“Uh, well…” The more Chu Huaizhi tried to recall, the more despair washed over him.
How on earth could a person cause such a colossal mess?
Across from him, the crowd, having waited far too long for an answer, began discussing how the Central Military Academy was structured.
The president of Gaia University was the most qualified to speak on this: “Many people who don’t know better assume the Mecha Department at the Central Military Academy is the strongest. In truth, that’s not the case.”
“In the vast expanse of the stars, an individual is as inconsequential as a speck of dust. When dealing with a single mutated stellar plant or beast, mechs offer high mobility and concentrated single-target damage. But our Federation’s primary enemy is the Empire.”
“In a cosmic war where entire planets are the battleground, the impact an individual mecha has on the overall situation is practically negligible.”
He glanced at Lin Xiaohe. Her performance on Gonggong Star had been absolutely stunning. He’d heard that strategic researchers in the military were currently reassessing how mechs could be deployed on the battlefield and what influence they might wield.
If, someday, Lin Xiaohe could single-handedly turn the tide of a battle, she might truly change how the Federation’s military fought.
The president continued his introduction: “The departments with the best career prospects, receiving the most preferential treatment, and possessing the strongest faculty are the Deep Space Operations Department and the Exoplanet Environment Operations Department.”
“The Over-the-Horizon Command Department and the Strategic Decision-Making Department are also good, but they can’t quite compare to those at the Command Academy or the Sights Strategic Military Academy.”
While genuinely considering what was best for Lin Xiaohe, the president of Gaia University couldn’t resist slipping in a personal pitch: “If you truly want to enter the Federation Central Military Academy, your best bet is the Deep Space Operations or Exoplanet Operations Department. As for the Mecha Department, you might as well forget it. Of course, I personally still think you’re most suited to come to our Gaia University.”
“Rubbish!” Chu Huaizhi was furious. To think someone would dare poach her right in front of him—this was just too much.
The president of Gaia University showed not a trace of embarrassment and instead asked, “Marshal Chu, have you figured out the answer to my earlier question yet?”
Chu Huaizhi’s imposing manner faltered, his ramrod-straight spine inexplicably curving slightly. “That… well…”
The Gaia president said, with feigned shock, “Don’t tell me that after snatching Lin Xiaohe away, you haven’t made the slightest plan for her future?”
“Of course there is. She’ll be entering the military for sure.”
The Gaia president was not someone easily dismissed: “There are six Star Rings, with literally tens of thousands of military departments, and each Star Ring has its own Army Group. Military districts in the remote Star Rings also belong to the armed forces, but their prospects and the danger involved can’t compare with those in the Central Star Ring.”
By now, Chu Huaizhi was utterly fed up with him and snapped, “Do you think the military is my family’s private business? Every graduate’s assignment takes into account their own abilities, specializations, academic record, and personal preferences.”
Lin Xiaohe was extraordinarily outstanding, but nothing could be accomplished without rules. The Central Military Academy couldn’t promise her a specific future in the military just to win her over.
That would be unfair to all the other students who had worked so hard to pass the entrance exam and study diligently there.
The Gaia president shrugged. “Fine. Let’s talk about these few things, at least: which department she’ll enter, who her advisor will be, and whether she’ll receive any specialized individual training.”
Lin Xiaohe stared eagerly at Marshal Chu. Even if it wasn’t one of the two elite departments, the Mecha Department should be the absolute minimum, right?
A fine layer of sweat beaded on Chu Huaizhi’s forehead. He opened his mouth, his voice nearly inaudible.
“The Agriculture Department.”
Huh?
Lin Xiaohe poked her ear with her finger. Something was definitely wrong with her body; she could have sworn she just heard Marshal Chu say he was assigning her to the Agriculture Department.
“Oh, the Agriculture Department.” The expression on the president of Gaia University’s face shifted from calm to shock, then confusion. “Marshal Chu, I think I misheard just now. Did you say the Agriculture Department? As in farming, agriculture?”
