Back in the present, within the office of the Ben Military School’s vice-principal, the afternoon sun spilled across the floor in a wash of golden red.
The two young men exchanged a look and chose to accept the elder’s task.
Seeing the handsome smiles on the faces of the two youths before him, the old principal—who had felt so certain of his victory—suddenly felt a flicker of unease. Had he been played?
Was it just an illusion?
The suspicious old principal looked at the two "good boys," his expression wavering with hesitation.
However, the two "good boys" had already bid him farewell and left the office together.
Stepping out of the principal’s office, they followed their memories toward their dormitory.
Across the gap of the past four years and the ten years of the future, the campus of Ben Military School seemed not to have changed at all.
Within this massive complex of buildings that occupied the entire planet, the number of students was pitifully small.
There were two reasons for this: first, the school’s terrifyingly low admission rate; and second, the fact that its graduates remained utterly obscure after leaving.
As one of the most selective schools in the Federation, how many of Ben Military School’s graduates had become high-ranking military officials, political heavyweights, or scientific giants?
If someone were to actually research and compare, they would find that unlike the prestigious First Federal Military Academy or Lanley Academy, whose names echoed throughout the Federation, the students of Ben Military School seemed to vanish into the masses after graduation. One could hardly find a single "great figure" among them.
Or rather, after graduation, not a single high-ranking official had ever publicly declared that they were an alumnus of Ben Military School.
A university with an extremely low admission rate and graduates who remained anonymous—this lack of "return on investment" was the core reason why the student body was so sparse.
But the strange thing was: where did such a school get the confidence and strength to occupy a prime planet for so long without being coveted by any other power?
This contradiction was, in itself, a testament to Ben Military School’s uniqueness.
On the road leading to the Interstellar Combat Command dormitory area, Feng Zhixi walked while observing the surroundings, which remained unchanged from his memories.
The tall, straight trees unique to Kanta Star rustled in the wind, their large, golden leaves whispering together.
Along the way, the broad, silent campus was devoid of the aerial vehicles or hovering automated navigation cars common on other planets.
At Ben Military School, if a student wanted to go anywhere, they had to rely on their own two feet or find their own way.
Every freshman entering Ben Military School was only allowed to bring a single suitcase without space-folding technology. Spatial buttons, smart neural links, and the like were strictly forbidden.
Aside from the basic supplies provided by the school, all other equipment had to be earned by students using academic credits—or they could build it themselves.
Everything was just that cold, cruel, and unreasonable.
Consequently, every student raised by Ben Military School was a figure of "wild growth," with roots planted deep into the earth.
Right now, no one knew that these graduates, once merged into the sea of the populace, formed a colossal, towering tree when united.
Just like the native trees of Kanta Star, the more vast and developed the root system, the more complex and sturdy the branches and leaves.
It was this "Great Tree" that, in a silent corner, held up a massive, anonymous umbrella of protection, forever guarding the Federation from the shadows.
Looking at the road covered in golden leaves, Feng Zhixi remembered how he had once dragged a suitcase without hovering equipment, swaying and stumbling for half a day before finally reaching his destination.
Not only that, but just as he had finally been able to stretch out on the sofa, a certain green-haired brat with "middle-schooler syndrome" had barged in.
That was how their grudge began!
Compared to four years ago, the current Feng Zhixi was more than a little stronger. After walking a stretch of the campus road to reminisce about the past, he decisively activated his miniature protective mecha.
Walking to the dorm on foot again? Absolutely impossible.
When they reached the dormitory entrance, the white villa doors sensed their master’s return and opened silently, revealing the interior. This was the place where they had lived together for a year.
Seeing the furniture, which hadn't changed at all, Feng Zhixi suddenly asked Ji Yeran a question: "Did you ever come back?"
He meant after they had dropped out.
"I did," Ji Yeran replied, scanning the room. "I went to the Registrar’s Office. They said you had withdrawn, and according to the student records, no such person existed."
From then on, he had lost all news of Feng Zhixi. In the vast Federation, with the sky so wide and the world so large, there was nowhere to find him.
*What a coincidence,* Feng Zhixi thought. He had come back too, but the Registrar’s Office had given him the same answer.
So, in the past, they had both looked for each other. And yet, they had found nothing.
***
By the time they landed on Kanta Star, it was already late afternoon local time. By the time they left the principal’s office and returned to the dorm, it was nearly dinner time.
One of the characteristics of Ben Military School was—no cafeteria. If you want to eat, do it yourself!
Ji Yeran checked the time and stood up. Walking toward the kitchen, he asked Feng Zhixi politely, "What do you want to eat?" He intended to let the lifestyle cooking robot handle it.
Feng Zhixi, who was reading the league’s regulations, didn't even look up. "Whatever."
A moment later, Ji Yeran, who had just entered the kitchen, discovered something. Lifestyle cooking robot? It had long since been disabled.
Ji Yeran: "..."
Only then did he remember what the old principal meant by the dormitory "remaining as it was."
It meant that the punishments they had accumulated four years ago for violating various school rules were also "maintained as they were" and continued to be enforced.
