Infiltrating the Superhuman Training Girls’ School of the Republic of China!

Tuesday. It was a day hastily designated as a holiday because Zhou Lizhi, as the investigation officer in charge, could not effectively conduct classes. In principle, another professor should have been assigned, but Zhou entrusted the management of the students to me and did not assign any other faculty member.

To be precise, I heard that no one wanted to take charge. This year’s first-year international students are too powerful. Even excluding Briar Churchill, one of the strongest of the era, Shradha Bhatt is also a powerhouse who could potentially match a medium tank one-on-one, and due to her recovery ability, some evaluate her actual combat power to be at the level of an armored battalion.

Julia Curoo, who can transform into any weapon, is also tricky, but Hoang Thi Linh, who momentarily subdued Zhou Lizhi, and Rebecca Katerfeld, who is rumored to be able to instantly see through one’s essence without considerable mental strength, seem to have struck fear into the Chinese faculty members.

“It’s because I’m at least capable enough to handle them,” Zhou proudly told me when she called me on Tuesday morning. I couldn’t say her words were wrong.

“More than anything else, I’m surprised you’re not hesitant about dealing with Rebecca Katerfeld. With Hoang Thi Linh’s hypnosis and Rebecca Katerfeld’s spiritual power, they could probably see through anyone. Aren’t you afraid?”

“I’ve been training my mind for over 20 years. Both how to attack and how to defend.”

“But you’re only twenty-seven, how…”

“I completed my awakening at five and started receiving education from seven. Even if they brought Katerfeld’s grandmother, she couldn’t see through my mind. With Hoang Thi Linh, well, my condition was a bit off at that time. Anyway, don’t try to nitpick anymore and just manage the kids on your own.”

“How am I supposed to manage students that even the local superhuman faculty members are too scared to handle? I hear they’re all making excuses about being busy preparing for Chiang Kai-shek’s birthday and quietly slipping away?”

“I’m just telling you to do it nominally, Lieutenant. Let them play for a day. Do you think we’d hold you responsible if any problems arise? We didn’t even hold you responsible for the murder case where you were suspected.”

Zhou Lizhi is quite young for an instructor at this school. Young to the point of being childish. But the fact that she was put in charge of investigating such a major incident was a clue that easily suggested she was essentially the second-in-command of this school.

The top person at the school is always Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek. He has been the principal of Huangpu since its opening, and based on that position, he took control of all of China. But Chiang is always in Nanjing. His position as principal is now just a formality. Then, is Zhou Lizhi currently the top person at this school?

Am I just scheming to trample such an incredible woman on the bed? Thinking about it, it was something to laugh at. Right after Zhou left my side, Rebecca Katerfeld, who had been watching for an opportunity to approach me, carefully came up and whispered:

“Once again, Zhou has become the second-in-command of Huangpu.”

“Once again? What other Zhou was there before?”

“Wasn’t there Zhou Enlai?”

I hurriedly brought my index finger to her lips to silence her. I made a shushing sound and looked around.

“How can you mention Zhou Enlai’s name here of all places, at Huangpu? That man was one of the leaders of the Communist Party.”

“Compared to what we’re about to discuss, mentioning Zhou Enlai’s name might be nothing. No, compared to Zhou Lizhi, Zhou Enlai might have been nothing to begin with.”

Suddenly, I remembered the advice Rebecca had given me. I walked with her to the middle of the empty field and asked a question.

“Katerfeld. I’m curious about something. You advised that it would be better for me to accept Zhou’s demands, right?”

“I just told you to follow your desires.”

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

“You’re… admitting it so freely. Yes, that was my intention.”

“I’m curious about the reason. Why do you think it would be good for me to be close to her? I get the feeling you’re not the type to go by mood. You clearly have some thoughts on this.”

“Just because it stimulates the imagination?”

I frowned and shook my head at those words.

“Please don’t joke around.”

“Indeed, it’s difficult to pass it off as a joke. From here on, it’s dangerous talk. Are you okay with hearing it?”

“Is it more dangerous than talking about my identity?”

“It might be a little less dangerous than that.”

“Then let’s hear it. I’m curious about what you want to say.”

At my words, Katerfeld looked around and cleared her throat once. She seems to be concerned about surveillance or eavesdropping, but probably no one around us now can secretly hear or detect our conversation.

“The principal of Huangpu is Chiang Kai-shek. The vice principal is effectively Zhou Lizhi. You must understand the significance of this to some extent. You’re someone who’s quite knowledgeable about international affairs and understands politics.”

“Please explain it directly.”

“When upheaval occurs in China, it will surely be when Chiang Kai-shek dies. In an empire where the successor is not clear, the death of an absolute power always led to division. China has failed to determine Chiang Kai-shek’s successor. Should Chiang Kai-shek’s son succeed him? Should the ‘non-superhuman’ elite group of the party take over, or should the most excellent among the superhuman officers succeed? Among those supporting the Chiang family’s rule, the still-living Chiang Wei-kuo and the children of the young Chiang Ching-kuo are in opposition, and among the non-superhuman elite officials, there’s no one with the charisma to control China. The rule of superhuman soldiers is even more dangerous. Unless Chiang Kai-shek clearly designates a successor, the possibility of civil war is too great. Even if the rule stabilizes, the process of sweeping away competitors, like the Great Khan of the Yuan Dynasty, would be inevitable.”

