When Lu Qiao and Yu Liang fought, he had never intended to hurt the other party. Yet the attacks that had rushed toward Lu Qiao the instant Yu Liang’s genes went berserk were completely different—the moment those attacks had been any more violent or concentrated, Lu Qiao would have been even more seriously injured than the person lying in the hospital bed now.
And mental power had always been the thorn in Yan Qiu’s heart, so it was only natural that his aura was so terrifying right now. Luo Ye stuck out his tongue.
Yu Liang’s mother was looking suspiciously at Lu Qiao and Yan Qiu. Luo Ye walked over to the bedside and said, “Madam, you should already know, right? Student Yu’s secondary gene erupted during the competition. It’s an Awareness Clan gene, and at the same time, he suffered a genetic berserk. A total of twenty-three contestants at the scene were injured, and fifteen are still unconscious—”
Yu Liang’s mother’s expression changed.
She still didn’t know the exact number of injured people. She hadn’t expected there to be so many, and fifteen were unconscious? Could it be that Liangliang had—
Luo Ye deliberately paused before saying, “Fortunately, after the doctors examined them, they confirmed that their consciousness bodies had only suffered a shock and had not sustained any damage. Otherwise, today’s matter would have become complicated, haha!”
Yu Liang’s mother was sent stumbling backward by Luo Ye’s dramatic pause, her entire body swaying.
“However, the students’ parents all want to have a ‘chat’ with you. The hospital will have people maintaining order, of course, but if you want to go outside later, you’d better be careful.” Luo Ye smiled as he pointed outside, kindly reminding her.
Yu Liang’s mother wiped away her sweat and hurriedly nodded. “I understand. I understand.”
“Then next, we need to discuss the serious matter.” Luo Ye’s expression became slightly restrained as he slowly said, “You should also know that the issue of mental power is rather sensitive now. Those who awaken Awareness Clan genes have to face two choices. One is to enter the military, and the other is to undergo genetic closure surgery to eliminate the ability.”
Genetic closure was a form of gene therapy intended to close off a target gene. Normally, it would not be chosen unless absolutely necessary. The measure Luo Ye mentioned also represented that Awareness Clan genes were indeed under strict surveillance now.
But for Yu Liang’s mother, there was no need to think about the answer. She hurriedly replied, “Your Highness, rest assured. Our Liangliang will definitely enter the military!”
This was practically a heaven-sent opportunity. Being able to enter the military directly without having to take the examinations was something that would bring honor to the family. Yu Liang’s mother was so excited that her hands trembled slightly.
Lu Qiao, however, stiffened for a moment before lowering his eyes dejectedly.
Yan Qiu frowned and rubbed the back of his neck. Lu Qiao trembled and looked up at him blankly.
Luo Ye glanced at the two of them from the corner of his eye and smiled. He asked slyly, “Speaking of which, Yan Qiu, doesn’t your First Legion always lack mental manipulators? Why don’t you take Student Yu back?”
Lu Qiao suddenly turned his head and stared at him.
Lu Qiao knew Luo Ye. Luo Ye had also studied at the Royal Academy back then and often stayed together with Yan Qiu, Ji Zhuyun, and the others, so Lu Qiao did not feel much of the usual awe toward a high-ranking figure when facing him.
Receiving Lu Qiao’s stare, Luo Ye blinked.
Wow, his face was practically spelling out, What the hell are you talking about?
When Yu Liang’s mother heard Luo Ye’s words, however, her smile froze on her face, and she once again turned pale with fright. She cautiously asked, “Um… aren’t people normally allowed to apply for a legion themselves?”
“Mm, ordinary soldiers are, but mental manipulators aren’t.” Luo Ye looked completely innocent. “Mental manipulators are far too rare, so many of the regulations governing them are different from those for ordinary soldiers. At present, they don’t have the right to choose their own legion. They can only obey the military’s assignment.”
Yu Liang’s mother panicked.
How could this be?
What kind of place was the First Legion? Everyone in the entire alliance knew that it was practically the empire’s frontline fighting machine. Whenever the empire faced danger, the First Legion was always the one charging at the very front!
When Liangliang had enrolled in military school back then, they had only wanted him to enter a defensive legion in the future and guard the city. They had never thought about sending him to the frontline to charge into battle!
