One, a prisoner of Silver Crest Star; the other, a librarian at Lingsi University. No matter how hard she racked her brain, she never imagined the two were such good friends.

Suddenly, she began to understand why Bronan had taught her so unreservedly.

Because of Tang Shan.

As for the rest of the Tang family—the cheap father, the distant relatives—she couldn't be bothered to acknowledge them, and they didn't bother her either. But in her heart, she held deep respect for her grandfather.

She hadn't known Tang Shan was her grandfather back then, losing the chance for mutual recognition, but after living together for two years, she had long viewed him as her own grandfather.

Bronan was Grandpa's friend; seeing him felt inherently familiar and warm.

Bronan slightly removed his reading glasses and smiled faintly, "This place suits me well. An old man like me has no desire to move. If you have time, just come visit this old fellow."

Zi Ye understood his refusal and dropped the matter. She chatted with him about academic matters, then took her leave.

As soon as she exited the library, she immediately activated her super-link to Tang Wen.

Tang Wen answered quickly, his tone muffled and clearly unhappy, "You’re with An Junlie and you’ve forgotten about me."

Zi Ye broke into a cold sweat, "Not at all." Seeing Tang Wen sulk like a child denied candy, she suddenly had an idea and called out affectionately, "Brother, my friends and I improved the energy plates and made a lot of money."

That one word, "Brother," finally satisfied Tang Wen, but his naturally proud nature made him deliberately squint at Zi Ye, "Wan'er already told me."

Zi Ye: "..."

She decided to go back and beat Tang Wan into a pulp for not explaining.

She changed the subject, "I just went to invite Grandpa Bronan to be the strategic weapons consultant for the Wolf’s Den, but he refused."

Tang Wen chuckled coolly, "I told him. I said Zi Ye would definitely try to poach you."

Zi Ye: "..."

Decided to beat Tang Wen into a pulp for not explaining...

However, Zi Ye couldn't figure out why Tang Wen knew this? He shouldn't know her that well.

"How did you know I would do that?"

Tang Wen smiled faintly, his perfect lip line curving into an exquisite arc, "Because you are severely lacking in talent over there." He paused, "Grandpa Bronan, Stas’s grandfather, and our grandfather were once close comrades. Stas’s grandfather died in the war, and our grandfather became a prisoner on Silver Crest Star. Grandpa Bronan lost hope and went into seclusion at Lingsi University. Before our grandfather left, he entrusted me to his care."

Zi Ye finally understood.

So there was this connection.

Zi Ye glared angrily at Tang Wen, "Why didn't you tell me sooner? You made me look foolish in front of him."

Tang Wen feigned innocence, "I thought you would come to me after meeting him."

Zi Ye recalled her first meeting with Bronan; at that time, she definitely intended to ask Tang Wen for clarification, but for some reason, she forgot? She thought carefully—it was An Junlie! An Junlie showed up to find her, causing her to forget the matter.

An Junlie was the main culprit.

Zi Ye gritted her teeth, yet she couldn't blame An Junlie entirely for this.

The key was that she had forgotten...

After all the fuss, Zi Ye was out of temper, "Then I will treat him as my grandfather from now on too."

Tang Wen nodded, "Good girl."

Zi Ye made a face at him and cut the super-link.

Returning to the small building, Xiao Hei had already arranged accommodation for Yun Lan, giving him an empty room on the first floor. The welcoming reception was over; now came the test of character and patience.

Living in the same small building, any character flaws in Yun Lan would quickly be discovered.

Xiao Hei watched him like a hawk every day, just waiting to catch Yun Lan slipping up.

But Yun Lan had no time to pay attention to him. All his time was spent either sleeping, sketching blueprints in the second-floor meeting room, or strolling around nearby space stations, occasionally visiting the public library in Kaga.

Xiao Hei observed him for a few days and, seeing nothing unusual, went back to his own affairs.

The second month ended quickly, and Xiao Hei, Xiao Bai, Xiao Cheng, and Xie Er were due to leave the academy.

None of the four wanted to go.

During their time in Kaga, the first month was spent studying and building the improved energy plates. In the second month, observation slots were given to Xiao Chi, Xiao Hong, and Xiao Lü, while the others continued their advanced studies through other means.

It could be said that this period was the calmest and least stressful, yet the most fulfilling, with hundreds of millions in their hands.

That evening, Xiao Hei quietly snuck to find Zi Ye, only to accidentally see An Junlie sitting beside Zi Ye like a door god, causing his heart to jump three times. He nervously screwed up his courage and said, "Goddess, how about you let us stay another month?"

Zi Ye shook her head, "No. The Wolf's Den still has many matters to attend to. I brought you here so you could learn the ability for self-directed study, so you can constantly update and supplement your knowledge no matter where you are in the future."

Xiao Hei left with a crestfallen face.

Zi Ye sat on the balcony sofa, continuing her assembly game with Xiao Douya.

An Junlie sat beside Zi Ye, watching.

Xiao Douya had developed a battleship assembly game, dividing the battleship into one hundred large components, with seven or eight options for each major part, testing Zi Ye to assemble the designated functional battleship with the highest combat power in the shortest time.

