The First Imperial Military Academy’s forums were unusually active. New posts popped up almost every few seconds.
[Why are the mecha courses’ simulation pods always fully booked every single day?! How can I reserve a time?? Urgently requesting ideas with exams coming up!]
[Is there anyone looking for a group for the end-of-semester legion internship?]
[Need one more for a battlefield simulation. Come quickly.]
[Can students do their internship at the academy’s botanical garden?]
The last post stuck out like a sore thumb in a sea of aggressive posts.
Ye Muo sat in the classroom, a holomind open in front of him. The person beside him with a slightly curly brown cowlick was also browsing on his holomind. The little brown cowlick didn’t even raise his head.
“Ye Muo.”
“En?”
“Did you make that botanical garden post?”
“If you’re talking about the one from five minutes and thirty-four seconds ago, then yes.”
The little brown cowlick’s name was Zhou Ran. He sighed and crossed his arms.
“You still haven’t given up yet? I’m 80% sure there’s been less than 10 people inside that place since the academy opened. Eight of those people were teachers, the remaining two students that were lost and truant respectively.”
Zhou Ran clawed at his hair haphazardly.
“Why would a student of the First Military Academy be obsessed with wanting to intern at a botanical garden??”
“I thought the First Military Academy might have other majors. Like horticulture for example.”
Zhou Ran couldn’t help but mutter.
“And then what, you’ll go and plant flowers on a warship? The name ‘Military Academy’ makes it pretty obvious that there’s no such thing as a horticulture class here, right?”
Ye Muo looked down.
“It’s like this. I can’t leave the imperial capital because of my parents, and there are only four academies here in the capital. The First Military Academy, the Second, the Third and the Fourth.”
Ye Zhiyuan had just been promoted to the rank of legion commander two years earlier, and the family of a legion commander were not allowed to leave the imperial capital aside from extenuating circumstances.
After graduation last year, Ye Muo only had two choices: either continue going to school or dropping out. Thankfully Ye Muo’s psychic power was Level B, enough to meet the threshold for enrolling at a military academy.
Zhou Ran immediately showed a sympathetic expression. The four military academies in the capital were the post-secondary institutions with the highest general examination score requirements in the Empire. All those who made it here were the cream of the crop.
Zhou Ran himself got in partially thanks to living in a remote area. Everyone wrote the same general exam, but because an equal number of spots were allocated to each region, very few people from the imperial capital could get in. Yet the thing the many nobles living here were least lacking in was resources. They all tried their best to shove their children here, cranking up the difficulty to a nightmarish level.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
However, some said that this was the Empire’s way of deliberately weakening the noble faction. After all, the students of these four military academies were all considered officers in reserve, and many students without backgrounds have been promoted in the past two years.
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He and Ye Muo were both just passing time in Class D. Even in their class, their grades were middling, aka completely ordinary. Not bad nor good. Zhou Ran was already very satisfied with this result in the gathering of elites that was the First Military Academy.
But Ye Muo was different. Although his grades were about the same, while others spent all their time after classes at the mecha simulation pods, Ye Muo rushed straight to the botanical gardens. While others were sparring on the fields, Ye Muo was learning how to prune leaves and branches. While other people were discussing which nutrient solution would let them recover the fastest when put into the simulation pods, Ye Muo was reading up on the effect of soil on cherry tomatoes.
Ye Muo still wanted to struggle a bit longer.
“Do you think there will be a course about how to grow plants while stationed on a planet if I go for logistics next semester when it’s time for major specialization?”
They were first years going through their first semester. Second year would be when they chose a specialized major.
“There’ll be courses like how to pick efficient nutrient solutions. Save your dreams about botanical gardens for when you retire. Or why not pick a legion with a botanical garden and go there when you have time?”
The military academy curriculum lasted six years, and after graduation they were required to serve at least six years more. Ye Muo wilted at a rate visible to the naked eye.
“I don’t want to visit some random botanical garden, I want to own a plot of land and open a flower store to sell flowers in. Then I can eat the vegetables I grow and even give them away as freebies.”
“You’re already thinking that far ahead? Then I’ll open a restaurant and bum produce off of you.”
