Chapter 93 Taking the Initiative

Chapter 93: Taking the Initiative

When Ji Anzhi came out, Ji Anjue, as if trying to cover up his actions, placed Xiaoxue in a corner and returned the water to the cup, pretending nothing had just happened.

Ji Anzhi wasn't interested in pursuing the matter, though he planned to tell him later not to bully Xiaoxue.

Ji Anjue owed his current existence entirely to Xiaoxue.

If it weren't for Xiaoxue, Ji Anjue would have vanished silently in some forgotten corner.

No one would have ever known.

No one would have known the Federation once had a brand-new plant-based intelligent being.

Moving to the center of the bed and sitting in front of Ji Anjue, Ji Anzhi asked, "Shall we start now?"

Ji Anjue nodded.

Ji Anzhi closed his eyes, recalling the sensation from last time, searching for his own psychic threads.

Attempting to make contact, to control...

...

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'Anzhi, big news.'

Ji Anzhi was attending a public lecture, though this session wasn't about psychic power; it was about the Zerg.

Compared to explanations from his previous school, the First Military Academy's public lectures not only covered the appearance and characteristics of various Zerg but also their living habits, attack methods, weak points in defense, and so on.

The Vice-Principal was giving this lecture.

Although Ji Anzhi wasn't confident he could defeat the Zerg, there was no harm in listening to more information, so he paid close attention.

Suddenly, Ji Anjue's voice came from the Space Bracelet. Ji Anzhi was already used to it and asked what the news was.

Ji Anjue's tone carried a hint of tension.

'The Federation's top leadership has decided to hold a voting session next week.'

Remembering that Ji Anzhi might not know what a voting session was, he thoughtfully added an explanation.

'The voting session is one of the Federation's highest-level meetings. This type of meeting requires the Chairman of the Council, key decision-makers from the Council, the nine Legion Commanders, the Commanders of the three special legions, and the heads of the military academies to participate in the vote.'

'As for the voting content, it's about accessing the backend of the Star Network, using the highest authority to find all information related to a specific account holder.'

Ji Anjue deliberately emphasized the word "all."

Ji Anzhi lost interest in the rest of the lecture, feeling a heavy sense of fear.

'When is the voting session?'

'Next Monday.'

This matter had to be resolved; today was already Saturday.

Even if he wanted to flee now, he couldn't. The entire star system used the Federation's Star Network; under such circumstances, his movements would be impossible to hide.

Ji Anzhi felt agitated but then forced himself to calm down. The more critical the situation, the more he needed to stay composed and not lose his composure.

Forcing himself to be calm, after careful consideration, he asked Ji Anjue if his current body could still transform.

'Well... it's not that it can't. I can force this body to grow rapidly, but it would consume a lot of psychic energy. It must be replenished immediately by taking many Psychic Stimulants. Otherwise, this body will fall into a deep sleep and become unusable.'

Ji Anzhi thought about his wallet; he absolutely couldn't afford the cost of Psychic Stimulants...

He rubbed his temples in frustration, thinking about how to quickly get a large sum of money.

Qi Yanshen was still sitting next to Ji Anzhi.

Perhaps due to Ji Anzhi's recent acceptance, Qi Yanshen's pheromones had become increasingly bold. Whenever he got close, his pheromones would cling to Ji Anzhi.

So, for the past week or two, anyone who got slightly close to Ji Anzhi could smell the faint scent of gardenia. It was obvious where it came from.

At this moment, Qi Yanshen was listening to the lecture while trying hard to control his pheromones. Be subtle, don't become a real pervert.

Seeing Ji Anzhi frowning in distress, he quietly asked what was wrong.

Qi Yanshen's voice brought Ji Anzhi back to his senses.

Right!

Qi Yanshen had money, didn't he?

Why not borrow from him!

Thinking this, Ji Anzhi maintained a troubled expression, feigning hesitation and embarrassment. Qi Yanshen waited quietly.

A few seconds later, Ji Anzhi sighed softly, his tone carrying a hint of shame, annoyance, and worry. "I'm a bit short on money lately..."

This made Qi Yanshen raise an eyebrow. Ji Anzhi was short on money?

Logically, Ji Anzhi shouldn't be that short on money. Even just modifying a Mech Energy Tank, requiring only 3500 units of energy storage, could sell for at least five hundred thousand Star Credits.

So why was Ji Anzhi short on money?

"How much do you need?"

Qi Yanshen asked in a low voice.

Ji Anzhi thought for a moment and named a sum.

"Five million Star Credits."

Five million Star Credits wasn't a huge amount; Qi Yanshen's allowance for half a year was five million.

But it wasn't a small sum either; five million Star Credits was enough for an ordinary person to live comfortably for a lifetime.

Qi Yanshen thought about his wallet. He'd been spending a lot lately, constantly buying off his brother at high prices, leaving only two million Star Credits in his account.

Qi Yanshen fell silent for a moment, then asked again in a low voice, "Does it have to be five million?"

