Chapter 64

Chapter 64

In the not-too-large space, two young insect-kin now stood squared off.

Their positions were identical to those of the previous pairs who had already sparred—one on the left, the other on the right, standing opposite each other.

Yes, standing opposite each other.

But it seemed they were just standing there.

Almost without needing communication, as if by sheer instinct, every Military Female in the room—except for the middle-aged instructor—fixed their intense, oppressive gazes on the young Military Female’s arms, legs, and face.

With such a perfect opportunity to look at a male insect, these insects weren’t even glancing at him. Instead, they were staring at *him*. His scalp tingling with apprehension, Ya Bo understood exactly why.

Damn it all. If he’d known earlier, he should’ve tried harder during the assessment. Then he wouldn’t be stuck making such a no-win situation now.

Spar with His Highness Philo?

Might as well just kill him right now, Instructor.

Without hesitation, the young Military Female shot a pleading glance toward Augustus.

But when their eyes met—the young Military Female’s gaze laden with unspoken meaning—the middle-aged Military Female’s face turned thunderous, and she bellowed.

“What are you looking at me for?! Want to spar with me instead?! Are you two just standing there waiting for me to cheer you on?! Get moving already!”

Get moving?

M-me? If I move now, I won’t have hands left afterward… His expression crumpled. The young Military Female not only didn’t attack but even involuntarily retreated.

But then—

*Thud!*

The sound of a fist being caught.

The one who threw the punch was… Philo?

Every insect sitting on the ground instantly shifted their warning gazes from the young Military Female to the male insect, watching as his fist was caught mid-swing. The entire room fell into dead silence.

This… His Highness actually knows combat?

Do male insects even fight? No one knew the answer to that. Even when male insects had conflicts among themselves, they always resolved disputes with their spiritual power—never with their fists.

But today, every insect present witnessed firsthand that male insects *could* fight.

He could throw punches, engage in combat, and even take the initiative to attack.

Extending his hand, Ya Bo still didn’t dare strike Philo, but his body’s instincts drove him to block every one of the male insect’s attacks.

And so, very quickly, the insects present watched as a one-sided exchange played out before them—a Military Female being struck without retaliating.

In theory, the Military Female in this scenario should’ve been pitiable. The others should’ve been relieved it wasn’t them—after all, that’s exactly what they’d been thinking earlier. But now…

His palm wrapped around the male insect’s hand, their arms locked in a test of strength, bringing them uncomfortably close. Pivoting aside, the Military Female dodged a kick aimed at his legs, only to reflexively catch the other’s ankle the next second.

Slender, snow-white, and perfectly shaped.

Though the young Military Female immediately released his grip and didn’t take the chance to throw the male insect or slam him to the ground—by any measure, the most appropriate response—

Right now, most of the young insects present wore scowls.

Damn it!

Just moments ago, they’d been thinking that if this guy accidentally hurt His Highness Philo, they’d make sure to teach him a lesson afterward. But now? Now they wanted to *kill* him!!!

How dare he lay hands—and feet—on His Highness?! Did this brat have a death wish?!

Face burning red, completely unaware that his fate would likely be far worse than he’d imagined, the young Military Female could no longer afford to think about anything else.

Mentally counting down the seconds, Ya Bo found himself torn between wishing time would pass faster and, inexplicably, hoping it would slow down.

As for why he felt that way… Lowering his head, the momentarily distracted Military Female’s guard dropped—

*Thud!*

The unmistakable sound of a fist meeting its mark.

Given the Military Female’s muscle density and carapace durability, Philo’s punch was barely a sting. But in terms of technique and training attitude, at least the instructor wasn’t entirely displeased.

Thus, when the ten minutes ended, the middle-aged Military Female deigned to compliment Philo.

“Passable. Though it’s clear this student hasn’t received any proper training and lacks technique, there’s at least a hint of fighting instinct.”

“Let this be a reminder to all of you. I don’t care what your future plans are, but as long as you’re cadets at Kalms Military Academy, this is the attitude you should bring to basic combat training.”

With that, she gestured dismissively, signaling for them to return to their seats.

