“…Wait,” Lei Ting turned his head sharply in a state of shock. He felt no resistance; perhaps the Evenheiler of the past had acted in the exact same way. “‘Again’? This sort of thing… happens often?”
“I wouldn’t say ‘often.’ After all, there are plenty of things for the wealthy to play with; those stupid enough to do drugs are a minority,” the agent from the Police Department replied. “Most of them are just too young. They think they’re clever and are just looking for a thrill…”
“That’s enough. Say less,” an older agent nearby cut him off again.
Later, the streets and alleys returned to their usual state—neither particularly clean nor particularly filthy—as if nothing had ever happened. Lei Ting could feel a boiling anger and confusion surging in Evenheiler’s chest as he departed.
【The casualties numbered in the hundreds, yet it didn’t even make the news that day. The perpetrator’s family continued their banquets and kept making money; no one cared about the lives of ‘those few people.’】
【It wasn’t until half a month later that I saw a follow-up report in a corner of the news. They said the parties involved had reached a mutual settlement, but I didn’t believe the truth of that outcome for a second. Because I knew that perpetrator—his family had attended my father’s banquets.】
Lei Ting looked down at the data pad in his hand and the information displayed on it.
Amidst the agitation belonging to Evenheiler in his heart, he furrowed his brows. He did not resist the emotion; instead, he chose to experience it carefully. For he, too, was angry now. That anger merged with Evenheiler’s, turning into a violent, restless turbulence that awakened the hidden scars of the past deep within his own heart.
For those whose individual combat power was not strong enough, the arrival of death could be so effortless, so abrupt.
And it would not even be remembered by many.
【During my second internship, I went to the Seventh Legion to carry out a resource collection mission. Originally, I thought it was just a simple practical application of resource collection procedures, but later…】
Lei Ting pulled the registration data card from the external port of the optical computer and handed it to the teacher—who was likely one of the ‘Principal’s’ avatars—before walking into the spaceship with his luggage.
The faces of the crowds passing by in the ship’s corridors were blurred. He walked straight toward a ring of light at the end, entering a meeting room where he saw a handsome man sitting at the end of a long table, offering him a perfect, seemingly harmless smile.
【On the first day of the internship, the Commander of the Seventh Legion, Hemur, showed an extraordinary interest in me and began attempting to pursue me… but I ignored him. He was no good.】
【Naturally, he was unwilling to accept this fact. Consequently, he caused me a great deal of trouble afterward.】
Lei Ting’s fingers twitched… and he silently squeezed Evenheiler’s hand back.
【…How is it that I smell something sour in my angry emotions?】
“What do you think?” Lei Ting asked back gloomily through gritted teeth.
Evenheiler lowered his head, gazing at Lei Ting’s faintly closed eyes through the visor of his power armor.
He knew he was smiling. A smile he took advantage of because the other couldn’t see it.
【Then, during that internship, I witnessed with my own eyes the Seventh Legion blowing up a planet with a primitive, indigenous surface civilization during a ‘resource collection’ mission,】 Evenheiler said. 【I protested, but it had no effect. Instead, I was stationed on the front lines to witness even more tragedies. Hemur believed this was a necessary means to ‘tame’ me—that if I became desensitized and indifferent, he would get what he wanted.】
…
Fine. Hemur, was it? I’ll remember you.
Lei Ting thought.
Evenheiler tilted his head back, looking up at an electromagnetic cannon under construction amidst the golden sunlight.
Then he looked down again, reaching out to touch Lei Ting’s face. He felt the sharp angles of his cheeks and jaw with a force that wasn’t exactly gentle, as well as those tightly pursed lips.
【I was angry, but I was powerless. Because I knew the problem didn’t just lie with Hemur; the entire Seventh Legion was rotten to the core. And the Seventh Legion was actually just a microcosm of the Federation’s interior.】
Lei Ting could not refute this statement at all, for the corrupt officials he had killed couldn’t have just popped out of thin air.
【After that, I gradually came into contact with more of the Federation’s less ‘glamorous’ sides…】
【Can you imagine it? An official parachuted in to inspect a certain planet goes out for a stroll out of boredom. Everywhere he walks must be refurbished; everywhere he intends to go must have massive, energy-consuming weather regulators deployed in advance. The local ancient ruins he worships are completely renovated, and the protests of historians are drowned out in the Star Net…】
Evenheiler said.
【And the financial state of that already struggling planet would decline even further. By the time the official left, the planet would be bankrupt. What followed was social unrest that shouldn’t exist in an interstellar society, but the Federation authorities gave no response, because the Federation’s system is built on the basis of planetary autonomy.】
Indeed, in an era where stable quantum transmission technology was still a dream, total centralization was impossible for the Federation. Physical distance was the greatest obstacle to sovereignty.
