Soon, Feng Zhixi and Ji Yeran departed from Kanta Planet. When they left, they took with them not only the Trial Star Map but also a mission assigned by the old principal: to represent the school in the Joint Military Exercise.
The old principal had said with a beaming smile, "Since you two little ones have milked the school for so much 'wool,' it’s only right that you go out and bring some glory to our name~"
The Joint Military Exercise was organized by the Federation Military Department. It was a formal internal drill, and as a top-tier institution, Benne Military Academy naturally held the qualification to participate. However, the number of slots allocated to military academies was meager. In the eyes of true soldiers, no matter how outstanding a student might be, they were still just children.
A student who had never experienced a real battlefield could never be considered a qualified soldier; they were merely reservists.
The old principal, having personally delivered the invitation, looked at them with an expression of profound encouragement.
*Young men~ go forth bravely on behalf of this school! You must bring us honor~*
"..." Feng Zhixi and Ji Yeran both felt, quite poignantly, that they hadn't milked the school for nearly enough wool.
Was it too late to make one last trip to the school’s resource treasury?
The kindly, grandfatherly principal waved them off, his tone affectionate but his stance firm as he saw the two "little bandits" out.
*The little brats want to tangle with me? Not so easy. The school’s treasury isn't that simple to plunder.*
The Vice Principal of Benne Military Academy, a shrewd old fox if ever there was one, was secretly feeling quite smug.
And so, having accepted the mission, Feng Zhixi and Ji Yeran traveled together toward the destination of the military exercise—Planet M88, the very place the Trial Star Map pointed toward. There, they would no longer face the child’s play of holographic simulations; they would face the brutal collisions of a real-world battlefield.
This was also the final trial the old principal had arranged for his Chief candidates.
*You only pass if you take first place~*
Watching the two young candidates depart, the old principal added this silently in his heart. He didn't think his requirement was excessive at all, even though his two students had only just turned twenty and their opponents would be battle-hardened veterans.
Furthermore, the two candidates were entering under the quota for "Logistics Support Soldiers." This was the only "highest treatment" the Joint Military Exercise ever extended to the top military academies.
The implication of the Logistics Support role was simple: *Listen up, you little runts. I don't care how famous you were at school; once you're here, you stay in your lane. Listen more, watch more, talk less! And obey your superior's orders!*
Every single person in the military had been an elite at their school once upon a time. Therefore, the so-called quotas given to the top academies were, in truth, a heavy-handed reality check for these future "chosen ones."
A gem cannot be polished without friction. Many geniuses had faltered halfway through their careers; by making these arrangements, the big shots of the Federation Military hoped these future pillars of the Federation could go further.
***
In the airspace above Planet M88—more commonly known as the Honeymoon Planet.
Looking down from the windows of a spacecraft in outer space near the planetary orbit, one would see that the entirety of Planet M88 resembled a beautiful pink diamond. This was the source of its alias, "Heaven’s Kiss."
Ninety-eight percent of the planet’s surface was covered by ocean, with only two percent being land. The planet was home to a unique and ancient marine organism that had existed almost as long as the planet itself. The light refracted by this organism was pink, a hue that became even more pronounced after its death. On a planet so dominated by water, the skeletal fragments of these ancient creatures had spread across the entire globe through the shifting of seas and land over eons.
Consequently, when one looked down at the planet from space, it appeared pink—like a romantic bubble filled with sugary imagination.
When Feng Zhixi and Ji Yeran arrived at M88 and finally passed through the starport terminal to land on the small planet, they realized it wasn't just pink from space; the surface was entirely pink as well!
It was a pink world.
On this Honeymoon Planet, almost all construction materials were infused with the crushed shells of M88’s unique marine life. After these creatures died and their flesh withered away, the remaining shell fragments were incredibly hard. Once melted at high temperatures, they became a material with unparalleled ductility. Synthetic materials mixed with these shells possessed an inner pearlescent luster—and, crucially, they were pink.
Initially, incorporating these shells into specific parts of a building was a local custom, a continuation of an ancient legend. Later, perhaps to match the name "Heaven’s Kiss" and create a romantic atmosphere, all construction materials began to include them.
This resulted in the sight currently greeting Feng Zhixi: the entire ocean, the roads, the blocks, the buildings—even the pole of an antique-style streetlamp on a corner—were all pink.
Oh, and even the hot-air-balloon-shaped flying vehicles in the sky were pink.
Feng Zhixi, his eyes aching from the ubiquitous pink: "..."
Thanks to the romantic atmosphere deliberately cultivated by these pink structures, the entirety of M88 was thick with a sweet, cloying, and lingering air. It truly lived up to its name as the Honeymoon Planet.
The people who came here generally fell into two categories. The first were couples, stuck together like glue, acting as if they wanted to merge into a single being, limbs entwined.
The second category consisted of people like Feng Zhixi and Ji Yeran: those who came alone, hoping to find a life partner on this planet of romance—or perhaps just a pleasant fling.
