Over the span of a single lunch break, the rumor that Li Xiao had humiliated a second-year senior from the Mecha Piloting Department spread across the entire school. Even the instructors in the offices were chatting about it.

When Yan Qing returned to the office after finishing his lecture, a group of young Beta and Alpha teaching assistants were drinking tea and gossiping. Seeing Yan Qing walk in, a Beta assistant with round glasses hurried over to support him. “Director, your leg hasn’t fully healed yet. Take it slow.”

Yan Qing waved his hand, indicating he could manage. “I just overheard you all mentioning Li Xiao?”

The Beta assistant accompanied him to the lounge area, where someone had already vacated a sunlit seat for Yan Qing. “It’s all over the internal forum. You were just in class, so you probably haven’t seen it yet, right?”

Yan Qing sat down and accepted the water cup handed over by an assistant. “What did he do this time?”

The Beta assistant explained, “A student leaked it on the forum. They said Luo Yu from the second-year Mecha Department highly admired Li Xiao and wanted to proactively offer him technical guidance. Not only did Li Xiao reject him, but he also humiliated him on the spot. Luo Yu’s mental state has been completely unstable since he got back.”

An Alpha assistant nearby chimed in, “Just how nasty must the words have been to mess up a perfectly fine student like that?”

The other assistants added their thoughts:

• “It’s mainly a blow to the ego. Kids this age are highly sensitive; it’s very easy to trigger psychological issues.”
• “If it’s true, it really is a bit much.”
• “It must be true. Why else would it suddenly blow up into such a massive scene?”
• “Director Xiang is missing now. Director Yan, do you think you should suggest to Luo Yu’s homeroom teacher to arrange psychological counseling for him? The poor kid.”
• “If this leaves a psychological shadow, I’m afraid he won’t dare proactively help anyone in the future.”

Yan Qing cradled his cup, listening to them grow increasingly worked up. Catching sight of the Alpha assistant who kept fanning the flames out of the corner of his eye, he found it somewhat amusing.

The round-glassed Beta noticed his expression and asked curiously, “Director, do you happen to know the inside story?”

At this question, everyone looked over.

“I haven’t had the time to look into it yet, but—” Yan Qing glanced seemingly casually at the Alpha assistant, “just because Li Xiao refused doesn’t necessarily mean he intended to insult anyone. It’s highly probable that he truly doesn’t need any guidance.”

The Alpha assistant countered, “But he still humiliated the guy.”

“Did you see it or hear it firsthand?” Yan Qing asked.

Seeing the others looking at him, the Alpha assistant bit the bullet and said, “That’s what they’re saying online.”

Yan Qing let out a short laugh. “You’re all adults out in society now, why are you still blindly parroting what others say? Even if it’s true, only a few dozen people were present at the scene. How many people are participating in the discussion online right now? Don’t you find it strange that so many people suddenly emerged to condemn Li Xiao?”

Prompted by Yan Qing’s words, the other assistants began to harbor doubts as well. Setting aside the truth of the matter, triggering such a large-scale denunciation in such a short period of time was indeed unnatural.

Being rebutted left the Alpha assistant in a foul mood, and his tone turned sharp: “You’re only saying that because you favor Li Xiao, Director. You accuse us of parroting others, but you haven’t aligned your own stance objectively either.”

For a subordinate to speak to a superior in such a manner was already highly discourteous. The other assistants cast strange looks at the Alpha. Was there any need for this guy to clash with his boss over whether Li Xiao had insulted someone or not?

“This matter doesn’t require my intervention, so my stance doesn’t matter.” Yan Qing looked back at the Alpha assistant. “However, I do indeed like Li Xiao. He is worthy of being liked.”

The Alpha assistant muttered, “No wonder you’re defending him.”

The more the other assistants listened, the more off things felt. The round-glassed Beta spoke up: “I don’t think Director Yan is biased toward Li Xiao. On the contrary, it’s you—why do you sound like you’ve already pronounced Li Xiao guilty when the facts haven’t even been cleared up yet?”

“Exactly, Old Chen, do you hate Li Xiao that much?” another Omega assistant pressed curiously.

Sensing that the atmosphere had turned sour, the Alpha assistant made an excuse about having work to do, turned around, and left. The remaining assistants exchanged glances, then looked at the cold expression on Yan Qing’s face, a sudden realization dawning upon them. Has this guy already been swayed by the Meng faction?