【During this process, I tried to do something, but… it was impossible. I myself was part of that class. My life was built upon total injustice and permanent inequality. My very existence was a guarantee of the power that allowed some to exploit others further, yet I was not strong enough to cut through all obstacles and open up a new path…】
Lei Ting could clearly feel a sense of self-reproach. Evenheiler seemed to treat all of this as his own personal failing. Even though he had realized such thoughts were wrong by now, he could not completely rid himself of that guilt.
He was used to treating his own soul with severity, and ‘habit’ is one of the hardest things in the world to change.
Lei Ting sighed deeply in his heart.
He could clearly feel Evenheiler straddling his lap, leaning down to embrace him. Perhaps at this moment, beautiful golden hair was spilling over the cold, solid armor on his chest…
…
…Wait, where was this bastard uncle’s hand touching?
The corner of Lei Ting’s eye twitched. He felt, for some reason, that Evenheiler ‘playing a game’ with him was like the man was digging some kind of trap.
【During this process, I was grateful for my friends…】
【Even though they were never in the same place as me for any internship, and they suddenly dropped out in their third year and were never heard from again, I am still grateful for the brief comfort and ease they gave me,】 Evenheiler said.
【Unfortunately, in the latter half of the fourth year, while cooperating with a promotional event, I saw a man I had personally and secretly sent to prison appearing on the entertainment news. He had married the most popular star of the time, with a completely clean record and no criminal history.】
【The other party was a male Omega with beautiful golden hair. The reason for his high popularity was that he had played me in a television drama. Two years later, that star suddenly died of illness, and within a few months, the man married again. His partner was once more a golden-haired male Omega.】
…
Even without the existence of the emotional sharing link, Lei Ting could imagine the level of disgust Evenheiler must have felt at the time.
Consequently, he didn’t have any violent psychological reaction. Instead, he used as little force as possible to lift his arms and gave the man in his arms a comforting pat on the back.
Then, he felt that body slide down from his embrace.
Lei Ting: “…”
Lei Ting: “?!”
A short while later, a breeze from the air circulation system blew past. Lei Ting sat at a table in the academy headquarters’ rest area in the persona of ‘Evenheiler.’ Only this time, ‘Evenheiler’ was alone.
This familiar place made him feel a bit dazed—once, he had sat here with his friends and classmates, talking and laughing. It was mostly Lucas talking and Sandro chatting, while the others laughed and joked together.
But the last time he had returned here, Susanna was still in a life-support pod in the medical department, and Lucas had gone back to his own home… Lei Ting had also been alone then, sitting upright with his hands clasped, quietly watching this not-so-narrow sunken space under the secretive gazes of the newcomers nearby.
That was the first time he felt this place was excessively quiet.
But now, returning here in Evenheiler’s memory game, he only felt…
“Even… you…” Lei Ting gritted his teeth, trying his best to restrain the impulse in his heart. A flash of gold light surged again in his eyes, which had briefly returned to black, wanting Evenheiler to stop what he was doing first. “…Is this how you discuss serious business?”
【Let me correct you, Your Excellency ‘Sun Star.’ Obviously, I only discuss serious business with you this way,】 Evenheiler’s tone carried a hint of a smile. 【Your battle armor is really difficult to deal with, but it’s fine. It’s better not to take it all off.】
…This old bastard.
Lei Ting snapped his eyes open and sat up, leaning forward. He looked down and sighed helplessly, his gloved and armored fingers stroking the other’s beautiful golden hair.
Then he was pushed against the chest and abdomen by Evenheiler. He obediently followed the momentum and fell back, letting out a long sigh.
A long time later, the golden bastard of a man climbed up, his body gone soft. He looked down at Lei Ting from above. “The game demo experience has ended. Congratulations, player—you didn’t clear it at all, because I didn’t make an ending. Everything following this is paid content… and there’s no channel for top-ups.”
“…” Lei Ting’s brow twitched.
Evenheiler narrowed his eyes and leaned down, his gaze meeting the golden eyes behind that X-shaped visor.
He knew that everything that happened today wouldn’t make Lei Ting choose to agree with all his choices; changing one’s concepts and stance wasn’t that easy. In truth, he didn’t want to continue ‘discussing serious business’ either. His purpose for staying here had been achieved; this amount of time was enough for his comrades to realize the gravity of the situation and further retract the forces buried within the Federation.
Now…
Evenheiler smiled and leaned down to kiss him.
He planned to temporarily cast aside that messy past and present, letting the old wounds, deep-seated hatred, and sense of powerlessness stay far away from him. Then, amidst the preparations for the future, he would first do something no one had ever done before.
Like… ‘bullying the strongest Alpha in the world’… or something of the sort.
***
