He opened your eyes.

Suddenly sitting up, Wen Xiao's consciousness seemed to still be lingering in the chaotic battlefield deep within the starry sea.

A sound kept ringing in his ears, and after a while, Wen Xiao realized it was his own rapid breathing.

"Heart rate was slightly high, 110, 105, 97... back to normal range."

"Blood pressure is normal."

"Blood oxygen levels are normal."

The mechanical voice broadcast the message emotionlessly.

Wen Xiao moved slightly, feeling a sticky sensation between his fingers. He focused his gaze, and clear liquid dripped from his hand onto the white hull.

Cell repair solution.

He was sitting half-sitting inside a medical pod.

  "Woke up?"

The automatic door slid open, and a familiar sound came from inside.

Wen Xiao looked up and saw a soft blanket descend from the sky, wrapping him up completely.

Green eyes, inherited from the same bloodline, drew closer, full of concern.

"Mmm," Wen Xiao called softly, "Brother."

Wen Xu smiled and patted his younger brother's head. "Go take a shower and get ready?"

  "Allright"

The sound of running water continued. With his hands propped up on the sink, after lying in bed for a month, he emerged from the steamy bathroom. As his body started moving, the chaotic fragments of memory returned to their places, allowing Wen Xiao's sluggish brain to begin functioning again.

Wen Xiao splashed a handful of cold water on his face, looked at himself in the mirror, and finally felt a sense of reality.

His hair has grown so long it's almost covering his eyes.

Taking the point of departure from the Furo^[1] star system as the dividing line, and no longer receiving the special light of the celestial bodies, the newly grown hair returned to its original light golden hue, clearly distinguishing it from the silver-bleached front section.

His irises had also returned to the same deep, dark green as Wen Xu's, no longer pale.

Several patches of skin on his chest were whiter than the surrounding skin, injuries sustained during his fight with the space pirates. Following his memory, he pressed on them and found that both penetrating wounds had healed completely, it was only a matter of time for the skin color to return to normal.

The only frustrating thing is that after lying down for so long, the smooth, thin layer of muscles that used to cover his body has started to loosen.

Scooping up some water to clear his head, this feeling quickly dissipated.

Just let it go and practice again.

It's no big deal.

Tap tap, someone knocked on the door.

  "Enter."

Wen Xu handed Wen Xiao a cup containing nutrient solution to aid recovery.

Wen Xiao took a sip; it tasted like strawberries.

  “……”

Well, it's not like his brother just started treating him like a child.

Wen Xiao cooperated exceptionally well by taking the medicine.

Wen Xu leaned against the wall with his arms crossed, his gaze sweeping over Wen Xiao from head to toe, his brow furrowing almost imperceptibly as he looked over the uneven skin tones.

"You've been out there for a while, really grown some skills.^[2]"

After Wen Xiao finished the last sip, Wen Xu spoke slowly.

Knowing that what was bound to happen would eventually happen, Wen Xiao remained silent, lowering his gaze and focusing intently on the hem of his loungewear trousers.

"Knowing full well that the Furo Starfield was keeping a close eye on you, a million light-years away, you sailed back in a beat-up starship, navigating unstable wormholes the whole way, and by sheer coincidence, you stumbled upon a space pirate raid right in the middle of it all..."

"You said you..."

A lump of frustration stuck in his throat. Looking at Wen Xiao's increasingly drooping head, he paused for a moment, then exhaled softly, "But this time he's smarter. He knows to tell his family in advance and have someone pick him up."

Huh?

Wen Xiao glanced up and stole a look at Wen Xu.

"Am I wrong?"

Wen Xiao quickly shook his head.

However, "That's all?"

Wen Xu laughed, "Feeling uncomfortable if you don't get scolded?"

Wen Xiao shifted his feet awkwardly. "Not exactly."

"So... what's the situation outside right now? And what about at home... what should we say?"

He learned that the matter he committed this time wasn't particularly serious.

For reasons, he went to high school in a neighboring star system.

After the alliance disintegrated, this sea of ​​stars was divided into three star regions, each controlled by one to several large families. In the Northern Star Region where he was born, there were five major families, with the Wen family holding a prominent position among them.

In the Furo Star Region where he went, the Jones family has become the dominant force in recent years. His study there was essentially an exchange of interests between the two families: his family provided the benefits, and the Jones family provided top-notch educational resources.