Suddenly, his terminal vibrated. Yan Qing swiped it open casually; it was an obituary broadcast by the military academy’s internal system. The assistants noticed the notification at the same time, their hearts skipping a beat, though a sense of inevitability followed immediately.

[We have just received a notification from the Legion forces. Charred human tissue has been discovered in a residential property within the Southern 22nd District of S80. Following laboratory testing, it has been confirmed to belong to the Second-Year Director of Instruction, Xiang Hong…]

Yan Qing set down his cup and stood up. “I have a meeting to attend. Don’t wait for me for lunch.”

The Beta assistant said, “Director Yan, please accept our condolences.”

Yan Qing nodded, his expression turning solemn as he turned around. He didn’t know how much intelligence the Fifth Legion possessed regarding Xiang Hong’s death. If it ended up involving Li Xiao, it would likely stir up even more trouble.

Meanwhile, Li Xiao and his group returned to their dorm after lunch. With only six days left until the tournament commenced, Li Xiao had designed distinct, last-minute training regimens tailored for Qian Can, Qin Le, and Jiang Hao.

Mecha sports and actual mecha combat were vastly different. In real combat, one had to deal with internal mechanical malfunctions, complex external environments, and more—things that couldn’t be mastered without years of systematic study. Mecha sports, on the other hand, merely required one to know how to win, making the knowledge points needed for cramming relatively straightforward.

Li Xiao’s terminal vibrated, and 09 automatically projected the message into the upper right corner of his vision. It came from that familiar yet unregistered frequency.

[We have departed from the Imperial Capital Star. Estimated arrival at Heaven’s Descent Seat T115 in three hours.]

Li Xiao signaled 09 to reply for him:

[Keep a close eye on the individuals appearing around His Majesty. Report any anomalies to me immediately.]

[Understood. Please ensure your own safety as well.]

09 spoke up: “Someone spoke up for you on the internal forum and got flamed.”

Li Xiao: “Who?”

A virtual screen automatically deployed into the air, displaying a post made ten minutes ago on the academy’s internal forum. The comment count had already breached ten thousand.

[Post]: I only heard about this after class. Just went and asked two first-year juniors; Luo Yu was the one who provoked first, and Li Xiao didn’t say anything out of line. The fuss this afternoon is completely bizarre. Break it up, brothers.

The comment section below was locked in a fierce brawl. Four distinct factions—those bashing the original poster, those bashing Li Xiao, those defending Li Xiao, and those defending the original poster—had dissolved into absolute chaos.

Sitting on the sofa reviewing documents sent by his father, Shen Sinian, Song Jin glanced at the screen and offered a flat, teasing remark: “I didn’t expect someone to actually defend you. Truly worth celebrating. Highly deserving of opening a jar of strawberry jam to mark the occasion.”

Li Xiao: “…” Still obsessing over strawberry jam?

Sitting on the rug around the coffee table completing mecha theory practice papers, Qian Can and the other two looked up upon hearing this.

“This brother right here is a sensible man.” Qian Can tapped open the student’s profile to check the ID photo in the verification info, letting out a soft exclamation. “Huh? Isn’t this the kid Boss pulled out that day?”

During the latter half of the expedition to S80, they had spent most of their time following Yan Qing around rescuing people. The student who made the post was precisely the one who had been chased and gnawed on by the giant rats, ultimately being lifted into the rescue vehicle single-handedly by Song Jin.

09 chimed in: “A ton of people are making posts now!”

Even as they watched, numerous new updates popped up, most of which were advising everyone to stay calm and refrain from being overly extreme.

Qin Le checked the time; it was 12:00 PM. “At this hour, most students from all year levels have finished their classes.”

Qian Can asked Li Xiao, “Aren’t we going to do something while the traffic is high?”

Seeing Li Xiao shake his head again, Qian Can found himself utterly perplexed. Was he really going to wait for the situation to escalate completely before dropping a major countermove?

Not long after, another new post refreshed onto the screen. This person’s avatar frame was flashing vibrantly, making it exceptionally eye-catching.

[Post]: Just went and asked the juniors in Li Xiao’s class. I haven’t even had lunch yet. Luo Yu forced Li Xiao to spar during class time, and after failing that, he tried to force his ‘guidance’ onto him. Song Jin couldn’t stand it and ended him in a single move. That is the entire sequence of events. If it were me, Luo Yu would already be checked into a luxury suite in the medical department.

The avatar frame was altogether too flashy. Qian Can tapped it open to check; it actually turned out to be the exclusive frame reserved for the Second-Year Mecha Piloting Department Chief.

