Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Half an hour later, Yi Ye left the room.

On the way out of the Sky Mansion, Kappel asked him what he had talked about with Prince Peide. There was nothing to hide, so Yi Ye told him the truth. After listening, Kappel was silent for a few seconds: "You might as well quit."

"The last person to earn Commander Lin Pei's approval is now the leader of the Third Legion, and he’s already 130 years old. Among the younger generation, even Prince Peide can’t fully convince him. How could you possibly do it?"

"I don’t know, I’ll give it a try."

Yi Ye maintained a mindset of "if it works out, great; if not, no big deal." Whether he becomes an official member or not won’t have much impact on his mission. Today, he approached the crown prince mainly to see if he could get any info about the Zerg, but Prince Peide didn’t say a word about it. Asking directly would only raise suspicion.

There’s still the December assessment, so no rush.

The elevator smoothly descended to the ground floor, and with a beep, the doors opened. Yi Ye looked up and noticed two people outside the elevator. One was Principal Howard, and the other was an old man Yi Ye had never seen before. The man had grayish-white whiskers, a bit of a sour look, and was dressed in ridiculously fancy and over-the-top clothes, even more so than Principal Howard standing beside him.

Kappel tutted under his breath, placing his hand on his chest to salute the newcomers: "Good to see you, Duke Jed, Principal Howard."

Yi Ye followed his lead and saluted as well.

Principal Howard, with a refined demeanor, looked at Yi Ye: "Student Yi Ye, looks like Prince Peide couldn’t wait to meet you. How’d it go?"

"Prince Peide was very gentle, and it went very smoothly."

"That’s good."

"Ace, are you gonna keep chatting with these kids forever?" The old man rudely interrupted Principal Howard, tapping his cane lightly on the ground twice.

Principal Howard responded with a gentlemanly smile: "My apologies, Duke Jed, let’s head up."

Yi Ye and Kappel stepped out, passing by the two. The elevator doors gradually closed in front of them, and with a mechanical blue glow, the elevator quickly ascended, soon shrinking into a tiny black dot.

"Bad timing, running into that old guy now."

Yi Ye glanced at him: "Isn’t he a duke?"

"So what?" Kappel snorted. "Remember the fourth seat of the Senate I mentioned earlier? That’s him, Duke Nikolai Jed, a grumpy old man. Just because he used to be the emperor’s mentor, he throws his weight around in the political department and has caused Principal Howard quite a bit of trouble."

Yi Ye understood, "But why would the fourth seat suddenly come to the military academy?"

"Who knows? Maybe he’s here to see Prince Peide... None of your business, so don’t ask questions you shouldn’t." Kappel waved his hand and checked the time. "I’ve got stuff to do, so I’ll leave now. We can discuss what you talked about with Prince Peide when we meet at the base this weekend."

After parting ways with Kappel, Yi Ye sent a message to Bai Chuan.

In the past two days, aside from class, he and Bai Chuan had barely seen each other. After his gland injury, Bai Chuan’s been under observation and treatment. Although the school doctor said there shouldn’t be any major impact, Yi Ye couldn’t shake the feeling. The protagonist’s life is always full of ups and downs, and even the tiniest thing could blow up into a huge mess later. He had to take every precaution; otherwise, if a tornado really came, not only would he, poor guy, get wiped out, but the whole interstellar world could come crashing down.

Not even two minutes after sending the message.

"Bai Chuan": I just left.

"YIYEYE": So soon?!

"YIYEYE": Want to go to the cafeteria? Dinner is about to start.

"Bai Chuan": No.

"YIYEYE": Did the doctor tell you something bad?

"YIYEYE": Is your gland damaged!??????

"Bai Chuan" No, I'm just not hungry.

"Bai Chuan" Never mind, let's head to the cafeteria.

After sending the last message, Bai Chuan waited a few minutes. Seeing no reply from Yi Ye, he put away his terminal. He turned to look back at the school hospital door, where thick tree shadows swayed over the walls.

Rewind to half an hour earlier.

The school doctor sat behind her desk, the computer displaying Bai Chuan's gland scan results and blood test reports.

"There's no major issue, just some pheromone instability and occasional gland tearing with bleeding," she said, flipping through the numbers with a puzzled frown. "Have you been taking the medicine I prescribed on time? Your pheromones should have stabilized by now."

"I have been taking it on time."

"That's odd. Was your heat cycle regular before?"

Bai Chuan shook his head.

"It might be because you were physically weak as a child. Some Omegas with poor fitness experience this; it's quite normal," she said, flipping through Bai Chuan's records. "Do you have someone at the military academy who accompanies you? Leave their contact info, and I'll coordinate with them about what needs attention."

Bai Chuan's expression turned cold. "Not necessary."

