
**Qian Hui's "Mirror" was different.** The edges of her data spectrum flickered with subtle fluctuations that were hard to categorize yet possessed a distinct aesthetic quality. She excelled at spotting the system's **"arbitrage opportunities."** While everyone else fought for visible high grades, she developed an algorithm that allowed her to earn **above-average returns** in areas that were hard to quantify yet carried considerable weight, such as "cross-community collaboration" and "implicit knowledge contribution." Her "social circle" data was a carefully curated investment portfolio: several quiet monastic students with exceptionally high paper citation rates, and two exchange students who controlled unique experimental resources. The system judged this as "high-quality social capital," but she knew it was a future hub for intelligence and resources.
They did not simply bury themselves in books. Instead, they turned the entire university's evaluation ecosystem into a chessboard. Shan Jue played the white pieces, defining the boundaries of the game through absolute, flawless compliance. Qian Hui played the black pieces, strategically placing her moves in the shadows along those boundaries to excavate undervalued potential. They shared data, yet presented distinctly different profiles, ensuring that no matter how the system's preferences might shift, the pinnacle would always lie between the two of them.
What they did not know was that the trial awaiting them would overturn their lives completely.