ICAWZ Chapter 17

In the first few days of the new students’ enrollment, without exception, they would undergo the devilish training of the instructors. Those who resisted discipline were singled out one by one, and then systematically brought into line—a tradition at the military academy over the years.

However, before Lu Yuan, the leader of the troublemakers, could stir up trouble, he was forcibly dragged into the river by his group of unreliable comrades. No other reason than the words of Instructor Horik, who spoke with absolute authority. With a spit, he could drive a nail. Since he declared that “all male zergs” should come out for punishment exercises, there was no escape for Lu Yuan either.

At noon, the sun hung high overhead, scorching the training ground and causing the ground to emit smoke. On the C-section drill ground, a group of male zergs ran with sweat pouring down their backs. They were followed by a stern-faced instructor; anyone who fell behind even a half step would receive a harsh kick to the rear.

“Run faster! Are you turtles?!”

The male zergs who had been kicked were so furious that they had no energy left to express it. They ran forward with a trembling determination, thinking to themselves that they were far from being turtles; they were clearly exhausted like dogs!

Amidst the group of stumbling male zergs, a figure moved like the wind, exceptionally conspicuous. Lu Yuan led the pack, taking the lead with swift and steady strides. He effortlessly left the other male zergs far behind, attracting the curious glances of passing female zergs.

Eighteen laps…

Nineteen laps…

Twenty laps…

Lu Yuan’s back was already soaked with sweat as he struggled to regulate his rapid breathing. Running and silently counting in his mind, he finally crossed the finish line at the resounding whistle from Instructor Horik, putting an end to his long punishment run.

Instructor Horik, seeing the situation, revealed a hint of approval in his gaze. He hadn’t expected that there would actually be a male zerg who could endure and complete the run. “Twenty laps done, you can dismiss now!” he announced.

Lu Yuan had no strength left even to curse. He lifted his hand to remove his sweaty military cap and slumped directly onto the drill ground. Gasping for breath, he asked, “What time is it now?”

Instructor Horik lowered his gaze and checked the timer, speaking calmly, “Oh, it’s still early, just one o’clock.”

“What?! One o’clock?!”

Lu Yuan’s heart skipped a beat, suddenly remembering that he had promised to have lunch with Yusto at noon. Instantly forgetting about taking a break, he hastily climbed up from the ground, ignoring his fatigue, and hurried to the military building.

Lu Yuan didn’t have many virtues in his life, but two things were certain: he valued loyalty and kept his promises. He wouldn’t go back on his word no matter what. However, when he arrived at the classroom panting, he found it deserted, not a soul in sight.

Oh no,

He must have left.

Leaning against the wall, catching his breath, Lu Yuan felt like he must have run himself senseless. It had been an hour since lunchtime, and who would foolishly sit in the classroom waiting? This was bad; Yusto was already upset, and now he had stood him up, wouldn’t that just make things worse?

Contemplating the situation, Lu Yuan couldn’t help but feel a headache coming on. He took off his sweat-soaked military training jacket, draped it over his shoulder, and reluctantly left the area. He decided to head to the cafeteria for a meal, hoping he might be lucky enough to run into Yusto.

Bardell Academy, with its vast campus, had eight cafeterias in total. Lu Yuan, not knowing the way, randomly picked the nearest one. As he entered, he was shocked by the sight of a bustling crowd swarming to get their meals.

Today was the first day of registration for new students, and not only Lu Yuan’s class but also other classes had endured the intense torment of the instructors. The trainees, hungry after the grueling training, rushed into the cafeteria with their trays, creating chaos at the serving counter. The scene was so packed that it resembled a dense forest of people, mixed with the shouts and shoves of those jostling for food. It was even livelier than a marketplace.

“Damn it! Are you blind? This is my spot!”

“You’re the one who’s blind! You’re like a blind earthworm!”

“What?! You dare to call me an earthworm?! Watch how I deal with you!”

Amidst the clattering sounds, two female recruits started a brawl, trays and forks flying everywhere, impossible to contain.

“Oh, Zerg God~”

Yulejia, sitting in the dining area on the second floor near the railing, witnessed the gruesome scene, turned his head away in disgust, and remarked, “They really look like a pack of starving hyenas. Did we act so uncivilized during our military training? It’s truly disgraceful.”