Ji Anzhi replied, "It could be a bit less. Do you have it? I'll pay it back as soon as possible."

Guessing that Ji Anzhi might genuinely be in urgent need, Qi Yanshen didn't hesitate and immediately sent a message to Lu Yan.

Sitting next to Jian Fuxu, only two seats away from Qi Yanshen, Lu Yan looked over at Qi Yanshen with confusion.

His meaning was clear: What are you doing?

Qi Yanshen didn't look up, but continued sending messages.

"Qi Yanshen: I need to borrow some money."

Lu Yan looked at the message popping up on his comm device and replied in confusion.

"Lu Yan: Did you piss off your parents and get your allowance cut off?"

"Qi Yanshen: No, it's urgent. I'll pay you back soon."

"Lu Yan: Then tell me clearly what you need it for. Don't get me involved if something happens later."

"Qi Yanshen: Buying something. Won't get you involved."

"Lu Yan: ...Alright then, I'll trust you this once. How much?"

"Qi Yanshen: Three million."

"Lu Yan: Sent."

"Qi Yanshen: Thank you."

"Lu Yan: Just don't get me involved. Don't use it recklessly."

"Qi Yanshen: Mm."

After receiving the transfer, Qi Yanshen sent his remaining two million to Ji Anzhi as well.

Ji Anzhi hadn't expected Qi Yanshen to be so efficient, and his feelings were complicated.

He thought Qi Yanshen was kind of pitiful. Of all people to like, he had to like him. What a shame...

Ji Anzhi thanked him and, considering Qi Yanshen knew his identity, he tentatively probed Qi Yanshen's attitude.

"Ji Anzhi: Qi Yanshen, what do you think of your mother?"

They were sitting together, yet Ji Anzhi chose to send a message. Qi Yanshen immediately understood that Ji Anzhi wanted to discuss something private.

"Qi Yanshen: Very powerful. She protects trillions of citizens in the Federation. She's admirable."

"Ji Anzhi: I remember the insectoid defense line of the Third Legion seems different from the legions behind it, with consistently higher casualties."

"Qi Yanshen: Mm."

Ji Anzhi had heard a little about this but had never confirmed it, thinking it was just a rumor. He hadn't expected it to be true.

Ji Anzhi looked at the message thoughtfully, then finally sent Qi Yanshen one: "So that's how it is. Your mother is outstanding."

Qi Yanshen didn't reply with a message. Instead, he chuckled softly beside Ji Anzhi, a gentle laugh, his voice lowered as if whispering intimately in Ji Anzhi's ear.

"Thank you... My mother is indeed outstanding."

Hearing Qi Yanshen's words, Ji Anzhi suddenly felt a pang of loneliness in his heart, but he quickly suppressed it and softly agreed with Qi Yanshen.

Jian Fuxu, who was completely ignored to the side: "…………"

Can I just throw them both out?

After class, the three returned to the dorm. Ji Anzhi, holding Ji Anjue, ran into a crowd of people in the living room.

Ji Anzhi explained that Ji Anjue was bored, so he thought he'd take him out to play.

The three understood, reminding them to be careful and to make sure to return before curfew.

Ji Anzhi said he remembered, then took Ji Anjue onto a hovercar heading for the port.

They soon arrived at Sko Star. Before entering the black market, Ji Anzhi found a secluded spot without surveillance and changed into a full set of women's clothing.

Before Ji Anzhi's eyes, Ji Anjue's body slowly grew. In the blink of an eye, he had become taller and larger than Ji Anzhi.

Even with high heels on, Ji Anzhi had to look up slightly at Ji Anjue.

What was once a soft, white, glutinous little golden-haired, blue-eyed dumpling had transformed in an instant into a tall, slender, handsome beta.

But...

"Is the hair too long?"

Ji Anzhi looked down at the hair touching the floor, speechless.

Ji Anjue noticed it too. His voice was no longer soft and glutinous; it was like the pure sound of jade, paired with his smooth, shimmering golden hair. The corners of his eyes slightly upturned, his golden eyelashes fine and long, making his unique jade-green eyes appear even more amiable, yet sacred.

"Hm? Didn't notice. It's fine like this."

His words were casual, and his golden hair was gathered up by an invisible force, lifting it off the ground.

Ji Anzhi sighed helplessly. He was better off as the little white dumpling.

He took out the clothes prepared long ago and handed them to Ji Anjue. Ji Anjue used his psychic power to manipulate the clothes, quickly putting them on.

Inside was a set of black, form-fitting attire. Outside, like Ji Anzhi, was a large cloak to conceal his figure.

Putting on the hood, following Ji Anzhi's instructions, Ji Anjue tucked his golden hair inside the hood, put on a mask, and special glasses.

The lenses were made of a special material; captured by any surveillance, they would only show a reflective white, hiding his true appearance.

Ji Anzhi was similar, but he used a special veil to conceal his face. Outsiders couldn't see through it, but he could see the outside world clearly.

