When the small ship, towing its companion, finally burst through the turbulent asteroid corridor and entered the tranquil vacuum of space, it came to a halt.
Inside the smaller vessel carrying the four rescued passengers, the holographic screen flickered to life. A young, clean, and clear voice filled the space—it was Feng Zhixi.
Recognizing the owner of the voice, young Meng Jia’s eyes filled with gratitude. Everything that had just transpired represented one of the few instances in his short life where he had received unconditional kindness from a stranger.
This person had saved him and his sister.
Feng Zhixi’s calm voice informed them that the danger had passed. He had already programmed the ship’s automated return navigation to ferry them back to Triangle Star.
Sensing that Feng Zhixi intended to part ways, Meng Jia hurriedly asked, "Sir, will... will you two ever come to Triangle Star?"
These two men had saved him and his sister; neither of them was the type to leave a debt of gratitude unpaid.
When Meng Jia asked his anxious question, there was a moment of silence from the other side. Then, the voice replied, "We will."
Meng Jia and his sister exchanged a look. Seeing her firm nod, he shouted, "My name is Meng Jia!"
"I’m Meng Xiaoxing!" his sister echoed loudly.
The siblings spoke in unison, "We live on B12 Street on Triangle Star. If you ever need anything, just give the word!"
"Millie, from the Evernight Secret Auction House," the red-haired Beta suddenly spoke up, revealing her true identity. "If you ever need anything, just give the word."
"Zhou Qi, from the Interstellar Explorers Guild." The Omega, who had finally calmed down after the inhibitor injection, took a deep breath. "If you ever need anything, just give the word."
The four of them looked at each other and shared similar smiles. One by one, they stepped before the holographic screen and proactively transmitted their genetic code information through the linked ship systems to the other vessel. This was the most sincere oath a local of Triangle Star could offer.
When they finished, the voice on the other end fell silent. After a long pause, a different voice rang out—deep, elegant, with the resonance of a cello. "Thank you. Until we meet again."
As the man finished speaking, the towing control system disengaged.
With a soft *beep*, the ship’s pre-set automated navigation system activated, guiding the four of them with clear purpose toward Triangle Star.
***
On the other small ship, Feng Zhixi watched the vessel recede on the holographic screen. In his mind’s eye, he saw the adult Meng Jia of the future. That had been their first meeting...
At the time, Feng Zhixi had been brought before the Federation’s Supreme Court for a closed-door trial following a failed "attempted murder" of the Marshal’s wife. It was only thanks to the "kind and virtuous" wife’s act of "repaying evil with kindness" that he was spared.
Ultimately, he was stripped of his Federation citizenship and sentenced to exile on a Death Planet.
The Marshal’s wife, Master Hill, was an exceedingly "benevolent" person. Federation Marshal Ji Wei, unable to bear his partner’s inner turmoil, had chosen this method of slow torture to punish the culprit who had nearly cost him his beloved.
Ji Wei wanted Feng Zhixi to die slowly in despair and agony. Unfortunately for him, his plan failed.
On that Death Planet, just as Feng Zhixi thought his end had come, a ship descended from the heavens. A "Smiling Fox" with a permanent fake grin blew the head off a mutated saber-toothed tiger with a single cannon blast.
Then, he had looked at Feng Zhixi and asked, "I heard the Federation’s most formidable weapons master is here. Do you happen to know where he is?"
***
Pulling his thoughts back from the past, Feng Zhixi turned to look at the man sitting extremely close to him. The air was thick with the tangled scents of green plum and strong liquor. He had more pressing matters to confirm.
"Who exactly are you?" Feng Zhixi asked, his dissatisfaction clear. It was one thing to use a fake name, but to pose as a Beta to deceive people was another!
Facing the fussy thing who was also using a fake name and posing as a Beta—yet had the nerve to question him so righteously—Ji Yeran fell silent for a moment before answering, "Ji Yeran."
Before Ji Yeran could elaborate on his background, Feng Zhixi’s brows furrowed the moment he heard the name. *Ji Yeran? That eternal backup who’s always trailing after Hill?!*
Feng Zhixi looked at him with blatant disdain and displeasure, silently scoffing in his heart. *He likes Hill? What abysmal taste! Utterly trash!*
Ji Yeran: "..." *Don't think just because you aren't speaking that I don't know you're trash-talking me in your head.*
From the way Feng Zhixi recognized his name instantly, Ji Yeran had a sudden premonition. The distance between them might be much shorter than he had imagined.
*So, who is this little fussy thing?* As Ji Yeran pondered, the person in his arms spoke, coldly spitting out three words: "Feng Zhixi."
Those three words made him freeze instantly.
Ji Yeran was struck by a sudden realization. So that was it. Just as he had been desperate to avoid Hill and stay as far away from that social circle as possible—even wishing he could hide at the edge of the universe—there was a name that had once been obscure but later became famous throughout the Federation because of Hill.
That person was Feng Zhixi?!
They had actually been that close? Ji Yeran was stunned.
Despite being so close, they had never actually found each other?
A strange sensation rose in both their hearts, as if some unknown force had deliberately kept them apart.
