“Wake up!”
“Wake up, wake up, wakey wake!”
“Wake up, wake up, wakey wake!”
The boisterous singing brought a premature end to Qin Zhen’s sweet dreams. Having adjusted to the presence of the wristband, he did not dare leap out of bed like he used to. Instead, he grumbled as he rolled off the mattress.
“What kind of nursery rhyme is this for an alarm clock?”
He gave the speaker a sharp slap. The singing fell silent, replaced by the sudden sound of knocking at his door.
Qin Zhen froze for a moment, then went to open it.
“Xiao Ni, are you coming to pay your respects this early?”
But standing outside was Lu Yanqiu. Clad in white and bathed in the morning sun, she looked more like a goddess descending to earth than a mortal.
Qin Zhen quickly wiped the sleep from his eyes, propped his arm against the doorframe, took a deep breath to steady his voice, and spoke in a deep, magnetic tone: “Good morning, Dr. Lu.”
Dr. Lu could not help but chuckle. Remembering her purpose, her smile turned slightly sheepish. “Good morning. I thought it over and decided I should talk to you about the childcare specialist allocation. The Director.”
“Oh, that. It is fine. When Heaven is about to confer a great responsibility on a man, it must first exercise his mind with suffering and his sinews and bones with toil. I understand the principle.”
“Uh, dead man?”
Only then did Qin Zhen remember that although this world’s history had an ancient period, this particular famous quote had not been passed down. It just happened to be his favorite line, the favorite of every powerful protagonist!
“I mean all hardships are a test for me. You see, by passing the test, I obtain the best result.”
“Hm, you are quite philosophical. I did not take you for a thinker,” Dr. Lu said with a smile, though she checked one more time. “You do not blame the Director?”
Qin Zhen waved a hand with grand generosity. “A man’s words are kind when he is near death. The Old Director is up there in years; why would he make things difficult for me? I know he must be looking out for me. The older generation always loves that eat bitterness first approach.”
Dr. Lu’s smile froze, her lips twitching.
“Actually, the Old Director, no, Director Lao, he is only.”
“Brother Qin, so early today? I was thinking of waking you up in half an hour,” Ni Hong said as he emerged from the neighboring room. “Good morning, Dr. Lu.”
“Good morning.” Lu Yanqiu hesitated for a moment and stopped herself. “Ni Hong, I heard you have a preoperative stability test today, so go wash up and eat early. Remember to eat a bit more; hunger makes the young beast feel insecure.”
“I understand. Thank you, Dr. Lu.”
It was only 7:15 when they arrived at the dining hall. As expected, the empty room contained only Leng Fei, who was nearly finished with her meal.
The concept of transitioning did not seem to exist in this female protagonist’s brain. To her, waking up at 7:00 meant she had to immediately enter the next agenda item; otherwise, it was a waste of time and a delay of military affairs.
Thus, she was always the first to arrive.
Seeing her pick up her tray to leave, Qin Zhen did not even bother getting his food and grabbed her arm. Leng Fei’s instinct was to perform an over the shoulder throw, but she was surprised to find Qin Zhen’s feet did not budge. His base was unexpectedly solid.
Only then did she give him a direct look. “What is it?”
“Xiao Ni has his preoperative checkup today. Although the surgery is not dangerous, it is the most difficult one in our session. As his fellow student, should you not show some concern?”
“How should I show concern? Old Dr. Chang is already the top gestational sac expert in the Empire. With my resources, I cannot find a better lead surgeon.”
“It is not that complicated. Just sit and have breakfast with him.”
Seeing Leng Fei about to refuse again, Qin Zhen quickly added, “Did Adjutant Qi not instruct us? Whether it is prenatal education or intensive training, trainees under the same mentor must help each other. You will not follow an officer’s orders?”
“Adjutant Qi has no administrative authority over me.”
“He does not, but the Commander in Chief surely does? Adjutant Qi is the Commander in Chief’s assistant; his orders are the Commander’s orders. By defying him, are you not also delaying military affairs?”
Leng Fei was finally swayed. She glanced at her wristband. “Ten minutes. That is the most time I can spare.”
Watching her sit back down at the table, Qin Zhen grumbled under his breath, “Such a pretty girl, yet so cold. She is not nearly as nice as my goddess.”
