Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 44

Ling Xiao’s visit came to an end. Qian Ji personally escorted them out to the main gate.

“Remember my words, never come here again. The vast world outside is where you should be.”

After bidding farewell to Qian Ji, Ling Xiao returned to the academy with the principal. Compared to the omnipresent oppression at the disease control center, every student here seemed so vibrant and full of life. Just by looking at them, one could feel a sense of hope. Ling Xiao started to understand why the principal chose to stay and work at the academy.

“Do you know why, even though we know the peace during the coming-of-age ceremony is a lie that will eventually be exposed, we still use this lie to paint a rosy picture?”

Ling Xiao shook his head.

“We’ve tried many methods before this. Some people volunteered to be bound during the coming-of-age ceremony, but they bit off their tongues when their blood was taken. Some slept through their tumultuous phase in a sleeping chamber, but when they woke up, their hormone secretion skyrocketed to uncontrollable levels. No physical, chemical, or biological means succeeded before the coming-of-age ceremony.”

“One year, we explained all the drawbacks of what they would experience before and after the coming-of-age ceremony. As a result, the entire cohort of students refused to participate. However, due to one person’s hormonal imbalance, it triggered a chain reaction. The fledglings killed each other, resulting in the greatest tragedy in centuries. That day, a comet named “Ash” passed by; hence, the incident was later known as the ‘Ash Event’.”

Ling Xiao’s heart jolted. The name ‘Ash Event’ had been written in history books. Every year on that day, the academy would toll bells in remembrance. The books merely mentioned it was an accident. The true cause was something he learned today for the first time.

“The coming-of-age ceremony is like a hurdle for our kind. No matter what we try, not everyone can overcome it. Some are always left behind.”

“Did Dr. Yao give you medicine?” The principal suddenly changed the topic.

Ling Xiao hesitated. “Yes.”

“When I first discovered that the drug could alleviate pain, I took it almost daily and became seriously addicted. The doses kept increasing until they no longer met my needs. When I tried to quit, the spiritual pressure I had been avoiding hit back with compound interest. Every ounce of pain I was supposed to endure hadn’t diminished; instead, it had accumulated with high interest.”

“Being a Qizi is like the coming-of-age ceremony; you have to walk a certain path on your own. If you take shortcuts now, you will have detours later. All the debts you thought you escaped are just accumulating. But over the years, I’ve learned restraint and have been taking the medicine less and less.”

Ling Xiao saw a glimmer of hope. “How did you manage to sleep without the medication?”

“I didn’t,” he said calmly. “I just need less and less sleep.”

This truth was a blow to Ling Xiao. He thought that if one was as strong as the principal, one could overcome pain. But the principal had spent a century just learning to coexist with the pain.

“I know what you’re thinking. You feel that living like this is worse than death. But I persist because I still delude myself into thinking that I can meet the person who abandoned me one more time.”

Only then did Ling Xiao realize, in shock, that the principal’s Qizhu hadn’t died. He thought the principal’s experience was similar to Lan Sheng’s, but the principal had actually been abandoned.

“For our kind, nothing is simpler than death. But for some of us, the journey of life is the hardest. Only by living can we have a chance to meet again.”

“This is why I’ve persisted until now. I believe Lan Sheng also has his reasons. What you want to give up on is what some people desperately wish for. Some will never get it. We are still holding on, what reason do you have to give up?”

“If you haven’t been separated, don’t be in a rush to let go. If long separations can end in reunions, what more with those you spend every day with?”

Ling Xiao walked back to his dormitory, lost in thought. His steps quickened until he started running. As soon as he returned to his dormitory, he went straight to the bedside, picked up the medicine Dr. Yao had given him, stared at it for a while, and finally threw the whole bottle into the trash.

Ying Feng had been watching him the whole time. “Why did you throw it away?”

“I don’t need it anymore,” Ling Xiao said, looking down at the bottle in the trash. What he threw away wasn’t just the medicine but also some immature notions he had been holding onto, only to realize they were unnecessary. “I won’t take my life lightly, I won’t be my own enemy, I will live well, get permission to study further…”

He looked up determinedly. “Ying Feng, I promise I won’t drag you down.”