And the first rule of their punishment was the disabling of all smart auxiliary living devices in the dormitory.
Want dinner? Young man, do it yourself!
Ji Yeran, who never expected a delayed punishment: "..."
Fortunately, there were fresh ingredients in the kitchen freezer. They had likely been delivered automatically through the dedicated ingredient transport channel when the system detected the villa’s reactivation.
At least they wouldn't actually starve.
Ji Yeran sighed, scanned the room, rolled up his sleeves, and began to cook unpracticed.
Thus, after Feng Zhixi finished reviewing the league regulations and waited for a long time, he finally saw Ji Yeran emerge carrying two plates of bland, watery food. He frowned in distaste.
"What is this?" Feng Zhixi was unhappy. He said "whatever," and Ji Yeran really just threw whatever together to dismiss him?
Slowly placing the plates on the table, Ji Yeran replied calmly, "I made it. Thanks to you, the smart auxiliary devices are still disabled. They won't be unlocked for another six months."
Suddenly recalling that the last rule violation was indeed his fault, Feng Zhixi blinked and gave a soft, "Oh."
The Omega silently walked to the table, sat down, took a bite, and praised him: "Not bad." For something so bland.
Ji Yeran: "..." *Thank you so much for the support!*
After their "feast," Feng Zhixi and Ji Yeran began to study the league regulations the old principal had given them.
According to the requirements, each college team generally consisted of ten to fifteen people, with a minimum of two and a maximum of twenty.
Ben Military School’s current number of participants happened to meet the absolute minimum—two. In other words, the only contestants for the school were Feng Zhixi and Ji Yeran.
Feng Zhixi and Ji Yeran: "..." *Just how short-staffed is this school?!*
While the two were in shock, the doorbell rang. A visitor had arrived.
"?" Feng Zhixi looked suspiciously at Ji Yeran, who stood up at the sound of the bell. Clearly, the visitor had been called by Ji Yeran.
Filled with confusion, Feng Zhixi watched Ji Yeran walk over to open the door. It wasn't until he saw clearly who had walked in that he realized he had been played by Ji Yeran again!
Bastard!
Sensing something was wrong, Feng Zhixi stood up to bolt. However, his speed had only improved by about two minutes compared to his "snail's crawl" of the past; he couldn't compare to an Alpha with god-tier talent.
Before he could take two steps, he was caught by that scheming bastard.
"What are you doing?!" The black-haired Omega struggled desperately, his eyes blazing with fury. His delicate features were lit up by anger, making his face so beautiful one couldn't look away.
"Don't hide your illness from the doctor," Ji Yeran said cruelly, using brute force to suppress all resistance as he dragged the man before the school doctor.
As soon as Ji Yeran had left the principal’s office, he had contacted the school’s medical center.
As the only two contestants representing Ben Military School in the league, their names had already been broadcast to all the teachers. Therefore, the school hospital took the news very seriously—even the Vice Dean of the Medical School had personally come out.
One couldn't blame the Vice Dean for being so attentive. It was because one year, the Vice Dean had lost the lottery and was forced to send students from his own department to compete.
Imagine how terrifying that scene was: using doctors dedicated to saving lives to fight against the top combat talents of other universities.
How ridiculous! It was practically insane!
However, the most pitiful ones were actually the contestants from the other schools. That year, Ben Military School’s combat style was neither straightforward combat nor Lanley-style high-tech, nor was it even "schemes and plots." It was a complete and total mental and physical double-strike.
The Medical Department of Ben Military School trained combat medics who could both heal the wounded and pilot mechas to kill with a single shot.
Terrified of having to take the fall again, the Vice Dean, acting as the school doctor, said, "Relax, little friend. Don't hide your illness from the doctor. If you're sick, you must be a good boy and see the doctor, and take your medicine properly~"
"Be good now~"
"You must be healthy to participate in the league and bring glory to our school~"
The smiling doctor’s voice was practically lilted with musical tildes.
"Ji Yeran!" Feng Zhixi was furious.
"Hmm?" Ji Yeran flashed a smile, as warm as a spring breeze and perfectly composed.
***
**Glossary**
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 康塔星 | Kanta Star | The home base of Ben Military School. |
| 本恩军事学校 | Ben Military School | The protagonist's alma mater; a mysterious, elite institution. |
| 联邦高校联合大比 | Federal Intercollegiate Grand Competition | Also referred to as the "League" or "Grand Competition." |
| 星际作战指挥专业 | Interstellar Combat Command | The SSS-class ace major at Ben Military School. |
| 希尔 | Hill | An Omega character mentioned as a future rival/genius. |
| 季崴 | Ji Wei | A future Federal Marshal from the First Federal Military Academy. |
| 蓝礼学院 | Lanley Academy | A top school focused on research and mecha modification. |
| 联邦第一军校 | First Federal Military Academy | A top school focused on combat and raw power. |
| 曲率回旋 | Curvature Gyration | A revolutionary mecha energy application technique. |
| 讳疾忌医 | Hide one's illness from the doctor | A Chinese idiom meaning to conceal problems to avoid treatment. |
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