With an extra person at the table, especially one like Leng Fei, whose very hair radiated a do not approach vibe, Ni Hong was a bit nervous. He poked at his food, his eyes darting uncomfortably, until they stopped on Qin Zhen’s hand.
“Brother Qin,” he said, surprised. “Why are you still wearing the voice card on your ring finger?”
Leng Fei chimed in, a rare occurrence. “He wore it all day yesterday and you did not notice? How did you pass your reconnaissance exam?”
Ni Hong’s face instantly flushed red.
“Hey, hey! We graduated years ago!” Qin Zhen defended him. “Besides, reconnaissance skills are for enemies. Who stares at their comrades all day? That is exhausting.”
Leng Fei remained expressionless. “The person most dangerous to one’s own side is the mole.”
Qin Zhen blinked. “That is true.”
Ni Hong added quickly, “I am not a mole!”
Leng Fei replied, “I did not say you were.”
“Alright, alright,” Qin Zhen cut in to change the subject. “There is no special reason. I am just most used to wearing it on the ring finger.”
“Oh.” Ni Hong was still thinking about the mole comment and could not think of anything else to say.
Leng Fei started again. “You are lying. You do not have ring marks on any of your ten fingers, which means you never wore rings before this, let alone had a habit.”
Qin Zhen countered, “I have worn it there since I got the voice card. I got used to it in half a day. What, is that not allowed?”
Leng Fei stated, “Physical habits include physiological adaptation and motor memory. Even a simple habit like drinking water in the morning takes at least two weeks to form. Psychological habits rely on cognitive remodeling, which takes more than double that time.”
Qin Zhen snapped, “I adapt quickly. I can form a habit in half a day, and it is a good habit. What, are you not convinced?”
Leng Fei replied, “First lying, then making excuses. It fits criminal psychology perfectly.”
“You!” If Qin Zhen’s blood pressure were any higher, he would have a stroke.
Can this person not just have a normal chat? She is not just a conversation killer; she is a conversation destroyer!
Amidst the tension, Ni Hong’s weak voice rose. “Um, Brother Qin. Wearing a ring on your ring finger while single is not exactly a good habit, right? It is a bit deceptive.”
“Whose side are you on? Besides, this is not a wedding ring. Unless you are blind, you can see the Imperial Crest on it. How am I deceiving anyone?”
“Deception is the act; failing to deceive is the result. It only proves your lack of ability.”
The one pouring oil on the fire was, of course, Leng Fei.
Qin Zhen was fuming. He slammed his fork onto the table, wanting nothing more than to fight her right then and there. Sooner or later, these two protagonists would have to settle who was superior.
But at that moment, heavy footsteps appeared at the entrance. A small mountain loomed over them.
Tie Tu.
He was so massive he had to tilt his head to enter. The food tray in his hand looked like a small saucer that could not hold more than a few bites. The nurses behind the counter were prepared; they immediately pushed over a small dining cart with a stack of empty trays.
Seeing this scene for the first time, Qin Zhen found it comical, and his anger dissipated. He turned back, looked at the cold and dry Leng Fei, and suddenly had a mischievous thought.
“Leng Fei,” Qin Zhen drawled. “With your personality, I am curious. What kind of man would actually catch your eye? Would the Commander in Chief do? It is a rare opportunity; have you never thought about a student teacher romance?”
He expected Leng Fei to ignore him or leave the table in anger, allowing him to win a round.
Unexpectedly, the short haired female soldier thought seriously for a moment and shook her head. “First, I do not like men with long hair.”
Qin Zhen instinctively touched his own head. To save money, his hair was always cut by a local girl, resulting in a convenient buzz cut. Ni Hong’s hair was much longer, almost covering his ears, even a bit longer than Leng Fei’s.
As for the Commander in Chief, Cang Bai, he was the only man Qin Zhen had seen in two lifetimes who could pull off long hair without it looking out of place.
“No sense of aesthetics,” he muttered. “And the second reason? I do not believe you can find a second flaw in the perfect First God of War.”
“Second,” Leng Fei spat out two words. “Too old.”
