Chapter 36 Military School Bullying?

Chapter 36: Military Academy Bullying?

The Next Day

Qi Yanshen had originally planned to clear things up with Ji Anzhi at noon, but just before the end of the second class, Ji Anzhi sent a message in their dorm chat group. He said he had some stuff going on recently and would be eating with Andrew, so there was no need to wait for him.

Qi Yanshen immediately realized it was his own unusual behavior from last week that had scared Ji Anzhi off. Otherwise, he wouldn't be making excuses to eat with that star chart fanatic from the Gnos family just to avoid him.

Lu Yan, of course, also noticed the message in the group chat. Sensing the low pressure beside him, Lu Yan teased, "Oh, look at you sucking up last week. You scared him off, didn't you?"

Qi Yanshen kept a straight face, but Lu Yan knew his childhood friend well enough to understand he was definitely angry inside, which put Lu Yan in a great mood.

On the way to the cafeteria after class, Lu Yan gave him a friendly reminder: "Some things shouldn't be rushed too much. Let nature take its course."

Qi Yanshen replied, "But what if Andrew convinces Ji Anzhi to join the Second Legion? Are you going to gift your Eighth Legion's star chart specialist to our Third Legion?"

Lu Yan was left speechless by his words. While the Eighth Legion wasn't short of star chart specialists, they certainly wouldn't transfer one out, let alone gift one to the Third Legion.

Lu Yan honestly didn't say anything more. Jian Fuxu, standing to the side, paid no attention to Lu Yan's mouthing off; it had nothing to do with him anyway. His main focus now was his studies and the experimental data he was working on from the recent explosion video.

When they arrived at the third floor of the cafeteria and didn't see Ji Anzhi, they ordered their meals and sat down, thinking he might be eating on the second floor or would come up to the third floor later.

As they suspected, Ji Anzhi was going over problems with Andrew and arrived at the cafeteria over twenty minutes late. Intending to avoid Qi Yanshen and the others, Ji Anzhi suggested eating on the second floor.

Andrew and his brother, Eveka, had no objections.

After ordering, the three sat at a relatively secluded table. Once seated, Andrew opened his notebook to process the method Ji Anzhi had just explained.

Although Eveka had been told by his brother yesterday, he was still curious why Ji Anzhi wasn't eating with Qi Yanshen and the others today.

Eveka asked, "Chief Ji, may I ask a question?"

Ji Anzhi put down his personal terminal and smiled gently, "Please, Senior, what would you like to ask?"

Eveka probed, "What do you think of your roommates?"

What did he think of his roommates?

Ji Anzhi wasn't sure if Eveka had any ulterior motive in asking this. After thinking for a few seconds, he cautiously replied, "They're all quite good. Enthusiastic, generous, and very easy to get along with."

Eveka's smile turned subtle. Among those three, only Lu Yan fit Ji Anzhi's description. Where were the other two enthusiastic, generous, and easy to get along with? Qi Yanshen might be relatively easy to get along with, but enthusiasm was the antonym of his personality.

Ji Anzhi also smiled, glossing over the details, "They've been a bit busy recently, and I have matters to attend to while helping Andrew with problems, so we haven't been acting together."

Eveka nodded, said 'I see' out loud, but in his mind, he was already scheming how to drive a wedge between Ji Anzhi and the others in the dorm, then claim him for the Second Legion.

Last week, when he found out his brother would be going to the Third Legion with Ji Anzhi during the break to work on a mission, he almost went to challenge Qi Yanshen to a life-or-death duel in the arena.

Damn it! Don't they know our family backs the Second Legion? How dare he drag my innocent and kind brother to work for the Third Legion! And for free, no less!

A brother can tolerate it, but this elder brother cannot!

The Third Legion is short on star chart specialists. Qi Yanshen definitely wants to pull Ji Anzhi into the Third Legion. Originally, I wasn't planning to interfere, nor was I interested in provoking the Third Legion. But given the current situation, I'd be a fool not to step in and intercept him!

You just wait, Qi Stone. I'll make you regret this!

Andrew seemed to sense something and turned to look at his brother. Feeling his brother's gaze, Eveka, an S-rank alpha, immediately softened, asking in a fawning tone if Andrew was hungry, if he should go hurry the cooks at the window, or if he was thirsty, even pouring him a cup of warm water.

That doting, obsequious attitude made Ji Anzhi's lip curl. Andrew was an S-rank alpha, was it necessary to be so nervous? He wasn't a naturally frail omega.

