Chapter 16
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Professional courses could be long and demanding, requiring students to pay close attention for the entire duration of the class. By the time class ended, many students would slump onto their desks, their faces expressing complete exhaustion.
But Qi Yan was in high spirits.
He slept through the whole class, his cheek bearing faint imprints from resting on his arm. He had just woken up, and his eyes were still glazed over with sleep.
Lu Fenghan handed over a water cup. “Have some water.”
Qi Yan took a few seconds to respond, then accepted the water cup.
So obedient.
Lu Fenghan, who had never paid any attention to weak and feeble animals in his entire life, suddenly realized the joy of feeding small animals. “Want another sip?”
Qi Yan took another sip.
His lips were glistening with water.
Just as Lu Fenghan was about to persuade him again, Qi Yan fully woke up and handed the water cup back to Lu Fenghan. “I’m good.”
Lu Fenghan was a little disappointed, but he put the cup away. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that the holographic projection had turned back on, and Professor Fu was now on the podium.
In the classroom, many eyes looked over.
Professor Fu smiled as he called out, “Qi Yan.”
Qi Yan lifted his head.
“Are you interested in joining the second-year research group?”
Qi Yan looked puzzled. “Research group?”
Xia Zhiyang, sitting in front of Qi Yan, frantically leaned over, grasping the edge of Qi Yan’s desk, speaking rapidly, “Quick, say yes! Each year level has its own research group. Even though for first and second years, it’s mainly about assisting in large research projects and organizing basic data, it’s still a stepping stone! Those who join in the first and second years inevitably move on to the professors’ official project teams by the third and fourth years!”
Qi Yan grasped the situation.
“And there are only twenty slots available per year. If someone drops out, another can take their place. Professor Fu is here to see you now probably because someone left the group,” Xia Zhiyang worried that Qi Yan might not fully understand, so he gave an example, “It’s a rare opportunity! Laurent and Mondrian both joined in their first year.”
Chen Mingxuan: “Professor Fu’s projects sometimes involve collaborations with the Alliance’s military. Whether you’re interested in research, have future plans in related fields, or just want to expand your network, joining the group is a great opportunity.”
Qi Yan pondered for a moment and accepted Professor Fu’s invitation.
Professor Fu’s smile was gentle. “After class this afternoon, come by the research group’s lab to check in.”
Qi Yan replied with a simple “Okay.”
When Professor Fu’s holographic projection vanished from the podium, the classroom erupted with murmurs, mostly discussing Professor Fu’s invitation to Qi Yan to join the research group.
The boy sitting beside Laurent hinted with a deliberate tone, “This Qi Yan is really lucky. It seems Professor Fu values him a lot. Clearly, as soon as a spot opened up, Professor Fu came straight to Qi Yan. I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets one of the two spots in Professor Fu’s official project team. The other one will probably go to that Mondrian. His future is so visibly bright.”
Laurent remained silent.
He remembered last semester when he was noticed by Professor Fu and invited to join the research group. That night, he was so excited he couldn’t sleep.
He glanced over at Qi Yan conversing with the bodyguard beside him. Originally, he was the only one in the class who received Professor Fu’s invitation, but now there was another.
I worked so hard to get this, but Qi Yan seemed to take it for granted.
This had been my goal for two years, but the moment this person appeared, everyone thought he would win and I would lose.
Laurent’s expression was calm, as if he didn’t care much. But the fingers holding the metal pen were white with force. He turned to the person sitting next to him and said, “It’s not over yet.”
After their afternoon classes ended, Qi Yan and Lu Fenghan walked out of the classroom door and saw Mondrian waiting at the entrance.
Lu Fenghan remained silent, standing by Qi Yan’s side.
Qi Yan was puzzled. “Are you here to ask me about the simplified process of PVC93, or is there something else you didn’t understand?”
“No, your explanation was very detailed. I’ve already understood it.” Mondrian held a tablet. His eyes were dark and single-lidded, making him seem a little unapproachable. He explained, “I just happen to be going to the research group’s lab. I came to find you, so we can go together.”