High school went relatively smoothly, but as university approached and the period of awakening mental power arrived, the Jones family once again made exorbitant demands…

They've raised prices before, but their demands were always reasonable. This time was different...

Wen Xiao's fingers clenched tightly at his sides.

Wen Xu: "You beat up the Jones family's youngest son and ran away. What else could happen? Those who need to be sent to the hospital should be sent to the hospital, and those who need to be found should be found. They are still covering up your disappearance and dare not make a fuss. You can only suffer the humiliation of being beaten up by yourself."

Yes, before Wen Xiao returned, he gave the host's foolish son a good beating.

This isn't a big deal; it's just a conflict between classmates.

However, this matter involves two major families, and if things don't go well, it could escalate into a conflict between two star regions, which is no small matter.

"As for home..."

Wen Xu straightened up. “We sent you there to study. Seeing your talent surpassed expectations, they didn't want to reveal everything about their star domain, yet they also don't want to offend the Wen family. So they bring up this marriage alliance... Marriage alliance my ass!”

It's one thing if they don't want to cultivate talent for the Northern Star Region, but at this crucial time, the condition for continuing his brother's education is a marriage between the two families, allowing Wen Xiao to stay in Furo... Ha, the Jones family really has the nerve to make such a request.

"The old man has said that everything is handled by the family on Furo's side, so you don't need to worry."

"But your actions this time cannot be let off lightly. Do you know how dangerous unstable wormholes are? Do you remember what state you were in when I found you? And what I saw when I threw you into the medical pod..."

"En, brother, I was wrong."

Wen Xiao readily admitted his mistake, leaving Wen Xu's half-finished scolding stuck in his throat.

Wen Xiao stepped forward, hugged Wen Xu, and said sincerely, "I'm sorry."

  “……”

"Okay, okay, that's good. The doctor is outside. Put your clothes on and come out for the examination."

Wen Xiao turned to get the clothes. Looking at the uneven skin color on his back, Wen Xu frowned again. Every family loves their child. His younger brother had come back after suffering a lot. Even though he was still a little angry, he couldn't bring himself to scold him.

Well, at least the person is back.

Wen Xiao: "By the way, about university..."

The Furo Star Region was adamant about the marriage terms, and since he had beaten the Jones family members into the hospital, returning to school was no longer a realistic possibility…

Wen Xu: "Before you went into the cabin, you said you wanted to go to the First Military Academy. The old man didn't say whether it was good or bad, but the military academy really wanted you. They made a lot of promises and even gave you a special recruitment quota."

"Shouldn't they be starting military training?"

"Yes, we're on the spaceship heading to the military academy right now."

After Wen Xiao finished dressing, he suddenly remembered something, "Where's Xiao Bai?"

Xiao Bai was his spiritual entity, but he couldn't retrieve it before entering the medical pod, so he left it with his brother.

Wen Xu opened the door behind him.

A snow-white afterimage flew through the air towards Wen Xiao.

"Meow~"

A tiny white cat landed on Wen Xiao's shoulder and began licking his face enthusiastically, so much so that Wen Xiao had to cover himself with his hands.

"Alright, alright, everything's fine now, isn't it?"

"Meow meow meow, meow meow!"

It sounded like an accusation, yet also like a greeting after a long separation.

Before he knew it, Xiaobai grabbed his hand, and licked his cheek hard while still clinging to his hand.

Wen Xiao wanted to scold it, but couldn't help but show the first smile he had shown since waking up.

He asked his brother, "Has Xiao Bai^[3] caused any trouble?"

"Much less troublesome than you."

  “……”

  *

All the medical examination results were normal. After their minds were fully clear, the two brothers had another long talk.

After getting a haircut and being well-fed and cared for for a few days, and after his family members called one by one to check on him, he felt that the matter was over and gradually returned to his former arrogant self.

The spaceship landed on a bright, sunny day.

Standing at the gate of the First Military Academy, dragging his luggage, Wen Xiao was bathed in the warm golden sunlight.

Raising his hand, he looked at the dappled light filtering through his fingers and felt a strange sensation in his heart.

A thousand thoughts surged forth, finally settling into a single sigh—

He's finally back!

Wen Xiao smiled.

"How does it feel?" Wen Xu asked Wen Xiao, standing amidst the bustling crowd of freshmen.

"Our northernmost military academy is the best, so it can't be bad."

The First Military Academy is undoubtedly the best military academy in the Northern Star Region, but it is not the most suitable for Wen Xiao.