What Ji Anzhi didn't know was that Andrew had indeed been quite frail as a child. His omega mother had been drugged by a hostile faction while pregnant with him, nearly causing a premature birth. Later, due to the drugs, he was born with only an A-rank alpha level, a B-rank physique, and was often sick. Out of guilt and self-blame, Andrew's parents and brother doted on him excessively, never imposing alpha standards on him.

Of course, the drugging incident was only known to the two high-ranking families of the Second Legion: the Kaviford family of the Legion Commander and the Gnos family.

Ji Anzhi thought to himself for a moment, then lowered his head to look at the star chart content on his personal terminal.

After getting their ordered meals, the three ate quietly, practicing 'no talking while eating'.

Perhaps because he had always eaten with the lunatic Jian Fuxu before, plus that incident in the cafeteria with Lu Yan's craziness and Qi Yanshen's scheming nature, Ji Anzhi had never truly experienced military academy bullying. Today, he finally... witnessed it.

"Hey, we want to sit here. Move aside."

A group of tall alphas walked up to Ji Anzhi's table, their tone arrogant, with the clear implication of fighting in the arena if they didn't yield.

They had chosen a relatively remote spot. These people were almost definitely looking for trouble. Ji Anzhi calmly continued eating. He believed Eveka wouldn't just stand by. Besides, Andrew also ignored these people, so there was no need for him to show weakness by paying attention.

Eveka swallowed the food in his mouth and turned to look at the group, his tone cold and distant, "Sorry, we're currently dining. If you want this seat, please wait until we finish. If you can't wait, you can find another seat."

The leading alpha was a smiling tiger, putting on a fake smile, "Chief Eveka, you're really cold. The one sitting next to you is your brother, Andrew, right? Seeing him in person is better than hearing about him a hundred times."

Hearing the other party mention his brother, a sharp glint flashed in Eveka's eyes. He met the gaze of the brown-eyed alpha leader, a slight curve forming at the corner of his mouth, "Senior Lar, have you forgotten last semester when you challenged me and ended up with a broken bone?"

Upon hearing this, Lar's veins bulged. Reason reminded him not to start a fight in the cafeteria; if they wanted to fight, they should go to the arena or an open space outside.

Suppressing his anger, Lar raised his hand to signal his equally indignant and angry companions behind him. He curled his lip and sneered, "Last semester, I was just careless, letting you get the upper hand. This semester, I wanted a rematch, but unfortunately, I haven't seen you around. It's rare to run into you today. How about another round?"

Eveka was blunt, "No time, not interested."

Hearing this, Lar still maintained his smiling appearance and shifted his gaze to Andrew beside Eveka, saying slowly, "Eveka, your brother is a first-year freshman in the Star Chart Department this year, right? I heard he actually failed the entrance exam this year and got in through connections. What do you think the other first-years would say if they found out..."

Hearing Lar actually threaten him using his brother, Eveka stood up, walked a few steps to stand in front of Lar. Being slightly taller, Eveka leaned down slightly and spoke coldly and fiercely into his ear, "Lar Tasabin, you should know what your family did in the past. Don't force the Second Legion to dig up old accounts."

Lar said dismissively, "Do you have evidence? Don't slander the Tasabin family's reputation with baseless accusations. Besides, your brother seems to really like star charts. Would you really make him leave his dream academy?"

Eveka clenched his fist. After a few seconds, he said, "The arena. Now?"

Lar smiled, "Of course."

Eveka turned and said gently to Andrew, who was looking at him, "Brother has some matters to attend to. You and your classmate eat first. I'll be right back."

Andrew looked at his brother with concern. Of course, he wasn't a three-year-old child who knew nothing. He knew his brother and that Lar were going to the arena for a challenge. He didn't want his brother to go before finishing his meal.

Andrew said flatly, "Finish eating first."

As if afraid Eveka would refuse, Andrew quickly added, "Mom told you to take care of me. Besides, the other party was rude when they came over. We don't need to be polite either."

It was rare for Eveka to hear his brother say so much, and it was all in his defense. He immediately threw a "wait until I finish eating" at Lar and sat back down to continue his meal. Before picking up his chopsticks, he even ruffled Andrew's soft golden hair, unsurprisingly receiving a glare from Andrew.

Seeing Eveka dismiss them and continue eating, Lar felt uncomfortable and looked for trouble, provoking, "An S-rank alpha can handle being hungry. Or are you afraid you'll lose and don't want to accept the challenge, Eveka?"

Eveka let it go in one ear and out the other, eating quickly. Andrew, having finished the food in his mouth, said calmly, seemingly to no one in particular, "My brother has people who care about him. Unlike some defeated dogs with no manners barking everywhere."

