Chapter Sixty-Nine

Chapter Sixty-Nine

The spaceships of the four major military academies docked in succession, with students led by their team leaders to the dormitories for a brief rest.

Bai Sha and Cen Yuehuai shared a dormitory. The room was furnished simply, with bunk beds above and desks below, along with wardrobes and other essentials.

Bai Sha and Cen Yuehuai unpacked their luggage, neatly organized their clothes, and then began changing into their uniforms.

There was a briefing for the exercise opening ceremony at six o’clock tonight, followed by a simple gathering of the four schools, rumored to include a dancing segment.

Fortunately, they didn’t need to change into anything special—Tianquan Military Academy had formal uniforms for official occasions, consisting of a fitted dress suit with a shirt, long skirt, and jacket. The material was exquisite, with pure gemstone cuffs, giving an overall sense of high-class austerity.

After getting dressed, Bai Sha adjusted her hair in front of the mirror.

"I need to cut my hair," she said.

"Why? Long hair looks so good on you," Cen Yuehuai, having pinned her school's golden emblem to her chest and tied up a high ponytail, added a hair clip on top and admired herself in the mirror before turning to Bai Sha, "Your hair is so nice, others would kill to have it."

Cen Yuehuai looked at Bai Sha in the mirror—there, the girl with raven hair and fair skin had begun to shed her youthful immaturity. Her exquisite features exuded a subtle indifference, and when she looked at someone, there was an inherent nobility about her.

Cen Yuehuai sighed, feeling that Bai Sha's demeanor was becoming more and more like the Emperor's.

If Bai Sha didn't deliberately hide her hair and eye color, she would be a spitting image of the Emperor when presented before others.

"…Speaking of which, Your Highness, I've never seen you without your disguise," Cen Yuehuai suddenly realized, pretending to be aggrieved, "When can we see each other without any pretense?"

Bai Sha raised an eyebrow slightly, asking her, "Want to see?"

Cen Yuehuai nodded eagerly, like a pecking chicken.

"My light computer has holographic mimicry accessories. I can dye my hair back to its original color to show you."

As she spoke, Bai Sha removed her colored contact lenses and pressed something on her light computer. A string of fluorescent light circled her wrist and then flew towards her body.

After a brief moment, Bai Sha's hair gradually turned silver, as if moonlight flowed through each strand. Her deep blue eyes, like sparkling sapphires, shimmered variably with the changing indoor light, casting enchanting shades.

Cen Yuehuai’s breath caught in her throat.

Indeed, this was the real Bai Sha Ronin. The subtle sense of dissonance that always enveloped her disappeared, like a polished raw gem emitting a halo that attracted everyone's gaze.

Cen Yuehuai was struck by the royal beauty! Her health points dropped by 9999!

She lightly sniffed, excitedly flung herself into Bai Sha's arms, and nuzzled against her, exclaiming, "Beauty hug!"

Bai Sha: "..."

A minute later, Bai Sha turned off the mimicry function of her light computer, prompted by Cen Yuehuai's incessant urging.

"Tonight, only I saw Your Highness like this. Rounding up, it’s like I alone enjoyed your beauty," Cen Yuehuai slowly revealed a smile, then let out a few peculiar laughs, "Just me! Hahaha—"

Bai Sha, unable to bear it anymore, knocked her on the head heavily: "Can't you act normal?"

Cen Yuehuai instantly returned to her calm demeanor, holding her head and whimpering softly.

After their playful banter, the two left the dormitory and headed to the hall downstairs, encountering Xino and Yu Yan along the way.

Xino, in formal attire, exuded pure professionalism, his every move reflecting his deep-rooted noble heritage. Yu Yan, as always quiet and reserved, managed to carry the dark gold formal uniform of Tianquan Military Academy with ease.

The four walked together towards the elevator, meeting many students from other military academies along the way.

Students from the four academies were easily recognizable by their uniforms.

Besides Tianquan Military Academy's cold and luxurious style, Xizhou Military Academy opted for an all-black cool look, resembling the Empire's military officer uniforms; Nanmi Military Academy's pure white uniforms were elegant and generous, adorned with decorative golden tassels on the shoulders; Dongluo Military Academy's deep green uniforms had a retro design sense.