The school doctor was slightly taken aback, assuming he was embarrassed, and said matter-of-factly, "Omegas are precious, and the school has its reasons. You don't need to feel uncomfortable."

"Teacher," Bai Chuan's icy blue eyes locked onto hers, sending a chill down her spine, "is it possible for an Omega to undergo secondary differentiation into an Alpha?"

The school doctor thought she misheard, her pupils dilating slightly. "What are you saying? That's impossible... In my career, I've never heard of an Omega undergoing secondary differentiation into an Alpha."

"Just because you haven't heard of it doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

"...Bai Chuan, I think you should accept your identity calmly. In fact, Omegas have certain advantages, like... like..." she racked her brain and finally said, "being more beautiful?"

Bai Chuan's face remained expressionless, making the school doctor uneasy. She had encountered many students with psychological issues, whether Omegas, Alphas, or Betas, but this young man's situation was clearly different. His tone when asking that question was eerily calm, as if he were simply solving a problem.

But the question was about an Omega undergoing secondary differentiation into an Alpha.

The school doctor felt she had to fulfill her duty as a teacher and began crafting a long speech of advice, but just as she was about to speak, Bai Chuan stood up, thanked her politely, and left.

The school doctor: "..."

She hadn't even gotten to her speech.

*

Back to the present.

Bai Chuan looked away from the school hospital door.

He had asked the school doctor that question to confirm if such a case had ever occurred at the military academy, but the facts proved it had not.

After entering the military academy, Bai Chuan had read nearly every book in the library on pheromones and ABO differentiation. They extensively documented the origins of ABO evolution and in-depth pheromone research, with only a few texts mentioning "secondary differentiation."

One scholar had proposed the idea of "promoting gland maturation and re-evolution through hormone injections," but it was quickly dismissed as inhumane. Later, that scholar resigned from government work and reportedly joined the military as a clerk.

The article was anonymously signed, and Bai Chuan had no way to trace the scholar's whereabouts, cutting off one avenue.

Another article also discussed "secondary differentiation," but the author's perspective was harsh. He believed that all parts of the human body could be replaced by intelligence, including glands. Although the Empire's technological development wasn't as advanced as the Zerg's, and couldn't fully simulate a top Alpha's brain, with enough data, it might be possible to simulate gland-produced pheromones.

With artificial glands, as long as they were implanted into a suitable body, whether one wanted to become an Alpha or an Omega could be controlled by technology.

But in the end, the official research on "artificial glands" seemed to have been halted, whether due to ethical issues or research failure, it remains unknown.

"Artificial glands..."

Bai Chuan lowered his gaze, murmuring something indistinct.

...

Yi Ye had grabbed the food and snagged a table, and Bai Chuan showed up not long after.

He always ate in silence, hardly ever speaking. Only Yi Ye kept chattering away, especially today after finding a big chunk of ginger in his braised pork. Yi Ye thought he was pretty easygoing, not too picky, but he just couldn't stand ginger, especially when it masqueraded as meat or potato shreds, sneaking into his mouth unnoticed.

Yi Ye, sulking like a black cat, painstakingly picked out the ginger. When he was done, only three pieces of meat remained; the rest were all ginger imposters.

Yi Ye: "..." Seriously? Do the cafeteria staff in space have shaky hands too?!

Bai Chuan glanced at his bowl and slid his untouched meat dish over to Yi Ye.

Yi Ye blinked, surprised. "You're giving it all to me?"

"Mm."

Bai Chuan hesitated, then handed over his untouched pudding. "Eat."

Touched, Yi Ye patted Bai Chuan's head and took the meat and pudding, thinking to himself that having a little brother definitely had its perks. But halfway through the meal, Bai Chuan suddenly asked him something.

He asked, "If I became an Alpha someday, how would you see me?"

Yi Ye stared at him, baffled.

The meat in his mouth dropped to the floor with a plop.

...My dear protagonist, my brother, my Omega, what kind of horror story are you spinning?

"Do you have a fever? Or did the Zerg attack mess with your head?" Yi Ye was worried. "Should I take you to the school clinic again? Do they even have a psych department there?"

Bai Chuan just stared at him, silent.

He shoved a glass of water onto Yi Ye's plate. "Forget it. Just eat."

Yi Ye dutifully started eating, but within seconds, he glanced up again. "You sure you're okay?"

A vein pulsed on Bai Chuan's forehead as he ground out, "I'm. Fine."

"Oh, okay then :("

Bai Chuan: "..."

After eating, Bai Chuan headed back to the library. Yi Ye had zero resistance to the library; sit him in a chair, and he'd be out in three minutes, so Yi Ye opted to go back to the dorm and crash.

Life at the academy was a daily loop of dorm, cafeteria, and classroom—nothing too thrilling. Kaiser had asked for a week's leave from his mentor but returned earlier than expected, appearing in the dormitory on the fourth day.