As for why not use a realistic mask...

Ji Anzhi said he really had no money, and he still had to pay back later, so he saved where he could.

Thus, the two safely entered the black market.

Ji Anjue asked in his mind: 'Where to?'

Ji Anzhi gave directions. They needed to buy the Psychic Stimulant first, prioritizing protecting this body.

Ji Anjue had no objections.

This body was registered in the Federation. If it really fell into a deep sleep, causing them to miss the physical exam two months from now, he and Ji Anzhi could directly plan their escape.

Arriving at a small shop, Ji Anzhi directly asked the shopkeeper how much Psychic Stimulant he had, the higher the concentration, the better.

The shopkeeper recognized Ji Anzhi, who had come to buy several times before. He didn't know what he bought it for, but each time it was at least a crate.

The shopkeeper said he only had five crates now, no more, and asked for three million star credits.

Ji Anjue secretly informed Ji Anzhi that he actually had eight crates.

Ji Anzhi suspected nothing, his gaze toward the shopkeeper carrying a ruthless edge.

Since you won't tell the truth, then give us the remaining three crates as freebies.

Ji Anzhi asked mentally to Ji Anjue: ‘Didn't you say before you could alter others' memories? Go ahead and erase all his memories of the remaining three crates of potions.’

‘OK’

The instant the deal was done, the shopkeeper's eyes went blank and vacant, and he produced the remaining three crates, handing them to Ji Anjue, who swiftly took them.

After a while, the shopkeeper's gaze gradually cleared, and he smiled, telling them to come again next time.

The pair ignored him and walked straight out of the small shop.

As they walked, Ji Anzhi told Ji Anjue to find the Federation agents tasked with finding him, preferably in a hidden spot where their colleagues wouldn't notice anything amiss.

Finally, the two locked onto the owner of a small, secluded shop as their target.

The shop was in a remote location with a complex, maze-like layout, and their colleagues were far away, perfectly meeting Ji Anzhi's requirements.

Ji Anjue and Ji Anzhi entered the shop one after the other.

The shopkeeper noticed the newcomers, gave a lazy, droopy-eyed glance, then went back to looking at his own things, his tone was casual: "Look around yourselves, pick what you want and pay up front. No haggling."

The two walked straight up to the shopkeeper and stopped.

A small box, about the size of a palm, floated over to the shopkeeper and settled in front of him.

The shopkeeper sensed something was off. Just as he looked up, before his gaze could even meet theirs, his mind began to fog.

A faint green glow emanated from Ji Anjue's eyes—a sign of using psychic power—as his low, husky, magnetic voice sounded.

"Pass this on. And tell them not to even try investigating my identity."

"…………"

"I know your every move…"

"…………"

"If I find out, I won't mind causing trouble during your Bug Swarm period, understand?"

"…………"

The voice entered his mind, indistinguishable in origin. In his dazed state, he subconsciously agreed to the man's words.

By the time the shopkeeper regained his senses, the two were long gone from the shop.

The shopkeeper broke out in a cold sweat. He was certain someone had been there just moments ago—the small box on the table was proof!

He hurriedly checked the surveillance footage, only to find the recent recordings had been interfered with, showing nothing but static with no useful information.

The shopkeeper messaged his teammates, telling them to watch out for a man and a woman in the black market—the man taller, nearly 190cm, and the woman around 180cm.

After saying this, the shopkeeper didn't dare touch the small box on the table. Instead, he called the team leader, requesting the explosives team to come over, as the other party had left something behind.

But all of this had nothing to do with Ji Anzhi and his companion, who had already left the black market.

Ji Anjue was still complaining.

"Interfering with those surveillance cameras was really draining, such a waste of psychic energy."

Ji Anzhi drove Ji Anjue to a secluded spot to change clothes, comforting him: "Isn't it better than altering people's memories?"

Ji Anjue thought about it and agreed—there were only a few dozen cameras, but altering memories would require affecting tens of thousands of people. The former was definitely easier.

Ji Anjue transformed back into his original child's body, changing clothes while saying, "Next time, transforming into an adult form should use less psychic energy, probably only about one-fifth of what was used this time."

Ji Anzhi nodded as he changed clothes. This was good news for both of them.

Ji Anjue would be using this adult appearance frequently in the future, so using less psychic energy was definitely a good thing.

Especially for his own wallet.

That's why Ji Anzhi left a Star Card for the Federation. He didn't know if he'd receive it next month, but he was truly short on funds.

After changing clothes, Ji Anzhi took Ji Anjue to the port, bought tickets, and returned to the Military Academy Star.

Finally, just before the 12 o'clock curfew, they made it back to the dormitory right on time.

Qi Yanshen and the others were already asleep. Ji Anzhi quickly took Ji Anjue back to their room.

Unbeknownst to them, after they entered the room, Qi Yanshen emerged from the adjacent room, gazing thoughtfully at Ji Anzhi's door.

In the end, he did nothing and returned to his own room.