Within a minute of the post going live, the comments were initially flooded with vitriol, but those comments were very quickly overridden by other voices:

• “I didn’t dare pick a side, but finally the Chief came out to speak! The rumors were absurd, but the truth is even more absurd, hahaha!”
• “If I were Luo Yu, I’d rather be beaten into the medical department and never come out.”
• “Trying to force guidance only to get ended in a single move… this… the second-years’ face has been completely disgraced by this kid.”
• “With the wind blowing this hard, everyone knows exactly what’s going on in their hearts. All I can say is the Second Prince has an exceptionally good temper, allowing certain people to treat him like a soft target.”
• “I was wondering why this felt so familiar. It’s the exact same script from when Qi Ge got beaten up, hahahaha!”
• “I recall Luo Yu’s father holds a position in the Fifth Legion. Those who know, know. I just didn’t expect them to actually dare stir up trouble like this.”

Li Xiao’s gaze swept across the Chief’s personal profile. His name was Lin Shuo, an Alpha, and he was not included in the list of modified humans. Only someone who managed to secure the top rank in comprehensive strength across three consecutive major examinations was qualified to be called the Chief. For someone with such qualifications to neither be recruited by the Meng family nor transformed into a modified human was somewhat unusual.

Li Xiao had 09 pull up Lin Shuo’s file from the student records copied earlier. The records indicated his home planet was in the Corona Borealis Seat, and he came from a merchant family. In a military academy teeming with nobility and elites, he was considered an ordinary commoner.

“What’s up with this guy?” Song Jin leaned over with interest to take a look.

Li Xiao: “I’ll find an opportunity to have a chat with him.”

With 07 and 09 in a connected state, Song Jin could also see the dossier retrieved by 09. “With this background, it’s incredibly difficult to climb up.” It was true in Shengya, and in Dance—where the great families clung together so heavily—climbing to a high position was virtually impossible for a commoner. To the Meng family, Lin Shuo’s assessed value wouldn’t be very high.

Li Xiao noted, “There are also individuals from ordinary backgrounds among the modified humans, which indicates they are indeed casting a wide net, though not everyone takes the bait.”

Song Jin tilted his head to look at him. “So you suspect this person might know something?”

Li Xiao nodded. “We need to gather some human witnesses.”

Song Jin expressed doubt: “They won’t just sit around waiting for you to finish gathering evidence and obediently accept judgment.”

Li Xiao: “Deploying troops requires a justification.”

Song Jin’s gaze darkened slightly as he caught his meaning. Resolving the Meng family peacefully would be ideal, but if a war broke out in the future, the Meng family would inevitably concoct various justifications to position themselves on the side of righteousness. If the royal family remained entirely unprepared, they would be led by the nose.

Song Jin scoffed softly, “You’re thinking quite far ahead.”

Li Xiao: “It’s already right before our eyes.”

Song Jin rested a hand on his shoulder. “Then have you thought about our future?”

“…” Li Xiao turned his head to look at the beautiful face before him. “You haven’t even agreed to be my wife yet. What kind of future could I possibly envision?”

Song Jin asked, “Have you put any actual heart into pursuing me?”

Li Xiao thought for a moment. “I’ll bake a batch of cookies tonight.”

Song Jin knitted his brows. “Are you just placating me?”

Li Xiao: “What flavor do you want?”

Song Jin: “Chocolate and strawberry.”

Li Xiao: “Alright.”

Song Jin: “…?” Something feels slightly off, yet I can’t quite put my finger on it.

Listening to their exchange, Qian Can and the other three: “…” This isn’t pursuing someone; this is clearly coaxing a child.

In the second-year dorms, Zhao Cheng and a group of exchange students from Shengya were discussing the selection tournament. Spotting someone sharing an internal forum link in their small group chat, they assumed it was a tactical thread. Upon clicking in to read, they erupted into furious cursing.

“How dare they! Bullying our Shengya family’s daughter-in-law!” Zhao Cheng opened the forum, systematically blasting the haters under various posts before creating a thread of his own: [Taking a ten-minute break to help Boss’s wife join the fray!]

The other exchange students added, “It’s a good thing we’re in Dance. If this were Shengya, anyone daring to provoke royalty like this wouldn’t even have shards of bone left.”

Zhao Cheng snorted, “Just wait until the practical combat class this afternoon. See if I don’t crush this guy surnamed Luo!”