……

The next day, when Ying Feng woke up, he unexpectedly found an extra person in his arms. Ling Xiao buried his head in Ying Feng’s chest and was sleeping soundly. Yet, Ying Feng couldn’t recall when he had pulled him close. Could it have been an unconscious act while he was in a deep sleep?

The day before, he had read a great deal about the relationship between a Qizhu and his Qizi. He also learned about the sleep disturbances a Qizi can experience during a vulnerable period due to the lack of physical contact with their Qizhu. Those who bonded because of emotional ties would inevitably sleep close together like they were now, which meant they wouldn’t experience the problems Ling Xiao had.

However, the soothing effect of this simple physical contact couldn’t compare to the duration of intimacy they shared the previous day. Just as Ying Feng was getting up, Ling Xiao woke up from his dream. His groggy appearance made it evident he hadn’t had enough rest. But he quickly perked up, got out of bed, and sat face-to-face with Ying Feng, intending to “negotiate”.

“I have a suggestion.”

Ying Feng listened quietly.

“We both know our bonding was an accident. You don’t want this outcome, and neither do I. But we are, in essence, in this together now. If I can’t improve my mental rating, neither of us can progress in our education. Since we can’t achieve the kind of equality Dr. Yao mentioned in terms of love, we can establish another kind of equality.”

“Go on.”

“We can each propose our own conditions. Once one of us proposes a condition, the other can propose another. If both agree, the condition becomes effective.”

Ying Feng had no objections. “You start.”

Ling Xiao thought for a moment. “You cannot order me around in public, and not in private either.”

Ying Feng quickly responded, “You can’t be overly friendly with others in front of me or behind my back.”

Ling Xiao weighed the request and felt he was getting a better deal, but he didn’t understand Ying Feng’s reasoning. “Can you tell me why?”

Ying Feng’s face was emotionless. “Because it makes me uncomfortable.”

This answer was unexpected for Ling Xiao. He thought Ying Feng would use the logic “Because I’m your Qizhu” or “Because you’re my Qizi.”

“Agreed,” Ling Xiao affirmed the first condition and then proposed the second. “Don’t use your psychic ability to locate me casually. I have my privacy.”

“You can’t stay out late. In special situations, you need to notify me.”

“Deal. Don’t use your powers to scare or coerce me. And never hit me.”

“To ensure your mental development is normal, I will exercise my rights appropriately. When necessary, I will use certain measures, and you can’t refuse.”

Ling Xiao wasn’t sure what “certain measures” meant, but he instinctively felt it wasn’t good. After some hesitation and considering the importance of ensuring the balance of power, he agreed. “This condition is accepted. For now, these are my three points. Do you have anything to add?”

“Don’t max out the card at the end of every month.”

Ling Xiao’s mouth twitched, and he replied gruffly, “Alright, I haven’t thought of what to exchange for that yet. We’ll discuss it when I have an idea.” Then he initiated the network connection. “Now I want to visit the school. Are you coming?”

The two logged into the education department’s virtual platform. At the entrance were direct portals to various colleges, sorted by comprehensive assessment. The top one was the Royal Sky Military Academy. Ling Xiao didn’t hesitate and chose it as the first stop for their tour. Standing in front of the grand and imposing main entrance of the academy, they felt an overwhelming sense of respect. The Tianxius, who had lived and thrived on this land for generations, were taught from a young age to be loyal to their homeland. Long before they learned to love an individual, they learned to love their country.

It was hard to imagine that such a profound impression came just from a virtual projection. If they could truly stand in front of the school or even enter it, what pride and honor that would be! From the moment Ling Xiao stood in front of the school’s entrance, he was captivated. With a voice full of excitement, he turned to the person behind him and said, “I’ve thought of my next exchange condition. I want to take the entrance exam for…”

“Royal Sky?” Ying Feng swiftly finished the sentence for him. “You can save that condition.”

Ling Xiao turned in surprise. “Why? You don’t agree?”

“No,” Ying Feng denied. “Because that’s also the condition I wanted to propose.”

