Chapter 1
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It was exactly dusk in the capital star Leto when the starship gently touched down at the starport. Wispy clouds dispersed in the evening breeze, unveiling the soft glow of two moons prominently etched against the fading blue sky.
Qi Yan was the last to step out of the starship.
From Messier Region, it required a total of six wormhole jumps to reach the capital star Leto. Qi Yan, rarely traveling far in recent years, discovered a new problem when he boarded the starship — motion sickness.
Dizzy, his heart hammering in his chest, and gasping for breath, the twenty-seven-hour interstellar journey made him think he would die on the starship. Perhaps because his complexion was too pale, even the flight attendant couldn’t help but place a medical robot next to his seat, ready to spring into action should anything happen to him.
As Qi Yan emerged from the gangway, the deserted docking area unfolded before him. A large red hovercar was parked in the center, and a tall young man in a bright green jacket stood beside it, vigorously waving at him with a bright smile.
Qi Yan took a moment to compare the man’s appearance to the holographic image he had received earlier. The resemblance was striking, with a 97% match. With this verification, he took a step forward.
“You must be Qi Yan! When I didn’t see you come down yet, I thought I got the schedule wrong.” Xia Zhiyang had a baby face. To make himself appear more mature, he waxed his hair and adorned his earlobes with three skull silver rings. He looked at Qi Yan, feeling a bit nervous. “Do you remember me? I’m Xia Zhiyang, who used to live next door to you. My mom said we used to play with toys together every day!”
The stable gravity field of Leto finally made people feel much more comfortable. Qi Yan nodded. “I remember.”
Xia Zhiyang relaxed in relief.
His mother remarked that Qi Yan must have grown unfamiliar with the place after returning to Leto for the first time in over a decade. Friendship at the age of three was still friendship, and now was his good chance to build rapport.
But his mother obviously overlooked an objective fact: who remembers things from when they were two or three years old?
While grumbling to himself, Xia Zhiyang heard Qi Yan continue, “I remember. That summer when we were three, while we were playing at your house, you stepped on the wet floor, slipped, crashed into the display shelf, and broke five antique vases. When your mom came back, you cried and pointed at me, saying I broke them.”
Xia Zhiyang was taken aback. “You still remember that? Hahaha, my bad, my bad. I was just a kid back then, acting purely on instinct. If my mom found out I broke five vases, I would’ve been in big trouble!”
He was a little curious how Qi Yan could remember such distant trivial matters so clearly. Then again, he thought, perhaps like himself, Qi Yan had been forced by the adults to review many things from his childhood.
Without further thought, Xia Zhiyang pressed a button, and the doors of the hovercar parked nearby unfolded like wings, revealing a spacious interior.
Xia Zhiyang showed off without reservation, “Cool, right? I saved up my allowance for half a year to buy this. It’s the latest model, limited to 100 units in the entire Alliance!”
Qi Yan had never seen this type of hovercar before. He glanced at the softly glowing control panel, subconsciously analyzed the control mechanism, and replied, “Cool.”
The lights on the control panel lit up. Xia Zhiyang gripped the red control lever, smiling as he said, “You haven’t been back to Leto for over a decade. Do you want me to show you around? The Diamond Sky Plaza is nice. It consistently ranks in the top three of the ‘Must-visit places in Leto’ list!”
Qi Yan leaned his elbow on the window sill, his sleeve sliding down to reveal his pale, slender wrist. Pressing his temple, he answered, “I’m a bit tired today.”
“Yeah, interstellar jumps are rough, especially the moment you exit the wormhole. Feels like you’re being squashed flat. I’ll take you home for a nap first. How about we meet up in a couple of days?”
“Let’s not go to that house,” Qi Yan said, providing an address. “Can you take me here instead?”
“Sure, of course!” Xia Zhiyang quickly agreed, while inwardly blaming himself. The whole mess within the Qi family was common knowledge. If Qi Yan went home now, he would not be able to rest. The atmosphere would be thick with tension.
Thinking of this, he felt a little sorry for his childhood friend whom he hadn’t seen for many years. Not only was he exiled to a remote planet in the Messier Region for more than ten years, but there were also people who had turtled up in his home. He looked like he wasn’t in good health either.
With these thoughts in mind, Xia Zhiyang’s gaze couldn’t help but flicker toward Qi Yan in the passenger seat.