Whether he ducked or stretched his neck, the blade was coming down.
Resigned to his fate, Chu Huaizhi admitted, “Yes, that’s right, the Agriculture Department.”
The president of Gaia University pondered for a long moment, then finally raised his clasped hands in a gesture of respect. “Thank you, Marshal Chu, for your generous sacrifice!”
Between the Agriculture Department and Gaia University, even a fool knew which to choose!
The Lin family was completely stunned by this revelation.
“The Central Military Academy has an Agriculture Department? Isn’t it a military school?”
“If Marshal Chu says it exists, then I guess it must.”
Lin Xiaohe’s eyes were dead and lifeless as she stared expressionlessly at Chu Huaizhi. “Who else recruits for their Agriculture Department by making a candidate go through the kind of brutal trials I just endured, overcoming obstacle after obstacle?”
Faced with Lin Xiaohe’s utterly emotionless accusation, Chu Huaizhi hung his head deeply, like a child who has done something wrong, and confessed every detail of what had happened.
The entire affair could be summed up in a few words: a series of unfortunate misunderstandings, a cruel trick of fate.
“I am actually the dean of the Agriculture Department at the Central Military Academy. During this year’s college entrance exam, I created a bonus question. In the entire Federation, only you answered that question correctly. So, acting in my capacity as dean, I issued you a special admission letter.”
Lin Xiaohe had already guessed that much. But she wanted to hear why the entrance exam for the Agriculture Department was so difficult. Could there be some big secret hidden there?
Chu Huaizhi deeply regretted everything.
He had worried that Lin Xiaohe might have gotten the answer right by pure chance, so he’d wanted various agricultural assessment agencies across the Star Rings to help evaluate the depth of her knowledge in the agricultural field.
That was how the absurd blunder of [practical assessments stretching from the Sixth Star Ring all the way to the First Star Ring] came about.
Lin Xiaohe felt utterly dazed. All those times she had risked life and limb, narrowly escaping death—it was all because of Marshal Chu’s carelessness?!
Marshal Chu, do you realize my fangirl filter for you has just shattered into a million pieces?
Lin Xiaohe asked, “Why wasn’t ‘Agriculture Department’ written on the admission letter?”
Writing those three words could have prevented so many misunderstandings.
At the very least, Director Chen from the Sixth Star Ring’s college entrance exam office would certainly have tried to find out what this Agriculture Department was all about.
Chu Huaizhi’s voice grew even quieter. “There’s no option for the Agriculture Department in the special admission letter issuance system.”
So, he had simply left the department field blank.
Lin Xiaohe’s heart turned completely cold.
So, there was no great secret hidden within the Agriculture Department. It was simply because the department was completely overlooked and neglected.
Every university has its flagship programs and its obscure, unpopular ones. The Central Military Academy’s Agriculture Department was comparable to Home Economics at some normal university back on Blue Star, or Planetary Science at the National University of Defense Technology…
Lin Xiaohe had lost all her strength and all her options.
The corner of her mouth curved into a bitter smile. May I ask, what exactly can you do after graduating from the Agriculture Department?
While others are fiercely fighting on the front lines, am I supposed to be in the rear, bending over and farming?
Let the world burn!
From Blue Star to the interstellar era, is it my destiny to never escape the deep pit of being a farmer?
The president of Gaia University nearly laughed out loud. Heaven is helping me!
Marshal Chu was truly a considerate little darling.
“Lin Xiaohe, no more hesitation. Choose our Gaia University, and let’s create brilliance together! We are a perfect match, and even the goddess of fate is on our side.”
Chu Huaizhi looked pitifully at Lin Xiaohe, his words feeling so utterly feeble. “Lin Xiaohe, you belong to the stars, you belong to the Federation. I will find a way to switch your major. If that doesn’t work, how about pursuing a double major?”
Please, I’m begging you, name your conditions. Just please, don’t abandon him!