“I understand the overall situation. It seems there’s no option for holding an election at all.”

“China cannot accept democracy. Chiang Kai-shek didn’t lay the foundation for it.”

“Let’s assume that’s the case for now. If Chiang Kai-shek dies, upheaval will occur in China. Is that the reason why I should be excessively, intimately close with Zhou Lizhi?”

“Let’s assume a scenario where China splits. It’s not a new story. It’s similar to the situation at the end of the Qing dynasty.”

“Let’s say that’s true up to that point.”

“When a state of emergency falls on China, Huangpu’s barrier is strengthened. External attacks are blocked, and a powerful barrier that can withstand even nuclear attacks is created. Of course, this applies to all major facilities in China, but Huangpu has something very special.”

“The students and faculty.”

“And if China’s state of emergency hits today, the control of this school falls entirely into Zhou Lizhi’s hands. Yes, it means that the numerous students here… at least the Chinese students and faculty could become Zhou Lizhi’s private army.”

“But the military region commanders of Liangguang…”

“Even if you combine all the military forces of the Liangguang region, they absolutely can’t handle the superhumans here. If upheaval occurs and a power struggle begins in the central plains, the Liangguang military region commander must either submit to the victor in the center or seek help from the master of Huangpu in Guangzhou. But if civil war breaks out in China, do you think Guangdong and Guangxi will quietly submit to the victor from Jiangnan?”

“…Are you saying that by using Huangpu’s military power, Zhou Lizhi could become an independent warlord of Liangguang?”

“At least it’s a plausible story. Chiang Kai-shek has become a 100-year-old man. Even three-year-old kids are talking about the concern that the Generalissimo’s death might be the signal flare for China’s collapse. At a time like this, do you think the reason Zhou Lizhi is stuck in Guangzhou, not taking a central position or a position like division or corps commander that could have her own independent army, is simply because she’s young? Superhuman officers sometimes become division commanders at 20. Because they’re worth it! Moreover, a Weapon Master in her late 20s. It’s an age where she could be a corps commander, and in a small country, it wouldn’t be strange for her to be the chief of staff. Despite this, she’s an instructor for first-year international students at Huangpu? No. I don’t believe it’s just because she has a taste for women.”

“That’s speculation. It’s not something we can guess at this stage.”

“Then why is she making it such an open secret that everyone who should know knows about her taste for women? She could hide it. At least she could be less obvious than now. I speculate this way: Zhou Lizhi is actually a lesbian who loves women too much, but at the same time, she’s hiding her dark intentions and schemes by flaunting it. If someone questions why such a promising officer isn’t advancing to the center and stays in such a place, she wants to answer like this: ‘I love women so much, I enjoy continuing to live like this, violating foreigners at this school.'”

It’s a reasonable point.

Come to think of it, where did the Republic of China start? The Wuchang Uprising? No. The Republic established by the Xinhai Revolution was ruined by Yuan Shikai’s greed.

The real founding of the Republic of China started in Liangguang. The Northern Expedition that started in Liangguang defeated Wu Peifu, Zhang Zuolin, and Japan in succession to create today’s China.

Katerfeld’s speculation that Zhou is hiding her ambition to become the master of China in case of upheaval and staying here certainly has plausible aspects. However, I said this:

“I’ll say it again, but there’s too little evidence to make such a conclusion.”

“That’s why I’m telling you to get close. If she’s a candidate for the next Chinese leader, no matter how weak the evidence, the CIA should make contact, right?”

“This isn’t just making contact. It’s more like thoroughly coating her with saliva.”

“Isn’t that better? If things go wrong and you can’t return to America, if she becomes the leader of China, she might take you as a favored concubine.”

“As you know, I was originally a man. When this is over, I’ll take the medicine again.”

“I’m not sure about that. You seemed to have extremely bad memories of romance with women as a man.”

“Don’t go rummaging through other people’s most sensitive memories as you please.”

“I couldn’t see in detail either. But that’s how it looked. Maybe because of that, Shin Eun-young. You seem satisfied with your new identity as Shin Eun-young. Well, I’ll admit this is going too far. But the advice to be friendly with Zhou Lizhi has political significance too.”

“What exactly are you?”

“Rebecca Katerfeld, daughter of Olaf Katerfeld. I’m a spiritualist, and I’m a versatile superhuman who can do an incredibly diverse range of things using this spiritual power.”

“I’m asking what you do. I’m an agent, Zhou is a soldier, Churchill is a musician. That’s what I’m asking. You seem to just lay out numerous speculations and think, but if you’re not affiliated with an intelligence agency, I don’t know what kind of person you are. To begin with, I can’t even believe that you’re not affiliated with German intelligence.”

“I’m different from intelligence agency people. But there are similarities too. You’re curious about my identity. It’s not something I easily talk about, but since you want to know so badly… I’ll tell you, if only because I feel sorry for rummaging through your head arbitrarily.”

Rebecca Katerfeld swept her hair behind her ear and smiled.

“Detective. That’s how I think of myself.”