Hearing this, Philo immediately made to leave—

“Wait. I said *student* Philo may return to his seat. Not you.”

Halting the young Military Female—who, despite barely breaking a sweat, was inexplicably flushed deeper than the male insect—the instructor, her expression darkening at some point, snapped.

“You seemed distracted during the spar. I suppose your opponent wasn’t strong enough to challenge you properly. Fine. I’ll spar with you myself and see just what level you’re really at.”

Spar?

Who was he sparring with now?!

Why did *he* have to spar again?!

The combat class instructors at Kalms Military Academy were all Military Females retired from the border planets—rumored to be elite veterans at that. For someone of her caliber to spar with a green recruit like him… wasn’t that just overkill?!

Eyes widening, Ya Bo—who had been about to follow Philo back to his seat—felt his muscles and nerves, previously softened by the male insect’s presence, instantly snap to attention.

And at the same moment, a pair of hammer-like fists came flying toward his face once more.

The same striking position. The same insect being struck.

But this time—

His cheek instantly flaring crimson, the young Military Female truly felt that his luck had run out far too quickly.

Holding nothing back, the middle-aged Military Female thoroughly put the young one through his paces before finally straightening up with satisfaction and briskly barking out different training tasks to each insect.

Among them, Philo’s task was particularly different.

“Shoulder the gravity pack. Circle the training grounds for the duration.”

The long cylindrical object resembling a sandbag was effortlessly carried by the middle-aged female insect, but when placed on Fei Luo's shoulders, the young prince's knees bent slightly.

This weight... truly lives up to the name "Gravity Pack."

Watching Fei Luo, Augustus spoke in a low voice.

"Without sufficient strength, all technique is just flashy moves. Cadet Fei Luo, if you truly wish to improve your physique, start by building your strength first."

With that, without waiting for Fei Luo's response, the middle-aged female insect turned around and, raising her voice by an octave, yelled at the other female insects to intensify their training.

Gazing at the instructor's back and then at the other female insects training separately, Fei Luo gave a wry smile and had to admit the instructor was right.

It seemed he would need to work on his strength for a while. But this was just as well—it would help his physical recovery and perhaps even speed up the restoration of his psychic energy.

Clutching the Gravity Pack on his shoulders, Fei Luo began shuffling around the training field at a snail's pace.

Initially, he had considered moving to a spot farther from the female insects, but unfortunately, Augustus had already mapped out his route, insisting he train around the area where the female insects were training.

This way, they could supervise each other!

Whether Fei Luo believed this reasoning or not, the moment he passed by, the surrounding female insects seemed to train even harder. Glancing at the stern-faced instructor, the male insect wisely chose to remain silent.

Under this unspoken agreement to train separately, Fei Luo's first Combat Class soon came to an end.

Like other physically demanding courses, by the end of the session, the young prince was left sore, drenched in sweat, and barely able to walk.

Fortunately, he wasn't the only one in such a state today.

Aside from Lancelot and Amber, along with a few other female insects who seemed slightly better off, even the majority of A-grade female cadets present had been completely wiped out by the instructor.

Dragging themselves together to Mess Hall 3, Fei Luo finally understood why the cafeteria opted for robotic meal delivery instead of forcing them to get their own meals.

After training, they truly had little energy left—if he had to carry a tray now, his hands would probably shake...

Unbeknownst to the young prince waiting for his meal in Mess Hall 3, the middle-aged female insect who had worked him so hard to the point of shaking hands had just arrived at a cafeteria as well.

But not Mess Hall 3—it was the top-floor officers' mess, also known as the teachers' cafeteria.

"Hahaha, Augustus, how was it? Any particular impressions after teaching His Highness today?"

"Yeah, come on, I've been curious all day."

"Honestly, I bet it's the same as Professor La Gu teaching His Highness cosmology—probably just thinks the prince is very polite. Easy guess."

"Not necessarily. Theoretical classes and Combat Class are completely different. Seriously, Augustus, how did it feel teaching His Highness today?"

In the spacious room, the previously quiet atmosphere instantly erupted into chatter as the middle-aged female insect walked in.

