“No, thank you,” Lei Ting said with a smile, gently declining the suggestion. “It’ll be the same when I check it once the elective system officially opens.”
“Oh...” Several classmates couldn’t hide the disappointment on their faces. “Failed again...”
Lei Ting blinked, somewhat bewildered. “What?”
“Nothing, nothing!” The students scattered. Before long, faint whispers drifted from afar, clearly audible through Lei Ting’s optical brain, which had been enhanced by auditory components. “He really sticks to the rules... I heard someone tried to take him out for drinks back in first year and failed then, too...”
“...” Lei Ting searched his memory and found that such a thing had indeed happened. A few classmates from the Superpowered Mecha department had repeatedly invited him to try some alcohol, but Lei Ting had been quick to refuse. School regulations forbade drinking, he didn't drink anyway, and he had already decided not to touch the stuff in the future unless absolutely necessary.
*What is going on... do that many people want to see him break the rules?*
Lei Ting felt a mix of confusion and amusement, but he also sharpened his vigilance. He didn't believe these people had any good intentions...
After a few days of classes, Lei Ting was voted "Student Representative of the Year" on the school’s public forum, along with the titles of "Person You Most Want to Fight Alongside" and "Person You Have the Most Favorable Impression Of."
Immediately following this, several upperclassmen strolled over to his dormitory entrance with straight faces to present him with an award. A crowd gathered around, throwing flowers and spraying streamers as they went through the whole ceremony—only to be arrested ten minutes later by security drones. This left a bewildered Lei Ting standing at the dormitory entrance clutching a gold-plated (it was actually gold-plated) trophy, while a passing drone shoved a broom into his hand.
That day, he spent a full hour sweeping the ground.
From then on, he kept a respectful distance from those who tried to shake his resolve. After all, he was afraid that one day he might end up having to sweep the botanical garden for no reason.
Furthermore, he finally found the answer as to why people were always trying to get him to break school rules. Someone on the school forum had been discussing his self-control and claimed that no one could make the "Double S" abandon his self-discipline; if anyone thought they could, they were welcome to try.
Lei Ting suspected this might be a probe by military spies. After reporting it to "Pacific," several students were indeed quickly identified and pulled out. But the problem persisted. Even if it wasn't a formal bet, and even though the post had been deleted by "Pacific"...
Humans, after all, were creatures that loved to seek out amusement. This was especially true for humans of the interstellar era who had grown up surrounded by entertainment. They did this even though they knew perfectly well that they were attempting to ruin an outstanding classmate, a Federation reserve officer, and perhaps even the future of the entire Federation.
However, the school authorities were not to be trifled with. After several severe punishments ranging from expulsion to detention, the area around Lei Ting finally became quiet again.
Regarding the whole affair, his only comment was...
“Irritating.”
The black-haired youth frowned as he closed the data pad displaying the results screen for his "Principles and Destruction of Defense Barriers" exam—a perfect score—and tucked the module into his pocket.
Then, he pulled out a few candies and habitually shared them with those around him.
“Fruit-flavored hard candies,” he introduced. “They taste pretty good.”
Susanna took the orange-flavored candy in her hand and looked at it, then at the particularly round, distinct candy in Lei Ting’s hand. “What flavor is yours?”
“Mint. There was a lychee one too, but I just finished it,” Lei Ting replied with a smile. “I like those two.”
“Can I try one?” Lucas poked his head in curiously from the side.
“No,” Lei Ting replied with a smile, a rare direct refusal of a request.
“Oh...” Lucas shrunk back dejectedly.
“By the way,” Sandro suddenly asked, “the elective system opens in a few days. You saw the new system entry, right? What are you planning to pick?”
“*Common Small and Medium Warship and Spacecraft Operation Theory*, *High-Speed Maneuver Theory*, *Space Armor Warfare Theory*, and *Surgical Strike Theory*.” Lei Ting’s answer came without a moment’s hesitation. “In third year, I’ll upgrade the last three to ‘Advanced Research’ courses and swap the first one for *Superpowered Mechanics*.”
“...” Everyone took two slow steps back, their pupils shaking.
“What?” Lei Ting popped the mint into his mouth, feeling the cool, refreshing sweetness spread from the tip of his tongue. “Is there a problem?”
“N-No, I guess...” Sandro was stunned. Trembling, he added *Surveying* to the two courses he had planned to take. “Thanks. I feel... motivated.”
“...?”
Lei Ting looked at him and his other friends, who were all fiddling with something on their data pads, with a touch of confusion.