After only a few rounds, Xiao Bai also crept over quietly, equally startled by An Junlie, and asked the exact same question as Xiao Hei. Soon after, Xiao Cheng and Xie Er arrived as well.

Having their game interrupted three times, Zi Ye lost the mood. She leaned against An Junlie, mumbling gloomily, "What method should I use to make them leave willingly?"

An Junlie casually suggested, "Then arrange another training session for them. After spending two months in Kaga, they need to proceed to the next training module. Make the next one brutal. After they finish that training, they’ll be so shaken they won't want any more training and will happily return to work in the Xilian Galaxy."

Zi Ye's eyes lit up, "That’s a good idea. Brutal training—should I find Red Hair for that?"

An Junlie laughed, "Red Hair is certainly quite brutal. Have them go fight pirates or something; it’ll help them practice their on-the-spot adaptability."

Zi Ye slapped her hand, "Snap!" Just as she was about to say, "Great idea," she suddenly thought of an even better one, "It seems becoming pirates would be even better."

Fighting pirates required a high degree of capability.

Becoming pirates required an even greater capability.

Piracy itself was an extremely difficult occupation, requiring one to find valuable warships in the vastness of space, then stealthily shadow the target until the opportune moment, strike quickly to seize goods, and vanish.

This seemingly simple job involved countless skills and strengths; it was practically the touchstone for testing talent.

Zi Ye asked An Junlie half-questioningly, half-musing aloud, "Should the training involve Red Hair arranging for people to corner them at the Kelaie Space Station?"

An Junlie rubbed her head, "Honey, you're too ruthless."

The pirates who cornered people at Kelaie were not ordinary thugs.

The consequence of cornering someone for a month had three possible outcomes: one, they might not return; two, they might develop a lifelong phobia of being cornered; or three, they might end up loving piracy...

Zi Ye slapped his hand away, "It’s decided then, happily. Thanks for suggesting such a great idea."

An Junlie: "..."

Zi Ye cheerfully dialed Red Hair’s super-link and briefly explained her intention.

Red Hair burst out laughing, "I happen to be short on manpower recently. I’ve been locked in a deathmatch with Bai Lanxue these last few days; a few more hands would be helpful."

Zi Ye paused, stunned, "You and Bai Lanxue are locked in a deathmatch?"

Red Hair scoffed, "Didn't An Junlie tell you?"

Zi Ye shot An Junlie a suspicious look.

An Junlie instantly realized his mistake and decisively turned towards the light screen, "Why tell her about something so dangerous?"

In that single sentence, his stance immediately shifted, making it sound like Red Hair was at fault.

Red Hair raised his voice, "Oh? Our Zi Ye is hardly a delicate flower raised in a greenhouse."

An Junlie was filled with regret.

Why did he have to mention finding Red Hair? Wasn't he digging a pit for himself?

Noticing the change in An Junlie’s expression and the wrong tone in Red Hair's voice, Zi Ye frowned, "What exactly is going on between you two?"

Red Hair lit a cigarette, "It’s quite simple. Since Fia was collapsing, several of us went in to traverse it, and then Fia collapsed."

Zi Ye glared at An Junlie—it involved Bai Lanxue and Fia? He had kept too much from her!

An Junlie looked guilty, "Your brother was also involved."

Zi Ye exclaimed, "Tang Wen participated too?"

Red Hair slowly exhaled a smoke ring, "Naturally. After Fia collapsed, Ilya died. We avenged you; you don't need to worry about Ilya anymore."

Zi Ye: "..."

Ilya, the one who was always scheming coldly, was dead?

Zi Ye felt a bit dazed.

To be told suddenly that no one would plot against her anymore should have been a happy occasion, but realizing how fragile life was—that someone could be dreaming of the future one moment and be reduced to ash the next—she couldn't bring herself to be happy.

In the interstellar age, the prevalence of clones had made people lose a sense of reverence for life, replacing it with a kind of numbness.

An inexplicable palpitation seized her, and she squeezed An Junlie’s hand beside her tightly.

An Junlie gently wrapped his arm around her, "Don't worry, we will all live well."

Red Hair hadn't seen Zi Ye's expression and assumed An Junlie was being sentimental, so he scoffed, "After Ilya died, Fia became uncontrollable, and we couldn't absorb Fia ourselves, or the Unification Ministry would hold us accountable. So, we found someone to instigate Karu's rebellion."

The fate of an entire legion, involving tens of millions of lives, was spoken by Red Hair as casually as eating or drinking.

Zi Ye guessed, "After Karu rebelled, did you all join forces to deal with Bai Lanxue next?"

Red Hair snapped his fingers, "Exactly. Without military power, Bai Lanxue is just a hopping flea. Little lady, interested in coming over to catch fleas?"

Before Zi Ye could reply, An Junlie cut in, "Zi Ye doesn't need to go. She's quite happy at school right now."

Red Hair gave An Junlie a sidelong glance.

Zi Ye said, "I really don't feel like going much. Speaking of which, I'm sending four people over to you tomorrow. Will you take them to catch fleas then?"

-RS