Starting from 12:00 PM, a massive influx of ordinary students began participating in the discussions. The public opinion on the internal forum initiated a powerful counteroffensive, completely reversing the narrative within half an hour. The threads that had previously been pushed to the top of the discussion board were buried by an influx of new posts. The top thread on the homepage surpassed one hundred thousand replies, creating a staggering disparity in engagement:

[Top Thread]: The truth behind Luo Yu’s alleged humiliation incident, featuring answers from the instructor in charge of the class. Certain people are truly too absurd! Presuming upon Li Xiao’s good temper to dump every single piece of filth onto his head!

The post included a timeline meticulously organized by the author, complete with corresponding events. It was backed by numerous screenshots of chat interfaces, group interfaces, and finally, a chat log with Instructor Zhao De, laying out the entire sequence of events with absolute clarity.

In the comments section:

• “Luo Yu went out of his way to provoke him and even called him cowardly. No wonder Song Jin stepped in.”
• “The Second Prince is far too tragic, being systematically targeted and bullied by those people!”
• “How terrifying. They actually dare to pull this against a prince? What exactly are they trying to accomplish?”
• “Is it useful to file a complaint on the royal family’s public page? If we don’t help the Second Prince, he’s going to get bullied to death by these people!”
• “Already filed a complaint, currently waiting for a reply. Trembling with rage right now.”
• “Luo Yu, stop playing dead. Give us a public apology!”

By the time afternoon classes commenced, the internal forum was entirely filled with denunciations directed at Luo Yu, and the traction continued to skyrocket with no signs of dying down. Li Xiao hadn’t needed to lift a finger; over the course of a single lunch break, the entire matter had developed in a direction overwhelmingly favorable to him.

On the way to class, Qian Can flipped through the forum posts. Recalling how Li Xiao had twice refused to clarify the situation, he thought to himself that a true powerhouse indeed knew how to handle a group of straightforward men with absolute precision.

“Big Brother, were you that confident they would help you clarify?” Jiang Hao asked, somewhat bewildered.

Li Xiao answered expressionlessly, “I wasn’t certain, but I am now.”

Jiang Hao looked thoughtful. “You were testing them?”

Li Xiao nodded. Explaining this matter would have been remarkably easy—he could have simply published the footage recorded by 09. However, doing so would prevent him from gauging the general attitude of the vast majority of students within the academy toward him. Although he didn’t care personally, as a member of the royal family, he required the support and backing of others. Supporting him was, by extension, supporting the royal family.

When the little lion had fought Qi Ge previously, thousands of people had been present, so it was normal for public opinion not to stray. This time, only a few dozen people had been present. He wanted to see if, under circumstances where the majority remained ignorant of the actual facts, anyone would step forward to seek the truth and clarify on his behalf, and whether the rest of the student body would be willing to believe it.

Judging by the outcome, it was quite decent.

Walking beside Li Xiao, Song Jin noticed the subtle shift in his expression. “Happy?”

A faint smile flickered deep within Li Xiao’s eyes. “The expedition wasn’t a waste of time.”

Song Jin took Li Xiao’s hand. “More people will support you in the future. This is merely the beginning.”

Li Xiao tightened his grip. “Mm.”

During the afternoon practical combat review, a substantial number of students had already arrived ahead of time when Li Xiao and his group entered the classroom, locked in a heated debate over the drama on the forum. Li Xiao swept a glance across the room; the ones arguing most fiercely were the two lackeys who usually followed Qi Ge.

Noticing Li Xiao’s gaze, Zheng Lin—who was sitting in the corner—turned his head to look out the window, using his actions to signal his desire to remain uninvolved in this affair.

As Li Xiao passed the front row, an Omega student gathered their courage and whispered softly, “Your Highness, you don’t need to pay attention to those obnoxious people. We will support you.”

Li Xiao nodded slightly. “Thank you.”

The Omega student hadn’t expected to receive a reply and sat back with a dazed expression.

On the other side of the campus, the moment Luo Yu arrived at his training hall, he was confronted and criticized by several classmates who demanded he apologize to Li Xiao.

Luo Yu said impatiently, “It was his fault. Why should I apologize?”

A Beta student countered, “The truth has already been published on the forum, and you’re still stubbornly refusing to admit it.”

Luo Yu pursed his lips and brushed past them, walking to the opposite side without a word. He recalled the video call he had shared with Qi Ge during lunch. The Fifth Legion had been outmaneuvered, and his father’s name was included on the disciplinary list. Previously, Qi Ge had contacted him, claiming that if he carried out instructions, Qi Sen would help extract his father once the matter succeeded.