And besides, the relationship between Marshal Yan and Lu Qiao…
Yu Liang’s mother had been carefully watching the two of them all this time. Marshal Yan’s gaze had barely left Lu Qiao, and it was far too obvious. It made her tremble with fear.
She had heard before that Lu Qiao and Yan Qiu had interacted at school, but she had never heard that they had this kind of relationship!
She knew exactly what Yu Liang was usually like and what he had done to Lu Qiao in the past. If he entered Yan Qiu’s First Legion, wouldn’t he be doomed?!
Yu Liang’s mother was frantic, desperately thinking about what to say, when Yan Qiu spoke, his voice cold.
“I don’t want him.”
As soon as those words came out, Luo Ye smiled, Yu Liang’s mother breathed a sigh of relief, and Lu Qiao relaxed as well, giving him a bright look.
Yan Qiu then calmly said, “Lun En has always been short of mental manipulators. This time, we can assign him a few more. Let this student enter his Second Legion.”
Luo Ye smiled and agreed. “Ah, that works.”
Yu Liang’s mother was startled. Her legs went weak, and she almost dropped to her knees.
The Second Legion. Marshal Lun En.
Why did he have to be another battle maniac, ahhhhhhh!!!!
Seeing Yu Liang’s mother’s expression, Luo Ye smiled and explained, “Madam, you may not know this, but mental manipulators are extremely valuable combat forces. We basically only assign them among several frontline legions.”
Yu Liang’s mother’s expression shattered.
She collapsed inside.
So, in the end, her son really had no choice but to go to the frontline?!
Just then, a voice suddenly came from the doorway.
“Ah, Lu Qiao, you’re here!”
Lu Qiao turned his head and saw that it was the Director.
The Director nodded toward Luo Ye and Yan Qiu, then panted slightly as he said to Lu Qiao, “I’ve been looking for you for ages.”
Lu Qiao hurried over. The Director said, “Aili and Chris suffered some minor injuries. There was also a child at the edge of the arena at the time. He’s still unconscious, but his parents have already arrived. What about you? Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. Just a little cut. I’ve already sprayed medicine on it,” Lu Qiao said quietly.
“That’s good. Wow, fortunately the competition committee is covering all the medical expenses this time. Otherwise, your uncle wouldn’t have been able to front that much money all at once. I almost had to ask you for help.” The Director spoke exaggeratedly.
Lu Qiao laughed. “I only have enough money left for one meal.”
Unexpectedly, as soon as he finished speaking, Yan Qiu’s slightly cool voice came from behind him.
“You have money.”
Lu Qiao froze and turned around.
Yu Liang’s mother, who had originally been in despair, perked up her ears at once.
“My account is still linked to yours. Use as much as you want.” Yan Qiu did not look at Lu Qiao. Instead, he kept staring at Yu Liang’s mother and said coldly, “You have plenty of money.”
But apart from Lu Qiao, who else would dare touch that money? Who would dare set their sights on it?
Yu Liang’s mother swallowed stiffly.
Knowing that Yan Qiu had deliberately said that for her to hear, she did not even dare meet the man’s eyes. She shrank her head as cold sweat poured down.
Lu Qiao stared in astonishment, his face flushing red.
“You… hurry up and unlink it!”
The Director secretly laughed and dragged Lu Qiao away.
“All right, all right. As long as you’ve got money, it’s fine. Your uncle isn’t worried anymore. Come on, come on, let’s go see your little friends.”
Lu Qiao was dragged all the way downstairs by the Director. On the way, he even checked his account status on his terminal and discovered that Yan Qiu really had not canceled the link!
Wasn’t this something that could be finished with one simple online operation?
Yan Qiu was way too lazy. It had already been three days since they first talked about it!
Lu Qiao grumbled inwardly as he went to check on his friends.
His little friend was not seriously injured. Like the other unconscious students, his consciousness body had merely suffered a shock, and he would wake up after sleeping for a while. Aili and Chris, apparently, had already been taken away.
Lu Qiao suddenly thought of a problem.
They had also been at the edge of the arena at the time. That meant they had seen him together with Yan Qiu, right?
Uh…
After checking on his little friend, it was already quite late, and it was about time to go home.
Lu Qiao knew that he would still have to stay with Yan Qiu later because of their lock-on, so he hadn’t planned to leave. But before he could say anything to the Director, the Director said, “Help me say goodbye to Yan Qiu and Luo Ye. I’ll head off first. You all get some rest early.”