Yi Ye felt that something about him had changed after this trip back, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it, and he didn't really want to pry into others' private family matters, so he let it pass, and both of them tacitly never brought it up again.

Time flew by. When they landed on Imperial Star from Qixing, it was still the height of summer, but in the blink of an eye, the maple leaves in front of the C dormitory building began to grow, falling in a fiery red carpet, just like Kaiser's red hair.

Sometimes, when Yi Ye was bored, he would run down to collect leaves. He had no artistic talent, nor did he engage in the romantic gesture of pressing maple leaves in books. Instead, he would pile the leaves up, take a photo, and send it to Kaiser, teasingly saying, "Hahaha, Young Master, I've found your soulmate from past and present lives!"

Not three seconds after sending it, he heard Kaiser's furious voice from upstairs.

"Yi Ye Lanli! Get up here or I'll beat you to death!!"

Bai Chuan remained as aloof and distant as ever, the unattainable flower on the high peak. After the freshman assessment, his popularity at the military academy soared, further bolstered by his status as an official member of the committee. He was now on par with Kaiser and Bush Meihua, and rumor had it that a fan club had secretly formed for him within the school. Yiye naturally joined and, after three months of effort, successfully claimed the title of "Fan Club President."

Yiye named the fan club "Kawaguchi-gumi," a name that was both striking and pleasant. According to the members, it had a certain domineering aura, reminiscent of a yakuza organization.

Of course, Yiye joined the club behind Bai Chuan's back, with only Bush Meihua, that dog, in the know. It was unclear how Bush Meihua always seemed to know everything Yiye did.

As late autumn passed, the climate at the Imperial Honor Military Academy grew colder. Yiye had grown two centimeters taller since enrolling, now standing at a striking 184cm, making him quite prominent among the Betas, though he still didn't quite measure up to the Alphas. He believed he could grow even taller, with 190cm within reach.

"Are you done packing yet?"

*

Kaiser leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching the youth busily search for something, his gaze lingering.

Yiye's hair had grown quite a bit. The military academy had professional barbers, and their skills were passable, at least ensuring that long hair wouldn't be cut into a buzz cut. However, Yiye seemed to have a psychological aversion to haircuts, fearing that stepping into the barber's shop would result in an unparalleled monstrosity. So, he preferred to simply tie his hair back casually every morning and let it fall behind him.

But even with a low ponytail casually tied, the youth looked quite fitting.

His neck was slender, with a few strands of unruly black hair falling loose. His lean muscles were hidden beneath the tailored, waist-cinching uniform, and his long legs were accentuated by the sleek, tight boots, outlining a smooth and straight line.

He could be described as beautiful.

The first time Kaiser saw Yiye, he knew his legs were striking.

"What are you spacing out for?" Yiye passed by him with his books in hand. "Let's go."

Kaiser: "...Alright."

As December approached, the first semester at the Imperial Honor Military Academy was coming to an end, but before the break, there was one major event left—the year-end assessment.

Instructor Clark explained the details of this year's assessment to the class.

The year-end assessment would group students based on their freshman assessment results and daily performance. The first-year class, consisting of 10 groups with over 300 students, would be divided into 30 teams and sent to various official imperial legions as new recruits for practical training. Though it was framed as practical training, it was essentially menial labor.

"Didn't they say the top performer would be in the same team as His Highness Peide? Is His Highness Peide also going to be a new recruit?"

As soon as the words were spoken, someone nearby snapped, "What are you thinking! His Highness Peide is a senior—he's already been in the legions!"

"Oh, right."

"But with this grouping, wouldn't that mean the top five could all be in the same team as His Highness?"

"Of course not," Instructor Clark glanced at Kaiser and Yiye in the back row. "Kaiser and Yiye will be led by His Highness Peide into the Vanguard Legion."

…………

"Holy shit!!!!!!"

The classroom erupted in an uproar.

"The Vanguard Legion!!!!! Why wasn't I the top performer? If I had known I could get into the Vanguard Legion, I would've memorized every bit of mecha knowledge even if it meant not sleeping for ten days and dying in bed!"

"Damn it, Yiye, what kind of luck do you have?! I'm so jealous my eyes are red, my mouth is twisted, and my body is exploding!"

"Can I change my name to Yiye Langley right now? Does the military academy have a plastic surgery clinic? Let me get his face!"

……

The classroom was filled with waves of wailing, and some students even asked Yiye if they could buy his spot with all their possessions.

Yi Ye looked at the string of numbers, his heart stirred.

"Is the Vanguard Legion really that powerful?"

"Of course!" the classmate declared with conviction. "Let me put it this way: if entering the Imperial Honor Military Academy is the lifelong aspiration of all the strong, then the Vanguard Legion is the place where the strongest warriors of the entire empire gather! If I could just lay eyes on the Vanguard Legion's gate, even just a glance, I'd gladly have my neck snapped and my heart devoured by the Zerg the very next second."