If it were really that good, they wouldn't have sent Wen Xiao to Furo in the first place.

Both brothers were well aware of this.

On the way to the military training registration point, he looked around at this and that. It had been too long since I had been back to the Northern Region, and I wanted to see everything.

Passing by the canteen, they saw some snacks from the Northern Region, so they bought a serving and held it in their hands. They took a bite themselves, and Xiao Bai on their shoulder took a bite. Both of them had bulging cheeks and were having a great time, making Wen Xu's worries seem unnecessary.

But Wen Xu knew that wasn't the case.

“Are you sure you want to participate in military training?”

Halfway through the journey, Wen Xu finally asked the question. Wen Xiao was not surprised; in fact, he felt that his brother's patience in asking at this point far exceeded his expectations.

Wen Xu: "You know military training is graded, right? To get into the combat department, you need to get 7 points."

This is related to the admission process of the First Military Academy. After the written test, military training follows immediately. The total score is 10 points. Other majors have a standard score of 6 points, but only the combat department requires a score of 7 points to be admitted.

This wouldn't be difficult for the good students from their star system, but Wen Xiao's situation was different from that of a normal freshman.

Wen Xiao laughed heartlessly, "I thought you wouldn't ask, brother."

"Everyone knows the military training requirements of the First Military Academy. I not only know that my department requires a score of 7 to be admitted, but I also know that those who fail the military training are all assumed to be physically unfit and will be transferred to other universities in the end."

Of course, the universities that offer transfers aren't bad either, but... they're definitely not as good as the top military academy.

Besides, it's just a way to make things easier; it's so embarrassing.

Wen Xu: "You were specially recruited. If you don't want to participate in military training..."

Wen Xiao interrupted, "I want to."

  “……”

Wen Xu was not surprised by this answer. In fact, Wen Xiao had specifically emphasized before entering the cabin that he was going to military training, as if he was afraid that someone in his family might ask him to be exempted from this fine tradition.

Wen Xiao: "There are so many specially recruited students, quite a few of them are my old classmates, right? Did any of Lu Qingran and the others skip military training?"

Wen Xu: "Their situation is different from yours."

"What's the difference? Aren't we all going to this university?"

Knowing that Wen Xiao was being stubborn, Wen Xu did not want to argue with him.

Wen Xiao softened his tone and comforted them, "I know what you're worried about, but since I've already decided to come to school, military training is a test. If I can't even pass this, it means I'm not suitable for the First Military Academy."

Wen Xu: "The physical fitness test accounts for 6 points, and you won't get full marks."

Wen Xiao didn't care, "Then I'll just get all the other points."

Xiao Bai joined in the chaos, meowing.

  “……”

Pinching his brow, Wen Xu couldn't help but think of the old man's attitude towards this matter.

"Xiaoxiao doesn't care about anyone else, so let him go if he wants to."

"If it passes, everyone will be happy and you won't have to worry anymore; if it doesn't, everyone's been telling me lately that the First Military Academy isn't suitable. Wouldn't it be better to find him a suitable university in outer space then?"

The old man's attitude reflects the Wen family's attitude.

Unable to persuade Wen Xiao, Wen Xu turned to a more practical question, "What if you don't pass in the end?"

Wen Xiao had already thought it through: "Since military training isn't registered under real names, if I fail, I'll just pretend I never came."

This unregistered system was created for the children of five major families in the Northern Region.

The main problem was that it was really ugly. They went to military training and were then reassigned.They lost all face and dignity.

The anonymous scores are known only to the students themselves, and the First Military Academy will only publish the list of admitted freshmen, thus protecting the self-esteem of the sheltered flowers of the Northern Region to the greatest extent possible.

Wen Xiao fed the last bite of the snack to Xiao Bai and said smugly, "It's perfect that I came back secretly, so no one knows."

  “……”

Wen Xu asked softly, "Have you thought about your new life plan yet?"

Wen Xiao shook his head: "Of course. If I can't get into the military, I'll just stay home and be a spoiled brat, relying on my parents for the first half of my life and sponging off my brother for the second half. Perfect~"

Wen Xu suddenly reached out, wrapped his arm around Wen Xiao's neck, and forcefully pushed his bratty younger brother down.

Wen Xiao couldn't dodge in time, "No, brother, let go..."

"Stop pressing, brother, my dear brother!"

As it turns out, nothing he shouts works when Wen Xu is angry.

