Chapter 29 Mecha Training Class

Chapter 29: Mecha Practical Training Class

The next day, when going downstairs, Ji Anzhi helplessly carried the planting pot in his left hand and Xiaoxue in his right.

Lately, his time had been tight due to looking after Qi Yanshen. That morning, Xiaoxue had clung tightly to his pant leg as he was about to leave. Thinking it wanted to go out, he picked it up, only for it to dart to the planting pot and meow insistently.

Ji Anzhi finally understood: it not only wanted to go out but also to bring the planting pot.

However, bringing Xiaoxue was already conspicuous. Taking a planting pot to class on top of that might be seen as disrespectful toward the faculty.

After failing to refuse, Ji Anzhi resigned himself to carrying a pot of soil and a cat downstairs.

Downstairs, Qi Yanshen and Lu Yan were puzzled to see Ji Anzhi bringing Xiaoxue along with a planting pot, but neither said anything. After all, the military academy didn't have rules against it.

Ji Anzhi ate his breakfast nearby while Xiaoxue nestled beside the planting pot, eating its meat. The scene was oddly harmonious and heartwarming.

After finishing, Lu Yan reached out to pet Xiaoxue and asked curiously, "What's in the pot? An ornamental flower?"

Ji Anzhi swallowed a bite of bread. "A fruit-bearing plant. Xiaoxue likes it."

Lu Yan was surprised. "Xiaoxue likes fruit?"

Seeing Ji Anzhi nod, Lu Yan looked closer. This cat was clearly a carnivorous feline. Even omnivorous behavior was usually for nutrition. Could a cat really like fruit?

Qi Yanshen also asked, "What kind of animal is Xiaoxue?"

Ji Anzhi shook his head. "I don't know. I found it on the way to the Military Academy Star."

Found it?

Qi Yanshen and Lu Yan were taken aback.

Last week, they'd thought Xiaoxue's features suggested a carnivore. But given its small size and gentle, affectionate nature, they hadn't suspected a dangerous predator. Now Ji Anzhi said he found it?

Qi Yanshen said gravely, "Aren't you worried it might hurt you?"

Ji Anzhi shook his head. "Worried? Sure, but it's well-behaved now. If it ever shows aggression, I'll release it back into the wild."

"When I first met Xiaoxue, it was almost dead. Since I chose to bring it with me, I won't abandon it out of fear."

Hearing this, the two fell silent, agreeing with Ji Anzhi's perspective.

Indeed, the moment he decided to take the nearly dead creature home, he gave it a chance at a new life. Abandoning it later out of fear would be worse than not offering hope at all.

Subtly, their favorable impression of Ji Anzhi grew significantly.

After breakfast and applying scent neutralizer, the three headed to class.

Ji Anzhi's major class was second period, so first period he attended Tactical Command, a core course for the Command Department, with Qi Yanshen and Lu Yan.

The three entered the classroom and received even more attention than usual.

After all, Qi Yanshen had been injured sparring a fourth-year yesterday and now attended with a hard cast. More notably, he was accompanied by a beta.

That beta was well-known to the entire school. As the first beta in the Star Chart Department's history to defeat a fourth-year in the Freshman Challenge Tournament's opening match, and with all three roommates who defeated fourth-years living together, his face was remembered by everyone.

Ji Anzhi was now completely immune to these stares. He calmly followed Qi Yanshen and Lu Yan to the back.

Since Lu Yan was nearing his rut period, Ji Anzhi sat between them. Instantly, Ji Anzhi felt the gazes fixed on him intensify, becoming scorchingly hot.

He understood their shock. He didn't want to sit in the middle either, but there was no choice...

The classroom held not just Command Class One but also students from other departments taking the elective. They were inwardly astonished.

Their eyes communicated silently: *Are they that close?*

*I don't know! That Star Chart Department Chief hasn't attended with them before.*

The Tactical Theory teacher noticed the person next to his department's Chief immediately—Ji Anzhi's gentle, scholarly, and seemingly fragile appearance, like he'd wandered into a den of wolves, was too conspicuous.

It wasn't that there were no other betas or refined-looking alphas. But everyone carried a hidden wildness of predators and a resolute determination that, despite a civilized exterior, could deliver a fatal blow. This made Ji Anzhi, with his exceptionally gentle and harmless demeanor, stand out like a little white rabbit lost in a wolf pack.

Especially sitting next to an aloof, inscrutable alpha Chief...

But this Star Chart Department Chief was unique. It was the first time seeing someone bring a cat and a planting pot to class. Indeed, the thoughts and actions of geniuses were incomprehensible to ordinary people.

The teacher started class without taking attendance.

Ji Anzhi instinctively activated the recording function. Even joining mid-way, since he'd chosen the course, he should listen attentively.