This sentence made both Eveka and Ji Anzhi, who had remained silent until now, look at Andrew. Clearly, they hadn't expected the usually quiet Andrew to be so "sharp-tongued." Both expressed some surprise.

Lar and his companions behind him, hearing this, were filled with indignation. One of the more impatient alphas stepped forward and said, "Who are you calling a dog?"

Andrew was completely unafraid of them, his tone unchanged, "Guess. Also, didn't your parents teach you that disturbing others during a meal is very impolite behavior?"

That alpha was choked by Andrew's words. Whether he said yes or no would be disadvantageous. After a while, he squeezed out a sentence, "Your manners aren't much better either."

Andrew didn't care and continued eating.

Seeing he hadn't gained any advantage with Eveka or Andrew, the alpha shifted his gaze to Ji Anzhi, who had been eating with them without saying a word.

Their group was fourth-year students who had originally been arranged for internships but were urgently recalled. They were told that because the fourth-year had lost in the freshman challenge tournament, Old Man Lin had punished the entire year with an extra year of schooling plus a semester of disciplinary training, forcing them back to the military academy—they had only returned two weeks ago.

They were absolutely familiar with Ji Anzhi. From the day they received the news until now, many had vented their anger using his photo, so his face was burned into their memories.

That alpha wasn't foolish. He knew about the Star Chart Department's protective streak, and given Ji Anzhi's talent, many factions were openly or secretly trying to recruit him. Moreover, the Little Madman from the Jian family shared a dorm with him and seemed on good terms, so it was wise not to provoke Ji Anzhi.

However, the dual superiority of being an alpha and his family background still made him unable to resist advising Ji Anzhi: "Chief Ji, I'd advise you not to get too close to Andrew. He was originally a reject and only entered the academy by pulling strings. Be careful not to get dragged down by his shady character."

Eveka and Andrew shot a subtle glance at Ji Anzhi, curious about his reaction.

Seeing the other was speaking to him, Ji Anzhi swallowed his food, set down his chopsticks, and acting as if he hadn't noticed the tension, replied with a gentle smile: "Thank you for your concern. Andrew's character is upright, so there's no need to worry. Besides, the department teachers are quite fond of him. I trust their judgment, and even if I knew, I wouldn't mind."

The alpha was angered by Ji Anzhi's subtle rebuttal but didn't know how to refute it. Ji Anzhi's words were polite and not sarcastic, as if merely stating facts. Yet, it was precisely this demeanor that made the alpha increasingly furious.

Lar hadn't intervened earlier because he wanted to see Ji Anzhi's relationship with the Glenos brothers. Seeing Ji Anzhi clearly siding with them, he frowned slightly.

He had learned about Ji Anzhi's abilities through replays of the freshman challenge tournament—undoubtedly a once-in-a-century prodigy. His father had even called that day, saying he should try to befriend him if possible. After all, among the Federation's twelve Legions, aside from the three special ones, which Legion wasn't short on star charters?

Every year, the First Military Academy only produced a few or a dozen star charter seedlings. Before assignment, nearly half were recruited by the academy itself, and with some students choosing free exploration, the number allocated to each Legion was naturally scarce. In this dog-eat-dog situation, competition for this talent was even fiercer than for Mecha Department students.

Previously, because Ji Anzhi had always been active with the three juniors from the Third and Eighth Legions—and those three were now notoriously tough customers—Lar hadn't considered actively befriending him.

Today, he had only intended to threaten Eveka into a rematch, but hadn't expected Ji Anzhi to be with them. The moment he saw Ji Anzhi, Lar wondered if he had fallen out with Qi Yanshen and the others. Combined with Qi Yanshen's unusual behavior last week, which had spread widely among the grades, Lar also began to consider poaching him.

Lar put on a sincere and friendly smile, stopped his companion, and apologized: "Sorry, my companion is impatient. He was just concerned for Chief Ji, no offense meant. I'm Lar Tasabin, fourth-year chief of the Starship Combat Department. A pleasure."

Only after saying all that did he pull his friend back to apologize—talk about a hypocrite playing the good guy.

Lar generously expressed understanding. His goal of getting Eveka to agree to the challenge was achieved, so this request didn't matter. But since Ji Anzhi had witnessed the scene, his impression surely wouldn't be favorable. For now, avoiding open hostility was enough.

Lar called his companions to a nearby table, where they simply drank a nutrient solution, preparing for the upcoming arena challenge.

After they sat down, Ji Anzhi lowered his head and continued eating. Andrew and Eveka also withdrew their subtle glances.