Feng Zhixi: "..."
Consequently, Feng Zhixi witnessed a spectacle rarely seen on other planets. People here did not wear bracelets or other devices to mask their pheromones as they did elsewhere. Instead, like people in heat (or an Alpha's rut) who couldn't hide their scent, they brazenly projected their aromas outward.
Unleashing their natural instincts, they were searching for someone whose scent harmonized with theirs, someone with high pheromone compatibility.
Clearly, anyone coming to the Honeymoon Planet alone was assumed to have the same goal. Thus, on Planet M88, Feng Zhixi and Ji Yeran naturally became targets for the crowd of single hunters.
Single, ultra-high-quality Alpha and Omega—handsome, beautiful, and young!
Very quickly, Feng Zhixi smelled countless pheromones directed specifically at him. There were all kinds, every variety imaginable, and the sheer volume of it made his temper flare.
Extremely irritated by the nuisance, the Omega turned his head, only to see the Interstellar Warden walking beside him, looking as cold and ascetic as if he were treading through snow.
Having seen far more chaotic scenes in prison, the young Warden walked with a calm, unruffled gait, barely noticing anything amiss—until he sensed a familiar and distinctly unfriendly gaze.
"?" Ji Yeran turned his head to meet Feng Zhixi’s eyes, only to see the Omega lean in and give him a faint smile.
"!" The soft sensation against his cheek left Ji Yeran stunned. The aroma of strong liquor flashed by in an instant.
Having casually planted a kiss on Ji Yeran’s cheek, Feng Zhixi was surprised to find that this Alpha’s face was actually quite soft. The soft texture left Feng Zhixi wanting more, and it felt a bit strange.
*How is Ji Yeran’s face soft? Shouldn't this cold-faced Alpha be rock-hard all over?*
Unable to figure it out, Feng Zhixi wanted to verify it again, but...
While he was still hesitating, he suddenly remembered something the future K had once said: *"We space pirates are meant to be reckless and do exactly as we please!"*
*True!*
For once, Feng Zhixi found himself agreeing with that smiling fox K in the depths of his heart. Then, he put it into action.
Lip pressed against lip, a touch-and-go contact.
Having finished the deed, Feng Zhixi licked his lips, surprised to find that this Alpha—who usually smelled of sour green plums—was actually sweet.
*A cold face that tastes sweet and soft? What kind of biological miracle is this?* Feng Zhixi pondered in confusion.
The shocked Interstellar Warden froze: "??!"
Wait, had he just been reverse-teased by an Omega?
Setting aside how shocked the "teased" Alpha was, the surrounding single hunters, having been force-fed a mouthful of "dog food," could only give up dejectedly.
*These two are too much! If you're a couple, say so earlier! Waaaah~*
Feng Zhixi licked his lips, thinking it was a pretty good deal to drive away all the "flowers and butterflies" with just two kisses.
A speechless Ji Yeran: "..."
Once they had dealt with the "mad bees and wild butterflies" and finally reached their hotel, the two of them realized that the trials of the Honeymoon Planet had only just begun.
Planet M88 was a travel destination that championed love. For the locals to remain famous throughout the Federation, they had to have unique features. This planet disliked cold robotic service; they preferred "humanistic care" and all the little moods that could add bricks and mortar to a romance.
Standing in the hotel lobby, Feng Zhixi and Ji Yeran finally breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, the interior of this hotel wasn't pink; the varying shades of pink outside were truly an eyesore.
At the front desk, a beautiful Omega receptionist glanced at them and synced the room key to their optical computers. With a beaming smile, she said, "I wish you both a wonderful night~"
Seeing the room key, Ji Yeran paused. He asked, "One room? We asked for two."
The receptionist looked at them and shook her head, explaining that the Honeymoon Planet only provided double suites. Single travelers were expected to stay in capsule hotels.
So *this* was the real reason countless single people at the starport were frantically looking for partners. No wonder this planet had the highest success rate for romantic encounters.
Feng Zhixi: "..."
Ji Yeran: "..."
Ultimately, unwilling to stay in a capsule hotel, the two compromised. Since it was a suite, staying together shouldn't be a problem at all.
Thinking this, they entered their hotel suite, only to realize they had been far too naive...
As the door slid open upon recognizing the program in their optical computers, the first thing they saw was a room full of pink—a shade so tender it made one’s mood turn irritable.
And after that "appetizer," the bedroom and living room revealed a water bed, a "sky birdcage," hanging straps... and so on, along with "toys" scattered everywhere...
This hotel had actually used every high-tech element available to simulate various erotic scenarios!
No wonder the receptionist had proudly claimed that while they were expensive, they were worth every credit and were definitely the best hotel on M88—the best in terms of "creativity"!
Feng Zhixi: "..."
Ji Yeran: "..."
Was it too late to check out?
***