Seeing Ji Anzhi listen so seriously, Lu Yan and Qi Yanshen admired him. No wonder he became a Chief—he approached every course with dedication.

After over ten minutes, Ji Anzhi began to doubt. Were Federal First Military Academy courses... this easy?

Why did it feel so simple? Was it an illusion?

Probably because it was just theory. Theory posed little difficulty for him.

Ji Anzhi gave up listening. Tactical theory wasn't useful for him, and this lesson covered large-scale battlefields he'd never encounter.

Rather than let it occupy mental space, it was better not to listen.

So, Ji Anzhi stopped looking at the podium. He opened his personal terminal and gathered information on the Blue Moon System via the star network.

Qi Yanshen had long since learned the material, so he treated it as review while noting Ji Anzhi's movements.

Noticing Ji Anzhi had stopped listening, he was puzzled, guessing he might not understand, and didn't pay it much mind.

Midway, the teacher displayed a combat deployment map for simulation. Qi Yanshen sketched a basic tactical plan in a minute; Lu Yan struggled diligently.

With free time, Qi Yanshen raised his right hand to pet the cat. So soft and small, truly fragile—it could be killed with a squeeze.

Xiaoxue was still wary of Qi Yanshen after the stepped-on-fruit incident. But since it often smelled his scent and its owner held no hostility, Xiaoxue reluctantly lifted its chin.

Xiaoxue seemed to detect a scent on Qi Yanshen. It sniffed around him and fixed its gaze on his injured right hand.

"Meow?"

Xiaoxue meowed softly, as if not understanding the medicine scent and faint, lingering blood.

It patted the bandage with a small paw, then returned to the planting pot, pushing it toward Qi Yanshen.

Worried it might tip over, Qi Yanshen moved the pot in front of himself as directed.

Seeing the pot placed correctly, Xiaoxue lay down quietly beside it, neither noisy nor restless, taking a peaceful nap.

So when Ji Anzhi glanced at Qi Yanshen later, he found his cat, along with the pot, had moved to Qi Yanshen's side.

*Does Xiaoxue really like Qi Yanshen that much? Or does a top-tier S-class alpha actually like little cats?*

Ji Anzhi was unaware of this and could only let Xiaoxue do as it pleased. After all, it had always been well-behaved and never caused any disturbance in class.

During class, Qi Yanshen needed a drink. Ji Anzhi helped him get one and handed it over. Since his right hand was out of commission, whenever he needed to write something down, Ji Anzhi would take notes for him.

Ji Anzhi felt these tasks could easily be left to Lu Yan, but when he glanced over, Lu Yan was fully absorbed in following the lesson. It really wasn't a good time to bother him.

Ji Anzhi dismissed the thought of finding an escape. After all, it was only ten days, not ten years. He could just tough it out.

After class ended, Ji Anzhi said goodbye to the other two and headed to the Star Chart Department classroom for his next lesson. Andrew hadn't forgotten to record the lecture, though he couldn't record video, so he only sent the audio file.

Ji Anzhi expressed his thanks and repeatedly assured Andrew that he would set aside a day for him the following weekend, and that was that.

After finishing the Star Chart class, they went to the third-floor cafeteria for lunch. Qi Yanshen was a chopsticks guy, but now he was stuck using a spoon in his left hand.

Seeing Qi Yanshen awkwardly handling the spoon with his left hand, Lu Yan couldn't resist teasing him.

"Look at you now!"

Qi Yanshen ignored his remark and turned to Ji Anzhi for help. "Could you help me pick up some vegetables? I can't scoop them up."

As Ji Anzhi put vegetables into Qi Yanshen's spoon, he asked, "Can't Lu Yan do it?"

Qi Yanshen replied calmly, with a hint of resignation in his tone. "He's too noisy."

Having spent considerable time with them, Ji Anzhi knew that Lu Yan was indeed talkative and had a bit of a sharp tongue.

Hearing his childhood friend describe him that way, Lu Yan immediately protested. "Qi Yanshen, what do you mean by that? Noisy? Me? I admit I talk a bit much, but isn't that because I care about you? What do you take my concern for? You're breaking my heart!"

Qi Yanshen didn't respond and continued eating, occasionally asking Ji Anzhi for help with picking up food, while Lu Yan kept muttering complaints.

Ji Anzhi finished his meal amidst this bizarre scene, resolving never to do this again.

After the difficult lunch, the afternoon schedule included a mech practical training class and a medical department course. The medical course posed no issues, but the very thought of the mech training class made Ji Anzhi want to run.

The mech practical training class was held in an open-air training ground, a vast area spanning tens of thousands of square meters.

Not knowing the way, Ji Anzhi followed Qi Yanshen and Lu Yan to the designated spot for Command Class One.

