Ultimate Choice System: I Became The Richest!-Chapter 263 : First Lecture

As Noah left the office, his phone buzzed with another update. $13 million now. All before his first class had even begun.

This chapter is updat𝙚d by freeweɓnovel.cøm.

The day stretched ahead—orientation schedules, campus tours, introductory lectures. All the trappings of normal university life.

His phone vibrated one last time.

"Sir," his AI assistant's voice came through, "Phase Two complete. Would you like to proceed to Phase Three?"

Noah checked his orientation schedule. First lecture: Introduction to Algorithms.

"Start Phase Three," he murmured. "Whilst I check out the orientation first."

Noah checked his watch and quickened his pace. "I have ten minutes before the lecture starts. The main building isn't too far as well. I should be able to make it," he muttered, weaving between groups of chattering students.

The Computer Science Department occupied a striking blend of old and new—a historic stone building with modern glass extensions housing cutting-edge technology.

Digital displays lined the hallways, showcasing student projects and research achievements. There were a few coffee vending machines for those who wanted some caffeine in their systems.

Noah pushed through the heavy wooden doors of Lecture Hall B. Students were already filling the seats.

Some wore Cambridge hoodies, others were casual.

He scanned the room, choosing a seat near the back row. Strategic positioning.

'I have a good view of everyone.'

A group of students nearby were arguing about how hard the year would be, and if they would be able to balance their time.

The door at the front opened, and the hall immediately quieted. Professor Jensen, renowned for both his brilliant research and zero tolerance for latecomers, strode in.

Noah settled back.

The lecture hall fell silent as Professor Jensen took center stage, his presence commanding attention without effort.

He wore a simple blazer over a t-shirt that read "I'd rather be coding".

He was the type of nerd that you had to respect and couldn't make fun of.

A genius.

"Welcome to Introduction to Advanced Computer Science. I'm Professor Jensen." He surveyed the room, his eyes briefly scanning each face. "Before we dive into algorithms that will melt your brains, let me tell you what you're really here for."

He tapped his tablet, and the massive screen behind him lit up with images of a lab.

"My team and I are working on the Phoenix Project - an AI system designed to revolutionize how businesses operate. We're talking predictive supply chain optimization, customer behavior modeling, and resource allocation that makes current systems look prehistoric."

Noah's interest sharpened. This was unexpected.

"Here's something not in your orientation packets," Jensen continued with a slight smile. "I'll be selecting three students from this year to join my research team. You'll get access to tech most of you won't see for a decade, your names on published research, and connections that will set your careers on fire."

The room erupted.

"Is he serious?" a guy with thick glasses whispered loudly.

"That's why I chose Cambridge!" a girl in the front row exclaimed.

A student two rows ahead of Noah turned to his friend. "Dude, do you know what this means? The Phoenix Project is like, every tech company's dream right now."

"No way we have a shot," his friend replied. "There's got to be at least 200 students here."

"My sister works at Microsoft and says they're already planning to build entire divisions around this tech," another student chimed in. "Whoever gets picked is basically set for life."

Professor Jensen raised his hand. The room quieted instantly.

"Don't get too excited. I'm not looking for good programmers. I'm looking for exceptional thinkers. People who see solutions where others see walls."

A girl with bright blue hair raised her hand. "Professor, what's the selection process?"

"Impress me," Jensen replied simply. "Now, let's start with why most of you think you understand algorithms, but actually don't."

The lecture began in earnest, but the whispers continued around Noah.

"I'm pulling all-nighters all semester if that's what it takes."

"My parents will freak if I get selected."

"I heard last year he only chose one student instead of three because the others weren't good enough."

Professor Jensen paced at the front of the lecture hall, his fingers flying across the touchscreen as complex code appeared on the massive display behind him.

"Algorithms are the backbone of everything you'll build," he said, eyes scanning the crowd. "But most of you think an algorithm is just a fancy word for code. It's not."

A series of diagrams flashed on screen, each more complex than the last.

"Let's test your understanding. You—" Jensen pointed directly at a startled student in the middle row, a skinny guy with oversized headphones around his neck. "What's the time complexity difference between a naive string-matching algorithm and the Knuth-Morris-Pratt algorithm when dealing with repeating pattern texts?"

The student froze, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "I, uh... O(n²) versus... O(n)?"

Jensen's expression darkened. "Not even close. Anyone else?"

Silence fell over the lecture hall. Students avoided eye contact, suddenly fascinated by their notes.

Noah watched the scene unfold, mentally formulating the correct answer but staying silent.

"Really? No one?" Jensen sighed dramatically. "The naive algorithm can degrade to O(m×n) when facing pathological inputs with repeating patterns, while KMP maintains O(m+n) regardless because it eliminates redundant comparisons through its partial match table. This is first-year stuff, people."

The skinny student sank lower in his seat, face burning red.

"If you want one of those three spots on my team, you need to understand these fundamentals in your sleep." Jensen tapped his screen again. "Let's try something more basic..."

Noah felt his phone vibrate. Another million added. The algorithm he'd designed was light-years beyond what Jensen was discussing.

Professor Jensen's eyes narrowed as he scanned the lecture hall. "Let's try another. What optimization problems can we effectively solve using dynamic programming versus greedy algorithms, and when would the greedy approach fail?"

A hand shot up from the back. It belonged to someone in a dark blue hoodie, face partially obscured.

Noah raised his eyebrow. Jensen had called this "more basic," but it wasn't. This question was more suitable for exceptional third-year students, not first-years. Jensen was fishing for talent.

"Dynamic programming works when we have overlapping subproblems and optimal substructure," Hoodie Guy answered, voice clear and confident. "Greedy algorithms work only when the locally optimal choice leads to a globally optimal solution. They fail on problems like the Knapsack Problem because making the locally 'best' choice doesn't guarantee the best overall result."

Jensen's eyebrows shot up. "Correct. And an example?"

"Coin change problem with standard US currency versus non-standard denominations," Hoodie Guy replied without hesitation.

A murmur rippled through the lecture hall. This wasn't first-year knowledge.

Jensen nodded, almost smiling. "Good. At least someone did their reading."

Noah's eyes narrowed, his special ability activating with barely a thought.

[Talent Finder: Analyzing...]

Information flooded his mind as he studied Hoodie Guy from behind.

Noah's eyebrow raised. Interesting. Most people at Cambridge were smart, but this one had real potential. A possible rival for Jensen's project—or a potential asset for Noah's own plans.

'He'll be useful. I will recruit him.' Noah though with a soft smile on his face, that no one noticed.