"Please!" the classmate hugged Yi Ye's arm, crying and whining. "Take my spirit with you, let me touch the ground of the Vanguard Legion. If possible, could you pluck out my eyes and let me catch a glimpse of General Lin Pei, even if indirectly? I grew up watching his battle recordings!"

Yi Ye: "..."

You fanatics are downright scary.

He forcefully pried open the Alpha's hand, comforting him with a complicated expression, "It's okay, you'll see him someday in your lifetime."

Alpha: "Wahhhhhh!"

Pushing the Alpha's tear-streaked, snotty face away, letting him cry alone on the other side, Yi Ye looked at Bai Chuan. According to this grouping, Bai Chuan would have to be apart from him for a while, but Yi Ye couldn't quite rest assured, especially since his group had someone as twisted as Bush Meihua.

"How about..."

"No," Bai Chuan interrupted before he could finish. "The Vanguard Legion is an incredible opportunity; you can't pass it up."

Recalling the words from the Simulated Battlefield, Yi Ye thought, perhaps the main character should face some challenges on his own.

He nodded, "Alright, but you need to be extra cautious around Bush Meihua. Don't be alone with him, and don't believe anything he says. When the assessment is over, we'll go back to Qixing together."

"Okay."

Bai Chuan's lips curved slightly, his gaze softening with a hint of tenderness. "Let's go home together."

...

The locations for the year-end assessments differed for each group of students. The Vanguard Legion base that Yi Ye and Kaiser were heading to was not on the empire's main planet. On the contrary, it was located far from the main planet and in close proximity to the "Dream Domain," a region once teeming with Zerg activity.

That morning, the military shuttle tasked with transporting the students hovered above the Imperial Honor Military Academy.

Yi Ye and Kaiser's shuttle landed in a separate area. The shuttle was silver, its surface gleaming with a metallic sheen. Its sleek design gave it the appearance of a comet streaking through the cosmos, and on the surface of the aircraft was the emblem unique to the Vanguard Legion—a heart and a gun.

The moment Yi Ye saw it, he couldn't help but blurt out how awesome it looked!

If he could fly a shuttle like that across the galaxy, wouldn't that be the coolest thing ever!

The shuttle door opened, and a tall man in military attire descended the steps. He sported military sunglasses, a black buzz cut, a short beard, and shoulders nearly twice the width of Yi Ye's.

"Are you Kaiser and Yi Ye?" the man asked in a low, hoarse voice.

The two nodded.

"Good. I'm Lieutenant Joseph, from the Third Company of the Vanguard Legion. Now, open your bags."

Yi Ye: ...What?!

Kaiser had only brought a military backpack, which he opened promptly. Inside were only some daily necessities and self-defense weapons.

"At the Vanguard Legion, you will be provided with uniforms and weapons," Joseph said with his hands behind his back, his expression arrogant. "I can allow you to keep a dagger. All other items must be thrown into the box next to you, and someone will retrieve them for you."

As soon as he finished speaking, a soldier placed a box beside them. Although Kaiser was dissatisfied with his attitude, he didn't say anything, dumping all the contents of his backpack into the box and only taking the dagger.

"Your turn," Joseph looked at Yi Ye and the bulging bag on his back.

Yi Ye hesitated, "Maybe we shouldn't do this..."

"Those who do not follow orders are not qualified to board the Vanguard Legion's shuttle."

...This is what you wanted to see!

Yi Ye slowly unzipped his backpack and spilled everything out. Kaiser just glanced and his lip twitched. No wonder he was dawdling this morning, it was all to pack these things!

Joseph's face turned a vivid mix of green and red as he saw the contents of the box.

What the hell is all this!

First aid kits and clothes aside, there were UNO cards, Monopoly, an aerial chess set, Werewolf game cards, countless pieces of bread and biscuits, and even a thermos!!

Wait, why are there three devices in this guy's bag?!

Kaiser: Tsk, why hasn't he thrown away those two devices yet.

Joseph gritted his teeth, "Yi Ye, what do you take the Vanguard Legion for!"

Yi Ye choked, cautiously testing, "As, as home?"

"..."

What kind of student is this, did the Imperial Honor Military Academy recruit such people this year! Joseph felt his adrenaline skyrocketing, as if he could already see himself being driven to the brink of death by this boy in the next ten days.

"Now," he suppressed his anger, spitting out each word, "get rid of everything you have!"

Yi Ye wanted to say more but held back, reluctantly muttered "Oh," and after a few seconds of silence, he couldn't help but speak up, "Um, can I keep the thermos? I think I might need to focus on my health lately."

"..."

Get lost!!!