After finding a spot to place Xiaoxue, Ji Anzhi, still worried, activated a small protective shield purchased from the official store to safeguard both Xiaoxue and the planting pot.

Seeing how anxious Ji Anzhi was about Xiaoxue, Lu Yan patted his shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry, no one will mess with them. The cadets here are all respectable."

Ji Anzhi smiled, explaining that he was just afraid Xiaoxue might wander off.

Once everyone assembled and the instructor arrived, they all stood at attention.

The mech training instructor was a golden-haired female alpha full of vigor named Jima, introduced by Qi Yanshen. She looked hearty and straightforward, and she was.

"Hello, everyone! Today, we'll continue operating mechs. Students taking this class for the first time, if you have any questions, feel free to ask your classmates or come to me."

"Alright, now everyone, take out your personal mechs. Those without one, come to me to get a mech."

Ji Anzhi was torn. He didn't have his own mech but was reluctant to go up and get one. He really wanted to just sit on the sidelines and skate by.

While he was still hesitating, Qi Yanshen leaned over and asked, "Would you like to get in my mech? Since you haven't learned to operate one, you can sit in the co-pilot seat and observe my operations. Plus, you won't get injured."

The last point won Ji Anzhi over. He nodded frantically in agreement. However, he voiced his concern. "Will the teacher be okay with it?"

Qi Yanshen replied, "I'll go talk to the teacher. She'll understand."

Ji Anzhi thanked him. "Thank you."

Qi Yanshen shook his head slightly. "No need to thank me. You're only taking this mech training class because of me. I should be the one thanking you."

After saying that, he walked over to the instructor. Ji Anzhi didn't know what Qi Yanshen said, but he saw the instructor glance at him with an inscrutable look before nodding in agreement.

Qi Yanshen then gave Ji Anzhi an OK sign.

Lu Yan, who had been warned earlier by Qi Yanshen to keep his distance, rolled his eyes.

*Some friend, ditching me for a pretty face. He hasn't even joined the Third Legion yet and is already so attentive. If he does join, he might as well become his new mom.*

An alpha male near Lu Yan, noticing he seemed unhappy, asked, "What's wrong?"

Seeing it was someone from his class with whom he was on decent terms—*what was his name again? Never mind*—Lu Yan waved his hand dismissively. "Nothing, just annoyed by someone."

The alpha male followed Lu Yan's previous gaze and saw Qi Yanshen talking to the Star Chart Department's top student. They seemed to be on good terms.

So, Lu Yan was upset about being ignored?

Unable to contain his curiosity, the alpha male probed, "Are they close?"

Lu Yan scoffed. "Close? They might look friendly on the surface, but if that's considered close, it's ridiculous. It's more like a one-sided effort to befriend."

Lu Yan muttered the last sentence very softly, so the other person only caught something about "one-sided."

But from Lu Yan's earlier tone, their relationship might not be as good as he initially thought. The nearby eavesdroppers also inferred Lu Yan's implication.

However...

They watched as Qi Yanshen deployed his mech, clearly intending to invite the other person aboard. Were they really not close?

Even the most gentle alphas possess an absolute sense of territoriality. Places like a mech's cockpit are clearly private domains; even parents might not be granted access easily.

Feeling the skeptical glances from those around him, Lu Yan, frustrated, entered his own mech.

His mech was a humanoid model with a deep blue color scheme, numerous gun ports on the chest and back, a cold weapon—a Light Blade—mounted behind, and additional gun ports on the upper limbs.

Of course, his S-grade mech certainly had more than that. It featured locally equipped weapons, other hidden modifications, and the materials used far surpassed those of standard mechs. More importantly, the core of this mech was a growth-type Intelligent Mech core.

Intelligent Mech cores are standard for SS-grade mechs. The Federation has fewer than twenty such cores in total, and growth-type Intelligent Mech cores are even rarer, with only five in the entire Federation.

A tall tree catches the wind. Therefore, Lu Yan and Qi Yanshen never allowed their mechs to display Intelligent Mech characteristics in public. After all, to some extent, both of their mechs were obtained through connections.

"Xiao Yan, how have you been these past few days? I've found so much interesting information on the StarNet recently! For example, not long ago, the Federation's Film Emperor abandoned his old flame and married a newly risen top starlet, a delicate white flower. Truly, a scoundrel alpha's words are deceitful! He swore eternal love and exclusivity before, but just because the new starlet's compatibility rating was 10% higher than his former actress wife's, he divorced her! Alphas are really no good! Oh, sorry, Xiao Yan, I didn't mean you in that. Let me tell you, and also..."

Lu Yan: "......"

Why is my Intelligent Mech so annoyingly chatty...