Back in his laboratory, Feng Zhixi looked around. Though ten years had passed in his mind, everything here felt both alien and intimately familiar.
Since waking up three days ago, his consciousness had been submerged daily in the dream of that explosion. It was a cycle of rising and falling, repeating over and over, leaving him in a daze, unable to fully clear his head.
The nightmare was inescapable. This was the first time since regaining clarity that he had truly sat down to review his past.
At twenty, he had attained the position of Chief Researcher at the Lanli Institute of the Federation. He was the genius everyone spoke of, the youngest Chief in the history of the institute.
Once, he had believed this was the new starting point of his life. He hadn't realized that while it was indeed a starting point, it wasn't an ascent—it was a straight plunge into the abyss.
And the catalyst for it all was the arrival of a small, obscure intern who had joined the institute as an assistant.
Hill, a nameless intern at the Lanli Institute, had suddenly blossomed as if he’d experienced a divine awakening. From his initial analysis of mecha energy curvature cycles to solving century-old problems left behind by masters, and then to producing research results that many researchers couldn't complete in a lifetime, Hill’s work spanned every field. In a short time, he reached heights others could only dream of. The intern Hill had leaped to become the most brilliant rising star in the entire Federation’s scientific community.
The rise of a new star was accompanied by the fading of the old. By the time the people at the institute snapped out of their joy over discovering this new prodigy, they realized that the former genius, Feng Zhixi, had been completely eclipsed. After becoming Chief, Feng Zhixi had apparently failed to produce a single piece of research.
Enjoying the highest level of benefits and his own laboratory without producing results naturally invited a storm of rumors.
No one knew that it wasn't that he lacked results. It was that, almost every single time, Hill would beat him to the punch, releasing research that was better, more refined, and more practical than Feng Zhixi's first-stage data. It was as if Hill stood on the shoulders of a giant, optimizing everything to the extreme, making Feng Zhixi’s own preliminary results look like clumsy imitations.
As the Federation's top research facility, the Lanli Institute had extremely strict review systems for research output. Looking at the data Hill published, Feng Zhixi could only turn away and destroy his own experimental results.
Once, twice, three times... It was as if Hill was the ultimate nemesis of Feng Zhixi’s life. Furthermore, Hill was a sweet Omega with a fragile appearance and pure, clean eyes—the kind who could fulfill any Alpha’s fantasies.
When a wall starts to lean, everyone gives it a push. Compared to a cold, unapproachable Chief who didn't even act like an Omega, wouldn't it be better to choose a sweet, adorable, and more talented one?
Recalling the past, Feng Zhixi couldn't help but smile. He hadn't been much of a smiler before.
He tried to remember: what were the charges used to strip him of his Federation citizenship and send him into exile?
It seemed to be plagiarism, academic fraud, and... what else? Right, the attempted murder of the Federation Marshal’s wife...
How absurd.
Pulling his thoughts back from his memories, Feng Zhixi faced the place where he had lived for nearly twenty years and considered more important matters. He wondered if he had missed anything while packing.
Indeed, Feng Zhixi’s "packing" wasn't about gathering things to take away; it was about tidying up to see if there was anything left that he *shouldn't* leave behind.
Since this place wouldn't welcome him in the future, he might as well move out now.
Thus, the current Chief Researcher and future notorious pirate leader rolled up his sleeves and began his relocation journey.
From daily necessities to research data, from a small trinket made on a whim to the core connection components of a biological mecha he was halfway through researching—he spared nothing.
The independent experimental pod, which only the Chief Researcher of the Federation's top institute could apply for, was essentially a complete, star-sector-level laboratory.
Not only was it equipped with a full suite of advanced experimental equipment and the Federation's highest-level bio-intelligent computer, but it also featured space-folding technology usually reserved for Federation-class starships. For Feng Zhixi, emptying out his "paltry" belongings was effortless.
Once he had finally stuffed every bit of his property into the experimental pod that still belonged to him, he paused. After a moment of thought, he issued a command to the computer: "Yaoguang, connect to the database."
Not long after, the still-fuming Dean received three applications simultaneously—all "surprises" sent by the bratty Chief who had just enraged him.
The first was an application to enter the institute's highest-level database to download files. The second was an application to convert all his contribution points into rare materials and universal currency. The third was an application to take a micro-defense mecha.
As a genius researcher who had practically grown up in the institute, the contribution points Feng Zhixi had accumulated since childhood were astronomical. These points were rewards for research results and could be used to exchange for rare data, the lost works of masters, precious materials, and other treasures hard to find in the outside world. As the Federation's premier research facility, Lanli's collection was the heart's desire of every scientist.
And now, a "bear child" was trying to strip the walls bare.