But now, though he had done the deed, it hadn’t achieved the intended effect at all. Not only was he being condemned by the entire school, but he had also received a harsh scolding from Qi Ge during lunch.

_

Medical Center.

Qi Ge lay on the hospital bed, watching the trajectory of public opinion on the internal forum, his fists clenched tightly enough to crack his knuckles. How long had it been since Li Xiao returned to the palace, yet he had already garnered the support of so many people! Failing to see Li Xiao suffer a setback left him half-dead with rage.

Was there truly no way left to deal with Li Xiao?!

His terminal vibrated. Qi Ge saw it was his father and hesitated briefly before answering. “Father?”

A cold, aged voice drifted from the other end of the communication: “Did you instruct Major Luo’s son to stir up trouble?”

Qi Ge’s heart skipped a beat, but he forced himself to sound calm. “How did you know?”

The voice replied, “We just received news that the royal family is exerting pressure on the military to accelerate the disciplinary process. Your eldest uncle won’t be able to escape either.”

Qi Ge’s eyes widened in utter bewilderment. “How could this happen?”

The voice answered, “The royal family is playing for keeps this time. The situation at the top is tense. Do not act recklessly, and follow instructions.”

The communication cut off, and the screen went black. Qi Ge suddenly recalled Zheng Lin’s advice to “leave things be for now,” his mind falling into absolute disarray. The royal family is playing for keeps? On what basis? How do they dare?

By the time afternoon classes concluded, it was only 4:00 PM. Qian Can and the other two had agreed to head to the training hall. After bidding farewell to Li Xiao and Song Jin, they departed first.

Song Jin checked the information on his terminal and said to Li Xiao, “I need to head back to the dorm first.” He had already spoken with his secret guards, and the itinerary back to Shengya had been arranged; he needed to deliver the medicine box before that.

“Then we won’t head to the cafeteria for dinner tonight. Wait for me to return and cook.” Li Xiao walked with him to the entrance of the teaching building. “I’m going to find Instructor Yan to collect some materials. You head back first.”

Song Jin: “Don’t make me wait too long.”

Once Song Jin departed, Li Xiao initiated a communication request to Yan Qing. Since returning from the expedition, Yan Qing had been buried under reports and meetings every day, making it impossible to schedule a meeting with him.

After a moment, the request was accepted, and Yan Qing’s voice came through: “Xiao Li? What do you need me for?”

Li Xiao walked toward a nearby parking lot. “You promised previously to provide me with a copy of supplementary historical materials. Are you free now?”

There was a brief pause before Yan Qing’s voice returned: “I am currently undergoing a re-examination at Medical Center No. 9. Come over here.”

Li Xiao asked tentatively, “Is Dr. Jin conducting the re-examination for you?”

Yan Qing: “Mm.”

Li Xiao accelerated his pace, scanned a vehicle, slipped into the driver’s seat, engaged the power, and drove off immediately.

_

Medical Center No. 9.

At this hour, the corridors were relatively sparse. Li Xiao arrived at the examination room Yan Qing had specified; only two people were inside the room. An elderly Alpha wearing a white coat sat opposite Yan Qing. The two were chatting and laughing about something, the atmosphere incredibly relaxed.

Li Xiao had encountered this elderly man before. On the day he had taken the little lion to let Ye You conduct a re-examination, this old man had been playing chess with Ye You on the terrace.

Hearing footsteps, Yan Qing turned his head toward the door. “So fast?”

“I was having class nearby.” Li Xiao glanced at the name tag on the elderly Alpha’s chest. “Dr. Jin, how is Instructor Yan’s leg?”

Jin Heng wore his hair slicked back. Despite his advanced age, his posture remained upright, though a hint of gloominess lingered between his brows, giving him a very profound and intense aura. Even when he smiled, he lacked the jovial, happy-old-man vibe that Ye You possessed.

“He still requires two weeks of quiet rest. As long as he stops acting recklessly, it won’t be a major issue.” Jin Heng raised his eyes to look at Li Xiao, a smile touching his lips. “You seem very concerned about Yan Qing.”

Li Xiao replied calmly, “The few of us were accompanying Instructor Yan, yet he still suffered a fall on the battlefield. We bear some level of responsibility.”

Jin Heng nodded appreciatively. “A fine young man, highly responsible.”

Yan Qing looked up and asked Li Xiao, his voice lowered significantly, “Were there many people outside when you came over?”

Li Xiao: “No one.”