Ling Xiao suppressed the surging emotions in his chest and took his first step. It was a step into the Royal Sky Military Academy in the virtual network and also a formal step into a new life in the spiritual world.

Inside the virtual campus, there were no real people. To provide visitors with a more intuitive impression, the school simulated images of teachers and students using 3D figures. As they walked from the entrance, they saw students from different majors undergoing various types of training. Unfamiliar battle techniques emerged one after another, making Ling Xiao dazzled.

The staff member responsible for explanations in the admissions office was a real school employee, not an AI. As soon as he saw Ling Xiao and Ying Feng, he greeted them politely.

“Welcome to the Royal Sky campus network. The touch screen provides all the enrollment information and detailed introductions to our majors. Please feel free to browse, and I’m here to answer any questions.”

Ling Xiao approached a large screen. Dozens of colleges were further divided into hundreds of departments. Each department had a symbol next to it; some had a circle, others had an X.

“What do these symbols mean?” He pointed and asked.

“In the past, some of the majors at Royal Sky didn’t admit Qizi. But in recent years, we have opened all majors for both Qizi and their Qizhu to compete fairly. Those with a circled major mean that if the Qizhu passes the entrance exam, the Qizi can enroll without examination. Those with an X require both the Qizhu and the Qizi to take the exam.”

Ling Xiao casually clicked on one, and a new window popped up, providing a detailed introduction to that major. Among the notable alumni, Ling Xiao recognized a familiar face.

“Ah, that’s the one from that day.” The short military officer who had escorted him from the medical station to the detention center. He hadn’t realized that the officer was also a graduate of the Royal Sky Military Academy.

The receptionist wasn’t surprised he recognized Fu Yao, as he was a well-known figure. “Major General Fu Yao and his Qizi are outstanding graduates of our Combat Command major. Many students apply to this major because of him. A few years ago, he accepted our school’s invitation to serve as a guest lecturer in the Joint Combat major, allowing some students the opportunity to be directly mentored by him. It’s now one of our most popular majors.”

“Joint Combat major…” Ling Xiao located it on the list. Its symbol was unique—a circle with an X inside.

“What does this symbol mean?” he asked, puzzled.

“It means both individuals take the exam together, right?” Ying Feng, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up, making his first comment since they arrived.

“Exactly,” the receptionist replied with an appreciative look. “This is the only major that requires both the Qizhu and the Qizi to apply together. If either fails the exam, they cannot join the major. Hence, it’s the toughest major to get into.”

Learning about its difficulty only ignited Ling Xiao’s fighting spirit. He viewed a video featuring joint combat tactics of the Qizhu and Qizi. Watching their skills made Ling Xiao feel like his own abilities were child’s play. He imagined himself and Ying Feng in their place. Would they one day fight side by side with such synergy? Shaking his head, he tried to rid himself of the unrealistic thoughts. Their partnership was based on mutual benefits, not deep feelings like other close couples. The duo in the video, however, worked seamlessly together, almost as if they were one entity.

Ling Xiao downloaded several major introductions he was interested in. Ying Feng noticed all the chosen majors required the Qizi to take an exam, but the Joint Combat major wasn’t among them.

After copying the data, Ling Xiao expressed his gratitude to the receptionist and then logged off the network. He didn’t even plan to look at the rest of the school. He studied the materials until the lights were turned off. By that time, Ying Feng had already gone to sleep, and Ling Xiao intentionally delayed for quite a while.

Once assured that Ying Feng was asleep, he carefully moved closer, like the previous night, sneaking up to press against Ying Feng’s back. It felt comforting, like a ship returning to its harbor or a bird returning to its nest. As sleep overtook him, the person he leaned on turned, wrapping an arm around Ling Xiao, drawing him into an embrace.

Ling Xiao was completely stiffened, and the sleepiness he felt just a moment ago had vanished into thin air. His little act was caught in less than a day, and the exposure of his intentions made him lose face immediately.

Just as he was frozen, not knowing what to do, a cold, emotionless voice from Ying Feng came from above.

“Aren’t you aiming to improve your psychological rating and move on together in school? Since our goals align, let’s work hard together.”

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