Ziye’s neck was held in a vise, leaving her too weak even to glare at him. The man was immensely tall; her feet dangled well off the ground. Staring into the ferocity in his eyes, a suffocating wave of frustration surged within her. Was this where her life ended?

The more she thought about it, the more unacceptable it felt. Her body seemed to swell, her eyes pulsed, and unseen energy roiled within her. She had been poisoned by Ilia and tossed onto Silver Rune Star. With her great revenge still unfinished, how could she perish here? That place, Silver Rune Star, could not hold her captive; she absolutely could not die here!

Her eyes turned bloodshot, her face ashen. Her hands clamped onto the man’s wrists, pouring every ounce of her strength into them, digging deep into his muscles, gripped by a desperate, life-or-death impulse.

The man watched the blue veins bulge on her hands. The pain shot through his own bones, yet his self-control was absolute. The pressure on her throat remained perfectly measured; the agony didn't compel him to crush her to death. His smile merely turned colder. “Are you forcing me to snap your neck?”

Ziye paid him no heed.

BEEP—

The metal habitation suddenly shrieked with an automatic alarm. Everyone turned their heads in confusion, only to feel a fierce, sharp surge of electricity shoot through their bodies. They couldn’t help but convulse, their muscles seizing violently. All of them, including Ziye, collapsed instantly.

Seconds after she passed out, the door swung open. Little Sprout fluttered in, clapping its wings joyfully upon seeing the pile of inert bodies. “A bunch of trash with combat power only a five. Ha! One quick zap solved it all.”

The metal houses were one of the most popular temporary residences in recent years, with even the flooring being metallic. This gave them a fatal flaw: conductivity. Little Sprout rendered itself transparent, extending the two tiny leaf-like appendages atop its head to touch the metal wall. Power on. Everyone inside, no matter how terrifying the mercenary, instantly passed out.

As for the guns and bayonets, without their masters to wield them, they were reduced to mere decorations.

It was Little Sprout’s first attempt, and it was a resounding success. It was absolutely delighted. It zipped over to Ziye and zapped her with a gentle whoosh. “Dummy, wake up!”

This pulse was significantly lighter than the first, like a tickle. Ziye, long accustomed to its shocks, was already immune. She had only been lightly stunned and quickly regained consciousness. Seeing Little Sprout, her eyes instantly reddened. “You finally came!”

Little Sprout joyfully tumbled around her head, savoring the feeling of being needed. “The infrared scanner is toast, thanks to yours truly. While they’re out, GO.”

Ziye shook her head, forcing clarity back into her mind. She snatched up the bayonet from the floor and swiftly sliced through the ropes binding Bo Xing, rousing him. “Hurry, let’s go.”

Bo Xing blinked in confusion. Seeing the mercenaries sprawled on the ground, the tables had suddenly turned. Though slow to process, he recognized the urgency. Without asking questions, he rubbed his numb limbs and moved instantly.

Ziye retrieved her dagger from under the table and rushed out the door after him. Little Sprout whooshed to her waist, hanging from her clothes and swaying leisurely.

No one was outside.

The sky was distant, surrounded by towering trees whose dense canopies cast deep shade below. The two dashed into the woods, concealing themselves amidst the dense undergrowth. After confirming they weren't being followed, they bolted toward the damp direction.

After running for about ten minutes and seeing no pursuit, they finally dared to stop and catch their breath.

Both were exhausted and starving. Ten minutes of running felt harder than their usual ten-kilometer weighted cross-country. Bo Xing stopped, turned his back to Ziye, and gasped for air. Once his breathing steadied slightly, he asked, “Who saved us?”

Ziye waved a hand dismissively. “I’ll explain when we get back. Are your injuries bad?”

Bo Xing pursed his lips and shook his head. His face was pale, slick with cold sweat, and he had panted heavily during the run. Ziye guessed he’d been hurt by Skinny Monkey. Since Bo Xing wouldn’t elaborate, she kept quiet. She was completely inept at medicine; even if she knew, she couldn't help.

She sighed and asked Little Sprout, “How much further to water?”

Little Sprout replied in her mind, “At your current speed, five minutes.” Ziye hugged it and gave it a kiss. Following its directions, she climbed a short slope and finally found a crystal-clear stream at the bottom. Ziye plunged her face into the stream, drank some water, washed her face, feeling somewhat refreshed. She sat down under a large tree, took a few deep breaths, and told Bo Xing, “Rest for a bit. I’ll find something for us to eat.”

In reality, the man who had been electrocuted woke up just moments after the pair left. He looked at the severed ropes on the ground, touched his nose, and muttered to himself, “Do they really think I’m so weak that a hundred volts could take me down? How insulting.” He kicked aside the offending corpses, not caring if Skinny Monkey had woken up, and walked straight to the table. A swipe of his hand across the surface activated it, causing the tabletop to light up like a screen.

The screen displayed everything: Ziye waking up, and their escape route.