Sitting comfortably by the window, Qi Yan, in burgundy shirt, gazed out the window with half his face visible, devoid of any distinct expression. His pallid complexion made Xia Zhiyang wonder if he had spent years in a place untouched by sunlight.
He had grown… strikingly handsome, with eyes that possessed a subtle curve towards the inner corners and a gentle lift on the outer corners, reminiscent of a crescent moon. However, they now drooped slightly, lacking vitality, giving off a casual yet distant aura.
Contrasting with the image of Uncle Qi in his memory, Xia Zhiyang guessed Qi Yan took after his mother.
As the hovercar cruised along the lane, Xia Zhiyang deliberately slowed down, holding the control lever while pointing out landmarks. “On the right side is the park opened just a few years ago. It’s said to house a variety of animals and plants from different planets.
“Up ahead is the launch tower, under military jurisdiction. Despite living in Leto for over a decade, I still don’t know what they use it to launch…”
Qi Yan glanced over. The emblem of the military’s longsword and silver shield was engraved on the tower, reflecting the setting sun’s glare.
“…On the right, on the right! See that vast expanse of white marble buildings? That’s Turan Academy, the top school in Leto! It’s not easy to get in there. My dad has to pay a fortune to secure my admission, and keeping up with the coursework is a nightmare. Every end of term, I feel like I’m on my last legs!” Xia Zhiyang laughed before asking, “How about you? Which school did your family arrange for you?”
“Turan Academy. But it wasn’t arranged by my family.”
Thinking Qi Yan was reluctant to admit he paid his way into Turan, Xia Zhiyang didn’t press further. Instead, he expressed his delight, “That’s great! The planet you used to live on was a bit… remote. It’s normal for the educational level there to differ from the capital star. But don’t stress about it. If you struggle with your assignments, I can arrange for someone to help you out. Just get through it for now. You seem smart. You’ll catch up eventually. By the way, you’re in first year, right?”
The white roofs of Turan Academy quickly disappeared from view. Qi Yan withdrew his gaze and asked Xia Zhiyang, “What year are you in?”
“I’m nineteen, so obviously, I’m in second year.”
Qi Yan: “I’m also nineteen, so I guess I’m in second year too.” ??
Friend, are you thinking straight? Skipping an entire academic year and jumping straight to second year? Aren’t you afraid of failing every exam at the end of the year and becoming a laughingstock of the school?
Despite sensing Xia Zhiyang’s hesitance in his gaze, Qi Yan remained firm, “Second year. I’m nineteen this year.”
“Okay, the first month of school is a grace period. If you change your mind, you can apply to be demoted.” Xia Zhiyang thought that since they weren’t close yet, further persuasion might just annoy Qi Yan. Anyway, once the actual school term began, Qi Yan would surely reconsider within a week.
As they passed by Diamond Sky Plaza, Xia Zhiyang intentionally circled around the perimeter in the hovercar. “Diamond Sky Plaza is the heart of Leto, and the Alliance’s conference hall is also situated here. If you have time in the future, I can take you for a sightseeing.”
Qi Yan’s gaze swept over the grand buildings, exquisite sculptures, and colorful fountains of the plaza, each a sight worthy of admiration for onlookers. Yet, none managed to pique his interest even slightly.
When the hovercar arrived at its destination, the sky had already turned pitch black. Leto’s unique twin moons hung in the deep blue night sky, casting heavy shadows over the trees in the darkness.
Peering outside, Xia Zhiyang took in the sight of the low buildings and overgrown weeds in the flowerbeds. He couldn’t quite understand why Qi Yan would choose to live in this dilapidated, almost abandoned civilian district.
However, he refrained from voicing his thoughts. Leaning out of the car window, the silver rings adorning his earlobes glinting in the light, he said, “Take care and rest well. Remember to reach out if you need anything!”
Qi Yan stood on the sidewalk, his slender figure outlined by the dim light. “Okay, thank you for coming to pick me up today.”
“You’re welcome!”
Xia Zhiyang hesitated to say, “After all, we played with toys together when we were three.” Instead, he scratched his head. “Anyway… Just pay attention to what’s going on at home. It might be better to wait a couple more days before going back… Well, I’ll take my leave now.”
It wasn’t until the hovercar blinked out of sight that Qi Yan turned around and, following his memory, headed into the residential area.
Contrary to Xia Zhiyang’s assumptions, Qi Yan had lived here when he was eleven, during his previous visit to Leto.
The buildings in this residential area were old and dilapidated. Qi Yan walked further in but encountered no one, not even a single soul. Even the windows with lights on in a few buildings could be counted on one hand.