Lu Qiao nodded obediently.
“Okay.”
After saying that, he suddenly came to his senses and grabbed the hem of the Director’s clothes as the man turned around.
The Director also came to a stop.
Lu Qiao said, “…Wait. Director, why are you asking me to say goodbye to the two of them for you? And speaking of which, ever since you found out that I knew Yan Qiu and Luo Ye, you haven’t shown even the slightest bit of surprise!”
He had only realized it now!
Something was very wrong!
The corners of the Director’s mouth twitched.
Ah, he’d said all along that keeping it hidden was exhausting. He wasn’t good at acting, either!
Lu Qiao walked around to stand in front of him, staring at him intently as he demanded, “Director, don’t tell me… you know those two, too?!”
The Director touched his head and gave an awkward dry laugh.
“…So that’s how it happened. Sorry for hiding it from you for so long. Your uncle really isn’t good at acting!”
The Director honestly confessed that he had once been the private trainer for Yan Qiu and Luo Ye. He also explained that he had only taken the initiative to approach Lu Qiao back then because Yan Qiu had asked him to.
“There were too many battles at the border. At first, he could still ask about your situation once every two months. During the last six months, I completely lost contact with him.” The Director scratched his head. “I knew he’d returned a few days ago, but he’d definitely be busy after just coming back, so I thought I’d contact him after a few days. I didn’t expect to run into him directly today.”
After listening, Lu Qiao stood there completely unable to move.
He opened his mouth and asked quietly, “…Isn’t it impossible to contact the border war zone through external signals? You and him…”
After Yan Qiu entered the military, Lu Qiao had thought about contacting him.
But he and Yan Qiu didn’t seem to be the kind of relationship where they could regularly call each other to exchange pleasantries and ask about each other’s well-being. The contact information they had exchanged at school had never actually been used.
Thus, after struggling several times, thinking about that man’s cold personality, Lu Qiao ultimately gave up on calling.
Only later did he learn that the border could not be contacted through external signals at all.
Two years ago, when he woke up and learned that Yan Qiu had given him his account to use, Yan Qiu had probably already returned to the border. He had wanted to call Yan Qiu back, but, sure enough, there was no signal.
In the end, he borrowed Ji Zhuyun’s military terminal and left a voice message for Yan Qiu, who had not answered the call, expressing his gratitude.
Hearing this, the Director said, “After I retired, I was specially authorized to keep a military terminal. I’ve always used the military’s internal signal to communicate.”
Lu Qiao was somewhat dazed.
Seeing him like this, the Director felt rather emotional as well.
Yan Qiu was not someone who liked to be distracted.
With his personality, once he entered the military and reached the border, he would devote himself entirely to the matters at hand as a soldier.
Yet in that harsh environment at the border, when communications had become exceptionally difficult, he had still continued to keep track of Lu Qiao’s condition.
That alone was enough to prove how special Lu Qiao was to him.
But there were many things that should not be said by an outsider like him.
These two young men had not seen each other for so long. They still needed time…
Lu Qiao stood where he was, slowly tightening his fists.
He didn’t know…
He really didn’t know that Yan Qiu had done all these things…
Two years ago, while he was hospitalized, he had already known that the road ahead would be difficult.
Genetic disorder required targeted training to recover as quickly as possible. Normally, one needed a trainer. But whether hiring a private instructor or enrolling in a training program, both were extremely expensive.
Lu Qiao simply hadn’t dared to spend Yan Qiu’s money like that.
Therefore, when the Director appeared in front of him, Lu Qiao had felt as though a pie had fallen from the sky and smashed into him.
The pie had been so enormous that he had even found this uncle in front of him somewhat suspicious.
But no matter what, when he had sunk to the bottom of the abyss, it had been a stranger who appeared and pulled him out.
Yet the truth was that the person standing behind the Director was Yan Qiu.
Lu Qiao didn’t know how to describe what he was feeling.
His heart was slightly warm, but at the same time, he was somewhat bewildered.
How could it be Yan Qiu…
How could it be Yan Qiu?
At the busiest time of all, Yan Qiu had rushed back from the border just to see him.
Yan Qiu had directly given him his account so that he could properly treat his illness.
