Seeing Ji Yeran’s expression—a mix of shock and utter revulsion, frozen in a state of thunderstruck resistance—Feng Zhixi’s mood improved considerably.
He couldn't help it; the pair outside had been nauseatingly cloying.
Honestly, between "The Cuckold" and "The Poison King," how much longer were they going to keep up that act? Didn't they know that polluting the environment in a public space was a serious violation of Federation law?
Feng Zhixi wasn't the only one in a foul mood. Behind another door, Emir was also holding her breath, her eyes practically aching from what she’d witnessed.
Having accidentally seen such an eyesore of a scene, Emir pressed a hand to her forehead. No, there were too many things to complain about; she was going to burst. Help!
She felt a restless, itching discomfort deep in her soul.
Meanwhile, the two in the hallway, currently lost in their own world, had no idea they had two sets of audiences whose eyes were being scorched. Their self-indulgent performance continued.
Whether it was Ji Wei, who was deliberately flirting with an agenda, or Hill, who had his own ulterior motives, the two of them looked at each other with sweet, sticky affection, though both were only thinking of themselves.
Hill thought contemptuously: *What a gullible idiot!*
Ji Wei gloated over his own charm: *Simple Omegas are so easy to trick!*
In the corridor, the Omega and Alpha each harbored their own schemes. Hill’s sweet smile met Ji Wei’s "mature, masculine" gaze, filling the hallway with imaginary pink bubbles.
Feng Zhixi: "..."
Ji Yeran: "..."
Emir: "..."
*Enough! Is this ever going to end?!*
Just as the three forced spectators were about to gag, the "Cuckold" and the "Poison King" finally finished their display of affection after what felt like an eternity. They parted reluctantly, and Emir, her eyes throbbing, let out a long sigh of relief.
She couldn't take it anymore; she needed air! Driven by the desperate need to breathe, Emir waited until she was certain the hallway was empty before decisively throwing open her door.
And then—
She ran straight into Ji Yeran, who was also preparing to leave Feng Zhixi’s room.
"...!" Emir was stunned. What kind of "luck" was this?
Seeing Emir’s wide eyes, Ji Yeran was also taken aback. Before he could react, the long-ponytail Omega spun around, retreated into her room, and slammed the door shut.
The entire sequence was seamless, executed with a speed that defied imagination.
"?" Watching Emir’s frantic retreat, Ji Yeran was perplexed, wondering what kind of drama she was performing now.
Behind the closed door, Emir finally realized how stupid she’d been. She covered her face, feeling like a total moron. Why had she reacted so strongly?
*Aaaaah, will the second Chief candidate think I’m an idiot?!*
Emir, who appeared to be a cheerful, straightforward girl on the surface but possessed an incredibly overactive inner monologue, fell into a pit of self-loathing. She felt her image as a resourceful strategist was crumbling.
While Emir moped with her face in her hands, Ji Yeran shook his head wordlessly outside. He pushed the minor interlude to the back of his mind and walked away.
***
The next day, Xu Yi, acting as the Fleet Commander for the First Legion in this joint exercise, solemnly handed the three military academy students over to a trusted subordinate. He instructed the officer to keep a close eye on them.
The officer in charge of the "Bait Plan"—the operation’s executive officer—gave Xu Yi a solemn military salute, vowing to complete the mission.
With the ambition of expanding the First Legion’s territory, the executive officer turned briskly and led the team out.
In the depths of space, a single scout ship quietly detached itself from the main fleet, which was currently navigating in stealth mode.
The lagging scout ship accelerated, quickly putting a significant distance between itself and the main body. Soon, the scout ship vanished from the First Legion’s monitoring sensors in the vastness of space.
After sailing for a while and scanning the surroundings to ensure there was no interference, the scout ship deactivated its stealth camouflage, revealing its matte-black hull.
As a small-scale vessel in active service within the Federation military, scout ships were primarily used for reconnaissance and infiltration. Known for their speed and cloaking capabilities, they were the ideal choice for a disguised bait.
Once the black hull was exposed, a flash of silver-blue light rippled across the ship. A holographic module using photon simulation instantly enveloped the entire vessel.