Laurent and Qi Yan were in the same class, but everyone knew that Laurent accused Qi Yan of cheating on the second day of school. Needless to say, Laurent would definitely not wait for Qi Yan.
Did that mean… he was afraid he’d get lost?
Qi Yan had memorized the map of Turan on the first day of school. He was about to say that he knew the way, but Lu Fenghan, who was standing by the side, interjected at the right time, “Let’s go together.”
Qi Yan glanced at Lu Fenghan, then turned to Mondrian and said, “Thank you.”
Mondrian shook his head. “I should be thanking you. Your simplification of the PVC process gave me a new perspective on problem-solving.”
The second-year research group’s lab was in Building D-77. When they arrived, most of the members were already there. After exchanging names, they continued with their own tasks.
Laurent was already there. He looked up when Qi Yan and Mondrian entered, then quickly looked away.
Mondrian: “We have a total of twenty people, divided into two groups working on different research projects. Hedge, who left the group earlier, was in my group, so according to tradition, you will take his place and join our group.”
Qi Yan saw an empty seat with a clean desktop. That must be his seat.
Qi Yan wasn’t usually curious about other people’s business, but Lu Fenghan asked cautiously, “Why did Hedge leave the group?”
Mondrian knew that this was the bodyguard that Qi Yan had brought with him, so he didn’t conceal anything. “Hedge was expelled for leaking project data. Although we’re only second-years and mainly involved in organizing and collecting basic project data, if the project is significant, even basic data is highly valuable.”
He didn’t elaborate further, but typically, when it came to leaking research data, it was either sold to competitors or to enemies—such as the rebels.
Mondrian handed Qi Yan a small light storage device. “This contains all of our group’s data and progress,” he said. “It’s classified, so you can’t take it out of the lab. It also contains your personal information, so only you can open it.”
After a brief overview, Mondrian went to attend to his own tasks. Out of habit, Lu Fenghan surveyed the interior of the lab.
The interior was spacious, with an area by the windows designated as the office area, equipped with ten sets of desks and chairs with touch-screen desktops. Quite expensive. Nearby, there was a long table likely used for group discussions. As for the various instruments placed closer to the center, Lu Fenghan recognized some but didn’t know their specific functions. He could only estimate that they were very valuable.
The corruption and extravagance of the Alliance’s Strongest Spendthrift were evident in every aspect.
Qi Yan connected the light storage device to the optical computer and glanced through its contents.
Then he understood why Hedge had been expelled by Turan.
This project seemed to be a collaboration between Turan and the military to develop a new information processing model. The new model was primarily intended for use in military starships, interfacing with one of the hundreds of auxiliary systems onboard the starships.
The entire project was fragmented, and what they had in hand was only the most basic data mining and analysis, showing no apparent connection to the starships.
Qi Yan was able to recognize this due to his familiarity with starship control systems.
The team leader was a girl named Ye Pei. Upon arriving at the lab and meeting Qi Yan, she first extended a welcome and then expressed concern, “Since you’re new here, if there’s anything you don’t understand, you can come to me for help.”
Laurent leaned back in his chair, making a sharp noise, showing no politeness. “Ye Pei, he’s the top student in our class. How could he not understand anything?”
Ye Pei was annoyed. She had just been trying to be friendly, but Laurent made it sound like she was questioning Qi Yan’s abilities.
She quickly explained, “I…”
“Thank you,” Qi Yan almost simultaneously interjected with Ye Pei, “I’ll rely on you in the future.”
Ye Pei smiled warmly. “No problem, let’s all progress together!”
Qi Yan had almost no adaptation period. He quickly got into the groove. He even outperformed the rest of the group of ten, being the first to complete tasks and maintaining accuracy.
Ye Pei used Laurent’s own words against him, “Hey, turns out you were right. This top student in your class really doesn’t have anything he doesn’t understand!”