“Yes,” Yusto, with his legs crossed, lazily leaned against the back of the chair. His black military boots, wrapping around his slender legs up to his knees, emitted a hint of chilly restraint. He spoke with a cool tone, “Remember when you fought with Aset over the last half slice of lunch meat in the tray? Lord O’Hara had to compensate them a considerable amount of star coins for that incident.”

Yulejia nearly choked, “That was years ago! How do you remember it so clearly?!”

Yusto shrugged, “Not too long ago, just a year.”

At their table sat about five or six military females, with a spread of pre-prepared lunch and a variety of snacks. However, Yusto didn’t seem to be in a good mood, showing little interest. The untouched meal in front of him indicated his lack of enthusiasm.

Antony’s female father held the position of chairman, and Antony himself inherited his biological father’s eloquence. Seeing Yusto’s lack of appetite, he playfully commented, “Your Highness, it seems like something unpleasant is affecting your appetite?”

“Is it?” Yusto certainly wouldn’t admit that he was irritated by Lu Yuan. He raised an eyebrow with an impassive expression and remarked, “Perhaps it’s the strong odor of sweat from those freshmen downstairs that has wafted up here.”

He had a cleanliness obsession when it came to male zergs. As he spoke, he even covered his nose and mouth with a handkerchief, proving his words were not mere exaggeration.

However, whether it was due to the overcrowding on the first floor or the occasional influx of freshmen in camouflage training uniforms carrying trays upstairs, including some male zergs, the various scents of pheromones mixed together, causing a dizzying sensation.

Yusto, approaching his estrus period, was already particularly sensitive to different scents. He caught a whiff of peculiar odors in the air, his brows furrowed, and his expression gradually turned unpleasant.

Damn it…

Yusto covered his nose and mouth with a handkerchief, unable to endure any longer. He abruptly pushed back his chair and stood up, saying, “Take your time; I’m going back.”

Yulejia spoke in surprise, “But you haven’t eaten a single bite.”

Yusto wasn’t sure whether to envy or resent his own powerful olfactory senses. He raised a cold eyebrow and said, “I don’t want to dine in a stinky garbage heap.”

Having said that, he turned and briskly walked downstairs. However, due to the congestion at the staircase, he accidentally collided with a sturdy figure when turning a corner. The overpowering scent of the male zerg momentarily left him feeling dizzy.

Yusto instinctively took two steps back. Before he could fully recover from the invasive aroma, he heard a deep and familiar voice in his ear:

“Is it you?”

Lu Yuan couldn’t help but marvel at the zerg-like fate of this world. He had planned to go upstairs due to the congestion downstairs, and as fate would have it, he collided with Yusto. It seemed like he was destined to treat Yusto to a meal today.

Yusto was momentarily stunned, clearly not expecting to run into Lu Yuan here. “Is it you?!”

Lu Yuan stood on the lower steps, repositioning his slipped jacket onto his shoulders. With one hand in his pocket, he looked at Yusto with interest and said, “Who else could it be? I told you I’d come find you at noon. Why weren’t you waiting for me in the classroom?”

Lu Yuan wore only a damp black short-sleeved shirt on his upper body, unable to conceal the muscular lines. The military belt tightened around his slim waist accentuated his broad shoulders, making him appear even more feminine than the females.

Upon hearing this, Yusto glared fiercely at Lu Yuan, feeling like he was deliberately being toyed with. “I have to wait just because you say so? Do you think you’re the Zerg Emperor?”

Clearly still irritated, Yusto, after saying this, attempted to bypass Lu Yuan and head downstairs. However, when they brushed past each other, Lu Yuan pulled him back forcefully, saying, “I didn’t mean to be late.”

Lu Yuan felt more wronged than Dou E himself. He lowered his head and tugged at his collar, indicating the sweaty marks on his clothes. “I was punished by the instructor to run 20 laps. He said we couldn’t leave until we finished, so as soon as I completed it, I rushed to the classroom to find you.”

Lu Yuan’s well-defined jawline and wet, dark hair accentuated the sweat on his face. Worried that Yusto wouldn’t believe him, he deliberately leaned closer, saying, “Look, there’s still sweat on my face.”

Yusto, seeing that handsome face magnified before him, his pupils slightly contracting, instinctively leaned backward, saying, “Move away, don’t wipe your sweaty face on me!”

Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow, “I did sweat, but I don’t stink.”

Yusto coldly snorted, “I don’t care if you stink or not, it has nothing to do with me!”

Yusto withdrew his hand, walked straight downstairs, and decided to keep his distance from Lu Yuan in the future. However, Lu Yuan caught up from behind, following him and asking, “Where are you going? Didn’t I say I’d treat you to lunch?”

Yusto didn’t even turn his head, “No need.”

Lu Yuan questioned, “Are you still angry about this morning?”

Yusto replied, “No.”

Lu Yuan pressed on, “If not, why won’t you look at me?”

At Lu Yuan’s words, Yusto halted, and finally turned to look at him, his expression icy, and his tone unfriendly. “Do you, Your Excellency, consider yourself so noble that females must unquestionably obey your requests? I don’t think the imperial law includes such a provision.”

Lu Yuan had never thought about it this way. He awkwardly touched his nose, somewhat embarrassed. “I just wanted to apologize to you. What happened yesterday was a misunderstanding, and I didn’t intend to hide it from you.”

When Lu Yuan mentioned the incident from last night, Yusto’s temperature rose sharply, and he warned in a low voice, “Shut up. Don’t mention that again!”

Lu Yuan blinked, “How about letting me treat you to a meal as an apology?”

Yusto gritted his teeth in silence, “I have a big appetite. I’m afraid you can’t afford it.”

Lu Yuan thought it was not a big deal and pulled out a star card from his pocket, the one given by General Saphir. He said, “Buy whatever you want. My treat.”

Seeing Lu Yuan’s indifferent attitude towards money made Yusto grind his teeth with annoyance. He glanced at the star card in Lu Yuan’s hand, thinking about giving him a lesson. He raised a cold eyebrow and asked, “Are you sure?”

Lu Yuan had an easy-going attitude towards money, considering it as something that comes and goes. He looked at Yusto with a smile in his pitch-black eyes, “It’s okay. As long as you’re not angry.”

Facing Lu Yuan’s sincere gaze, a whimsical thought suddenly crossed Yusto’s mind: if the male in front of him were intentionally trying to seduce, there might be few females in the entire Salaranfa Empire who could resist such allure.

…But what did that have to do with him?

Yusto snapped his fingers, snatching the star card directly from Lu Yuan’s hand. He walked towards the food counter, suggesting with a pointed remark, “Your Excellency, some words are best left unsaid.”

At that moment, Lu Yuan didn’t understand the meaning behind those words. However, as he observed Yusto’s subsequent actions, he instantly grasped the situation.

Yusto walked to the food counter, scanning the vast array of dishes. He selected whatever seemed expensive, and in no time, his plate formed a small mountain.

Lu Yuan followed him, asking, “Can you really eat so much?”

Yusto always managed to identify the most expensive ingredients among the various dishes and skillfully piled them onto his plate using the serving utensils. He casually replied, “Your Excellency, please don’t underestimate the appetite of females. Even if I can’t finish it, Yulejia and the others are still upstairs.”

He thought Lu Yuan might be feeling regretful, and this notion finally allowed Yusto to release a bit of pent-up frustration.

For some reason, Lu Yuan looked down at his pocket and his expression turned peculiar. Hesitating, he said, “But isn’t what you took a bit too much?”

Yusto retorted, “Are you complaining about the quantity or the price?”

Lu Yuan honestly replied, “Both too much and too expensive.”

Yusto paused, staring at the pricey piece of Pheng cake he had just picked up. He put it back and carried his tray to the cashier to pay with the card. He sneered, “You seem to care a lot. I’m sorry, but I enjoy eating plenty of expensive food. I hope you don’t mind the expense.”

Lu Yuan hesitated before speaking, “It’s not about the expense, but…”

Yusto asked, “But what?”

Lu Yuan fell silent for a moment, then said, “That star card seems to be yours.”

Initially, Yusto had left a star card at the interstellar hospital to cover medical expenses. Lu Yuan had forgotten to return it, and when he took out a star card from his pocket earlier, he accidentally mixed it up with the one given by General Saphir.

Yusto’s smile froze at the corner of his mouth.

 

 

 

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Author’s note:

Lu Yuan (bows 90 degrees): I’m sorry! I’ve caused you to spend!

# I told you not to take so much #
# I warned you #