The Federal First Central Military Academy is located in the K-system of the Aquila constellation, on Tigre..
It’s a super-Earth, ten times the size of old Earth, orbiting its parent star once every 207 days.
It has two moons and one companion star.
Seen from deep space, Tigris resembles Earth, with most of its surface covered by blue oceans and surrounded by a hazy atmosphere.
Near its equator is a massive steel ring, like a belt, rotating along with the planet’s spin.
This steel belt is the Tigris Spaceport and the final destination of the Patriot.
Lin Xiaohe and the others will disembark here and undergo quarantine inspection on Tigris.
Normally, the quarantine period lasts twelve days, but the military has a fast track that shortens it to seven days.
As a recipient of the Federation’s Second-Class Medal, Lin Xiaohe is entitled to special privileges that reduce her quarantine to just five days.
Wan Tianming is only here to see Lin Xiaohe off; he has no intention of entering Tigris himself.
Besides, he’s sure the Central Military Academy wouldn’t welcome him anyway.
“Goodbye, Lin Xiaohe. Smooth sailing. I’ll be waiting for you at the Command Academy.”
Because the Patriot got cut in line, their docking berth is quite far from the quarantine entry. Wan Tianming accompanies Lin Xiaohe and her family all the way to the entrance.
Lin Xiaohe waves her hand: “Even the best of friends must eventually part. Teacher Wan, I can’t thank you enough for all your care along the way!”
Wan Tianming is about to offer some final words of advice when he sees a group of young people in Central Military Academy uniforms striding toward them.
Their matte black military uniforms cling tightly to their bodies, accentuating powerful physiques and muscle lines.
With every flex of their muscles, icy blue energy patterns slither across them like serpents.
You have to admit, this uniform design manages to be both ascetic and alluring.
Lin Xiaohe clicks her tongue in admiration. So this is the legendary “walking with sparks,” crackling and popping as they move.
The designer of the Central Military Academy uniform must have been determined to ensure their students stand out as the brightest stars in any crowd!
Especially the one leading the group. A towering two meters tall, wearing a black cape, a wide-brimmed black hat with silver trim, and carrying a ceremonial staff. His skin is pale and cool, and his long, narrow eyes are filled with utter indifference.
Grandma Lin says with a hint of worry, “Xiaohe, your schoolmates don’t seem very easy to get along with.”
Lin Xiaohe links arms with her grandmother and smiles cheerfully: “Don’t worry, Grandma. Once school starts, I absolutely won’t fight or cause trouble. I’ll just focus on farming.”
“Really?” Grandma Lin looks at her uncertainly.
Lin Xiaohe raises her hand and swears: “A promise is a promise. Grandma, I’m a good kid.”
Grandma Lin believes her.
Seeing that the group shows no sign of slowing down or changing direction, the Lin family, adhering to the principle of “harmony is best when away from home,” steps aside to let them pass first.
Twenty or so young men, all averaging two meters in height, exude an overwhelming sense of pressure.
Lin Xiaohe lowers her gaze to look at the shadows on the ground.
With her whole family in tow, she doesn’t want any trouble, but even though she’s not looking for it, trouble comes looking for her.
“Are you Lin Xiaohe?”
A tall, large figure stops right in front of Lin Xiaohe, his shadow engulfing her completely.
His voice is rough, his tone impatient and contemptuous.
Looks like someone’s trying to start something.
Lin Xiaohe looks up, tilting her head back to face him: “That’s me.”
He looks down his nose at her, his eyes full of malice: “So you’re the one Marshal Chu picked? With those scrawny little arms and legs, what makes you think you belong in our Central Military Academy?”
With that, he reaches out a finger and pokes her forehead hard.
It’s not really physically harmful, but it’s incredibly insulting.
Lin Xiaohe’s expression doesn’t change. Neither servile nor overbearing, she asks, “Are you trying to pull some school bullying crap?”
“Ha ha ha, that’s hilarious. You haven’t even enrolled yet, so you’re not a student here. Don’t you go around using our Central Military Academy’s name to throw your weight around in the outer rim?”
Someone chimes in: “Forget already? Back on Gonggong, someone said, ‘Outside, you call me a cadet, and I won’t fault you. But on the battlefield, what should you call me?'”
He delivers the line with such exaggerated intonation, expression, and gestures that it immediately draws the attention of many passersby.
Someone mimics in a high-pitched, mocking voice: “Lieutenant Lin!”
“Ha ha ha ha.”
The crowd erupts in raucous laughter. A torrent of snide and sarcastic remarks crashes down upon Lin Xiaohe.
“Oh, how impressive. Lieutenant Lin from the Sixth Rim.”
“Jeez, can’t you talk right? He got promoted. It’s Captain Lin from the Fifth Rim now.”
“Captain Lin, what should I do? I’m so scared.”
The Lin family glares angrily, but that only provokes even more vicious taunts.
“What are you looking at? A whole family of the weak and crippled. Who knows what kind of tricks you pulled to latch onto Marshal Chu?”
“Exactly! Hah, a Stardust Plant Manipulator? Can a Stardust Plant Manipulator really come out of a Sixth Rim slum? There’s definitely something fishy going on.”
“Maybe she’s a spy sent by the Empire.”
“Or maybe she’s with the Resistance.”
The young man leading the group stands a short distance away, watching Lin Xiaohe’s reaction with keen interest.
The tall student who first provoked her curls his lips in a sneer: “Aren’t you a Stardust Plant Manipulator? If you’ve got the guts, come on, hit me.”
Wan Tianming grabs Lin Xiaohe’s wrist and gives a slight shake of his head: “The Federation has restrictions on Stardust Plant Manipulators and Stardust Animal Manipulators. You’re not allowed to use your abilities in public places.”
Wan Tianming sighs inwardly. Lin Xiaohe’s days at the Central Military Academy are likely to be tough. “These are from the Deep Space Combat Department. The leader’s name is Baishide. He’s the president of the Deep Space Combat student council and one of the Renault family’s heirs.”
“His older brother is Baiyade.”
Lin Xiaohe gives a cold laugh. So, they sent the older one, and now the younger one’s here to follow up?
Chaoyuan Group really isn’t playing nice. On the surface, they compensate the students and try to bury the hatchet, but behind the scenes, they’re sending people to cause trouble.
Wan Tianming, sensing Lin Xiaohe’s thoughts, explains: “Baiyade takes his father’s surname. He was originally the heir to Chaoyuan Group. Baishide takes his mother’s surname and belongs to the Renault family.”
So, Lin Xiaohe isn’t facing Chaoyuan Group, but the Renault family.
One of the golden families of Tigris. A colossal entity that has existed since humanity left Earth and ventured into space.
Wan Tianming wants to advise Lin Xiaohe to endure it, but looking at her eyes, blazing with fighting spirit, he knows this conflict is unavoidable.
Ever since Earth, Lin Xiaohe has always remembered one saying.
Everyone who bullies you is gambling.
They’re betting that you have no future, that you’ll tolerate it, that you’ll forget, that even if you remember, you won’t dare to fight back.
Back on Earth, Lin Xiaohe believed in the principle of “revenge is a dish best served cold.”
Now, in this interstellar era, Lin Xiaohe prefers to settle scores on the spot. The universe is so vast; what if your enemy runs away and you can’t find them?
Lin Xiaohe copies Baishide’s infuriatingly smug expression: “What if I do stare at you? Ugly people make a lot of fuss. You know damn well there’s nothing presentable about any of you!”
Thank you, dear readers, for your support and encouragement.
Lin Xiaohe’s new journey at the Central Military Academy is about to begin!
