The stealthy marriage between Li Xiao and Song Jin had successfully flabbergasted everyone, catching the entire Meng family utterly off-guard.

When the assessment team set out once more, Meng Jian summoned his subordinates for an emergency meeting, with Meng Zai among them. They had initially anticipated that Li Xiao’s return to the palace would stir up a massive storm; in reality, the Meng family had indeed suffered a severe setback at his hands. Meng Jian’s structural transition was shelved, and Meng Zai’s transfer had failed. Regardless of whether the eventual succession proceeded smoothly, they would be forced to remain stationed in the Nanming Constellation for the next eight years—a devastating blow to their forthcoming strategies.

In the mere days since Li Xiao’s return, every single step he took could be described as insidiously calculated, each move striking directly at the Meng family’s vitals. To counter this, Meng Jian had already engineered a series of contingency measures, one of which was ensuring Li Xiao suffered an “accidental” demise within Saintia. This would simultaneously eliminate Li Xiao as a nuisance and constrain Saintia, laying the groundwork for his subsequent maneuvers.

Yet out of nowhere, Li Xiao had quietly entered into matrimony. His partner was not only a Saintia citizen but a fellow Alpha, leaving everyone completely bewildered. The Meng family’s emergency session dragged on for three hours, yet they failed entirely to decipher the underlying logic behind Li Xiao’s behavior.

“Tsk… what on earth is he trying to accomplish?”

“He is only in his teens after all. Could he simply have fallen in love?”

“Normal people don’t get married after knowing each other for just a few days, do they?”

“What are you thinking? If he were that naive, would we need to be sitting here debating it?”

Meng Zai held a cigarette, exhaling a plume of white smoke as his expression darkened. “If we cannot fathom his true intent, we cannot make a single move.”

Diagonally across the round table, an elderly man clad in a general’s dress uniform sat within a virtual display screen, his back turned to the camera. “What capability could an powerless, freshly matured outcast possibly possess?”

Meng Zai stubbed out his cigarette. “He is not that simple. We cannot afford to be careless; my situation is the perfect cautionary tale.”

The general let out a disdainful scoff. “Do you truly believe it was Li Xiao who caused your transfer to fail?”

Meng Zai’s gaze snapped over. “What do you mean by that?”

The general countered, “The Emperor has been interacting frequently with the Yi family in private over recent years. Do you still not comprehend? Li Xiao was merely a convenient pretext, a tool utilized to make a grand statement.”

Seated at the head of the table, Meng Jian listened to their dialogue thoughtfully, though he did not entirely concur. “If the Emperor had long favored the Yi family, he would have terminated the structural transition directly this time, rather than settling for a simple suspension.”

The general remarked, “The Yi family has kept their heads down and remained hidden for years without achieving any notable political merits. Even if the Emperor wishes to retain them within the Tianjiang Constellation, it will require considerable effort.”

Meng Jian shook his head. “The Emperor is still vacillating. He is suspicious by nature and will not trust the Yi family so easily.”

“That much is true.” The general seemed to recall something, letting out another chuckle. “The incident involving Li Xiao back then remains the prime example.”

Meng Jian observed, “A crisis is also a turning point. If he didn’t possess such a disposition, there would be no opportunities left for us.”

“But Li Xiao is entirely distinct from the Emperor. Underestimating the enemy will cause us to trip up severely at his hands,” Meng Zai noted with displeasure. “With so many of us here, we cannot even read a single eighteen-year-old brat.”

Failing to comprehend the enemy’s motivations and remaining blind to their next sequence of actions left them thoroughly disoriented as to where they should direct their efforts.

Meng Jian listened to the table debate for a long duration before finally breaking his silence. “For the time being, we shall maintain our current positions without acting rashly. First, we will eliminate one of the Yi family’s pawns to gauge their reaction.”

Apocalypse Constellation, Exam Sector Q303

Li Xiao remained entirely oblivious to the fact that the Meng family was treating his fake marriage as though they were facing a mortal enemy. At this moment, his mind was fully occupied with how he should negotiate with Song Yu. To secure a commitment from Song Yu, he needed to present a bargaining chip of commensurate value, but the chip he possessed in his past life was no longer viable.

