Chapter 16: It's None of Her Business

"Sister, did it go smoothly?"

"There was a minor issue, but someone helped me resolve it."

"Let's head back to the hotel to rest for the night. By the way, do you want to go shopping at the mall?"

The hotel they had booked was not in a bustling area, and the surrounding malls were of moderate grade. After passing the Military Academy examinations, recruits were issued uniform training gear. Ye Ximo had already bought two new outfits. Boys usually didn't pay much attention to their appearance, but he didn't want his sister to be looked down upon when she went to the Academy of Talents; he had heard that the girls there were very competitive.

Ye Moxi shook her head.

"I’m applying to the Agricultural Department. Two or three sets of simple clothes will be enough. It’s better to dress plainly for daily life."

Wear thin silk skirts to work in the fields? Only a fool would do that! Of course, if others were wealthy and capricious, that was their business, but she certainly wouldn't.

"Don't say that! We aren't in the fringe systems anymore; we should buy a few more things. The Imperial Star is warmer than the fringe systems, and winter comes late here."

What girl doesn't like to dress up? It was just that they hadn't had the means back in the fringe systems.

Unable to resist his pestering, Ye Moxi gave in. As the siblings ate, they browsed the StarNet. Once the clothes were bought, they had to find matching bags and jewelry.

After scrolling through the listings...

The cost of living on the Imperial Star was truly incomparable to the fringe systems!

"That cat’s-eye stone on that bracelet doesn't even look as good as the ones on our... little planet, yet it costs fifty thousand interstellar credits?"

Ye Moxi didn't care much, though she did end up buying a few leather cords.

She flipped through her optical computer. Back then, to train Ye Ximo’s mental power, she had made him practice drilling holes into and polishing various gemstones.

Ye Ximo’s eyes lit up.

That’s right! He could make them for his sister himself!

Ye Moxi sat cross-legged on the sofa, her gaze drifting. Seeing this, Ye Ximo grabbed a blanket and covered her. Ye Moxi curled up like a kitten and fell asleep.

...

"Hiss, it hurts..."

Teeth gnawed at delicate skin, leaving behind a trail of red marks.

"I'm sorry! Baby, I'll be gentler..."

Hot lips and tongue trailed downward, earnestly and devoutly branding every inch of snow-white skin with his own mark...

"Not there... you can't..."

"Do you not like it?" Emerging from beneath the silk pajamas was clearly his face.

A face stained with desire...

***

"Huff."

The man sat up abruptly.

"What's wrong?" The man in the white coat, who was recording data on an optical computer, adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses while looking at Feng Yanting, who had just finished his physical examination shirtless.

Feng Yanting rubbed his temples.

Could he say he had been having a wet dream?

"How are the results?"

"Your berserker state value remains within the safe range... What are you suspicious of?"

"It’s no secret that I spent three years on Desert Star. If my berserker value had stayed on the edge of the alert line, they wouldn't have paid me so much attention. But since it has stayed within the safe range... I don't want to return evil for good."

"The ‘Yuan Xi’ the Xiong family has been looking for is supposedly a ghost account. With the subject’s hiding skills being so good, surely they won't be found so quickly?"

As a close friend, he was privy to many secrets.

Feng Yanting clenched his fists.

The Xiong family had already uncovered much. For instance, Yuan Xi had been targeted because she sold high-quality goods, and she likely possessed even more treasures!

There were very few young girls in the fringe systems capable of freely buying and selling such high-end goods. Now that a treasure like the Bodhi Lotus had appeared, it was only a matter of time before her identity was revealed.

...

"Captain..."

"What is it?"

"The timing of the Bodhi Lotus transaction does indeed overlap with Ye Moxi's movements... Furthermore, during the period when Yuan Xi was sent to Desert Star, her brother, Ye Ximo, behaved very strangely..."

"Do everything in your power to erase any anomalies that could draw suspicion to them."

"Yes! Also, they have both scheduled their entrance exams for this afternoon. Ye Ximo is already at S-grade mental power, and Ye Moxi’s test result is also A-grade..."

"Understood!"

...

"S-grade? Not bad, young man! You’re a guaranteed entry for the Military Academy..."

The staff at the mental power testing station patted young Ye Ximo on the shoulder.

Ye Moxi stepped forward hesitantly and placed her hand on the crystal ball. At first, she used only a wisp of mental power, showing a D-grade... then she added two more wisps.

"A-grade! Not bad for a young lady, either! Enough to qualify for the Academy of Talents!"

The siblings claimed to be from the fringe systems, so how were the children from the fringe systems becoming so talented?

Those coming from other prosperous planets hadn't tested with such high mental power levels!

"Sister, I’ve booked my appointment. My examination is at three this afternoon. How about you?"

"Mine... is also at three... thirty."

"I heard that students who are successfully admitted to the Military Academy are assigned dormitories directly. I wonder what kind of roommates I'll have..."

He was both expectant and nervous.

"If you get along, treat them well. If not, just be casual acquaintances."

Interstellar technology was advanced, and the use of folded space was quite mature. The Military Academy and the Academy of Talents were like universities. Although each dormitory held three to six roommates, everyone had their own independent room, with shared living rooms, kitchens, balconies, and so on.

The Academy of Talents even had external balcony gardens compared to the Military Academy; they said you could grow flowers and trees there.

"What are you looking at?"

"General Feng! Back when I had no mental power, didn't you encourage me to find a goal to strive for? He was once the Second Prince! Now the adopted son of the Feng family, he has no mental energy core, yet he has become an imperial legend..."

Oh! The Empire’s greatest weapon!

"But before, the StarNet said he had been secretly sent to Desert Star three years ago due to genetic collapse and berserker transformation... Three months ago, the First Legion released combat footage of General Feng, and the rumors were debunked..."

Three months ago again! Desert Star again...

"And he’s even stronger now! Dual-elemental—Metal and Fire! Who cares if he doesn't have a mental energy core, who cares if he can't transform? He is still the Empire’s strongest combat force..."

Huh... Wasn't this the person who helped her out on the spaceship yesterday?

Although this face gave her a shameful urge to press herself against the screen, why were her fists itching?

What was this sudden urge to lash him with a whip?

"Wait..."

The girl leaned in, using her optical computer to carefully zoom in on the combat footage the boy was watching with such fascination.

Those red eyes were so familiar... It was him!

The guy on Desert Star who was the second person to treat her as prey, only to be beaten badly by her, and who had accidentally obtained her Vermillion Bird beast soul!

Refusing to be a proper prince to become an adopted son of his maternal family... were these noble scions all brain-damaged?

I heard that Legion Commander Xiong Sheng also entered the legion under a pseudonym in his youth, climbing the ranks step by step until his identity as the young master of the old Imperial noble Xiong family was exposed!

The Xiong family protected Dili, which made them her enemies!

As for this General Feng... she’d have to find an opportunity to demand some mental distress compensation from him!

But why hadn't he exposed the Vermillion Bird beast soul?