Since Fei Luo's enrollment, regardless of other changes, the teachers' cafeteria had undeniably grown livelier during meals.

Whether it was Fei Luo's choice to persist with morning and evening drills or his diligence and independence in various courses, the female insects present now treated his campus life as a daily feel-good story.

After all, compared to most female insects, such a proper young royal was ridiculously cute.

But—

Faced with the surrounding inquiries, the stern-faced middle-aged female insect gave an unexpected answer.

"A different feeling?"

"What different feeling? If anything, it was frustration."

Frustration?

That... couldn't be right. Had Prince Fei Luo finally lost his temper from the grueling training?

Eyes widening, more insects quickly crowded around.

Yet, lifting her gaze, the middle-aged female insect's answer still wasn't what they expected.

"In front of His Highness today, I couldn't let slip a single curse. Nearly killed me!"

"..."

This answer was certainly unexpected, but—

"Hahaha, well, you better hold it in. If you're a bad influence on the Prince, the Male Insect Management Committee will have your head."

"Exactly. And aren't there protocol rules about etiquette in front of male insects? Augustus, you can't swear."

"Hahahaha, I knew today would be entertaining!"

Some stifled laughter; others let it all out.

Gathered around the middle-aged female insect, the insects who had been eating while listening to gossip now forgot about eating, clutching their stomachs in laughter.

But in truth, today's class hadn't just been tough for the middle-aged female insect. The one suffering the most was still downstairs, eating.

Unfortunately, before the meal was even finished, news of Ya Bo and Fei Luo's match-up in Combat Class had already spread across the entire Kalms Military Academy forum.

Yes, the forum.

Kalms Military Academy had its own private forum, accessible only to current students.

Aside from Fei Luo, who, still getting used to PT, going to bed late and waking up early and thus hadn't logged in yet, most female insects had already gotten used to browsing the forum.

And the reason they frequented it? Largely because of Fei Luo.

In fact, the campus life section of the forum was now almost entirely flooded with posts about him.

"Suspend all petitions to cancel morning and evening drills—respect the Prince's decision!"

"Analysis of His Highness Fei Luo's hands-on training results—what can we do to support him?"

"Why has Mess Hall 3 become the Prince's favorite? Head Chefs of Cafeterias One and Two throw down the gauntlet!"

"Did His Highness smile today? Documenting his happy school days, shared by his guardians."

Posts of all kinds, discussing every imaginable topic.

The once-quiet campus life section had become the most active, with new threads popping up daily. Even the most obscure post would inevitably get responses as long as it mentioned "Fei Luo."

A few days prior, the hottest topic had undoubtedly been whether Fei Luo needed to participate in morning and evening drills.

This single issue had generated thousands of comments. Had Fei Luo not made his own choice, the female insects might have actually petitioned the school to cancel the training.

But that was already yesterday's news.

Now, a new thread was rapidly going viral.

Before long, with the word "Explosive" prefixed at the forefront of the post, today's hottest discussion thread went viral, and the title of this post was—

"A Female Cadet Got Physical with His Highness Fei Luo in Combat Class!!"

……

???

!!!!!!

This day, as usual, was one where clickbait ran rampant.

The moment this new post appeared, countless cadets scattered across various areas of Kalms Military Academy instantly felt their blood boil with anger, their fists clenched tightly.

Without hesitation, even before fully reading the post's content, the crowd had already mentally condemned the female cadet mentioned in the post.

But in reality, Ya Bo, who had just returned to his dorm after eating and logged onto the forum, couldn't help but tumble off his bed with a thud the moment he saw the top post.

Then, a wail echoed throughout the entire A-section dormitory.

"Slandering me!"

"By the Insect God, this is absolutely someone slandering me!"

"I'm truly wronged, ahhh~~~"

*Click*

Failing to hold onto his communicator, a distracted Philo instinctively looked up at the ceiling. He wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but he felt like some sound had suddenly erupted.

However—

Bending down to pick up the communicator, the male cadet paid no mind to this small thing. After all, odd sounds in dorms were perfectly normal—nothing strange about it.

As for the communicator…

Not too tired today, the male cadet recalled the forum other cadets had mentioned during mealtime. Taking advantage of his alertness, Philo decided to browse it.