After weighing his options repeatedly, Li Xiao’s attention ultimately locked onto Qi Ge. Qi Ge highly likely shared a connection with the Bique tribe, and his pheromones were suspected of possessing the capability to control others. Furthermore, Song Jin’s pursuit of the Bique tribe’s bloodlines was very likely intertwined with this exact matter. If he could provide Song Yu with the precise intelligence he desired, he would secure an unassailable position in a negotiation that otherwise offered a slim margin of success.

The mountain trails on the second day proved far more grueling to navigate than the first. The excavator had transformed into an absolute liability; following Song Jin’s directive, they abandoned it entirely at the foot of the mountain.

[The team has performed exceptionally during the supply transport objective. System rating: 9.6. Instructor team average rating: 9.9. Additional bonus points awarded: +90.]

Beholding the system notification, Qian Can let out a chuckle. “Look at that! See how useful the excavator I drew turned out to be? It even netted us bonus points.”

Jiang Hao countered, “You were calling it a ball and chain just yesterday.”

Qian Can stepped over to drape an arm across Jiang Hao’s shoulder. “Xiao Jiang, let big brother teach you a fundamental truth of navigating the world today: do not be overly honest. Speaking every truth on your mind will only bring you grief.”

Jiang Hao: “…”

The six individuals advanced along a small stream. With Qin Le mapping out their trajectory, they had absolutely no reason to worry about losing their way. Armed with the experience accumulated from the previous day, Li Xiao relied on his hyper-acute senses to lead them clear of insect swarms, arriving safely at the destination valley by three o’clock that afternoon.

The valley spanned a vast area, prompting them to separate to locate the designated zone for launching the signal flare. Qian Can led Qin Le toward the east, Jiang Hao pulled Da Bei toward the west, leaving Li Xiao and Song Jin to form a pair automatically.

“Babe, follow big brother,” Song Jin said, gesturing for Li Xiao to head toward the northern perimeter.

Li Xiao followed in a leisurely manner. “We entered into holy matrimony, not a sworn brotherhood.”

Song Jin canted his head to look at him. “And your point is?”

Li Xiao: “If you truly wish to address me, you may call me ‘hubby.'”

Song Jin: “Why shouldn’t you be the one calling me ‘hubby’?”

Li Xiao: “You possess such a beautiful countenance; addressing you as ‘hubby’ feels entirely inappropriate.”

Song Jin: “Only little children bicker over terms of address.”

Li Xiao: “The one who takes offense at being labeled a child is typically the true child, wouldn’t you say?”

Song Jin: “I am older than you.”

The two continued their banter while scanning the area for the signal flare location.

The nearby Qian Can and the others who hadn’t walked far: “…”

They’re already shoving public displays of affection down our throats? Are they trying to kill us?

Before nightfall, they discovered two dilapidated thatched huts nestled in the northwestern quadrant, discovering a robot costumed as a refugee within one of them.

[Congratulations to all candidates for reaching the finish line. Please proceed to the designated sector to rest and await the initiation of the secondary phase.]

A map materialized within the scoring terminals of Li Xiao’s group. Following the directions, they located the designated resting area nestled halfway up the mountain slope. The interior of the mountain structure had been entirely excavated, its entrance thoroughly concealed by a dense curtain of climbing vines; without the map, locating it would have been an absolute impossibility. The interior layout closely mirrored the living quarters of a military warship, spanning an immense area.

Qian Can tinkered with the guidance console for a brief moment before letting out an astonished cry: “We are actually the very first squad to arrive!”

Qin Le noted, “It is hardly surprising. Our advance today was remarkably smooth, and we took a series of shortcuts after ditching the excavator.”

Qian Can shook his head in sheer amazement. “We truly are winning across the board.”

Song Jin could not care less about victory or defeat; rather, the stale, sour odor clinging to his body had pushed his patience to its absolute limit. The combination of intense physical exertion and yesterday’s torrential downpour had practically pickled him in sweat.