Laurent nearly snapped the pen in his hand.
Once again, he was the first to leave the research lab. Lu Fenghan drove the hovercar onto the express lane, noticing Qi Yan’s serious expression as he kept his head down.
Casually, Lu Fenghan asked, “What are you looking at? You look so tense.”
Qi Yan showed Lu Fenghan a page from the Leto Daily, “The Great Expeditionary Force suffered a major defeat on July 21st, and today is September 11th.”
July 21st? It’s been so long already.
Lu Fenghan was briefly distracted, then asked, “So?”
“The newspaper says the Commander-in-Chief of the Expeditionary Force has been missing for a full fifty days. But neither the Expeditionary Force nor the Alliance has given up the search, still hoping for a miracle.”
Qi Yan recited the last sentence of the news, “Although the chances of the Commander-in-Chief’s survival are slim, we refuse to give up an inch of hope!”
Lu Fenghan’s hand on the control lever tightened, almost causing the hovercar to swerve onto the slow lane.
How did it feel to see someone say their chances of survival were slim in the news?
Well, Lu Fenghan, the miracle himself, could relate.
He figured, maybe in a little while, he’d see his own obituary.
He had served on the front lines of the Southern Cross District for many years, and had risen through the ranks from second lieutenant to one-star brigadier general based on his own merits. He had never relied on anyone else.
This meant that as long as the newly appointed acting commander wanted to reassure the public and stabilize the situation, he would not dare to say that Lu Fenghan was dead.
He had to at least show that he was still hopeful.
Even though everyone knew deep down that he couldn’t possibly have survived.
As for not giving up on search and rescue?
In the near-absolute zero temperatures of space, it would be impossible for a person to survive without protection.
The military had undoubtedly already assumed he was dead, just waiting for the day when various interests would settle, so Leto could appoint the next Commander-in-Chief of the Expeditionary Force. Then, this Commander-in-Chief with a slim chance of survival, could meet his end as expected.
Lu Fenghan never thought that he wouldn’t even have the right to choose his own time of death.
He leaned his elbow against the window, feeling somewhat bored. His whole demeanor resembled that of a lazy, lurking wild animal.
He asked Qi Yan again, “Why suddenly interested in this?”
Qi Yan: “Because it’s the fourth headline on the front page.”
The fourth headline?
Even Fugilina’s concert in Leto made it to the frontpage headline. Did he only get the fourth spot?
Quite embarrassing indeed.
Out of the corner of his eye, he caught Qi Yan continuing to read the newspaper, flipping through the pages earnestly. He couldn’t help but wonder—was reading this passage to him intentional or unintentional?
Or perhaps, changing his mind to attend the Qi family’s celebration banquet, deleting the surveillance footage of him and Meng Ge at the banquet, even saving his life, and signing a two-year contract with him—
Was it intentional, or unintentional?
After finishing today’s Leto Daily, Qi Yan noticed the date on the newspaper and remembered, “My clothes ordered from Umber Night are ready.”
“Shall we go pick them up?” With a turn of the control lever, Lu Fenghan steered the hovercar onto another road.
He remembered when Qi Yan had clothes made before, the tailor brought over dozens of fabric swatches for Qi Yan to feel. Eventually, Qi Yan chose three, numbered E7-12, E7-43, and another one E8-02.
— All of which Lu Fenghan particularly disliked: soft, delicate, and easily damaged.
But then he thought about how delicate Qi Yan was, and realized that maybe only this kind of fabric, which could be torn with two fingers, was suitable for his skin.
The two got out of the car and had just reached the bottom of the building when the staff from Umber Night Studio brought down the carefully packaged clothes.
Lu Fenghan took the light and delicate package bag and couldn’t help but think, the total amount in his savings account was probably enough for Qi Yan to buy… three of these?
Tsk.
He wondered if he, whose chances of survival were slim, could still receive the monthly salary distributed uniformly by the Alliance.
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Thanks for the update