A moment later, a pure white commercial passenger ship appeared in space. This "commercial ship" seemed to mimic a military design; the sleek lines and structural integrity of the exterior suggested that the owner had spent a fortune on modifications.
With the disguise complete, the scout ship—now a commercial vessel—cruised through space. It intentionally maintained a low speed, hovering right at the upper limit of what a standard merchant ship could achieve.
Such a lonely, obviously modified, and "refined" commercial ship sailing through the Gamma System’s notorious "Marauder’s Corridor" was essentially screaming to the surrounding pirates: *This ship has money and people! Come and get it!*
The executive officer’s method of using a modified merchant ship to lure pirates was highly successful. After all, in the eyes of the bandits who haunted the stars, such a high-end modified ship was a "fat sheep."
Soon enough, a group of pirates took the bait.
The first to bite was a "small fry" pirate group. They were called small fry because they were small, stupid, and incredibly greedy.
When the leader of this small fry group received the report of a modified merchant ship passing by, the greedy and foolish pirate chief didn't think twice. He immediately led his men on a charge.
If a fat sheep like this was spotted by someone else first, they wouldn't get a share. With the major pirate groups mysteriously going into hiding lately, this was their chance to grow! *Charge!*
That was the pirate leader’s last thought... and then there was nothing.
The foolish little pirate group was instantly annihilated by the scout ship.
The speed at which the ambitious pirates charged out was matched only by the speed at which they were finished. There was no need for the First Legion fleet lurking in the rear to intervene; a few volleys from the scout ship’s cannons wiped out the entire group.
A one-second team wipe! Clean and efficient.
Listening to the report, the executive officer frowned. The shrimp were too small; they weren't even worth remembering, and now they were all dead shrimp.
"This small fry isn't even enough to get stuck in my teeth," the officer muttered, more frustrated than anything. He had made a formal pledge to his superior, and at this rate, catching only small fry wouldn't fulfill the mission.
*I have to take action,* the officer thought.
Observing the officer’s movements, Feng Zhixi tilted his head and exchanged a knowing look with Ji Yeran. Then, Feng Zhixi felt a strange gaze again—a look that was both fervent and cautious, quietly trailing them.
"?" *How many times has this been now?*
Without turning around, Feng Zhixi knew exactly who that cautious gaze belonged to: Emir.
He glanced at Ji Yeran again, feeling perplexed. Emir had seemed perfectly normal yesterday; how had she woken up today acting like she had some kind of bizarre illness?
And it was a very "unique" kind of illness.
What exactly was going on?
Feng Zhixi was confused. Although he hadn't figured out the key yet, he had noticed a pattern: whenever there was physical contact between him and Ji Yeran, the long-ponytail Omega would act like she’d been injected with adrenaline, watching them with an excited, secretive gaze.
*Is this some kind of intermittent mania?*
While wondering, Feng Zhixi tentatively brushed the back of his hand against Ji Yeran’s.
"?" Ji Yeran turned to look at him, clearly not understanding the meaning behind the gesture.
This was unusual; Ji Yeran was rarely unable to guess Feng Zhixi’s thoughts.
Facing the confusion of the Alpha he was teasing, Feng Zhixi shook his head. Then, as soon as Ji Yeran’s attention returned to the officer, he brushed him again.
Ji Yeran looked back; Feng Zhixi shook his head. Then he did it again...
He did it several times, like he was teasing a cat.
"..." The teased Ji Yeran felt helpless. He reached out, caught Feng Zhixi’s "teasing" hand, and asked in a low voice, "What is wrong with you?"
Sensing their hands clasping, Emir—who had been vibrating like a startled marmot in the back—felt like she was about to explode. Feng Zhixi arched an eyebrow, finding this quite amusing.
Emir’s nearly uncontrollable emotions were finally noticed by Ji Yeran. He followed that fervent gaze, his sharp eyes locking onto the long-ponytail girl just as a scream was about to escape her throat.
*Aaaaaah! They’re holding hands!*
Emir, who was currently squealing internally, didn't have time to hide her excited gaze before she was caught red-handed by the subjects of her scrutiny.
Emir: "..."
Ji Yeran: "?"
Feng Zhixi smiled silently.
Pinned in place by the Alpha Chief’s sharp, cold gaze, Emir saw the Omega Chief flash a smile—one that was both beautiful and dangerous.