After leaving, Yan Qiu had still kept his recovery period in mind and sent the Director to stay by his side.
Lu Qiao had always thought that after five years without seeing each other, there was nothing left between him and Yan Qiu except that linked account.
Yet the truth was that Yan Qiu…
Had been watching over him all this time, taking care of him?
The Director looked at the young man before him and smiled. He rubbed his head and said, “By the way, I guessed a long time ago that the person you were locked onto was Yan Qiu.”
Lu Qiao: “…”
He looked up and gave the Director a gloomy glance.
The Director grinned.
“Anyway, it’s almost seven. You’ll have to leave with him later anyway, so your uncle won’t get involved!”
“Uncle, you…”
Seeing that the Director wanted to leave, Lu Qiao was unusually flustered.
“Have a good talk with Yan Qiu. He must have a lot of things he wants to tell you, too. But he’s a shy, reserved guy.” The Director walked backward, waving at Lu Qiao with a smile. “Be a little more understanding of him, Lu Qiao.”
Lu Qiao opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
After the Director left, his mind was still filled with the same thought—
Yan Qiu was way too good to him, wasn’t he?
Why was he so good to him?
Lu Qiao stood there for a while before turning around dazedly. He pushed open the door to the stairwell and walked inside, his eyes gradually becoming moist.
He had many friends, but there was no denying that everyone had their own lives. No one could take care of him that much.
People living in this world had to rely on themselves for many things.
Lu Qiao understood this principle, which was why he had never imagined that someone would do this much for him.
And he had even less imagined that person would be Yan Qiu…
This kind of concern and care was just like that of family.
He really hadn’t experienced this feeling for more than ten years…
More than ten years.
Lu Qiao stopped on the stairs.
His heart was beating.
Suddenly, a powerful voice cried out inside him, telling him that Yan Qiu was different.
Yan Qiu was different from everyone else.
Back then, the opponent he cared about most had been Yan Qiu, and the person he paid the most attention to had also been Yan Qiu.
Throughout his student life, most of his time had been spent working hard to surpass Yan Qiu.
Therefore, he had known long ago that Yan Qiu was special to him. Perhaps he would be one of the most important people in his life.
And now, everything Yan Qiu had done for him seemed to make everything even more different…
But exactly how was it different?
Lu Qiao clenched his fists.
Before he could sort out his thoughts, footsteps suddenly approached from behind.
He turned around in a daze and saw a girl.
The girl was still wearing her school uniform. Lu Qiao recognized her as a student from his alma mater.
The girl caught her breath. The moment she opened her mouth, she began stammering nervously.
“Lu-Lu-Lu-Lu-Lu Qiao, Senior, hello! I-I-I-I struggled with this for a long time, but I feel like I absolutely have to confess to you!”
Lu Qiao was stunned for two seconds before his face suddenly flushed bright red.
He looked around in panic.
“Huh? Wh-What?!”
“It’s-it’s just that I’m your junior schoolmate. I-I’m graduating this year.” The junior continued stammering nervously. “I’ve been paying attention to you ever since I entered school. I ad-ad-ad-admire you. I-I didn’t expect that you would come to the competition today, too. Seeing that you’re still in such good condition, I-I was really happy!”
“Th-Thank you!” Lu Qiao was completely at a loss.
“Senior, I believe you can definitely enter the military. Maybe, maybe we’ll meet in the military this year.” The junior took a deep breath and said loudly, “It’s been two years since we last met. When I saw you again today, I realized that my feelings hadn’t changed at all, so I felt that I had to take action. Otherwise, I’d definitely regret it for the rest of my life!”
Lu Qiao swallowed and took a step backward.
The junior closed her eyes, suddenly bowed deeply, and shouted,
“Senior, I really—”
At exactly seven o’clock by universal time, a figure suddenly appeared in front of Lu Qiao.
The junior finished her sentence.
“—have liked you for a very long time. Can you be my boyfriend?!”
The air suddenly fell silent.
The junior sensed that something was wrong and raised her head.
She collided with a pair of deep, dark eyes.
Yan Qiu was standing right in front of her.
After a moment of surprise, he became expressionless and quietly stared at her.
And Lu Qiao was crouched behind Yan Qiu, his face a complete mess.
—Wait, why was Yan Qiu the one who teleported to his side today?! Was the World Core System deliberately messing with him?!