Managing the battleship system alone would keep it busy for three months.

It was also fortunate that Little Sprout had awakened; otherwise, even if Ziye possessed three heads and six arms, she couldn't complete the Tang Clan's customized battleship management system. That system would likely take a hundred-person elite team from a top-tier interstellar IT company half a year to produce, maybe even longer.

Little Sprout no longer enjoyed fooling around or bothering Douzai.

Most of the time, it hung around Ziye’s waist, its light screen off, silent, just writing code at an unimaginable speed, occasionally allocating one ten-thousandth of its consciousness to roll around on Ziye's waist.

Ziye didn't disturb it either. She turned to Tang Wan and said, "I need to return to Lings University for my exams, and while I’m there, attend Senior Chun'er’s graduation ceremony. Little Wan'er, what are your plans?"

Tang Wan chuckled playfully, "I'm coming too. It’s a perfect opportunity for me to visit Lings University."

Ziye pinched her arm, about to say something to Harley, when Harley spoke with a blank expression, "Together."

Ziye glanced at him with surprise. "I thought you wouldn't want to go."

Harley’s face remained stern. "The Director requires that I must remain by your side, except when sleeping."

Ziye: "...That works too. The young men from the base are out now; arrange work for them. See who is the most meticulous, and have them accompany you to Lings."

Harley acknowledged with a sound but made no move, perhaps pondering the reason why.

Ziye explained, "The students from Kaga come from various star systems, and some haven't joined the Legion yet. Our Strategic Weapons Department needs to recruit new personnel, and they are the best candidates. Having someone come over is to help you."

Harley nodded. He opened the comm screen and started searching for numbers.

These were internal matters for the Wolf’s Den Legion, which Tang Wan had no interest in hearing about. She scampered toward the shuttle craft. "Little Yezi, I want to be as formidable as you when I grow up!"

Ziye smiled reassuringly and rubbed her head. "Good child."

Tang Wan glared fiercely. "I'm not a child anymore! Don't mess up my hairstyle!"

Ziye laughed, placed Douzai in its designated spot, set Little Sprout next to Douzai, opened the comm, and dialed a number. "Hello, Jiusu."

On the other end, Jiusu took a full five seconds to react before letting out a yell that seemed to shake the heavens: "Ziye—?!!!!!!!!!?"

The sound was so piercing and mournful that Ziye felt goosebumps rise. After more than a year apart, Jiusu's screaming technique hadn't diminished; it had, in fact, improved.

She lowered the comm volume slightly and chuckled dryly, "Such a big reaction?"

Jiusu wailed again, "You dragged me here, then abandoned me, paying me no mind. Tell me. Do you think you did right by me?"

Ziye blinked. "You’re thriving now, the Mech Overlord of Sprout Group. That proves my decision to let you go was a wise one."

Although Sprout Group’s mech market wasn't as astonishing as their robotics sector, it was still one of the interstellar five giants, controlling twenty percent of the mech market share.

Jiusu also possessed some expertise in warships, and Ziye truly wanted to poach him.

However, digging out her own personnel—Ziye really couldn't bring herself to do it.

Jiusu looked thoroughly displeased. "Brother, I came here for you!"

Ziye felt a chill crawl up her spine and changed the subject. "Are you free? Wolf's Den is recruiting in Kaga, and we want to invite you over to be a mascot."

Jiusu's eyes lit up. "Ziye, you are my true brother! I'll follow you from now on!"

Ziye shot him a sidelong glance. "Stop calling me brother, thanks."

Jiusu quickly corrected himself, "Ziye, you are my true elder sister. A very, very big elder sister."

Ziye’s face darkened. "Don't forget to meet me in Kaga in four days."

After hanging up the comm, she saw Tang Wan staring at her blankly. Ziye grinned sheepishly. "If you’re tired, take a nap. You can have fun once we reach Kaga. I need to review for my exams first."

Tang Wan glanced at Ziye, watching as Ziye opened Lings University's official website, logged in with practiced ease, and checked the course subjects. There were many subjects she didn't even recognize. On the shuttle craft, besides Ziye, Harley was the only pure human, currently piloting. She couldn't help but walk over and sit in the co-pilot seat beside him, sighing quietly, "Comparing people is infuriating. Xiao Yezi and I are the same age, but she’s already a third-year, and I’m only a first-year."

This statement unexpectedly resonated with Harley.

Harley pondered for a long time, finally reaching a conclusion: "She is not human."

Tang Wan burst into hearty laughter.

She suddenly remembered something and asked, "Hey, Big Black, which university did you attend?"

Harley couldn't be bothered to correct the inaccurate moniker. "I didn't attend university."

Tang Wan let out an unexpected, drawn-out "Yee?" "Why?"

Harley said, "I was attending an intermediate academy in the Tama star system. One day, a pirate shootout blew up the school. I joined the military and was recruited by the Director into the Wolf's Den army."

Tang Wan’s jaw nearly dropped. In her world, everything was right; even if she encountered bad people, she could quickly deal with them, just like in the Rose Garden. She couldn't even imagine a place in the cosmos where even school safety couldn't be guaranteed.

She clicked her tongue for a while. "Then how did you become Xiao Yezi’s assistant?"

Harley replied, "Mission requirement."

Tang Wan wrinkled her nose. "Why don't you come to Kaga to study too? Ziye is only a third-year this year, so we could still spend a year together. If you test in now as a first-year, I’ll be a second-year, and I can look out for you."

Harley refused without hesitation. "I don't need to."

Tang Wan became furious. "Suit yourself if you don't want to come!"

Ziye heard every word of their conversation without looking up. "Harley, it wouldn't be that hard for you to go to school. Although the Legion currently lacks the capacity to build a university in just half a year, as long as you can pass the entrance exam, you can go anytime."

Harley’s reply was firm: "I won't go."

Ziye said, "You don't have to decide right now. Kaga has a hundred renowned schools, and Wolf's Den has two hundred quotas, with one-third reserved for the military. The entrance exams were postponed due to the recent war. If you want to give it a shot, it’s not impossible."

Harley fell silent.

Ziye didn't press him for an answer and returned to reading her material.

After all, she was still the foremost representative of Wolf's Den in Kaga. She had to score well, otherwise, future junior disciples would remember that the first senior sister of Wolf's Den scored a mere two-tenths in such-and-such subject, which would be a massive embarrassment.

Upon arrival in Kaga, Ziye and Harley swapped positions. Taking the helm as captain, she piloted the shuttle craft directly to the landing pad at the end of the student apartment complex. Carrying Douzai and Little Sprout, she brought her dependents back to her residence.

Tang Wan toured the apartment once and asked, "Are we staying here tonight?"

Butler W greeted them, smiling faintly. "Kaga has many hotels. If you wish, I can take you to one."

Tang Wan's gaze swept over Harley, then lingered on Little Sprout and Douzai for a moment before she bit her lip. "Fine, we'll stay."

-RL