Feng Zhixi asked with a grin, "Have you seen enough?"
The frozen Emir: "..." *I didn't mean to, I'm sorry.*
Feng Zhixi said persuasively, "Do you want to take the top spot in this military exercise?"
Emir blinked, stunned. She had expected the Chief to interrogate her, but this?
Diverted by Feng Zhixi’s sudden question, Emir nodded frantically. Of course she did; that was her entire purpose for participating.
Feng Zhixi prompted her calmly, "Then think about what you are best at."
*What am I best at?*
Emir was momentarily lost. As an outstanding student in Logistics and Armament Management, her specialty was, of course, logistics. But on this bait ship, there didn't seem to be much room for that—unless the executive officer was willing to hand over command authority to her.
No... wait!
Suddenly realizing something, Emir’s eyes widened. She looked up and met Feng Zhixi’s affirming gaze.
*Exactly.* Feng Zhixi’s smile indicated that their goal wasn't to catch small fry, but to snag a "crocodile." There was a task perfectly suited for Emir, involving her greatest talent.
As someone from a family of merchants for generations, possessing immense business talent herself, Emir suddenly remembered her most ingrained skill—disguise.
Or rather, she was an expert at creating a "fat sheep" merchant fleet that would make even the largest pirate groups salivate.
This would be her greatest contribution to the Bait Plan!
Once she understood, Emir was overjoyed. The executive officer’s plan was too conservative—or rather, it was too much like a soldier’s thinking. A single modified merchant ship sailing alone in space wasn't attractive enough to pirates.
It wasn't a "fat sheep" from a merchant’s perspective. Such a ship could only lure small to medium-sized fry; it lacked the "flavor" to attract a crocodile.
Beaming, Emir gave the Chief a huge smile and ran off to find the executive officer.
Watching the quick-witted Emir run off, Feng Zhixi let out a faint smile. He had no patience for games of "big fish eat little fish." Since they had the strength, he preferred a total steamroll.
Seeing Emir disappear, Ji Yeran asked curiously, "You know her?" Based on Feng Zhixi’s earlier behavior, they shouldn't have had any prior contact. So, was it from the future?
"I know the future her." Feng Zhixi’s answer confirmed Ji Yeran’s suspicion. In truth, it was only after Ji Yeran mentioned Emir last night that Feng Zhixi finally remembered he did indeed know her in the future.
Emir, the greatest mastermind behind the Xiguang Group’s rise to becoming a top-tier financial conglomerate, had sought him out through various channels in the future, wanting to place a massive order for munitions.
"She’s the operator behind the Xiguang Group?" Ji Yeran was surprised by this answer.
Feng Zhixi nodded. Back then, after discovering who the person trying to reach him was, he had refused without hesitation. He hadn't expected...
Feng Zhixi’s answer made Ji Yeran frown. His guard against Hill intensified. It seemed that the seemingly harmless Omega could not only "pollute" powerful Alphas but could also turn the people he harmed into stepping stones for his own ascent.
In the future, while the public didn't know the exact relationship between Emir and Hill, they knew that the Xiguang Group and Master Hill were inextricably linked. Yet Emir, the hero who helped him rise to power, met a miserable end after her "retirement."
Was all of this orchestrated by Hill?!
***
**Glossary**
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 青青草原 | The Cuckold / Field of Green | Slang referring to being cheated on (wearing a "green hat"). Used here to mock Ji Wei. |
| 毒王之王 | The Poison King | Referring to Hill, whose pheromones "pollute" others. |
| 诱饵计划 | Bait Plan | The military operation to lure out space pirates. |
| 劫掠走廊 | Marauder’s Corridor | A dangerous region of space known for pirate activity. |
| γ星系 | Gamma System | The star system where the exercise is taking place. |
| 希光集团 | Xiguang Group | A future corporate empire associated with Hill. |
| 土拨鼠 | Marmot / Groundhog | Internet slang for someone screaming or squealing in excitement (fangirling). |
| 先遣侦查舰 | Scout Ship / Reconnaissance Vessel | The type of military ship used as the bait. |
| 光子模拟 | Photon Simulation | The technology used to create the ship's holographic disguise. |
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