“Old? You say the Commander is old?” Qin Zhen was incredulous. “He looks the same age as us!”
“He looks the same age, but he is actually 130 years old. This is a fact known throughout the galaxy. Your being deceived by appearances shows that your reconnaissance exam score could not have been high.”
“I got a perfect score! No, what is wrong with 130? Do you not know that the stronger the war beast, the better its ability to repair the owner’s aging cells? The White Python is the Great Python of our empire. Never mind 130; I bet the Commander could live to 1,300. Do you believe me?”
“Then he would be even older.”
Leng Fei’s light remark shut Qin Zhen’s mouth. She glanced at her wristband and stood up.
“Ten minutes are up. I am going to the prenatal classroom. Ni Hong, good luck with the checkup.”
Ni Hong had not been paying attention to his tablemates at all; he only snapped back when he heard his name. “Uh, thanks.”
By the time he answered, Leng Fei was already far away.
Instead, Qin Zhen’s exasperated voice echoed in his ears: “Thanks for what?”
“What? Brother Qin, you are mistaken. I am two years older than you, and Leng Fei is two years older than me.”
“Do not thank her!”
The brilliant morning sun cast a golden glow over the majestic white palace.
By the massive stone pillars, Adjutant Qi, who had been waiting quietly, hurried to meet the person emerging from the palace gates. He carefully studied the Commander in Chief’s expression but could not read anything. He asked tentatively, “You did not tell His Majesty that you are personally acting as a childcare specialist?”
“What do you think?”
“I see.” Adjutant Qi understood. The Commander rarely answered a question with a rhetorical one unless it was obvious.
He knew the reason: The Commander patrolled the Imperial territories year round and rarely stayed in the Central Star Sector. If the King knew he was not leaving for a while, he would surely arrange countless blind dates.
Even with the Commander’s extremely detached personality, he found it tiresome. Being pressured to marry by three generations of kings, if it were Qi, he would have gone mad long ago.
But one could not blame the King. The Commander was the cornerstone of the Empire, but the laws of nature dictated that no one was immortal. If the Commander were to pass away one day, the Empire would need a powerful successor. The best candidate, of course, would be a direct descendant.
Unfortunately, three generations of kings had spent their lives picking candidates, both men and women, yet none had caught the Commander’s eye.
The current King, New Era III, had been pushed to his limit. Once, Adjutant Qi had overheard him ordering a reward: “No matter the method, whoever can bear a child for Cang Bai will be granted a title, or rewarded with ten billion star coins if they already have one!”
Of course, such an absurd bounty was never published, but it was enough to make Adjutant Qi feel both amused and helpless.
That was the First God of War with the strongest war beast in the galaxy. If he did not want a child, who could possibly make him? He had no spouse, and an illegitimate child was even more impossible.
Two figures, one in front of the other, crossed the vast square.
Adjutant Qi suddenly thought of something and stepped up beside Cang Bai.
“Commander, I have investigated. Qin Zhen’s romantic history for the past 22 years is a complete blank. A legion officer once tried to introduce him to someone, but he refused outright. However.”
He opened his communicator, showing confiscated photos while lowering his voice.
“His living quarters at the welfare home and his military barracks are covered in photos of you, as well as fan merchandise made by netizens. This proves my judgment was correct; it even exceeds my judgment. Qin Zhen has an extraordinary obsession with you.”
If not for the Commander’s feelings, Qi would have described the obsession as pathological.
Cang Bai glanced at him, and Qi knew he had done something pointless and redundant again. He gave a sheepish smile but stuck to his opinion. “Commander, I still think it is more appropriate to leave him to Tie Tu.”
“Focus on your duties.” Cang Bai clearly did not accept the suggestion. “Are the arrangements made?”
Qi Zhifu nodded quickly. “Yes. The prenatal equipment is on the starship. If we head there now, the timing is perfect.”
“Then let’s go.”
“Yes!”
As Qi Zhifu ran toward the starship, he had no way of knowing that a voice echoing in Cang Bai’s mind caused the Commander in Chief to narrow his eyes, a very rare occurrence.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. An extraordinary obsession!” The White Python said gloatingly. “I told you the little soldier remembered, did not I? How do you plan to settle this romantic debt, Whitey?”