When they all gathered in the hall, forming neat squares, the visual impact of these colors was even more striking.

As a representative of the new students, Bai Sha stood at the very front of the formation, flanked by four upperclassmen—first in combat and mech mastery from the second and third years.

Moreover, the front rows of the other military academies had six people each. Bai Sha's position was quite unique: she stood in the forefront, not aligned with either the combat or mech mastery students, but right in the middle, clearly defined—visually, she was the only person not aligned with the rows behind her.

"Is that the dual-major noble from Tianquan Military Academy?"

"Darn, I heard she was dual-majoring, but I didn't know she was first in both! So, is she competing as a mech soldier or a mech master?"

"Does it make any difference?"

"If she's a mech soldier, run when you see her on the field; if she's a mech master, hurry up and cling to her for support! Our mech master department needs someone with her fighting capabilities!"

The speaker was a student from Dongluo Military Academy, who seemed quite free-spirited, speaking whatever came to mind.

At that moment, a figure appeared on the distant podium.

"Greetings, students of the Empire's military academies," the man standing on the podium, dressed in an officer's uniform, exuded an upright posture. His eyes, marked with faint crow's feet, were exceptionally bright, "I am Owen Adams, the Chairman of Tianquan Military Academy. I will now announce the guidelines for this four-school selection."

"This selection is to choose the official team members for the joint military exercise. Although students from the four major academies are in competition, the essence is friendly rivalry. Youthful vigor should not shy away from competition, but remember to honor integrity and pride. Mere aggression and hostility are meaningless. The final selection will be jointly supervised and decided by instructors from all four academies to ensure utmost fairness and justice."

Then, the chairman's face revealed a mysterious smile: "And now, let us welcome the Emperor of our Empire, His Majesty Cecil Ronin, to deliver his message!"

The hall fell into a brief, eerie silence.

Soon after, the military academy students erupted in a loud cheer and applause, almost lifting the roof of the hall.

"It's His Majesty!"

"The Emperor himself is here!"

Bai Sha, clapping along with the crowd, looked bewildered: Her uncle hadn’t mentioned coming along!

A familiar figure slowly stepped onto the stage.

Cecil Ronin, dressed in imperial regalia, wore a gold and blue sash across his chest, with two golden clematis badges on his waist. He ascended the platform with an imperial demeanor, his gaze sweeping across the hall.

Suddenly, an incredibly powerful psychic energy, overwhelming like a tsunami, poured over them.

Instructors and military academy students alike were taken aback, instinctively tensing up, yet not daring to show any resistance.

Some students with lower psychic power levels felt as though they had been plunged into the deep sea in that instant, their senses forcibly sealed, limbs numbing under the immense pressure of the psychic force…

Ten seconds later, the oppressive psychic force suddenly dissipated.

The military academy students finally caught their breath, a few coughs echoing softly in the crowd.

"I am honored to meet you all."

The Emperor's face showed no particular emotion as he slowly, deliberately projected his voice to everyone's ears.

"I am delighted that tonight, the four great military academies of the Empire have gathered together. As military academy students, you represent the new hope of the Empire, the foundation of our land's defense through valor and martial prowess."

"Having been on the battlefield myself, I have only one piece of advice for you: remain vigilant at all times. Let this vigilance permeate every vein in your body. Cherish every opportunity for exercise and training. Consider yourself as a metal to be forged, a blade to be honed... Only through countless trials can you become the finest warriors."

The Emperor's voice was firm and resonant.

"...Regardless of the outcome of this selection, each of you is a treasure of the Empire, an embodiment of our beliefs."

"Go forth to battle, surpass yourselves, and explore stronger realms—dedicate your fervor to the Empire."

"The Ares Empire will always look forward to you forging new glories for it."

A flame seemed to ignite in the eyes of the military academy students as they watched the Emperor, saluting with reverence and fervor:

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

"Long live Ronin—"

"Long live the Ares Empire!"

Bai Sha was engulfed in the tumultuous crowd.

Amidst the resounding shouts of thousands, she clearly heard her own heartbeat. She looked up, somewhat dazedly, locking eyes with Cecil Ronin.

Cecil Ronin's gaze was fleeting, swiftly shifting to each person in the audience, naturally responding to their reverence. His expression seemed to say to Bai Sha: See, this is what it means to be an Emperor.