After all, he’d heard that the forum’s specialized sections contained plenty of quality content—perhaps he could find something valuable.

But alas.

Had he opened the forum a little earlier, Philo might have had the chance to see the once-serious and rigorous Kalms Military Academy forum. Now, especially today, the male cadet seeking useful content was bound to first encounter countless spam posts.

And worse—shitposts full of traps.

With a slight smile, the excited male cadet instinctively glanced at the hottest post on the homepage. But as he read the title, his initially amused expression gradually turned calm, eventually settling into an unnerving calm.

So… did cadets really have this much free time?

Seemed like they needed more training.

Lowering his gaze, for the first time, Philo found himself wanting to make a request to Kalms Military Academy.

The core of this request? Likely centered on increasing the training load and coursework for female cadets.

However, unaware of their beloved prince’s harsh intentions, the crowd continued to thrive in this obvious bait thread.

"Moderators, pin the OP to the wall first—what kind of rage-bait title is this? I was so mad I accidentally dropped my favorite warship model."

"Agree on pinning the OP, but also pin the female cadet mentioned in the post. The audacity! Practicing with His Highness Fei Luo? Who does he think he is?"

"Damn, what kind of ridiculous luck is this? How did this guy land such a sweet deal? No way—I need to throw hands with him to feel balanced. Raise your hand if you agree."

"+1"

"+2"

"+10086"

"So, does His Highness Fei Luo still need a training partner? Honestly, my skills are pretty low—perfect for accompanying His Highness."

"Sneaky bug above—I’m reporting you with verified ID!"

"Even if reported, I’ll take it. AHHHH, I also want to spar with His Highness! This is literally how campus romance starts!!"

"Off-topic, everyone—so who’s this lucky bug? I really want to ‘practice’ with him, hmph."

"Practice what? If His Highness finds out you went after him, you’ll be the one getting lectured."

"Don’t stop him—let him go. Hehehe, then I’ll step in to uphold justice and shine as a noble female cadet in front of His Highness!"

"Damn, the one above is the real schemer—definitely from the Command Department. No doubt, bugs from that department are all this cunning!"

"Hey, chill with the generalizations. If you keep making sweeping statements, I’ll…"

Unlike the broader star-net, this forum was restricted to enrolled students, with military and academy regulations in place and the Patrol Guard frequently patrolling the campus. Thus, while many bugs talked big for effect, they clearly knew their limits.

After scrolling through a few posts about himself, Philo chuckled but didn’t interfere, instead searching for genuinely informative threads.

As for Ya Bo, while the cadets in Combat Class had indeed "roughed him up," it was mostly in jest—no one took it seriously.

Still, for a long time afterward, the female cadet endured many jealous and hostile glares. Some even mocked him for "getting ideas above his station," but Ya Bo could only accept these as the price of his momentary privilege.

Overall, Philo’s life at Kalms Military Academy, while challenging in some aspects, was going well overall. Soon, his first weekend after the semester began arrived.

As a first-year student, barring unforeseen circumstances, Philo and his peers got regular weekends off. However, senior students like Qian Hua weren’t so lucky.

Regardless, with two days off, Philo could finally relax.

Though "relax" wasn’t entirely accurate—he had already mapped out his weekend. The first thing on his agenda was—

"The Male Insect Management Committee? Now?"

The heterochromatic female cadet, fresh from her morning run, watched as Philo closed his dorm door, ready to leave, and piped up.

Meeting the gaze of Amber, who actually trained religiously every day, Philo smiled and nodded.

"Yes, it was scheduled long ago. Has Lancelot left already?"

"She’s gone—the supervisor there had been breathing down her neck."

Having landed this side gig before the semester began, Lancelot had gotten special permission to leave before dawn. As a result, Amber had to train solo this morning.

But—

"Are you heading out? It’s the weekend, and you just arrived on the capital planet—not gonna check things out?"

Eyeing the odd-eyed cadet, Philo’s eyes showed genuine interest.

As for his question, Amber nodded without denying it.