Qi Yan halted in front of the building entrance, his fingers trembling uncontrollably at his side.
He had originally thought that after eight years, he had overcome the effects of that memory.
But reality was, even before reaching the stairs, his body showed signs of resistance.
Standing still, the night wind swept around him, the thin fabric of his shirt clinging to his skin, evoking a subtle feeling of constriction.
In the next moment, Qi Yan glanced over the dim streetlights, the silent tree shadows, and the low bushes. In the wind, a faint scent of blood drifted over his nostrils. Furrowing his brow slightly, Qi Yan took a few steps in the direction of the breeze.
In the shadowed corner of the building, shielded from light, the smell of blood was suffocatingly thick. Someone lay slumped there, clearly unconscious and unresponsive to any nearby presence.
As Qi Yan approached, he activated a dim light on his personal terminal. Only then could he see clearly: the person before him had a gaping wound in their abdomen, a fist-sized hole oozing blood, with the surrounding skin charred. Loose bandages soaked in blood hung loosely under their ribs, the blood on top already dried into a thick black crust.
Almost without any need for investigation, it was evident that this person was close to death.
Qi Yan’s gaze returned to the gaping wound. He had seen such injuries before — only a particle beam gun could leave such a mark. However, particle beam guns, due to their powerful lethality, were strictly controlled by the military and were only used in the front lines of the Southern Cross Region.
Crouching down, Qi Yan paused for three seconds before gently lifting the person’s chin with his fingers, tilting it upward.
In the dim light, a face that could be described as handsome entered his view.
Ravaged by blood loss, the pallid skin and faint lips only served to accentuate the sharp contours of the brows and eyes, rendering them deep and defined, devoid of any hint of weakness typically associated with the grasp of death.
As Qi Yan examined the person’s features, his pupils constricted slightly, his breath catching for a few seconds. Suddenly, his trembling fingertips tightened.
“Boom!” Explosions echoed continuously nearby, causing waves of pain in his eardrums. The command ship’s bridge shook incessantly, making it difficult for people to stand steadily.
“Reporting to Commander, the escort fleet has been completely wiped out!”
“Reporting to Commander, the response from Destroyer Squadron 2-31 has been lost!”
“Reporting! The defense system has failed, and the armor layer has been breached!”
“Reporting!…”
Countless figures melted into distorted blotches of color, the bustling noise gradually becoming distant and surreal, as if muffled by a vacuum. Palms pressed against the bulkhead burned from the heat, blood barely flowing before drying into scabs, eventually dissolving into the void.
“Bang!”
Lu Fenghan abruptly opened his eyes.
Before him was a black display panel, displaying data that Lu Fenghan was all too familiar with. Skipping past heart rate, blood pressure, repair percentage, and other values, Lu Fenghan saw the date: July 29th, year 216 in the Star calendar.
Three days had passed.
His last memory was of him lapsing into unconsciousness in a secluded corner.
He didn’t die.
Someone saved him.
Lowering his gaze, Lu Fenghan noticed a line of characters in the lower right corner of the display panel, and his heart sank — this alphanumeric code belonged exclusively to a Type VI treatment pod.
Before he could fully process the emerging thought, the instructions on the display panel changed.
——The person outside the treatment pod had been notified of his awakening and was opening the pod door.
Beside the treatment pod, Qi Yan pressed a green button. With a “click,” the lid of the semi-transparent pod slowly slid aside. The repair fluid inside had already been quickly drained, and the person inside—
In a fraction of a second, like a bolt of lightning, Qi Yan’s right wrist was seized, sending waves of excruciating pain through him. The other person suddenly exerted force, pushing him several steps back against the wall.
Qi Yan stumbled backward. Unable to regain his balance in time, his back arched against the cold, hard wall, his joints feeling as if they were breaking, followed by a dull pain spreading out.
At the same time, his neck was tightly gripped by fingers as strong as iron, making breathing difficult.
At this moment, the two were extremely close, with the person’s upper body bare, his muscle contours as sharp as knife. Amidst the faint scent of repair fluid, hints of heavy smoke and even a few traces of rust permeated the air.
The overwhelmingly oppressive feeling enveloped Qi Yan, causing him to instinctively step back half a step.
But there was a wall behind him, leaving him nowhere to retreat.
Lu Fenghan’s gaze was as sharp as an ice-cold blade, contrasting with the force at his fingertips. His voice was deep and slow as he asked, “Who sent you?”