"Do you want to give it a try?"

……

The motivational speech had a tremendous effect.

After the briefing, the military academy students moved into the dining segment. The hall was simply decorated, but the long tables were laden with countless exquisite foods and drinks. Meanwhile, classical string music gradually started, signaling the beginning of the social dance segment.

Bai Sha, holding a plate, slowly stuffed food into her mouth.

Cen Yuehuai and Xino were beside her, equally famished, eating and discussing: "I was so scared! Why did His Majesty suddenly appear?"

Xino speared a chicken breast wrap, took a bite, and said, "I was surprised too. This is the first time His Majesty has appeared in front of military academy students. Usually, you'd only see His Majesty at a legion meeting or something…" Despite saying this, as the heir of the Uss family, Xino had met the Emperor many times in private, so he wasn't too shocked.

"This food is really good," Cen Yuehuai said excitedly, "I wonder which chef they hired?"

Bai Sha: "Probably chefs from Youdu Star."

Cen Yuehuai choked, surprised as she looked at her plate: "Huh?"

They hadn’t been eating long when groups of students started gathering in twos and threes to dance.

Social dancing was part of Bai Sha's compulsory royal courses, so she already mastered the basic dances. However, she had no desire to dance, preferring to eat more dishes.

The four-school selection required them to survive seven days in the wilds of Green Yen Star, and for the next seven days, they would likely only have rather rough meals. Better to eat more during this banquet.

Watching the dancing students, Cen Yuehuai noticed some were from the same school, others from different ones. As more joined in, she commented in confusion, "Everyone's a military academy student. Why are they so into social dancing? Is dancing that fun?"

"It's called 'the drinker’s heart is not in the cup'," Xino glanced nonchalantly at the crowd, "They’re not here for the dance, they’re clearly looking for partners."

"Pfft." Cen Yuehuai almost spat out her juice, "What did you say—"

Xino: "What's so surprising? Imperial military academy students tend to marry within their circles. Especially from the fourth year onwards, with battlefield internships and military assignments consuming all their energy, there’s hardly any holiday time in a year… Particularly for those from noble families, if they don’t find partners during their golden student years, what if all the good ones are taken?"

Bai Sha was also quite shocked: "Are they really that eager?"

Xino waved his hand: "Your Highness, you didn't grow up in the Empire, so you might not know. We Empire citizens are very particular about choosing life partners; once we choose someone, it’s usually for life. So, it’s crucial to be very selective about marriage partners. They must be appealing, have compatible temperaments, and ideally be strong too... because children born to two strong Ares citizens often inherit excellent genes. But this last point depends on personal choice. Some people think it's okay if their partner isn't strong, as long as there's love."

Bai Sha raised an eyebrow: "I didn't expect you to know so much."

Xino sighed: "It’s basic knowledge for nobles." After all, nobles are the ones most concerned with bloodlines. They often revolve around bloodline and psychic entity inheritance, aiming to leave excellent genes for their families.

"Why don't you take this opportunity to dance?" Cen Yuehuai said with a smile, "What if you meet the woman of your dreams?"

"I'm different," Xino said, his smile fading, "I'm the heir of the Uss family. Although my cousins will join the Uss family legions, I will probably have to stay on Tianshu Star."

Staying on Tianshu Star, of course, meant he wouldn't have to worry about finding a partner.

"…By the way, since just now, there have been people staring at us," Cen Yuehuai, holding her plate, subtly moved closer to Bai Sha and Xino, whispering, "Have you noticed?"

"Of course, I noticed," Xino said, "Why do you think I’m still at this boring banquet? It’s to shield Your Highness from unnecessary advances."

With Bai Sha's mysterious background yet being a member of the nobility, just that fact alone would attract certain people like moths to a flame, all wanting to probe her origins, some even eager to "pair up" with her. Xino staying by Bai Sha’s side was also a way to maintain order, driving away those who were overly enthusiastic.

Suddenly, a commotion came from a corner not too far from them.

The trio turned their heads to look.

"Is that Ji Ya and... Ilexius?" Xino frowned slightly, "Why would they argue in such a setting?"