That night, a post appeared on the forum: 【*I suspect the biggest difference between the Double S and us is that his life doesn't require vacations.*】
***
Reading, studying, marksmanship training, combat training, special environment adaptation training, combat simulation training for various scenarios...
After several months of this, Lei Ting returned from a special environment training ground on a planetary surface. Having not rested for some time, he dragged his exhausted body through a shower and prepared to go out for a walk, intending to visit the commercial district.
The commercial district here was entirely different from the one on the *Solar*. It was a standalone, multi-story building. Each floor had different sections for shops, where commercial representatives from various companies held meetings. Under the academy’s military management, these conversations were so secure that only the content itself was dangerous.
However... to be honest, just like on the *Solar*, allowing a large number of merchants into a place that could be considered a vital military site was absurd. Wasn't the academy afraid of saboteurs among them?
Lei Ting wandered around for a bit and was soon noticed. A few people, who considered themselves influential enough to have a word with Angye, tried to strike up a conversation with him. He politely declined them all, leaving them to watch him walk away in frustration.
As he turned the next corner, a familiar voice made him stop. He looked up at the convex security mirror installed at every corner.
...
“I’m sorry, truly sorry. This is all my fault.” Valen bowed and scraped, shielding a frail-looking clerk from ‘Yuanguang Fine Materials’ with a placating smile. “As the manager, I failed to supervise my subordinate. Please, let him go. I will take full responsibility.”
Opposite him stood a youth with soft, curly pink hair. He had delicate features and was dressed in opulent clothing, surrounded by a group of seven or eight superpowered security guards. He looked like a young master out for a stroll who had wandered into the wrong place.
At the moment, this ‘young master’ was critically sizing Valen up with his pink eyes. “You look decent enough,” he said nonchalantly.
Then, he tilted his chin up proudly. “Resign within ten minutes. I want you to be my playmate.”
“...” Behind the corner, Lei Ting’s eyelid twitched, and he slowly crossed his arms.
“I am very sorry, but the condition you’ve proposed is a bit difficult to fulfill...” The smile vanished from Valen’s face as he lowered his head slightly, frowning.
“So... you’re refusing me?”
The youth grinned, his sharp, black serrated teeth glinting coldly under the white lights.
“Do you know who I am?” His smile turned strange, and his voice softened. “Arin Abrissac. Have you... heard that name before?”
*...The Crown Prince of the Abrissac Empire?*
Lei Ting narrowed his eyes as he watched Crown Prince Arin in the mirror’s reflection. Yes, it was him—the young prince representing the King of Abrissac on a visit to the Federation, the one who had given Vice Speaker Gerhard Yondell, the head of foreign affairs, a massive headache.
Over the past few months, he had appeared many times in the news on the Federation StarNet.
Abrissac... the name of this race meant "Deep Sea" in their native tongue. Their true appearance was not what Arin was currently showing everyone; they were actually ichthyoid and serpentine marine species.
It was said that the physical characteristics of the Abrissac royalty resembled a type of alien octopus. The purer the bloodline, the more they looked like octopuses. Atavistic individuals could even lose their humanoid form entirely, as if "carbon-based human" genes were merely foreign contaminants to be eliminated.
Consequently, there were speculations in interstellar society that the ancestors of the Abrissac were actually some kind of genetic chimera experimental subjects. However, this did not stop them from earning a fearsome reputation as one of the three most bellicose races in the galaxy.
As for this Crown Prince Arin... it was said that he was a near-atavistic individual, with an octopus-like form from the waist down.
The current King of Abrissac doted on this son, providing him with the best teachers, the finest attendants, and the first pick of any treasures. He had even named him Crown Prince early on.
But this seemed to have spoiled His Highness. During his stay in the Federation after completing his diplomatic mission, he had repeatedly violated Federation laws without remorse. Vice Speaker Yondell had nearly reached the point of deporting him back to the Abrissac Empire’s sector.
But... it was impossible. Even though everyone knew he had come with ill intent, he could not be controlled or sent away by any coercive means.
If anything happened to this fellow within the Federation or on his way back to Abrissac, it would be the clarion call for a new war.
Whether the flames of war would reach the Federation’s heartland or not, the residents of the border regions would certainly suffer.
...
At that moment, Valen in front of Prince Arin and Lei Ting behind the corner both sighed inwardly: *...Tsk.*
“What, still hesitating?”
Arin leaned forward with a smile, his hands clasped behind his back like a playful youth who was ordinary in every way except for his beauty and magnificent clothes. He peered up at the face of Valen, who stood two or three heads taller than him. “What are you thinking? Human... do you really think you can refuse me?”