Qi Yan snapped back to reality. His breathing remained unchanged, seemingly unfazed by being restrained. He replied in a hoarse voice, word by word, “Who do you think sent me?”
“You’re still in Leto. This is my home.”
His eyes were pitch black, with long, straight eyelashes that were dense and soft, yet harmless.
Lu Fenghan noticed that even in this situation, the blood vessels pressed tightly under his fingertips showed no signs of fluctuation. It seemed that the person in front of him was not afraid of death, or perhaps, he had something to rely on?
Under Lu Fenghan’s scrutiny, Qi Yan’s lips curled suddenly, but there was no real smile in his eyes.
Lu Fenghan’s intuition warned him that something was wrong. He made a slight movement, but froze in the next moment.
Qi Yan was gripping a palm-sized folding gun, steadying it against Lu Fenghan’s back. He clearly stated the model, “Hummingbird Type 62 Folding Pistol, 11.2 centimeters in length, equipped with six micro-particle bullets. The delayed reaction caused by the treatment pod does suggest its practicality, doesn’t it?”
Lu Fenghan’s eyes flickered slightly, but he suddenly burst into laughter. There was a hint of nonchalance in the curve of his lips as he joked, “Indeed, it’s quite practical. But would you like me to teach you how to shoot it? It’s free of charge, a rare exception.”
Despite the gun being in Qi Yan’s hands, it seemed as though the other person was the one in control between them.
Without waiting for Lu Fenghan’s next move, Qi Yan, as if casually concluding a standoff, shifted the gun barrel aimed at Lu Fenghan aside and stared directly at him. “Can you let go now? You’re hurting me.”
This person had never intended to shoot from the beginning. Drawing the gun was merely to assert his harmlessness.
“Of course, I’ll listen to you.” Lu Fenghan released his grip.
At the same time, the folding pistol was casually thrown by Qi Yan onto the carpet, emitting a dull thud.
After coughing a few times, Qi Yan casually hooked his finger to lift up a plain white shirt and tossed it to Lu Fenghan. “Put this on.”
A minute later, Lu Fenghan meticulously buttoned up the shirt, leaving the top three buttons undone, exposing a clearly defined muscular outline on his chest.
He glanced at the person sitting on the sofa.
This individual appeared to be somewhere between youth and adolescence, with creamy-white skin. A conspicuous red mark stood out on his neck, likely from coughing, with the redness still lingering at the corners of his eyes.
Faint bruising encircled wrists so delicate that they seemed liable to snap at the slightest fold.
Lu Fenghan leaned lazily against the wall, exuding a hint of nonchalance, his chin pointing toward Qi Yan’s wrist. “This makes me wonder if it’s not caused by a mere grip but rather of torture.”
Qi Yan lifted his head, glanced at Lu Fenghan, and then, as if he hadn’t heard anything, lowered his head to continue writing on the paper.
Lu Fenghan, being blatantly ignored, paid no mind. He cast a glance at the paper and pen in Qi Yan’s hand.
In daily life, paper was already a rarity, but when it came to confidential documents, this fragile and primitive medium occasionally found its use, something with which Lu Fenghan was familiar.
He couldn’t help but feel that Qi Yan looked even paler than the paper.
A bit like… like a handful of snow.
Carefully taken care of, it could be protected completely. But held in the palm of the hand, it would easily melt away.
Lu Fenghan let out a light “tsk”.
He thought to himself: This person is truly too delicate. If put under my command for training, he wouldn’t last half a day.
***
Please note: I’m not really into interstellar settings but a very cute alligator has been pestering me to pick this up. Since I’m a good friend (who can be bought with fresh bamboo shoots cough cough) and also because I like that the ML has been checking out the MC in the first chapter, I decided to cross the unknown side. I’m currently at c40, and so far, there are no aliens. I doubt there’ll be any. They are never mentioned. Plus, people in the ‘Alliance’ are either Chinese or Westerners. No other Asians. Fine, maybe they are in another galaxy or something. Anyway, Volume I is engaging. I hope Vol II is just as worth it, or else I’ll be digging a very shallow grave for a friend!
Serious note: author said that if the synopsis doesn’t match the plot, the plot shall prevail.
One last note: slow romance development. for impatient people who want the mc and ml to fall in love in the second chapter, feel free to look for another novel :)
If you enjoy this novel, support the Translator ginevre on her ko-fi account :))
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