After failing to break free again, Wen Xiao begged for mercy, "Alright, alright, brother, I won't give up."

"Really? Who am I? I'm..."

Before he could even finish boasting, a special alarm suddenly sounded, followed by the roar of mechs flying low into the air.

"Mechs can be used on campus?"

Wen Xiao was puzzled.

Wen Xu released the force in his hand, and Wen Xiao stood up straight and looked up. He also looked up and thought, "Wow, that Mech in front looks kind of familiar."

“There are always exceptions to special circumstances.” Wen Xu recognized it first. “It’s Mingwei, Qingran’s mecha.”

As soon as he finished speaking, two mechs landed next to the registration area.

The assisting robots followed the crowd evacuation, and in no time, the crowded registration area was emptied.

  “……”

Wen Xiaon asked sincerely, "Does having a good family background mean you can do whatever you want? Brother, can I drive Felix through the gate again?"

"Stop being sarcastic, the burning state isn't right."^[4]

The mecha transformed, and Lu Qingran stepped out of the main cabin, a powerful and irregular mental energy fluctuation sweeping through the air.

Lu Qingran has entered a period of mental strength growth.

This awakening period is very common and usually lasts for a week. Wen Xiao recently went through one in the medical pod.

  but……

Why is it so chaotic?

The frequency is incorrect; this level needs to be monitored.

Wen Xu: "That's probably why he came in in his mecha."

The cockpit can isolate mental energy fluctuations.

As they were talking, Wen Xiao realized that his brother was right. Lu Qingran's condition was not right. He didn't mean his mental strength, but rather, he just didn't look well.

Even though we hadn't seen each other for two years, as childhood friends, they still video chatted during that time.

Compared to the last video, Lu Qingran's hair had grown a lot longer. Probably for ease of movement, he had tied it into a small bun at the back of his head.

He could only catch a glimpse of his profile from a distance; his jawline, neck, and Adam's apple were covered in fine beads of cold sweat.

Wen Xiao took a step to the side and looked around.

Lu Qingran, who was ahead, seemed to sense something, paused, and turned around.

"Brother Lu, we've registered. The hospital told us to go directly there in our mechs," Lu Xi reminded him from ahead.

Seeing nothing, Lu Qingran shook his head and pulled up his personal ID.

"What kind of reaction is that?"

Watching the two mechs appear and disappear into the horizon so quickly, Wen Xu pulled Wen Xiao, who was hiding behind him, out and asked, "Did you have a fight?"

Wen Xiao: "...No."

Not wanting Wen Xu to ask any more questions, Wen Xiao changed the subject, saying, "They just cleared out the students, and now there's a long line to register. You graduated from here too, bro, why don't you take me on a tour of the school first?"

Wen Xu laughed, "Military training class assignments are based on registration numbers. You didn't want to be in the same class as Qingran, and you're saying you didn't have a fight?"

"...No, really."

How can breaking up with someone be considered an argument?

  *

An hour later, Wen Xiao returned to the registration area.

This time, he was alone.

Yes, he put his brother on the spaceship first and then returned.

Being in the same military training class as Lu Qingran, huh?!

Scanning the ID, a temporary military training number is generated—b333.

"This is your name tag. A virtual name tag is also issued through the communicator; it serves the same purpose."

The young lady at the registration desk said gently, "You're registering for the Combat Department, right? Just take the aptitude test over there, and your registration will be complete."

Wen Xiao walked past the machine.

[b333, Test Result: Grade B Physique]

"Huh? Is there something wrong with the machine?" The young woman was puzzled. She glanced at the information again, and the admissions section on the panel did indeed have the words "Combat Department" written in large characters.

Upon seeing this, the staff nearby quickly gathered around.

"What's wrong? B-grade physique, and a combat-type one at that? What's going on?"

"It's a machine malfunction. I'll call someone to come and fix it."

"Excuse me, student, please wait a moment..."

Seeing that things were about to escalate, Wen Xiao quickly said, "No need, the machine is fine, I have a B-grade physique."

Everyone was stunned when these words were spoken.

Wen Xiao naturally knew the reasons behind it all. Not to mention the combat department, even the worst student in the entire First Military Academy had an A-level physique.

"But the combat department has never had a student with a B-level physique..."

In the silence, one of the staff members spoke his mind.

Wen Xiao smiled, her golden hair gleaming in the sunlight.

"Now they have one"^[5]

---