The Dean massaged his temples. "..." *This godforsaken, spendthrift brat!*
Before the Dean’s headache could subside, a fourth application popped up.
Upon receiving the fourth message, the Dean’s brow twitched. A bad premonition surged within him. With that sense of impending doom, he had the computer read the message, only to be moved to a state of angry laughter.
It wasn't even an application; it was a notification. The young Chief stated that he had already completed the application processes and taken the items. He had placed a self-destruct program lock on the independent experimental pod—no one was allowed to open it until he returned. Finally: *Goodbye.*
At the end of the message, Feng Zhixi had personally handwritten a farewell. The strokes were vigorous and elegant, leaving the Dean caught between tears and laughter.
Sighing softly, the old man thought back to Feng Zhixi’s quiet behavior earlier. He finally realized that the previous stillness had merely been the calm before the storm. He had wondered why the boy was being so obedient this time; it turned out he was waiting for this.
Believing he understood Feng Zhixi’s temperament, the Dean shook his head and silently approved the applications. Fearing the boy wouldn't know how to look after himself alone, he even granted him an extra micro-curvature ship—the kind capable of short-distance interstellar travel.
Receiving the ship, Feng Zhixi arched an eyebrow. He hadn't expected this windfall. His original plan was to buy a second-hand small ship on the black market after leaving, which was why he had converted over half of his contribution points into universal currency.
Now, it seemed he could exchange for even more rare materials. After all, once he left the institute, acquiring those things wouldn't be so simple.
*I can dig a little deeper,* he thought, reconnecting to the computer.
Consequently, the Dean, whose brow was now throbbing, received a fifth application.
The young Omega Chief stated that he had made a mistake in the second application—he had added an extra zero to the amount of currency he wanted. Those points now needed to be converted into rare materials instead.
The Dean looked at the long list of materials attached. He seriously doubted whether granting the micro-curvature ship had been a foolish decision. Looking at the list, it was clearly tailored to the ship's internal storage capacity.
Judging by Feng Zhixi’s current momentum, he was in quite a temper. If the independent experimental pod weren't impossible to physically remove, he probably would have taken the whole building with him.
The Dean didn't know that while the twenty-year-old, inexperienced Feng Zhixi might not have had the ability to take the pod, the person standing there now was the thirty-year-old Feng Zhixi—the future arms-smuggling kingpin who would become the Federation military's biggest headache.
Thus, while the Dean remained unsuspecting, Feng Zhixi quickly packed his entire life and prepared to depart.
After everything was packed and organized, Feng Zhixi left a string of code in the laboratory's security system. This code would lock down the entire lab and destroy all experimental data within.
He looked up at the silver-white walls of the now-empty laboratory, then looked down at the nearly completed thesis title: *Analysis of Curvature Cycle Applications in Mecha Energy.* He pressed the confirmation key for destruction.
"Goodbye."
Feng Zhixi left. He left cleanly, without a single personal item remaining. He merely kindly left behind a small "gift" that no one knew about yet, as a token of gratitude for the "care" the people of the institute would show him in the future.
***
At that same moment, in the third branch of the institute’s logistics department, a certain small Omega stared blankly at the data reported by the system.
"Hill? Hill?!" a voice called out from beside him.
"Ah?" The small Omega, Hill, turned his head blankly. His large, emerald-like eyes were watery and blinking, looking adorably confused.
Captivated by the Omega’s innocent gaze, the other person’s tone unconsciously softened. "What are you looking at? You were so focused I called you several times and you didn't hear me."
Hill, an intern who had somehow bumbled his way into the Lanli Institute’s logistics department a month ago through sheer luck, spoke softly to the senior student mentoring him. "I remember looking at this micro-ship inventory list yesterday. There’s one missing today. Could there be a mistake?"
The senior looked at the list and smiled, answering the cute question. "It was probably requested by a researcher preparing to head out. Verifying applications is the job of the first branch; we just need to count the inventory. Click on the attached list at the back; there should be a corresponding approval form."
As he spoke, he clicked open the approval form for Hill.
"Really? Thank you, Senior!" Hill smiled sweetly, his blonde hair curling slightly against his fair face.
Struck by the small Omega’s smile, the senior’s expression turned dazed for a moment. He silently noted down this hardworking, albeit not very talented, and—most importantly—sweet and adorable Omega in his heart.
Perhaps... perhaps... he could invite Hill to dinner this weekend.
As the senior made his plans, he didn't notice that his intended guest’s expression suddenly shifted. In those pure, watery eyes, a flash of excitement flickered—a look of feverish longing.
*Ding! Host has completed the first task. Reward granted.* A voice that only Hill could hear echoed in his mind. Then, he "saw" the first reward provided by the system—a research result titled: *Curvature Cycle Applications in Mecha Energy.*
***
