Chapter 83: I Love Slacking Off
Seemingly realizing her slip-up, Tao Ning fell silent after sitting up, hugging the blanket on her lap and staring into space.
After finishing the examination, the doctor said with both surprise and relief, “You’re recovering quite well. Make sure to rest during this period. I’ll go check on the other students’ injuries. Call me if you need anything.”
Since Zang Yuzhu was the only patient placed in her own dormitory, and the doctor couldn’t come by frequently, she gave extra instructions.
Noticing her pale and dry lips, the doctor poured her a glass of warm water and handed it over: “Drink some water, and then have a good rest.”
Tao Ning took the glass with both hands, giving her a faint smile, her calm eyes becoming captivating: “Thank you, Dr. Howard.”
Seeing this smile, Dr. Howard suddenly felt a pang of sympathy. She thought: She’s just a student who recently came of age. It’s normal for her not to be perfect in everything. Why be so harsh on her?
Tao Ning, drinking water with her head lowered, resembled a fragile glass flower, beautiful and easily broken.
Dr. Howard took in the scene, inexplicably feeling that this glass flower’s greatest sin was not knowing how fragile she was.
“I’ll be going now.”
Dr. Howard, after saying her goodbyes, walked towards the door, ready to enter the password.
She suddenly remembered something and turned back, saying, “Oh, right, Major General Gu came to see you just now, but since you weren’t awake, he didn’t want to disturb you.”
Tao Ning, having skimmed through the original host’s memories, paused for a moment and asked, “…My cousin? Did he say anything?”
Dr. Howard said, “He asked us to take good care of you, otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to explain it to your parents. He also said that before coming here, he made a promise to your parents to bring you back safe and sound.”
Recounting these words, Dr. Howard couldn’t help but smile. Seeing that elegant young face speaking so seriously added a touch of vibrancy.
Tao Ning said, “He personally rescued me and insisted on finding me. He’s already very thoughtful.”
The silver-white door closed in front of her, but Dr. Howard didn’t leave. She stood there, pondering for a moment.
Then, she dismissed all her thoughts, thinking it must have been an illusion. Zang Yuzhu never spoke so indirectly.
Turning to leave, she bumped into An He, who had come to visit Zang Yuzhu.
An He took the opportunity to ask Dr. Howard about Zang Yuzhu’s condition. She was already prepared to face questioning from the school upon her return.
Although Zang Yuzhu was randomly assigned to her team, as the captain, she was responsible for the safety of her subordinates.
This thought puzzled Song Fangzhou and Tina. Everything had already been reported truthfully, so why take responsibility?
Moreover, the Gu parents were notoriously doting on Zang Yuzhu. An He came from an ordinary background; if she were to be taken advantage of, it would only cause trouble.
However, Dr. Howard affirmed An He’s thoughts. When she smiled, a few faint wrinkles appeared at the corners of her eyes, making her seem particularly approachable.
Dr. Howard said, “That’s a good thought. I’ve followed Major General Song Man for many years, and she once said: ‘Since the soldiers are assigned to you, it’s your responsibility to maximize their potential.’”
An He, despite receiving praise, wasn’t complacent. She said, “I failed to protect her.”
Dr. Howard comforted her, “Don’t blame yourself too much. I’m sure she has realized her mistake of leaving the team’s defense zone without permission.”
An He stopped Dr. Howard, who was about to leave, and said in surprise, “Leaving the team without permission? No, Zang Yuzhu didn’t leave the team without permission.”
Before Dr. Howard could ask further, An He had already recounted the details of what happened that day.
After listening, Dr. Howard said, “You’re saying that Zang Yuzhu didn’t leave the team’s defense zone without notifying her teammates, but reported it before leaving?”
An He: “Yes. At the time, three squads were attacking us. Song Fangzhou’s mecha lost an arm, which affected the communication system. Not only did we not have time to repair it, but we also had to escape the siege. Tina was anxious to fix her mecha and finally managed to shake off the attackers and reach Song Fangzhou.”
Dr. Howard: “Then Zang Yuzhu…?”
An He: “I was being held back by three people. Zang Yuzhu was outnumbered, so she had to escape the battle to protect herself. She might have panicked and unknowingly drifted outside the safe zone, where members of the White Raven organization were hiding in the landing pit.”
The White Ravens were notorious space pirates, sworn enemies of the Federation. Although it was unclear why they appeared on a deserted planet used for graduation exercises, the First Academy students were considered fair game.
Zang Yuzhu was the unlucky one.
Among the First Academy graduates, An He had the best results, and many hoped to be assigned to her team.
Even before the list was announced, there was a saying circulating in the academy: “With An He, excellent graduation is guaranteed,” making her very popular among Command Department students.
The reason they were besieged near the end of the exercise was because, under An He’s leadership, the team had been advancing rapidly, accumulating a significant lead in points.