Watching the figures of Bo Xing and Ziye fleeing for their lives, he casually picked up a cigarette pack from the table and lit one. Bo Xing had actually shown considerable restraint; even while being beaten by Skinny Monkey and restrained, he had done his utmost to protect his vital areas. Otherwise, those kicks from Skinny Monkey would have left him crippled, if not dead.

These two students... both were exceptional.

Especially Ziye... he truly wanted to recruit her into his ranks and mold her properly.

The man stroked his chin, then suddenly remembered something. He tapped the screen, initiating a video call to Tang Wen.

A moment later, Tang Wen’s unchangingly cold expression appeared on the screen. Looking at Stas’s gleeful face, he said flatly, “Stas, what new trick are you planning now?”

The man called Stas laughed heartily, reached up to his chin, and gently peeled away the camouflage-smeared facial skin, revealing a clean, tan complexion underneath.

He twirled the removed skin between his fingers and chuckled, “This is a new synthetic skin created with advanced cell generation technology; it can evade scan detection. What do you think?”

Tang Wen responded coolly, “Did you call me just to show off your skin?”

Stas immediately returned to his smirking-tiger expression, settling back into his chair lazily. “I just had a little fun teasing your students. Interested in watching?”

Tang Wen squinted at him. “Are you bored?”

Seeing Tang Wen’s placid face, Stas felt an urge to tear that tranquility apart. The older one got, the duller he became. How could such a lively kid turn into this? This wouldn’t do.

Stas’s thoughts drifted a little.

Tang Wen hadn’t ended the call. On the screen, Tang Wen was reviewing a mecha report, his posture perfectly straight, his head held high, his build slender. Viewed from the side, his nose was sharp, the lines of his profile flawless.

Stas smirked wickedly and suddenly announced, “I actually kissed her just a moment ago, hehe. Young girls’ skin is so soft…”

Tang Wen looked up at him. Just as Stas was about to escalate, the screen abruptly went dark.

Tang Wen had terminated the connection.

“He cut off my video?” Stas laughed in exasperation. “Coffin Face, is this what caring looks like?” He sat back down, lit a cigarette. Since that was the case, he could tease Ziye a little more and drive him mad!

Hahaha! Stas erupted into laughter within the metal room. “Coffin Face, I finally found your weakness! Just wait for my next move!”

Just then, a video request popped up on the screen.

Stas raised an eyebrow when he saw it was Tang Wen—a rarity!

This was the first time Tang Wen had ever initiated a video call to him. Stas’s slight irritation vanished instantly, and he happily clicked accept, thinking, This guy still has some humanity left in him.

Tang Wen reappeared on the screen. This time, he faced the camera, holding a document. “The Marauder Niuliu will emerge in three days. Your fleet has eight vessels. Additionally, a Tiger-type mecha is a birthday gift for you; come collect it yourself.”

Stas’s eyes lit up with excitement. Truly a good brother, remembering to reserve some good news for him. Last month, the Federation issued a decree stating he would only receive five, but now there were three extra—he was overjoyed.

Of course, the crucial point was that he had almost forgotten his own birthday, yet Tang Wen remembered. Since the age of ten, Tang Wen had gifted him a mecha every year, each one a masterpiece.

Stas was so happy he almost leaned forward to kiss the screen, but he maintained a stern face. “Why did you cut the video earlier?”

Tang Wen looked at Stas as if he were an alien. After three seconds, he stated blandly, “The connection dropped.”

Although the reason was flimsy, Stas happily accepted it. “I’ll leave for your location immediately, so we won’t have to worry about dropped connections.” With that, he cut the video, delivered a sharp kick to the still-unconscious Skinny Monkey, and commanded, “Arrange the shuttle. I’m heading to Kolai in five minutes.”

Meanwhile, Ziye returned after finding some wild fruits, and she and Bo Xing shared the meager meal, finally solving their immediate hunger. At that point, neither knew their precise location; their only option was to head back toward the camp.

Daylight in the forest offered a degree of safety. They moved cautiously, deliberately avoiding the tracks left by large beasts and staying clear of areas where the Ghost Mercenaries might appear.

Speaking of the Ghost Mercenaries, both found their complete disappearance strange. Just the day before, they were everywhere; now, they had vanished without a trace.

Bo Xing suggested, “Perhaps we should request rescue from the school? Or just have the Interstellar Federation send troops. No matter how formidable the Ghost Mercenaries are, they are just a disorganized rabble and won't dare engage the military in a direct confrontation.”

Ziye didn’t answer.

She was replaying everything that had happened over the past two days.

From the moment someone threw that explosive the first night, an air of strangeness had permeated everything.

Setting aside the fact that this was a satellite planet affiliated with Lingsi University, even if it weren't, Lingsi University wouldn't arrange military training here if they couldn't keep it concealed from their various concerned parents. It was impossible that the Ghost Mercenaries had installed a force field generator and released robotic wolves nearby without anyone noticing.

Even inside the metal room, with the man capable of crushing her with one move, he hadn't done so, instead watching her methodically.

Now that she and Bo Xing had escaped, they hadn’t encountered any resistance on the way...

A sudden realization struck Ziye: Could this entire scenario also be part of the military training curriculum? (To be continued)