Yan Qing paused briefly, reaching toward his jacket pocket as he spoke to Jin Heng: “There’s something I want you to look at—”

Before he could finish his sentence, a sudden weight pressed down on his shoulder. Yan Qing tilted his head, seeing Li Xiao pressing a hand against his shoulder. His movement to retrieve the item stiffened slightly.

The examination room suddenly fell quiet, the atmosphere turning somewhat peculiar.

“What is it, so mysterious?” Jin Heng spoke first, casting a glance at Li Xiao. “And you won’t even let me see?”

Li Xiao observed Jin Heng’s micro-expressions without uttering a word.

Yan Qing reacted swiftly, pulling a medicine pouch from his pocket and handing it over. “For some reason, I developed a slight cough during the expedition. The military doctor prescribed this medication for me, but my sleep has been quite poor lately since taking it. Help me check if it’s a side effect of this drug.”

Jin Heng took it and looked it over. “It can potentially cause insomnia. If you’ve stopped coughing, just stop taking it. It’s standard medication; what’s there to be so secretive about?”

Yan Qing appeared somewhat helpless. “Xiao Li mentioned it previously, and when I said I’d show it to you, he wasn’t happy about it.”

Jin Heng shook his head and laughed. “So tall and well-built, yet still possesses the temperament of a child.”

“Then I won’t disturb you further.” Yan Qing stood up. “I still need to head back and retrieve those supplementary materials for this kid. We’ll take our leave first.”

Jin Heng rose along with him. “Then I shall get off work as well.”

After bidding farewell to Jin Heng, Li Xiao and Yan Qing stepped into a hovercar. Having 09 monitor the operation of the vehicular intelligence, Li Xiao slowly drove the vehicle out.

“Does he know about the blood?”

“I haven’t brought it up yet.” Yan Qing sat in the back seat, retrieving the half-vial of blood from his pocket. “You don’t trust him?”

Li Xiao: “It’s best to be cautious.”

Yan Qing: “Are you still investigating? This matter is highly dangerous. Didn’t I tell you—”

Li Xiao interrupted, “It makes no difference to me. Even if I don’t investigate, I am still unsafe.”

Yan Qing found himself temporarily unable to counter.

Li Xiao looked at Yan Qing through the rearview mirror. “Compile the data on those sixty-three races and hand it over to me.”

Yan Qing: “Even if I give it to you, what can you possibly do?”

Li Xiao gripped the steering wheel, his eyes fixed ahead. “The enemy is powerful. It’s impossible for any single individual to defeat them alone, unless we unite.”

Yan Qing: “You don’t need to get involved.”

“From the moment of my birth, I was already placed within the chess game. It’s impossible for me to remain untainted.” Li Xiao observed Yan Qing’s expression through the rearview mirror once more. “Including my birth, it was deliberately orchestrated, wasn’t it?”

The moment the words left his mouth, Li Xiao caught a subtle twitch at the corner of Yan Qing’s eyes. His entire body tensed abruptly, his hands resting on his lap tightening to the point where his fingertips turned pale. This state lasted for a mere fraction of a second before reverting to his usual demeanor in the blink of an eye.

Yan Qing stared at the scenery flashing past the window, remaining silent for a long duration. “You are the hope of everyone. You merely need to stay alive, and that will be enough.”

“Waiting for you all to finish the investigation and hand the results to me, and then using my status to reveal everything to the public?” Li Xiao asked tentatively.

Wei Feng had mentioned previously that filing a report to anyone was futile and would merely result in assassination. Under circumstances where no one could be trusted, someone possessing the same ancestral bloodline as them was indeed more worthy of trust. Furthermore, as royalty, he possessed the capability to help the Bique race escape their plight. This was likely one of the reasons why General Hu had urged him to protect himself well.

However, this time, Yan Qing offered no response.

After dropping Yan Qing back at the Political and Educational Office, Li Xiao drove back to the dorm, pondering the interaction just now. That phrase, “You are the hope of everyone”—could he have misinterpreted it? Why had Yan Qing’s gaze been so profoundly complex?

A series of noises drifting from the kitchen interrupted Li Xiao’s train of thought. The irregular, muffled thuds sounded distinctly amiss.

The kitchen counter was an absolute disaster zone. Flour was scattered everywhere, and various ingredients had been chopped into irregular shapes with absolute abandon, piled together in a chaotic mess. Song Jin stood before the cutting board looking thoroughly disheveled, cutting a carrot into three segments with a single slam of the knife before tossing it onto the ingredients.

Li Xiao: “…” The kid actually couldn’t wait and took matters into his own hands, but was this pile intended to feed pigs?