In this exercise, besides earning points for eliminating enemies, during the last three hours, if a team defeated a higher-ranked team, they could seize all of their points.
The First Academy didn’t discourage this within reasonable limits, as it could cultivate fighting spirit and assess the students’ adaptability and combat abilities.
It wasn’t surprising that An He’s team was targeted.
Dr. Howard blinked in confusion, hesitantly saying, “But…that’s what the record says.”
An He asked, puzzled, “What?”
Hurried footsteps echoed in the night corridor. An He quickly entered the password and opened the door.
An He said urgently, “Zang Yuzhu, why aren’t you…”
The room was empty, a white blanket draped over the edge of the capsule-like medical chamber.
An He looked around inside, then outside, scratching her head in confusion: “Where is she? She’s gone again.”
Ten minutes earlier, after seeing Dr. Howard off, Tao Ning threw off the blanket and got out of bed, casually putting on a coat.
As she was about to leave, she noticed the fruit on the table, emitting a fruity aroma.
Unexpectedly, even in the interstellar age, the most common fruit was still the apple, the plain water of the fruit world.
Weighing the terrible taste of nutrient solution, which was on par with fasting pills, Tao Ning grabbed two apples and pocketed them.
To stave off hunger if needed.
Seeing that this ancestor couldn’t stay still, 520, abandoning its drama, hurriedly came online and asked: [What are you planning to do now?]
Tao Ning used facial recognition to open the door: “Go fishing.”
520 was puzzled: [Fishing? Going fishing at night? Do you think you’re awake but the fish aren’t, and you’re exploiting the time difference?]
Tao Ning: “You’re so smart.”
520 choked. The tone sounded sincere, so it took it as a compliment.
Seeing Tao Ning staring at the name on the doorplate, it asked: [What are you thinking about? Is there something special about the name?]
The doorplate read: Zang Yuzhu, Command Department.
Looking away, Tao Ning said, “It is quite special.” She walked out.
While walking, she sorted through the memories to avoid the possibility of being exposed when meeting acquaintances.
The original host’s parents had a deep and loving relationship. Her father was an Admiral, and her mother, after being injured, transferred to the logistics department, also holding a high position.
Neither of them was from the First Star System; they had worked their way up from the Fifth Star System. Focused on their careers in their early years, they didn’t have the original host until they were both over two hundred and sixty years old.
She was their daughter in their later years, naturally treasured and cherished, hence the name Yuzhu (Jade Pearl).
Based on the parents’ psychic power levels, one S-class and the other 2A-class, their lifespans far exceeded the average, and living until their daughter’s middle age wouldn’t be a problem.
After the original host was born, she did inherit her parents’ excellent genes. With proper nurturing, she had great potential to reach S-class psychic power.
However, they both died in battle on the eve of the original host’s eighth birthday, their bodies never recovered.
The original host, left in a military dependents’ orphanage, was quickly adopted by her cousin’s family. Although distantly related, there was still a familial connection.
The Federation, seeing this as a strengthening of family ties, and hearing that the Gu parents had once served under the original host’s mother and owed her a debt of gratitude, readily approved the adoption application.
Thus, the original host grew up in the Gu family and regarded Gu Yuan as her fiancé, often declaring that she would marry him when she grew up.
When the original host’s parents were active on the battlefield, the Federation wasn’t as peaceful as it was now.
Even the current Federation wasn’t truly peaceful. Peace was limited to the first eight star systems.
As the residents of the Ninth Star System and various scattered planets self-deprecatingly put it: “What do we have to care about? We’re just talking monkeys. The Ninth Star System is just a zoo in their eyes.”
These words, posted on the Starnet, garnered quite a bit of agreement, not out of sympathy, but simply agreement with the literal meaning.
In the eyes of residents of other star systems, the Ninth Star System and various scattered planets were inhabited by stubborn, inferior, uncivilized people.
It was even called the exile land, because in the early days of the Federation, the Ninth Star System, due to its harsh environment, was used as a prison for punishing heinous criminals.
As time went on, the Ninth Star System gradually developed and was no longer used as a place of exile.
Ignoring the ubiquitous cameras, Tao Ning headed towards the lower decks. Instead of trying to avoid the all-encompassing surveillance, it was better to be open and aboveboard.
Tao Ning said, “Did Zang Yuzhu leave any last words?”
520 recited Zang Yuzhu’s last wish: [Yes, hold on.]
[She said: How did I die?]
Tao Ning frowned almost imperceptibly, lost in thought.
[I think the original host left this last wish not because she wanted you to find a medical report or treatment record.] 520 paused, its electronic voice becoming uncertain, [But, Zang Yuzhu’s parents had quite a few enemies.]
This was indeed true. Zang Yuzhu’s parents were active on the battlefields near the Ninth Star System, earning military merits by fighting space pirates and various evil organizations.
For example, the White Raven organization also had a convoluted vendetta against Zang Yuzhu’s parents.