But regardless of what the future held, Ji Yeran was destined to be the most brilliant diamond among Hill’s future "great achievements"—unprecedented and dazzling.
Feng Zhixi’s disdain wasn't just in his eyes; his body language radiated it as well.
Just as he prepared to stand up and put some distance between himself and Ji Yeran, the Interstellar Warden—keenly aware that his reputation was being assassinated—tightened his grip, firmly holding the other man in his arms and refusing to let go.
*Let go! So what if you're strong?!*
Unable to leave, Feng Zhixi was furious. Though the skin around his eyes was still flushed a faint red from the recent temporary mark, he began flailing like a cornered cat, ready to scratch.
Determined to salvage his reputation, the Interstellar Warden refused to budge. He had to explain himself; he wouldn't suffer this injustice in silence.
Feng Zhixi was incensed. The more he looked at the face hidden beneath the bionic mask, the more dissatisfied he became. Finally, he reached out and violently deactivated the mask’s camouflage.
*To hell with the research!*
Holding Feng Zhixi tight, Ji Yeran didn't move, allowing the other to strip away the bionic mask.
At the same time, he saw Feng Zhixi’s true face hidden beneath his own mask.
It was exactly as it was in his memories: black hair and black eyes. Because he had grown, the youth’s face had lost some of its childhood softness. His exquisite features were sharpened by the fire of anger in his eyes, creating a breathtakingly vivid beauty that perfectly matched the scent of green plum and strong liquor.
Ji Yeran couldn't help but chuckle. In response, Feng Zhixi gave his cheek a retaliatory pinch.
*What are you laughing at!* Feng Zhixi was fuming. Looking at this smiling, gentle face, he felt that the previous arrogant green hair had actually been more pleasing to the eye.
*Pinch! Pinch harder!*
"..." Ji Yeran lightly squeezed the waist of the person in his arms, a silent warning not to go too far.
Feng Zhixi, still busy mauling Ji Yeran’s face, made his stance clear: *If you don't let go, I won't let go!*
Ji Yeran: "..."
In that moment, the young Interstellar Warden felt as if he had been transported back to their first meeting, back to the days when they were constantly at each other's throats...
In the distant past, when two Beta youths had gotten into a massive brawl over dormitory ownership the very first time they met, they had been "politely" invited to the mediation room.
The Vice-Principal—who was also the Dean, a guest orientation mentor, and a self-appointed psychological counselor—had remarked amiably that classmates should love and cherish one another, and that fighting was a violation of school rules.
"Will we be expelled then?"
"Will we be expelled then?"
Almost in unison, the two youths turned their sparkling gazes toward the old Principal, making the elderly man feel a sudden surge of pressure.
Old Principal: "..." *Shouldn't young, handsome, and cute children be holding hands and being best friends?*
He had specifically arranged for the two "cuties" to share a dorm—a privilege no other freshmen had. After all, they were the only two Betas among this year’s intake, and the youngest to boot.
Granted, there were only five freshmen in the entire academy this year, and the other three all had their own independent villas.
Feng Zhixi and Ji Yeran, who had both been forced to attend the school and never expected to have to share a room: "..." *What happened to the promised independent villas? To hell with this!*
The old Principal, a lifelong practitioner of love and peace, kindly announced that since it was their first offense, the punishment would be light: their dormitory’s AI life assistant would be deactivated for one month.
In this interstellar era, that meant everything—from cooking and washing dishes to laundry and cleaning—had to be done by hand. The academy strictly prohibited concentrated food capsules and had no student cafeteria. All students were required to wear the school-issued uniforms, and without an AI assistant, they had to wash them themselves.
Every other mundane chore was the same.
Ji Yeran: "!"
Feng Zhixi: "!"
*It’s all his fault!*
They glared at each other. In that moment, the grudge between the two youths was officially set in stone...
***
Time had flown by like an arrow. The youths who once engaged in a clumsy scuffle had grown up, yet they still couldn't avoid a "Petty Scuffle 2.0" upgrade.
Only after they had finally pinched and poked each other enough to stop did they have the presence of mind to discuss serious business.
For instance, why did the other react so strongly to their name? This was a question worth investigating. Both Feng Zhixi and Ji Yeran knew very well that their current public names and identities were forged and classified at the highest level.
This wasn't the future. Where could the other have possibly heard their real name?!
There was only one possibility. Feng Zhixi and Ji Yeran looked at each other simultaneously, finding the answer in each other’s eyes.
*He’s reborn from the future!*
Having confirmed the other’s origin, Ji Yeran spoke a name as a test: "Hill?"
Immediately, he saw Feng Zhixi blow a fuse.
Stopping the fussy thing from scratching him again, Ji Yeran hurriedly explained that he had zero interest in that Omega. It was all rumors—rumors were deadly!
However, for Feng Zhixi, his anger stemmed from the fact that the man who had just given him a temporary mark was the very same "unprecedented" infatuated fool and "unwavering" guardian from the future.
Who could tolerate that? His taste was absolute trash!
Ji Yeran felt helpless. "..." *I’m just sitting here and a disaster falls from the sky. There