Zhou Ran was quite optimistic. He put his hands behind his head and started musing.
“Since the average life expectancy is 300 years now and we entered the academy at 17, we’ll graduate at 23 and be able to apply for retirement from service at 29. It’ll be over before you know it.”
“By the way, if you don’t care about your major, then can you go into mecha with me next semester? We won’t even have to switch dorms that way!”
Ye Muo huffed with amusement.
“Class is about to start, so I’ll head to the washroom.”
Zhou Ran waved his hand.
“Come back quickly. The next class is Professor Ji’s imperial history.”
Ye Muo just got up when he heard a sonic boom. He reacted almost instantly and vaulted over his desk, landing with cat-like grace on an adjacent one.
Almost as soon as he left, there was a loud bang. The seat he was just in a moment ago now had a large dent in it from a kick. The outer layers of material went everywhere, revealing the metal skeleton inside.
The entire classroom looked over here. Since class was about to start, the classroom was pretty full.
Zhou Ran shielded his face with one arm. He also reacted and stood up.
The other party was in a white military uniform with black boots. His jacket was off and tied around his waist. The form fitting black vest on his upper body revealed clear lines of rigid muscle. Overall, this person radiated a domineering aura.
The First Military Academy’s uniform was all black and only slightly different depending on the occasion. The only difference between grades was the colour of the insignia on the shoulder. It was red for first years.
However, there was a special group in the First Military Academy consisting of the thirty students with the most points in each year. They were known as Class A and wore white uniforms. Points from the sparring challenge system were calculated once per semester. There were less than 100 of these white uniforms in the entire academy, each a distinguished genius.
Zhou Ran quietly shifted to a defensive posture, motioning with his eyes at Ye Muo to skedaddle. In front of a white uniform, even ten guys like him and Ye Muo would be sent flying.
The other party’s arrogant gaze swept over Zhou Ran before finally alighting on Ye Muo.
“If you dodge again, I’ll ruin that pretty face of yours.”
He gestured in the air before his leg whipped forward. Zhou Ran crossed his arms in front of him and went over to intercept. He was sent stumbling several steps back in a row.
Ye Muo then moved forward, stepped off his shoulder and gracefully flipping through the air.
The white uniform’s feet didn’t even budge. Even as Ye Muo’s entire weight pressed down on his shoulders, his body only shifted slightly. He still looked completely at ease.
He could tell that Ye Muo was trying to lure him to a more secluded location and gave a cold snort.
Ye Muo was a little puzzled. Ever since he arrived at school, his social circle has been limited to those in Class D. He barely talked to them, not to mention the elites of Class A.
“I don’t know you.”
“Ye Muo, right? Then I’ve got the right person. Just obediently let me beat you up and we’ll be done. Don’t worry. For the sake of your pretty face, I’ll be gentle.”
The duo quickly exchanged a few blows. When they finally stopped, it was Ye Muo whose arms were twisted behind his back and his cheek pressed to the wall.
The other party smirked a little, revealing a sharp tiger-like incisor. His demeanour was like that of some beast. He restrained Ye Muo with one hand while the other trailed up his spine to clasp Ye Muo’s neck. It was very slender, as if it would snap if he just closed his hand. The skin was also somewhat cool. He couldn’t help but loosen his grip a fraction as he spoke words dripping with venom.
“Do you know how the person who told me to come described you? He said you’re the one who looks most like a woman. I don’t hit women. If you get down on your knees and beg me now, I might consider letting you go.”
Ye Muo remained silent.
He leaned closer to Ye Muo.
“What’s the point of being so arrogant? I know you’re just some bastard kid.”
Biting his lip tight, Ye Muo glanced at him from the side. His shoulders struggled a little to no avail.
“Cairns.”
Ye He had been standing at the door for who knew how long. He was also wearing a white uniform, but unlike Cairns, he was meticulously dressed from head to toe without a single crease. The dark green representing the higher years was on his shoulders, and on his chest was a gold badge reserved for the President, indicating he was the most outstanding student in the entire academy across all years.
“Let go of him.”