It was possible that previous leaders had died at the hands of Zang Yuzhu’s parents, or perhaps the wife’s cousin’s neighbor’s son of some leader had died at their hands.
However, the most likely scenario was that they all died at the hands of Zang Yuzhu’s parents, as they were once the most promising candidates for restoring order in the Ninth Star System.
Previously, Zang Yuzhu had lived in the First Star System, the political center, and had always been well-protected. But after leaving just once, she died during the exercise on a deserted planet.
Slowly strolling to the lower decks and descending the stairs, Tao Ning saw the three-story-high transport pod.
The lighting here was dim. The entire ship was filled with their own people, so there was no need for dedicated guards, just more cameras.
This made things easier for Tao Ning, as she didn’t have to make up excuses like being “attracted by the Mermaid’s singing in a dream” to fool the guards.
She just wanted to see what the Mermaid looked like. If it wasn’t her…
520 watched as she climbed the metal stairs, its voice suddenly rising: [This is what you call fishing?]
Her pale hand gripped the railing, slowly ascending. Her physical condition wasn’t actually bad; she was, after all, a First Academy student.
It was just that Tao Ning had just woken up from a serious injury and had been running around without any rest, which was draining, even for an A-class psychic.
However, everyone now assumed that Zang Yuzhu’s psychic sea had been destroyed in that attack. Even the doctors didn’t dare mention it in front of her, always telling her to rest.
A living person was what mattered. Even if the White Raven organization that attacked her had been killed, it wouldn’t change anything for the victim.
Tao Ning didn’t dwell on the matter.
Reaching the top, Tao Ning put her hands on her hips and stared at the deep blue seawater under the dim lights.
Just as 520 thought she had some ingenious method to summon a mermaid, Tao Ning sighed: “I’m so tired, I need to rest.”
Then she slowly sat down.
520, which had been holding its breath and almost short-circuited: […] You stingy person, you’re so cunning.
Tao Ning took a bite of the apple, glancing at the calm water: “Zero, fishing requires patience. Don’t be impatient.”
520 exclaimed: [You didn’t even put down any bait! People even chum the water, and you’re trying to catch fish with your bare hands! No, stop imitating Jiang Taigong!]
Beneath the ripples, the lazy and casual voice reached the water. The figure resting with closed eyes twitched her ears.
She opened her bright blue eyes, spread her arms, and quietly swam upwards.
As the leader, not only were her ears sensitive, but her nose was as well. She smelled a sweet scent, and her mouth, accustomed to only coral, suddenly craved it.
Stealthily swimming closer to the surface, the Mermaid looked towards the shore.
A blurry white figure sat there, back facing the pool, long hair draped to one side, a slender form.
The figure’s aura was restrained, unlike those noisy two-legged creatures who constantly tried to probe her with their psychic power.
Since there was only one person, and their back was exposed, she wouldn’t hold back.
The figure beneath the water gradually became clearer, platinum blonde hair rising from the sea like a sun.
Tao Ning watched from the corner of her eye, crunching on the apple, knowing that the huntress leader couldn’t resist.
A pair of webbed claws gripped the edge. With a splash, a delicate, pale face emerged from the water, platinum blonde hair draped over her shoulders like silk.
Tao Ning pretended to be startled, letting out a yelp before the sharp claws touched her, and quickly stood up.
She said in a panicked voice, “What was that?” Turning around as she did so.
The Mermaid, who had reached out but grasped only air: “…” She looked at her palms in confusion, unable to believe that the undefeated leader had failed to catch someone.
But seeing how frightened this person was, it must have been a coincidence, not her own failure.
There’s a saying that someone’s arrival makes a place shine. That’s how Tao Ning felt right now.
Because of the Mermaid’s appearance, the dim light seemed even dimmer, but her eyes told her that this face gathered all the light, shining like a pearl.
Tao Ning gazed intently, taking in the face, from the clean, white forehead to the chin. The Mermaid’s eyes were like two pieces of the ocean.
Mermaids were known for their beauty, and the female protagonist was especially beautiful. With her exquisite features, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call her the goddess of the sea.
Her platinum blonde hair cascaded over her chest and waist. Mermaids loved ornate decorations; her wrists and arms were adorned with exquisite jewelry, gems and pearls.
She wore a gossamer shawl she had woven herself, the fabric so tightly woven that even a Mermaid’s claws couldn’t easily tear it.
Even more magically, after emerging from the water, her hair and shawl instantly dried, her long hair falling loosely around her face.
The leader swished her tail in annoyance, about to sink back into the water, when Tao Ning reached out with a panicked expression: “Wait…”
The hand she extended first was holding the half-eaten apple. Seemingly realizing this was impolite, Tao Ning retracted that hand and extended the other.
Tao Ning said, “Don’t go yet, I have something to tell you.”
The leader stopped, her attention completely captured by the half-eaten apple.
A sweet fruit, she wanted it.
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