After a rapid shower, they encountered several newly arrived squads on the path leading toward the dining hall, with Meng Tao and Zheng Lin among them.

The moment the students crossed paths, they immediately pressed, “We heard you two got married, is it true?!”

Seeing Li Xiao nod in confirmation, the crowd erupted into a frenzy. This brand of gossip was infinitely more captivating than any practical examination.

Meng Tao strode directly before Li Xiao, scanning him up and down with an expression of sheer bewilderment. “You actually entered into matrimony with another Alpha?”

Li Xiao replied with a face of absolute sincerity: “I had forgotten that you harbor a profound distaste for Alpha-Alpha relationships. My apologies for causing an eyesore.”

The moment the words left his mouth, the surrounding students instinctively shifted their gazes toward Meng Tao, their eyes laced with varying degrees of silent reproach. “What era are we living in that someone still harbors prejudice regarding sexual orientation?” someone muttered in a low whisper.

Meng Tao’s expression shifted slightly. “When did I ever state that I discriminate against Alpha-Alpha couples?! I simply find it bizarre that you two entered into marriage after knowing each other for a mere handful of days!”

Li Xiao responded with a solemn countenance: “Loving someone does not depend on the duration of your acquaintance.”

Standing on the periphery, Zheng Lin could not resist interjecting, “Then what happens once you return to your respective home nations? Are you going to maintain a long-distance international relationship?”

Li Xiao: “Loving someone renders the physical distance entirely inconsequential.”

Qian Can and the others: “…”

You truly are an absolute romantic powerhouse, completely impervious to any probe.

Failing to extract a single shred of actionable information, Meng Tao shifted his focus toward Song Jin. “Do you not believe that rushing into marriage in such a casual manner displays a complete lack of responsibility?”

“I only retain a responsibility toward him. What does that have to do with an outsider like you?” Song Jin was already in a thoroughly foul mood, rendering his tone inevitably volatile. “Seeking another altercation? Have your wounds healed so quickly that you’ve forgotten the agony, and you wish to endure another thrashing?”

The six individuals sliced through the crowd to enter the dining hall. Meng Tao and Zheng Lin exchanged a silent, bewildered glance. What on earth was going on?! Within the span of a single night, Li Xiao had legally bound himself to a citizen of Saintia?!

By midnight, a considerable portion of the candidate pool had still failed to reach the finish line.

In a deserted corner of the resting area, Li Xiao and Song Jin sat upon the stairs of an emergency exit, tapping open the homepage of the Civil Affairs Center once more. Now that midnight had passed, Li Xiao prepared to initiate the divorce proceedings. Throwing tantrums was one thing, but since Song Jin had already consented to his terms, there was absolutely no reason to maintain this sham union. If anything, it might infuriate Song Yu and jeopardize their forthcoming arrangement. A family as immense as the Song clan had somehow failed to produce a single entirely conventional individual; there was no telling what absurd actions Song Yu might initiate, and Li Xiao wished to avoid any unnecessary complications.

“Does your behavior right now qualify as discarding someone the moment they’ve served their purpose?” Song Jin remarked in a drawling cadence.

Li Xiao: “Are you implying you wish to remain married? It makes no difference to me. If we aren’t divorcing, I am heading back to sleep.” As he spoke, he prepared to rise, only to have his wrist instantly secured by Song Jin.

“Since we are already here.” Song Jin focused his gaze on the interface, submitting the divorce petition. If they locked horns again tonight, they would never manage to dissolve it.

[Submitting divorce petition… Review approved. Activating the Marital Observation Period Questionnaire.]

Song Jin clicked his tongue in annoyance. “Why does dissolving a marriage require answering questions as well?”

Li Xiao: “You are asking me?”

This time, the camera module on Song Jin’s terminal automatically activated.

[Question 1: You and your partner engage in an altercation and initiate separate living arrangements. Your partner says to you: “It would be best if we lived apart for the rest of our lives!” What is the true underlying meaning behind their words?

• A) They wish to live apart permanently.
• B) They wish to reconcile.
• C) They wish to secure a divorce.**

This was a generic questionnaire designed for the general public, requiring minimal intellectual processing.