"Yeah, I'm heading out too. I also got a part-time job, but my start time isn’t as early as Lancelot’s."

This answer wasn’t surprising.

After all, female cadets from other planets—especially remote ones—rarely had the option to ignore the cost of living on the Capital Planet.

Given that, Philo smiled and said,

"Then let’s go together. I’m heading to the Male Insect Management Committee, but my family’s Attendants have extra vehicles. If you don’t mind, I can have them give you a ride?"

Since Kalms Military Academy was located in a relatively remote area of the Capital Planet, Lancelot had no choice but to leave so early. Philo hadn’t known before, but now that he did and happened to run into Amber, he naturally wanted to offer a ride.

If this had been right after the semester started, Amber would’ve politely declined. But now, after standing there in slight surprise, she eventually gave a shy smile and agreed.

The two quickly got ready and headed out of the school together.

Since only first-years had the weekend off, the gates of Kalms Military Academy weren’t particularly crowded.

However, though there weren’t many insects guarding the entrance today, their presence carried significant weight.

"Sofom Planet? You were born and raised there?"

"Yeah, I grew up there and rarely visited other planets."

"Does your planet have anything special? Unique scenery, customs, or food?"

"Our economy falls below the alliance’s average standard, so nothing particularly stands out. But the stellar views on Sofom Planet are beautiful. Back then, my favorite thing was..."

They didn’t walk quickly, maintaining a steady, unhurried pace.

Side by side, the two insects chatted harmoniously. The silver-haired male seemed to have heard something amusing, his face lighting up with curiosity.

As they neared the academy gates, Philo’s smile became increasingly visible to others.

Finally—

His heterochromatic eyes met blue ones. For a brief moment, his amber eye seemed to darken, but it quickly returned to normal.

"Philo."

Hearing his name, Philo finally looked up and saw the figure standing outside the gates.

Sapphire-blue eyes locked onto his. Recognizing the blue-haired cadet, Philo’s smile deepened. Breaking off his conversation with Amber, Philo responded warmly,

"Gore."

"Why are you waiting at the gate? I told you to wait in the vehicle."

Indeed, Philo was heading to the Male Insect Management Committee today to observe other male insects performing Psychic Soothing.

And whether as a bodyguard or an observer hoping to learn, Gore naturally had to pick him up.

"The academy grounds aren’t completely secure. Since I’m already here, it’s better to be cautious."

The reply was as formal as ever, but it was this meticulous attention to detail that made it all the more valuable.

Smiling, Philo dropped the subject. Once fully outside the gates, he glanced at Amber and introduced the two.

"Gore, this is Amber Alius, a classmate of mine at the academy. He has some business outside today, so I figured I’d have my family’s Attendants give him a ride."

"Amber, this is Gore Aogutale. You probably know him. He’s a friend of mine accompanying me to the Male Insect Management Committee today. Sorry, I forgot to mention it earlier."

Philo’s introduction was brief, but then again, there was no need for the two to know each other too deeply at first meeting.

Nodding, the blue-haired cadet greeted first.

With a slightly awkward, shy smile, the heterochromatic female insect didn’t deny knowing Gore.

After all, few cadets were unaware of Gore—currently recognized as the strongest Military Female Insect. Even now, as they stood there, the gazes of surrounding female insects, usually fixed solely on Philo, were unusually drawn toward the blue-haired cadet.

An S-class Female Insect truly was a figure all others admired and envied.

There wasn’t much to talk about, nor many topics to discuss.

After instructing the Attendant to take Amber to his destination, Philo boarded another vehicle with Gore, heading to the Male Insect Management Committee.

Meanwhile, within the Committee, a familiar storm of tension was brewing once again.

"Has Qi Limei arrived yet? Remind his head attendant to keep us updated on his status."

"His head attendant hasn’t responded yet. He probably isn’t here. I’ll check again."

"Hurry! If needed, contact the pilot of his vehicle first—at least verify he’s en route."

"We've reached him! The pilot says Qi Limei will arrive soon!"

"Good... that's a relief."

Finally hearing some good news, the officer in charge of receiving male insects today breathed a small sigh of relief.

But as it turned out, that relief was premature.