They only caught the end of the argument, seeing Ji Ya splashing water on a refined young man with gray hair, her expression agitated before she turned and left. The young man stood still, calmly wiping the water stains off his body with a handkerchief, his demeanor serene yet profound.

The young man named "Ilexius" was wearing a Xizhou Military Academy uniform.

Cen Yuehuai wore a gossip-hungry expression: "Who is this Ilexius?"

"Well... as you know, Empire people are divided into feather and beast types. The power of the beast type is split, mainly among four families. The Uss family, Ji family, Ilexius’s Yi family, and the Greiz family..."

Before Xino Uss could finish, Cen Yuehuai interjected: "You're making it sound so complicated. How can Your Highness understand?"

Xino: "Is it Your Highness who doesn't understand, or you?"

"I know about this," Bai Sha spoke up to Cen Yuehuai, "The representative of the new students from Xizhou Military Academy this year seems to be from the Greiz family."

Cen Yuehuai blinked, remembering the Xizhou Military Academy student who had confronted Ji Ya earlier—his psychic entity was a silver wolf, leaving a lasting impression.

"Your beast-type world is really complicated," Cen Yuehuai continued, "So, what are the relationships like among your four families?"

Xino shook his head slightly: "Our Uss family has a closer relationship with the Ji family, as both are deeply rooted in Tianshu Star. As for the Greiz and Yi families... our relations are so-so. Just distant relatives who contact each other during festivals and holidays."

Bai Sha still remembered how her chief minister, Han Tong, had explained it to her.

The beast-type's strength was originally quite formidable. However, a dramatic incident a decade ago led to the death of the beast-type leader and the split of the four major families. The Uss and Ji families chose to be staunch royal supporters, while the Greiz family took the opposite stance—

"Personally, I think you should keep your distance from the Greiz family. The danger you might face in the Empire, a significant part of it is related to them," Han Tong had said, "As for the Yi family, they have been declining in recent years. You can interact with them, but don't trust them easily and always stay alert."

Bai Sha didn't ask what she should be wary of.

Undoubtedly, the answer was to be cautious of these two beast-type families seeking to usurp the throne.

At that time, Bai Sha felt that such dramatic power struggles should be far from her. Yet, unexpectedly, a four-school selection brought together these four beast-type families.

"I remember Ilexius is not only intelligent but also knew Ji Ya from childhood. How could he inexplicably anger Ji Ya?" Xino glanced in Ilexius's direction, his gaze inquisitive.

Ilexius, having dealt with the water stains, left the corner without any sign of anger or embarrassment and approached the representative of the new students from Xizhou Military Academy.

The new student representative from Xizhou Military Academy was a young man with sharp features.

He was accompanied by seven or eight solemn-looking students, all staying quietly by his side, not eating or participating in the entertainment activities.

It was like an alpha wolf leading a highly disciplined pack.

Ilexius approached the Xizhou Military Academy's new student representative and spoke a few words in a low voice, then naturally integrated into the "wolf pack."

Bai Sha reached for a glass of clear water from the table, took a sip, and her gaze lingered on the "wolf pack" of Xizhou Military Academy.

The sharp-featured young man quickly noticed Bai Sha's gaze, turned his head, and their eyes met across the crowded hall.

Both remained silent.

The young man reached for a bottle and poured a clear liquid, the same color as Bai Sha's water, into his glass. He raised his glass to Bai Sha in a toast—his slight smile carried a coldness, and a hint of dark red seemed to swirl in his deep brown eyes.

He tilted his head back, revealing his pale and slender neck, and downed the drink in one go.

...Then erupted into a thunderous fit of coughing.

"Cough, cough, cough—" The young man struggled to suppress his cough, but the sharp taste on his tongue felt like a knife slicing through his organs, making it impossible to stop coughing.

"Caxin, why did you suddenly drink that?" Ilexius exclaimed in surprise, "That's the strong liquor the instructors use to accompany meals. They usually sip it in small amounts. Why did you drink so much at once?"

Caxin Greiz: "..."

Such a dreadful drink, yet Bai Sha Ronin drank it without a change in expression?

Caxin Greiz looked at Bai Sha again in disbelief, scrutinizing her. After a careful assessment, he arrived at a firm conclusion: What she was drinking wasn't liquor at all, it was water! He had been fooled!