Cairns tsked and let go of Ye Muo. When he brushed past Ye He on his way out, he greeted his senior in a drawl like a delinquent.
Ye He didn’t even spare him a look.
“Tell Ye Yun to settle down.”
Cairns gave a noncommittal huff.
“Answer me.”
“…Got it.”
Ye He waited until Cairns left to approach Ye Muo. Ye He has always been like this. His tone never fluctuated like he was a robot.
“Are you coming home next week?”
Ye Muo has stayed at the academy since his first day. Everyone knew all too well the reason he didn’t come home, but next week was Lady Ye’s birthday banquet.
Ye Muo gave a quiet ‘en’. Then he remembered Ye He reprimanding Cairns earlier over this and tried to formally vocalize his assent. Yet Ye He just continued speaking.
“That was Cairns. His father and mother each have an illegitimate child.”
In this day and age, the childbearing process was undertaken by conception chambers at specialized conception centers. As such, the technology was closely guarded and required a number of reviews. Within the Empire, both partners needed to submit an application for review. However, things were more lax outside its borders. Thus, those in power in the Empire often both had illegitimate children.
Ye Muo remained silent. He did not know Cairns. He was someone from Ye He and Ye Yun’s circle. The next generation of elites have long since started socializing and establishing their own interpersonal network, testing each other like wolf cubs in a pack. It was according to the results of each confrontation that they would establish their own position as hunter or prey.
Ye He was obviously the best of them, and Ye Muo, right from the start, was out of the game.
“Did you forget how to call your big brother?”
Ye Mup remained silent, but Ye He was in no rush. After a moment of silence, Ye Muo compromised and whispered.
“Big Brother.”
Ye He hummed and reached over to lift Ye Muo’s chin. Slowly and methodically, he wiped away the traces Ye Muo’s cheek had recently sustained.
“Don’t be temperamental. I’ll have Father arrange for you to go to the military for an internship at the end of the semester.”
“Don’t lose face for the Ye family.”
Then he nodded to the others in the classroom staring at them and left.
Author’s Corner
Auditors, please take a closer look. This is high-tech machine childbearing that does not involve a certain illegal activity, thank you very much.
Sneakily updating…
Sneakily giving little angels smooches…
Thanks for the chapter!!!!
🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩
Huh. So, if this machine child-bearing how was the mistake made? Just saying… Thanks for the updates 🤣❤️🤣❤️
Yeah I’m wondering too! How is he even related to the Grantz then?
Who says it was a mistake? In the previous chapter it implied that Ye Zhiyuan is well aware that this kid is a Grantz. There’s definitely a conspiracy going on.
Oooh! That is some spicy news! Ye zhiyuan doing conspiracy? Hmm hmm…
!!! i hope Ye Muo gets his dream regarding plants!!!!! i love him already ʕっ•ᴥ•ʔっ
Yes please! Gardening and farming is so peace inducing!
since the ml doesn’t appear until chapter 200+, every possible ml we see starting from now on is not a love interest right? or will ye muo still have romantic relationships even though it’s not his “destined” one? (. ❛ ᴗ ❛.)
There are a couple of characters that seem to have chemistry with Ye Muo along the way, but he really doesn’t have any romantic relationships for better or worse 😅
aww i thought it would interesting if he had a few relationships before meeting the ml
I’m sorry, 200+ chapter?😱
My dream is to be a farmer but my course doesn’t even have an inkling towards farming xD I’m not giving up to be one though. Lets continue to fight MC!!!!
Wishing u luck!
Im lost why he became big in second chapter all of sudden
It’s time skip.
Hurhmm i get how nobles would cheat but woudnt there be less of accidental birth cuz ya know hi tech baby making?
Like, contraception would be fairly advanced no? Why create a baby that would be proof of your infidelity?
At least someone’s looking out for him :'(
at least he’s a good brother?
All of the set up background, remind me with ‘it’s not easy to be a man after travelling to the future’.. from first, second, third military academy, 100 bunch special class, mecha class, mecha clan, even that Ye He slightly cold personality..
I miss my cold tyrant Empress Ling Lan🥲😭