Song Jin answered with absolute certainty: “A, they wish to live apart permanently.”

Li Xiao could not resist turning his head to look at him sideways. “…”

What exactly goes on inside that little brain of yours?

[Answer incorrect!]

Song Jin: “…?”

It was actually wrong?

[Question 2: You and your partner engage in a fierce argument that lasts the entire night. Your partner says to you: “You treat that dog better than you treat me!” What is the true underlying meaning behind their words?

• A) They are accusing you of failing to treat them like a human being.
• B) They desire for you to treat them with greater affection.
• C) They are telling you to go live your life with the dog.**

Song Jin: “C.”

[Answer incorrect!]

Song Jin: “…??”

Li Xiao: “Little kid, even if you have never been married, do you possess absolutely zero basic life experience?”

Song Jin knit his brows, stating in a chilly tone, “Typically when someone delivers that specific insult, isn’t the subsequent sentence always ‘Go live with the dog then, I am not staying to accompany you’?”

Li Xiao: “…”

So that answer was the product of actual, deliberate contemplation?

[Question 3: During their susceptibility period, your partner takes it upon themselves to enlist an Omega healthcare provider to soothe their pheromones without your knowledge. What would you do?

• A) Display understanding; I frequently enlist them myself.
• B) Break his legs.
• C) Break the Omega provider’s legs.**

Song Jin: “B, break his legs.”

Li Xiao covered his face with his palm. “…”

My head hurts.

[Answer incorrect!]

[The system has determined that you are currently in an irrational state of mind. Please reconsider whether you truly wish to seek a divorce once you have thoroughly calmed down. The current application has been rejected.]

“You are the one who is irrational,” Song Jin muttered in irritation. He immediately attempted to resubmit the application, only to trigger a five-minute cooldown period. “Your turn, hurry up!”

Resigned to the situation, Li Xiao submitted his application, smoothly advancing into the testing phase.

[Question 1: How many pets does your partner currently own, and what are their respective species?]

Li Xiao: “…”

Song Jin: “…”

Li Xiao and Song Jin exchanged a glance, instantly drawing a system warning for collusion. Left with no alternative, Li Xiao guessed blindly: “A dog, three of them.”

[Answer incorrect!]

[Question 2: How many members comprise your partner’s immediate family, and what are their respective identities?]

Li Xiao / Song Jin: “…”

Li Xiao: “…Next question.”

[Question 3: What is the exact duration of your partner’s susceptibility period cycle, and what specific symptoms do they manifest?]

Li Xiao: “…Next question.”

[The current questionnaire round has concluded. The divorce petition has been rejected.]

The two took turns submitting petitions, continuing the questionnaire marathon until well past one o’clock in the morning. After Li Xiao guessed blindly on the final remaining prompt, a few lines of notifications materialized across the interface:

[Answer incorrect!]

[The number of failed attempts has exceeded the permissible threshold. Given the brief duration of the marriage and your exceptionally low understanding of your partner, the anti-fraud mechanism has been triggered. The marital status has been temporarily locked. Please bring the required identification documents to the relevant local authorities to initiate unlocking procedures.]

Li Xiao: “…”

Brilliant. Truly brilliant.

Song Jin’s terminal vibrated, receiving an official notification generated by the civil affairs framework:

[If you processed your marriage registration under non-voluntary circumstances or duress, please select the assistance button below. We will dispatch specialized personnel to provide you with immediate protection and support.]

Li Xiao pondered for a moment; the system had effectively categorized him as a human trafficker or an abductor.

Refusing to accept defeat, Song Jin searched for associated clauses online. If a locked marriage was to be dissolved, both parties were legally required to attend an offline training seminar, undergo mandatory psychological counseling, and pass an examination before the status could be unlocked.

Which absolute psychopath engineered these regulations?!

Li Xiao rose to his feet, slipping his hands into his pockets as he walked away in a thoroughly relaxed manner. “We cannot divorce now. Let’s just make the best of it and get by.”

Attending a mandatory training seminar was an absolute impossibility; he couldn’t afford to expose himself to that level of public humiliation.

Song Jin: “…”